WrAnTz

Don’t Forget Your Greens

Just wanted to put a shout out there for Greens of Wickham.

We had the pleasure of dining and relaxing in this establishment on Saturday. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The staff were friendly, attentive but not intrusive. And, most importantly, the food was superb.

Our choices from the menu were all from the Set Lunch Menu, well initially. By accident we selected one of each of the starters. “Soup of the moment” (I’ve forgotten wha it was), Warm Goats’ Cheese, Smoked salmon & crayfish tails (this looked spectacular) and Pressed ham hock terrine.

All agreed that the food was very tasty and there was ample for a starter, although some concern was voiced that there was too much goats cheese !! Didn’t see any left on the plate though.

For the mains our selections included a Steak pie (with a proper pastry top instead of the usual puff pastry shrapnel), Pork loin and I had the Hampshire ribeye which was beautifully cooked.

Nobody had room for a sweet which says it all really.

We had booked for 13:00 and were seated shortly thereafter. Given the current weather it was nice to be sat near an open log fire. And then it was 16:00 before we knew it. I had asked at the bar if we could have more coffee and was very politely informed that they were closed. Actually they had been closed since 15:00 but had not pressed us to leave. And we weren’t the only ones as there was another group of folks, at the far end of the restaurant, equally involved in their own socialising.

I cannot recommend this establishment highly enough. We will be back.

Tough Call

And So The Journey Begins

One of the major topics of conversation during the latter weeks of 2014, for me at least, has been retirement.

In June of this year I will achieve the grand old age of 63. This is significant, as that is the target retirement age defined in all my company pension bumf.

I started with the company back in July of 1977. This is also the year that I got married. So, when I retire

I will have been employed by the company for 37 years and 11 months.
and
I will have been married for 37 years and 6 months

1977 was a momentous year. It was the year I left the comfort of working for the MOD where I had worked for the previous 8 years. Starting first as a Fitter & Turner Apprentice in the training center at Flathouse Quay, then as a qualified Fitter & Turner working “afloat” in HM Royal Dockyard, Portsmouth. Finally, after a 6 months training course at Priddys Hard, as a Ratefixer Planner based in RNAD Frater, Gosport.

After an acrimonious year I left to join IBM as a Technical Analyst. I had no idea what one of those was, but it really didn’t matter. So long as I was out of Frater. Later that year, Christmas Eve, I got married at Portsmouth Registry Office. And here we are 37 years later, still together, and about to embark on a huge adventure.

Today, I received notification of my pension start date. Rather, I got asked the question, am I going to retire or carry on working.

I, of course, have responded that I am going to retire. The next stage of my life journey is definitely underway and I feel like I am just reaching the top of the Pepsi Max Big One.About to plummet down towards Blackpools Pleasure Beach.

Whooohooo !!!