Portsmouth? Where's Portsmouth?

We had almost decided that it was definitely to be Portsmouth after all, and were working out where to leave Eldest Daughter sufficiently fed and watered and self sufficient for two years, to finish her sixth form. It all seemed preferable to Hubby being on tea making duty for the rest of his Civil Civil working life.

Then, everything changed.

On 22nd December Hubby, who has never left Government service since going to university through the Royal Navy in 1981, went for an interview. Ironically, the company concerned, although they are not in any way part of the Civil lot, do nevertheless do some work for the said Civil people, and as such knew about Hubby though current stuff, especially when he was went on a course organised by them, to train in the sort of work that they do.

Meanwhile the Civil lot, having trained hubby in the new area of work, which he clearly liked and showed an aptitude for, decided that they wanted him in Portsmouth -
yesterday - but not to do the new stuff that they had just trained him for after all. The new company however did want Hubby, and offered him a job on the same day as the interview.

Now, for many of you non Government types out there, such actions from a recruiter may appear quite normal, but for Hubby, being of the stable where it has taken as much as 18 months to resign (1st Government service job), three months to be approved for service (second Government job), and seven years to decide on a move to a new part of the country (third Government job), this was quite quick.

One hour.

So, in the spirit with which it was given, once the proper letter arrived at the end of last week, he resigned and accepted on the same day.

So, we are not going to Portsmouth.

Portsmouth?

Where's that?