Good morning everyone.    Hope you got on okay at the dentist Yogi.  I hate going too but I make myself get a check up every six months because I'm afraid I won't be on a dentist's list the one time I'm in real pain.

I've had a fun morning sorting through various cupboards and wardrobes bringing together all the clothing I've bought over the last 18 months for our cruise.  I couldn't believe how much I've got; so much so that I had forgotten much of it!!  I think I can safely say I have enough for every occasion.  

El Loro, I found your posts about the tax situation very interesting.  I know it's a bit of an impostion but do you know much about annuties?  My husband is thinking of taking his pension early because of all the uncertainty "out there".  He has been given a forecast by the company his pension fund is with but I feel we should be getting quotes from other sources to compare.  Any advice on where we should start, and what sort of questions we should be asking, would be much appreciated (if of course you have any interest in this field) 

Edit:  El Loro, I should have said, if you would prefer to send me a PM, rather than clogging up this lovely thread, then that would be great too. 

Joyron, you are right to see if you can get alternative quotes, or to see if there are other options besides taking out an annuity. Unfortunately I am not allowed to give any advice to people on this area as I would have to be regulated under the Financial Services Act. I can give advice on tax matters, but as soon as it becomes investment advice (which would cover this), I would be in serious trouble if I gave advice. It is frustrating because the likelyhood is that the only people who are allowed to give you advice, may be in line for a commission if they can convince you to go with them.

The problem with annuities is that once the level of annuity have been set, that's it. If you retire early you will get a lower annuity than if you retired later, because the annuity is paid for life. Also if the person getting the annuity lives longer than average, all to the good, but if they die earlier, then they have lost out.

You may be able to get up to 25% of the fund out as a tax free sum as the start of the annuity, but of course that would reduce the ongoing annuity.

Also annuities are taxable in the same way as employment is.

My thoughts exactly El Loro.  I think that's why the current holder of our pension pot is loathe to give out anymore information than they have to, in order to try and make us take the annuity from them!!!  Thank you for your comments.  I will pass them onto my husband.

Hello all. 
Trip to the dentist was pain-free and not too expensive. For the first time in decades, I didn't have white knuckles whilst having treatment.
I am persisting with the bananas, Squiggle - maybe more bananas are required.

Oh dear, we have slipped onto page 2!!!

Yogi, I have had SO many tomatoes this year I've had to give them away.  It seems my little patch at the front of the house, sheltered from the wind and rain and getting lots of sunshine (when the sun is out), has worked out really well.  It looks as though I will finish picking them just before we go away so that will work out just right. 

Hi all, what a lovely day its been here. Had the wee one for a few hours, she has ran me ragged

It sounds like you have found the ideal spot for your tomatoes, Joyron - well done. 

If mine don't ripen soon, I'll turn them into chutney.

Hi Skylark.

Morning all.
It's a bit foggy here today but sunshine is forecast for later on.

Morning everyone.    The sun is shining here and it's due to be another lovely day.  Off to the shops in a while but will be back later. 

Morning everyone, thanks to Yogi for rescuing our thread I hope its a lovely day for everyone, it was simply gorgeous yesterday.

Hubby is working away this weekend and he needs to take his laptop with him, so I probably won't be able to post here until Sunday night.

You are going to have start saving your pennies Yogi do you have a birthday coming up?  You gotta have a working laptop.  Incidentally Joyron will already know this but memory foam mattress toppers are brilliant, absolutely gorgeously comfortable.  Everyone should get one

Afternoon everyone.    We are back on page 2 again!!

Yogi, I hope you get your computer problems sorted out really soon.  Is there any possibility someone might be able to lend you an old "working" computer until you can get a new one?

Squiggle, I know when we spoke about the mattress toppers before I suggested you get one that covered both of your linked beds, so that you could have a really big bed.  Did you do that?

Hope to catch up later but if not will speak to you all again tomorrow. 

Joyron I just went for a single mattress topper because I still don't sleep in Alan's half.  If you remember we have adjustable beds so you tend to stay in your own half because obviously they are at different angles.  Also because its a 6ft, 3ft on my half is plenty.

As long as you are happy and comfortable that's all that matters Squiggle. 

We are back on page 2 again!!!

Hubby is on his way home so I won't be back again tonight.  Will catch up with you all tomorrow.  I've not watched much of the HL shows so I really don't care who goes in tonight.  The sooner it's all over the better, as far as I am concerned.  Love you all. 

Hello everyone.
Youngest son has gone out, so he said I could "borrow" his desktop computer for a wee while. Middle son says I can borrow his desktop one when he's at work, too. Bless them, they are good lads.
Mind you, they are aware that their mother might go totally without her regular forum fix.

A new record for Ben's Buddies, page 4   I think El Loro must be having trouble with his broadband again.  Good morning everyone, hope its a good day.

Morning Squiggle.   Hope you had another good night on your mattress topper!!  The sun is shining here again.  I believe I saw on the weather forecast that it could be raining down your way.

Yogi, so glad to here you have use of computers for the time being.  You really ought to ask hubby to treat you to a nice new one of your own!!

