The Big Adventure

edinburgher wrote: »

Canterbury is one of my favourite places in the world

I'm dead glamorous in that 2/3 dream locations are in Kent (there or Broadstairs). If I win the lottery, I'll still have a bob or two left for incidentals :rotfl:

Canterbury and Broadstairs are lovely places to visit, and we are very fortunate in that both places are an easy train ride away. If you are down here again, another nice place is Whitstable. There's some interesting and quirky little shops, and good walks along the river front.




Regarding working part time - I feel very lucky about this. I worked full time from the age of 16 to 50. ( I don't have children) But shortly before my 50th birthday, it was announced that my office was closing and we were all going to be made redundant. My employers were offering an enhanced pension as part of the redundancy package to the over 50's, so I just managed to qualify for this. It was a chance to re-evaluate things, and having the pension meant that I could work part time, and still bring in the same amount of money each month. I was really lucky to find a two day a week job, which uses all the skills I learnt in my previous working life. It's two very busy days, but they do pass very quickly.


If I hadn't been made redundant, I'd probably still be working full time now. The general plan was for Mr Goldie to retire, and at that time I would have taken partial retirement from my job. It was possible, at age 55 or above, to take your pension, but still carry on working on a part time basis. I would have been happy to do that, as I had many friends there, so there was a social side to it as well. But I don't have that same attachment to my current job, so I'll be happy just to leave it behind!


Mr Goldie only works 4 days a week now. A few years ago, his firm was going through a difficult patch, and they asked everyone to drop their hours. He liked it so much, that when the full hours were restored, he opted to stay on the reduced working hours.


So that means we have Wednesdays off together mid-week, which means we can go out or do garden work together.

Lovely to see visitors to my diary, thank you for all the comments:)


Today we went to Bluewater.


Up until about 5 years ago, we'd go to Bluewater about once a month for lunch, cinema and recreational shopping.


It's still somewhere I like going, especially mid week, although it was busier than usual, with the school holidays.


So this was a test of the new budgeting regime, and I think we passed.


Our activities were


Coffee in Starbucks ( to take advantage of Halifax Rewards cashback offer)


Shopping
Pair of pyjamas in M&S - £10 voucher used
Easy Yo Yoghurt Mix in Lakeland
Peg Bag in John Lewis ( to replace my existing bag, which is 33 years old, and has disintegrated!)


Lunch in Giraffe, 15% off as it's Bluewater's 15th birthday


There were clothes that I liked, but didn't like enough to buy, and I don't really need anything at present. So I resisted the temptation:A


So all in all, pretty good, the things we bought were genuine needs.


It's work for me tomorrow. You know that Sunday evening feeling? That's what I get on Wednesday evening. As I haven't been there for three days, I never quite know what I'm walking in to.


But it's only for two days, and it always flies past, as it's generally very busy