The Retirement Thread

[PaulSB]

Before I drown disappear for the day. I thought this was rather sad. In 10 days the first live village quiz for six months is at the sports club, limited to 7 teams of 4. In a burst of enthusiasm we entered along with our friends next door but one.

Last night we all concluded the risk is too great, the atmosphere will be odd, how will we chat? So we've pulled out. We always go.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not moping around etc. but our little village quiz night??? No aeroplanes, no cinema and so on but the quiz? Geeeez, I've had enough of this feckin' virus.

Right porridge time, I will report back later with wet but uplifted spirits.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Good morning fellow retirees,

It's a bit grey out there this morning. Veg box is due shortly and yesterday saw the arrival of another selection of beers. Quite a variety, some we've tried before and some new ones.


Now it's turbo time 🚴‍♀️

Have a lovely peaceful day folks 🚴‍♀️🚶‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏊‍♂️🍺

 

[Dirk]

Morning all

Not much planned for today.
Might tidy my garage out and potter in the garden.
As the interest rate on savings is pathetically low, we've decided to put another 10 grand into premium bonds. OK, at worst we might lose £100 interest - at best we might win something.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Good morning. Damp and drizzly and I feel like a bus parked on the bed all night.

@dave r I'm sorry to read your news, hopefully things have improved overnight. Good luck to Mrs D.

I have very little which needs doing, in fact nothing. I'm waiting for a decision on riding today. I'm inclined to stay in and need others to say "Let's go for it" and I will. Need to get out but general lethargy has set in - already!!!!

Thank you

 

[pawl]

Good morning folks.

Morning Hope Mrs Dave is recovering.

Stay safe.

 

[Dirk]

@Dave7 - Just checked my babies and all is well.
Spring onions and carrots now about 1/2" tall. Radishes getting on for 3/4". Lettuces only about 1/4" - but they are Little Gems.
Still overrun with green beans!

 

[Dave7]

@Dave7 - Just checked my babies and all is well.
Spring onions and carrots now about 1/2" tall. Radishes getting on for 3/4". Lettuces only about 1/4" - but they are Little Gems.
Still overrun with green beans!

We have a raised bed about 12' x 2' and are thinking of trying some foody type things next year.
Its sheltered but doesn't get a lot of sun......maybe 3 hours in the morning.

 

[GM]

Morning all...All's well at GM Mansion this morning might even get a bike ride in! 🌈

Good morning fellow retirees,

It's a bit grey out there this morning. Veg box is due shortly and yesterday saw the arrival of another selection of beers. Quite a variety, some we've tried before and some new ones.
View attachment 539897

Now it's turbo time 🚴‍♀️

Have a lovely peaceful day folks 🚴‍♀️🚶‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏊‍♂️🍺

Good choice there, my regular one is the Life & Death, 4 for £6 in Asda!

 

[Dirk]

We have a raised bed about 12' x 2' and are thinking of trying some foody type things next year.
Its sheltered but doesn't get a lit of sun......maybe 3 hours in the morning.

I'm no Percy Thrower, but I'm sure you could find something worthwhile planting in there.
@PaulSB will probably have the answer.

 

[oldwheels]

Don't know where the bikepacker I saw yesterday was going but I hope he could swim. We had rain yesterday of biblical proportions with floods everywhere and many roads closed. Oban appeared to be only accessible from the north with care. The Rest and be Thankful has another landslide which has extended as far as the Old Military Road which was used as an emergency bypass and looks like being closed for a long time until this gets cleared. This increases the traffic on the already congested A82.
Managed at last to get an optician appointment which means a trip to Oban. Need to go and try the nightmare booking system which has an automated payment system I never seem to get right. If I get on MV Coruisk I have to stay in my car for the trip which suits me as I have no wish to mix with the tourists on the Isle of Mull. Alternative is via Lochaline which is 80 miles each way but no booking and just hope there is space.
According to FB which is probably partly true the island is awash with raw sewage from all the free campers and camper vans. The rain yesterday will have washed most of it out to sea by now except for that which has ended up in our domestic water supply.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Morning Hope Mrs Dave is recovering.

Stay safe.

Thank you, I haven't heard anything yet, no visiting because of the virus, the ward won't tell me anything because of confidentiality and my Good Lady is somewhere with a poor phone signal, so all I can do is wait.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Morning all

Not much planned for today.
Might tidy my garage out and potter in the garden.
As the interest rate on savings is pathetically low, we've decided to put another 10 grand into premium bonds. OK, at worst we might lose £100 interest - at best we might win something.

Yes, this is a bitch of a problem. We currently generate about £14k interest pa from our FRB's and ISA's and, fortunately, most is shielded from the current rates on 3-5 year locks to 2022 - 2024. We have a low six figure sum between 2 Virgin Fixed Rate ISA's (currently @ 2.55%) that needs a home from the 24th of this month and are in a dither as to what to do with it.

RCI Bank, who we already have investments with, had a 7 year (!) FRB at 1.4% but their best right now is a 5 Year FRB at 1.0% which means that, at best, we will drop around £1800 pa interest on these two ISA's alone.

In all honestly it won't impact our lifestyle as we have other income streams and plenty of savings but it is frigging annoying that it has come to this pathetic state of affairs.

We've taken a look at PB's and have read up on various analysis of likely statistical outcomes and tbh none of them have exactly thrilled us at the prospects.

We are also loathe to expose any more investments to the vagaries of the markets (we have just under 10% of our total savings committed thus at the moment) as we are pretty risk adverse tbh.

I blame QE - central banks give retail banks lots of money to use and they no longer want Jo Public's money. I think they should only receive QE funds on the commitment that they offer JP sensible rates at the same time. Their differentials between QE rates and the rates they actually charge to their borrowing customers could easily withstand this imo.

***

And to make things worse; it is absolutely hissing down outside.

 

[numbnuts]

Morning all, the banging, tapping and drilling has started again, there is something to be said about living in a detached house, I've got it above, below and both sides..... Oh to win the lottery...........

 

[Tenkaykev]

Morning all, the banging, tapping and drilling has started again, there is something to be said about living in a detached house, I've got it above, below and both sides..... Oh to win the lottery...........

I've sometimes wondered if the technology used in noise cancelling earphones could be adapted to a room environment in some way.
The earphones from companies such as Bose, Sony and B+W is very effective and quite sophisticated, though I imagine controlling the immediate environment around your ears is far simpler than that of a room.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Morning all, the banging, tapping and drilling has started again, there is something to be said about living in a detached house, I've got it above, below and both sides..... Oh to win the lottery...........

Yes!

I was fortunate enough to have a detached house from age 25 to 36. Then I got divorced and had to live in a (rather lovely) oak beamed cottage with adjoining neighbours either side for 4 years - frigging nightmare tbh.

After 4 years I was back on my feet so to speak and bought a v.nice Lakeland bungalow that is very detached. Bliss! No more noisy neighbours and we can be as noisy as we like.

You have my sympathies.