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User

Posted 25 Jun 2025 at 09:11

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

- 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.

What a remarkable coincidence.

I was going to quip that her treatment couldn't be prostate related. However, until a couple of years ago, when the law changed, no longer allowing transgender women with male genitalia to be kept in women's prisons; there could have women in women's prisons with prostate problem. Mind boggling isn't it.

Edited by member 25 Jun 2025 at 22:29 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 25 Jun 2025 at 20:16

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

User

Posted 25 Jun 2025 at 23:51

Hi all,

The virtual beers are on me tonight.

Grandson was born this afternoon, he's a handsome chap (like his grandad) and arrived on his due date continuing a short family tradition as his father (my son) was also born on his due date. They're keeping DIL in hospital for a couple of days so I'm dog sitting and drinking one of my son's Birra Morettis.

I'm looking forward to meeting the little guy.

Cheers all, good health.

Kev

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 01:11

Congratulations Kev!

And I really like Birra Morettis :-)

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 07:36

Not sure where to post this but this seems a good a location as any. I’ve come across a side effect of prostate cancer that I’ve not seen mentioned or discussed before - Earlyretirementitis! Just over 2 years ago I had surgery after getting diagnosed. Touch wood (only things it’s good for now but that’s a different story! ) all my post surgery tests have been basically undetectable. After an unrelated and enforced 5 night stay in hospital for a separate matter earlier this year fortunately treatable and no long term consequences I’ve decided at the tender age of 59 it’s time to retire at the end of September. Life is too short and your health cannot be taken for granted. Time to enjoy things. Big step as I enjoy work and wonder what to do but that’s something to worry about later. For the 1st 9 months or so post retirement I’ve loads of travelling lined up and then plan to do more. It’s takes so much time organising these things!!! Open to thoughts suggestions recommendations and advice now that I’ve made the step.

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 08:20

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Grandson was born this afternoon, he's a handsome chap (like his grandad) and arrived on his due date continuing a short family tradition as his father (my son) was also born on his due date.

Fantastic news Kev. I shall have a real celebratory pint or two in Spoons today!

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 08:27

Congratulations Kev 🥳. Dil is unusual name though, did that come from the Magic Roundabout?

Yes, I got earlyretirementitus though slightly older. Too right life too short! And I always hated my jobs, I often used to sit at work begrudging the fact that my life was being taken away from me doing something I didn’t want to do. Especially when it was nice weather outside. Driving to work, I’d pass a sign for the Lake District when I got on the M6 and always resolved that one day I’d skip work and head up there instead. Unfortunately, I never did - just too dam conscientious 😖.

Anyway, having retired the best thing is not having to get up for anyone and just being free to do you what you want 😃.
Enjoy

Spongebob

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 08:55

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

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 10:47

Cheers guys,

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Congratulations Kev 🥳. Dil is unusual name though, did that come from the Magic Roundabout?

Haha, very good 🤣

I retired early a year after my surgery when they offered me a decent redundancy package. I find my days are filled with plenty of DIY work, visits to the gym and managing the garden. At first I felt redundancy a kick in the pants especially after cancer, but now I realise it's the best thing to happen to me.

I think it's important to have something to do in retirement, a hobby, a purpose. Over the years I've seen people whose work is their life and were totally bereft after leaving.

As for travel, I love planning trips as it gives me something to look forward to. Last year we managed seven flights for city breaks and layabout holidays. Our next trip is September when we're planning to spend three weeks driving round Texas, yeehaw!

What ever floats your boat, do it, a holiday's what you make it.

Cheers,

Kev.

Edited by member 26 Jun 2025 at 10:53 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 20:57

Thanks for the welcome - one advantage of this virtual pub is the rounds are cheap last a long time and you don’t get a hangover! Retirement is something to look forward to but I’m guessing there’s an adjustment to be made. One advantage of having booked lots of trips for the 1st few months is it becomes more difficult for work to try and persuade me to stay on (there’s a lot going on!).