Will try and get back from time to time to bump the thread.  Have a good day whatever you are doing. 

Ooh Joyron my bed is so comfortable now, its a wonder I get out of it at all!! I think we have had the best of the weather now for this week.

Hi all   Not long out of bed

Good afternoon everyone. Another beautiful, sunny day up here.
Joyron, my laptop is just over a year old (and out of guarantee), so hubby might take quite a bit of persuading to buy me another one. I'm working on him, though.

Keep going Yogi.  I'm sure you can use your powers of persuasion on hubby and get that new computer.  It's really bad that your other one went wrong after such a short space of time.  Okay it was out of guarantee but we ought to be able to expect things to last a bit longer than that in this day and age!!!

Oh dear.  We are back on Page 2 again!!  Just one little bump before I sign out for the night.  Will catch up with you all tomorrow. 

Night night Buddies, catch up tomorrow.

Afternoon Squiggle.  Hope you are well.  It's not such nice weather here today but I suppose it was never going to last!!

No one else about today.  Not seen El Loro either.  I assume he's having more problems with his internet connection!!

Will try and get back later. 

Hi everyone

You have got it in one. The replacement router worked fine for a time, then on Thursday afternoon, the broadband connection failed again.

I got in touch again with Orange, and explained what had happened yet again. In the previous week when Orange agreed to send me the replacement router, the assistant was helpful and agreed that it was probable that rather than the existing router being the problem, his tests showed that it was more likely to be a problem with the test socket or the connection betwwen the telephone pole and my house. He agreed that an engineer would need to come if the router didn't work.

This time it was a different assistant. He was totally uninterested in what I had to say, did not accept that there was a problem and finished off by saying that he might discuss it with an engineer and they might decide to send one, but that I might get charged for it.

I was not impressed and told him that if this was not sorted out properly I would cancel my contract (I am out of the minimum tie in period). Needless to say I have heard nothing back. So I have arranged to switch to Virgin thus bypassing the BT line, test socket etc altogether. I have informed Orange of this and told them that it was as a direct result of this assistant's attitude.

I am also telling everyone that I know of Orange's attitude as that is more effective than just making a complaint which, unless they kept a recording of the two different phone conversations, would be difficult to prove.

As we have had some rain today, I think that corrosion, dirt or whatever, has been dislodged from my telephone line as at this immediate point in time I do have a connection.

But I will be very lucky if I am able to visit this forum ocer the next 1 to 2 weeks. So if you don't see me around, don't worry - I will be back.

And even whilst doing this posting, the connection failed. I came out of the forum, then it came back. So it really is dodgy.

I'll see you soon

Hello everyone.
I have the family visiting today for Sunday dinner, but I'll try to pop back later tonight.
El Loro, I hope you get your new broadband sorted out soon.

Quick bump for the thread.

Just a quick bump before I sign out for the night.  I'm also having real problems with my broadband connection today.  Been off line a lot of the time!!!  I'm changing my ISP provided in the next week or so.  My son says it's the ISP that's the problem!! 

Goodnight Joyron, I hope you get your internet problem sorted out.
Between me, with my laptop problems, and you and El Loro with your broadband difficulties, the thread is going to be a bit quiet.

Good morning all.
Weather forecast isn't very promising, there's rain on the way.
Squiggle, the banana thing seems to be working with the tomatoes - yay!

Morning , just put comp on to check how many millions i have in the bank!  Thought i would have a quick catch up while i was on . Got the wee one today, so that should keep me out of trouble

Hi to all, hugs to Yogi  and Skylark  (such early birds) Yogi how thrilling to think your tomatoes might ripen after all!  Its a grey and rainy day but are we downhearted?  (Wrong answer at the back there ) NO WE ARE NOT!!

Good morning everyone.    It's dull and dismal here too, although we don't have any rain.  Glad to hear the tomatoes are ripening Yogi.

Did watch the HL show last night and I thought the bits with Rex were quite funny.  Who do you think will go on Wednesday?

Will try and get back later. 

Rex was funny last night. He would have been a much better choice for UBB than nice but boring Preston.

I think Vanessa will probably go on Wednesday but I'm not sure whether it will be Michelle or Nick.

Morning Squiggle and Skylark.

I agree with you Yogi.  I think Vanessa will go.  I would prefer Nick to be the other one but I think it will probably be Michelle.

Quick hello whilst I've got a few minutes of broadband connection.
Hope everyone's OK and hope the rain isn't too bad down where you are squiggle, the wetaher forecast looks rather wet down there. (And in Gloucester area we are scheduled to get a good 2 inches later afternoon and throughout the evening - pink and red colours on the Met Office for this area, rather the the more normal blue, green and yellow colours which means we too will be getting drenched).

I'll post this now as the router lights went off for a time but are OK at present. (I seem to be able to get a connection from time to time to get my email and to make a brief posting here)

See you soon

Nice to hear from you El Loro, hope the broadband gets sorted out soon, we have had a lot of rain here today but hopefully the forecast is slightly better for tomorrow.