John & Janet » Retirement

Janet and John have been busy doing nothing

janet — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:30:07 +0000

Janet and John have settled into their new home, apart from arranging the furniture there has been little for John to do. He has done what is expected of retired people, taken up golf, socialized with neighbours, gone out for meals and basically withdrawn from the stresses that are associated with employment, but is he happy? For most individuals the opportunity to do very little for any length of time would be on the top of their wish list, but John has realized that daytime TV has very little to offer, golf is a very over rated past time and there is only so much socialising he can take. He has been told by Janet on a number of occasions that he has glazed over in company, not exactly nodded off but generally disassociated himself with the trivia of discussing the weather, the economy and the latest neighbourhood gossip.

John has long decided that a life centered on doing nothing is not for him, he needs a project. Janet, realized John had a passion for refurbishing property very soon after they were married, moving home every two years became the norm, she realizes that John is not yet ready to embrace retirement and fears another move is on the cards

Janet, John and Beaujolais nouveau

janet — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:07:23 +0000

Janet and John have enjoyed a Beaujolais nouveau evening at a local Hotel, the night which included a three course meal and jazz band seemed an ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy in the company of their new neighbours. Janet felt that the restaurant manager who was meeting and greeting with a bottle of sparkling wine in his hand was an indication of good things to come. There was no great expectation of the wine but the wine buff managed to talk for almost 10 minutes about Beaujolais nouveau, which fully deserved a round of applause. However, when the chef started to speak about the typically French peasant food he was about to serve, Janet felt the meal was not going to be good, when John mumbled that he eat peasant food every night and didn’t want it on a night out she knew things were about to deteriorate. The rest of the table, which was made up of their new neighbours all appeared to enjoy, even going as far as saying it was good! The overwhelming feeling Janet had was that they were caught up in the Emperor’s clothes fairy tale, if enough people said it was good then more and more people believed it. Having spent the evening eating peasant food and drinking what can only be described as dreadful wine, Janet and John still managed to enjoy the evening. However, when asked if they would like to go to the New Year evening which was three times the cost, they have declined. Being neighbourly is fine, paying excessively for the privilege is entirely different!

Janet and John have been to Lille

janet — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:32:09 +0000

Janet and John have had a lovely few days wondering around Lille. They decided to try the shuttle for the first time and were so impressed they are already thinking of a return trip. The weather in Lille was superb as was the next generation Hotel at the Hotel Campanile LILLE NORD – Wasquehal Janet and John would recommend this Hotel to anyone wanting to spend time exploring Lille and the surrounding areas. The rooms were clean and bright, the breakfast great, the staff helpful and free internet access was a bonus. The Metro and Tram system in Lille is extremely efficient, Janet and John took the tram which was within walking distance from the Hotel and were soon taking a relaxed stroll around the town. They were really pleased when they came across the famous Patrick Hermand patisserie which displayed so many mouth watering macaroons and pastries that it was difficult to choose. The Antique Centres that Janet had hoped to visit were more difficult to find but the Wazemmes market did have a few stalls which sold some interesting ceramic items. However, the fruit, vegetables, flowers, breads and cakes were wonderful and well worth a visit. A detour across the border to Brussels gave Janet and John the opportunity to visit a street market where they sampled Flemish food and hospitality, they look forward to going back there. An easy journey back on the shuttle and a quick visit to Grooms in Hungerford made up for not visiting any antique centres in France and Brussels but Janet is determined to go back and as John managed to visit the Hypermarket at Calais and fill up with some very good wine he is happy to take her.

Janet has had lunch with School Friends

janet — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:32:24 +0000

Janet has been out to lunch with her school friends, they meet up regularly for what they call their girlie get togethers. Truth be told, none of them are girls, many haven’t seen each other since they left school over 30 years ago. What fascinates Janet is that even when someone joins them who may have lost contact all those years ago, they instantly get drawn into the laughter, the shared memories and the missed years. There appears to be an invisible bond that kept them together during their school years which still draws them together now. There have been friends who have said that their childhood memories were not happy, they fail to recognise names or shared experiences, they find meeting up difficult and choose not to come again. For the others, there is a deep sense of comfort which comes from understanding where you came from, where you have been and where life’s journey will take you. Janet, often reminices with her friends over the years that were lost, the years when they could have enjoyed more girlie get togethers but they all appreciate how lucky they are to have found each other again and treasure the fact they will no doubt be sharing lunches and laughter for many years to come.

Janet and John take a break at a De Vere Hotel

janet — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:28:59 +0000

Janet and John have decided to take a short break. They have booked two nights in a De Vere Hotel a chain of Hotels they have stayed at before. John, who is very keen on special offers had previously booked rooms in December for £10.00 a night. They had enjoyed their stay at the Sunningdale Hotel in Ascot so much that when De Vere e-mailed with an offer of £19.00 John decided to book the Staverton Park in Northamptonshire. The room they were initially given on arrival was on the first floor, it was fine but had a disabled toilet. Janet asked to move as the Bathroom was quite depressing, she wonders if it really is necessary for those with disabilities to have to put up with such depressing facilities. The room on the first floor that they are given overlooks the Golf course and is great, as is the free coffee, tea and biscuits provided at the coffee stations. The Countryman Pub which has been recommended at Staverton is a short walk away from the Hotel. Janet and John have spent a most enjoyable evening wondering around the village, having a very good meal and a few glasses of wine.

