Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Can I Go Boating Now, Please?. . . .er, NO!

My retirement is supposed to be giving me a lot more time to go boating and I always envisaged that immediately I finished work I'd sail off into the sunset on Starcross, at least for a week or three, but it's not working out like that!
My last day in the office was last Thursday, but there was too much to do at home to go to the boat for the weekend. Then we are off for a week's cycling holiday, cycling being my second most popular pastime and, to be honest, Hilary's most favourite. There won't be much of waterway interest during the week (so I won't be boring you with the details) but we may just catch a glimpse of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation on our way from the Lee Valley round the top of Essex and through "Constable Country" to the sea at Harwich and then along the coast to Burnham-on-Crouch.
After we get back I've got a second leaving-do from work to go to! Apparently this one was arranged for the day I actually retire (Friday 15th October) some time ago and before I announced that I had a fortnight's leave still to take. I had a very good send-off last week, but how typical for a bus planner: You wait 40 years for a retirement do and then two come along together!
Finally, I should be free to set off for a fortnight's trip up to Manchester and back, but what's this? The estate agent has just rung to say we've had a very good offer on the house, which after 5 months on the market we can't afford to refuse; but the buyers have nothing to sell and want to move quickly. . . 
In view of the market conditions we haven't even started looking for a house in Lancaster, which is where we plan to move to and its not as if we can just pop up from Hereford for the afternoon to look around!
So I may not get away on Starcross after all, although we might end up living aboard for a while!

No comments: