I’m not at home alone anymore. My husband retired officially on Friday. He had to get to work for a final 8:00 am presentation so I set the alarm and placed it strategically at the side of his bed. I gave strict instructions not to be woken at 7:00 am because Ladies of Leisure only gently ease themselves out of bed around 8:00 am!
I vaguely heard the alarm. I’d not had a good night and had sat downstairs at 2:15 am finishing my book. Just after 5:00 am I had crept quietly back to bed so was finally ‘away with the fairies’ when my husband left the house.
I was, however, abruptly shaken awake a short while later and thought that I had slept until lunchtime when my husband was due back home! A ‘numptie’ had driven into the back of his pride and joy while he had stopped at the end of a long queue. An even longer line of bright red break lights, winding around a corner, were clearly visible for all to see. Not, it transpired, by the young man behind the wheel of his mini. He had jumped out of his car after the impact and asked my very surprised husband why he had stopped!
So we have the inconvenience of having to wait four days to get a replacement vehicle with only my impractical two seater sports car at our disposal. I’ll have to restrict the weekly shopping and it rules out taking my mother and her carer for tea! My husband’s retirement has stared with a bang but not the type of bang we had envisaged!
I have been working on an ever increasing ‘diy’ list. I’ll leave him to get lulled into a false sense of security before sharing it with him over the weekend! My husband has already decided on the local gym he’ll be joining. When I dragged him to friends for coffee this morning he has shown an interest in the snooker club which meets every Monday and Friday afternoons. On second thoughts, perhaps I should hand the list over now. I’ll have to stake my claim earlier than I had imagined or else I could miss the boat!
There is already a hive of activity upstairs. One of the bedroom’s window latches has broken. This isn’t on my list. The neat and tidy bedroom is now filled with a tool box and a mountain of tools, half of which have been spread across the immaculately made bed and the newly dusted window ledge.
There are papers in the sitting room relating to the insurance claim on the damaged car. The cabinet under the stairs has become the new receptacle for keys, glasses and a flat cap. There is an anorak thrown over the wine rack and another jacket hanging up on the banister. The television room sofa has a general knowledge book and a newspaper on the cushion where I sit in the mornings with my first cup of coffee.
And this is Monday morning. Day one of the start of the next phase of our lives. I think we need some ground rules. I’ll start another list. I also need a list for the daily / weekly housework. I don’t intend to do everything myself! Or maybe I just go to the unemployment office this afternoon and register for part time work. I’m not sure that this house is big enough to two POL’s. (People of Leisure).
So there is another challenge to go with all my others! There is always the garden when the weather improves. Oh dear, that could mean another list …….👠
Jenny Burrell 