My thirty-something gap year / non-maternity / retirement

I always thought it was unfair you can only retire when you had reached (what I thought was an) old age, sometimes too old to make the most of precious time with family and friends and exploring the world. I always thought it would be cool if I promised to work 5 years after retirement on the provision I could have a year off in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s & 60s. With a ‘pension’ paid that year I could do & see so much – possibly making me even more employable and wise! Of course this will never happen, and the retirement age has already been pushed back and back… but this blog isn’t a political commentary on the state of the country.
It’s where my gap year starts…
I was offered redundancy at Christmas from a job I loved, at a place that was like a second home with people I considered friends. I’d been there over 8 years and had been through lots of changes. It really rocked my world (and not in a good way). Having already lost my amazing Dad suddenly in the sunny spring of 2012, life was so very different to what I knew. So I thought, here’s my opportunity to take some time out…
Clare (my wonderful wife) and I discussed boring things like money and household chores and I was set… I was going to have some time out. My very own non-maternity leave, a pre-retirement temporary retirement. Not a full year but long enough to get back on my feet; to get all those jobs done that had been on a tatty list on the back of the office cupboard and to have better quality time to hang out with each other and family and friends.
It’s now April and the past 3 months have flown by. I’m learning more about myself everyday, as well as picking up top tips on decorating, gardening, baking and dealing with life and all its little quirks.
I’m not yet thinking about looking for a job, I’m way too busy to work! But I’m wanting to take a little time during the week to blog and share my experience…