Does your town have these rental bikes? They seem like a good idea until you see a conglomeration like this. I took this picture on The Strand in Westminster, but even at the top of the street where we live, there's often a mass of these things parked and awaiting the next rider. (Both bikes and e-scooters.) I've never ridden one myself because I think getting on a bike in this town is like having a death wish, but they are popular. I just wonder if there aren't too many of them, and if there isn't a better way to control or regulate their parking.
I read the craziest story in The Guardian on Friday about a woman who had her £1,600 Givenchy bag stolen from a pub in Soho. That would be bad enough, but inside the bag were an Apple laptop, Apple AirPods, a £350 store voucher, £200 worth of makeup, £20 in cash and -- get this -- a £2.2 million emerald-encrusted Fabergé egg and watch set. Now, I don't mean to blame the victim, but what on earth would possess someone carrying a Fabergé egg to stop at a pub? If I had a Fabergé egg in my Givenchy bag (unlikely) I'd be headed straight to wherever I kept my safe, and I'd be on red alert every step of the way. The thief was caught after grabbing the bag while its owner was smoking, and then trying to use her bank card nearby. He went to jail, but the egg has not been found.
(Every time I hear Fabergé I think of Eddie Murphy's skit about buying his father Christmas presents: "Brut -- by Fabergé." Somehow, through the mysteries of capitalism, the jewelry and the cologne are linked, after cosmetics companies acquired the Fabergé brand name in the 20th century. There's still Fabergé jewelry too, so don't ask me to explain who owns what.)
Anyway, nothing that exciting has been going on around here, thank goodness. I had another quiet day yesterday, spent mostly reading. I also cleaned the outside of our kitchen cabinets, which is one of those infrequent but necessary household jobs. At some point I need to do our windows but I think I'll save that for next week, when I am retired!
My renewed US passport arrived in yesterday's mail, so that's something I don't have to think about anymore.
This is our last official day of Spring Break. The week has flown by. I have three more work days and then, after this coming Wednesday, I'm done. As the day creeps closer I'm a bit more apprehensive about how I'm going to spend my time and what it's going to be like, talking to no one all day. I might love it, because I'm kind of a solitary person anyway -- "odd and peculiar," as my mother used to describe us all -- or will I miss human contact? Time will tell!
I read that the woman had put her bag on the floor.....it was probably stolen for the value of the bag and the thief got a big surprise when he saw the contents!
ReplyDeleteYes, she put it on the floor between her legs as she stood outside, and someone swiped it while she was distracted.
DeleteGoodness! What a silly person, to carry around such valuable stuff and then just leaving the bag on the floor and go out for a smoke…!
ReplyDeleteFrom friends and other people who have retired I know that it feels like a holiday at first. The important thing to keep one‘s physical and mental health seems to be to have a good structure to the day and the week, and tasks or a project or something like a volunteering job that keeps mind and body occupied, as well as providing contact with other people.
I think she had the bag with her, but still -- silly! Yes, I think some kind of structure will be needed.
DeleteWonder what an insurance company will pay out for a missing faberge egg, we could all try that claim!
ReplyDeleteIf I read it right, the story said insurance only paid something like £100K, which is nothing compared to the loss!
DeleteSince I retired, I have had lots of volunteer jobs. I have done the following (not all at the same time, thank goodness) including sitting at the desk at the local information centre (all run by volunteers), being the unofficial "go-to" person to organise things like lunch or parties for a group of local gay friends, caring for a LGBTIQ Christian church, starting and running the local community newsletter (that's a good one for you Steve), working (almost full-time) as the secretary for our local community association, assisting the manager (who just happens to be my husband) at our local op (thrift) shop, writing and self-publishing my autobiography (all 150,000 words), starting and maintaining three websites, learning to cook/prepare meals, keeping in touch with our numerous relatives, friends and neighbours, catching up on all the hundreds of movies I never got to watch before, reading scores of books a year - and the list goes on. I frequently wonder how I ever had time to go to work! Good luck on Wednesday - and happy retirement. Best thing ever.
ReplyDeleteYou HAVE been busy! I'm sure I will find things to keep me occupied. :) Movies and books will definitely be part of the plan!
DeleteThat £2.2 million claim sounds fishy to me. Let me think. What was in my purse? Hmmm. Airpods. £20 in cash. And... and... Oh yeah! My emerald-encrusted Fabergé egg! I have faith that you’ll find your way in retirement. I hope you’re not told to work late Wednesday on some special last-minute project. Look busy. I love bikes, but would never ride one in a big city (or even our not-so-big city). And, yes, those are a lot of bikes!
