between two worlds

Good luck Charley, I know this sorting/throwing out/giving away is gruellling and painful....
letters to Santa and baby teeth...ah bless.

Tina

dontheturner

Charley Girl,
There was a young lady from Leicester,
every guy in the street had caressed her.

So Sorry - got carried away! We are about 35 miles, from Leicester.
Tippawan, is far happier, than I have ever seen her. _ I think it is the fact, she has green fingers - seeing things sprouting before her eyes./ - She has grown loads of Potatoes (Which she never ate in her life) and now loves the new ones..Chillies, Garlic, and loads of Tomato plants, and a large patch full of lovely looking letuces (even in the litle wee front bit of garden)...She seems to have far more energy than I ever had - and I don't like sitting around. I am busy composing next year.s calendars - which hopefully my Doc, will again buy in large numbers! You will be welcome to visit - you can have our phone number, or email - any time. Love Don

Mallory

A lot of it depends on how much you make (in order to make comparisons to British people's living expenses).

The British State Pension is approximately $707 per month for a full pension for a single person. It is $1,130.00 per month for a married couple.

I would imagine you and your DW's US social security is probably double that?

sallysimmons

How exciting! I know you must be terrified - I know I will be when my time comes - but at the same time this is living! You have spent so long being bored and feeling half-alive, so it must be nice to feel excitement, to feel that churn in the pit of your stomach that says "I"m alive and I'm having an adventure!"

Wawa

Congrats on the sale of your house and your imminent move from Canada. Luck gal! Things certainly are happening at break-neck speed. With regard to the UK HSBC account, was there a charge to open this account? I think we will go this route too, much easier to have something in place on arrival. Are you shipping your houshold of furniture?

sallysimmons

But then you'd also have to take account of fuel allowances, no property taxes, free bus passes etc. My gran is retired in the UK and hasn't had a car for 20 years - she doesn't need one.

jasper123

Hello everybody, I have just been listening to the news on the wireless and it said that the Queen is very busy sending out all the certificates to all the people who have just turned 100 years old, ---- due to the ever increasing amount of people living past 100 these days, it concluded the story by saying that there are over 10,000 people in the U.K. who are over 100,
So folks theres still hope for all of us, Hmmmm me thinks I had better see if I can cut out those 3 Cigs a day that Im hanging on to

cheers

Rod I'm glad you haven't given up hope on kicking the habit. Do you think of going on that plan again that the doctor had you on?

Go out for a nice walk for me.

aries

I originally planned this move for last year, but with so many delays, the doubts are now crowding in causing the anxiety. I have always liked to do things quickly once I've decided, so for me this is slow long-term torture.

I really do wish I had a grand plan, but apart from all the work involved and a house agent involved, it is more like a scribble on a scrap of paper, or a few sparse ideas in my head!

There are no other plans except to sell the house, and tomorrow someone is going to grill me on just that. She thinks I should find a retirement village nearer the city.

As for a defining moment, I suppose my 3 months in Germany in 2009 created the displeasure with my current situation. Arriving back at Adelaide Airport, I experienced a horrendous taxi ride for the 40 minutes ride home, I was dumped at the gate, no help along the drive with my luggage, and my house looked pitifully run-down and forlorn. All my services had to be reinstated, so after being with friends in Germany every day, I was alone until my phone and internet were online.

Within weeks I received documents relating to an outstanding FOI with my local hospital, which caused me immense distress and dangerously high blood pressure, and I was taken to Emergency by ambulance. I've been fighting them with issue after issue since 1997, on one occasion using a lawyer and receiving damages. No one ever wants to admit fault, and they do their utmost to cover up whatever the cost to me. A senior health service manager said that I've become a target for abuse.

So that alone may be a good reason to leave, moving to another part of Adelaide would not enable me to escape it all.

I do have an older brother and sister in England, plus their families, but I've lived this far away for so long, they regard me as merely a visiting colonial. They also live in counties north of London, whereas I wish to be south of there, preferably by the sea. My sister also has her house for sale, so they don't want anyone cluttering the place.

I'm not sure that brave is a good word to describe me, perhaps unrealistic might be better.

Mallory

That's correct. All these things are given to you in a way that is in line with socialism. You are given a lower pension amount, but then they hand out bus passes, council tax discounts, and fuel allowances, to up your pension amount. The choice is made for you.

In the US, i.e. capitalism, they give you more money, but you have to handle the other incidental expenses yourself.

Not saying one is better than the other, it's just handled differently.

sallysimmons

There's a lot of misuse of the word 'socialism' - especially over here where some politicians seem to think everything except fending for yourselves in the woods with a gun and some berries is socialism. But socialism actually means that workers take over the means of production and the UK is a far cry from that.

Both systems are capitalist but one leans more towards individuals fending for themselves while the other system tends towards collective responsibility.

Definitions aside though, I do think old people in the UK end up far better off. There is no way my gran would be receiving the level of home care she's getting now if she lived here in the US. She would have been shipped off to a home long ago. Maybe that's the way the current govt. will take things in the UK too, but for now the care has been more than generous.

sallysimmons

That's good that you have people there - even if your relationship is distant for now. I have some relationships like that in the UK and I hope to rebuild them. I think it's possible if we remember that the work has to be on our end since we're the ones who left in the first place. My friends and family deny it will be an issue, but I do think it will be. They have busy lives that don't include me and I will need to find ways to slip into the spaces for a while.

jasper123

Sally we do have property taxes here in U.K. dont we --- they are called the council tax ---- its based on your house that you own, --- same thing
Me and Mum pay £120 per month between us,

sallysimmons

Hi Rodney, I did know that but I believe pensioners are entitled to rebates and/or council tax benefits which vary by locality and also depend on how much you have saved. I don't know the details but I'm pretty sure my gran gets a sizable benefit.

dontheturner

Rod, Have you asked at the Coucil offices, as to whether your Mum qualifies for ''Pension Credit''? I am fairly certain that she does, and if so, that council tax would then be waived. I would check, M8 - Regards Don