Reading Around Retirement

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I've taken planning to the next level and bought some books. Of course, there's always a risk of simply placing a book on a bookshelf with the intention of reading it later, but never doing so. Well these are small enough that I've left them out in the sitting room and have even had a reasonable read through the smaller of the three which also has the largest print.

"How to Survive Retirement" by Clive Whichelow and Mike Hoskins, is written somewhat tongue in cheek and would be a brilliant stocking filler for those retiring at Christmas. It highlights various issues but the one I've taken heed of already relates to being over-friendly with regular callers to your home, either personally or by telephone, as a result of a need for human company. In-depth communications with the postman, window-cleaner and lady selling loft insulation or a new boiler are banned.

I think I'll be able to manage that. Our postman is retiring after 26 years, we don't have a window cleaner and having learned on my day off every week that my only daytime calls are from tele-sales, I've already mastered a no-nonsense patter: "We subscribe to the telephone preference service and if you ring again I shall report you."

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