The Retirement Thread

[Dave7]

Mrs D has decided she wants the kitchen redecorating

And so she should, you slacker

 

[Elybazza61]

Busy Sunday here.

Big-ish fried brekkie and coffee, washing up and picked some veg from the garden.

Then late decision 64k ride that ended up on the warm side (Garmin reading 33% at one point) although still quite breezy.

Then did some tidying of the brickwork in the cupboard under the stairs after the BH had chiselled away some more of the rough original mortar .

Then helped BH make some potato salad and pickled beetroot for tonight.

Couple of pics from todays ride;

Will chill out for the rest of the day.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Pergola finished

tried it on my own this morning and worked out a way of doing the roof that is different to the implied method in the instruction
but obeys the laws of physics where water flow is concerned - i.e. overlaps don't encourage water to stop and look for a way to drip inside

also made it a lot easier

I reckon we were to tired an knackered yesterday to see things clearly - and too caught up in the momentum of the job

so done

but I reckon teh insect curtain seem a bit wrong - so some fiddling with hooks may be needed

 

[Paulus]

A lovely walk around the reservoirs and also the canal.
As expected the water level was about 5 feet down from normal.

Unfortunately the good breakfast i was expecting wasn't. Firstly I think they lost/forgot our order, and on the menu I could choose poached or fried eggs, plural. I chose poached.
After 45 minutes I asked one of the waitresses if she could check, they were a bit busy at the time.
Another 10 minutes and our food arrived. I was then told that they couldn't do poached eggs at the moment, would I like fried or extra bacon. I asked for fried eggs and after another few minutes one fried egg arrived.
Plus the sausages which come from a local farm were deep fried, never should sausages be deep fried.
A bit disappointed as in the past the food and service has been excellent. 😥

 

[Drago]

Snooze snoozed. Now need food.

 

[PaulSB]

Jolly warm aint it.
View attachment 817769

View attachment 817770 W

That stud looks very cool 😎 👏

 

[Dave7]

That stud looks very cool 😎 👏

Thank you sir.
Close up.

 

[Drago]

You'll be fitting a brass rail at the window for some scalloped café curtains, probably 😜

I might make a replica of Cafe Rene.

 

[PaulSB]

Here's a question for us retirees.
How much of a nest egg would you need before you lashed out on a big spend item?
Most of us, at our time of life, are property rich with some cash in the bank.
I'm musing over whether to drop about 20% of my liquid assets on a motorhome but something is holding me back - I just can't envisage spending that much.
Any thoughts?

Mrs P and I considered a motorhome for when we retired but decided it wasn't for us. I have friends who have similar thoughts, they're 47 and 60, and hired one for three weeks this spring and decided it wasn't for them. Consider it carefully.

As for the cash? I recently spent £8500 on a bike. I wouldn't haven't considered this when I worked. Today at 72, knowing my wife's life will be shortened, my attitude is f*** it, enjoy life for as long as possible.

My bike brings me great pleasure. If a motorhome does that for you then buy one. Life truly is too short. My plan is the kids get the house and the bank account will be empty..........and I'll have a grin fixed across my face.

 

[PaulSB]

Well good evening. I know, I know I promised to pop in got a G&T last night. Paul was nackered. I haven't done much decorating in recent years. Geeez. . ...it's hard work. Pleased to have finished the bedroom in two days.

Not much else really. @Mo1959 I'm with you on the silly titles thing. Irrational but it irritates me. Like you say we keep our drivel in one place.

 

[Webbo2]

I never be struck by the idea of a camper mainly due the thought of sleeping in what is actually the kitchen.
I remember one the Mountainbike mags doing an article on the economics of buying one, then fuel, maintenance, tax, camp site fees and gas against staying in a hotel or B&B over about 15 weekends a year. I think it was about 15 years before the camper van came it to ts own.

 

[gavroche]

???

Sorry, corrected it now.

