Early Risers.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

I am back in the office this morning - which was a bit of a shock to the system after the break!

 

The weather is relatively chilly, (around freezing) and the drive to work was very foggy.

 

Sorry to hear about your friend, Dave.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Well it’s a little cloudy here at the moment, but dry. Sheila is just finishing off her breakfast and will then get herself ready for her Zumba class. Once she’s gone, I can then make a start putting all the boxes of Christmas decorations in there new home. At some point over the year, I will fit permanent lights in there, but for now, I’ll have to put up with temporary lights. When I fitted the new lights in the cellar last year, I fitted a ceiling rose in there ready for the lights, so it’s really just a case of running the cables for the light fittings and a switch. 

 

Skipepsi, I’m glad that you are once again able to get behind the wheel and once you become used to the financial difference between work and retirement, you realise that you made the right decision. I’ve never regretted retiring early, just over 2 1/2 years ago, (bl00dy hell, where did that go?). You may also find yourself asking how on earth did I fit in work?

 

Enjoy the day, back later. 

[Andrew P]

7 hours ago, skipepsi said:

Back to work tomorrow now I am allowed to drive... Retirement earlier looks good despite the financial problems of doing so, better to retire before dying rather than after. First world problem I know.

 

Goodnight Y'awl  

Glad your driving again Mick, I was made redundant at 60 and had my minor Stroke at 64, then the Heart Attack at 67, so glad to have enjoyed my early  retirement time.

My Dad worked to 65, then had 3 Heart Attacks at about 66 / 67, but finally went to the big C at 72, that to me is still NO retirement, I'm 70 in April and feel I have a lot more living to do yet, I hope.

 

All the best.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Andrew P

[Dave Hunt]

Good morning everyone. Thanks for all the messages of support and advice to let go and howl at the moon. On my way home from dropping Dad at his house late last night I stopped at a quiet place and for about five minutes ranted, raved, shouted and screamed at all the unfairness and awfulness of it all, not just for my friends with cancer but what's happening to all those poor people and animals in Australia as well as the stupidity of politicians around the world. I even got on to my Mum's death two years ago. As I then drove home I realised that although the bad things hadn't gone away, it had to some extent been cathartic and I was later able to sleep, which was something I hadn't thought I would. 

 

It's at times like this that being a member of ERs is of inestimable value.

 

Sorry about the self indulgence, I shall now finish my muggocoffee and try to do a Baz with my day. I hope that you can too.

 

Dave

[Kingzance]

Good morning, dull and noisy here as CowboysRUs return to what passes as them for work - when I was a lad etc, etc, etc...

 

Depression is something I suspect we all suffer to varying degrees and frequency - I know I have bouts. It certainly does help to have sympathetic ears around and this place is good for that - long may it continue.

 

As for retirement, I have written before about how lucky I was to be made redundant early and to have been able to "occupy" myself doing exactly what my employers felt they no longer needed - often for them too . That allowed me to defer drawing my pension until it could be done without any deduction so it was a win. win scenario for this old git and I haven't looked back - although now SWMBO has retired, the pressure on bank accounts to be diminished has risen rapidly. It is often suggested that one should divide your pension savings into thirds, spending one third in the first five years of retirement when you are still able to enjoy it, spending the next tranche in years six to 15 and using the last portion to live when your costs, energy and ambitions are at their lowest. It certainly works for some and now I am over the first five years, I am into a less expansive lifestyle, although my waistline doesn't listen. SWMBO clearly isn't there yet although she retired in 2009!

 

Today will see some "unacceptable" gifts bought for Her Highness returned to the suppliers - yes, I was wrong yet again - and further tidying of the garage. In terms of gifts, the run up to that recent period of extravagance saw various discussions with SWMBO along the lines of: Your iPad/iPhone is so old that it is no longer supported and will cease to do what you want in the not to distant, would you like to replace it? She - NO. Daughter then asks "Are you getting Mum a new iPad or iPhone for Xmas? My answer being in the negative. Guess what SWMBO now wants???? As for tidying the garage, this will make access to unmentionables easier was never in my plan ( again).

