Wednesday 22 July 2015

The Dream Departure...

After all the stress and angst of May and June, my last day was amazing!  Everyone went out of their way to make sure that I had an incredible time.  The teddy on the right is a gift from my registration group.  The Year 10 girls know that I love bears and took an immense amount of trouble to find the right one from the bear shop in Stratford on Avon.  His name is 'Elgar' (after the pastoral college that my form belonged to).


We spent the weekend at the Club Marcos International Rally at the Abbey Hotel Malvern and Shelsey Walsh Hill Climb.  Our Silver car was at the top of the row in the car park at the hill climb - which was an irresistible opportunity to take a photo of lots of "Marcos Noses"!!


Now I'm slowly coming off the adrenaline and feeling pretty optimistic about the next phase of life.  I'm steadily collecting piano pupils for next term.... and I hope that there will be more harp pupils once word gets out.  As a result, I'm already better off than I expected and happy to be more 'financially confident' at this stage.  (I do have got a two year 'transition pot' which would cover no income at all for 24 months.... but it's nice to feel that I'm not having to rely on it.)

I've also started to 'get to grips' with several health issues - not least a slightly 'rusty' basic fitness.  I started my walking regime with 8 miles along the John Corbett Way (a meandering collection of lanes, footpaths, towpaths and bridleways between Bromsgrove and Droitwich) yesterday morning.  It was a perfect day for walking - a little overcast but mostly dry...  This afternoon we did another couple of miles round the village and I don't feel too cranky!


I saw a different doctor at the health centre on Monday and she has referred me for an MRI scan and blood tests.  I've been putting all of this off while I was dealing with the chaos at school.  Now it's nice to think that I have the time to put myself first for a while.  I must confess that I haven't found the transition from work to 'retirement' (sort of..) at all difficult.  I'm sure that there will be days when I will miss the 'busy' atmosphere of being surrounded by 100s of pupils - especially those that I knew really well and cared for particularly - but the absence of that enormous stress is completely liberating.  I have more emotional energy, and I can feel that this is giving me more physical energy too.

The rather difficult journey to this point has been totally worth it!!!
Jx

15 comments:

  1. So far so positive. I am glad. x

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  2. Hooray! I'm so pleased it has all started out so well. Good idea to get a health check to start out your 'back to health' regime. I look forward to gearing about your journey x

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  3. Jan you sound so confident and positive. I'm sure everything is going to work out splendidly and your health will go from strength to strength now you've left the stress behind. I can't wait to do the same. I'm saving like mad and trying to leave the stress at work although that's been difficult lately.

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  4. I am glad your students haf the opportunity to share their appreciation. Good transition to secure the lessons-perhaps slong with your frugal ways you'll not even notice the income shift.

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  5. Well done Jan. looks like you had a great send off. Great news that you have pupils lined up already. Hope the MRI goes ok.

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  6. So pleased you had a good send off and are already planning your new career, good luck with all the medical stuff too!

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  7. Rest and find your me time, you have worked hard, shaped so many young lives.

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  8. I'm so glad it was a happy ending and it's great that you have a fair few piano pupils!x

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  9. Breathe deeply and go slowly at first, because some things to "creep" up on you and do hope that your health issues are nothing other than stress related. The car "thingy" looks good and something we miss, as in the past we were in Morris Minor groups, but nothing much around as good these days here in Oz. Hubby has just checked out a group which in non specific and we may join that. Glad you've come through the worst and take care.

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  10. Good Grief!! If you can walk 10 miles in one day, I wouldn't think you had any health issues!!! I just knew you'd get enough "students" to take your worry of finances off your mind. :-)

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  11. Glad your last day went well and that you're feeling positive about the future. Good luck with the tests, I'm sure everything will be ok.

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  12. I'm glad you let with positive vibes,and that you have already got pupils lined up. Enjoy the summer!

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  13. I'm glad the end of the year has been good and it sounds like life is great right now - long may it continue!

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  14. I'm so happy to hear that things are going well for you! I need to take your lead and start exercising more. I've not been good about it and it's showing!! Thank you for the kind words on the bedroom makeover and on Baby :)

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