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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Various Islands in the North Atlantic
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
A new year a new routine here.
I walk both dogs separately most of the time as Gypsy's training is so specific. My first walk used to be 9:30 but that's really a bit late - so I have moved the day forward an hour.
Gypsy's walk will now be 8:30 then Tatze's 11:30 then Gypsy's afternoon shopping/rain/bus/tram/socialising session at 3pm and Tatze's lead walk 5pm.
Do I spend most of my day walking?
Yes! And I love it!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556
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Posted
We are off to Zimababwe tomorrow and going to spend a week on an island in Lake Kariba. Nothing there except crocs and mosquitos and elephant and all manner of buck. Then to Capetown for 10 days. Should be good.
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Went to Chipping Campden this morning, "Jewel of the Cotswolds". It still is, but hopelessly clogged with cars and finding anywhere to park was almost impossible until I found a side lane with a space.
It was cold enough for my fingers to go numb within a few minutes of arrival, but a beautiful sunny day none the less. Lots of pretty Christmas wreaths on the cottage doors, and amazingly, roses still blooming in the front gardens, though they looked a bit frostbitten. The town is lovely, but every square inch of possible road space seems to be packed with as many cars as it can hold, which did rather detract from the beauty of the place.
I'd originally thought about going to London as there are some interesting exhibitions on, and Rembrandt at the National Gallery finishes on the 18th, but that will have to wait for a bit. Has anyone seen the Rembrandt yet?
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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QLib
Bad Example
# 43
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Posted
No - but I saw the Late Turner at Tate Britain - absolutely amazing. I would go again if I could. But an essential part of the deal is to see the free ones upstairs as well. Sorry to miss the Rembrandt, though - that doesn't seem to have had as much publicity.
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Tradition is the handing down of the flame, not the worship of the ashes Gustav Mahler.
Posts: 8913 | From: Page 28 | Registered: May 2001
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Sarasa
Shipmate
# 12271
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Posted
I passed a poster for the Rembrandt today. I hadn't really taken in it was on, I'll have to try to get to see it before it closes.
We went for a walk today, not that long, but I felt rather ill by the end of it - obviously toally out of practice.
The weather has been lovely here in South London. Hope it's the same tomorrow as we're off to see the view from the top of the Shard as my husband's belated birthday treat.
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'I guess things didn't go so well tonight, but I'm trying. Lord, I'm trying.' Charlie (Harvey Keitel) in Mean Streets.
Posts: 2035 | From: London | Registered: Jan 2007
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
The weather here has been vile: wind rain and sleet. It has exposed the fact that the repairs the roofer did on Christmas Eve still haven't rendering the house watertight. I can only get the door of this room to stay shut by jamming the footstool and a pile of cushions against it. I would put the heating up another notch, but the bill for this quarter will already be roughly equal to the GDP of Ecuador.
I want Spring and I want it now.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
We are off to Zimababwe tomorrow and going to spend a week on an island in Lake Kariba. Nothing there except crocs and mosquitos and elephant and all manner of buck. Then to Capetown for 10 days. Should be good.
Have a wonderful time ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Another lazy day here, my bil and his wife visited earlier for homemade crumpets and cake and we've just watched Wuthering Heights (Ralph Fiennes and Juliete Binoche version).
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'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams
Dog Activity Monitor
My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by shamwari:
Nothing there except crocs and mosquitos and elephant and all manner of buck.
Make sure you don't get eaten by the crocodiles or the mosquitos!
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
I want Spring and I want it now.
You need to move further south. This morning was full of sunlight; blackbirds were chasing each other flirtatiously along the top of a hedge, a ram was mounting sheep in a field, the buds are already starting to show on some of the trees, and the snowdrop shoots are coming up. It didn't feel a lot like January.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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St Everild
Shipmate
# 3626
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Posted
First Day Back today...a day of desk work. Don't feel as though I have accomplished very much, though. Can't see the surface of the desk yet...
Ah well...
Posts: 1782 | From: Bethnei | Registered: Dec 2002
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
What does the surface of a desk look like? ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
It's a wee bit less chilly here today - it got up to 0° this afternoon.
I started prepping things for a chicken casserole for lunch (stripping meat from a cooked chicken, chopping veggies, defrosting stock) when I discovered that we didn't have any bacon, which is part of what makes it so nice.
