Monday 2 October 2023

Diana Was Asked To Go Into Work Today,

so she will have Monday as her day off this week,


but it meant we had a very late Sunday lunch, in the morning I had a zoom meeting about the house and ongoing expenditure, the list of items that have to be upgraded to conform with the latest fire regulations is long and expensive, strange that for 140+ years or more all was well, but we now need doors in the building replaced to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds, plus new boards for the electricity meters and ventilation of the gas meters in the cellar, the list goes on and on, still the upside is that we live in a lovely area in the park, after Diana returned home it was time for a read and a sherry, followed by mussels in a white wine sauce,

then a real treat, Diana had bought a whole duck for our late Sunday lunch,

eyes down and tuck in! it was delicious, we decided on dessert later in the evening we were so full, for the evening a change from our usual Columbo and Midsomer Murder, 

we watched Sherlock Holmes, the television series starring Jeremy Brett, who fitted the role so well, after 5 episodes back to back, for us we were off to bed.


2 comments:

jpo5626 said...

Dear Stanley &Diana
I believe most things in London are like in USA. If you own property the government requires you to continue to upgrade. Meanwhile they rent many apartments and buildings not to current code standards and load lots of illegal immigrates into them.
My friend in has homes in Vietnam and Calf has decided on last trip here that USA is very low on the list of 3rd world countries. Health care, food, lodging all a lot cheaper in VN vs here…and England. And it is safe with very low crime. He is 75 and deciding to sell his home here given issues of safety and poor quality of life in USA. We are Lucky to have our safe location in Texas as very hard to find a place without crime or blacks that cause it. He was so happy to return to Vietnam and enjoying everything there at 20% of the USA expense.
I know Diana works too many hours and your expenses continue to climb with no end in sight. Meanwhile England is unsafe, overrun with immigrants that the government extracts money from you to support. You may want to consider cashing out of your portion of the building you live in, selling your Jag and and putting lump sum into bank certificates of deposit. We are getting 5.6% now and out ten years at those rates, enough to live well in Vietnam without having to touch lump sum investment. Then Diana would not have to work, you could enjoy the great food and fun in Asia without the uncertainty of future in England.
Seems quality of life in England not what you desire and it is so CHEAP in Vietnam. Healthcare is a concern but you can pay cash, get great care very cheap. This is our ex escape plan if USA continues to decline.
South of Saigon near the coast has great weather, food and services plus $6 taxi van into Saigon each . (90 miles)
Need to check it out- as looks like you guys are burning the candle at both ends and once you go, Diana will be left with impossible expenses and a poor quality of life.
Check it out!!!! Steve May want to join!!
Regards
John and Alley

PattayaStan said...

Dear John and Alley, we found the same in Thailand, no illegal immigrants, safe streets, the government looking after its people and that is it, everything was so cheap, but in truth we just could not afford to live there anymore, the prime reason was health care, we were paying £7,000 a year which I was told when I was 70 it would be double and going up at a huge rate every year, I know what you mean about paying for health care in cash, but as one friend in his 60s found out whilst there with no health care insurance, it really upsets the finances when hit with a £43,000 bill for a pacemaker, to be fair we both love our place here, long term there will be similar bills in 15 or so years, knowing this we are making a savings plan to offset the next one, also when I am gone my private pension will go to Diana although my state one will be cancelled, the problem we have is this big bill was totally unexpected, but hopefully much of the work this year will not have to be repeated, we hope! best regards, Stan and Diana.