A place to have a chat.

Hi Ian.

Brilliant PSA result, mate, and fantastic news regarding life returning down below. It doesn't seem a year since your op. Doesn't time fly when you're  enjoying yourself. I shall have a pint or two to celebrate your good health.🍻

Great shooting too 🔫. I'd expect nothing less from an old soldier. 🙂 Did you use a telescopic site?

I had awful problems with rats burrowing around my pond. They were crapping everywhere and presenting a hazard to the grandkids. I ended up locating the exits and entrances, blocked off all, bar one, poured in some petrol and whoosh! It solved the problem but I did singe my eyebrows. 🙂

Edited by member 19 Jun 2025 at 06:45  | Reason: Additional text

Right lads, I'd love to stay for a pint, but keep getting that sodding error 502 message every time I try and post more than a few words, so i'll be back later.

Morning all,

Received this update on our tech issues:

” Hi Ian,

Yeah Coriander and other spices do work rather well. And the curries and chillies are tasteable. used up a whole jar of wholegrain mustard in two days - could taste it a bit just not enough, branston pickle equivalents working well too. 
Solo camping went well - just squeezed the scooter into the back of the van. Stayed away for a couple of nights to check van out and had ride out on scoot. Was nice and peaceful and just read book and listed to music. Damn, I'm missing the alcohol though.
3rd Chemo today, went well again but had the weirdest co-oincidence. Sat there on the chair being filled up (my chemo drip takes 2 hours not 1 cos of the bad reaction I got the first time).
Lady comes and sits next to me with another lady sitting next to her, I noticed at first that the lady sitting next to her wasn't the "relative" type - was a bit formal - so started eavesdropping and the chemo lady starts talking about being moved from T Wing! So I learn forward and say I work at Foston Hall, is that where you are from? And she is! and thats an Officer with her. Considering there's about only about 350 inmates at Foston Hall - I don't know what the chances are of one of them having cancer and sitting next to me at the same time I'm getting mine.

Good luck with your 3rd chemo Al, I remember going through the same doing the cold cap to try save my hair. My chemos were done on a bus in the local supermarket car park, which was quite handy.

Anyway, rabbit update. Great minds think alike Kev I have most of my stuff covered in nets. And for the area where my peas are, I’ve fenced in with chicken wire. So the rabbits have gone back to their drawing board 😬.

Last thing, for anyone who uses Booking.com, be very careful and watch out for a scam. I booked a pub some time ago and paid in full. Then I got bombarded with emails purportedly from the pub via booking.com asking me to verify my details and with credit card. They look real and I very nearly fell for it. I reported it for what it’s worth and googling it I can see that this scam is rife. You’ve really got to keep your wits about you these days 🤓.

Going to the gee gees this weekend 🏇.

All the best

Spongebob

Hi MGOR,

We've 'spoken' many times before. Welcome to the virtual pub. I'm delighted you've popped in.

I retired many years ago. I'm not in to travelling and spend most of my time in the garden, watching sport on TV or childminding the grandkids. I love having a pint, which I can do whilst while I'm gardening, watching TV or looking after the grandkids. 🙂

I left a job, which I loved for the first ten years, managed to tolerate, for the middle decade, and hated for the last ten years. So I was not sorry to pack in work. 

I thoroughly enjoy retirement. Just relaxing and watching my garden and waist line grow and spending far too much time on here. 🙂

🎶 I'm busy doing nothing. Working the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do. I'm busy going nowhere, isn't it such a crime. I'd like to feel unhappy but I never can find the time. 🎶

Edited by member 26 Jun 2025 at 09:12  | Reason: Typo

If I spend more time in this virtual pub then I’ll be p****d and unable to remember anyway! That’s good advice to get on with retirement and forget work. 3 months to go….

Ady,

Yep did my 30 years and had enough after I spent the last few in training where I saw the erosion of standards get to a level I couldn't stomach.

In 1988 we had to run a mile and a half in 12 minutes, do 20 press ups, 20 sit ups, a grip strength test and a standing 6 foot jump. The training was very military based; residential in a billet of other recruits, with marching, uniform and room inspections, pointless punishments that actually built fitness and character. 

Fast forward to today.  No fitness requirement as it can upset recruits to fail some obscure metric that doesn't take into consideration individual limitations. No military style training so marching, parades and uniform inspection went out the window. Residential centres were closed and recruits attended training from the comfort of home, some vibe dropped off by mum or dad each morning   and they still managed to be late!

Remember, the ex forces guys who went through the same training as me said it was so watered down compared to actual military training that it was like falling off a log to them. 

