As anyone who is keeping up knows, we are sitting in The Bahamas with our family enjoying a long break following retirement. The sun is of course shining, the beers are cold and the pool and the ocean are warm. Sitting here on the terrace gives me time to think. Think about the unfairness of retirement because of the loss of holidays.


Now you may think that being retired is one long holiday, especially considering where I am but let’s just think a moment about Bank Holidays. I don’t get them any more.


When you are at work a Bank Holiday Monday is a day off. It’s a special day, you get paid extra if you have to work it you may even get two days of in lieu or whatever but now I’m retired, nothing, it’s just another day.
Let’s take Christmas. If Christmas day falls on a Saturday with Boxing Day on a Sunday, a working person gets Monday and Tuesday off as well. What do I get? nothing. I don’t want to seem mean but I will be happy when Christmas falls on a Monday and Tuesday that way I lose less. New Year, lots of drink and all that and everybody gets New Year's Day off to recover, I have to recover in my own time. Is that fair?


Not only do I not get any benefit from a Bank Holiday, they are worse than normal days. The roads are all blocked with people going out for the day, many of whom must only drive their cars on Bank Holidays judging by their ability. The golf courses have queues from 6.30am onwards. The shopping centers are packed with people desperate to part with their money. I can’t get into The Beverley Arms for coffee in the morning or the Crown & Anchor for the tea time special. Everywhere is packed with people so I am confined to staying at home. Bank Holidays should be on a Sunday then more work would be done and I wouldn't miss out.


And what about the five weeks paid holiday I used to get. Do I get that now, no. I don’t even have the break from work to look forward to.


Anyone feeling sorry for me yet? Sitting out here isn’t all that easy.


So it’s the variety of life that has really changed. When at work, a Bank Holiday is a day off, it’s a quality day to do something different, have a lay in bed, have bacon and eggs for breakfast and spend a day with your wife. A premium day.


For me it’s just another day, wallpaper paste for breakfast and trying not to be too much of a ‘we’. But as Christine points out it's even worse for her because I have her to spend my Bank Holidays with - she only has me! Mind you with an entire cottage to decorate when we get home I may well want to introduce the Bank Holiday system into our schedule.