Last week absolutely spun over. There were meetings to attend and different working venues to visit over the first three working days, and then on Thursday and Friday I attended a course funded by my employer and run by the Oakhill Partnership, who are a team of financial advisors based in Newburn. It was my pre-retirement course. I have been on dozens of courses during the 38 years I’ve spent in one organisation, but believe you me, during this particular training input I hung on to every word. There was some jolly useful advice; how to prepare a CV should I be considering applying for a new job; pointers on starting up in business; moving abroad; further education and so on. Ah, and there was also this;
The smart looking brochure you see here was handed to me by a lady from Co-Op Funeral Care who urged me to begin thinking about my funeral now. If I’m considering having a burial, it’s advised that I select and purchase my plot in the near future. I’ve always intended to be cremated but in the light of this new information I’m tempted to change my mind. A leafy plot somewhere, all my very own, where I can spread my picnic blanket and reflect on the certainty that whatever I do or don’t do, however I do it or don’t do it, my final resting place will be 6 feet beneath the spot I’m sitting upon consuming my egg and cress rolls. It also means that I can purchase a plan for a tailor made headstone. It will be specifically designed by me and I can compose and pay for my inscription in advance. I know what it’s going to say; “Here lies Tammy Linsell, she lived from 1960 to ???? and she’s none the bloody wiser.”
The dreaded Northern Pride 5k run took place last Friday evening, an event facilitated by Northern Front Runners. I say “dreaded” because I wasn’t looking forward to dragging my considerable bulk around the Town Moor for three miles, but I really enjoyed it. The rain held off and the organisation was fantastic. There were 500 entrants. I’m not sure if all 500 actually ran or not but I came 376th with a time of 41.51. Heather did it ten minutes faster. The bag of goodies at the end supplied us with treats that must have cost far in excess than the ten quid we paid to enter, including some colourful running socks with proper blister resistant soles. The numerous stewards were friendly and encouraging. The same can’t be said about Phoenix Security who we encountered the following day, but more on that another time.
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