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Some reflections on 1995 This is a summary of what we were doing in 1995, written as a reflection from nineteen years later, and based on diaries and photographs from the time |
| Peter: The year began with the fulltime occupation of looking for a new job, having been redundant after being privatised. The inefficiencies of the privatisation process gave me an extremely generous lump of money, and hence no need for a vast rush to another job. There were lots of people very keen to exchange lots-of-money for training in finding jobs which weren't on offer on the 'open market', offers which I took only the (free) introductory sessions. |
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Hence or Otherwise (as they say) the jobseeking turned out to be a lonely process, and my marketability turned out to be much more successful in the public sector than the private, so it was with some relief that I was pleased to accept an offer to work in Crawley, for the Civil Service once more. That means getting up very early on a Monday morning, driving with everyone elso on the M1/M11/M25/M23 to try to arrive before the 40 people who are supposed to be working for me. Excellent to be working again, but the whole thing feels semi-detatched - a thing that happens Monday-Friday with the weekend to relax. And intruding into the weekend with a need to put in a few new lightbulbs is a significant irritation - so weekends have to be giving the relaxation the priority! |
| Elaine: Water industry reorganisation gave the opportunity to volunteer for part-time working for Rotherham instead of full-time: down to two days per week to start with. Supposed to give more time for tatting, sorting out the house, ... Picture is pumping out Odyssey, but also did the Lavendar Boat again at IWA rally in Chester at August Bank Holiday weekend. |
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| Iain: He's trying to remember what the "fourth form" was like. Maybe he'll contribute something later! Fencing occupied at least one evening per week. |
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Canalling: Part of a group of twelve who commissioned a new red seventy-foot narrowboay Odyssey, which was completed and launched: then we had our first week aboard, which was fun: also three separate weeks on Copperkins, the sixty foot green boat, which is also shared with a dozen other owners. There's more time available than leave from work allows, so in general we plan to have full-weeks of Copperkins and weekends on Odyssey. On one of those we passed a chap towing the historic Samuel Barlow butty Gertrude on a rope from the towing path; we hitched them to us on a short line for the evening and the next day northwards to Hawkesbury Junction. Oncoming boats neither expect nor understand how to pass a 'pair'. Sheffield Basin came to life with a free fair and gathering to celebrate its regeneration; we attended the opening of the rebuilt Ash aqueduct on the Basingstoke Canal; and there was a trip to Liverpool Docks. |
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Ringing: Continued to ring on Sundays and Tuesdays (Elaine and Iain at Ranmoor and Peter at Horley after the job started). Southampton University Guild for its fortieth anniversary dinner found itself with need for a stand-in President to cover illness. Peter enjoyed standing-in, and with a recitation of The Ladies' Peal perhaps even standing-out! Home: the drive is filled with cars: both operational and old-awaiting-scrapping! |
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