So D., suggested going out for lunch today and doing the casserole for tomorrow, and as he got a couple of vouchers for Milestones for Christmas, we spent one of them: a shared goat cheese, roasted garlic and flatbread platter to start, then an absolutely delicious chicken and mushroom thing with thin pasta and seriously good roasted red peppers and courgettes* for me, and an equally good chicken burger (actually two huge pieces of chicken breast in a bun with usual garnishes) for him.
Then, while I went to the Cathedral office to produce the bulletin for Sunday, he finished off making the casserole for tomorrow.
* I don't often put the words "seriously good" and "courgettes" in the same sentence, but these seemed to have taken on the flavour of the sauce, but kept a bit of "bite", and they were lovely.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Dormouse
Glis glis – Ship's rodent
# 5954
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Posted
I have just set up mynew birdtable 5(thank you Mr D for putting it together) with fat balls & seeds. Hopefully it is far enough away from the trees to deter cats from stealth attacks but not so far that tthe birds feel too exposed.
I am typing this on my new tablet hybrid - I've never had a laptop before so this is a new experience. Hence the random words-joined-together. It's odd using the touch pad not a mouse too.
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What are you doing for Lent?
40 days, 40 reflections, 40 acts of generosity. Join the #40acts challenge for #Lent and let's start a movement. www.40acts.org.uk
Posts: 3042 | From: 'twixt les Bois Noirs & Les Monts de la Madeleine | Registered: May 2004
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shamwari
Shipmate
# 15556
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Posted
Getting ready to go. I have warned my Churches that any attempt to mount a coup while I am away will be met with severe reprisals.
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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QLib
Bad Example
# 43
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
I want Spring and I want it now.
You need to move further south. This morning was full of sunlight; blackbirds were chasing each other flirtatiously along the top of a hedge, a ram was mounting sheep in a field, the buds are already starting to show on some of the trees, and the snowdrop shoots are coming up. It didn't feel a lot like January.
Yes, it definitely felt more like March in the morning, though in my neck of the woods we were back to January by mid afternoon. And so dark this morning! I managed to get into town and get most of my shopping down before the rain started up again :smug:
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Tradition is the handing down of the flame, not the worship of the ashes Gustav Mahler.
Posts: 8913 | From: Page 28 | Registered: May 2001
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
Heavy rain here this morning. I'd hoped for a day of general mooching around, going for a nice healthy walk, that kind of thing - but not until the rain stops. If it ever does. So it's been a morning of random internetting and a bit of reading (J.H.Newman and St Benedict - pretty darned spiritual, huh?)
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Chocoholic
Shipmate
# 4655
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Posted
Or Gosford Park is on ITV3 in a bit.
It's wet down this way too, on the plus side following windowsill replacement a few months ago it seems to have sorted the leak (a.k.a. The indoor water feature) that we had had in heavy rain. We weren't entirely sure where it was getting in so tried a few things but this seems to have sorted it. As much as the cats enjoyed watching the drips!
Posts: 773 | From: London | Registered: Jun 2003
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Sarasa
Shipmate
# 12271
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Posted
After a few days of lovely clear weather it was very cloudy and rainy here, which was a bit of a pain as I'd booked to take my husband up to the top of the Shard as a birthday treat. We went anyway, couldn't see a thing, but were given tickets to come back another time. Having looked at the photos we've decided that sunset will be the best time rather than midday.
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'I guess things didn't go so well tonight, but I'm trying. Lord, I'm trying.' Charlie (Harvey Keitel) in Mean Streets.
Posts: 2035 | From: London | Registered: Jan 2007
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I've definitely had a "mooching around" day - apart from loading the dishwasher after lunch, I've done the square-root of bugger-all today.
According to the Weather Channel, the temperature's going down to -13°, but feeling like -25 with the wind-chill overnight and tomorrow morning.
Even by my standards, that's a bit "brrrrrr" ... ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Last day of the holiday, back to work tomorrow. At the time of writing the view from my window's completely disappeared into thick fog, the cars beneath are covered in frost and it's cold outside.
I'm going to miss having the time to watch television, the pleasure of not having to get up while it's still dark, and the Christmas decorations, which will come down during the week. That's the point when you realize that Christmas is done, and Easter's a long way off yet.
