Wife & TL

topten · Post by **topten** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 4:00 pm

Lottidotti wrote:What I can't understand is,That when people come to the TRNC they know what they are getting into( or should do)
When they leave they pull the place apart.It is as if they have to justify their leaving.
Some people have been here since the border opened and complain.I don't know how these people would have coped
Before the border opened,I think some would have had nervous breakdowns.
If they closed the border tomorrow I for one would be quite pleased.
When people come to the TRNC they should realise it's a high inflation country and should make sure they can afford to live here in ten to twenty years,because if they turn up with 100k and a state pension with no other income they will find it very hard going in the future.

Freaking hell if that is the baseline amount of money you need to survive in the TRNC then God help them, I would say more than half the expats living there quite happily have no where near that amount of money. Its only your ex-London property owners who sold their outside toilets for £500,000 then bought their " Villa" there for £50,000 that can live the threepenny bit millionaire style.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 4:12 pm

Thank you wanderer, very well put into perspective!

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 4:26 pm

Boerboel, the main reason I go to the south is because we are actually on the same island....a bit like if you were in the UK you might pop to Wales! That is not a valid rationale for the cost of living here being higher than the UK is it? We can pop over and get cheaper stuff sometimes although sometimes it is not that different. It still means that to us, who live in TRNC, the place we happen to be situated in, albeit we can nip off to another country and take advantage of cheaper stuff, which actually if you build in the cost of insurance and the petrol to get there, it's probably not such a saving at all. The place we are in is cheaper, better lifestyle, cheaper dentists.....ah no one has mentioned that one yet!.....and I actually bought a Siemens dishwasher here cheaper than I could find on the Internet UK prices.......so there you go!!!

johnny1 · Post by **johnny1** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 5:20 pm

geoff you said there is a plane leaving every day so there is no reason to stay here and be unhappy.....if only it was that easy...
its my wish to leave ..to go back home to the uk...but under circumstances..just not possible..for now anyway

woodspeckie · Post by **woodspeckie** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 5:32 pm

Wanderer, depends where you live in the UK my bills are nothing like what you are saying. I can eat out for a example 2 x 8oz steak meals for £14 Chicken meals or 8 oz gammon 2 for £10.

Lottidotti · Post by **Lottidotti** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 5:34 pm

Topten,and there in lies the problem.You say half the expats have no where near that amount of money to live on,(although the figures I use are examples)it goes some way to explain why so many people have and are moving back to the UK.Those people you refer to might be able to afford it now but I am talking ten to twenty years.
How many people have you seen go back in the eight years you were here? The reasons I am sure were varied but at the heart of it was/is rising prices and general affordability if they were truly honest with themselves.
Most of the people I got to know in 2002 have gone back and despite there excuses,affordability was the main cause.
I give the figure of 100k as an example.If you think of living expenses per month of say £1000 x12 = 12kX 10 years is as you will know is £ 120k and that is keeping inflation at 0% .Add 10% per year for inflation and very little increase in income in that time and you can see the problems ahead.
I know a lot of people have good incomes,but there are a lot who don't.I also know not everyone needs £1000 per month to survive but they soon will,living on £ 400 per month in 2002 was easy try living on that now and having a good standard of living,which is what we all crave.

Geoff1131 · Post by **Geoff1131** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 5:36 pm

well i know that everyone's situation is not the same. But one thing i know for sure is that if i was not happy wherever i lived i would do something about it regardless of the problems that might bring. Life is too short to be unhappy.

topten · Post by **topten** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 5:51 pm

And another side is where in the UK you live, I live in North Yorkshire, so I hazard a guess that my weekly expenditure is a night out in the pub in Kent or that area for these people.

johnerebus · Post by **johnerebus** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 6:43 pm

I'm the person who originated the post which seems to have gone off topic - it's taken a turning off of the high road and gone down a side street so i'll walk down it also.
Because we still have property in London I send £500.00 each month to my wife still living there. I never want to live in London again even though we have an apartment on the River Thames with an unobstructed view West to the London Eye and East downriver almost to the Dartford QE Bridge - beautiful. However for me that beauty does not compare to the beauty, space, peace and glorious scenery here in The TRNC.
Here I can leave my crash helmet on my motorbike, walk away from them and know both will be there when I return. In London I needed to garage, alarm and secure my motorbike otherwise it would have been stolen.
The anger, stress and frustration in London is palpable: here I do not experience that and I sigh with relief that I am able to roam freely wherever I want without fear or feeling in danger. If i say "Merhaba" or "Hello" to anyone the greeting is always returned, usually with a smile;
As for the cost of living I choose to eat local food and never buy British food items. Why? Local food is healthier in my opinion, tastier, more nutritious and much cheaper than London food. A good and healthy Mediterranean diet. I live here on a very small amount of money which I would not be able to survive on in London.
Finally, I'm so grateful for being able to live in in a country I appreciate and love - warts n all.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 9:31 pm

