Tuesday 20 April 2010

The Beginning of the Beginning

My employer's pension scheme contains a well-hidden provision, buried deep in the small print, that allows staff approaching retirement to reduce their hours of work with little, if any, loss of income. Its so little-known that having discovered it by accident its taken me since Christmas to convince my managers that a) it exists; b) I'm entitled to be considered for it; and c) it won't actually cost them anything to grant it to me.
However, I've now got the necessary five signatures (!) on the application form and can reduce my time at work to four days a week. I've been left to make my own arrangements as to which days I work, so I've chosen to alternate between Monday to Thursday in one week and Tuesday to Friday the next, thereby giving me a long-weekend every other week. It means I'll have a lot more time available to spend on Starcross and, equally importantly I'll often have four days at a time available, which should extend the range of trips I can do from Norbury Junction. The arrangements will continue until October, when I shall be permanently retired  and able to spend a lot more time aboard.


Sod's Law, however, has come into operation and the first extended weekend's jolly has had to be cancelled due to an unexpected family commitment but its still the beginning of the end for work  - and the beginning of the beginning for a new life with a lot more time on the cut.

5 comments:

Andy Tidy said...

Oh I am jealous.... only eleven years to go!
Andy

Jim said...

Andy,
Sorry to rub it in....but I did spend the equivalent of two life sentences (37 years) in public transport first!
Jim

Bill Rodgers said...

Sweet! Guess it pays to read the small print.

Halfie said...

Sounds like a good wheeze, Jim. I often think we lovers of boating have a huge advantage over those nearing retirement who don't have much of an idea of what to do when they stop working. (I wonder if boaters live longer?) (About eight years and counting for me. Until retirement, that is!) (Sorry Cap'n!)

Andy Tidy said...

Well, I say eleven years by my forty years service (max pension) are up in nine so I will be looking for an out then. Jim has inspired me to read the small print - very carefully.