During the first couple of weeks after my retirement I mentioned on the blog that Christine and I would be lucky to last six months, this despite it being our Ruby Wedding anniversary this year. The main reason of course being the total change in lifestyle from me being away all week to spending every day at home with Christine.


Well we have made six months so that deserves some sort of recognition but it is obvious that I understand her less now than I did when I was away. I think it’s a 'woman thing'.
They’re not like us are they.

How can you go through life and not get excited by the World Cup? Will Rooney play? Does Christine care? No.
At what time in each match will Sven bring Hargreaves on as a pointless substitute? Does she care? No.

Did England beating the Aussies to win the ashes last summer raise any interest. No she doesn't care.
Did she sit up and watch Jonny Wilkinson win the world cup in Australia? Not likely.


But ask Christine anything about grand designs, make overs, locations, house doctors and gardens she not only has the magazine, she’s seen the TV programme. We don’t just buy paint we buy 'Farrow & Ball, Fired Earth, The Paint Library, and The Little Greene Paint Company'. There is even a website called poshpaint.com that has suddenly appeared on 'My Favourites' listing. So there was no surprise that when we decide to wallpaper the bedroom that our granddaughter, Amber, will use for the summer that we don’t go to B&Q. Woodchip appears to be out now, we go for butterflies at Laura Ashley. This is a little more expensive than woodchip I believe. But not to worry because we are in the middle of a good deal!


We needed a bed, so while in Laura Ashley, the very helpful assistant suggests a particular bed that’s in the sale at half price but if she rings around she may get a shop display one even cheaper. She makes some calls and gets one in Torquay and arranges to have it transferred to her shop for us to collect. Brilliant we now spent £720 less than the original cost. So we say “Thank You” and go home.

No we don’t because having saved all that dosh we can buy something else. Hence the wallpaper plus a light fitting and table for the garden room and a sewing box for Christine all at reduced prices so not only have we made the original saving on the bed, we have now saved even more by buying loads of other things. In fact the more we spend the more we save, we can’t go wrong lets get some more...


It is me, isn’t it. I’ve lost the plot somewhere.


I’ll just get on with the decorating, I need to be finished for the start of the World Cup. I intend to sit in front of the TV all day watching replays and analysis, that’s providing I can get the remote control off Christine.