Well said johnerebus!

johnny1 · Post by **johnny1** » Fri 13 Mar 2015 9:34 pm

are you renting out the apartment on the river thames?

johnerebus · Post by **johnerebus** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:23 am

Johnny1. We still have a mortgage to pay on the apartment and my wife lives in it with her daughter. This is why I send her £500 a month from my pensions. The reason she's still living there, as I mentioned in my original post, is that she's 60 this coming September and would have retired this year but THEY changed the rules Now, if she wants her full pensions, and she does, she has to wait until she's 67.

topten · Post by **topten** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 1:50 pm

45 ratings

£20 M&S Roast for Mother's Day

In M&S stores across the UK from the 11th March, you will be able to collect everything required to make your 2015 Mother's Day roast extra special for just £20.

This year, the Mother's Day meal deal has been offered in the shape of a family roast for up to four people. The selection of products available includes a variety of different large meat roasting joints, up to two side dishes, a dessert large enough for the whole family and a bottle of wine for a total of just £20.

To make up your roast you can choose from;

- Beef Roasting Joint, normally £11.99 per kilogram.
- Outdoor Bred Pork Loin Joint, normally £9.59 per kilogram.
- Honey Gammon Joint, normally £9.00 per kilogram.

The other centrepieces to choose from include; Whole Chicken, Half Lamb Leg, Nut Roast (vegetarian), Scottish Lochmuir Salmon Joint, Turkey Joint.

Two large side dishes including;

- Large roasting potatoes, normally £3.50.
- Carrot and Swede Crush, normally £3.50.
- Honey and Mustard Parsnips, normally £4.00.

The other side dishes available are; Roasting Vegetables, Broccoli, Carrot, Courgette, and Fine Bean Selection, Ultimate Mash, Carrot & Swede Crush, Parmentier Potatoes, Yorkshire Puddings, Porks or Sage and Onion Stuffing.

Desserts, large enough for the whole family;

- Sticky Toffee Pudding, normally £3.80.
- Profiterole Stack, normally £3.50.
- Chocolate Brownie Traybake, normally £4.00.

The other desserts include; Key Lime Pie, New York Vanilla Cheesecake Slice, Raspberry and Coconut Macaroon or Strawberry Trifle.

The Wine selection includes;

Raso de la Cruz, normally £7.00.
Prosecco Frizzante, normally £7.49.
Peach Garden Chardonnay, normally £7.00.

The other wine and drink available include; Sauvignon Blanc, Daniels Drift Shiraz, Mexican Lime and Lemongrass Presse, Grenache Syrah Mourvedre or Frizzante Vino da Tavola Rose.

The selection will be available to purchase in M&S food stores across the UK from the 11th March and will be stocked until Mother's Day, 15th March 2015. Head to a Marks and Spencer food store near you early on the 11th to ensure you can enjoy your favourite dishes this Mother's Day lunch.

Geoff1131 · Post by **Geoff1131** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 1:56 pm

Wow!!!!

johnny1 · Post by **johnny1** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 2:45 pm

top ten..r u trying to upset us all?

waddo · Post by **waddo** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 3:31 pm

My only questions is: If M&S can do these prices across the whole of UK (Pop circa 63 million) and take a loss of £7.48 per person who buys it (at top prices quoted), that would work out to a loss of £47,124,000.00 - not only how can they afford to do it but who will have to make up the lost income???

