So ... How's Your Girl?

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I had more problems getting used to the meter (as I never had a meter during the “Type 2” years) than to the insulin injections! Family wise, my Mum is still with us and we did manage to see her a couple of times when restrictions allowed. She doesn’t know who we are anymore but we’ve come to terms with that. Unfortunately my MIL is starting on the same journey but we do know what to expect this time. My OH had a bit of a health scare this year and she made a few lifestyle changes. And to cut a long story short we had some very good news on that front on Xmas Eve. Me? I’m fine, after years and years of health problems I’ve been fine since 2014. Even lost a bit more weight, 3 stone in 2 and a bit years, try the Royal Mail exercise plan is my advice. But in spite of all that, it has turned out to be a pretty good year in the end. In April I had an operation to fix the hernia my big cancer op of 2019 left me with. That left me out of action for longer than I expected but once I was up to strength again it was just all good stuff. Working from home has continued and I like it much more than I expected to. It’s now officially hybrid working, so as long as I stay in good health, I still don’t need to be retiring any time soon – it’s always been the commute that I’ve expected to be the tipping point and that’s now hugely reduced… and I’m still a few years away from state pension age. Lord Frost refused to have any form of structured relationship on foreign and defence policy post-Brexit with the EU – though the EU wanted one – and we are paying a very heavy price as a result,” he says.

The second major event was that in April my mum died. As the nominated visitor, unlike the rest of my family, I’d managed to organise a visit to the (brilliant) care home to see her less than a week before. Fortunately we’d sorted out the house move a few weeks earlier so ‘all’ I had to do was to do learn about probate, do all the maths and fill in the 7 inheritance tax forms! At least it kept me busy and was content in the knowledge that none of my mum’s money went to a solicitor. I don’t want to be all-consumed by my diagnosis, it is what it is and I prefer to ignore it as much as possible.”– Yes! That’s how I feel EXACTLY. The extent of economic damage from Brexit has been made clear by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which predicts that leaving the EU will reduce our long-term GDP by around 4%, compared to a fall of around 1.5% that will be caused by the pandemic.Otherwise, work has been bearable. In 2021 I turned a corner and realised I was probably now of an age where it was daft to try and ‘improve’ and ‘develop’ and ‘further my career’ so mentally I have given up. Which actually feels immensely liberating. I probably haven’t ever reached my potential in the world of work (I’m pretty clever and talented, but just never found a niche) but this has never bothered me less than now. Family all okay, so blessed in that respect. My son has started playing bass guitar, so it’s great to see him get into music and find an instrument he likes. My grandson has been wonderful to be around this last few days. My grandaughter appears to be recovering well from an eye abscess that required emergency surgery.

Family reunion. UK-based parents and 2 other expat siblings all found their way to Madrid in the summer so 18 months of separation was finally over. That was a good week. Also, I changed jobs in September so the last 3 months has been a rabbit in the headlights time, and not what I was hoping for (yet). The right decision? Time will tell, but my general confidence and job satisfaction is on the floor at the moment. Keep on keeping on …

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I think the UK is finding that it is really difficult to develop and there is more bureaucracy rather than less once you try to change everything,” he says. “The cost of getting all UK companies stamped with a UK mark rather than an EU mark … it is not worth the cost.”

Our latest Opinium poll shows that over 60% of people now think Brexit has either gone badly or worse than they expected. It also found that 42% of people who voted Leave in 2016 had a negative view of how Brexit had turned out so far My company has ‘enjoyed’ a merger and gone mad. As a colleague said the other day the new ‘leaders’ (not managers or anything silly like that) are trying to turn a global company with 5,000+ employees into a start-up. The results aren’t pretty so far. We’re good at what we do, could do with some updating, but that’s not going to work. WFH (apart from the brief interlude in the pueblo) was getting trying and solitary but a very brief return to the office wasn’t a great success. Hybrid working meant that there were about 10 people there at any one time. So, acres of empty space, very few water-cooler moments and plenty of tumbleweed. It was only with a clean break, they told us, that the UK could unleash its full potential, and wrestle free from the chains of EU regulation and bureaucracy. If mysanthrope means having “a hatred of humankind” (internet says so) then I wouldn’t describe myself as such. But if mysanthrope means “a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society” (internet says so) then hell yeah. A few lovely holidays in our usual Lincolnshire bolthole which recharged the batteries and three more booked for next year already. We aren’t a very sociable couple so any restrictions didn’t affect us to much. We do have Stewart Lee booked for February, 50/50 probably.

I'm currently waiting on a PCR test result, so that might scupper my trip to Breedon Hill in the morning to see my dad, and his parents. Mind you, if there's a more shall we say "airy" place in the UK that isn't classed as a mountain, I'd like to see it. I turned a corner this year. During the total WFH period (which I’m now startled to learn was only about ten weeks for me…. seemed to last a fkin lifetime) I came closer to having a breakdown than I ever have done. The work was relentless and horrifically difficult. For several weeks I woke up and immediately regretted that I’d woken up…. I mean that’s not good is it? I’m still pretty much ‘early retired’ after getting a payoff a couple of years ago. I’m still enjoying the lifestyle and we are financially secure so no real incentive to look for a new job – still the position that if something interesting comes up I’ll consider but I’m not actively looking for anything (I.e. I’m too damn lazy and want people to come to me….). And in the last week or so I got offered a new job, which I will start in February – same company, same work, higher grade and more money.