 

[Drago]

I never be struck by the idea of a camper mainly due the thought of sleeping in what is actually the kitchen.
I remember one the Mountainbike mags doing an article on the economics of buying one, then fuel, maintenance, tax, camp site fees and gas against staying in a hotel or B&B over about 15 weekends a year. I think it was about 15 years before the camper van came it to ts own.

I downsized from an Eddis motorhome and went the camper way. Three reasons...

First, with Mrs D's health it was increasingly just me and Bruce getting out and camping. The Eddis was a lot of money tied up in something impractical for any other purpose, and was way OTT and expensive to run for just me.

Second, a camper great for impromtu use use. A day out on a whim at the seaside using the van as a base - cant really dump a motorhome in a standard bay or get it under the low height barrier. If I awaken to sunshine I might pack the dogs in and we'll have a nice day out at some beauty spot. Back in March I wanted some peace and quiet to finish my end of year assignment - it was a cold sleety day, so I drove down and parked alongside the Grand Union canal and sat at the table in the back with my coffee and laptop and the Webasto heater keeping me warm. Wouldn't have fitted a motorhome down there,

And turd, downsizing to a camper meant I could also bin off my car as the T6.1 is small, practical, and economical enough to do double duty as a car, so it halved my tax, insurance and maintenance bills. Two vehicles became one. You can bet the mountain bike mag never considered that, which seems the be the main reason folk go that way.

The magazine also seem to have missed that people would need to travel to B&B's, and most would use a motor vehicle to do so. That being the case theyre paying tax insurance, and fuel on a car just the same as they would in a camper, and B&B's typically cost more than site fees anyway. Their grasp of maths is clearly wonky.

Sleeping in the kitchen isnt an issue in any way. I don't actually use mine very much for cooking so were I to do it again I would go the day van way and eschew the kitchen entirely.

Motorhomes are great, I loved mine, but they are one trick ponies.

 

[Dirk]

 

[tarric]

Here's a question for us retirees.
How much of a nest egg would you need before you lashed out on a big spend item?
Most of us, at our time of life, are property rich with some cash in the bank.
I'm musing over whether to drop about 20% of my liquid assets on a motorhome but something is holding me back - I just can't envisage spending that much.
Any thoughts?

Best thing I ever did, didn't spend any of my nest egg on it. I decided quite a few years back that it was what I wanted to do. I have always loved to travel and was getting sick of the hassle of flying. I saved the money over a few years and finally convinced Mrs t to give it a go and much to her surprise she loved it probably more than me. We traveled extensively in both the UK and Europe. Unfortunately Mrs t passed suddenly last year and I wish we had bought it earlier there were so many places we still wanted to see and so many we wished to return to. I now spend 8-9 months a year traveling and will do for as long as I can. No they're not for everyone but I would not give mine up. Yes they are expensive and yes they are costly to run, personally I couldn't care the memories I have are worth every penny.
My advice for what it's worth. Give it a go, you may love it you may hate it but if you don't try you'll never know.

I never be struck by the idea of a camper mainly due the thought of sleeping in what is actually the kitchen.
I remember one the Mountainbike mags doing an article on the economics of buying one, then fuel, maintenance, tax, camp site fees and gas against staying in a hotel or B&B over about 15 weekends a year. I think it was about 15 years before the camper van came it to ts own.

If you buy the right van you don't have to and everyone's idea of what is the right one is different.
this is the layout of mine, minus the extra bed above the lounge as we never had any intension of sharing it.

Fuel is however much you want to travel, I know people who do less than 2-3000 miles a year and some who do 10x that, maintenance, if looked after and well maintained is not excessive, annual service around £250, insurance £500 hab check £300, tax cheaper than the average Ford Focus £165 a year, camp fees what you want, for me personally I rarely pay more than £20 a night and often pay zero gas a £50 refill lasts about 2 months. Over the last year half with Mrs t and half alone we/I have spent 284 day in the van even at £100 a night for a room that's £28,400 and that doesn't include flights or things like taxi's, car hire. and while I'm sure I've spent a far bit traveling I doubt it's anywhere near £28,000.