We had a lie in until just after eight and got ready without having to rush to a deadline, then, in case the luxury of the moment should spoil us, we had porridge. Without sugar.
If porridge had a family tree it wouldn’t be far from wallpaper paste on the chart, probably a second cousin, but it’s good for me. It’s full of dietary fibre, it’s economical and it helps build stoicism.
I will spare you the next few lines, but let’s say that they weren’t cheerful and the spirit of optimism has taken a holiday too. All I have left to look forward to is five and a half years of work before I retire and embark on life with some very poor pension arrangements. Stoicism is going to come in very useful.
I know I’m getting old as I’m entering the penultimate stage of parenthood. I’ve pushed them around in a pram, worried about their health, maturity, education and careers. I’m now worrying that I won’t be able to leave them anything when I die. That only leaves the final stage, where they have to worry about my health and push me around in a wheelchair. I only hope my brain lives long enough for me to appreciate the irony.
Julia has gone to town to renew her bus card. I have sorted out my car insurance details, moved stuff round to give access to the electricians, and taken waste paper out. With all the pizza menus, seed catalogues and generally useless waste I reckon I’ve just dumped a good couple of pounds of waste paper in the recycling bin.
According to the 2011 census figures there are 126,131 households in Nottingham so that’s over 252,262 pounds of waste, and that’s accumulated in just a couple of months so the annual figure will be 1,513,572 lbs of waste paper. That’s 686 metric tonnes of paper that need never have been produced.
I just looked Nottingham City Council up to see if they had figures that I could compare and they don’t. They do, however, tell me that they give out 160,000 single-use recycling bags last year. They are for people in flats. They are taking steps to end this, but it seems that it’s taken a long time to get round to it.
Apart from seeing the seals, as mentioned yesterday, I don’t have many plans for the next week. I’d better think of something fast, as worrying about death, children and recycling isn’t what I had in mind when I booked a week off.
I may give some thought to feeding ducks. What people don’t realise when they talk about “feeding ducks” is that there are people out there who will quite happily tip out a pack of white bread and then, after five minutes of laughter, will walk off leaving bread floating on the water and cluttering up the shore. The result – apart from a nutritionally dodgy meal for ducks – rats and festering bread.
Okay, here’s the thing most parents don’t get. Your kids don’t need your money. Like you, they will make their own way, with internal strength you and Julia imparted, along with other things, like love, worry, safety, good meals and more. Stop worrying about having something to leave them. They want you to be safe and happy and that just might entail spending all the money.
I know you’re right and I always used to say I’d spend it all, but it’s suddenly become one on those recurring worries…
Just stop….
🙂
More alliteration, what a treat. I agree with you on the unnecessary quantity of paper that flies about. Even our newspapers seem to come with extra irritating inserts these days,
Yes – paper and more paper!
I never had any children of my own, just cats. I am still driving them around, worrying about them and feeding them. It is unlikely they will be doing the same for me, except the worrying part. They know when I don’t feel well. 🙂
Lucio cat had surgery last week. Four tumors were removed from his underside. He is wearing the cone on his head. We are still waiting for the test results to come back.
Cats are a lot better than children in many ways, though I may get in trouble for saying so.
I hope Lucio’s operation proves successful and the results are good.
His tumors turned out to be benign, although highly unusual. Two were fatty tumors, which I was told are unusual in cats, and the other two lumps were occluded milk ducts, also unusual in cats, and he is a 14 1/2 year old male at that.
That’s what happens in elderly males – all manner of unusual things start to happen. (I know these things). Glad to hear the words “benign” and “unusual”. Even “fatty” ( and I’ve heard that once or twice too!) 🙂
You missed out the bit about driving them everywhere.
Yes, I forgot that.
I have some of the same worries as you do. I do have a question for you. Would it be possible for you to have your own sideline when you retire? You are so knowledgeable about coins, stamps, and medals. Or would it be too expensive to build up your stock? Anyway, just wondering.
I have enough stock to start, having accumulated many items over the years. The main problems would be replacing stock and keeping up the enthusiasm. I’m supposed to be financing my collecting by eBaying my surplus at the momen :-)t, but after a day at work I’d rather write.
What if your whole day was free? After you retire?
My secret plan is to carry on working for as long as possible after retirement, though possibly cutting down by a few days. I will gradually start mentioning it as I get closer to retirement and see how it goes. They may be counting down untill they can get rid of me…
Hope it all works out for you!
I’m going to be subtle and sneaky. 🙂