Oh, and watching "Tudor Monastery Farm", which is a cracking series. If ever I'm stranded in the Tudor era, I'll have a fund of useful knowledge to see me through.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
I'm going to miss having the time to watch television, the pleasure of not having to get up while it's still dark ...
Now you can count the days to retirement, when life is one long holiday!
I have been 'head hunted' to work one day a week (Friday) which actually means I'll also work a bit every day (preparation, marking) but I am looking forward to it. Although I never thought I'd be starting at a new school at this stage of my career - all those names to learn!
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
Now you can count the days to retirement, when life is one long holiday!
I wish. But to keep a roof over my head, I'll need to stay in employment as long as I can, which is currently 67 instead of 60 as it was when I first started work.
Could be worse: today's generation will probably have to work for even longer.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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moonlitdoor
Shipmate
# 11707
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Posted
I had only the bank holidays off so already been back at work a week, minus New Year's day. They'd have to pay me to go to the top of the Shard though, as I am not good with heights. I've got some Tesco vouchers and was planning to use them to go to London zoo yesterday but it was too cold and rainy.
On the bright side though I went to a different parkrun from normal, at Osterley Park, a national trust place in West London, and a vegetable stall there was selling brussel tops. I don't like sprouts at all but the leaves are lovely and you never see them in the shops round here so I got as many as I could fit in the cycle pannier. I wonder what happens to them normally, maybe livestock get them to eat.
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We've evolved to being strange monkeys, but in the next life he'll help us be something more worthwhile - Gwai
Posts: 2210 | From: london | Registered: Aug 2006
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
I wish. But to keep a roof over my head, I'll need to stay in employment as long as I can, which is currently 67 instead of 60 as it was when I first started work.
Could be worse: today's generation will probably have to work for even longer.
Too bloody true. The retirement age at my employer is already 68, giving me another 25 years, and I can't imagine that it'll be much less than 30 years by the time I've actually done it. This is not a good time to be stuck in a long-standing career crisis... (which reminds me, I should go and poke the Job Search thread back onto the front page).
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
Posts: 3574 | From: The wardrobe of my soul | Registered: Jul 2007
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
Increased retirement age is one way of cutting the pensions bill. ![[Mad]](angryfire.gif) In some ways, I'm glad I took ill health retirement. The pensions bill muight decrease, but I suspect the NHS bill will increase.
Talking of which, our house is a bit like a plague pit at the moment - all three of us have colds, Lord P has a really bad cough, I feel like I'm wrapped in fog with a head full of cotton wool - my cold has gone to cattargh.
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Increased retirement age is one way of cutting the pensions bill. In some ways, I'm glad I took ill health retirement. The pensions bill muight decrease, but I suspect the NHS bill will increase.
Talking of which, our house is a bit like a plague pit at the moment - all three of us have colds, Lord P has a really bad cough, I feel like I'm wrapped in fog with a head full of cotton wool - my cold has gone to cattargh.
Just a word on the NHS pension (as someone who'll be retiring, early, later this year) - it's actually been in surplus for about the past twenty years. Yes, employers and employees between them are paying more into it than retirees are getting out of it. What's more, the surplus doesn't get saved up to go into future pensions. No, no, this is the UK government we're talking about here - the surplus on the NHS pension "fund" gets skimmed off into what's called the "Treasury Contingency Fund", i.e. the pot of money that the Chancellor can spend on what he likes, such as funding wars or - ooh, I don't know - buying votes.
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Chocoholic
Shipmate
# 4655
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Increased retirement age is one way of cutting the pensions bill. In some ways, I'm glad I took ill health retirement. The pensions bill muight decrease, but I suspect the NHS bill will increase.
Talking of which, our house is a bit like a plague pit at the moment - all three of us have colds, Lord P has a really bad cough, I feel like I'm wrapped in fog with a head full of cotton wool - my cold has gone to cattargh.
Just a word on the NHS pension (as someone who'll be retiring, early, later this year) - it's actually been in surplus for about the past twenty years. Yes, employers and employees between them are paying more into it than retirees are getting out of it. What's more, the surplus doesn't get saved up to go into future pensions. No, no, this is the UK government we're talking about here - the surplus on the NHS pension "fund" gets skimmed off into what's called the "Treasury Contingency Fund", i.e. the pot of money that the Chancellor can spend on what he likes, such as funding wars or - ooh, I don't know - buying votes.
