Welcoming in 2021

First spoiler alert! There are no references to pubs, beer or travel in this post.

Second – Happy New Year to one and all.

Third - It’s out with the old and in with the new, or whatever you’re supposed to do at the start of a New Year. There’s nothing I wish to add to 2020, apart from saying what we’re all thinking, which is good riddance, even though, realistically speaking we’re still some way off from turning our backs on Covid-19.

However, without dwelling any further on that particular topic, I want to move on as there are a number of areas, I’ll be working on in 2021, but before going any further.

Second spoiler alert - I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, as they don’t work for the vast majority of people, including me. It’s reckoned that only around 10% of people who make such vows at the start of the year successfully implement lasting change in their lives, whilst the other 90% fail.

The main reason is people set unrealistic goals. Achievements such as losing weight, running a marathon, stopping smoking, or becoming less stressed, whilst desirable, and even respectable, are also unrealistic. These types of goals invariably overwhelm the people who set them, leading to frustration and, ultimately, failure.

They almost certainly would work, if they were broken down into smaller, more achievable, and less daunting goals, but that’s not how most people approach them. So, not wishing to go down that road I’ve written out a wish list instead for the coming year, particularly as 2021 will see me reaching a significant milestone in my life.

In mid-April, I will qualify for a state pension, but whether I decide to take it, or postpone it for a few years, remains to be seen.  Mrs PBT’s will reach the same pension milestone in September, but she’s already fortunate to be drawing a pension, thanks to a decent final salary scheme, she was enrolled in, before becoming a mother.

She’s also one of the so-called WASPI women; the group that missed out when the government raised the retirement age for women, to match that of men. It’s a sore subject, especially after the group lost their High Court appeal against HMG’s decision not to make pension payments for women adversely affected by the change, so I shan’t say anymore on the subject – not that she reads this blog!

I am in the fortunate position of being asked to stay on at work, either full time or part time. I don’t wish to brag, but with nearly 15 years’ experience with the company, it appears they still need my knowledge and skills. The company is currently in a state of flux, having endured two years under a General Manager who was less than satisfactory.

That’s being polite but wishing to put the whole sorry saga behind us, we now have the chance to start afresh and make a real go of things. As well as losing our GM, we also witnessed the departure of our highly experienced and well-regarded QA/Regulatory Affairs Manager. This was an unfortunate part of the whole debacle surrounding the man at the top but is where I fit into the equation.

Whilst my current position is in Quality Control, rather than Quality Assurance, the two are related and I do have a fair amount of experience regarding the latter. One of my first tasks in the new year will be to recruit a suitable individual to fill the Quality-Regulatory position. Once appointed, he or she will need time to settle in, and again part of my revised role will be to assist and facilitate that process, as smoothly as possible.

If all goes according to plan, I should be able to take more of a back-seat position by the time Mrs PBT’s reaches state retirement age in September, so will then look at going part-time. Ideally, I will drop down to working just three days a week, Tuesday – Thursday. The company directors have already agreed this in principle, and me doing this will allow me two extra days each week to do the things that are important to me, whilst keeping my mid active AND still bringing in an income!

We will see how this pans out, but it’s important to not only get the work-life balance right, but also to plan for the future. So, with this in mind, there are several quite specific areas I want to address over the coming months. Apologies if it’s all rather boring domestic stuff, but with government’s nannying draconian restrictions still in place, I might as well use the time as best I can.

Here goes. My current car needs replacing; almost certainly with a small SUV that will be easier to get in and out of – more important for Mrs PBT’s at present, but after a lengthy drive (when that’s allowed), I too find getting out of the driving seat rather an effort.

Moving on.  A new pair of glasses is required. I had an eye test back in the summer, but due to the close fitting and facial measuring, that choosing a suitable pair entails, I decided to leave this task until the pandemic is on the way out.

A new pair of walking boots is also required. Yet again there are concerns over close contact with other people, whilst getting my feet accurately measured, followed by trying on several different pairs of boots. It’s not a job to be rushed, so in the meantime, I’m going to “make-do and mend” and re-glue the detached soles, back onto my current pair.

There are then several unfinished jobs around the house that need looking at, including a proper and appropriate floor covering in our new kitchen and dining area. To our shame, the kitchen was fitted out in 2008, and whilst the dining area is primarily used as office space by Mrs PBT’s, bare chipboard is not the most attractive floor covering.

The “old” kitchen, which is in the original part of the house, needs stripping out and the room converted to an office area, leaving the current office section to revert to its intended use as a dining area. Not that we normally sit down at a table to eat our meals, or anything, but it would be nice to have guests round (when Nanny allows) and do things properly!

Last, but by no means least, the stairs and landing area needs decorating, and the small roof above the living room bay-window, needs some attention.

All these “projects” and new toys will require funding; hence my decision to carry on working, but one fortunate by-product of not going out, or going away is, like many people who are still gainfully employed, I’ve managed to tuck away a reasonable amount of money to help ease me into retirement, when the time comes and I do eventually hang up my spatula.

If you’ve managed to read this far without losing interest, or falling asleep, thank-you for your indulgence. Normal service will be resumed with the next post, which might even contain news of an exciting development.

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