The Retirement Thread

[gavroche]

The last time I went to the beach was 2nd December 2019

You haven't missed a thing. Still the same water.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Kev (or may I call you Tenkay).
Am I correct in thinking you don't have a car?

Yes, that's correct but it is a bit of a tale.
Being born and brought up in Birmingham I never felt the need to own a car, the public transport was excellent and there was even an all night bus service.
I worked ( briefly ) at Longbridge " The Austin" as it was known colloquially, and must own up to lending a hand in the production of the masterpiece of design and engineering that was the Austin Allegro.

When I moved to Poole I met the future Mrs Tenkay, she did own a car but I was happy to either get a bus or more often than not, just run to places ( I had a small backpack with a towel, deodorant and a change of clothes )
I did learn to drive and passed my test but decided that it was not for me.

Mrs Tenkay never really enjoyed driving, it was just shopping trips and the occasional holiday. I'd either run or walk to work and Mrs Tenkay preferred to cycle, so when our daughter moved out last year we were happy to let her take the car, with a young daughter she had far more need for it than we did and that's how we became a no car family.
We tend to shop locally, if there's a bigger shop then Mrs Tenkay will take her Roberts with panniers, it's a bit heavy as it has a Rohloff hub but it is a reliable workhorse.
So, for us, it is working very well, there's always home deliveries should the need arise and we usually travel by train when we go on holiday ( and Poole is a ferry Port should we wish to visit La Belle France or further afield.)

Or, to put it more succinctly, Yes to both questions

 

[Tenkaykev]

The last time I went to the beach was 2nd December 2019

Your Forum photo doesn't do you justice Numbnuts, I thought you were going to say 6th June 1944

 

[PaulSB]

@gavroche I'm with you, it's still summer and all year I do what I can to avoid putting the central heating on. I don't like the dry atmosphere it creates or spending the money.

@Tenkaykev I like your car post. It wouldn't work in our house but wish it could.

 

[pawl]

During, really. Not very nice but lots of snow to clean off with.

Reminds of the old rule when wild camping in the snow re melting snow on the camping stove .Beware the yellow snow.

 

[PaulSB]

How I wish I had a creative mind. Could have made a fortune. How about this for ingenuity? Someone has had this idea, designed it, manufactured and sold it.

Locally I see appearing on the nozzle/handle end of petrol pump hoses a clip on dispenser which contains thin plastic envelopes. Pull one out, slip on your hand and then pick up the nozzle.

Genius.

 

[welsh dragon]

I lived in Birmingham for about 30 years and although I passed my test decades ago we never needed a car as the bus service was so good and we also shopped locally.

But once we decided to move to Wales, we needed a car to look around and living very rurally with a terrible bus service, we can't live without one. I am the driver. Mr WD never took a test.

I quite like driving out here. It's no hassle at all although there are always 1 or 2 idiots.

 

[pawl]

Since I can remember we have not "done" bank holidays. Our memories of either going away for the weekend or just going out for the day are........traffic jams.
So for many many years we have just let the world get on with it.
We would often put the evening news on just to see the traffic queues though

Happy days😖😖Like you gave up going to any tourists traps on bank holidays

 

[Domus]

Oh no, post has just arrived, big A4 white envelope addressed to me..................McCarthy & Stone retirement homes brochure.

 

[gavroche]

Oh no, post has just arrived, big A4 white envelope addressed to me..................McCarthy & Stone retirement homes brochure.

Funny, just got one as well this morning and straight into the bin.

 

[pawl]

Some years ago when I had my first car I made the mistake of trying to get to Bourton On The Water on an August bank holiday Monday, we eventually gave up and ended up in a crammed Stratford On Avon, since then we've planned trips the week end before or the week end after.

It must have been two or three years ago we went up to Chesterfield bank holiday market Decided to com back. Via Matlock for a fish and chip lunch.Big mistake Took an hour to get through Matlock All the car Parks full Did find a chippy in a small village Lesson learned

 

[numbnuts]

But once we decided to move to Wales, we needed a car to look around and living very rurally with a terrible bus service, we can't live without one. I am the driver. Mr WD never took a test.

I quite like driving out here. It's no hassle at all although there are always 1 or 2 idiots.

I thought you said he could drive.....................................................you round the bend

 

[welsh dragon]

I thought you said he could drive.....................................................you round the bend

He could, he just never took a driving test.

As i said above, he never took a test, not that he couldn't drive.

 

[ColinJ]

Oh no, post has just arrived, big A4 white envelope addressed to me..................McCarthy & Stone retirement homes brochure.

Well, at least it wasn't for funeral plans... Once I got to 60 I started getting them regularly and also brochures for care homes etc.!

 

[oldwheels]

Just had a long fight with UPS who redirected me to Yodel who would not recognise the tracking number of a missing parcel which UPS said delivery attempted but now I would have to collect from an unknown depot. Yodel refused to tell me the name of the local carrier. Five minutes search found the carrier who confirmed that they had the parcel and no attempt had been made to deliver but due to backlog would not get to me until next week. The local carrier said there had been a lot of people getting false messages from UPS.