Early Risers.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup which is dry and grey although the sun is trying to break through. 

 

An extension / loft conversion is being done to one of the houses over the road from us. For the past 45 minutes they have been offloading lots of Ecotherm insulation. Someone is parked across our drive which will please Mrs Lurker when she gets back from dropping Younger Lurker off at school.

 

Mrs Lurker spent most of yesterday feeling rotten and went to bed around half eight, leaving the rest of us to enjoy the football - though England's style does its best to suck any excitement out of the game - and this morning feels much better with only a sore arm. She's head that the reaction to the AZ second jab is worse than the first. I have heard the opposite. What will be, will be, it's not going to stop either of us getting the jab.

 

All this talk of retirement makes me jealous. It is quite a few years until I can consider it. Younger Lurker still has 6 more years of school after this and if he goes on to further education I will want to be able to support him through it. And then there's the actual pension pot; despite my best efforts to grow it over the last few years, I can't see the pot I have would see me very comfortably off. I am nowhere near the £1m lifetime allowance but even if I were and decided to retire when I reached 55 annuity rates are such that I would immediately be having to worry about every penny. That is going to become very much the norm as more and more people have money purchase style pensions. It's a far cry from both my Dad and FiL who managed to retire in their mid 50s; in my Dad's case, he was made redundant but having accumulated 28/60ths in a non contributory scheme plus a fiver a year from a Thomas Cook pension from the 1950s, he did not need to work again. By my reckoning he has now done as many years living on the pension as he put in working for it. If he lives as long as my Grandma, he's got another 16 years to get out of it!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A tad cooler this morning, enough to wake Arthur Itis up but he soon went to sleep again. Still got heat and hot water but the damp patch in the utility room is a bit bigger so I'd better top the system up before I run the bath which I'm just about to do.

[Tony_S]

Hello.

It is fairly overcast, no idea about the temperature outside. It is food delivery day here. Only one substitution, the leg of lamb arriving is twice the size of the one ordered.  So some sawing and freezing will happen later. 
We had a nice chat with Aditi’s brother yesterday. We said as we still had the Easter eggs purchased last year for the nieces and undelivered as we haven’t seen them we would send something non chocolate this year. Raj said there is no shortage of chocolate in their house anyway. The eight year old niece has however decided their holiday activity today is to make a sticky toffee pudding. They have never had it but she had been looking at her Dad’s BBC Good Food magazine. 
Tony

[New Haven Neil]

Watching every penny is my lot now, I took my NHS/CS Pension 7 years ago at 55 and paid off the mortgage etc which only left a modest monthly income amount, then went to work with John at Trackshack - we thought that would last us both (John and I) until state pension age (we're the same age bar 1 day!).  As it happens Covid decided that would end 4 years short of my pension, for us both obviously   John has a couple of pensions so they will see him through the gap, losing his wife as all this happened made for a miserable year in many ways last year.  My other half is 5 years younger and she has a good job, so we are sort of OK, but have had to curtail our lifestyles a bit. A lot...  

 

However Debs is enjoying me being a house husband and doing all the cooking and cleaning, just as well as the chances of getting a job here at 62 is zero at the moment.  Her new job in Fleet Services is going well, her office is actually in the horse tram shed!  Above, I should say, not actually in....   So we have adjusted, and are doing OK, just with less eating out and toys.

[PhilJ W]

My finances have improved somewhat since lockdown began. I worked it out that over the past year I've saved just over a four figure sum by staying at home. I'd rather be out spending that money as I can't take it with me. By my reckoning we have another year of restrictions and a few years after that for things to return to normal.

[ELTEL]

Dry in N Staffs this morning and looks to be a dry day, but not as warm as the last couple of days.

 

We are going to give our motorhome a run out today after taxing it from today in readiness for its use as Bozzo  allows later this month.

 

Eltel 

[jonny777]

Dry but cloudy and breezy here in North Somerset. 

 

I am becoming concerned over my mental state. It would seem that the majority can't wait to get moving around the country again, once restrictions are eased. 