Written work is not checked anymore, in fact every piece of work is typed using a laptop, and they still manage to spell things wrongly.  Coloured pocket note books had to be introduced as some recruits claim that they can't read on white paper. Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate diversity and inclusion, but come on! If your life defended on it I'm sure you could manage white paper!

Every recruit must have a degree to even get through the door, I had O level metal work and six years on the spanners and became a successful copper. So degrees ain't all that, especially when it's in film animation or criminal psychology which they all thought turned them into Holmes, but most of them couldn't detect their own arse with a mirror on a stick!

Sorry mate, am I sounding like an old grump? I only popped in for a swift half and I've gone off on one. Don't get any ex trumpton started either, I bet new recruits there have a doctors note covering their aversion to ladders and a marked reluctance to getting warm, unless it's on a beach. 

Stay safe and keep hydrated. Lol 

Back in the late seventies when a new probationer was doing his/her first night shift at Grimsby nick. The prank was telling them, that exactly every thirty minutes, although the night, they had to take a sample from the nearby river to check for a possible chemical leak.

It was hilarious watching those young coppers with a milk bottle tied on the end of a ball of string, standing on the middle of Corporation Bridge. Trying to dip sample from the river below. 😂

Edited by member 28 Jun 2025 at 08:29  | Reason: Typo

Hi everyone. 
sorry Iv not been on for a while. After appt with oncologist my hubby was told it would be best to wait n watch. As he has COPD. His breathing was bad at the appt.  Lady said his cancer has not spread and it is slow growing. If they started him on HT His breathing could get worse & then RT THE SIDE EFFECTS AS IN BOWLS & urine would be awfuel for him with his breathing at moment cos he would never make it to bathroom on time. 
she is

more worried to start him on treatment cos o his breathing & said has he had any probs n wot made him even get psv test in first place if he no had any symptoms. It was just his age I think & gp realised he never had been tested. She said his Wots the blinking word. Arghhhhhh.  Way off life. Would be better to not have treatment. If he gets any other symptoms such as the useual urine starting n stopping etc. if any pain in bones to not hesitate to get referred straight back. He is on antibiotics & steroids the now. His tests were Gleason 3+4=7 but it’s the T3a that keeps worrying me. Anyone help with advice I would appreciate it. 

I still been popping on to see how u are all keeping & oh my goodness the stories.,about mortuary & stuff at ur place Adrian 🤣🤣. I would have been crying in mortuary I’m not brave lol. 
congrats kev. No better love than a grandchild. 
spongeboab ur stories about rats n things so so good. They all keep everyone upbeat. That’s why I love this wee site. It almost makes me laugh any time I come on. It mostly u guys that’s why I’m not on as much. Just read stories & check use are all keeping. good. Love all the banter. & no bad for use cpl o pc plodders 🤣. As same for all the good uplifting banter. 
take care all off you & I mean it from bottom o my heart guys. Don’t know what I would have done without you all. 

Suzz 🦋💙💚

Hi guys.

Suzz, must be so difficult with COPD in this weather. I’m suffering a little with both my lower lung nodes being collapsed but still waiting for respiratory referral to come through. But I’m ok if I just keep in the shade and we have 2 good fans indoors. 

Im supposed to be having my Radium 223 today but not received a letter or a telephone call. Tried leaving phone messages in Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. We were told Nuclear Medicine opens at 8am . Kept phoning and now the message says they open at 9.45am… 

I am presuming I’m not having it as they'd be hounding me as it only lasts 2 days and they don’t want to waste it. My oncologist will be furious as it’ll have to wait a week now. We are up the hospital this afternoon for the wife’s physio so we’ll go in and see what’s happening…. 

I think the Government needs to invest in a decent computer system that aligns all the hospitals and departments. 

Anyways, take care all

Phil 

It's scandalous Phil.

Everytime, I get a medical appointment, it comes with a warning not to waste it and the cost implications of doing so.

However, I reckon the cost of of failed appointments and procedures made by the NHS itself, far outweigh the costs caused by patients.

I hope you get sorted mate. 

Edited by member 01 Jul 2025 at 16:43  | Reason: Typo

Hi  Mick 

I hope everything works out well for your brother.👍

I've spent may happy days in Mablethorpe. We used to holiday in a little town next to it called Sutton on Sea. Lovely place.

As for fish ponds I've spent most of the day next to mine, it's so relaxing. My pond has a hard plastic moulding, 1,800 litre with a waterfall. I've got a U/V light and filter box. The water is crystal clear.

