Trouble catching up

[JanieB]

I've not been on here often over the last few months. This will change at the end of May when I will be .....aaaghh.....retired. I've been covering maternity leave for over a year. Six months ago I was made part-time with no reduction of the workload.

I really hope my colleague is back next week (flu) as I've booked a week off to clear my house before the builders come in.

The weather has been so beautiful, but I haven't been able to get on the garden or allotment because I'm working unexpected hours and trying to prepare the house for major changes.

I totally missed the pantomime, and "whisk a clotted cream", philistine!!!

[Comfreyfan]

Wondered where you were - glad to hear your ok. Retiring - lucky you. I know you shouldn't wish your life away, but I really can't wait - keep dreaming about reducing my hours - but as youngest DD only just finished Uni, I can't afford to reduce the income yet! Weekends are much too short when you work full time!

Good luck with clearing the house and the building work - once it starts I'm sure you'll be more than glad to get to the lottie!

[SarzWix]

I hate it when jobs that need doing pile up like that... I get a bit flustered and end up having to make lots of 'what needs doing' lists before I can even start! The OH calls it my 'headless chicken panic mode'
Hope you manage to get on top of stuff before the builders arrive Janie

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome back JanieB.

Good luck with the clearing and building work. I am struggling to clear space in our shed for my dad's business files to move in as he has been asked to leave the office he has used for nearly 30 years (I have suggested he needs to build a new shed in our garden to use as an office now - hope he doesn't mind if the chooks move in with him)

[Flummery]

Nice to hear from you again. I can promise that you will not look back once you're retired. Don't expect loads of time to do things though! My lottie still needs half of it digging as I've been busy with other things. The difference is, they are things I WANT to do, not that someone tells me I have to do, for money!

[Jardiniere]

retirement is truly wonderful.............

[Alice]

Good to see you back JanieB. Hope you have a long and happy retirement.

[JanieB]

Thanks all .

Today was the first day of "empty the house". Why is nothing easy ? Booked space in the local storage depot for my furniture. The people were lovely, I'm supporting a local company and it's only a few yards from where I live, and a lot cheaper than the "Big Yellow Storage" type companies.

THEN, I tried to find hippo-bags, order a skip, and park my car close to the house legally so I can use the boot to remove stuff to the recycling bins.

I have to go 15 miles (30 mile round trip) to get hippo-bags. No-one who delivers skips to my town can deliver an on the road skip!! Eh! Why are there so many on our towns roads? AND there are five cars parked in the space that usually takes seven. I know, I know, it's entirely legal, but very, very selfish.

I haven't got the builders in yet and I'm already feeling stressed .

I bought a bottle of wine (run out of home-made) and am on the last glass .