 

Please take none of what I say as having any bearing on reality - clearly my boss doesn't  think so and I could be easily confused... I honestly believe however that the doctrine according to Baz should be adopted and to those who are struggling for whatever reason, all the best.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I didn't sleep well last night, not from the usual things such as Arthur Itis but because of the eczema decided to try to drive me mad by itching. After countless applications of moisturiser I was able to beat it into submission and get some sleep.

8 hours ago, skipepsi said:

Back to work tomorrow now I am allowed to drive... Retirement earlier looks good despite the financial problems of doing so, better to retire before dying rather than after. First world problem I know.

 

Goodnight Y'awl  

My advice is to go for retirement ASAP. I took early retirement nearly twelve years ago when I was 59 and I realised that I would be no worse off by doing so. Working in the payroll department and with an estimate of what I will receive as pension I calculated it thus. The pension would be a little under half pay but there would be no deductions for NI and pension. Tax would still be payable depending on the pension paid but a lot less than half of what you would be paying if you carried on working. I also deducted the costs of travelling to and from work although I travelled by car which in my circumstances was the cheapest it was also the most difficult to compute, though in the end it turned out that I had underestimated it. My calculation showed that I would be slightly better off if I retired and that is how it worked out.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

There is more blue sky than grey cloud now. Aditi has decided it is a gardening day, lots of plants are showing signs of new growth. I haven’t been given any tasks. 
Tony

[grandadbob]

Back from the doctor and the good news is that my BP is down to 141/83 which is a great improvement on what it was a couple of weeks ago.

Postponed opticians until tomorrow but have now made an appointment for another bathroom quote next week from a guy who's highly recommended by a friend of my son.

Coffee now and then I need to do a bit of money laundering move some money around.

Edited January 6, 2020 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Beast broke the car wash!! He is too heavy apparently...so I had to drive through (I would normally have done a handwash myself but I wanted the salt off the underside of the car..

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Further to my comments on early retirement. If like my pension scheme they offer a variable lump sum, the larger the lump sum meaning a slightly reduced pension. Whether you would want to do so depends upon your personal circumstances. I opted for the largest lump sum as that enabled me to clear the mortgage and credit cards and be debt free, another benefit of early retirement and some more fewer outgoings to go on the 'better off' calculation. Also the lump sum is tax free.

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

I shall now finish my muggocoffee and try to do a Baz with my day.

Failing that, you could always emulate me:

 

 

 

[Kingzance]

4 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Further to my comments on early retirement. If like my pension scheme they offer a variable lump sum, the larger the lump sum meaning a slightly reduced pension. Whether you would want to do so depends upon your personal circumstances. I opted for the largest lump sum as that enabled me to clear the mortgage and credit cards and be debt free, another benefit of early retirement and some more fewer outgoings to go on the 'better off' calculation. Also the lump sum is tax free.

The lump sum was tax free up to a point when I was forced to take early redundancy although the Human Reorganising Dept was helpful in providing a range of options. It also helped that I was a Trustee of teh company's Pension Scheme so know my way around more than some and had worked with actuaries whose speciality is projecting the date of death!

[Happy Hippo]

16 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Beast broke the car wash!! He is too heavy apparently...so I had to drive through (I would normally have done a handwash myself but I wanted the salt off the underside of the car..

 

Baz

We got kicked out of the local swimming pool after that article in the papers the other day.

 

It's just not fair!  Look at us, we were enjoying ourselves.

 

[PhilJ W]

Peeing in the pool is bad enough but 100kg. of poo is overding it a bit.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl Inner Temple Hare, 1063/664.

As you can see 1063 days till my planned retirement, which is one year early on the Governments Idea. Every day it gets closer, it gets harder to come in. It would not need much to make me give up.. Especially with mornings like today, at one point I was working on 3 major systems and a 1 G ohm resistor.

It's slightly easier now now I have dispatched the resistor and got approval for use to one of the major systems..

Time to wander down to the other end of the lab and change a lead turn a knob etc..

 

When I was house hunting in Norfolk 2 of the most favoured houses on the possibles list were discounted, one because it was up hill to the nearest waterway less than 100 yards away, the other because it backed onto the sand dunes and stood at  at 0ft ASl.

