Stunned and amazed

I was stunned and amazed by the send off I received upon my retirement.

I was asked if I'd like to go out for a meal and almost 20 people turned up.

I was given so many gifts, one of which was large plant this has been re-gifted to DD and now stands in her garden.

I was also given gifts from the kitchen staff and the cleaners, people I didn't do copying for.

Missing in action

I've been missing in action for most of the week as my mifi stopped working.

Of course it took eleventy billion phone calls to sort it out.

Then when Three did agree to send a new unit they would only notify me of the delivery time via email.

Can you see the problem here, I couldn't get email as my mifi wasn't working.

They send out the '1 hour delivery slot info' any time up until 11am.

I know there are places that provide free WiFi including my bank, Nationwide but there is a limit to how long I could spend lurking around and I really didn't want to spend hours in a coffee shop or pub as I had boats to clean and grand children to entertain.

Back to basics

Last week CHS came shopping with me, he spent £91 in the supermarket and I still had to do two top up shops for milk and veg.

Yesterday I shopped alone, I spent £24, hopefully I will not need any top up shops as I have lots of veg and milk in.

Next weeks meal plan.

In no particular order.
Roast turkey, turkey, ham and mushroom pie, Turkey and noodles, spaghetti bolognese, fish pie, pork chops, chicken and ribs.

I'm freeeeeeee!

Well that's it, it's all done and dusted. I'm officially retired.

I came home laden with gifts, chocolates and gift vouchers.

The head made a nice farewell speech, my line manager declined to speak.

Tonight I'm going out for a celebratory meal.

Ooopps

I get these lumps, just small ones about the size of a pimple and mostly on my face. They are irritating and unsightly but that is all. After a few months they dry up enough to be removed usually with a scalpel.
I currently have on on the side of my nose and I was getting tired of it, so out came the medi wipes, mirror and scalpel.
Oh bugger, it popped but then it bled and bled and bled.
And then it stopped, there is no scab, no soreness, nothing at all.

U3A

I have joined the U3A, there is one a few miles away.

I shall start with quilting and circle dancing.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Are you lonesome tonight.

I think my only real concern about retirement is that I will become lonely and isolated.
I don't know many people on the Marina and there are very few women here anyway.
CHS will, I know, come home each evening, rant about work until the evening meal is ready, he will then fall asleep in the chair until it is time for bed.
I'm struggling to find any clubs or activities to join in with that a are within my budget.
Time will tell.

So I went to the laundrette

I wanted to establish the time and costs involved, from although dd2 has offered to do washing and drying for my when I spend time with dgd9, I want to pay her for doing it.
Dgd9  is three years old but the 9th grandchild.

So I went into the laundrette and bade the attendant, who was stood behind the counter a cheery hello, she merely grunted  in reply.

I read the instructions and started a wash going, I went to buy a loaf of bread whilst the wash was on.

I returned to the laundrette and once the machine had finished it's watery tango I emptied the washing into the dryer and sat with my crochet waiting.

After a few minutes a very flash Audi parked on the double yellow lines out side the laundrette and three people entered.

There was a woman in her 40's, her daughter who was in her 20's and a toddler.

The laundrette attendant immediately came out from behind the counter and stood with her arms folded.

The older of the two women came over and started to ask me about my crochet. She had no discernible accent but her speech had a very unusual cadence. I recognised it immediately.

After about half an hour I went to remove my bedding from the tumble dryer and left the towels in to continue drying.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the younger women walking over to sit beside my bag that I had left by the bench. I'm sure she rifled through it whilst my back was turned. I didn't say anything as my phone and purse were in my pockets, all that was in my bag was my crochet, a loaf of wholemeal bread and some empty carrier bags.

I'm glad my daughter has offered to do my washing for me, I don't want to have to use the laundrette again.

In case you are wondering the wash cost £4 for a twenty minute wash and the dryer was also £4 for an hour's drying, plus £1 to park. It could have proved a lot more expensive if I hadn't recognised the didicoy patois!

It's the final countdown.

One more week before I retire and it's a four day week at that.

It hasn't sunk in yet and probably won't for a few weeks as it will just be like a normal school holiday.

Even though I gave around 4 months notice my job was only advertised on Tuesday and the closing date is next Tuesday.

Two boats to clean next week, it will be easier not having to fit them in around work.

New clock

I started work at 7:30 today, CHS is on the late shift so arrived at 12.

He came to find me, he wasn't happy about the new clock I'd bought and hung on the wall.

He's not keen on the modern design, it has no numbers on it and no hands.

How, he asked, is he supposed to tell the time on it.

I kindly explained that it was in fact my new weighing scales!

Small and flat, black with a silver disk in the middle and a hole in the back so they can by hung on the wall when not in use.

Hither and thither

Thank you for all the comments I'm glad I gave you all a laugh.

Someone asked about my car, it is a Nissan Note, with silly little wheels, I like the car though apart from the wheels.

So today CHS had to work, but not until 8am so it was a leisurely start to the day. Whilst at work he chopped up a  broken pallet so now we have a nice pile of kindling.

I drove to the village centre and went to the bakers and butcher's once I'd dropped him off, I bought some rolls, ham and bacon.

I then drove into town to the hardware shop  to buy some nails, from there it was back to the village to collect a prescription and then to the chemist to get the prescription filled.

Back then to work to drop off the ham rolls for CHS for lunch, by the time I returned to the boat it was 10:30.

I collected my cleaning stuff and went to clean a boat, no joy, the padlock had been changed but not the key.

So I went to see the Marina manager to see if he had a key, but no luck.

I gave the Marina manager a bottle of my homemade blackberry vodka and he told me where I could pick some sloes!

Woohoo, I picked lot, then on the way to collect CHS from work I bought a couple of bottles of gin, there will be sole gin for Christmas.

Sloe gin, bloody tablet, even though I've added sloe to the dictionary it still reverts to sole or slope!!

Epic fail

As my friend Sybil would say.
Today started well albeit very early.
I made porridge at 5am for CHS and I to take to work.

CHS also had ham sandwiches and I had prawn salad left over from last night.
We arrived at work at 6:30, CHS started to unlock the building I went to my room to start work.


At about 8am I decided I would eat my porridge, I took it to the Staffroom and put it in the microwave, I then went to the toilet.

I returned to the Staffroom just as the microwave pinged.
I took out my tub of porridge, lifted the lid and there in the tub was some very well cooked prawn salad!

Busy weekend

I have tried to photograph the cats but they either ran away or headbutt my phone so I gave up.

Saturday morning I went to get two new tyres for my car, ouch, £211, ouch ouch.

Whilst they were being fitted I walked to Ds's house to feed the cats then walked back to collect my car. I then filled the car with petrol and stopped at the bakers to buy some soft rolls for lunch.

I returned home and cleaned the boat then we went shopping to restock the fridge and freezer. I spend twice as much when CHS comes with me but he always pays the bill so it doesn't matter.

At 5 I returned to Ds's to feed the cats for the final time. From there I went to dd2's and babysat, I refereed the children for a couple of hours until they went to bed I was there until midnight. While I was there dd1 phoned to ask if I could babysit for her at lunch time today.

Despite not getting to bed until 1ish  I was up before 7, we wanted to watch the Malaysian Grand Prix.

At 10:30 I set off for dd1's where I wrangled children until 2:30. I returned home and cooked Sunday lunch but with lamb steaks instead of a joint.  Dd1's OH had made a delicious chocolate cake (he is a chef) he gave me a couple of slices to bring home, we had it for pudding.

I'm now sitting in front on my stove and I'll go to bed early tonight.