How much to live on

helensbiggestfan

Smudgeismydog said:

helensbiggestfan said:

Tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of my husbands death.  Always a bittersweet time for me.  Relieved that his suffering came to an end, but still miss him, more than words can say.  

The thing about losing a life partner is not just losing someone who meant the world to you, it's that your whole world changes.  Your future is not the one you had envisaged and planned for.  That is especially true when it comes to retirement.  I'm just glad he got to tick so many of the items on his bucket list. 

He had always wanted to go to China. One day I impulsively booked his dream trip without telling him. I just surprised him when he got home from work. His face was a picture.  That was 2002.  In 2005 he got sick.  If we had waited "just a few more years" he might never have made it. 

The moral of the story.......don't put your lives on hold, waiting for "when" because "when" might never come.  

I’m so sorry
You are absolutely right in terms of not waiting for the right time, or saving things ‘for best’.

Get out there and live!
I am so glad to hear your booked that dream trip and had the opportunity to enjoy that together.

Thank you.  It gets easier with time.......

One of my other mantras.......,

" Buy the shoes, take the trip, eat the cake"........😂

carboot_karaoke

helensbiggestfan said:

Smudgeismydog said:

helensbiggestfan said:

Tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of my husbands death.  Always a bittersweet time for me.  Relieved that his suffering came to an end, but still miss him, more than words can say.  

The thing about losing a life partner is not just losing someone who meant the world to you, it's that your whole world changes.  Your future is not the one you had envisaged and planned for.  That is especially true when it comes to retirement.  I'm just glad he got to tick so many of the items on his bucket list. 

He had always wanted to go to China. One day I impulsively booked his dream trip without telling him. I just surprised him when he got home from work. His face was a picture.  That was 2002.  In 2005 he got sick.  If we had waited "just a few more years" he might never have made it. 

The moral of the story.......don't put your lives on hold, waiting for "when" because "when" might never come.  

I’m so sorry
You are absolutely right in terms of not waiting for the right time, or saving things ‘for best’.

Get out there and live!
I am so glad to hear your booked that dream trip and had the opportunity to enjoy that together..

One of my other mantras.......,

" Buy the shoes, take the trip, eat the cake"........😂

I  love this 😂.  Might have to borrow it for my mse signature.  

I'm so glad you booked the trip to China, memories are priceless.  

I hope tomorrow isnt to painful for you x

helensbiggestfan

Be my guest.  Borrow away.  

Thanks. We'll be having a gathering of the clans tomorrow to celebrate his memory.  No doubt glasses will be raised in his honour. 🥂 my eldest son is cooking. 

Tonight  I shall watch "Rush"  - the film about James Hunt and Nikki Laudas battle for the 1976 championship.  My husband was a huge formula 1 fan.  (I bought him the chance to drive an F1 car at Donnington Race Track for his 40th birthday). He loved it.  

 He greatly admired Nikki Lauda for his courage after the accident.   It's a great film.  I watch it every year as a tribute to my husband.  Chris Hemsworth is perfect as James Hunt. Easy on the eye too.  Lol 

sonny55

I just want to send you 💚🌻
your posts are so lovely and positive 
I really enjoy them 
you should take up writing as a sideline 

helensbiggestfan

Thank you.  You're very kind.  

I wanted to be a journalist, was even offered a traineeship on our local rag when I left school (my English teacher pulling strings lol). . However my dad wouldn't let me take it, because trainees didn't get paid much and I wouldn't be able to contribute to the family coffers.  

I ended up working at British Rail for my first job.  A kind neighbour worked there and got me an interview.  Again nepotism working in my favour.  Deadly boring but they did pay for day release so I took full advantage and finally managed to get a few qualifications under my belt.  In those days BR paid 2/6d extra a week (£0.25) for every exam you passed.  Needless to say I sat and passed as many exams as I could.  Lol.  

I am in the process of writing my memoirs......... whilst I can still remember it all.  

Albermarle

helensbiggestfan said:

QrizB said:

helensbiggestfan said:

not sure if Asda in the U.K. are still part of Walmart. I think it was a short lived experiment and they might have parted ways again.  Anyway if you search you tube for "People of Walmart" there are some very eye opening videos featuring Walmart Shoppers.  😉

Walmart bought ASDA for £6.7bn in 1999, and sold it in 2021 for £6.8bn. Not a great return on investment there.

The current owners are private equity orgs who financed the purchase through loans and asset stripping. ASDA is losing market share and it's not yet clear whether this gamble is going to pay off.

Thanks for the Asda update.  I agree it does seem to be in a state of decline. 

In recent months they have launched a price rollback campaign.
I think they are now the cheapest for a large basket of goods, which are mainly household brand names ( as opposed to what you mainly get in Lidl/Aldi) .
This will maybe stabilise their market share at least.

helensbiggestfan

That's interesting.  Might help.  

Apart from having to share a shopping experience with people dressed in their nightwear which is bad enough, (yes I'm an outrageous snob, lol)  I also dislike the fact that our local ASDA  never has enough manned tills.  

Call me old fashioned and bloody minded but I refuse to check out my own groceries.  Although to be fair both our local Lidl and Aldi have also introduced self service checkouts.  

I know it's all about efficiency and cost cutting. I know I am swimming against the tide on this one but I do miss old fashioned service.  I am just an old dinosaur. 🦕

Organgrinder

Albermarle said:

helensbiggestfan said:

QrizB said:

helensbiggestfan said:

not sure if Asda in the U.K. are still part of Walmart. I think it was a short lived experiment and they might have parted ways again.  Anyway if you search you tube for "People of Walmart" there are some very eye opening videos featuring Walmart Shoppers.  😉

Walmart bought ASDA for £6.7bn in 1999, and sold it in 2021 for £6.8bn. Not a great return on investment there.

The current owners are private equity orgs who financed the purchase through loans and asset stripping. ASDA is losing market share and it's not yet clear whether this gamble is going to pay off.

Thanks for the Asda update.  I agree it does seem to be in a state of decline. 

In recent months they have launched a price rollback campaign.
I think they are now the cheapest for a large basket of goods, which are mainly household brand names ( as opposed to what you mainly get in Lidl/Aldi) .
This will maybe stabilise their market share at least.

According to "Which" yes they are.

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/supermarkets/article/supermarket-price-comparison-aPpYp9j1MFin

Although the different rewards apps could change the ranking. Eg Tesco clubcard plus would reduce the cost of the large shop by 10% (provided you did 2 X £200 shops....max £40 less the £7.99 subscription).

sheilavw

Thinking of you tomorrow Helen x

helensbiggestfan

Thanks Sheila.  The red letter days - holidays, anniversaries etc can be a bit difficult to navigate sometimes.  Usually I prefer to be alone and just spend the day in quiet contemplation but this year my family seem to want to make it a "thing". 

I have noticed that as the years pass and my sons have gotten older they seem to miss their father more  and more.  I think they feel the lack of a fathers wisdom and guidance as they navigate their way through life.  My eldest son particularly feels it now that he is a parent himself.  

They are 39 and 41 so maybe it's mid life crisis time. Bless their cotton socks. They do confide in me and I do my best to give them good counsel but it's not the same as "Dad Wisdom". 

It's a beautiful sturgeon moon tonight, just like the one on the night my husband died.  The sky looks wonderful.  I am hoping the skies remain clear for  the Perseids meteor shower on August 12th.  We aren't dazzled by streetlights here so I'm hoping for a good view this year.