Over the Bank Holiday we found ourselves in two different garden centers looking for plants and structures for the new garden. Nothing wrong with this, lots of couples go out at Bank Holiday and do just what we were doing. The problem is, on reflection that Christine and I spend all our time together, we have somehow slipped in to the routine of being a ‘We’ which as you know if you are keeping up to date is not what I planned.


When we were in the Bahamas with our family for 9 weeks or so following retirement I listed the things I was going to do when I got home and retirement proper kicked in. The list included golf – not played at all, crown green bowls – not played at all, walking club – not been walking at all, the only thing I’ve done that was on the list is met Kev and his mates down the Cornerhouse a couple of times. (Look at Session 10 for a full explanation of ‘I’s and ‘We’s.)


And even the fact that we now seem to be ‘We’s isn’t really the main point of this story, it’s the scones. On both occasions we had morning coffee which used to be coffee and a scone but now we share one scone. I made no comment the first day but on the second I asked why we were now sharing a scone. Christine says she can’t eat a full one and that’s the explanation. Well OK but I quite like a full scone to myself but I let it pass.


But we are back at the garden center on Tuesday when everyone is back at work and we go again for a morning coffee, the place is packed, it looks like a pensioners bus trip, this is obviously a thing other retired ‘We’s do every day. As we walk to the counter I notice that all these retired ‘we’s are sharing scones or teacakes and mention it to Christine before I go and find a table. Christine comes back with two coffees and two scones. When you are only 45 you don’t want people to think you are a pensioner. I enjoy my scone and as Christine can in fact only eat half her scone I get an extra half. Result or what!


The problem of being a ‘We’ is that as we are settling into the routine of retirement, the ‘We’ thing seems OK. So the real problem is can I admit it or have I to continue pretending that I want to be an ‘I’, I think for the time being I must, I can’t be seen to give in too easily.