Retirement

It's been a while since my first posts so I thought it about time that I got back to it. I had always thought that once retired I would have all the time in the world to do all sorts of things that I had wanted to do since for ever. But it is true what they say, "I don't know how I found time to work"!

Since installing my new desk I soon found that the disruption didn't end there. Suddenly my study required a complete overhaul and clear-out. My wife has always accused me of being a hoarder, and I suppose that there used to be some truth in that, until I became educated. Since then I think that I have been pretty good about getting rid of "things". Mostly these "things" didn't amount to much if I am honest. We used to have a loft full of boxes of "things" most of which I had forgotten, had never looked at since they were stored, and probably never would be.

Old books (but not rare old books) seemed to be the prime culprits. Most were paperbacks, all had been read and never would be again. Both my wife and I read quite a bit, but rarely do we ever re-read a book. There hardly seems to be time to read all the books we haven't yet read, without bothering with cluttering up your mind with old stuff. This is why my profile does not list any favourites, because I try to enjoy my current read and drop it if it really doesn't suit. That is actually quite a rare happening as my tastes are eclectic and I try to read a different type of book each time.

Any way, my study has never been so tidy, and I will probably never be able to find anything again. In any case I have most probably thrown it away now and so will never find it. It's sod law that says that something that you have never used, didn't know you even had, and have now thrown away will, within a short space of time, suddenly become vital to your happiness.

I have spent quite a bit of time over the last day or two trying to find out how to do things on this site. Trying to get my rapidly diminishing grey cells to store up all the various procedures is proving somewhat time consuming, hence another reason for lack of postings. One of the areas I really want to get to grips with is the posting of photographs which I think I have now taken on board. If nothing appears here soon, then I retract the previous sentence!

Our elderly cat died suddenly and unexpectedly a few weeks ago. Now there is a huge empty space in our lives which previously was occupied by what was quite a small but beautiful black cat. I know that there will be amongst you those who do not like or perhaps even fear cats. If you are among that number, then read no further but be sorry for what is missing in your lives.


Bruno
Until he had gone, I do not think that we were really aware just how much he had become a part of our family. For the first time since early childhood neither my wife nor I have been without some sort of pet, and it now seems a hard experience to accept. No doubt in time the raw edges will wear away and we will rejoice in the happy memories of him. Many tears were shed in this household, and not a few of them were mine. I miss him sitting on my lap, I miss my conversations with him (he was very vocal), and I like to think that we both understood each other, and I just miss all the thousand and one things he used to do. We are still finding bits of his fur on furniture, and when we don’t I expect that I shall miss that as well.

There are few rooms in the house that did not have one of his favourite places, and now they are all empty, constant reminders of him. He is also a link back to the days when our children were still at home. So, should we have another cat? The jury is very much out on that one for a while. I have to confess to feeling very guilty for ever thinking that there would be so much more opportunity for doing things if it was not necessary to make arrangements for the cat to be looked after. He didn’t ask to live with us, and so we obviously had a responsibility towards him, and I so wish we still did. After all it must be said, a pet is not just for Christmas. Cats are very independent and sometimes aloof creatures but all the more loveable for it.

That brings me back to the question, should we have another? Maybe, when the time is right, we will, but his will be a hard act to follow. Maybe we should wait to see if our new freedom is as valuable to us as our old friend was, and then decide.
Thank you for the opportunity of writing this piece, which I suppose has been a sort of obituary to him, because it has been almost therapeutic in its way. We are trying not to be sad because life with him was never sad, and now we are able to think of his happy days with us without becoming overemotional.