A bit of a squeeze, but I was determined to post a second blog as promised for May, and it’s one that brings with it some very special memories… In fact I seem to have made a whole lot more literally over this last fortnight, what with four more family birthdays, a wonderful riverside walk with a friend, a weekend with my granddaughter Honey, and an impressive amount of baking! More on that in a moment, because I feel the need to document this milestone first…
Can you believe it’s been a whole year since I hung up my earpiece, waved goodbye to my lovely colleagues and friends, and retired from QVC? No, neither can I! 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months and yet no sense of time passing at all – it’s just been a whirlwind. You told me I’d wonder how I’d ever managed my life while I was working and you were right, although I don’t think even I could have foreseen just how many times the unexpected would happen so it was great I was free to help. Whether it was moving my son Jack to his new flat in Bromsgrove, supporting my godmother when she lost her partner, or helping out with Honey when Lucy was poorly, I was able to be there. That was such a blessing, as were both my son Sam and stepson Richard’s weddings that took place in June and then September – unforgettable!
Colin and I had two fabulous holidays on the island of Crete, I attended my friend Wendy’s very first art exhibition, heard my sister sing in the choir at Winchester Cathedral, enjoyed the Birmingham Christmas market and met Father Christmas at the Gillingham Village Hall! I knitted three hats, skipped to raise over £800 for Cancer Research, and was treated to two incredible dance shows – presented by Johannes Radebes and Giovanni Pernice – two of Strictly’s best! I’ve even finally submitted the pilot script for a TV series I devised to a production company and am waiting to hear if they feel it’s worth pitching to a TV channel… And these are just a few precious memories!
So, it’s definitely been a whirlwind, yet there have been a few times over the last 12 months when I’ve felt more than a little discombobulated, and I wondered if you’ve retired or given up work recently you’ve felt the same? Must be like moving home, or possibly emigrating where everything you’ve been used to and the timetable that your life revolves around changes? I’m very much a people person, and although I still regularly see many of my friends from QVC and other lifelong friends as well as family, I think it’s that sense of belonging that I miss. Perhaps retirement is like starting a family – there’s never a right time – although I know in reality that my mind was willing, but my body was weak! And as I know having had my own wake up call some years back, health has to be a priority. I was also fortunate enough to be able to afford to do it.
So, having had a look back, here’s to what’s occurring in the next month or so. I have taken all my summer clothes out of their space bags, washed and ironed them and they are now on hangers waiting for me to decide what to take when we head off on Tuesday for my nephew’s wedding in France. If I’m to believe my BBC weather app it’s going to be hot and sunny there – mid 20s – so I think my choice of dress for the day will be fine. After the wedding, Colin and I are going to explore, and so I have booked three separate Airbnb places for two nights each, and they are situated around the Golfe de Saint Tropez – can’t wait! And neither can Colin. It has been a really heavy two years or so with the renovations on the house, but we will finally move into our bedroom this weekend so there will only be the final bits to tie up when we get back. What do you think of the wallpaper now it’s up? It has been worth it, but I know it’s something I definitely wouldn’t want to do ever again, and I don’t think Colin would either! The changes he has made to our home are amazing and it is now a far more comfortable and luxurious living space for all the family. And of course we will be welcoming my niece from Australia, her husband and their two children to stay with us once we’re home, so it’s wonderful to have the space to do that.
In fact we had most of the family here last weekend when we celebrated Hayley, Elise, Rhys and Colin’s birthdays with three cakes, a BBQ and a day in the garden now it’s finally clear of building materials! Lucy was unable to come as she’d had her back operation just the week before, and I’m glad to say it’s been a success. We had Honey here the weekend before to give Lucy some respite and she and I had a lovely afternoon in Cookham where I’d met lovely Kathy Tayler for a fabulous walk by the river. Honey and I didn’t walk, but we got involved in some pavement art and then came home to make cupcakes!
Not had much time for TV if I’m honest, but I did treat myself to The Bridges of Madison County the other evening which was just as wonderful as I’d remembered – Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood’s onscreen chemistry was legendary. I’m listening to The Music Shop – a novel by Rachel Joyce – which is really heartwarming but if you’ve got any others you could recommend that would be grand? ☺️
Take care, and promise I’ll be posting plenty of photographs on Instagram and Facebook while I’m in the South of France. I’m also going to put together a full update on the house now it’s pretty much finished. Do write to me here if you have a moment though and I’ll always reply.
With my love, Ali XX
Wendy Helm says
Enjoy the wedding and then your time in Italy. Looking forward to seeing the finished renovations. Take care xx
Roz says
Hi Alison. Wallpaper looks great and in fact we had the same in our lounge some time ago in a very pale minty colour which looked lovely. It takes time to get straight after building work. We are going away next week for 3 wks whilst our building work will be completed. Yes I can resonate with your feelings on retirement but just enjoy your wedding and what follows! Glad you decided on your dress for the wedding. And yes, the last year had flown by with us doing many things too. How do you manage to do it? Have a lovely time in France. Bye for now.
