YnysMon

The agility classes that Seren goes to had a party afternoon today. We had planned to go together with both dogs. However, I really struggled this morning. I was feeling dizzy and nauseous but managed to struggle through playing organ (badly...lots of wrong notes) through two church services. I decided I couldn't face the party though, and Graham decided he couldn't take two dogs, so it was Pozzick's turn Graham reports he did really well. He got a clear round badge for having a go at agility. Got two second badges for best sob story for rescue dogs and best looking male. Sounds like they had fun.

Good post. There is no right and wrong, and having that solid relationship and understanding with your partner makes all the difference. Graham and I have been a couple since we were 16, though we then went to different Uni’s (that’s a good test of a relationship, though we didn’t appreciate the separation at the time). When we were first married I worked shifts at Bletchley railway station ticket office. They were permanently short of staff, so I worked lots of overtime, most weekends and often 12 hour days. The extra pay did help us to get established though. That was fine when we were younger, but since having children we very much appreciated the 9-5 routine (lately 8-5 with every other Friday off) that working for the OU has entailed. A very generous leave entitlement too (6 weeks). When the kids started primary school I was able to work the equivalent of 3 days a week, finishing work each day in time to pick the kids up from school. Then Graham and I switched…he worked part time whilst I reverted to full time (made more sense as I was earning more per hour). Now I’m facing retirement, I’m reflecting on how lucky we have been. So many families nowadays don’t have the flexibility that we benefited from.

...and having to polish them! (lacquer doesn't last forever).

Go back from our financial advice appointment. The advisor has persuaded me that deferring taking my pension for a couple of years will be a good idea, as it's index linked, not something I'd considered. I'm really glad we got advice. In the meantime we'll be living off my severance payment (what my Mam used to call a 'golden handshake') and various other 'pots' that we have. I used to think that getting financial advice was just something for rich people. How wrong I was!

I certainly am. I won’t get paid in lieu of annual leave, so am taking leave next week and the last week of September, which leaves me with 15 working days days to get through. I’m feeling quite demob happy. We are off to see a financial advisor this morning. I used the ‘Unbiased’ website (link from the Citizens Advice Bureau) to find someone who specialises in pensions advice.

Coo, I admire Kate’s and Malcolm’s efforts. Trouble is, I have a feeling that similar ‘efforts’ are going to be required of Graham and I once we (I) retire next month. We’ve been putting things off. Can’t do that indefinitely.

I have a few spider plants that are descendants of a plant that my Nain (grandmother) gave me when I first went to Uni. I'm quite attached to my spider plants.

Have a great time!

Hmm, some initial thoughts. 5.2 Non-powered boating is more sustainable than powered boating. Yes, but! 5.6 Whilst I sympathise with people with mobility problems, and am all behind improving accessibility, it sometimes appears that projects that are not accessible get the thumbs down even though many people who don't have accessibility issues could benefit. I like 5.8 (maintain free use of BA unstaffed moorings) but does that mean they still have a charge for Reedham in their sights? Also like 5.9. Maintain a policy of no net reduction in publicly accessible mooring length directly managed by the Broads Authority. 5.12 is maybe a hostage to fortune...(Project design should consider the potential impacts of climate change, including changes in water levels to support climate change resilience and adaptation.). Also like 6.1.4 (Generate a strategic delivery plan for installation of Electric Charging points). Like 6.1.7( Identify and promote the development of new access routes to improve the connectivity of the existing public access network, including rights of way, permissive paths, and long-distance routes). - They could improve the signage for public footpaths for a start, as well as work with local councils and other landowners to ensure that footpaths are kept in good order. There have been several posts here over the last couple of summers highlighting footpaths that are virtually impassable due to overgrowth. 6.2.2 Access points - how about a de-masting area south of Ludham Bridge? Whenever we've been on a sailey, that's been a real bugbear. 6.2.5 - Oooh! That sounds hopeful! (Extending access to new areas of navigable water space where appropriate.) 6.2.6 Sounds good (Work in partnership to protect, staithes rights and the access benefits they bring). 6.3.3 Errr...? (Seek contributions/ establish charges for ancillary services e.g., water). More access to water during winter months would be helpful, but I'm not sure what their wording implies. 6.3.6. (Promote double alongside mooring at appropriate sites). No thanks. 6.3.7 (Work in partnership with third parties to maximise publicly accessible short-stay mooring provision.) Well that would be good. 6.3.8 (Review de-masting provision in the Broads and develop a prioritisation methodology to guide future investment in new provision). Yes please! Flip - now I'll have to submit some proper feedback.

