June 2016

I am an honorary Grandma.  Bear and Adele had baby G last week and I am going to see him on Saturday.  This is quite exciting.

A* is back in Australia on a 3 month tourist visa living with Tim in his parents’ house while sorting out paperwork for residency.  She can’t work.  J1 is still in Afghanistan.  J2 is dating a lot.

I went to Mexico which I loved.  It was far more beautiful than I expected.  More detail on a painful day trip in the blog

planning a day trip from Cancun, Mexico? – BORN 59 (hazeldurbridge.com)

Max and I had a great holiday together, but I want family life – you know, cooking meals together, gardening, less drinking, less expensive dates.  I now have a duel fuel burner on order so am in financial retrench mode.  He wants a hot date when he is bored and lonely.  I have been feeding back on this for months, but he doesn’t listen and I get locked in my own fantasy about what I hope he is rather than what he really is.  I am fond of him.  We don’t argue, but he is not permanent material.  Religious is back as the front runner.  The children are mortified, but I am thinking about a companion in my old age while they span the world.

Work is great.  Work is global.  I now work alongside women in their 20s from Paris, Trinidad/Tobago and Thailand, multi-lingual, uber talented and beautiful.  The competition for starter grade jobs is phenomenal.  I wonder how long I can survive.  I spent 5 days supporting a pop-up business school course in Thamesmead which was a 2 hour drive each way – great, but exhausting.  Next week I am up in Chester for a conference on community enterprise.

I am loving the gym – still.  I am gaining (a small amount!) weight rather than losing it, but I noticed the other week I went out and cut the hedge with a heavy electrical trimmer at shoulder height without once having to stop and rest.  That’s the difference.  It feels good.