Two thing’s about being over 70. First you’re no wiser and second, you’re a miserable old Git !

Hello, Good to see you here! As time has gone on with the main website, I’ve often found myself wanting to write something, but having ‘no particular place to go’. This seemed the best answer.

You’ll have to excuse the slight similarity to the old TV programme ‘That’s Life’ where they would jump from something quite tragic to some amusing little tale.

There are two main things which have made me take up the idea of having a more ‘off topic’ section.

1. My Downshifting Experience

2. I’m getting older.

Downshifting, or leaving the rat race, does open your eyes to many things which are going on around you. In turn, getting older does the same, but the age bit finds you throwing away the reserve you once had and writing how you see it.

You will also find that most of the posts follow on from a trip to the shops, a car journey, meeting with officialdom and Television programmes. The problem with most observations which put me in a miserable old git mood though, are things I actually used to do myself once upon a time, but I don’t care !

If you got here before visiting the main web site, a short resume is shown below.

Down the Lane

After over 30 years of ’shirt and tie’ jobs which covered Advertising, Marketing, Retail Management ending with a 10 year Railway Management role and a few major personal changes, I decided to downshift in search of a better way of life.

In 2000 I gave it all up and started off by doing mainly Gardening Work and running my own little ‘Home Farm’ , including keeping chickens on the half acre or so land we have access to.

After a couple of years, it became apparent that gardening work such as I was doing was a lot of muscle ache for not enough enjoyment. I was lucky to be offered the job as Dressing Room Attendant for Kent County Cricket Club in 2002 and they’ve had to put up with me ever since! It’s a grand role in which I have the pleasure of meeting all the ‘Stars’ plus Media people etc., but most of all I enjoy the comradeship of the Kent Team and the wonderful colleagues I have the honour to work with.

This role takes me through from the end of March until late September and inbetween I odd-job doing anything from Oddjobbing to Mystery Shopping etc., even some TV Extra work !

The Down the Lane website is, I hope, a sort of log showing the ups and downs of going from a salary to a ‘whatever you can get’ situation along with the obvious set backs – and there are many – all the time.

I am keen to keep Down the Lane in the frame it is, but have started these sections so I can diverse a little plus ‘go off on one’ occasionally.

I really hope you will join in and comment where you feel you’d like.

Thanks, Richard (downthelane@dsl.pipex.com)