What?! So, they've up'ed our contributions, reduced what we get out at the end, and are making us work longer to get it and they're taking the surplus?! Words don't fail me, but I'd be planked if I put them here.
Man I miss TICTH.
Posts: 773 | From: London | Registered: Jun 2003
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Over here people seem to either retire quite early (one of the other altos in our choir retired at 51, having got her 30 years in as a school-teacher, with a good pension) or very late - I've known doctors and surgeons who carry on well into their 70s or 80s if they're able. I even have a friend whose father came to Newfoundland to do an extra 5 years because he'd reached the retirement age in Ontario but wanted to carry on ...
If I had the choice I'd probably go at 60, as D. is 6 years older than me, and we'd have a chance of a bit of retirement time together, but I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to go on as long as he's able. As he puts it, he gets paid for doing what he loves doing, so he probably won't want to give it up if he doesn't need to.
After Evensong today we had a v. nice evening at the house of one of the tenors in the choir, and when we came out there was quite definite sn*w - about 4 inches and falling steadily.
Pretty, and difficult to negotiate the hills, but probably not enough for a sn*w-day tomorrow.
Better head off to bed soon - need to get used to waking up again. It's amazing how only a week-and-a-half can get you completely out of kilter ...
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
I retired early. When I did the Maths, so long as I live to 82, it made little difference to the amount as getting it early meant I was getting it longer.
Well, well worth the drop in monthly income!
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
Those of you who went back to work this morning: believe me, you’re better off starting work today. I was in the office on Friday and it was like the Marie-Celeste. I have never been so bored in my whole entire life.
The HR insist on at least one of us being here to man the fort so I agreed to do Friday and let the others take the day off. In one way it suited me to come in, because I want to keep my holiday days for later on, but man it was slow. Normally my secretarial pool has four people in it. I was the only one in the office, so the phones of the other three were all redirecting to mine. It rang ONCE the entire day.
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
My kids are still home but I've decided to start back at work today just so I can sort out a routine again (I work flexibly, part time, from home). It also means I can get the urgent things out of the way (like work emails) to allay my normal anxiety issues and reassure my students of my presence. Then hopefully tomorrow will be free to plan tutorials and other work with a clean slate.
I started back at my yoga class today and am now feeling exhausted but very relaxed
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'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams
Dog Activity Monitor
My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I retired early. When I did the Maths, so long as I live to 82, it made little difference to the amount as getting it early meant I was getting it longer.
Well, well worth the drop in monthly income!
That's how the NHS does it. Roughly speaking, you get the same amount of money between the day you retire and the date of your average life expectancy - so early retirement doesn't put any more burden on the pension provider. As a system, it has a certain entertaining Grim-Reaper-ishness about it.
I'll be 53 when I retire (if the Lord spares me). I realise just how lucky I am to be able to, being debt-free and dependent-free, and I already have some plans to make the best of it by applying myself to Good Works. I won't have much to live on, so there won't be much lying around on Caribbean islands sipping Pina Coladas, but I'll probably invest in a new pair of slippers and study the art of being a sort of benign curmudgeon.
Meanwhile, it's a pleasantly busy day in my place of work - let's call it the Adeodatarium - and I'm typing this while nibbling on a rather good seafood salad sandwich.
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
I haven't yet retired and still work full-time (although working part-time and taking some pension early does look attractive!), but my friends who have retired don't seem to have much more time on their hands. So long as one is basically debt-free, or paying a modest rent, the finance aspects look pretty neutral.
It's keeping the grey matter ticking over that looks more necessary. I think we'll put some kind of timelocks on the TV and the 'puter.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I get the impression that some people are much better at retirement than others.
My dad (who's now nearly 90) retired at 61, while still in rude good health. He and my mum (who was a housewife) had a wonderful 10 years or so of jetting about all over Europe in their dormobile and doing the odd Exotic Place as well, before the gradual onset of Mum's dementia took over. If he'd gone on to 65 they'd have had that much less time to enjoy themselves, so I think he did the right thing.
His next-door neighbour, on the other hand, took early retirement/redundancy at 55, spent most of his time mooching around the 19th hole of the local golf club, and died about a year later.
