Time for a change?
The year comes to a close and it's time to sit back and reflect.This time last year, we had a nice warm house in Northampton, nice new heating system. Cosy, knocking along nothing special. Then voluntary redundancy came up and by that time, I 'd had my fill of BT's bureaucracy and offshoring by stealth. I wanted to go. Aile said categorically no. 24 hours later, she said categorically yes. To get me out of the rut I'd created.
My rationale was simple. Better quality of life, right time for kids, closer to my ageing parents. I signed up and we sold up within 4 months. Pretty miraculous judging by the world now. I sit here now in Ceredigion and reflect on the move. There have been times I've wondered what I have let my family in for. Now I hope it's a work in progress. Bit like my novels!
I left BT in March and Aile quickly gained work here in the office of a garage. She moved first with Gareth. I moved Evelin in May and followed soon after. An interview in Aber involving a 432 mile round trip was enough for me.
By the end of May, I had found work. i attended an interview in Oswestry, they offered me a job on the spot. Nice if you can get it. The job? Branch Manager of Abbey in Aberystwyth. We bought a house in Llanilar in August. On paper, that's brilliant. Why have I felt at times I let the side down?
The job took 8 weeks to be confirmed. On the day I received the letter, giving me 3 working days notice of start, I received a call offering me an interview for the post of Train Driver in Machynlleth. Yes, turned it down. Had to, money in hand against the possibility of a dream. Well, I still kick myself on that. The job has turned out to be hell at times. The branch only has 5 staff and when your 2 cashiers leave (one with a week's notice) and your deputy is off for 6 weeks out of 10, you struggle. Most do not appreciate Banks are in it for sales. Nothing but Sales, you live and die by them. Ours have been predictably poor, am expecting the chop in January. As I write this, I actually am looking forward to it. Would have walked, but for the company saying they would bill me for training and an Insurance policy against redundancy. My guys have great potential and they will get there - if we are left alone to build. That isn't happening and I ain't a happy bunny. I thankfully still have some redundancy due next year, which will pay the way for the short term. Ride out the recession? Who knows.
Aile's job is ticking over. it has its frustrations, mostly she could do better. It's a case of keeping tabs on the opportunities - if 2009 brings any. Who knows what the world will do, scary times.
Evelin in the meantime has settled into my old school easily. I find it amusing that all her buddies have parents I went to school with! She had the biggest wrench, as she had gained a good social circle in a good school over the border, so it's heartening to see.
Gareth has developed fast. His grandma pushes him kindly, so he now recites the alphabet amid mutters nursery rhymes. At 2 and a half, he is still prone to the epic major tantrums that drive me nuts at times. Like today. Least tonight we ended the day with a cuddle and a laugh. One day, he'll play for Scarlets, trust me...
The house is nice and cosy. Smaller garden, but flatter. Now full of fruit bushes. Nice conservatory, nice quiet village. Nice pub serving Felinfoel and an old railway footpath to explore. I never appreciated how beautiful the Ystwyth valley was. Now I get to appreciate it every day, this is great. We have been exhausted by the move and not much has been changed. Having to live 2 months in University digs after a spectacular fallout with my parents wasn't the best moving in practice, but there we go. Nobody said it would be easy. I halved the mortgage with my redundancy money and am glad now I did.
What makes it all tiring is lack of social activities. I have yet to replace the wonderful writers club I had and the model railway is mothballed, awaiting me to open the shed. One day, when I don't feel like death as I arrive home... we have managed a few concerts, but baby needs watching and Evelin is just too young for now.
My writing has suffered and I have managed about 4 chapters since March. The story is stuck (in Stafford at the moment, but soon to come back West). I need to start writing again, touting my work and doing competitions.
Right now, it still feels a good move, but one which still has much to sort out. When the sun starts shining again, maybe we can explore the beaches and hills we had started to in the summer. Definitely do something, as I won't be writing the same stuff next year.
Happy Xmas to you all and hope 2009 is a good year.
posted by Geraint @ 9:11 pm
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