Alison Keenan says
HI ROZ, I LIKE THE SOUND OF YOUR WALLPAPER IN A MINT GREEN, AND I HOPE THAT WHEN YOU RETURN FROM YOUR HOLIDAY YOUR BUILDING WORK WILL BE COMPLETED AND YOU’LL BE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS. SUCH A RELIEF THAT THE WEATHER HAS CHANGED AND WE’RE FINALLY GETTING SOME SUNSHINE! Apologies for this all being in upper case and for it taking me so long to respond. Thanks for writing, love Ali XX
Loraine plumb says
Hi Alison you are so right about time flying we downsized 3 years ago can’t believe it . We had a lovely time in Sardinia really lovely quiet place in san Pantaleo it will be strange when we come back from our holiday to Venice in September because Les will retire in July so won’t have to think about returning to work anymore. 😀 Hope you have a great time away. Pleased Lucy is doing well. I saw you met with Michael Murphy sorry spelt it wrong glad he’s doing ok I have missed him on QVC. Must go now looking after Willa and Ottilie for a couple of nights while Clare and Geoff go away for their anniversary. Take care look forward to seeing your pictures. Xxx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Loraine, I’m so glad you enjoyed your time in Sardinia and definitely strange to think Les only has one more months to work. He won’t know himself! It will be lovely for you both to have more time with Willow and Ottilie too. I hope Claire and Jeff enjoyed their anniversary night – Colin and I have been married for nine years tomorrow! Take care, and keep in touch love Ali xx
beverley young says
Well haven’t you been a busy bee – so wonderful for you !
Loving the wallpaper , it looks really lovely against the white paintwork . Well done on all the hard work – look forward to the finished photos .
Have a wonderful time in France x
Much love x
Alison Keenan says
Hi Beverley, yes it has been very busy – we hit the ground running when we returned from France, but it’s all been worth it and thank you for the compliments about the wallpaper. More photos to follow in the next blog. Love Ali xx
Sonia Hughes says
Lovely blog as always. The years are speeding up as we get older it seems. You have done so much in the last year which is a good thing. I hadn’t retired yet but my husband has and he has a good routine which helps him.
I hope you have a great day for the wedding and a lovely holiday with Colin.
It is great having a large family as they keep you busy and feeling needed which is a great feeling.
keep in touch with your blogs as we all look forward to seeing your photos especially as we don’t see you in QVC now. Enjoy life.
With love from
Sonia xxx😘🌻🌞
Alison Keenan says
Dear Sonia, I think having a routine definitely helps when you are no longer employed and although my routine seems to change daily it is definitely could have something to do! Having a large family is wonderful and there’s been so many things I’ve been able to attend, and places I’ve been able to visit that I would not of had time to do otherwise. I hope it won’t be long before you can retire too. Thanks for keeping in touch, love Ali xx
Kay Rowe says
Sounds like you have had a busy time since your retirement. Have a wonderful holiday both hope the wedding goes well
Alison Keenan says
Hi Kay, yes life is always busy and we had a wonderful time away in France. The wedding was spectacular and I will be posting a new blog with photographs soon. Love Ali x
Karen Brooker says
Hi lovely Ali, what a busy year you have had. I really do love the wallpaper, so stylish. You will now be able to enjoy all your renovations. Hope you have a really lovely time at the wedding. I was just catching up with you on Instagram and i love your ‘ramblings’ as you say and your tale about dropping your bag! Where does all the stuff suddenly appear from when you drop your bag! Stuff you had long forgotten was in there! Love your hair in that video too. Take care xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi there Karen, nice to hear from you and thank you for keeping in touch here and on Instagram. The wedding was beautiful and I have lots of photographs to share with you in the next blog. Hope the summer is going well for you? And thank you – I’m preparing my hair a little bit longer and I’m lucky I have Elise to keep an eye on the colour too! Love Ali xx
Madeline Smallman says
Enjoy the wedding, and your holiday in France, soak up the 🌞.
Lovely blog nd I look forward to seeing the video of your renovated home.xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Madeline, I did both thank you!! Hoping to put together a little video today to set up on Instagram and have a new blog with you in the next couple of days. Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond! Love Ali xx
Sue Radford says
Hi Ali,
I’m so glad your daughter’s back surgery was a success, and she’s making a good recovery.
Yes, time goes by so VERY fast, and it’s a true saying, ‘the older you get, the faster time goes by’. We moved house exactly two years ago, but it just seems like yesterday!
I love your wallpaper choice – it looks so beautiful.
You looked lovely in the wedding photo, and your outfit looked beautifully put together, so no doubt the outfit you’ll choose for the wedding in France will be just as lovely. Enjoy the wedding day, and your well deserved holiday afterwards.