I built it over twenty years ago. It's got fish in it that are as old. A couple of ghost koi which are 18 inches long. Some orfes and fancy goldfish. My favourite fish is a gold fish my grandson won at a fair eight years ago.

He was only three years old and brought it around to my house. It was still in a plastic bag and barely alive. We let it go in my pond. I didn't think it would survive, but remarkably it has. It's now built like a killer whale and is about 8 inches long. I love that fish.🙂

Edited by member 01 Jul 2025 at 22:29  | Reason: Typo

We still love Cleethorpes. We often jump on the train in the morning. Have lunch out and a few drinks in pubs on the sea front and come home early evening it's fab.

 I've started letting healthy moss, and freshwater plants grow in my waterfall. It's acted like a natural filter. I used to have to clean the sponge filters every couple of weeks but I've only had to do them once so far, this year.

Your brother sounds like me. I used to be fit but gave up a couple of decades ago. I packed in smoking when I was forty, but still love a pint and eat what I want, not what is healthy.

I used to hate gardening but love it now, especially the pond area. It's a great place to sit and relax, my problems seem to disappear when gardening. The sound of running water is great especially when it's not into your tena pads. 🙂

Hi Phil.

My printer is so old it's fitted with a monk using a quill pen. 😁

The advantages of its age, is I can use cheap copy inks. It tells me not, but like I do the wife, I ignore it. 

I hope you're feeling a little better, mate and more able to enjoy your food.

Spongebob, are you not into cricket or the golf? It's the Scottish Open this week and the Open next week at Portrush in Ireland. ⛳️🏌‍♂️

Edited by member 10 Jul 2025 at 12:09  | Reason: Additional text

Just thought I'd pop in for a quick half.

Been busy with gardening of late, our community garden is in the local In Bloom competition so we've been doing a lot up there. And we are only a couple of miles from the RHS flower show at Wentworth Woodhouse and we have had a little show garden there. It was on Gardeners World the other night so we are all really excited. I'm off to visit the show tomorrow and it sounds really great from others who have already been.

One of my goldfish died, not sure why but I'm told it's one of those things as long as the water quality is OK. The remaining three seem fine so there's no disease.

You sound just too busy Kev! Remodelling a kitchen! I hope everything goes OK. You will find the council planning blokes are literally clueless and just have to find something to justify their existence.  "Oh we had to advise Mr. Thingybob that 200mm insulation was essential on his build other wise a catastrophic failure of the Winford Molesworth joints would doubtless occur"

Looks like we are in for some heavy storms here in the next few hours so if best get me brolly out for the walk home.

Cheers everyone,  and remember,  getting old is a lot better than not getting old.

Mick 

Hi John,

Nice to see you again. During the hot spell, whilst in the garden, I've started to have a can or two of Inch's cloudy cider. It's like eating apples, very fruity. I wonder if I could count them towards my '5 a day'. 🙂

Everyone seems so busy. I've got loads of stuff that needs doing, nothing major, just decorating and that sort of thing, but I just don't feel motivated and can't be arsed and think 'It'll do for now.'

I often go to the real pub, when I'm feeling like this. I went four times last week. There's a group of us, all retired, who discuss jobs that need doing at home. For hours, we talk in great detail about DIYing, but just drink too much and nothing ever seems to get done. I find group laziness quite therapeutic.

Though I say it myself, the garden's looking grand. The recent downpour has freshened everything up and the lawn is already recovering from the dry spell.

Kev, It's lovely that you've got a 'baby Ollie', mines now 11 years old and starts 'big school' after the holidays. Grandkids seem to grow up so quickly! 

 Mick, I'm sorry that you've had a fish fatality. Let's hope the others survive. During my pondkeeping years, I've had loads that have died for no apparent reason. 

I'm enjoying the Euros women's football, but see that they've started copying the men and rolling around in agony when they've been tapped.

 It's the final round of the Open today. I've got two huge racks of ribs ready for the oven which I'll wash down with some ale. I'll sit infront of the TV most of the day, watching the golf and trying not to glimpse at jaded decor. 🙂

Edited by member 20 Jul 2025 at 06:20  | Reason: Typo

we had similar with a bifold glass recentley  ours was the outer pane , we put a old sheet down in case in broke further on the patio , it did'nt .

Took a month to get made to measure new panel , total cost £160 with fitting .

My chap left old panel with us , laid that on another sheet and had to drop a lump hammer from height to break it .

Wrapped all the bits in old sheet on in the blackbin .

Hope yours is sorted soon for you .

          Mike .