New Year. New me

How many good intentions have I had in the last 57 years?  Off to the physio this morning to look at a year long left shoulder injury. It’s kind of ok now - there’s permanent damage but now nearly pain free.  I’d love to be up and running again but have had a nagging foot injury since tripping up in October while surveying Overstrand cliffs. It’s another “flares up occasionally” injury which has kept me hobbling since Boxing Day.  Haven’t done a Parkrun since mid December. All 4 of us got a mild Covid setback - I’ve had a head cold since about 18th December.

Just a few working days left till I retire and Plan A is to get properly active. Mainly walking but hopefully running and biking a lot. Being about 2 stone lighter would probably help everything, specially my varied aching joints, so maybe shedding a few lbs should be plan B.  Having excess time on my hands and a bit of a hit on the finances will be an interesting incentive.

DG started back at school this morning. Martham is quite a trip from here and she’s doing what I used to do many years ago ie getting up really early to face a long drive to work. I reckon in my Harlow days, I’d be on the road about 6:15. 

Rosie took the long bus trip back to Cardiff yesterday. She’s had a mixed Christmas holiday.  Lots of work to do, covid, the odd social and lots of rest. She can sleep for England. So proud of her and the way she’s settled in to Uni life. Made some proper lifelong friends already.

We still have Jen home on her extended Christmas break. Since picking her up from Kings Avenue on 14th December, feeling lousy, she’s been able to carry on working from here. Her running has been brilliant. More, longer, faster runs. Clearly something she loves.  Even on the prom in Cromer last night with the waves overtopping.  Pleased she was able to spend some time with Jack in GY and see his new house.

We are all a bit peeved with Nodge at the moment. Another wasted season chasing the hope of being a Premier League team. Quickly becoming a nomad team - not good enough at this level, too good for the Championship. Not sure what I really want from them - I don’t ever expect that there’d be enough money for them to compete in the Prem, but it’s good fun winning a league every other year.

That’ll do for now. Got the excitement of our sceptic tank being emptied this morning. Oh the joys of Country Life.

 Jan 3rd 2022

Funny how you forget about the things you did. I was thinking of finding a suitable place to diarise what I get up to in the next few years and remembered that I'd occasionally add to these pages.

Can't believe that its been nearly 6 years since I posted anything. The main reason for picking this up again is that, in 22 days time, I retire from OS/Civil Service after 40 years (nearly 40 years), and will have a lot of spare time to do pretty much what the heck I like (within reason and £££ limits)

I'll write a bit about what's happened in the intervening years and what I have planed with my new found "man of leisure status" as time permits, but, simply finding this old blog has been like finding an old friend. I'll need to read some of the old posts to remind me of where I left things though I guess the headlines would be

Jenny graduated with a 1st at Leeds and now works/lives in that London

Rosie is in her 1st year in Cariff, dodging stringent Welsh lockdowns

DG is Deputy Head at Martham and I'm about to hang my hat up.

Still happily in Barn Cottage and no great rush to change that

We all succumbed to Covid over Christmas but none too poorly

Here's to a (hopefully) interesting few years ahead, with the occasional update here