There is no such thing as a free lunch and if it looks too good, then it most probably is. I will stick with here and eat fresh food at very reasonable prices thank you.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 3:42 pm

Personally I would say m & S are struggling then. Same as a lot of businesses across the globe.....I remember a time when m & S would never do this and only ever charged premium rates. Interesting that they are tying it in with Mother's Day too, a time when everyone else ups the prices.......I always used to smile at m & s because they priced everything in whole pounds instead of the £ plus 99 p. Very canny these Jews.....made an extra penny on everything...lol. Maybe all the pennies they have made over the years makes up for the lost revenue waddo....ha ha

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 3:53 pm

And they don't actually say how big the joints/roasts are....only the price per kilo.....with you Waddo if it looks too good to be true it probably is.....would it really feed 4.....don't think so....

RAZR63 · Post by **RAZR63** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 3:59 pm

You are what you eat.......

UK Shoppers are being fobbed off with low-quality chicken pumped full of chemicals, water and even pig skin.
About 40 per cent of the imported chicken sold by catering suppliers undergoes heavy processing.
The meat that results is so rubbery and tasteless it is known in the trade as 'plastic chicken'.
Huge quantities are involved - about 60,000 tons a year - in what amounts to a massive food fraud.
Most of the meat comes from processors in Holland and Belgium, who bring in cheap chickens from Thailand and pump the meat with a chemical mix.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... z3UN4zGhfn

The UK Government is set to allow supermarkets to continue to sell mince which is less than 50 per cent meat despite EU rules aiming to crack down on mislabelling of food.
Officials say that stopping UK retailers from bulking up mince with fat and connective tissue would cost the industry hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.
But with the revelation following closely on from the recent horsemeat scandal, it could raise further fears that Britons are inadvertently eating impure food.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z3UN69yJSf

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:03 pm

Mrs Gee, these type of offers with M&S having been going for a few years now. Usually it's £10 including a bottle of Wine. The offer for £20 is good, but how can anyone judge individual portions to what 4 people are used to or not.

Other Supermarkets have also been doing these type of deals ever since M&S started it.

Most people that buy these offers are usually families and Pensioners. My local M&S is propped up by Pensioners in Westwood Cross Broadstairs Kent, as is the Canterbury Branch, which you cannot move around in.

M&S have been struggling for the last 20 years and it's not the food section, it's the clothing section.

You have good food in NC and we have good food in UK. In my opinion both can access cheap good food if you look around. Individual disposable income dictates I believe to what we all eat.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:12 pm

And the SAUSAGES!!! More bread and rubbish than proper filling......

I know m & s very well dalartokat.......and I am well aware of what all the other supermarkets in UK, and local pubs, etc etc, offer....I do go back regularly. It is still a case of having to do it to get the trade. Interesting that some years ago pensioners could not afford to buy food from M & S......but that is just my humble opinion having had parents who could not afford to shop in there.....and being a pensioner myself.....but then again maybe they have changed their target audience. So where do all the posh folks shop now then? Harrods maybe? Maybe I am just an old cynic! And I must obviously be an alcoholic...lol cos one bottle of wine would not serve 4 people that I know! Lol

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:18 pm

Mrs Gee, we have a lot of affluent pensioners in UK as well as Turkish Cypriots!

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:24 pm

I would say the vast majority of pensioners in UK are not affluent...sounds like they are all situated down south..at the end of the day we have a difference of opinion.....all I can say is I am sure my elderly mother in law, who lives in the midlands would love to be able to buy her food in M & S......if she could afford it!

Retired · Post by **Retired** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:43 pm

I am a pensioner, a baby boomer, have worked all my life. Most of my friends have done the same, some of them stayed with the same company for 40 years. I was brought up in Lancashire where it was the norm for women to work fulltime, operating looms, working in factories, offices etc. Women went back to work within six weeks of childbirth sometimes companies provided childcare. Lots provided good contributory pensions in those days. So - in these cases, M&S is not out of a pensioners' league. In fact, its sometimes cheaper than cooking from scratch for one or two people..especially with the 10 and 20 pound deals. The quality of M&S food is excellent - no doubt about that. They are not struggling in the food department, as said previously, it's clothes they are struggling with. Hopefully, they will overcome, would hate to see our national treasure go out of business.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 4:53 pm

Hit the nail on the head.....retired....good contributory pensions offered by some companies. On the other hand lots of women in those day chose to pay a reduced rate national insurance stamp because they saw more benefit in having the money in their pocket rather than contributing for their future, which is why many now are not well off and have to buy wherever is cheapest. But I am not knocking M & S simply saying that for the normal weekly shop pensioners from where I come from, north of the affluent south, don't do it.

topten · Post by **topten** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 5:26 pm

mrsgee wrote:Hit the nail on the head.....retired....good contributory pensions offered by some companies. On the other hand lots of women in those day chose to pay a reduced rate national insurance stamp because they saw more benefit in having the money in their pocket rather than contributing for their future, which is why many now are not well off and have to buy wherever is cheapest. But I am not knocking M & S simply saying that for the normal weekly shop pensioners from where I come from, north of the affluent south, don't do it.

