Simon says

It dawned on me after writing yesterday's post that it was the first for four years, and that I had simply re-entered the room without so much as a "hello" or a "sorry it's been a while".  And that of course got me thinking about what I'd missed over the last four years and why I had not been motivated to write. I rarely think that I am particularly busy - I'm not running a company or a country, I have reasonable hours and plenty of holidays.  I'm not building a house and I don't have a demanding second career in amateur sports.  But all too often I do have the sense that there is something that needs to get done, if for no other reason than if it gets done then I can collapse on the sofa and watch TV, which often happens for 20 or 40 or 50 minutes around 9.15pm.  And so, during the work week there is the routine: walk the dog, make the breakfast, get out the door, do the job, come home, make the dinner, walk the dog, clean the kitchen, put t...

Seven years ago Crystal signed up for a 6/7 X/Y... aka voluntary forced savings scheme.  The school board squirrels away 6/7ths of your salary so that in the seventh year you don't have to work and you still get paid!  Deal.  I got on the ball a little late but have caught up.  And well, the seventh year is upon us.  The excitement has not yet started but there has been plenty of excitement already.   The first major decision point fell in March when we had to decide whether to defer.  Covid had thrown a huge, global pandemic size wrench in our plans and we sweated over what the heck to do for some time.  In the end we went for the live for the moment mantra.  So far, one vaccine down, two more booked, it is looking like we may have got it right.  But whatever happens we will have got it right because we will make something of this year, one way or another.   The next big decision was how to rent out our house.  With ...