Got a couple of books I’ve had since childhood that shed illumination - if perhaps not the tersest of facts - on such phenomena.
The most entertaining is “Haunted Britain” by Anony D. Hippisley Coxe - which has to be one of the best touring campfire companions going, albeit it addresses itself to all manner of superstitions, pagan beliefs, legends, historic sites, wells &c. as well as hauntings. It is typically 1970s in approach and content.
More erudite, if approaching sacred/healing wells rather tangentially, is A. B. Granville’s two-volume “Spas of England” published in 1841, and re-published 130 years later in considerable numbers - it’s a good read, unstuffy for its era, and a real bit of time-travel to a period when spa holidays were at their absolute peak.
Both are Long out of print, but inexpensive to buy used, or more sensibly should be obtainable via your library, albeit with a wait for them to haul copies from distant storage
Filling out the application to go part time which has the added bonus of locking my pension to the CPI rate every September. Wonder why I chose that over a 1% pay rise.
I wonder if we are also seeing the last of those who could have retired at 60 but didn’t or those that can dropping out of the labour market.
I know for myself I have a pension paying out at 60 in 4 years time. Sadly not enough to call it a day straightaway but with the lump sum, additional income and reduced out goings hoping to be able to do so 3 years later.
Suspect others are doing the same at the moment especially those who had difficult time with Covid or still do with long Cvid.
Self employed I’ve been easing out of work since about 2012 and with 2 years of Covid there is no point in getting going again for just a couple of years before retirement. I’ve got one client I will keep working with and enough retirement planning has worked to keep the wolf from the door. I’ve got friends retiring in their late 50s where they just can’t get motivated to go back to work full time and might take a part time shelf stacking job if they need to.
On topic, today I’m cooking and setting up for my neighbour’s 70th birthday party tomorrow. I hope to sober up in time for Queenies weekend.
Careful what you wish for.
My SIL (mid 50s) was between jobs and worked for a major supermarket chain for a few months doing 2 days a week stacking shelves. SIL is fit, she plays sport, cycles a lot (has done London to Brighton a few times) and said it was the most relentless non-stop exhasting work she has ever done, and though they offered her a full time job she couldn’t wait to get a job back in the corporate world.
She said she has a new respect for anyone doing that work and any ideas she had that it would be an easy job were gone forever!
Went to The Kinema in The Woods at Woodhall Spa today to see the new Top Gun film. Film was ok and even got a bloke playing an organ during the intermission.
… Delightful Cosmo.
