After Mike was kicked out of the BBC at the age of 60, because they could then, he was forced into working freelance, which meant we were having to survive on about half the pay for work he could actually get and he had take take everything that was offered him. The end result was, he was mostly working weekends and seeing family that lived away was impossible, as of course they had work and school in the week.
If have kept this to myself for 9 years but after the work Mike did for his Radio Station in all the years he was Staff which was enormous, this was shameful. He never took time off, unlike some. If the weather was bad and other presenters couldn't get in, he'd just carry on, for hours, until someone got there. He'd been assured by the Station Manager at the time that although he wouldn't be Staff he would still have a job when he reached 60.
That wasn't exactly true. With five years to go to his State Pension and a BBC Pension that was less than half of his BBC Salary, he was taken off the hugely successful Breakfast programme and given one programme a week, The Gardening Show.
Ironically, the Breakfast Programme was given to someone, who has managed to massively, nay, enormously, reduce the listening figures and he's still doing it!
Anyway, having got that off my chest, we went to stay with Sue for the third time in 8 months. Wonderful!!
She had said we'd get a takeaway as she was working but changed her mind and we popped out and bought some huge sirloin steaks, salad and I bought our first Jersey Royals of the year. That girl really knows how to cook. She was even offered a place in Masterchef for this year but as her youngest daughter would have been going off to University during filming and we know she will be heartbroken to have both daughters leave home, she decided to turn her place down. Maybe next year.
Their house is high on a hill above Bath and there is a large stately home type place behind them, which is presently a school. Often Deer come over the fence into the garden. We didn't see any Deer but we did see two foxes, who are regular visitors, much to the annoyance of the dogs.
Next morning we set off for home, knowing we would be seeing Sue and all her family again on Easter Monday, as we were having a family party and there was a special reason as to why there was a three line whip, for the grandaughters to be there to
Accidental photo of the 'Nigella' in the family, in her lovely kitchen.
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