The Grandparents’ Blog

Now I am in my late sixties, I believe I need to rant a bit more often – so here goes!

UK motorists are being converted from the old paper driving licence that slowly disintegrates over a driver’s lifetime.  This conversion has been going on for the last ten years or so.  When we returned to the UK after a two year stay in the USA, we applied for replacement licences, to replace our paper ones surrendered  when we were licensed to drive in the State of Georgia.  So far so good, for a pound or two we were offered the new, improved laminated photo ID licence by the UK DVLA.  We appeared to have the option of choosing the old paper based licence but, given no other information, we opted for the new improved version.

Ten years later and we are now faced with the renewal process. 

Read the rest of “Another Stealth Tax” »

When the man in your life retires, you both talk about it and plan it. How you both look forward to retirement, hoping you will have time to travel, read, cross-stitch, walk, spend more time with the grand-children and enjoying the garden. He can start on that list of jobs he said he would do for weeks, months or maybe even years. No more alarm clocks, being able to sleep in, wake when your body wakes you…..

Well at least one of these dreams comes true – the last one.

The real truth is that when my husband came home one day, he said “The company is retiring me early!” Five years before we planned, that comes as a shock!!!! Reality hits us, he is going to be home 24×7. At last! Great, no it is not great!

I said to my husband, “Now that you are retired, I want to retire too.” The look on his face was surprise! But his answer was “Yes, yes”.

Then a few minutes later came “But who is going to cook, wash up, clean the house, and to look after me!”

Read the rest of “The Wife’s View” »

My grandson Mitch is currently concerned about our local wildlife and wanted to add an article on protecting the barn owls in our area.

His drawing reflects his enthusiasm, although the “special effects” may be a bit OTT!

He may add more to this next visit!

My grandfather was a soldier in WWI and my father and uncles were all in the British army in WWII.  So why did my brother and I join the Navy? There are family ties with the sea.  Grandfather was a fisherman sailing from the Durham fishing ports for a while. There were other ancestors from that area who also sailed. For certain, a great, great, grandfather was a Swedish sea captain who married into the family. (I am sure they all told the girls they were captains!) However, I believe both my brother and I were hooked on the sea by our first sea crossing when we emigrated with our parents to Canada aboard the RMS Franconia.

Read the rest of “Grandpa’s Seafaring History!” »

Using the Internet to stay close to family and friends at home and abroad

How do you raise your children and grandchildren to enjoy the full benefits of the extended family, if grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends are scattered around the world? This is a problem I have lived with first hand!

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I recently submitted this article as a guest contributor to the Grandparents TLC Blog authored by Shayne Packer.  The aim of his excellent blog is aptly stated on his site – “ We offer advice, ideas, and tips in three areas we call TLC: Technology, Loving, and Connecting. We show you technology that can help increase your love for your grandchildren by connecting with them in fun new ways. We review cool technologies such as websites, services, and gadgets. We teach with “how to” articles and video tutorials. Our approach is to make things as easy as possible, step by step.”

To read the full copy of my article, please visit GrandparentsTLC.com/blog/