 

So why am I feeling increasingly nervous? The virus has not vanished. It is still here, and people are still dying from it. Infection rates in France are up 100% over the last month, and are now around 40,000 new cases a day.  

 

Maybe I have just become used to staying at home and beautifying the garden? I don't feel any great urge to mix with large crowds, even at safe distances outdoors. In fact I feel an increasing reluctance to do that kind of thing. 

 

Am I normal? Covid paranoia? 

[Tony_S]

One advantage of being retired is that I don’t have to try and interpret the letter received this week from ministers Matt and Robert about returning to work now shielding for clinically vulnerable persons has ended. 
Tony

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

Dry but cloudy and breezy here in North Somerset. 

 

I am becoming concerned over my mental state. It would seem that the majority can't wait to get moving around the country again, once restrictions are eased. 

 

So why am I feeling increasingly nervous? The virus has not vanished. It is still here, and people are still dying from it. Infection rates in France are up 100% over the last month, and are now around 40,000 new cases a day.  

 

Maybe I have just become used to staying at home and beautifying the garden? I don't feel any great urge to mix with large crowds, even at safe distances outdoors. In fact I feel an increasing reluctance to do that kind of thing. 

 

Am I normal? Covid paranoia? 

You sound rather sensible to me. 

[Tony_S]

I have done my good deed for the day and checked that the neighbours central heating works. They have been in Wales for some time as a relative needed care. They are hoping to return today. The heating and hot water seem fine. They have the same boiler and controller as ours so no problem for me. 
Tony

[tigerburnie]

Morning looks like a half decent day, so I'll risk a cycle ride to the big village to collect prescriptions, take care all.

[polybear]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

612 / 383 that's 612 days total or 383 working days to go to retirement approximately (because that's averaged). 

and of that,

 

Not that you're counting....

Bear had a program running on the works pc that displayed how many more days of suffering Bear had to endure before being paroled early for good behaviour cos' they wanted shot of me asap.....

 

Quote

And then there were 3, as the live steam builder, officially the "In house Test Equipment, Software Engineer"  retired yesterday. So now we have 2 vacancies in a section of 5, and two of the three left will retire in less than 2 years.. The last one out turn off the lights.. There is no sight of any replacements, recruitment to here was taken over by a branch of the company in Holland a couple of years ago.. They don't have a clue, so far 2 applicants for the re advertised deputy heads post, one from India, one from Italy, both not entitled to residence in the UK, both not qualified for the job.

 

Let's see now...will they:

 

1. Shut the section down/outsource it elsewhere?

2. Leave it until a week before someone retires before appointing a replacement for a job that takes a year+ to get familiar with?  (That's Bear's ex-employer's tactic, by the way).

3. Leave it until some time after someone has retired before replacing them, usually with someone who hasn't a clue and the customers are screaming blue murder?

 

Quote

I could leave next December, that's the date calculations above, but may stay till April as the company bonus is paid at the end of March, that can be 5% of a years wages and it's all or nothing,  no part year payments at the end or the start...

 

 

Let's see now, the weather from Dec to April is pretty much carp....

Decisions, decisions....

 

Quote

I was on the way to the Big Orange shed for more MDF... The cutting machine was broken again, so first thing tomorrow, will be cutting that sheet into shelf sized planks..

 

 

Isn't it amazing just how often the B&Q cutting machines are supposedly "broken"....?

Cynical mode off

 

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

 And then there's the actual pension pot; despite my best efforts to grow it over the last few years, I can't see the pot I have would see me very comfortably off. I am nowhere near the £1m lifetime allowance but even if I were and decided to retire when I reached 55 annuity rates are such that I would immediately be having to worry about every penny. That is going to become very much the norm as more and more people have money purchase style pensions.

 

By my reckoning he has now done as many years living on the pension as he put in working for it. If he lives as long as my Grandma, he's got another 16 years to get out of it!

 

Bear's employer ran one of the best final salary schemes (Bear was in it ) but closed it to new starters some years ago - so a very big carrot to staff retention was lost.  So all the smart young graduates do a couple of years then clear off elsewhere for more money, just when they might start to be useful having learnt the basic ropes.  Or not, in some cases...

