So far, so good

As we're just about at the first six months mark after finishing work , I though it might be a good time to have a little look at how it's all been going.

To be honest it was all a bit mad in the months before before Christmas and we wondered if the lovely relaxed retirement was ever going to happen. We spent most of the autumn in one long round of hospital visits and appointments, as my Mother-in-law was very ill. My husband had to move in with her for a while when she first came out of hospital, while I stayed home with our dog and provided a sort of meals on wheels service. Thankfully, she has made a remarkable recovery and for now, she is back on her feet and quite independent again.

Then we decided that, as we were not going to be away in our caravan as we originally planned, we might as well start getting the house sorted out instead of leaving it till 2015. So, we had workmen in for about ten weeks as we replaced the bathroom and en-suite, had lots of decorating done and had the front driveway paved.

I began to long for a day .... just one day .... when I could just be in the house on my own preferably with nothing to do. I'd had more time to potter around when I was still working!!!  But, all things pass, and the disturbance was worth it in the end, as we now have the house pretty much as we want it. And it won't be getting done again for a long, long time!!!

On the plus side we did manage to snatch a bit of time away.

We had a few days in Marrakech in November

I had a short winter break in Llandudno with my own parents

and we visited Paris just before Christmas.

It was freezing, but as wonderful as ever. Paris is always a good idea.

And then Christmas came and went in its own flurry of 'busy-ness' and we've started the New Year afresh.

At last, we've begun to settle down into some sort of a semblance of a 'new phase' as we finally have time to ourselves.

I joined a watercolour class back in September and for two hours each Tuesday I struggle with the complexities of colour washes and backruns. I love it, but I'm not ready to share my masterpieces just yet.

I love cooking and baking. Now I have the time to try out lots of new recipes. I can spend a whole afternoon just pottering in the kitchen. We've probably never eaten so well.

My husband continues to climb .... indoors at the moment ..... with a whole crew of climbing buddies who had retired before him, and have been waiting for him to join in the fun.

We're a bit hemmed in by winter weather at the moment, but on bright days we get out for a bracing walk with our dog. She's loving the new locations and new sniffs.

We can visit exhibitions and the cinema mid week and in the day time if the weather is too bad to get out. It doesn't really sound like we are doing a lot, but I can honestly say there hasn't been one day yet, when I haven't known what to do with myself. 

At the moment, we still find greatest pleasure in getting up after 8 o'clock and having a leisurely breakfast, while reading the paper properly. After a lifetime of rising at six, and rushing out the door by half seven, it just makes us so happy. 

Simple pleasures!