Tough Luck Jaffer's - maybe not?

Boy oh boy does it seem like we've had a run of tough luck in our household of late - though perhaps if I look at it with a 'half glass full' attitude it might not be so bad.

• I'm No longer @ UBS - after a really progressive eight years there
• Looks like UBS has some serous problems in their business and leadership
• It's not healthy to stay at one firm for a long time these days - it was probably the optimum time to exit
• The exit has allowed me to spend some time "decompressing" after 14 years of continuous work in the City for Investment banks

• I've had two medical 'investigations'
• Both of these were troublesome: one serious and one very painful - A reminder of what is important in our lives.
• It serves as a reality check of actually how lucky we are to keep good health and too often take it for granted.

• My youngest son was denied a place at the local school
• My other sons went to Newberries Primary in Radlett - about one mile away: Saami did not get a place there as there were 12 'sibling' applications, and 18 children live closer to the school than us. We have been allocated Meryfield Primary which is c. 4 miles away and has abysmal stats and reports!
• I was worried that this might happen, and luckily Saami was assessed and offered a place at Private school Manor Lodge, in Shenley - thou at significant cost - Three children in private school is a significant burden

• We are going through our third round of bugs in as many months in addition to chicken pocks over Christmas
• We all have to have these bugs sometime - one now is one less later!

I'm hoping Kumail gets a choice of offers for secondary school: we should get results today / this week - lets hope for (continued) good fortune.

Social Mobility

Credit where it's due, my eldest son, Zaahid, worked very hard aged 10, for the '11+" exams, and was lucky enough to get his choice of offers - deciding to go to Merchant Taylors' School, in Northwood.

I helped him prepare for those exams in autumn/winter of 2004 - it was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do: The boy rose to the challenge - and I am hopeful Kumail will Join Zaahid's ate MTS in September 2008.

In a country that apparently has a very low "social mobility", I guess the boys, burdened with their ethnicity [sic] will need all the help they can get!

Jaffer's on Joliday, Javea, Spain, 26 Jul - 2 Aug, 2005