A Retirement Blog by Caree Risover

 It shows how up to date I am in the garden (thanks to all the wonderful summer weather over the last couple of months) when I finally get around to clearing shelves in the garage. However, and retaining a gardening theme, I attacked all those historic containers of pesticides and weedkillers that have been sitting there for years (in one instance over a decade and a half) with a vengeance. Having resolved to adopt organic methods several years ago, it was a long overdue clearout. Imagine my surprise when a check of the labels revealed a host of containers with chemicals now banned within the E.U., although luckily some, if not most, I've never actually used. Whatever were farmers and gardeners thinking of throwing volumes of bifenthrin, malathion, permethrin (even their names are frightening) onto plants in the hope of discouraging insects, not to mention copper sulphate to treat fungus and sodium chlorate and simazine onto weeds. All poisons of one degree or another tha...

 To be honest the title of this blogpost is, shall we say, misleading although I would certainly count myself as fortunate to have spent two nights in Bristol this week. It is a most attractive city and I say that despite the fact that every patch of grass we saw was totally scorched and for the most part attempts to keep flower borders watered and blooming had been abandoned. Tourists, however, flock to the harbour with its converted sheds now hosting eating, drinking, exhibitions, a cinema and museums including Brunel's SS Great Britain restored to its original Victorian splendour.  There's also a wonderful old town area with a market and pedestrianised streets.  As for Temple Meads Station with its crenellations - wow! The purpose of my visit was not to seek fame, although I had been invited to speak at an inaugural event organised by Linkage Network to promote a retirement project in Bristol. Despite the searing heat, attendance at Th...

Mister E and I had a day trip to London on Saturday, catching up with the youngest who has recently graduated from University College and now started her first "real" job. It meant an early start but 2 hours and 15 minutes by train passes quickly with a good book to read, and a return journey ensures its completion too. Previously we have made similar visits using a Two Together Railcard, £30 per year and so long as both named people (identified by their photographs) travel together there's a reduction of one third off the cost of the tickets but no discount for travelling alone. It seems, however, that I have now attained the magic age where I qualify (as has Mister E for several years already) for a senior rail card. One each means the same reduction at double the cost,  but with the wonderful flexibility for solo travel. The world or rather the UK's rail network is now my oyster! Of course coming from the bracing North, we were astounded by just...

We've had no rain at all following the sudden and unexpected thunderstorm on 16th June which I subsequently discovered killed 3 sheep and destroyed numerous electrical items in various homes in our village as a result of the lightning and power surge that occured. Since then conditions have continued benign, warm and sunny. The problem of course is that plant and vegetable species in my garden are all of varieties grown to cope with the vagaries of a typical English summer and need moisture on a regular basis. Since the water butts dried out I have had to resort to the hosepipe and mains supply. It doesn't seem right, however, to spray high quality drinking water on a garden. In the absence of water in the butts, neither the carefully installed micro irrigation system in the greenhouse or leaky hose around the vegetable beds, can function without connecting to a mains water tap. Accordingly, in the interests of sustainability, not to mention living within n...

Dear All, We are having a wonderful time here at Chez Nous. The scenery is fantastic and the weather sublime. Wish you were here. Love from Caree and Mister E x Yes, since returning from Scotland we have been indulging ourselves with a staycation. It is the first time since retiring that we are actually experiencing prolonged summer weather. Having been told that with global warming our summers locally are set to continue in damp and windy fashion, I had actually given up any expectation of high temperatures and sunshine without travelling abroad to find them. In the past, when they did arise, I was always at work and whilst an office environment may have the benefit of air conditioning, I am struggling to think of any other advantage. Here at Chez Nous, there has been no cost for our vacation; we haven't had to limit our belongings to a suitcase each; there has been no long, arduous journey to get here; we have enjoyed total privacy and familiar surroundings wi...

We have just returned from another trip to Scotland to further our restoration project. The boat is currently in a shed with a slipway view. She has no engine or windows and although her gas fittings have now been replaced as a result of a leaking pipe and connections, the cooker bears a large sign warning us that it is a criminal offence to use it until additional ventilation is provided to both the cabin and gas locker.  We took advantage of a lull in activity pending delivery of the new engine and windows to commence a cleaning operation. I began by tackling the inside of the hull behind the head (toilet) which has also been removed to enable reservicing of the seacocks to take place. I don't think anyone had touched it for 40 years, so if nothing else there was a sense of achievement when I finished and found that there was actually white under all the blackened layers. In the meantime Mister E inspected the bilges, only to discover that the main one under ...

Four years ago today we flew out to Kefalonia after I had packed up my briefcase and left the office for the last time, the night before. I'm so comfortable now in retirement that it is getting harder to recall my previous existence. Trying to reflect on the intervening period, I can see that the initial honeymoon period was very much a time for recuperation. There was a great deal of rushing about and adapting, bringing with it recovery and the necessary rehabilitation ready for a completely different way of living to that to which we had become accustomed whilst working. Gradually the need to simplify has become a part and parcel of our daily living and even though we are not always very good at it, we do keep trying. Similarly exercising has wound itself into our everyday lifestyle and we are currently finding ourselves with both strength and vitality that we would never previously have expected. A year ago I felt that I had more energy, drive and passion as...