Happy Xmas to all my readers!

This is one of my many winter visitors, a lesser spotted woodpecker, working out how to reach the fat pack. He comes most days and is a pleasure to watch. A different sort of Xmas card to you!

Since last writing,things have progressed. I decided to go with my heart rather than my head and did not leap straight back into full time employment. Instead I advertised myself a little and kept my eyes and ears open. As a result I have one regular lady I now clean, garden and occasionally dog walk for. On 2nd January I start work at Kings Bromley Marina, cleaning their loos and showers. It is only for 90 minutes a day but it is 5 days a week, all through the year. I can go whenever suits me, which means I can fit it round other jobs. It also entitles me to various really useful discounts on diesel, coal, gas and pump outs which helps. Both cleaning jobs have a better pay rate than I received at the wedding venue I worked for and it also feels like I am self employed and hiring my time out to various people, rather than just working for one. There is also a chance of more hours at the marina once the hire boat season starts.

I need to find one or two other little jobs to entirely keep my head above water, but at present things feel pretty darned good! Even Bonny is a working dog again as she is welcome at the marina. I have also started writing the book that has been in my head for 6 years or so, but that is going rather slowly and I haven’t finished the first chapter yet, but I hope to persevere. It all feels like I am going with the flow and the flow is good.

Christmas will be a mixed blessing this year. On the positive side I am going to visit family which this year includes my brother Peter and his wife from Australia. I am driving down to my step mum’s in Lymington on Christmas Eve, where I shall meet up with Pete and Raelene. Then we will all descend on my youngest brother, Doug on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day I shall drive in convoy with the rest, up to another brother, James, in Sevenoaks, Kent. The next day I shall drive round the dreaded M25 to get home; one of the negatives! The other down side is that I have to leave Bonny behind. We are rarely apart these days so it is a bit of a wrench but she will be very happy at Stan’s. He isn’t too happy that I am going either, but understands about family.

I hope you who read this have a wonderful Christmas and that 2015 is the year that all your dreams come true!