 My only worry really is every third or fourth year they grow wheat or barley all around us , should that go up. we would be in trouble..I've seen fires in such fields within a few miles of us..

 

Further thoughts have been made on the tool box, which is residing between the radiator and the stove in the hope of it drying. I'm just wondering how much black and white fur it will catch as it's sitting on top of Ben the scaredy dog Collie's hide away cage. The thoughts are to do with the handle, I've gone back to having a straps round the box, simple and easy to make..

 

Time... for the next wander down the lab..

 

 

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

Now we must visit more serious matters:

 

Who from the ER community intend to visit the Stafford model railway show this coming February?

 

If so, is there any thoughts about having a small get together?

 

I will be attending, along with elements of the OFMC, and I know the bloke with the too short ladder will be there, so no doubt there will be much cat calling and general inter-service one-upmanship. (Apparently this gets worse the longer you've been retired.)

[Happy Hippo]

8 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Peeing in the pool is bad enough but 100kg. of poo is overding it a bit.

 Only 100 kg?

 

Do you think I'm on a diet?

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[tigerburnie]

7 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Peeing in the pool is bad enough but 100kg. of poo is overding it a bit.

I got chucked out of a local swimming pool as a kid for peeing the pool, when my mother said it seemed harsh as all kids pee in the pool. The reply was yes but they don't usually do it standing on the top diving board...……………………….(I'll get my coat)

[Kingzance]

1 minute ago, Happy Hippo said:

I will be attending, along with elements of the OFMC, and I know the bloke with the too short ladder will be there, so no doubt there will be much cat calling and general inter-service one-upmanship. (Apparently this gets worse the longer you've been retired.)

Ha, I am going skiing with an ex-RAF type, and ex-WREN type, a serving Army type and his spouse. I can see me hiding away and chuntering about my many years astern of the mast 

 

I shall not be venturing further up north, I may loose the bridgehead I have been assiduously working to create in The South.

[PhilJ W]

5 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

100 kg?

 

What so you think I am?

 

On a diet?

http://www.metro.co.uk/2020/01/03/hippo-takes-bath-family-pool-leaves-behind-100kg-poo-11996292/

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon.  It's sunny but cool.  We were up beford the sparrows had broken wind this morning and then had an hour's drive in the darkness  to get Beth to hospital for her diabetic week.  All went well and I was even found to be useful in doing some translation work.  She's now ensconsed and I'm home alone till Friday.  That could be dangerous.

 

Off to the garage to have the Volvo front brakes looked at soon. That could diminish the modelling token pile.  

 

Dave, glad you gad a good scream.  I did that the night my mother died. I was driving home from Barrow in Furness and saw Penyghent and decided to climb it in the dark.  I then screamed at some rather bemused sheep.  It did me a power of good.  Not sure about how it effected the sheep.

 

Mick, get retired  you won't regret it. I got out at 49.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all.

 

Off to work in a few minutes but however belatedly, may I wish everyone all the very best for 2020. Most importantly, may everyone ailing or bereft see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

For others, the new year didn't start very well: A few minutes before 1 am on 3 January, three people aged 19 and 20 attempted to climb across the couplers between two units on a tram making a call. The third of their number didn't get across and fell before the tram started, the second unit of which eventually derailed due to the forces exerted by the body at a right angle turn a few hundred yards on. The bloke didn't survive, as you may imagine, leaving not just me to wonder just what possesses some people to put themselves in lethal danger like that...

 

Anyway, I'll try saying hi again later!

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Failing that, you could always emulate me:

 

 

 

 

Not sure about that Richard - it could make me feel a little hollow.......

 

How about 1200 on the Saturday in the refreshment area at Stafford?

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

3 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Not sure about that Richard - it could make me feel a little hollow.......

 

How about 1200 on the Saturday in the refreshment area at Stafford?

 

Dave

That's fine by me.

 

Although if it's been raining and the parking field is up to the usual high standard, you may have to come out and and tease me out of the mud with copious amounts of cake!

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 Only 100 kg?

 

Do you think I'm on a diet?

 

Well judging by this ......