Glad to hear your news Ian. Looking forward to hearing more about you adventures on your boat. I continue to admire your positive attitude on whatever life throws at you.

When I was young hardly anything was open on a Sunday. Yes, I did grow up in Anglesey, which was probably the last county to allow pubs to open on a Sunday. Although we have restricted opening hours for shops etc. on Sundays nowadays, I feel that commercialism has gone too far. It's fine for those who have weekends off to have the choice to go shopping or whatever on a Sunday, but what about those who have to work every weekend? There are some families who hardly ever have time to get together and do family things.

I have loved everything I’ve bought from the Ludham bakery but, having read the attachment I sympathise with their neighbours. Great business potentially, but not in the right place.

Thanks for posting this cautionary tale Cheesey. I've spent part of my morning updating the Moonlight Shadow Boat Manual. We realised recently that we had a bit of confusion as to the settlings of our bilge pump switch, a potentially serious misunderstanding around which setting was 'off' and which was 'auto'. When we realised the potential confusion we also posted off emails to our members. Such a small thing, but with potentially disastrous consequences.

Maybe you should ‘invite’ them in.

Not sure you should have posted that on a public forum Malcolm, you’ll probably have the new YouTube Time Team (or similar) descend on your garden.

Before the felled the trees it wasn't really a place to stop. I'm trying to remember when they did the felling - 2020 possibly?

Have a lovely time! Hopefully the weather will settle down by September, as it often does once the kids are back at school. It must know.

I've seen a couple of YouTube travel couples do vlogs from the canals this summer. There's Kara and Nate (American couple), who have 3.6 million subscribers and who mix up doing things like wilderness survival challenges with luxury travel - or in this case a narrowboat. The Travel Beans (British couple who now have a small baby, 301k subscribers) who have also did a canal trip as one of their first 'travels' with their baby.

Sorry, you would have got away with it if I hadn’t posted.

Probably from the TV. I vividly remember watching one of those holiday programmes on TV (you know, the one with Judith Chalmers) in the 1970s and being captivated by the idea of a Broads boating holiday. It was impossible of course, there’s no way my single parent Mum could or would have tried that. Besides, we had free train travel, so by mid 70s we’re starting to do holidays in places like Switzerland, Italy and Norway. This is why Graham and I didn’t discover the Broads until around 2015. And what a grand discovery it was.

Chest?…ahh, Chet! Predictive text strikes again! It gets more creative year by year.

Thanks Robin, a most enjoyable tale. I can see why you don’t want to go down the faff of doing vlogs again. I sometimes rewatch one of your old vlogs if I’m getting ‘home-sick’ for the Broads. That Broadland Gate Lidl is now our go-to place for our first shop. I often end up supplementing that with a quick visit to the Thorpe Sainsbury’s though, which is only a few minutes away.

Only 4 weeks and 1 day left to work (with a week's holiday in between). I shall try to bear in mind the advice I've been given and not overcommit myself to start with.

I know I’m going against the grain here, but we’ve rather gone off The Bridge Inn at Acle. We’ve never had a bad experience there, the food is generally good quality and the service efficient and friendly. It’s just that I find the menu rather boring. If you are looking for good quality regular pub food you can’t beat it, if you’d like a choice between pubby food and something a bit more imaginative, then I’d recommend The White Horses (Neatishead and Upton) and The Lion at Thurne. We also like The Cross Keys, Dilham and the carvery at The King’s Arms, Ludham.

What a beautiful wind vane Kate! It’s brilliant. Thanks for a lovely tale. It was good to ‘see’ Tony at last. Hope we’ll meet up again before too long. We are next on the boat on November, though with me retiring in September I’m hoping that we might sneak in another winter week or two if there are any unused weeks that no one else wants.