Janet and John have been to a Dwell Store

janet — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:58:53 +0000

Janet and John have been looking for a chair to go in their study area. A neighbour who has bought several item that Janet and John have admired suggested they visit a Dwell store. They have looked at their on line catalogue and seen several things they would like. As they have decided to take a short break, they stop off at the Birmingham store but what a disappointment. There were items on display, but as a furniture store it was like a barren wasteland. Janet asked a member of staff if they were moving in or out but apparently they were waiting for the new season items. It was such a strange shopping experience that apart from two cushions Janet and John didn’t really want to be there, or want to buy anything. As they left, Janet felt an Anne Robinson “What are they for” moment coming on. For anyone who is thinking of buying anything from Dwell after looking at their on line catalogue. Janet and John would suggest a trip to their store first.

Janet and John are in Spain where John has discovered Facebook

janet — Sun, 02 May 2010 13:55:06 +0000

Janet and John are enjoying a short break in Spain, where the weather is glorious. In the past John has had Internet connection to keep on top of his work related e-mails. On this trip he has paid the 30 Euro charge for seven days, Janet wonders what he is going need the Internet for bearing in mind he has recently retired. Nevertheless she is more than happy as it means she will be able to keep up with her e-mails and any Ebay purchases. They are only a few days into their holiday and John without his numerous e-mails to answer has discovered the world of Facebook. He does not fully understand how it works but is fascinated by the ability to contact ’Friends’. To date he has had to ask for help to delete a Friend who he had no idea who they were but felt he may have been committed to for life! His son who has been bombarded with e-mails is threatening to ban him from the Internet and his daughter-in-Law is being plagued by comments which suggest that John has been inhabiting another world and is not familiar with Facebook etiquette. She could be charitable and humour him but with the threat of him opening a Twitter account imminent, supporting a total ban may be the safest option!

Janet, John and the Glass Box

janet — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:26:20 +0000

Janet and John have moved into their new Home. The House they intended to buy which needed renovating turned out to be a project too far, after considering the cost, time and effort Janet and John decided to pull out of the sale. After great debate they turned their attention to buying a new property in the hope that they could settle quickly and start to enjoy John’s early retirement. They decided to look at a contemporary property which featured a Glassbox. It was so different to what they had on their wish list for a new home that they did have a few doubts but having bought it and moved in, apart from the usual problems associated with new builds, they are thrilled with their new home. In particular the light, the view and the relaxed atmosphere of the Glass Box. Janet is looking forward to having friends and family around and enjoying this space, she is hoping that this is a start of a new adventure and perhaps retirement is not just about waiting for God after all!

Janet, John, Midnight and Mind Games

janet — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:08:46 +0000

Janet and John have been together for many, many years, during this time they have to deal with a whole host of problems. Some were easily resolved, others took a bit more effort and some seemed insurmountable. Whenever there were issues that needed to be resolved they always managed to overcome them together. Sometimes a chat over a cup of coffee did the trick, often it needed more thought and a bottle of wine was required. When something cropped up that threatened their sanity, their relationship, even their marriage it was usually a conversation at midnight telling each other what was on their mind that brought them back from the brink. Which was what had happened last night, they had gone to bed, dropped off to sleep, only to both wake at midnight wanting to say what hadn’t been said. They talked about taking on another project, was it the right thing to do, they could go off and travel instead, youngsters took a gap year why not them. The temporary accommodation they were living in wasn’t ideal, could they manage to live there until the project was completed? Why, did they refer to their next move as the ‘Project’, why not their new home? How did John feel about retirement? After mulling things over Janet thought of making a cup of tea, it was then that the neighbour turned over in bed and coughed, she wondered if he would like one as well.

Janet and John Have left Home

janet — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:54:34 +0000

John and Janet have at last sold their Home and moved out, it has been a stressful experience, made even more so by a process which doesn’t provide certainty for buyers or sellers, their Home had been ‘Sold’ five times. When contracts had finally been signed the euphoria of selling was soon replaced by a feeling of great loss. Janet and John have spent the last 25 years moving from house to house refurbishing them as they went, there had been no sense of Home with any of these properties, until the last one. A property that Janet had fallen in love with even though it needed a lot of work and John was less than positive about it’s potential, Janet however, sensed a warmth, a feeling of peace, it was a place that they could call Home. It took four years to refurbish and create a comfortable space for themselves, meanwhile they experienced the pleasures of village life with it’s thatched pub which served good food and shop where you could buy anything from ham to hand cream, they even managed to grow their own vegetables. When the weather was good they would take ‘Austin’, their classic car out for a spin and discover other equally stunning villages. Janet misses her ‘Home’, she is trying to be positive about their next project but is already wondering if she is ready for another adventure.