 

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

We had a nice chat with Aditi’s brother yesterday. We said as we still had the Easter eggs purchased last year for the nieces and undelivered as we haven’t seen them we would send something non chocolate this year. Raj said there is no shortage of chocolate in their house anyway. The eight year old niece has however decided their holiday activity today is to make a sticky toffee pudding. They have never had it but she had been looking at her Dad’s BBC Good Food magazine. 

 

 

Hmmm, how would your nieces like to meet a real live Poly?

(In a very innocent way you understand;  though it's only reasonable that Bear *may* have some hunger pangs after an arduous journey....)

 

1 hour ago, jonny777 said:

Maybe I have just become used to staying at home and beautifying the garden? I don't feel any great urge to mix with large crowds, even at safe distances outdoors. In fact I feel an increasing reluctance to do that kind of thing. 

 

Am I normal? Covid paranoia? 

 

None of the above.  Just an aversion to mixing with total cockwombles I'd say...

 

In other news:

Bear's washing machine pipe is now painted - for the last time, and a new 13A mains socket fitted to go with it.  Now I'm working on fitting a pipe collar around the waste outlet pipe (some bvggering about is called for) in order to smarten up the area where the pipe goes thru' the wall; a collar for the water supply pipe will have to wait until the paint is dry.

 

Still no news regarding the delivery of the new wall tiles - which is a pain as I've things to do in the shed and I can't risk missing the delivery (which is an extortionate twenty nine quid - but the same tiles from another supplier are far more expensive) and they'll want the same again for a missed delivery, so I'm giving them no excuses.

 

Time to list some more things on the 'bay methinks....

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by polybear

[Barry O]

Lummy! I am on a roll with the Marie Celeste!  Prescriptions sent to the correct chemist!  Been out and collected them.. by heck its chilly out there!

 

Got tog go as herself is just back rom having her second jab... 6 weeks early!

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

Pah!  I can't even get a phone call today from my GP!  There's a waiting list - for a f.... ph..... five minute discussion.  Because they won't put some of my meds on Patient Access to renew the script.  Fuming.

[Gwiwer]

41 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

Morning looks like a half decent day,

Good morning. Only half-decent, I’m afraid. The grey cloud of fug hung overhead until very recently and a nor’easter was making it feel quite raw at the House of Fun

 

Now that I’m done there the shiny thing is shining, the wind is lighter and it’s a tad warmer. 
 

It needs to be warm this afternoon. It’s a Big Day. Dr. SWMBO gets older and has invited two friends to join us for afternoon tea on the lawn. Including her home-made decaf-and-walnut cake. 
 

Big Day Part 2 will be at around half-past sixteen o’clock when my sister retires.  She has had enough of “arguing with teenagers for money” as a SENTA and is calling time on a career. She would be happy for me to do the same (not least because I am two years older) but accepts my decision to keep working until 70. Her health isn’t quite as robust as mine and never has been. It’s the right decision for her. 
 

I’m off to make lunch. A light affair today with afternoon tea to follow. Then roasted cluckbird tonight at the Birthday Girl’s request. 
 

Stay well. See you later. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Late posting today although I was up at 5.45 am.  Apologies for my tardiness and I would've brought a note from my Mum but unfortunately she's no longer with us.

Cloudy and fresh with hints of sunshine here.

One bin lorry should have been by now but is conspicuous by its absence.

Sainsbury's delivered on time but we too had a leg of lamb twice the size of that required so it was returned.  We then went for a walk and found the correct size at our little local Asda.  Managed about a mile and a  quarter but as The Hip was protesting somewhat decided that was far enough.  Disgusted at the amount of litter strewn around our little local recreation ground that we walk through.

After that, it being the first of the month, some money laundering and financial juggling was required.  Glad to say that there will still be money left for other things.  (like beer, wine, cake etc   )  Luckily for me I was in a very good final salary pension scheme so we're not too badly off....for now. 

