Christmas 2009 was spent with my brother and his family, my Mum and Helena, a Williams Christmas for my Mum to remember. After two months of us giving round the clock care, mum passed away in February very peacefully at home, she got her wish.

 

January brought the news that my great friend Simon and my Dad had been diagnosed with cancer, not the best start to 2010. In June Simon died at the age of 49 but not before he’d setup his 50th birthday, a weekend for us all to remember and reflect in Devon. It was brilliant. Dad’s gone through a big operation and just recently finished a series of radio therapy; his life expectancy is now that of a normal 78 year old.

 

So in August, shortly after Mum’s party to celebrate her life, we started to think about getting away more at the weekends, taking some time for us. We’d thought about buying a camper van before, so why not do it now, after all what were we saving this money for? So we looked at getting an old one and doing it up, we looked at getting a new old one, a new one from VW in Brazil with a Danbury camper conversion, and then we settled for buying a brand new VW California, reliability, mod cons and the kitchen sink.

 

Vernon the VW camper is on order and due for delivery in December. Vern’s pearlescent black with blacked out windows, a side awning, a raising roof and a bunch of extras that will make camping an altogether different experience.

 

Once Vern was ordered I started thinking about taking some time off work, just a couple of months. Then we started downsizing and I thought well why not just stop on a permanent basis and look for a job later on when I am ready. Sadly this wasn’t an option so I investigated a career break. AO’s career break policy is excellent; I come back to a job at the same level I leave at, perfect. Now just the timing to think about, easy take the spring, summer and part of the autumn off, who wants to be off in the winter unless you’re up a mountain.

 

So on March 1st 2011 I will leave AO for a 9 month career break. Vern the van will be my transport and home for parts of the year off, at other times I’ll be home and learning new stuff.

 

Now to crack on with the list of things I want to do, see and learn.