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, there is no allegation that she WASN'T carrying the egg, which apparently belonged to her company. But insurance did pay out far less than that amount.
DeleteDon't overthink it, you must have heard ' I wonder how I had the time to go to work', you will find your place, just don't rush to fill every moment.
ReplyDeleteTrue story!
DeleteUnlike the Faberge egg...
DeleteOK, good to know! I will do my best to pace myself! :)
DeleteWhen you retire you will suddenly find that free time is marvellous. There should be nothing to worry about, everything can be done later ;) I also think carrying around Faberge eggs in one's handbag is a bit of a tall tale.
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to not having to be in a certain place at a certain time every day!
DeleteI would kill to have 3 days to retirement. You will love it. You've worked hard and deserve this; I think we should normalize retirement. I've worked like a dog for 40 years. I can hardly wait to have no deadlines or assignments.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of dog Elle? A sheepdog or a police sniffer dog?
DeleteAbsolutely, there should be more social support for people to enable them to retire. I believe European countries (not surprisingly) are more advanced in this regard.
DeleteI agree that it is unlikely you would be carrying a Givenchy bag. Much more likely that your purse/handbag would be by Louis Vuitton. Regarding your impending retirement, give it a week or two and then think about doing a shift a week in a charity shop. Like me you would be very suited to dealing with books and I believe you would enjoy it too. You would also be meeting other staff and customers regularly. As you know, there's an Oxfam shop on Fortune Green Road and there's a specific Oxfam bookshop over at Hampstead. I will be happy to give you a glowing reference. I advise that you do not ask BBW for one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've considered going the charity shop route and it may happen. I know books, but I'm also sick to death of working with books! Maybe those feelings will change with time.
DeleteWhen I hear about thefts like that I wonder how they ever came to own the stuff in the first place. Likewise when I read about local cars being robbed of all kinds of jewelry and valuable electronics, I cant help wondering if the losses have been padded a bit..
ReplyDeleteYour retirement will be great. After a few weird days I expect you'll organize r structure so your week has a shape. And possibly a call to Battersea Dogs Home..
I do suspect some theft claims are padded, but it would be insane to pad one with a Fabergé egg! I think she really was carrying the egg, but its true value probably varies depending on who you ask.
DeleteI'm sorry but you carry around an expensive bag filled with all those expensive goods? And the egg??? Not bright.
ReplyDeleteRIGHT?! I mean, common sense, people!
DeleteI had the same fears about retirement myself. But those fears were unfounded. In my first year of retirement, I did some substitute teaching, but I hated it. I decided that I wouldn't do it anymore and just enjoy my retirement. I put many years in the classroom and it was time to simply close that door. I have filled my days with all kinds of things. I have made sure I have structure so that I don't waste time, but I do things that I want to do. Plus getting Shirley and Murray has kept me busy too!
ReplyDeleteYeah, getting a dog (or dogs!) will help.
Deletethat is good advice in the last photo!!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too!
DeleteThat Faberge egg story is simply crazy.
ReplyDeleteIt's normal to feel a bit apprehensive about the prospect of retirement but if you are like most people, you will find plenty of things to do. It's a new chapter and you get to write it yourself.
Yeah, I think I won't be lacking for activities! I'm pretty good at amusing myself in general.
DeleteWe didn't have bikes but we had electric scooters for a couple years. Though one had to be 18 and have a valid credit card to rent one, most of the riders turned out to be maybe early teens at best. They were left randomly in people's yards, driveways, sidewalks, etc. so for some living near popular destinations, they had to first clear the way to the street in order to leave or enter their driveway. I even saw some abandoned in the middle of the street a few times. Eventually, whomever owned them decided it wasn't worth it and they disappeared and haven't returned. I think a lot of it is likely due to cultural differences here versus maybe someplace like London where they work better. The "it's all about me" generation here isn't one for respecting other people or their property.
ReplyDeleteOh, they wind up abandoned in weird places here, too. A lot of them wind up in the canals. It's a constant source of public debate and stress.
DeleteWell, there’s a cautionary tale on the dangers of smoking - although I agree with Mitchell that the whole Faberge egg thing sounds hinky.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about being in education is those long holidays without seeing 95 kids per day are good prep for retirement.