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 22:23

Hi MGOR,

Forget about work - get yourself retired 😬and you’ll soon be wondering how you ever found the time to work 🤔.

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 22:29

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….

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 23:13

I was well retired before cancer reared it's ugly head. I don't envy you blokes who have to decide whether it's a factor to retire early. I suppose financially stability must be a consideration and if that isn't a problem, how much you love your job, and how much it would impact your family life.

I've often said how much more difficult it must be for younger blokes with younger families and work commitments to deal with this disease. I suppose there must be many who simply can't afford to quit work.

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 23:25

I retired at 53 after 30 years pounding the beat. Everyone said you won't know how you fitted work in when you go.

I thought it was just a cliche but honestly, I can't see how I managed to do shifts all those years. I am never still, always find something to occupy me and feel so much better that I'm out of the rat race.

They will try to get you to stay on, but stuff them. It's only a selfish boss that doesn't want to lose your skills and train up someone new. Whatever job you are in, they will manage without you. You're not irreplaceable and I saw a lot of colleagues get institutionalised so that they couldn't see a life outside and were dead not long after running out of steam still in harness.

I had a scare with pca after six years of retirement and thought things might be drawing to a close (I'm down to my last 3000 bananas if I have a couple a day).

So leave work, ignore your emails and enjoy life. You work to live, ot live to work.

Mick.

User

Posted 26 Jun 2025 at 23:35

Hi, Mick. I didn't realise that you were ex plod as well. There are a few ex-coppers and ex fireman on here. I was in the Army before joining the Old Bill. There are several ex Forces on here, as well.

Edited by member 27 Jun 2025 at 07:04 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 07:58

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

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 08:30

Yeah, I joined in 1978, things have certainly changed mate. I still see a few of my old work mates. We all say we saw the best days of the job. I wouldn't want to be a copper these days. Plus the pension is poor now and no rent allowance.

I didn't do my exams and apart from a few years in CID, did front line uniform policing shift work. The bosses were much better then. I still socialise with my first ever Inspector, he reached the dizzy rank of Chief Superintendent/Divisional Commander. Who'd have thought 47 years since meeting, we'd still be pals.

It's sad to see how much faith the public have lost in the police, at one time they were respected by the majority. I think the same can be said of most public sector workers, including doctors and teachers.

Anyway, it's time to get out in the garden and daydream about The Good Old Days.

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 12:13

My dad was a plod way back in the olden days. He did 30 years, retired in 1982 and was dead within 2 years of retirement at 56. He told me many stories. He used to tell me how he was on traffic duty up at Odsal Top when there was a record rugby league crowd of 102,000 there for a Challenge cup final replay in 1954. I’m not sure whether I believed him but I always have a picture of him standing in the middle of the road there waving at hundreds of cars and thousands of people.

Also, one time as his beat took him through a large cemetery, in the middle of the night he heard strange noises coming out of a crematorium. If it was me I think I’d run a mile. But with hairs on the back of his head standing on end he went in to investigate. Only to find that there was a maintenance guy in there working on the furnace. Apparently, that’s a job carried out at night.

He was a proud man, I can’t begin to imagine what he would think of the world today if he was still with us.

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 20:21

Spongebob,

They locked me in the hospital mortuary all night when I was a probationer as a prank. These days if you did that you'd be sacked and the victim would be in therapy and living off the huge payout.

I started on the beat in December 88, on the 15th of April 89 I walked into the Sheffield Wednesday ground at 3.25pm to see the most terrifying sights imaginable. Quite a welcome to policing that was.

The job was great in some places and a shed load of grief in most others. But I wouldn't do it these days, too many do gooders and apologists for criminal behaviour.

Mick

User

Posted 28 Jun 2025 at 08:27

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

They locked me in the hospital mortuary all night when I was a probationer as a prank.

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

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