I've been home from work now for nearly three months - and it has been wonderful...!
I've drawn, painted, had an amazing time with my family, my dogs and my hens - not been this happy in years and why..? Because my Husband was made redundant :)
I know this sounds odd, to the point of madness, but all of our married life he has worked either abroad or on rotating shifts - both of which kept us apart for long periods.
There weer many years where I was like a one-parent family and yes - I managed - I even quite enjoyed the autonomy to a degree but it's a very lonely existence when your mate isn't around and when he is - he's asleep!
So yep! I'm happy he's home - we're 65 - it's about time he retired anyhow!
The only downer is the money :(
Clearly, he won't be earning but it won't be the first time we've been thrifty :)
In fact, now we both have our pensions, we've never been so well off - we've spent a lifetime juggling bills - four kids is an expensive hobby!
So, in this time, I've gone right back to my arty roots.
It's what I should have been doing from the beginning but in our day, the woman nearly always gave up one of the 'e's in her career and became a 'carer' to the children and family. She was still expected to work - oh yes my generation were the meat in the sandwich - no importance or respect in the workplace but expected to do everything as good as any man for half the wage.
So I worked in shops and I did childminding - anything I could get to be home with the children from school and with four, it was a long 12 years of juggling before going to work in Estate Agency on a more formal footing. 20 years of that! And still I looked after the house and shopping and family and even became Mum's Taxi to them (OH doesn't drive). I was also roadie for my son's band for several years - at the same time as working full time!
Is it any wonder so many women fall foul to Fibromyalgia, ME, Lupus and all the other chronic pain illnesses?
I did. I developed Fibro. One nasty customer that.
Not going into detail about it - I'm in remission at the minute and don't want to give that awful, horrible, death-would-be-a-release time, any more thought than I have to.
But suffice it to say, by the time I got my remission, I was in bad financial state as my Doctor 'didn't believe in' Fibromyalgia, so I got not one single penny in sick pay.......
So I had to start a new career, as the age of 62 in the Civil Service. I was lucky to get in at my age - I know that - but it still wasn't my field of choice.
But I have four wonderful children and two of my sons gave me the means and the inspiration to paint and draw again.
I'd never actually stopped - I'd drawn digistamps for a good few years for people and always made time for crafting but I'd not actually painted for years when my son Michael bought a new flat.
'Mum, ' he said 'I wan't you to do me a painting of the Liverpool Waterfront for my flat' and gave me specifics.
'Mike, ' I answered 'I haven't painted for 30 years.... ;) !'
'So?' he said, matter-of factly 'it's like riding a bike - you don't forget....' :O!
Voila, my first acrylic painting on canvas for over 30 years :)
Okay - it's not JMW Turner but not bad for an old lady after such a long time.. ;)
The point being - Mike loves it - it's now hanging in his new house and it was this that got me back into my artwork - thank you so much Michael :)
This was my 'new beginning'.
I've drawn, painted, had an amazing time with my family, my dogs and my hens - not been this happy in years and why..? Because my Husband was made redundant :)
I know this sounds odd, to the point of madness, but all of our married life he has worked either abroad or on rotating shifts - both of which kept us apart for long periods.
There weer many years where I was like a one-parent family and yes - I managed - I even quite enjoyed the autonomy to a degree but it's a very lonely existence when your mate isn't around and when he is - he's asleep!
So yep! I'm happy he's home - we're 65 - it's about time he retired anyhow!
The only downer is the money :(
Clearly, he won't be earning but it won't be the first time we've been thrifty :)
In fact, now we both have our pensions, we've never been so well off - we've spent a lifetime juggling bills - four kids is an expensive hobby!
So, in this time, I've gone right back to my arty roots.
It's what I should have been doing from the beginning but in our day, the woman nearly always gave up one of the 'e's in her career and became a 'carer' to the children and family. She was still expected to work - oh yes my generation were the meat in the sandwich - no importance or respect in the workplace but expected to do everything as good as any man for half the wage.
So I worked in shops and I did childminding - anything I could get to be home with the children from school and with four, it was a long 12 years of juggling before going to work in Estate Agency on a more formal footing. 20 years of that! And still I looked after the house and shopping and family and even became Mum's Taxi to them (OH doesn't drive). I was also roadie for my son's band for several years - at the same time as working full time!
Is it any wonder so many women fall foul to Fibromyalgia, ME, Lupus and all the other chronic pain illnesses?
I did. I developed Fibro. One nasty customer that.
Not going into detail about it - I'm in remission at the minute and don't want to give that awful, horrible, death-would-be-a-release time, any more thought than I have to.
But suffice it to say, by the time I got my remission, I was in bad financial state as my Doctor 'didn't believe in' Fibromyalgia, so I got not one single penny in sick pay.......
So I had to start a new career, as the age of 62 in the Civil Service. I was lucky to get in at my age - I know that - but it still wasn't my field of choice.
But I have four wonderful children and two of my sons gave me the means and the inspiration to paint and draw again.
I'd never actually stopped - I'd drawn digistamps for a good few years for people and always made time for crafting but I'd not actually painted for years when my son Michael bought a new flat.
'Mum, ' he said 'I wan't you to do me a painting of the Liverpool Waterfront for my flat' and gave me specifics.
'Mike, ' I answered 'I haven't painted for 30 years.... ;) !'
'So?' he said, matter-of factly 'it's like riding a bike - you don't forget....' :O!
Voila, my first acrylic painting on canvas for over 30 years :)
Okay - it's not JMW Turner but not bad for an old lady after such a long time.. ;)
The point being - Mike loves it - it's now hanging in his new house and it was this that got me back into my artwork - thank you so much Michael :)
This was my 'new beginning'.