Yeah, last week felt very much like "retirement lite," or maybe "intro to retirement."
DeleteI used the "Bikeshare" system in DC for many years. The bikes that have to be returned to a locked stand eliminate the random blocking of walkways, I much prefer them. The newer one's that operate just on a phone app, tend to be left everywhere. The scooters are even worse for being left in the middle of the sidewalk (pavement.)
ReplyDeleteMake a plan, write yourself a job description for what you will do after Wednesday. What have you always dreamed of doing if you had the time. Get involved in your community to replace the work social network (this took me the longest to do.) Settling into the new reality takes a year or two.
Yeah, we have some bikes (red ones sponsored by Santander, like the one the guy is riding in my photo) that have to be returned to a stand. I like those MUCH better than the free-range ones.
DeleteI don't believe she had a Faberge egg in her purse.
ReplyDeleteYou can talk to Dave, right? He's human.
That would be an even crazier story, if she was faking the loss of the egg. Surely the police would have investigated that?!
DeleteYeah, I'm sorry. Who in hell carries around something like that in her bag?
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's possible. Anyone who would pay that much for a bag to begin with is not dealing with a full deck of reality cards.
You're going to find things to do. As with everything else, it'll be a process. Each day a new step, a new discovery, a new way to view your new world.
The story said the egg belonged to her company. What her company is or why it has a Fabergé egg is left unexplained, at least in the account I read. I agree about the bag -- who spends that kind of money on a designer handbag and WHY?
DeleteI never worried about retiring and certainly didn't plan anything. I was more concerned about my husband retiring, but he's been busier than ever, though in a very different way. You will enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too worried. Mildly apprehensive, I'd say, like I would be before any big life change, but I'm confident in my ability to entertain myself.
DeleteI don't view London as "crime laden" (I might be naive!) but even I'd keep my bag close to me if I had any of that in it. And frankly, I wouldn't have any of that in a bag like that! That must have been some big bag if it had all that AND a Faberge egg. That's one of those mind-bending stories. (And believe me, I've done dumb things in my time, really dumb ones recently, but even I wouldn't do that!) We have those bikes too. I don't ride bikes and Rick usually has his own but you're right about the death wish in London (though while we visited, Rick and Tony did bike rides; I have a photo of Rick with the bike on Millennium Bridge. Nope. Not me.
ReplyDeleteYou will be fine in retirement -- but make some sort of a plan or calendar to get you started. You'll dump it soon enough and just roll with it!
That's what I was thinking -- how BIG was this bag?!
DeleteI hope you don't worry yourself into a heart attack wondering 🤔what you are going to do in retirement! Just take it a day at a time and you will figure it all out! First, breathe ... and then consider checking out available pups for adoption!
ReplyDeleteOK ... that's my 2 cents worth!
Oh, I'm definitely not THAT worried. :)
DeleteThat is a lot of bikes. How does that even work? Don't people have to rent them and then park them wherever when they are done?
ReplyDeleteWho goes off and leaves a £1,600 bag just by itself unattended, never mind all the expensive stuff in it. And a Fabergé egg? Nobody would do that.
You rent them with a phone app, apparently, and then can leave them pretty much anywhere. I think there are designated locations but it seems people don't always adhere to them.
DeleteI wonder if the woman who lost her bag filled to the brim with treasures, is operating with a full deck? Who does that? Theft of any kind is terrible, and I am glad the thief was caught. Yet, someone continues to walk free with the Faberge egg.
ReplyDeleteWhen I stopped working, I did miss the people contact and decided to volunteer at the Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA medical library. I loved it.
She took it to some work event, apparently, but why on earth anyone would do this -- and then set it on the ground in a pub -- is a complete mystery to me.
DeleteIt is quite a sight to see those rental bikes taking over the sidewalks, isn't it? I agree that cycling in such a busy town feels a bit like a death wish, and there certainly should be a better way to keep the parking from becoming a total mess.
ReplyDeleteThat story about the Fabergé egg is truly unbelievable. You would think someone carrying something worth millions would be a lot more cautious than to stop at a pub for a smoke! It is a shame the egg is still missing, but it surely makes for a wild story.
I am glad to hear your passport arrived safely; that is one less thing to worry about. Congratulations on reaching your final few work days! Transitioning into retirement is a big step, but being a bit "odd and peculiar" might just be the secret to enjoying that quiet, solitary time.
