The Retirement Thread

[Mo1959]

I just fancy one, I have a sit-on-top kayak, but just like the idea of a paddleboard.

I know a couple on the next street and was baffled initially when they talked about using a SUP. Eventually clicked that it was stand up paddleboard. They love them.

 

[welsh dragon]

Decision made. Steak and egg today

 

[MontyVeda]

having just turned 56 and with 11 years left before state pension age... I'm starting to realise why many people aspire to retire at 55. 🤔

 

[Drago]

At the Hospital. Managed to nab the last disabled bay. Now in for a 3 or 4 hour wait for Mrs D.

 

[numbnuts]

Done walking, now tea and biccies

 

[PaulSB]

What gets me though is we pay tax on earnings then continue to pay tax on pensions. That is what always seems unfair but I also understand need to pay for services etc.

Might I gently comment on this? You have company pensions to which I assume you made contributions to. Basically you pay £x in per month and your employer £y. The £x contribution you pay is free of tax, you will not have paid tax on that money during your working life.

If one has a private or personal pension those contributions are topped up by the government. If one pays in £100 and the current tax rate is 25% the government adds £25.

When we make contributions to a pension we're effectively only defering tax on that money. We, I include myself here, pay a portion of that tax in later life if our income is above the tax threshold.

It seems fair to me. I didn't pay the tax when I worked so I'm paying it now.

 

[gbb]

Whike the grandkids were at mums for a few hours, a little opportunity to do some more in the garden today. One fence panel painted then off to the tip with a load of old garden stuff from the little shed, brought some timber and repaired (ish) the bottom section that had rotted out and cut off the rotted sections of the doors, then painted that. It's a bit Heath Robinson but the shed has all but had it anyway. This will do for another couple years
Kids back now, sat at the park then off to feed the ducks at a local country park.

 

[Drago]

Home with a very doped up Mrs D. Sent her up to bed.

 

[mistyoptic]

Test rode an e-assist tandem today at Bicycles by Design in Coalport. Lovely day for it and a good excuse for a pub lunch after. Might prove to have been an expensive day overall

Back there today to discuss a rebuild of our tandem with e-assist.

Proposed:

Neodrive motor including new wheels/tyres, battery and controller, DI2 gearing (2x12) and hydraulic brakes. Plus sprung handlebar mount and new bars for Mrs O to improve her riding position. Sounds expensive. Quote will be in the email soon

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Rant.................
sorry to bring this up again, but I have just filled in a declaration for the 25% discount for single council tax payments on-line
it's worth £175.............
In contrast I do the same with the bloody BBC and get 11 years of hell and threatening letters,m yet it's around the same price

Oh and my cake is done to perfection

Do you think I'm too old for a paddelboard ??

The council can check your credential and have lawful ability to do something about it
so most people pay up

the BBC are just annoying a lot of people and can;t really check - so a lot of people just ignore them or try to annoy them back

but they do have to get funds from somewhere - which is a WHOLE different discussion
and one for "The Other Place" I suspect


Oh - and - paddleboards - no - try a place where you can have a go on somewhere calm before you buy one

there are people who use them on the local canal and it looks fun

 

[Drago]

In Oireland so many people refuse to pay the TV licence, around 15ish%, they have to spend a fortune trying to enforce it. Upshot is reckoned that almost half the licence fee there is now spent on attempted enforcement,

I boycott the licence and the Beeb out of principle (not for political reaskns.) I get the odd letter but no goons so far, and if I do get a visit the door just won't get answered.

I don't expect M&S to knock on my door and demand to inspect my kitchen cupboards besause I shop at Waitrose, and so it is with the Beeb. I'm a refusenik and proud.

On the plus side, every minute they spend hassling me is a minute they're not trying to intimidate the elderly or vulnerable into buying a licence they don't need.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Had to pick teh kids up from school today

well - picked up the youngest from her Nan's where she had been since the morning
then took him home to wait until the middle one arrived on his bus from the Special School

the oldest was uncertain - probably with her mates but she is getting old enough to be able to go known other places with known people


anyway - on the way back we go the full length of the M57
the start was OK - everyone joined OK and behaved

the we came to a majot junction and the joining lane from the other road was one of those where the M57 was down to 2 lanes - and the joining lane becomes the left lane

anyway - this was not enough for one car who insisted on passing another car - in spit of there being no room

a contest of who has the bigger **** commensed until the one in front decided it was getting stupid and slowed dwon


THEN - worse still


a bit further up all the traffic started slowing down - a lot

I could see a car ahead with hazard light on - but in the left lane
assumed he was having trouble

the traffic was getting lighter so cars were able to move to the outside lane and pass
but then the car with the hazard light stopped completly

and when we drew level the bloke inside (think bald overweight gammon sort of thing) was getting ou tof his car and heading to the car behind his
the car behind ( a silver fiesta) swerved into the outside lane and shot off - don;t really blame them really


I mean - what sort of idiot stops his car on a live motorway and then walks down to line between the inside and outside lane????



wish I had a dashcam

not sure if I should report it on the non emergency line - no harm was done and the front car didn't pass us trying to catch up with the other one



Oh and just as we were pulling off the final major road - signalling left and approaching the junction
doing about 60
someone passed me
and stuck his hand out of the window and gave be 2 fingers



did I annoy some Gods or something???

 

[Drago]

did I annoy some Gods or something???

Nope, you've not upset me.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

In Oireland so many people refuse to pay the TV licence, around 15ish%, they have to spend a fortune trying to enforce it. Upshot is reckoned that almost half the licence fee there is now spent on attempted enforcement,

I boycott the licence and the Beeb out of principle (not for political reaskns.) I get the odd letter but no goons so far, and if I do get a visit the door just won't get answered.

I don't expect M&S to knock on my door and demand to inspect my kitchen cupboards besause I shop at Waitrose, and so it is with the Beeb. I'm a refusenik and proud.

On the plus side, every minute they spend hassling me is a minute they're not trying to intimidate the elderly or vulnerable into buying a licence they don't need.

Two more boycotters here.

In hospital at the moment and am very glad that we no longer sponsor the BBC.

40 channels are tuned in and by christ there is so much dross on there. Principally; lame quiz/game shows, old reruns of comedy series from way back to when Noah was a lad, absurd detective dramas (usually one where whole police forces are stumped to find the perp' and some doddery old fool just walks up and solves the case in a moment) car & furniture restoration programs, umpteen celebrity shows and other assorted dross that you wouldn't force a chimp to watch for fear of being called out by animal rights activists.

Sorry that sounds ranty but Springsteen was right - 57 Channels and Nothing On.

Okay, 40, in this case, but you get the drift.

Puerile sums up virtually 100% of the output imo.

 

[Paulus]

Corned beef hash for lunch. Corned before, mash, a bit of diced onion, a small handful of peas, a pinch of pepper, mix it to buggery and eat it. Yummy yum yum.

Indeed, the only good thing about being a nice Jewish boy is a cultural liking of corned beef.

Peas, not baked beans,