Bold leap into retirement

SouthCoastBoy

german_keeper said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

cfw1994 said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

It is a little table 12 columns and 5 years, I tick it at the end of each month that I manage to stay at work, the last year is coloured gold.  I have a little P/T tag for when I want to reduce hours but that moves every time I tot up my savings.  I have my end date that I will be chuffed to reach.  I am pretty much to the point where I will do what I chuffing like at work, so long as I meet the targets they can sod any 'developmental' or 'learning opportunity' tripe.   Sarahspangles said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

I have my chuff chart that I have been filling in since my last (toxic) line manager in 2022, have a new manager but the corporate stuff just leaves me demotivated and bored. 

Ooh, what’s a chuff chart and do I need one? Is it for when ‘I’ll do what I chuffing well like”?

I’ve only heard Chuff Chart as a military phrase: was that where you used it originally?
I had a taskbar app that counted down, so all my zooms in my final 6 months or so had a number discretely hidden at the bottom.  Don’t think anybody else noticed it!

Smudgeismydog said:

@SouthCoastBoy, we are cheering you on from the sidelines, waiting for when you feel ready to join us

Indeed!
Come on in, the water is warm 😎
It absolutely is a mindset change, but one that affords so much flexibility.
We’ve spent time since Christmas helping a friend who had a hip replacement (gentle walks, nice lunches, chats), & this week we acted as witnesses for a pair of old pals who got a civil partnership (“Secure the Widows/Widowers Pension Day”🤣), & with the sudden warmer weather, I had a great 30-mile bike ride with a mate yesterday, all decided the day before “because we could”.

That's the benefit of retirement, being able to make last minute decisions, and just enjoying life

Me and the missus had no real plans for today but have just decided to take advantage of the glorious sunshine and have a little walk. Drive the few miles down to Lytham, a nice stroll through Green Drive, Lytham Hall Grounds and Witch Wood.

Then onto the County for a bite to eat from the £8.25 for a meal and a drink menu, extra quid for alcoholic drink. Good food and decent size portions too. Also extra quid for phillysteak sandwich and chips so as I walk I will muse over my big dilemma of the day. Gammon and chips and a pint of Coors for £9.25 or the phillysteak and chips and a pint at £10.25.

It's tough going this retirement malarkey.

  

Sounds great to me. Personally I would go for steak and non alcoholic drink. Are you a Bert trautmann fan?

bjorn_toby_wilde

It’s wonderful when you can look outside and say “it’s a beautiful day. Let’s go for a walk” instead of “it’s a beautiful day. I wish I could go for a walk”

I also can’t resist the schadenfreude when I hear neighbours scraping the car at 7:00 on a freezing morning as I lie in bed with a cup of tea 😁

german_keeper

SouthCoastBoy said:

german_keeper said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

cfw1994 said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

It is a little table 12 columns and 5 years, I tick it at the end of each month that I manage to stay at work, the last year is coloured gold.  I have a little P/T tag for when I want to reduce hours but that moves every time I tot up my savings.  I have my end date that I will be chuffed to reach.  I am pretty much to the point where I will do what I chuffing like at work, so long as I meet the targets they can sod any 'developmental' or 'learning opportunity' tripe.   Sarahspangles said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

I have my chuff chart that I have been filling in since my last (toxic) line manager in 2022, have a new manager but the corporate stuff just leaves me demotivated and bored. 

Ooh, what’s a chuff chart and do I need one? Is it for when ‘I’ll do what I chuffing well like”?

I’ve only heard Chuff Chart as a military phrase: was that where you used it originally?
I had a taskbar app that counted down, so all my zooms in my final 6 months or so had a number discretely hidden at the bottom.  Don’t think anybody else noticed it!

Smudgeismydog said:

@SouthCoastBoy, we are cheering you on from the sidelines, waiting for when you feel ready to join us

Indeed!
Come on in, the water is warm 😎
It absolutely is a mindset change, but one that affords so much flexibility.
We’ve spent time since Christmas helping a friend who had a hip replacement (gentle walks, nice lunches, chats), & this week we acted as witnesses for a pair of old pals who got a civil partnership (“Secure the Widows/Widowers Pension Day”🤣), & with the sudden warmer weather, I had a great 30-mile bike ride with a mate yesterday, all decided the day before “because we could”.

That's the benefit of retirement, being able to make last minute decisions, and just enjoying life

Me and the missus had no real plans for today but have just decided to take advantage of the glorious sunshine and have a little walk. Drive the few miles down to Lytham, a nice stroll through Green Drive, Lytham Hall Grounds and Witch Wood.

Then onto the County for a bite to eat from the £8.25 for a meal and a drink menu, extra quid for alcoholic drink. Good food and decent size portions too. Also extra quid for phillysteak sandwich and chips so as I walk I will muse over my big dilemma of the day. Gammon and chips and a pint of Coors for £9.25 or the phillysteak and chips and a pint at £10.25.

It's tough going this retirement malarkey.

  

Sounds great to me. Personally I would go for steak and non alcoholic drink. Are you a Bert trautmann fan?

Yes indeed steak it was with a pint of Coors. Very nice too. The soft drinks are large, 18 fl oz pepsi max for Mrs GK. So great value all round. Also managed to pick up a paperback for a quid in Lytham Hall fund raising shop so that's next week in Tenerife sorted.

Sorry, not getting the Bert Trautmann reference, I know he broke his neck in the Cup Final and played on and I think he fought for t'other side in the war but that's about it.

QrizB

german_keeper said:

Sorry, not getting the Bert Trautmann reference, I know he broke his neck in the Cup Final and played on and I think he fought for t'other side in the war but that's about it.

