Can it really be a year ?

I retired a year ago today. 

This was because my PSA reading had gone up to 26 and Dr. K wanted to put me on chemotherapy. I certainly wasn't going to have chemotherapy and work ! So although I didn't know it, on the 13th September 2011 I walked out of the office at 5pm not realising that I would never go in there again as a working man ...

... and it's been the happiest year of my life. 

I know ... it sounds weird. It's hard to believe. Bear in mind though that I don't have to listen to anybody unburdening their woes on me. There's no need to have to listen to people whinging and moaning ... ok, my family and friends do that but I don't mind listening to them [most of the time].

I don't have to worry about 'targets'.

I now have the [relative] freedom to do what I want. OK, visits to the doctor get in the way now and again. The ten sessions of chemotherapy didn't help either as they left me feeling a bit rough some of the time but mainly I've not felt too bad ... and heck, I still go walking.

The story goes that some men suffer loss of self esteem when they retire. They need to be needed. Some men [and probably women too] don't think they'd be able to cope with sitting at home ... but who said anything about sitting at home. There are so many things to do and be done.

I've become one of those people who says "I've not got enough time to do everything I want to do ...".

OK my future isn't assured but whose is ?

So one year after leaving work I raise my glass to you * and [note I don't make any mention of next week, next month, next year] wish you well.

  Of course I still have to put up with problems like no landline or broadband for most of the day ... hence me posting this now at 5.40pm rather than 10.00am this morning. Some things never change.

* photo taken on the 15th September 2011 in the Old Poets Corner in Ashover, Derbyshire.