Thanks for your advice.
No problem on working more on the stick/rudder skills, it all makes sense.
As for the IR, getting just the IR(R) which would be the IMC here in the UK sounds a bit limited, given my goal of getting the IR is to be able to fly to France with less of a concern regarding weather. But I would need to get both the IR(R) in the UK and the IR(R) in France for that ...
Does it make sense to get the full IR, or should I actually get the IMC first, and work for a CBIR ?