Mortgage free in Forever Home :-)

Cheery_Daff

I can't remember the exact figures - it was something like the lump sum would have increased from 40k to 45k, and the annual from 8k to 9k, but obviously he'd have that amount annually for an extra 7 or 8 years or whatever

Brie

KajiKita said:

Thanks @Brie, all useful thoughts.
I think you are right about the standard age for the scheme being 65. 

It’s a bit of weird one as the scheme was owned by my then employer but they withdrew the DB pension as a benefit and moved all employees into a DC scheme. After a while the DB scheme was ‘sold’ to someone else. 

KK 

It was the standard progression for many companies.  After shutting the DB schemes the next step was to progressively downgrade the DC schemes so that they were just a bit better than nest.  

redofromstart

It was @Cheery_Daff saying about Mr Cheery taking early retirement with a lower reduction a few years back that set us off on checking rather than assuming on the figures for Mr Redo, always grateful for that.  He thoroughly enjoyed his early retirement. 

KajiKita

Decanted the smart tulip pots into plastic pots to carry on feeding the bulbs and left them by the compost heap before I clean them out in September and replant what I can. Retrieved the crocks and mesh I put in the bottom of them so they are now ready to take begonias or geraniums, depending on where they will be put. 

Got the last of the summer lily pots in the ground - that’s a job that has been looking at me for a while! 

Also, hoicked out a huuuuge dock that was just starting to flower in the sit spot bed. Not technically an OAT as I only noticed it yesterday, but it would have had catastrophic consequences if I hadn’t, so a preemptive strike! 😉

Did a quick run over the veggie patches that are in cultivation and cut the tops off all the bindweed that has surfaced yet again! 🙄🤷‍♀️

Very claggy and humid here so have given up for now. I did get to stick my nose in my first sweetpea of the year and honeysuckle 😊 ❤️ I’ve also had a good lot of time on the sofa with tapestry and ST Enterprise 😉😊

KK

SandyShores

We had rain this morning so its been a nice fresh day.  I popped into the garden, lopped a couple of untidy branches and tied up the climbing roses - getting heavy with so many buds.  My sweetpeas aren't even a foot high yet, so I have had to make do with smelling the roses - heavenly

DB pension - took mine at 55, perfect timing for a deposit to get us back onto the property ladder.  Similar to cheerydaff, I did the calculations and it wasn't a huge difference.  It was something like age 85 when I'd hit the point where it would have been better to delay.  But of course with house price rises I'm sure its been more beneficial in our circumstances to use it for a deposit.  I took max. lump sum so only have a small monthly pension that I'm taxed on, but its a nice bonus every month.

KajiKita

@greenbee, I checked my calendar today and realised I should have moved the candelabra primula seed tray to the fridge last weekend! 😳 Just moved it this evening! 😉 Mentioning it as I think you were sowing some on a similar timescale to me?

Kk

greenbee

Thanks @KajiKita - I guess I'd better look at mine to see whether they've done anything. I'm ignoring the seed trays as I have nicotiana and ragged robin that really need pricking out. 

I've topped up all the beds in the veg plot with manure/topsoil (the topsoil has a lot of stones in, but last year's compost had dried so hard I thought I the addition of soil (with worms) would be a good idea. And I've planted 7 courgette plants (probably far too many, but I won't take any out until I'm sure they'll survive). 

Irrigation systems are working. Pity they're all running off tap water. 

KajiKita

Well done on the irrigation systems, tap water or no @greenbee! Methinks you get the engineering award today! 👏 👷‍♀️ 

I would be wary of planting out tender things such as courgettes yet as we can still get frosts here until 3rd or 4th week of May. Do you have fleece at hand if needed?

KK

greenbee

We're past our last frost date now, and they've been outside at night in pots for all but the two coldest nights for over a week so I'm pretty sure they'll be OK - as long as I keep up with the watering!

As for the engineering, I really do need to get some help with the IBCs. I'm hoping the plumber will be able to help. 

KajiKita

Yesterday was long! Full day at work wandering around with a potential panel tester and two plumbers, a very rushed dinner (thank you Mr KK for the back up! ❤️) and then out to the Parish annual meeting followed by the Parish Council annual meeting. Emotions were running high about the green lane discussion - rather to my surprise we had parties from both sides of the debate. Unusually they were all able to share their views firmly, clearly but also politely in spite of the fact that one of the speakers outed themselves as being from outwith the parish and shouldn’t really have been there! It was quite intense! One of those evenings when you are proud to be British. 

The Chair thanked me when I got home for various interventions and support through the meeting. 😊

Looking forward to a quieter evening today though!! 😊

KK