Retirement seems to be what you make it.
I'm not yet retired, so now that I'm back at w*rk, I'd better go and do some ...
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Those of you who went back to work this morning: believe me, you’re better off starting work today. I was in the office on Friday and it was like the Marie-Celeste.
I thought it probably would be. Almost all of us came back today; the decorations are being taken down bit by bit, the Christmas chocolates being finished up equally slowly (we've all had a surfeit over the season).
A bit of a shock to the system to have to leave home before dawn again, though (and I've been awake since about half two this morning anyway) instead of going back to sleep and surfacing around 8-ish for a leisurely breakfast and Christmas television.
But I knew Christmas had to be over once the fairy lights on the tree blew up.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
I was retired on ill-health grounds [I was offered the chance of appealing the decision but didn't] when I was just 48 and headed out here to live and it has been pretty much great. Last year my State Pension kicked in which has made life a little easier financially.
For me it has been great.
* * * *
Having read through the job search thread earlier it reminded me somehow of the other day when I was at the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office and a young guy came in all cocky about having arrived in India with no money and needing some registration help [so he may not have had sufficient visa] and trying to push for them to make an exception in his case. The office is staffed by some really nice folks BUT they are all experienced police officers, probably seconded from Special Branch. They remained courteous, which I would have found a struggle, but just put a few blocks in his way. It was a joy to watch. He was a very silly boy! With the attitude he had I'm surprised he wasn't put on the next plane out of the country!
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Mrs Sioni was at work on New Year's Day. It ws a very quiet day, few were in the market for cross-stitch kits, sewing machines, wool or anything like that and the next day she totted the tills from NYD and they had taken just over £500 in cash. Generally that's about a third of the total take. Why bother opening?
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Having read through the job search thread earlier it reminded me somehow of the other day when I was at the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office and a young guy came in all cocky about having arrived in India with no money and needing some registration help [so he may not have had sufficient visa] and trying to push for them to make an exception in his case. The office is staffed by some really nice folks BUT they are all experienced police officers, probably seconded from Special Branch. They remained courteous, which I would have found a struggle, but just put a few blocks in his way. It was a joy to watch. He was a very silly boy! With the attitude he had I'm surprised he wasn't put on the next plane out of the country!
I expect they will play the 'long game' such that even this silly boy will learn a lesson. Like cricket, India learned administration from the British and has added some classy touches of its own.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I'm hoping my husband will set up his own business this year so that we can retire early on the proceeds. I'm an ex-nurse so was due to retire aged 55 (I'm 45) but the goal posts have now moved to 60 for me, I believe. Not much of an issue, as I can work flexibly for the OU for a good few years, but my husband is younger than me and it would be nice to retire together and travel.
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'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams
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Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
I have just gone through a whirl-wind voluntary redundancy (a month ago I had no idea!!), and apart from a week's pre-booked vacation, I still have plenty to keep my busy until I officially finish on the 5th Feb.
I've been thinking of the things I want to do on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, and of the things that I could do to generate a little income before my pension kicks in (a few years yet) without having to go back full-time to what I do now, although I'm open to the idea of going freelance over the winter. I've some sessions with a career consultancy, and will have more of an idea after that.
But I am really looking forward to at least a few months of not having to set the alarm unless I really want to.
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
... they had taken ... about a third of the total take. Why bother opening?
A few years ago I worked in a shop in a mall over the Christmas/New Year period, and on the really slow days after Christmas I wondered the same thing, until it was pointed out that my employers (a ladies' clothes chain) would be charged a "fine" by the shopping centre if they didn't open.
quote:
Originally posted by Daisydaisy:
... a few months of not having to set the alarm ...
I had seven years of what I called "practice for retirement" when we moved here, as I wasn't eligible to work. At first there was a certain luxury in not setting the alarm (after 20-odd years of having to set it), but it was more than offset by the lack of funds that could be used for actual, tangible luxuries, and the novelty rather wore off ...
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
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Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
But I knew Christmas had to be over once the fairy lights on the tree blew up.
That sounds… exciting . We badly wanted to dispose of our Christmas tree by throwing it out of the (fifth floor) window at the end of our New Year’s party. Would have been so much easier and more fun that getting it in a Christmas tree disposal bag and down the stairs. However there was a car parked right underneath and we didn’t dare.