I am from the North and I do, and I thought that this was all about finding the cheapest, that is not saying its rubbish its the CHEAPEST and please don't tell me that fruit and veg are the freshest in Cyprus because we have had our fair share of rummaging through tomatoes to find those that are not over ripe, potatoes that have been on the shelf for god knows how long and are soft. And how many times have people been on this forum saying where can I find this or where can I find that, so yes, as you stated earlier that you think your cynical I agree, because if it were Harrods that was offering this kind of deal there would always be people that would say it can't be right.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 5:28 pm

Mrs Cynical......over and out topten.......time to stop methinks, we will never agree....

Oh except maybe on one thing, you are in your right place and I am in mine.....have a good life.

topten · Post by **topten** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 5:37 pm

RAZR63 wrote:You are what you eat.......

UK Shoppers are being fobbed off with low-quality chicken pumped full of chemicals, water and even pig skin.
About 40 per cent of the imported chicken sold by catering suppliers undergoes heavy processing.
The meat that results is so rubbery and tasteless it is known in the trade as 'plastic chicken'.
Huge quantities are involved - about 60,000 tons a year - in what amounts to a massive food fraud.
Most of the meat comes from processors in Holland and Belgium, who bring in cheap chickens from Thailand and pump the meat with a chemical mix.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... z3UN4zGhfn

The UK Government is set to allow supermarkets to continue to sell mince which is less than 50 per cent meat despite EU rules aiming to crack down on mislabelling of food.
Officials say that stopping UK retailers from bulking up mince with fat and connective tissue would cost the industry hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.
But with the revelation following closely on from the recent horsemeat scandal, it could raise further fears that Britons are inadvertently eating impure food.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z3UN69yJSf

Retired · Post by **Retired** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 5:44 pm

Myself and lots of my retired friends are northerners. They take a few holidays a year, have good pensions. Some have been with local government for more than 30 years, some with NHS, others with factories or were office workers, all with contributory pensions. Not every woman decided not to pay the full "stamp", in fact I know some who paid yearly contribution later in order to get the full OAP, which required 39 years contributions back then.

I hear the rich pensioners now shop at Aldi and Lidle..stocking up on champagne, smoked salmon, good wines etc...maybe Harrods is on the way out!

Different strokes for different folks. Of course circumstances come into play..and life experiences.

johnerebus · Post by **johnerebus** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 6:22 pm

Cor Blimey Mate and Ms's! I only arksed (deliberate misspelling) about the state of the TL for my wife and the post has had nearly 3,000 views and 79 replies, so another question please? Should I get a job in advertising? No lewd answers please.

Retired · Post by **Retired** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 6:42 pm

Johnerebus..you brought up a subject close to folks hearts..and it has been both entertaining and informative for lots of folks no doubt - kept me occupied whilst my husband was watching rugby.

Owl Lady · Post by **Owl Lady** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 7:14 pm

Mrsgee I'm with you, in the right place and staying here!!! I also haven't found a bottle of wine that does 4 people

Retired · Post by **Retired** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 7:49 pm

MrsGee and OwlLady..enjoy yourselves ladies - wherever you are. The most important thing is your health and happiness, and that doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with wealth.

jofra · Post by **jofra** » Sat 14 Mar 2015 11:50 pm

johnerebus wrote:.... Should I get a job in advertising? No lewd answers please.

If you ask such lewd and suggestive questions, how can you not expect lewd answers?
Advertising; the legal(?) way of persuading people to pay for what they really shouldn't indulge in, will bring no lasting happiness, and will probably damage their health.....

johnerebus · Post by **johnerebus** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 1:42 am

I Agree with you absolutely jofra about "way of persuading people to pay for what they really shouldn't indulge in, will bring no lasting happiness, and will probably damage their health" Well said. Yes the Church of overindulgence and consumerism is the religion of today - my opinion of course. Thanks for the laughter.

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 8:34 am

Nothing wrong with a little of what you fancy now and then.