Your screen name, "german keeper".

SouthCoastBoy

german_keeper said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

german_keeper said:

SouthCoastBoy said:

cfw1994 said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

It is a little table 12 columns and 5 years, I tick it at the end of each month that I manage to stay at work, the last year is coloured gold.  I have a little P/T tag for when I want to reduce hours but that moves every time I tot up my savings.  I have my end date that I will be chuffed to reach.  I am pretty much to the point where I will do what I chuffing like at work, so long as I meet the targets they can sod any 'developmental' or 'learning opportunity' tripe.   Sarahspangles said:

MayDogsandCoffee said:

I have my chuff chart that I have been filling in since my last (toxic) line manager in 2022, have a new manager but the corporate stuff just leaves me demotivated and bored. 

Ooh, what’s a chuff chart and do I need one? Is it for when ‘I’ll do what I chuffing well like”?

I’ve only heard Chuff Chart as a military phrase: was that where you used it originally?
I had a taskbar app that counted down, so all my zooms in my final 6 months or so had a number discretely hidden at the bottom.  Don’t think anybody else noticed it!

Smudgeismydog said:

@SouthCoastBoy, we are cheering you on from the sidelines, waiting for when you feel ready to join us

Indeed!
Come on in, the water is warm 😎
It absolutely is a mindset change, but one that affords so much flexibility.
We’ve spent time since Christmas helping a friend who had a hip replacement (gentle walks, nice lunches, chats), & this week we acted as witnesses for a pair of old pals who got a civil partnership (“Secure the Widows/Widowers Pension Day”🤣), & with the sudden warmer weather, I had a great 30-mile bike ride with a mate yesterday, all decided the day before “because we could”.

That's the benefit of retirement, being able to make last minute decisions, and just enjoying life

Me and the missus had no real plans for today but have just decided to take advantage of the glorious sunshine and have a little walk. Drive the few miles down to Lytham, a nice stroll through Green Drive, Lytham Hall Grounds and Witch Wood.

Then onto the County for a bite to eat from the £8.25 for a meal and a drink menu, extra quid for alcoholic drink. Good food and decent size portions too. Also extra quid for phillysteak sandwich and chips so as I walk I will muse over my big dilemma of the day. Gammon and chips and a pint of Coors for £9.25 or the phillysteak and chips and a pint at £10.25.

It's tough going this retirement malarkey.

  

Sounds great to me. Personally I would go for steak and non alcoholic drink. Are you a Bert trautmann fan?

Yes indeed steak it was with a pint of Coors. Very nice too. The soft drinks are large, 18 fl oz pepsi max for Mrs GK. So great value all round. Also managed to pick up a paperback for a quid in Lytham Hall fund raising shop so that's next week in Tenerife sorted.

Sorry, not getting the Bert Trautmann reference, I know he broke his neck in the Cup Final and played on and I think he fought for t'other side in the war but that's about it.

Sounds like a good day. As QrizB mentions, your id being german_keeper.

german_keeper

Of course, it's obvious now, no idea why it didn't twig.

My username is about a very good mate, who I played football with for many years, who was sadly taken by cancer in 1997 at the age of 37. His dad was a German POW who ended up working on a local farm, formed a lifelong friendship with the farmer, married a local girl, had a son and lived the rest of his life in our small town.

He was a fantastic goalkeeper but only about 5 foot 7; the running joke with the lads was that if he had been 6 foot plus he would probably have played for England........... or maybe Germany! One year he won the player of the year trophy, one of many that he won. The lads demanded an acceptance speech, to which he replied: as you know I am a man of few words, but of course I am very proud to win this award. So proud in fact that it will have pride of place in the family trophy cabinet next to my dad's runner's up medal from the war. 

Dunky62

Excellent!!   A German with a sense of humour!

nicknameless

Probably nobody will recall my previous posts.  Anyhow, have applied for vol redundancy and should hear something in the next 4-6 weeks.  Package would mean financials are easy to go sometime middle of this year.  Without it the numbers still work but with slightly less leeway of course.  Mentally I think I am already out of the door and motivation is at an all time low.  Oscillating between nerves and excitement.  Not looking forward to informing staff and close team members - they are all I am bothered about in the workplace now.

Identity shift may be an issue, or may not - seriously have no clue.

Current plans post retirement are simply to unwind, get used to things and focus on fitness which is one of my main hobbies already.  I've started a suggestions box at home for things to focus on post D-Day.

Lots of carp going on elsewhere in life presently and so work is already down the agenda.

I will be 54 later this year and my partner 55.  She is already saying how things at work are more like water off a duck's back as she knows she is going.  I'm suffering remorse from lack of motivation and feeling like I'm not pulling my weight.  Ridiculous really.

Wish me and the vol redundancy outcome luck lol.

Smudgeismydog

Morning @nicknameless,

I remember your previous posts, wishing you lots of luck with the voluntary redundancy.

I completely understand the mixture of emotions, it’s a big decision, and represents a huge change for you both. I am sure you are continuing to perform your job conscientiously, so stop beating yourself up.

I have been meeting up with people I became close to in work every month for a cuppa, or walk and lunch. Yes, we do talk about work, but we talk about so much more, and our friendships have become deeper. There is no reason you can’t stay in touch with the people you would like to.

Please let us know how the voluntary redundancy works out.

Phossy

QrizB said:

german_keeper said:

Sorry, not getting the Bert Trautmann reference, I know he broke his neck in the Cup Final and played on and I think he fought for t'other side in the war but that's about it.

Your screen name, "german keeper".

I just assumed it was about a love of Alsatians