The end of year one

A week to go and we will be almost on the plane to New Zealand. We fly out at 22:00 next Monday. The 3 months in New Zealand was always the focal point of this first year of retirement – decided on as soon as we realised Nic and Ray were going to be staying there for a while. We’ve planned and thought and longed for it – changed dates and times, changed the reasons for going, changed our mind about clothes, presents and suitcases - and at last it’s upon us.

Originally, I wanted to get on the plane the first day of February but as Nic and Ray only left here mid-January, that seemed a bit crazy. Then we thought of April, but other things came up. Then we didn’t want to spend winter there. Then we hoped, and hoped there would be a grandchild to go and welcome. And now that’s exactly what we will be doing – but having some time to spend with Nic and Ray for the last time as parents, not grandparents, before little Ric makes her appearance.

So, what has this year brought for us? For Pete, it’s been a year of total unwinding. He has lost weight, got fit, bought new clothes, relaxed, painted and renovated the house, taken photos, watched sport on TV and done a fair bit of 4x4 travelling to satisfy his adventurous heart. He’s had a bit of fishing – with Kevin and with his brother, Neil, and also on his own. He looks 20 years younger! I keep saying that all he needs is a little blond hair colour and an ear-ring and he will look like “a footballer” like Becks. He has not worked – he’s just said “no” when people have tried to get him to locum. He said he would take a “gap year” and he has. The other day, he went to Pretoria to a Pharmacy Council meeting and I hardly recognised him in “work” clothes.

We’ve done some travelling – a short trip via Clarens to Gauteng, a trip around the outside of Lesotho – our 11 Passes trip – and our month at the Wild Coast. And some trips to Pretoria to look after Kev while Sarah and Riaan went off on some travels. We’ve also done a lot of walking – taking Lindt on short and long walks, and some great walks down on the Wild Coast – on the cliffs and on the beach.

And my time? – well, my plan was to change my style of work, but not stop working and I’ve done just that. Two not so successful ventures – a term at St Nics co-ordinating the 21st birthday term – not a good idea to go back – and a couple of months working as a consultant for Schoolnet. That also ended badly – I should never have accepted the job knowing my other commitments and the personality clashes I knew I would have with a member of the organisation. But I did it, and I’m glad of the experience – and have also realised I want to work in my own time and my own schedule – not being at the beck and call of others.

Then there have been the wonderfully successful things – working with Reading to Learn and understanding and enjoying the methodology more and more, travelling to Kenya to train there, doing some training here and planning for an exciting future. It’s been great to work with Mike Hart and to realise we can work over cappuccinos at Essence with our computers! Working at UKZN with the PGCE students was also great – I loved the full time students and going to Umngazi with 12 of them was an amazing experience. I have 12 new members of my family!

I’ve given a lot more time to my personal wellbeing – losing 20 kgs and exercising regularly has been great – I have cut my blood pressure and anti-depressant medication by half. I think I could drop the anti-depressants altogether, but my doctor thinks I should keep on with them until I have stopped dieting. Everyone says I look younger – I certainly feel younger!

What have I missed? Seeing special friends regularly – both the friends I worked with and our House Group friends – we all seem to have been away such a lot this year. Getting to St Matthews every Sunday – we have missed a lot of church. Teaching kids – but not the marking, the Admin or the fights!

So – the trip is here and the year is ending. The best part – spending time with my beloved – getting to fall in love all over again. Roll on the next 20-30-40 years of retirement. We’re baby boomers – we are making our retirement count!