Among our guests were a Brazilian couple having their first Christmas in Paris. We were going to tell them that defenestration of Christmas trees was a Parisian tradition and see if they believed us. ![[Snigger]](graemlins/snigger.gif)
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Apparently the lions at the zoo regard Christmas trees as a wonderful treat. It makes them as happy as catnip.
Alternatively, here are some New Year traditions for your consideration. Your plan of throwing the Christmas tree out of the window would fit right in with some of these.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Iceland is perhaps the most worrying, since NYE apparently brings on talking cows, seals taking on human form, the dead rising from their graves and elves moving house. The place sounds like an eldritch Piccadilly Circus.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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balaam
Making an ass of myself
# 4543
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Iceland is perhaps the most worrying, since NYE apparently brings on talking cows.
Just as long as there are no talking donkeys I'm OK with that.
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blog
Posts: 9049 | From: Hen Ogledd | Registered: May 2003
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Chocoholic
Shipmate
# 4655
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Posted
I was at work a few days last week and up to Christmas Eve but it was much quieter and so a good chance to catch up on stuff, and the roads are so much quieter I got a little lie in (15 minutes is still 15 minutes!). And I get to use the annual leave later on
Posts: 773 | From: London | Registered: Jun 2003
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I went back to work today after a fortnight's break and there's so much correspondence to catch up on that I wish I'd gone in for a day or so after Christmas to keep on top of it a bit. I've always taken the fortnight as leave to be around when the kids are on holiday too, Nenlet1 is married to a teacher so she tends to take as much time off as she can, and up until this year Nenlet2 has studied locally and lived at home. This year he was home for Christmas but abroad with friends for New Year and as Mr Nen was working most of last week, but doing it from home and being grumpy when it wasn't going well ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif) , I would have been better out at work, at least for some of the time.
I love my job and have no plans to retire any time soon. Mr Nen is planning for his retirement although how that will turn out is anyone's guess. ![[Biased]](wink.gif) He went "part time" in the autumn but still spends a lot of evenings and weekends (as well as daytime hours) working. Last week that included (but was not limited to) New Year's Eve till after 11pm and most of New Year's Day. So it's going really well. ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Iceland is perhaps the most worrying, since NYE apparently brings on talking cows, seals taking on human form, the dead rising from their graves and elves moving house. The place sounds like an eldritch Piccadilly Circus.
That might be easier to handle than the South African custom of cheerily hurling old appliances out of the window, presumably without even shouting "Gardyloo".
Actually, that could be the parting gesture of the house-moving elves, I suppose. "We're not taking that fridge to Iceland with us. One, two, three, heeeeave."
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I have just gone through a whirl-wind voluntary redundancy (a month ago I had no idea!!),
Much the same thing happened to me 18 months ago, daisydaisy, though I was already of pensionable age*. And Mr. S, who will have been retired 5 years at the end of this month, is officially old enough to draw his pension in July His employer - an American company - decided he was no longer 'on the bus' and paid him handsomely to stay away - result!
The issue we have is how much routinely to schedule in a week. When the weather is horrible and you can't go out and walk, or garden, it's great to have something to get out of bed for. However last year we missed the chance of a cheap sailing holiday at short notice because we had too much Stuff to reschedule, which is ironic (not good, but ironic).
Mr. S seems to work almost as hard as he ever did fixing people's IT issues, especially among the older members of our church!
* I had gone to work one Monday morning, knowing that I had to leave again late morning to go to a funeral. This led me to consider retirement, and giving my manager time to reorganise my job etc, so I decided I'd go in a year. Got back from the funeral to find my desk covered in notices - mandatory all-hands call at 2 pm. Voluntary redundancies, yippee ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
Mrs. S, retired but by no means retiring!
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Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny.
Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort
'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
...Actually, that could be the parting gesture of the house-moving elves, I suppose. "We're not taking that fridge to Iceland with us. One, two, three, heeeeave."
Last time I was in Iceland it was full of freezers!
Okay, sorry about that, I'll leave now before I'm pushed.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
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Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
They've swopped the geysers for the freezers? I hope the flagon with the dragon still holds the brew that is true.
[ 06. January 2015, 10:59: Message edited by: Ariel ]
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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