Johnny Lee · Post by **Johnny Lee** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 12:36 pm

Sorry Top Ten only just caught up on topic. (well odd topic should I say) but all good fun.

No not referring to shell suits, are they the white things that Brides in Liverpool wear?

I meant the massive obesity problem in the UK. No we never had a conversation about the super markets and cheap deals, we tended to be drinking cheap booze and having fun when we met.

Some one mentioned Erdener, probably the best, but many many supermarkets here,even our local Bektash have great deals.

I don't really rate M & S, as you know I am into cooking , and try to make virtually everything we eat. I find the ingredients here superb, I have lived and eaten in the UK for 52 years of my life, and I think that food went downhill early 70s. Most UK veg and salad is tasteless. Why? is it common market produce that has caused this ? is it because it is force grown to cater for vastly over populated country? What happened to us only getting certain veg etc. in season?

Why inject beef with red dye? Battery eggs? fill chewy crap sliced bread full of additives? we could go on all day.

Whilst our produce here is not perfect to the eye, does that matter? I think the choice and taste of bread here is incredible.

I am not a Southgoer, I have managed to get everything I need here, and if you can't get it, make it! Like someone else said if they close the borders tomorrow it would be great news, then we may stand a chance of keeping our Haven in the sun.

OK that's me done for while, just off to get my tin hat, flack jacket and riot shield.

Oh and may call into Lemar to see if they have still have 2 boxes x 4 of batchelors cuppa soup fro 4.70 Lira. I did not buy it, I make our own soup. But I thought that looks cheap so I checked all UK stores and not one could touch it. But I must own up to treating us to 5 very large packets of Mc,vities chocolate digestive at silly money.

Johnny Lee · Post by **Johnny Lee** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 12:37 pm

Sorry should have read off topic

Johnny Lee · Post by **Johnny Lee** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 12:48 pm

Also sorry to the original poster, I think Top Ten and I took your topic, off topic around posting 35. Sorry ,

Just to wind it up a bit more, are we also not forgetting probably the largest investment of our lives is also much more competitive and more luxurious and mortgage free. (OK some local will probably nick it off us)

topten · Post by **topten** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 1:14 pm

Oh and may call into Lemar to see if they have still have 2 boxes x 4 of batchelors cuppa soup fro 4.70 Lira. I did not buy it, I make our own soup. But I thought that looks cheap so I checked all UK stores and not one could touch it. But I must own up to treating us to 5 very large packets of Mc,vities chocolate digestive at silly money.

Your right again Lee healthy foods are the way to go, if this is how you live give me the battery egg every time. That is my final say on the subject, but please keep in mind that up until January this year we lived in Cyprus and can see both sides of the coin,

waddo · Post by **waddo** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 4:51 pm

Only fair to add that from 1947 to 2007 - apart from a few years here and there, we lived in the UK so can also see both sides of the coin! The grass is always greener somewhere else, the trick is to pick the bit you want to sit on and keep that bit green forever!!! My grass here will always be greener than anywhere else - happy mowing topten, you have found your favourite bit yourself.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 5:23 pm

You are the man Waddo......!!!!!!

woodspeckie · Post by **woodspeckie** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 5:55 pm

Just leave the UK alone if you live in North Cyprus why not just worry about what is going on there, we are doing OK here in the UK love there for holidays but that is about all. You just need something to fill your time so it's let's start a war of words.,

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 6:04 pm

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring.......Tin Hats.......at the ready.

Ragged Robin · Post by **Ragged Robin** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 9:12 pm

The argument that people should know when they what they are getting into does not work for longer terms residents. Certain aspects of life may have improved, but the cost of living was much lower and the quality of life better before the opening of the Border resulted in expat population that on the whole demanding more sophisticated goods and services and having (or thought they had) the money to pay for them, and resources and the cost rose to meet them. Plus a lot of people have been hit by the devaluation in real terms of their pensions and UK based investments, and some of us have also fallen victim to various "scams" (and not always by Cypriots). All of which has led to the best laid plans and more carefully thought out budgets going oft awry and repatriation being the only option.