Much texting going on with a couple of family members at the moment.  It's Nicki's birthday on Monday and we were going to have a BBQ but the latest forecast says there's a 60% chance of snow here!  I doubt it very much and we've virtually decided to go ahead come what may... Blitz spirit and all that don't you know chaps!

Mention of prescriptions above has reminded me that I need to place an order so farewell for now.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited April 1, 2021 by grandadbob

[chrisf]

2 hours ago, jonny777 said:

Dry but cloudy and breezy here in North Somerset. 

 

I am becoming concerned over my mental state. It would seem that the majority can't wait to get moving around the country again, once restrictions are eased. 

 

So why am I feeling increasingly nervous? The virus has not vanished. It is still here, and people are still dying from it. Infection rates in France are up 100% over the last month, and are now around 40,000 new cases a day.  

 

Maybe I have just become used to staying at home and beautifying the garden? I don't feel any great urge to mix with large crowds, even at safe distances outdoors. In fact I feel an increasing reluctance to do that kind of thing. 

 

Am I normal? Covid paranoia? 

 

Jonny, you are not alone.  The early months of lockdown did my mental health no good at all.  It was a colossal step from being constantly out and about and here and there to having nowhere to go except Tesco when every last thing in my diary was abruptly cancelled a year ago.  When I have too much time to think, I brood.  Boy did I brood.  There were times when I just had to go somewhere regardless of the consequences.  Fortunately; the only consequences were making me feel better, if only briefly.  As the period of house arrest has ground on, some of the societies that I support have learned how to use Zoom and I now have some e-company instead of racking up the miles to sit in a church hall at a meeting.   I have plenty to keep me occupied without going places.  That would be fine and dandy were it not for the unfortunate fact that my confidence issues are still very much present and I find it difficult to concentrate.

 

I have tried to be a bit sanguine about the virus.  As with other things that can make me ill, if I catch it, so be it.  I am not scared of it.  Instead I regard it as a flipping nuisance.  Social distancing and other measures are probably wise precautions but when they are consigned to distant memory I for one will give at least one hearty cheer.  I know that the lives of others are far from ideal.  Some work at home, with little or no contact with other human life.  I have one particular friend in mind when I say this.  He says that he enjoys his work, despite there being rather a lot of it.  I must take him at his word, though I fear for his long term sanity.  If I were still employed, I would not hsve taken to the situation anywhere near as well as he has done.  However gruesome some workmates may be, they are people, and someone to talk to and be with.

 

This is where we find that it is easier for me to give advice than for you to take it.  I say don't be afraid.  We all fear the unknown.  Go somewhere: despite what I say about supermarkets there are some nice people there who hate the situation just as much as you do.  Invite a friend to come and admire your beautified garden and put the world to rights over a cuppa.   Above all, well done for confiding in your friends here.  It can't have been easy.

 

ATB, Chris    

Edited April 1, 2021 by chrisf
typo

[TheQ]

8 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Not that you're counting....

Bear had a program running on the works pc that displayed how many more days of suffering Bear had to endure before being paroled early for good behaviour cos' they wanted shot of me asap.....

 

 

Let's see now...will they:

 

1. Shut the section down/outsource it elsewhere? Probably not, the section is needed as long as the factory is open, and I don't think they're ready to shut it. (Yet)

2. Leave it until a week before someone retires before appointing a replacement for a job that takes a year+ to get familiar with?  (That's Bear's ex-employer's tactic, by the way). No that's way too soon, they wait till the end of the month afterwards to advertise the job internally or externally..

3. Leave it until some time after someone has retired before replacing them, usually with someone who hasn't a clue and the customers are screaming blue murder?  Some time? I thinks, it's nearly 3 years and we still don't have a permanent deputy head of Lab.

 

 

Let's see now, the weather from Dec to April is pretty much carp....

Decisions, decisions.... Yep, exactly..

 

 

Isn't it amazing just how often the B&Q cutting machines are supposedly "broken"....?

Cynical mode off I don't turn my Mode off..

