When I retired from the NHS, after 40 years’ service, I intended to continue my hobbies of hill-walking, swimming, bee-keeping and theatre-going. Sadly, within four weeks of retirement, I found that the metal-on-metal hip replacement I had undergone six years earlier had failed, and had to be removed. Three major surgeries followed, and I have spent the whole of my retirement walking with crutches.
Clearly this called for a big rethink! Thankfully, the Guardian is crammed full of interesting articles, which keep me busy for hours. I really love the political pages, which help me to try to see the picture clearly in the midst of so much media hype. The Weekend magazine is great, and I find the That’s me in the picture a real eye-opener. I love the Family section, which gives insights into the joys and tribulations of family life, making me laugh and cry in equal measure. The money page is also great, and gave me good advice on returning to work after retirement. John Crace’s Digested week has me in stitches, even though it’s based on often serious stuff. He helps us to make sense of what’s going on, and to get through it.
Since I became disabled, I have stood twice in the local elections on behalf of the Green party, which reflects my beliefs and values. I am a vegan, and very keen to preserve the environment. It’s no use having a great economy if we are destroying the planet to get it. My latest surgery has been successful, and I am hoping to be able to walk again soon. My target is to reach the summit of Mount Snowdon by the end of 2017.
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