"Meet on the Ledge"

Monday night, a school night, we were out on the town to see a rock legend, Richard Thompson.

It was a great concert, the Grand Opera House in York was packed and it looked sold-out, with a sea of grey and balding heads. Richard has a new album out that he is pushing but he also sang plenty of his older songs and played some of his acoustic work. The band is the Richard Thompson Trio, even though there were four of them on set, but they were very accomplished. A great concert, very enjoyable.

I bought a souvenir 

They Shall Not Grow Old

Saturday afternoon - we took a trip to the cinema to see Peter Jackson's latest work. We wholeheartedly recommend this film to you - B thought it was remarkable, I think it is a very clever and moving way to tell and show Tommies' stories and memories.

Officially, I am now an OAP

Yes, Sunday was my 65th birthday and I am now an Old Age Pensioner. Hurrah.

A part of the Civil Service, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has mailed to me details of the pension, both how much and when I will receive it (on the 24th of each month). I think I am one of the last people that can claim their pension at 65, my partner is 2.5 years younger than me but she has to wait until her 67th birthday to receive the pension. DWP was also the last Civil Service Department of both my partner and me.

65 also means I can claim a number of other benefits. I am waiting for my bus pass that will allow me to travel on scheduled bus services free of charge after the morning commute; very handy as I don't own a car, I own a bicycle but I am too lazy to ride the 15 miles into York. I qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment, or technically, the household qualifies as someone aged 65 or over lives here. This is a 200 UK pounds annual payment, not a huge amount but I will take it and I am grateful. There may be more so I have some investigating and probably some form filling to do.

Under the clock tower in front of the green door - the bus stop for services to and from York

The grassed area in the foreground now has mature trees, otherwise not much has changed

Another advantage of being an OAP, I can bore for England. "You kids don't know you're born", one of my grandmother's favourites, or start a sentence with "When I were a lad". I'm confident there are plenty more so I need to practise.

This old photo I found on Google Images. This is of Easingwold Station with the Station Hotel at the left rear. This was the end of the smallest branch line in England, about 2.5 miles from the main East Coast line. Somehow it escaped being nationalised after WW2, but went bust and was closed in 1956.