If the wind/waves are up, the Inland Sea is always calmer and a pretty safe bet for a paddle. Make sure the tide is in, it’s very shallow, and stay away from the bridges at either end, where the tide runs rapidly though pipes. Launch next to the bridge at Four Mile Bridge (SH280783).

Got one from Productcodes recently, redeemed through MS website, all good.

Should have read the reviews before going, went expecting In Bruges II, it’s definitely not.
I still thought it was very good, but the Mrs described as the most depressing film she’s seen in a good while.

My Pension pot is down about 12% this year, but still well above the target retirement fund projected for me 15 years or so ago. ISA losses nearer 20%, but still in the green.

Guess it’s taken the edge off my plans and expect many folk get reservations about taking the jump when the time comes, and for me walking away from a relatively secure and well paid job.

A little worried that we’re clearly not yet at the bottom of the current slump and who knows where prices are heading, but just wondered if others are adjusting their plans?

So anyone nearing retirement had a change of heart given the year we’ve had so far?

I was planning to give up work at 55 later this year, currently consulting HR about reducing my hours instead, in the hope that things settle down sooner rather than later and I can safely stop altogether.

If you’re looking for something a bit more upmarket, Lovage in Bakewell is excellent. Chef was on Great British Menu, so not cheap, but the one visit we’ve had so far was really fab.

The problem with most freely available calculators is they’re very basic, all assume you either want a fixed income or to rise with inflation, haven’t found one yet that has a tapering option, yet most folk agree they’d be happy with less disposable income as they get older.

Going back to the question of how to drawdown your pension, I’m trying to model some scenarios.

If I understand the 4% rule, you set an annual drawdown income at retirement, adjusting up for inflation in subsequent years. As has been mentioned though, most expect to want more money in the early years of retirement and less as we age, so could be more interesting to taper your drawdown in some way.

Just some basic excel stuff atm, taking out a larger percentage (let’s say 7% annually), but applying this to the value of the remaining pension fund each year, ie. -previous years drawdown and +any investment gains, seems to achieve that tapered income and still spins out the pot to give a potentially adequate income in 40+ years (assuming a state pension also kicks in at some point).

Anyone else come up with alternate ways of drawing down?

Anyone in a similar situation ??

Was in that situation a few years ago when you could retire at 50, which was my pipedream. When the government upped it to 55 I took out ISA’s to fund the 5 years between, but it’s difficult to keep your hands off money in ISA’s…

Dark Peak Nessh, and get that extra warm feeling of providing a warm coat to someone homeless…

Used to get it from M&S too, Sainsbury’s version pretty much identical…

Cambridge Mask here. Basic mask FFP2 and Pro FFP3, pretty comfy to wear over long periods, includes a headstrap to reduce ear chaffing, do have a valve, but think they are still supplying a valve deactivator with all masks currently.

Sticking with the cheese theme, Scandi inspired cheese and marmalade here, partial to a double gloucester myself…

And, a bit more ‘bike’, Oggy Holmes doing his own bit from the Cas lads…
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/o-holmes?fbclid=IwAR2sl3y8mvl7oAJlge4XBEsDI3oEIufNfxNgCTQ-o-RUvQm3G7mmECMy9VI
#COYF

They dropped a nice video of Island earlier too… <clicky>

<clicky>
<clicky>

Not bought online, but always make a point of visiting Kallin Shellfish in the Western Isles, when we’re out that way, best crab I’ve ever had! I remember they claimed to ship unfrozen with 24 delivery in some kind of coolpack, can’t seem to find the detail on the website right now, but this would be an important consideration for me, much better if it’s not been frozen.

Otherwise, depending on where you are, we use Holmfirth Fresh Fish, who drop by our door every couple of weeks with a van full of goodies!

Skyscanner

Few good deals in Tesco last night, most notable was Ardbeg 10 at £27, but decent discounts on Jura, Laphroaig and Highland Park too…

Lots of very useful info in this thread also.
Trip didn’t come off for us yet…

Don’t actually have these yet <Clicky>, so can’t recommend from personal experience, but they looked good enough to convince me to back them. You might still be able to get onboard?

