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I am in the rather pleasant position that as of today, I have just over 2 weeks paid leave between jobs. I am not used to having time on my hands, I am one of these people who hates not being busy so the idea of 2 free weeks is somewhat intimidating.
So dear STW, bar "ride your bikes" (I shall), ideas as to how to fill my time please? Based in the Midlands, don't want to spend loads of money but happy to spend some, have access to a car if needed, can take nights away too. I have to be accessible so ideally wherever I go will have call or wifi signal.
Thanks all
The garden or allotment ?
Coke and hookers.
Do some gardening?
(Why is it called that, anyway? I never understood that, is it literally what it sounds like it means?)
Join mumsnet.
(Why is it called that, anyway? I never understood that, is it literally what it sounds like it means?)
Because contractually your not allowed to work!
Just chill out. Have a stroll about, enjoy the freedom. Visit a couple of good coffee shops, sit outside and watch the world go by.
Prune the roses, probably time for a first(?) lawn cut, in fact prune just about anything you like at this time of year. Get a move on though especially if you're in the tropical south, stuff is probably sprouting. Chuck compost/fertiliser on the rhubarb and get your veg seeds in.
Pop round mine and do the gardening.
Please.
Can offer beer in return
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Go smell the coffee and roses.
Paint/decorate the house?
I've got a massive stack of wood that needs splitting and stacking!
Mid Wales.
2 weeks "use it or lose it" holidays starting Monday. Some gardening (embarrasing levels of neglect), pick up dinghy from N England so having a day out in Whitby, up to Arisaig for a day or two, catch up with some Open Uni stuff 'cos I'm way behind, fix TV aerial that has lost channels since storm back in Nov (don't watch much TV but would like to watch any Attenborough stuff in HD), fix up ancient seagull engine for dinghy, go for a hurl on steam train, take bike and... bugger back to work already?
Frappathon.
I had 3 months gardening leave that's just ended, I went straight to work for my new company, and took full advantage of the double money. What were the old lot going to do? Sack me?
TBH you can't have much in the way of commercial information if you are only on 2 weeks GL !!
Sandwich - Member
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Go smell the coffee and roses.
Pretty much this, but if you really can't sit still then spring clean/de-clutter
Ride, wake up and decide on the day. It's surprising how nice that is.
Drugs.
Drugs.
It's been a while, but...
Frappathon
That's a given.
Do you know what women look like ?
Yes ?
Do this..
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All inclusive holiday to benidorm
Ride ride ride, this time last year I was looking for work and clocked up many miles, got really fit and felt great.
Busting a gut working again now and probably only done 200 miles this year, looking back to last April with fondness
I have been in this position once.
I tried to ride everyday, but I was too unfit. So it became every other day.
Given the chance again I'd ride everyday. I'd also take my camera, maybe build that website I always wanted to. Learn something new. Read books I'd always meant to. Cook some meals I'd always fancied. That sort of thing.
Can't beat a book for a bargain. For less than £10 you could get something life changing!
Cougar - yes literally "stay at home and do the Garden". Contractualy you have to remain available for work, come in to office if required amd you should not work for anyone else/new job. In practice you can do what you want. Common in finance to not be required to work your notice - knew of people who quit having planned a long hokiday or ski season . I have been lucky to have it twice once for 3 months and once for 6 🙂 Knew a guy who has a year !!!!
ride. every. single. day.
if you're in the Midlands (as I am) there are a lot of places you can journey too within an hour and a half. If you have no kids stay over, YHAs are cheap & clean & will be quiet this time of the year. go to it man what are you sitting around for? this is your life and it's ending one second at a time.
2 weeks isn't long enough, can't you get them to agree to 3 months ?
I had a stint of 3 months back in 2006 whilst a re-org was in flight, I had to go into the office once every 2 weeks and had conf-calls every week for an hour with my Director.. we spoke about golf because he was in exactly the same position as me, I hate golf - those hour long conversations felt like a week. So, I filled my weeks up with sailing, I got a training plan organised, set an intermediate goal of top ten in the Nationals, I came 11th. But it does show what can be achieved by focus and training.
2 weeks isn't really enough, once you've changed the bed linen and ran the hoover around, filled the dishwasher and been to the pub the times gone.
Plan a few long distance rides with an over night stop, something you'd never really do in "real life" take yourself out of your comfort zone.
TBH you can't have much in the way of commercial information if you are only on 2 weeks GL !!
To be fair, it doesn't really sound like GL, just accrued holiday.
Yeah, it's my impression too.
2 weeks doesn't seem long enough to get stuck into anything really, I'd just go riding at every opportunity, then in my down time replace the calories with coffee and cake.
Coed Y Brenin is easily doable in a day, as is degla, peaks, long mynd, FOD.
Tidy.
I had 6 weeks. I got very, very fit peaking at over 350 miles a week on the bike. And went to lots of cafes & pubs. And decorated the house
To be fair, it doesn't really sound like GL, just accrued holiday.
No, it's real gardening leave. Nature of my industry that we basically kick people out as soon as they give notice in, I was no different. It could have been longer but the new job wanted me sooner, a shame but it was either that or lose the job.
Interesting ideas though, current plan involves lots of riding and running and a night at the YHA in Ambleside. Might do some proper cooking for a change too.