Whats been happening

[jollyjoiner]

Nice one dude

[Kingy]

Well, I am now officially a man of Leeeeisure.

Took the car to the office and did the handover which went far better than I expected.

They didn't expect the amount of work I had done. I prepepared 3 reports. One detailing the top 25 accounts with all info on contacts, issues, what makes them tick etc. A second report on the underperforming accounts. Why, how to try to reverse (if possible) and how to move forward. And a last one of leads I have which I was working on. Mostly done in my own time as it was several hours of work.

Had some very nice things said to me by my colleagues which was great and then got dropped off at Birmingham International Station and made my way back to Glossop 1st class ... which was very pleasant.
Called in at the bike shop and had a natter with Jamie and some other guys which was lighthearted and funny. Then walked home in the sun. It was all quite surreal. I was expecting to have a wobble and maybe feel pressure of leaving employment with nothing sorted for the first time in my life.

I didn't.

So, off to football today (a friend is picking me up as he has a spare ticket for City v Watford). Not my team, but football is football and I enjoy the craic.
Out for a meal with friends tonight.
Sunday - Up early and on the 8.30 am train to London with my mate Mark. We have tickets for the West Ham v United game. That will be a great day out.
Monday is moving Aliya into Sheffield Uni.
Tuesday - no plans (yet).
Wednesday - Working on phase 4 of garden with a neighbour then off to Old Trafford for the United v Rochdale cup game late afternoon. As I have no car I'll be getting used to rail travel!
Thursday - Garden again to complete phase 4.

Within all that I'm determined to get a training regime in place. Running initially as I wasn't to get fit enough to get back onto the fells - but also bikes to I don't muller my knees. 

So - Without thinking about doing anything I'm literally a week down!

I'll get properly sorted as I have a very long list of jobs I need to sort. Some very important that I need to get onto soon.

[jollyjoiner]

Nice one pal.
Sounds like you will be missed by the old company.
With all the footy and garden work it sounds like you won't have time to go to work lol.

But there is one comment you put that has got me stumped.....you said you had a friend !!!!!! when did that happen ?

[Ghost2]

But there is one comment you put that has got me stumped.....you said you had a friend !!!!!! when did that happen ? Smile Smile

Lol. For "friend", read "carer"!!

No doubt your drive will see you fit and very busy again in no time.

Don't forget to take time to smell the coffee/roses or buy a classic British motorbike and smell hot leaking oil.

[Kingy]

Ha ha. Funny bastids

All that ^^ done and dusted. Plus, seven days on the bob running. Only 5 mile route with a few testing (but not nasty) climbs at present, but can build on that. I aim to get back on the fells (running) by the end of October or sooner if possible. That will then bring fitness on double quick.

Have been doing office work today (sorting the factory rent and a meeting over the sale) among other bits.
Off to the footie at the pub tonight. This is the FIRST time in over 2 years I can actually drink on a school night as I'm not driving in the morning.

I'm holding back sorting transport out (car or bike) until I have some idea of what I want to do next. Which is making getting around interesting!

[Kingy]

Three weeks into freedom!

I've kept up the running. 5 miles every morning (one rest day a week). Feeling miles better and am losing the timber from 2 years of sitting in a car. Also finding my back is MUCH better.  

Working through my 'jobs list' but still have a fair bit to do.
Travelling around by foot, train or bus which is (for now) quite a novelty.

Have had my 'jobseekers' meeting yesterday. I just want to ensure I keep NI topped up for pension. Nothing like I expected. 15 mins confirming online forms and some official docs then 30 mins having the craic with my 'Work Coach' Vanessa who lives alone (well, with her dog) and shares a love of Jaguar XK 5.0 V8 cars and older Landrovers. Bit surreal really and Vanessa kept thanking me and shaking my hand. I bet they have a torrid time dealing with some people so enjoy it when they get someone who is clearly not trying to fiddle the system! Have to go back tomorrow, but in the meantime have been offered a job so may be the shortest jobseekers application ever!

Mentioned in passing to a local business owner I know that I am spending a few weeks / months deciding what I want to do . He asked me what plans I have and I said its all over the place but I might look at something local part time just to keep me from getting bored. He has a company that recycles uniforms (Police, Fire Service, Supermarkets etc) and is incredibly busy. Said he needs to take another person on, but that the salary is far less than I could get. He knows my job history as we used to make polybags for him so he said its a no brainer for him if he can get someone of my experience to work for him. To tempt me he has said I can work whatever hours I want. So if I just want one day or three days a week he will accommodate as long as I let him know the week before. I can also get free use (whether I take the job or not) of. Merc Sprinter any/every week from Friday to Sunday as he has two in use Mon to Thurs and so from Friday are parked up and often in the way.
Given money isn't the motivation at present a job I can walk to work to (pleasant 30 min walk) and choose how many days I want a week seems a bloody good offer. It will also take care of NI, plus tax and pension contributions.
Funny how things happen.


Do I regret resigning?

Not one bit.

[Ghost2]

AS one door closes etc.......

[Kingy]

(10-10-2019, 10:09 PM)Ghost2 Wrote: AS one door closes etc.......

Yep. 

Have agreed to take the job starting on 4th November. Will do x3 days a week (or less If I want). So, Mon/Tues/Wed. Then same for December if I still want it and re evaluate in Jan as I may have something else and he may quieten down. 

Only fly in the ointment is my Mum fell at weekend and broke her hip. Was at the hospital until 4.30am on Sat and have been running round trying to sort everything since. She had the hip pinned on Monday so is now in recovery. As ever my brother has been utterly useless. Such a shame that pressure and loss has turned him into the biggest, arrogant and unapologetic  arsehole on the planet. 

Still running my x5 miles a day, so timber well and truly coming off. Fitness improving. Still very slow but now I have some training under my belt I'm recording runs and the time is dropping steadily. My back feels fantastic. I hadn't realised that I was living with day to day pain and discomfort so thats a huge plus. 

Off to the solicitors tomorrow and hopeful that we will be closing a deal for the factory. Fingers crossed!

[Ghost2]

GWS to your Mum

Shame about your bro, although some people struggle to grieve and he may be hiding it behind a & u arseholeness.

There you go, employed, thinner, fitter & possibly wealthier soon.

[Kingy]

Cheers mate.

I did give my brother carte blanche on behaving like a twat for 6 months thinking it was his way of dealing with it. I then gave it another six months as I (for the first time in my life) experienced true grief. It nearly broke me and, with hindsight, I think I was the closest to a breakdown you can be without technically having one.

We are now over two years further on and he has no explanation for his behaviour. He just seems to have painted himself into a corner or cuntishness and can't get out through pride and arrogance. Even when he is offered a way out (four times so far) he just ends up arguing or lying or both. Really sad state of affairs, but I'm now at the point where I'm sick of banging my head against the same brick wall.

Still doing the 5 milers which is good and feel much better for them. Have dropped my time by 16 minutes over the 5 miles so fitness starting to slowly move on.

Hit a snag with the solicitors so need to get back round the table with my buyer. Why I thought this may go smoothly given the last 18 months I'll never know! But, I've got time to do it now so thats all good.
Fingers crossed on the wealthy bit as I'm feeling the need to buy a Golf GTI now I'm car-less. Its the one car I bought (D reg Mark 2) many many years ago and had to sell far too soon when I got a company car. Its the only car I loved and lost ... so I fancy a Mark 7 with the retro seats which hark back to the Mark 1 and Mark 2. Must ... try ... to ... resist ...