Had root canal work done on Monday, didn’t hurt as much as expected…

A really important point is in an inflatable YOU WILL GET WET.

Not so, see Gumotex Seawave above, with optional cockpit(s) and spraydecks, it’s as dry as any rigid kayak.

Again, think you have covered the +/-‘s well.

A slightly different perspective on inflatables, depending on your budget. We have a Gumotex Seawave. Can be used with or without a deck, can be configured for 1-3 people, though 3 would require 1 to be a child I suspect (never tried), might be possible to get enough gear in with 2 people for an overnighter (again never tried).

We added a rudder, which means tracking is a doddle, and we’ve used it in a moderately choppy sea off Anglesey, where the tides can also run fairly rapidly at times, with no significant issues (bit of hard work required at times in a current, but never felt unsafe).

Packability was the no.1 requirement for us, hence the inflatable, but it’s really not a big deal to get it in/deflated, though sometimes leave it inflated and lash to the car roof, if I’m being lazy.

There’s a campsite around 1 mile to the left of that picture above (Horgabost), right on the beach front, one not to miss…

Hear them regularly from our house too, occasionally seen if you do try to ‘talk’ to them. Lots of Beech trees here attracting rodents, which in turn…

See someone already mentioned Glendronach above, 15YO Revival would fit the Christmas Cake bill pretty well.

https://www.glendronachdistillery.com/en-gb/our-whisky/revival-aged-15-years/

Assuming they’re still in business at Christmas, Patisserie Valerie are the best I’ve had, and I have done extensive testing…

Always open the rugby threads (once anyway) in the forlorn hope there might be other Leaguers in here… 🙁

We just returned from a weekend there & not sure I would recommend it.  We spent >£60 for two nights there. The walk from our pitch to the toilet block and back again was 1,200 steps and we were not in the furthest away field either – Not much fun at 7am! The toilet blocks  had 8 pages of a4 laminated rules & notices stuck on the walls and the staff were not exactly the friendliest bunch.

Fair enough, haven’t been for a while to be fair, but I’d rather this than the free for all that is Coniston Hall. Last time I was there, there were large groups on the pop until early hours, music blasting out of car stereos etc.

Or the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Keswick, right on the shore of Derwent Water.

FreeFileSync used here.

The Curry Sauce Company are about the best I’ve found, you can find them in some shops, deli’s etc. or order online if not.

P87 used to be the HMRC form to claim tax relief on expenses, if I remember correctly.

If anyone fancies pushing the boat out a bit this Christmas, 17-year old Doublewood is on Amazon at £72. If you like a Balvenie, you’ll love this one…

Percy Nobleman matt paste here. Very good hold once set, but I tend to scrub it out a bit once dry, just because I don’t like the crispy dried gel sort of feel. Key is not to use too much of it though.

They also make a matt clay, but for me this one leaves hair feeling a bit greasy, so only used when I have a shorter cut.

I bought a bottle of Winter’s Gold after it was recommended on here several times, but honestly I didn’t care much for it, tasted very young and lacking in flavour to me.

Nobody ever seems to mention Monkey Shoulder on here, I know it’s probably not ‘exclusive’ enough for some, being a blend, but if you like Speysides (it contains both Balvenie and Glenfiddich) it’s a lovely simple, smooth and cheap dram.

PHD Winter Sale started this week. Minumus Jacket/Pullover is superb.

More great photo’s and advice, really helps a lot, thanks all 😀

Last couple of questions.

We were looking to visit first 2 weeks of September, but understand it’s Labour Day on the first Monday, September 3rd next year. Is that weekend just going to be mad busy then, are we better going a week later?

If we did though, we’d be on Vancouver Island from 14th Sept, is that too late in the season? Looks like a few of the kayaking companies have dates up to very early September, but not beyond, so wondering if they are starting to shut down for the winter by then?