I’ve now been retired from full-time employment for a whole six weeks. And what an odd six weeks it has been. Any aspirations to get out and about have been well and truly crushed. It rained for most of October. Apparently it was the wettest October since 1797. Swiftly followed by Lockdown No.2 in November.

My only excursion in the last six weeks that wasn’t for medical reasons, to shop or to exercise was to visit the Tower of London. And then I managed a rookie error by going in the middle of half term. But it was an enjoyable day out. Strange as it may seem it was my first visit even though I have lived on the outer borders of London all my life and worked in London for half of it. Even more strange as I have a fascination with all things Henry VIII.

One other visit I was planning was to Kew Gardens. I had a hankering to see it in all its autumnal glory. But no desire to see it dripping wet. So that will now be a 2021 treat.
Catching up with friends and family is once again on hold apart from through a screen. But I’ve no enthusiasm to host a quiz night. This second lockdown feels a lot different from the first one. The days are shorter and colder (and wetter) and there seems no end in sight as to when we can get back to some form of normality. Even an old introvert like me is finding it challenging.

So not the best start to my retirement. My aim of ‘two days earning, two days learning, three days having fun’ is certainly failing where fun is concerned. I’m more optimistic on the learning and earning front. I’ve had a couple of offers of work and I am coaching. A status of ‘retired’ does feel very alien to me. I’m not sure whether it is a state that I have to get use to. Many friends have told me that it can take some time to really get into it. Or I’m just not ready to retire and I’m currently having a career break. Only time will tell.

Late on in October I started getting a hankering to go back to study. Unfortunately I left it too late where the start of the academic year is concerned. Not that I could afford to do another degree but a certificate or diploma in an area of interest would be good. So in the interim I’ve started a short course in Sports Nutrition. At the very least it may help me to increase my 5k time.

One area where I have developed a snippet of expertise is financial investment. For the first time in my life I have money to invest. It does need to last me the rest of my life so I have to be cautious but with interest rates so low that they are bordering on nonexistent the only way to get any growth is by investing. Initially the only way was down but they bounced back once Trump was bounced out. It is quite fascinating to witness first hand how world events impact on financial markets.

So not the retirement I envisaged. Yet. But I remain optimistic. Things can only get better.