Thanks for your comment, Melody! I think I do have a personality type that will cope pretty well with retirement. I never felt lonely during the pandemic, for example. (Of course Dave was home with me!)
DeleteYou'll figure out some kind of schedule/routine and if you get bored, you'll find something to do. Occasional volunteer work would get you around people although I don't know what would be available in your area. (or what you might like to do) Give yourself time to relax and settle into retired life though! My town doesn't have those rental bikes but Seattle does. They can be a nuisance, especially when people just abandon them wherever.
ReplyDeleteVolunteering is a possibility but I don't want to rush into anything. I'm looking forward to some unstructured time first!
DeleteFor some reason, people think it's amusing to throw the e bikes into the Spokane river. Then someone has to go and fish it out of the water. They're very expensive, I no longer understand people at all.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that happens here, too -- they wind up in the canals and I'm sure they're in the Thames. Teenagers! They're not rational beings.
DeleteI found that all kinds of people talked to me. They waNTED ME TO VOLUNTEER for their organization. You have to pick and choose what you want to do.
ReplyDeleteOh, interesting! I didn't expect people to solicit me for volunteering! Hopefully I won't have to deal with too much of that.
DeleteThat whole theft business sounds fishy to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've been on a bike in over 20 years, but they say you never forget how to ride. One of my last outings involved a dog bite, so it dampened my enthusiasm.
Take a week or two to do nothing. You'll find a good routine in time.
I've had a dog chase me while I was bike riding and it's not fun. In fact once a dog ran in front of my bike and caused me to crash, and I broke my thumb! I was in middle or early high school at the time.
DeleteI had a similar in incident where I broadsided a large pitt bull. As I lay bleeding in the gravel, the owners rushed out to make sure the dog was okay. 🙄
DeleteI actually had a list...things I wanted to do when retired (way before Bucket Lists appeared.) Then I found myself depressed. I didn't know it at the time. But for a few months I just stayed in my apartment, and didn't do much of anything. Cats for company. Then I decided to follow my bliss and found a way to do pottery which I'd wanted to do for years...and I did that for the next 12 years. Not depressed at all any more. You'll figure out what works as it happens, I'll bet.
ReplyDeleteA great story, and it shows how sometimes it takes a while to settle on next steps. I do have hobbies, at least, so I think those will keep me going.
DeleteGoodness me! That is a lot of rental bikes!
ReplyDeleteYou are so close to retirement now ... enjoy it.
All the best Jan
So close I can taste it!
DeleteI agree with Mitchell - the inclusion of the egg in the list of items seems very suspicious!
ReplyDeleteI know myself enough to know that I'll need to set up some scheduled (& not easily cancelable) reason to leave my house & interact with people, or I would just sit at home every day. And even though that sounds like bliss right now, I'd probably go stir crazy after about a week!
Yeah, no one can stay inside all the time. It's fine now and then but everyone needs to get out and about. The year I wasn't working, after Dave and I moved to London, I'd make myself take a walk or run an errand every day, just to leave the house. I'll probably do something similar again!
DeleteWhat some people carry around with them is ridiculous, and if it's a large amount of cash, possibly dodgy.
ReplyDeleteWith the exception of my own municipality, the two others that allowed hire ebikes have now banned them.
I never connected the name of the egg with the cologne.
I think there is a backlash in a lot of areas against e-bikes and e-scooters. I do think they need to be reined in here. No one expected so many of them!
DeleteThat's a LOT of bikes! The Bag story? I don't think anybody would carry around all that stuff AND a Faberge egg. The weight alone would have me taking it all home right away, then go out for drinks or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's why she set it on the ground!
DeleteOf course, we all carry around Fabergé eggs! Or maybe that woman actually stole it and is chancing it?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your retirement. Didn't you say, when you lost Olga, that you would be having another dog when you retired this year? It would certainly fill your days and think of all the walks you'll be able to take and the photos we'll be able to enjoy!
Yes, a dog is in the plans. We're trying to work out timing because we have a trip coming up in July. But we might go ahead and get one (or maybe even two) now.
DeleteMy last "work" day was in December 2024 and I haven't missed it for one moment -- and I liked my job just fine, and those I worked with. I hope you'll feel the same and don't see why you wouldn't: you live in a place where if you want to see people, you don't have to go far. It's not like you'll be without options. ENJOY your freedom and the space you'll have in your days. -Kate
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in London in the early 1980s, we cycled everywhere, no problem, especially because there were so many transport strikes at the time.
ReplyDelete