 

 

Bear's employer ran one of the best final salary schemes (Bear was in it ) but closed it to new starters some years ago - so a very big carrot to staff retention was lost.  So all the smart young graduates do a couple of years then clear off elsewhere for more money, just when they might start to be useful having learnt the basic ropes.  Or not, in some cases...

The UK Military, until 1975 you had to do 22 years to get any pension at all, I joined in 1976 . From then they had a very  good pension, in about 2000 they revised it's payments down and it's contributions up.. The last year they did it again, with also changing the payment date from Age 60 to 65.. I was very lucky..

 

The GEC pension had 3 formats for paying out, one was income related, but I've been gone for over 10 years, so that doesn't come into it anymore. But the main other one, to do with payments in and  accrued profits  (via them investing in stocks and shares) has done very well. Very much helped by 6 years in Saudi 20 + years ago paying in triple the amount of money, I'd have paid in the UK..

 

So effectively , in under two years I'll be retiring  with 47 years worth of private pension having only got 40 years of paying in. (7 years for 3 other companies no pension scheme).

 

We won't be rich but we won't be far off our income now..

 

PS Dad retired at 53, Having started work at 15, so he's been on a pension for 32 years . He's doing well out of his pension !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NHY 581]

5 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all

 

There were mixed fortunes on the fodder run yesterday.  Although there was no frozen breaded plaice to be had, I did succeed in my quest to be just like Bear and have my very own koala carrier bag.  Thanks again for the heads-up, Bear.  I had to be shown where to find shopping bags.   The place where the koala bags should have been was empty.  The assistant was quite crestfallen until I turned round and found them behind me.  I am more than happy to support WWF in this way, in the hope that all contributions great and small will stave off the extinction of the koala, even if just for a few minutes.  There are learned people who reckon that the koala has thirty years at best.  That is scary.

 

The other find on the fodder run was something I have not seen for more than half a lifetime – Vesta chow mein!  I used to eat it when I was still a beginner of a cook, living in a bedsit and enduring shared facilities.  I am looking forward to finding out whether it is quite as disgusting as I remember it.  Earlier I did the laundry and let the mower loose on the lawn.  That was all the G word that I felt like doing.  The green bin, while not full, is well laden and will be emptied today, thus destroying the evidence of Tuesday’s toil.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

 

 

Morning Chris.

 

Somewhat disturbing news about the Koala. 

 

Excellent news about the Vesta meal deal as it were. 

 

Many fond memories of various Vesta beef and chicken dishes from my youth, despite my dear mother being an excellent cook, so I also might have to remind myself. 

 

Rob. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Late on parade today I’m afraid, I woke up at 7:30 when the radio came on, then I turned over and went back to sleep. I did look in earlier as I was having breakfast, but I had to dash as I was late setting off for the butchers, when I arrived there was a large queue, but my cousin was the next person in front of me so we had quite a long chat. Anyway, a pastie has been procured for dinner and the rest of the week’s meat rations are either in the fridge or the freezer. 

 

There then followed the weekly trip to the Trafford Centre, thankfully that was too busy and I was back home for just after 11 o’clock. The shopping is now all packed away and I’m sat with my )later than usual) mid morning muggertea. 

 

This afternoon will see me making a couple of cheesecakes, to a slightly new recipe, of Bakewell tart flavour. I’ve not done this before and I’m basically making it up as I go along, so I’ll say how things have gone after it’s been tasted. 

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

 

Brian

[iL Dottore]

On 31/03/2021 at 09:35, New Haven Neil said:

...My back legs are not happy after yesterday's efforts...

Er, exactly how many legs do you actually have? You’re not of Centaur stock by any chance?

15 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

With respect, the 'use by' date is somewhat arbitrary....

 

In effect, they have become so worshipped as to have knocked good old common sense into a cocked hat! (and caused a lot of food wastage to boot!)...

Hmm, not sure where to start in my reply...

Firstly, I would argue that “best by” and “use by” should not be confused. “Best by” should be taken to mean that the food product is at its best before a certain date, afterwards it would still be edible but not optimal. Celery would be a good example: before the “best by” date - nice and crisp, after - soggy but still good for many things (soups, stews etc.).

