The Retirement Thread

[PaulSB]

Good morning. Chilly. What? Yes, chilly.......I shall need arm warmers and a lightweight gilet. Bonkers. We're heading out to a favourite cafe that was taken over by new owners two months ago. We feel it incumbent on us to check out how things are. I will wear my new cycling shoes. That, really is about it. A quiet day.

 

[Dave7]

A lot of building going on here and I get to deal with developers as a parish councillor, and can confirm Vistry are a PITA. Not onky that, theyre the lowest quality developers, cramming in the most houses with the least off road parking, and do their best to avoid meeting statutory obligations unless really pressed over it.

Yes, there are some very expensive 4 and 5 bed houses with garages i would struggle to get my Astra in.
Part of the development have no garages and they are already parking on the pavement.

 

[Dave7]

Back from my walk, dead on 3 miles today.
The councilor was very good and very knowledgeable. He is a keen fell walker and quite pleased to accompany me.
He put my mind at rest about SOME off the issues with the public walkway.
And TBH although the path was rough and possibly ankle breaking in places I found it easier than last time..... I put that down to my improved health and strength.

 

[Mo1959]

Riverside trail walked and half way through a massive bowl of porridge with blueberries, strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

 

[Drago]

Yes, there are some very expensive 4 and 5 bed houses with garages i would struggle to get my Astra in.
Part of the development have no garages and they are already parking on the pavement.

Since about 2018 the regulations changed, and garages now have to be a mandated minimum size. I forget the exact spec, but its in the order of 9 x 18 feet it internally for a single, which is quite generous. I can get the C70, my motorbike, work bench, bicycles, lawn mower, shelving, all quite comfortably in there. Prior to this, as you say, it was getting silly with some garages barely 6 feet wide, not even big enough to egress from a car parked within.

 

[numbnuts]

Morning, it's cool cold here today at only 22c

 

[numbnuts]

Back from my walk, dead on 3 miles today.

Sorry to hear that Dave.........Oh you mean ...........

 

[Mo1959]

not even big enough to egress from a car parked within

Ooooo, listen to you talking all proper! Just joking......I love words. English was my favourite subject at school.

This breeze isn't half picking up now. The vertical blinds are flying about.

 

[Drago]

I wish id tried harder with languages at school. I have a flair for it and managed to pick up a working knowledge of German in the army, and as an adult it irks me that one thing im naturally decent at I neglected badly at skool.

 

[Mo1959]

I wish id tried harder with languages at school. I have a flair for it and managed to pick up a working knowledge of German in the army, and as an adult it irks me that one thing im naturally decent at I neglected badly at skool.

I stupidly took all the wrong subjects at school too. Lord knows what made me take secretarial studies and accounting. I had little interest in history or geography either. I should have taken the sciences, particularly biology and chemistry. I'm not a people person so hated both of my jobs. One in an office followed by the prison service.

My dream job would either have been animal related or lab work with just a small team of people....not public facing. Oh to turn the clock back.

 

[numbnuts]

I wish id tried harder with languages at school. I have a flair for it and managed to pick up a working knowledge of German in the army, and as an adult it irks me that one thing im naturally decent at I neglected badly at skool.

My uncle could speak 18 differant languages.
My mother was born in Gibraltar, so she could speak spanish,
when my sister and I were born my mother was forbidden to
teach us spanish, by my British father, I kid you not.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Its demonstrably true. If they don't like the truth thats a shame, but the publicly accessible facts don't lie.

These matters gets reported upon and minuted when discussed and reported back at council meetings, and the minutes are available for public consumption. There are no secrets or surprises. The building density is significantly higher than the 4 surrounding developments, that they tried to quietly not provide the legally mandated allotments (x metres allotment space is required for y number of houses) until challenged, etc, are all a matter of public record.

Sounds like it is good that they have an awkward bar steward like you keeping an eye on them who won;t get tempted by brown envelops
(dog treats might influence family members ??)

but round here they do seem to be building everywhere - at least there is some attempt to use "brown field" type areas where possible

There is an old village nearby that is up in arms because there is a new estate being built - but on land in the neighbouring county
but the access road to the estate is to go through their village rather than direct out to the main road to the North

seems to be like the council is trying to get the number of higher category council tax house up to improve tax income - a lot fo the area is probably band A or B - the new ones will be higher

 

[Dave7]

Sorry to hear that Dave.........Oh you mean ...........

I did wonder whether to change that

 

[Dave7]

My uncle could speak 18 differant languages.
My mother was born in Gibraltar, so she could speak spanish,
when my sister and I were born my mother was forbidden to
teach us spanish, by my British father, I kid you not.

I would struggle to even list 18 different languages.

 

[Dave7]

A disappointing Aldi dash.
One of the main things I wanted was bottled still water.....my tap water is awful.
Anyway, they had none. The girl explained that stores have lost control over ordering, its all done from central office now. The store dont know when they will next get a delivery......progress ? Not in my opinion.