It has been a long time since I wrote anything here. No excuse other than I’ve not felt I had anything relevant to say. But that’s probably not true… I never had anything relevant to say in the first place!
Happy 2020 to you. I hope it brings you whatever it is you seek. For me I’m now seeking to get into retirement! I’ve sort of felt somewhat “on hold” for a long time now, pretty much since my post on here back in the summer when I decided to embrace retirement and not worry about working anymore.
Having made that decision I started to talk to the various providers for the pension pots I’d accumulated over the years saying I’d retire officially on my birthday last October. For some of them that was no problem, I filled out forms, sent them back, got asked for some more forms etc. But the one that actually was the main source of retirement income has taken an age to get sorted out but finally today I got an initial payment that in on account for about half of the arrears there is. There’s one final piece of the jigsaw to fall into place, part of my settlement with them is a lump sum which I’ve combined with a private pension I ran alongside my employers ones for a long time and I’ll get an annuity from that. Having multiple sources for income is not something I’ve had to deal with at this level before so that’s one new skill retirement will teach me.
What else is going on? Well some great news in the family. My daughter and her boyfriend managed to buy their first house together just before Christmas. It was a manic month for her, she started a new job and then only a few days later moved into the new house. We were invited for Christmas Day there which was different but lovely. My wife and I woke in the house on our own for the first time in 30 years on Christmas Day, indeed ever in our current house. My son was in Wales with his in-laws to be. Still Christmas Day at the new abode was very very nice.
I’m allowed behind the wheel of a car again! Yes I saw my neurotologist in November. I spoke with him and he was happy for me to drive again. So I contacted the DVLA expecting a long process but they simply wrote back saying all was fine. It was a bit weird at first and part of me misses the having to work everything out to fit around public transport also it’s the first time in decades where we’ve only had one car to share between us but we’re working that out ok. Generally health is reasonable, odd days feeling rubbish which I think are likely to be related to weather triggers but no severe vertigo attacks which is a blessing.
I will try to get on here and post more frequently about how I’m now settling into retirement. For those of you still reading/following – thank you very much.