Ragged Robin · Post by **Ragged Robin** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 9:24 pm

I feel really sorry for the lady referred to in the original post : it must be devastatting to have one's retirement plans set back so badly.
As far as the TL is concerned , on my present showing I am the last person to offer financial advice, but if she has no immediate need of the money and still plans to live here eventually, I would say not to make hasty decisions in a panic. Living here, but with an income in the UK, I tend to split my remaining savings between the two (on the eggs and baskets principle

I am just glad I was born before they started mucking with the pension age and have at least a few good years in North Cyprus to remember before it all went pear shaped.

Ragged Robin · Post by **Ragged Robin** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 9:42 pm

The preceding message (I lost a whole lot last night and am reducing the chance of a recurrance!) builds up to an apology for taking the thread further ot, but some , imho, important issues of comparative costs have not been mentioned, and I should be grateful for people's views as I have lost track of UK prices:

1. I know the Nat Health has a lot of problems but it is there. Also social services. I also understand medical, dental and optical private care is cheaper here, and that I would have to fund six months private in the UK before throwing myself on the tender mercy of the state )despite lifelong UK taxes and NI).. What as the comparative prices of the ancillaries: prescription, glasses, specialist dental, home help, physio etc? (over 60s), medical aids like wheelchairs and mobility transport.

2. Accommodation (buying and renting).

3. Transport (public, private and taxis)

4. Pet care (RSPCA, Blue Cross etc.)

5. A lot of my supermarket bills are not food, but things like soap powder and loo paper and toothpaste. I also thought the cost of importation made such things more expensive here. Is that so?

6. Clothes.

3.

Owl Lady · Post by **Owl Lady** » Sun 15 Mar 2015 10:03 pm

Ragged Robin agree with you, age has its concessions and a pension at 60/65 if you were lucky.
Johnny Lee I have to take you to task about shell suits and brides in Liverpool . As an ex pat Scouser ,here is nothing wrong with brides wearing them, so long as they are designer gear!!

topten · Post by **topten** » Mon 16 Mar 2015 7:12 am

Johnny Lee wrote:Sorry Top Ten only just caught up on topic. (well odd topic should I say) but all good fun.

No not referring to shell suits, are they the white things that Brides in Liverpool wear?

I meant the massive obesity problem in the UK. No we never had a conversation about the super markets and cheap deals, we tended to be drinking cheap booze and having fun when we met.

Some one mentioned Erdener, probably the best, but many many supermarkets here,even our local Bektash have great deals.

I don't really rate M & S, as you know I am into cooking , and try to make virtually everything we eat. I find the ingredients here superb, I have lived and eaten in the UK for 52 years of my life, and I think that food went downhill early 70s. Most UK veg and salad is tasteless. Why? is it common market produce that has caused this ? is it because it is force grown to cater for vastly over populated country? What happened to us only getting certain veg etc. in season?

Why inject beef with red dye? Battery eggs? fill chewy crap sliced bread full of additives? we could go on all day.

Whilst our produce here is not perfect to the eye, does that matter? I think the choice and taste of bread here is incredible.

I am not a Southgoer, I have managed to get everything I need here, and if you can't get it, make it! Like someone else said if they close the borders tomorrow it would be great news, then we may stand a chance of keeping our Haven in the sun.

OK that's me done for while, just off to get my tin hat, flack jacket and riot shield.

Oh and may call into Lemar to see if they have still have 2 boxes x 4 of batchelors cuppa soup fro 4.70 Lira. I did not buy it, I make our own soup. But I thought that looks cheap so I checked all UK stores and not one could touch it. But I must own up to treating us to 5 very large packets of Mc,vities chocolate digestive at silly money.

Sorry I did say I was done with this subject because we are all running round in circles, BUT could not resist this. Lee as you say your into healthy eating advertised in the Asda to go with your multi pack of digestives is a 30 can pack of Coca Cola for £6.00 now that is my final say...............................I think.

Retired · Post by **Retired** » Mon 16 Mar 2015 10:20 am

UK was the only country where women were given the State Pension earlier than men, even though life expectancy for women was longer than men. So, over the past few years some friends of mine have had to wait until 62/63/64/65 in order to claim it. We wanted equality, we got it in that respect. Unfortunately, most countries in Northern Europe are now extending the 65 retirement age up to 66, 67 and who knows where in the future. Greece and Cyprus excepted. The rest of Europe has to pay for their early retirements.

The UK allows you to pay a yearly payment to make up the years you haven't contributed to the pension, even though you are not living in the country . Maybe something to think about instead of wishing you were somewhere else - finances allowing of course.

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