Whereas “use by” indicates that after a certain date the product is likely to degrade into inedibility (or worse). 
Certainly, many foodstuffs - especially those sealed into glass containers are perfectly good many years later (although will deteriorate quite quickly once open).

The point about ancient methods of preserving is well made, but it must be remembered that such preserved foods need to be stored correctly and most domestic fridges are either too warm or too cold - depending upon foodstuff - to store preserved food properly (an old-fashioned larder is a boon here) 

One final thought: many foods have a veritable chemistry lab of emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, etc. etc., that help lengthen shelf-life, so a cupboard life of two years post purchase may not be ideal (it is rumoured that one popular American confectionery has a shelf life measured in decades...)

13 hours ago, PupCam said:

There are so many things that make my blood boil now, this sort of "Free Speech" is one of them..... 

I have them no problem in them spouting off - it just makes them look like the pi11ocks they are.

But what angers me is how one-sided it is. If someone says “I self-identify as a tentacled Venusian”, that’s fine by me and I would defend their right to say that. But equally, I should also have the right (and freedom) to say “no you’re not, you’re a bloke in a rubber costume” without fear of being “investigated” for having said “the wrong thing”, or worse - face the very real threat of loosing my job and livelihood.

12 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear also saw pictures of a park on the TV news that could quite easily have been mistaken for a landfill site...

I’ve encountered this sort of thing in a number of other countries (no names, otherwise I’d get accused of this-ism or that-phobia). According to one -quite credible - theory, it’s down to whether or not a country’s culture has a highly developed sense of communal ownership of public property: countries that do - such as Japan and Switzerland - tend to have well tended, clean and enjoyable public spaces, those that don’t....

5 hours ago, chrisf said:

...something I have not seen for more than half a lifetime – Vesta chow mein!...

Wow, is Vesta still an ongoing concern? (I wonder which conglomerate now owns them).

 

In the early 60s, when anything beyond a slab of overcooked meat and vegetables boiled to a mush was considered “dangerously foreign” food; and any seasoning beyond salt and pepper was regarded with a fascinated horror (much like Count Dracula spying a clove of garlic), Vesta opened the world of exotic cuisine to the British public at large. While my parents were quite cosmopolitan in tastes - particularly by the UK standards of the early 60s (we ate on a regular basis Italian, German and other European dishes as well as British staples), it was my uncle (himself no stranger to foreign climes and foreign cuisines) who was able to take a packaged Vesta meal and turn it into something more than edible.

It’s amazing how far Britain has evolved, at least in culinary terms, since the 1960s. Dishes that are now taken for granted as part of the British landscape (with or without chips [sic]) would’ve been not only unknown to the tables of Britain in 1964, but wouldn’t even have been conceived of – even in the most bastardised version possible. And nowadays, whilst the best French food is still to be found in France and the best Italian food is still to be found in Italy, for other cuisines from around the world, London is definitely the city that has the greatest and most truly authentic variety of “world cuisines“ in Europe.

 

So thank you Vesta: from your tiny culinary pebble, a gastronomic landslide has ensued. Britain indeed has much to thank you for!

[Coombe Barton]

10 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Were these pre-fabricated shelves?

No, I'm a design and build bloke

 

[Coombe Barton]

Could I ask advice from other wielders of Vacuum cleaners please?

The domestic Miele had started overheating and cutting out. I will be taking it apart for cleaning and replacement filters before condemning it, I'musing the workshop vac but it's less than convenient.

 

So which vac for domestic use would people recommend? Cordless or mains?

Edited April 1, 2021 by Coombe Barton

[Gwiwer]

An ok job made of lunch, I think

 

[tigerburnie]

23 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Could I ask advice from other welders of Vacuum cleaners please?

The domestic Miele had started overheating and cutting out. I will be taking it apart for cleaning and replacement filters before condemning it, I'musing the workshop vac but it's less than convenient.

 

So which vac for domestic use would people recommend? Cordless or mains?

Vax Mach Air is a good one and they actually replaced a broken attachment, so the guarantee is good too.