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nickella's bio
I have recently retired, having been an IT management consultant. My husband and I have moved from Gloucester to North Devon and are now in the throes of doing up our bungalow.
My interests are many and varied: I love studying languages especially Spanish and occasionally French - I love gardening, cooking, reading, travelling and playing computer games.
I recently joined U3A and play 10-pin bowling, although I am looking at other things such as theatre visits and croquet. -
nickella's latest comments
ViewDate:
23rd Dec 2017nickella commented on:
IT support at home pleaseCan't remember how much it costs, but you can pay for annual 34/7 support from pc world. I know the cost is fairly reasonable and they are really good - even at 2 in the morning when I had problems with my laptop. Might be worth checking out. By the way. have you cleared down all reference to the printer before you have tried to reinstall the connection from your pc to your printer?ViewDate:
21st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Is it ever OK to eat dogs?Dogs are mans best friend. For thousands of years they have been the friend of man. They hunted with them, slept with them - giving bodily warmth. They protected man, looked after their flocks and herds - pulled sleds, saved people and I can go on. They are not food - the are friends, protectors and working animals.ViewDate:
21st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Should 'wet wipes' be banned?Wet wipes are a necessity for some people, from babies to the elderly. My husband has a condition that the use of normal toilet tissue causes bleeding. He has to use baby wet wipes as advised by his GP. We do not flush these down the toilet but bag them and bin them. What is needed is better education as well better information on the packaging. There must also be way that the wipes can be produced to degrade quickly in water, once used.ViewDate:
5th Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Equity ReleaseHi Jessica, forgot to mention, the interest rates quoted to me were in the vicinity of 2.5% per annum (based on current interest rates which are quite low). This is of course based on a cumulative amount owed. Assuming you took out £50K, then that would equate to £1,025 interest for year 1, increasing. If you took it out at 70 and lived until 90 then you should still only be paying back less than half of your properties value, assuming it is around the value of mine which is £400K. You need to check out your needs, what options are available, don't know your age, but factor in your potential life span etc., and take legal advice.ViewDate:
5th Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Equity ReleaseI know your post was some time ago, but I have also looked into Equity Release as something to consider in the future, certainly not until I hit at least 70. I got hold of the Readers Digest guide to ER and also checked it out with Which. If it is done properly, there is a limitation as to the amount you can release from your home, and for myself, I would be looking at draw down not taking the lot, so I can take what I want, when I want up to an agreed limit. You cannot lose your home, and if one of you dies, then the home remains with that person until their death - then the ER company takes their cut out of the sale price of the house. It could mean nothing being left as an inheritance, but as there is only me and my husband, then that is not a problem. Check everything out properly as you need to know you and your husband will be secure.ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Agapanthus flowersHi - don't know where you live, but if it is in the UK, then by September time the agapanthus is coming to the latter part of its flowering season (usually June to August). Normally it needs to be watered 2 - 3 times a week trough the summer and given a feed of a high potash liquid feed once a week to extend the flowering season, but only when flowering. Make sure you dead head the plant so all energy goes into building it up for next year's flowers not putting energy into this year's dead flowers. As yours is in a pot and north-east facing, being a slightly tender plant, it should be provided with some sort of covered protection from end of September to protect it from the damp and cold - otherwise you could lose it. Hope this helps.ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Anybody want to chat?Hi Driver69. I am new here as well. Suggest you kick off chatting to those who respond to your texts as well as join in chats with others that may be of interest to you. As a kick off, I am 65,having retired a year ago. I worked away from home for over 20 years as a freelance IT management consultant and am enjoying my stress free retirement, my husband certainly enjoys having home made cooking all the time. My first year was a mix of travelling and doing our house up ready to go on the market. Now that is in progress I am slowly joining in with things, such as the U3A, even Zumba classes - I need to expand the non-existent social network that I do not currently have, What about you?ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Looking for new friendsHi - just joined myself - I am told I talk too much, but that is ideal as a prerequisite on a chat site. I retired just over a year ago and as a 65yr old lady going on 45, am just getting to grips with things to do to stop me getting bored and going around the bend. Having worked from home for over 20yrs, I am now at the start of building a social network. How about you?ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Win a £50 Morrisons voucher to make your Christmas.Will be an excellent bonus this Xmas as just adjusting to living on a pension.ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
The best free online university coursesAs well as the courses you have mentioned above, you can log onto Open Learn with the OU and Future Learn, where you can undertake many interesting free courses covering a multitude of genres from 2 weeks to 8 weeks in length - from 2hrs to 4hrs per week. You can also log into Duo Lingo where you can learn any number of foreign languages, again for free, certainly enough to get you through a vacation - it is also a good grounding if you want to take a language further.ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Mexico in JanuaryDon't know if you are off to Mexico next month, but I have been to the Playa de Carmen area a few times. January is definitely warm, you might get the odd shower of rain. It does get dark fairly early but most hotels provide lots of facilities / entertainment - although a quick taxi ride will take you into the centre where the clubs and bars are. For a day out you could go over to Cozumel, the boat leaves from Playa del Carmen and doesn't cost a lot. Riu hotels are generally pretty good - I have stayed in them in the past, although made sure they were 5*. Check them out on trip advisor - that will also give you details of restaurants and things to do in the area. Cancun is around 30 miles away, if I remember rightly. I used to get a taxi there as I went diving there - not that cheap, better if there are a few of you.ViewDate:
1st Dec 2017nickella commented on:
Christmas for one!Hi, not been on my own for Xmas for some years, but on the occasion that it happened, I checked out some places where they were feeding the homeless and volunteered Xmas and Boxing Day. Believe me I had a brilliant time - everyone was so, warm, friendly and full of Xmas spirit. Another time I went away for Xmas to a singles Xmas break. Met some really great people and had a good time. There are things you can do - also, how about seeing if one of your neighbours is alone at Xmas and invite them over. -
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View subject Posts: 1nickella, 01/12/2017 07:36:32 started a new subject:
Where to live in Devon – help needed. -
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