Holidays are a time to try new things. Add to that the financial cuts on the horizon and half-term was the time to exercise a little credit card restraint. But would we experience withdrawal symptoms? Would we have enough to eat, drink, read and do! Would we have enough to wear! Panic was setting in.
The first test of our resolve was the airport shopping experience. Did I need yet more books, ties, duty free, and eau de toilette? Breaking the habit of a lifetime, and to my surprise, the answer 'no' felt good, once my pulse rate had settled. Even more surprising was a new feeling of control. Perhaps I was the master of my financial fate after all.
Once ensconced in the holiday accommodation this new me really started to take off. A little cheese, bread tomatoes and onion washed down with a glass of Chianti Classico and followed by a bar of chocolate was easily as good as a restaurant meal and at a fraction of the price. If my children could have only seen us, they would have been shocked. What is the world coming to, the old folks have finally, and as predicted, lost it! Yet amazingly it was enough, we didn't want any more, we'd consumed enough. Enough really was enough. We can now plan for the next holiday and who knows this time we will be able to afford it!
Every October, as autumn gets into its stride, my wife and I head for Cheltenham. I love Cheltenham because it's where my granddaughter, Chloe, lives. I also love Cheltenham in October because it has a really good Literary Festival. You get to listen to the authors of all the latest books, ask questions and revel in conversation.
This year amongst all the star performers I found Salman Rushdie a real delight. I haven't read any of his books but I will now. I bought his latest 'Luka and The Fire of Life' and have already started it. The book begins:
"There was once, in the city of Kahani in the land of Alifbay, a boy named Luka who had two pets, a bear named Dog and a dog named Bear .....".
What a start to a quest in an imaginary magical world! A book written for all ages. A story-telling delight.
If anyone fancies reading the book, I bought three extra copies. All you need to do to get your hands on the book is come and see me, promise to read the book over half-term and tell me what you thought of it.