Love & Best Wishes as always,
Sue Radford
Alison Keenan says
Hi Sue, and thank you – it has been a relief that Lucy is so much better and clearly a back surgery has worked this time. Hopefully they will be able to help her with her foot soon once she’s fully recovered. So glad you liked the wallpaper and the wedding photo. We had a wonderful time and I will be posting more photographs on my new blog. Thank you for keeping in touch, love Ali xx
Liz Griffiths says
Sounds like you’re enjoying life. Treasure every day. Just been to see The Eagles in The Coop Arena Manchester. The last tour ever. Had The Doobies on as support & it was a fab concert. The arena has been made specifically to have great acoustics. Even Don Henley commented how good they were. Enjoy your France trip. Happy wedding. Dilly Court books are my favourite. Great writer. Worth a listen.
Alison Keenan says
Oh Liz, I have to admit to having a panic jealousy that you see the Doobies – I am a massive fan of the music although I have to admit I’ve not seen the Eagles in the Coop or heard of them! Glad you enjoyed yourselves – we went to see Lady blackbird at the London festival hall and her voice was superb as were the acoustics. Thank you for the book recommendation – I’m currently listening to Julia Roberts latest novel which is great. Love Ali xx
Mary Morphy says
Good morning Alison, it’s an early one here, just before 6am but I’ve been awake ages having been woken by the sounds of singing parakeets who sit on the electric pylons and what I do believe is sunshine streaming through the blinds which I left open to get the air in from the open window ( in addition to the meako fan I have on all night..every night whatever the season!) However it’s Friday, and I don’t work on Fridays but the parakeets haven’t remembered that!
What a lot you’ve packed in and how wonderful it must feel knowing that at any time you are able to drop everything and be there for your family and also be ale to write your own agenda..my good friend at work, who I’ve worked closely with is retiring at the end of the summer term to look after her granddaughter when her mum returns to work and she cannot wait.
I have a plan which, in my head, has settled my desire to retire but the light at the end ofcthe tunnel is nearer than it was last year…I’m definitely doing one more year at school then will re access…I’ll be 59 and despite paying into my school pension for 25 years it’s not great so leaving a 59 instead of 60 doesn’t really make a difference but to enable me to continue to do the things I want to do and indeed pay the bills I will need a job for a couple of days a week but I’m.fine with that.
Your baking I’m sure was a success as was my tall drip cake decorated in two halves for a Ferrero Roche and a Reeces pieces fan..funnily enough I had the urge to make a fruit cake yesterday just like my mum used to make. So I came home from work, found the battered recipe card I keep in a baking cookbook and made one. John wasn’t allowed to cut it last night..I always think a fruit cake needs to settle overnight before a knife is taken to it!
I expect you are enjoying the lovely warmth of the sun in France, I hope the wedding is fabulous and you and Colin enjoy some down time.
The bedroom wallpaper is beautiful…looks a tricky pattern to match!
Chloe and Tom have a completion date for their move into their first home of Friday 14th June so I’m booked in for a deep clean all over..the house not me! We will get the painting refreshed and a few other bits but they want to do and will be in by the end of June..I am so going to miss her! She aways comes in my room on a weekday when she’s brushing her teeth with the loudest toothbrush ever before she goes to work..I’ll miss that. But not the very long red hair that gets pulled out of the plughole and the hoover!
I will then be on a mammoth mission to decorate her room for Arthur ( I did paint the built in wardrobe doors and one accessible wall in half term) and Jack’s room as Arthur’s bed will no longer be in there and he’s having Chloe’s double bed. All this hopefully before my achilles surgery but if it’s not soon I’m going to have to cancel my annual Christmas shopping trip to Milton Keynes..its our 25th anniversary this year! I’ll be devastated but the recovery from surgery is very long.
My sister’s shoulder replacement surgery has been confirmed for 18th June so I am moving in with her post surgery to help her when I am not at work.
So a very busy few weeks for me but we break up for the summer in 6 weeks ..my to do list is already quite long!
Enjoy the sunshine.
Much love Mary
Alison Keenan says
Hi Mary, I am sure you will have been busy painting and decorating Chloe and Tom’s first home! I hope you’ve not missed her too much – and I hope also that they’re not living too far away from you. How are you getting on with Arthur’s new room? I’m sure you will do a wonderful job with it. We actually had a decorator to hang wallpaper as the pattern was complicated and we are thrilled with the way it’s turned out. I didn’t realise you were going to have to have surgery but I do hope it comes up soon so you don’t need to cancel your Christmas shopping trip. 25 years worth of Milton Keynes you’ll need to celebrate! How has your sister got on with her surgery? You’ll need to take a rest from the decorating to look after her and I’m sure she’s very grateful to have you. France is wonderful and I’ll be more on that in the new blog. So sorry it’s taken me this long to respond but thanks as always for keeping in touch, love Ali xx