Member Info for torquay

We are landed here and on the hunt for property - have not looked in for the last week to see that our share has developed a slow puncture. Cannot understand why - this country seems to be flying - in the time that it took us to pack up and get here we lost four houses in Gorey that I had expressed an interest in. We are still well able to cope with the prices but do not want to move our into the isolation of the countryside when we aren't used to it. Radar will wonder what tablets I'm taking - he just won't believe that I have cereal and toast for breakfast - and have still done almost 1500 miles in the week. The banks are certainly doing their job of getting increasing numbers onto their hook, which is not surprising when ALL rentals seem to start at 1,000 a month, this has to be an incentive to anyone to buy - parting with all that dead money. The roads are busy and the cars that are now driven here strike me as being quite plush and their seem to be millions of them around Dublin, where we endured a London style congestion on our way down from the North on Monday evening. We have more or less decided that we will investigate the north more closely, whilst not finally deciding against the south. Property in the north on the whole, does seem to be more realistically priced for the kind of property that we want in a coastal location. Once we have settled " I WILL NEVER MOVE AGAIN" it is probably our age but we have have both been whacked by the experience. Called in BOI for some Euro's and left - the queue must have been 30 strong and cashier on duty - AIB had two cashiers on duty and two people in the queue. Will report in again when I have some more news - when hopefully our dullards have come to their senses and at least raised the white flag over the House of Commons - nobody over here can understand the stupidity. Good luck and X4 - you are not forgotten.

We escaped on Tuesday - Monday was the worst day of my life - stressful but made the ferry and all seems good over here. Found two good courses in Wexford already but we are are going to explore further down the coast towards Waterford now that we have confirmed that ALL our benefits "healthwise" oporate here. Am deliberately not mentioning BOIG because I am trying to maintain a positive outlook after the earthquake of moving - the colleen thinks that she has PTSD but I'll rare her. Good luck all - here's to an uplift.

Strange how the most important item of news over the weekend has been "The Paradise Papers," have just watched the item on Newsnight, which followed the hour long Panorama special about offshore mechanisms for tax avoidance. When the BBC go to these lengths something is in the wind, anyone who ignores the signal will deserve what I am guessing from experience will follow. The BBC's charter is based on the requirement placed on the broadcaster to "educate and inform". This amazing propaganda exercise has to be coming from the US and Bill Haley's cousins promise to the masses that he would bring home those dollars. Life in the tax havens is about to change I think, which will be a very good thing "if it happens" - powerful vested interests are always in play here, which makes me wonder why this programme was commissioned when there was no news on Brexit. This could of course just be a distraction, to take our attention whilst they are huddled trying to find their way forward. Don't believe that they have a notion of how hard it is going to be if this country leaves the community.

Those remarks are usually reserved for Lloyds clients - I feel that we have chosen the right time for our move and glad really to have made it now - London has slowed down and the West Country usually carries on for a while. Hotels here are now changing hands and they are usually the last link in the chain before the interest rate rises and the loan book provides the harvest. Very good news from X4 and delighted to hear it - had two of the nephews down from London for the last two days and the wife brother - who supervised. When they weren't doing the heavy lifting we had a look round the sights whilst I said goodbye to a lot of the people that I have done business with over the years. X4 they left us after lunch because they wanted to get mass in The Abbey in Ealing - they were not looking forward to returning to London because they think that it is wonderful down here, which is alright when you are staying in the hotel that I chose for them, quite another when you are rubbing shoulders with all our new citizens.What we enjoyed here over the years is almost gone now when Brexit becomes a reality that should just about put paid to it, so far as the hospitality industry is concerned. We are both looking forward to finding somewhere peaceful where the air is fresh and unpolluted with the fumes from the "whacky backy" and the noise from all our new itinerant neighbours as they settle in around us and further depress our property prices. For what we have ahead of us your candles X4 will be very much appreciated

Sitting here this evening somewhat dazed - the Colleen and I launch on our last adventure soon - the contracts are signed the first deeds are transferred and in ten days we'll be over the water. I think that what we will need first is a break for a few days - because we plan to invest in Ireland - once we are satisfied that we feel we can settle.The property will be our first concern but I'm not too worried because so far what I have seen looks good and compared with over here much better value - better quality too. Radar is going to think that I have lost my marbles, when we are choosing to leave the West Country, the in-laws in The North think we have flipped and can't understand why we don't want to live over the border with them. We may do yet in somewhere like Downpatrick or Newcastle - both courses are good and the property is tidy enough it's just that it is in The North. Anyway we'll take our time and look at several locations before we decide - we both fancy a slower pace and freedom from the crowds and the new wave coming into Torquay with their feral children - I don't know if they are being re-planted or just cleansed to make way for new developments from their "homes" up country but they certainly do nothing towards enhancing the local amenity. Well the die is cast now and there is no stopping the ball rolling at this stage - it is something that we have hankered to do for some years but uprooting ourselves completely is something that is only contemplated by people like us who have travelled a lot and now wonder where their real roots are - probably withered in our case. Until I arrange new connections on the other side you'll all probably enjoy the peace because I don't communicate from my I Pad - because I haven't got one. I'm still on-line till next week but then the connection will be broken for a while. Maybe my friend X4 will light a candle for me - just for luck... Good luck all.

if anything would rise. Good luck all

if anything would rise. Good luck all

With no noticeable reduction in efficiency - "customer service" - forget it. I make my requests for service in advance of a visit by letter - the last time they lost it. Good to see your post - hope all is going well with the chemo - it'll soon be time for another visit to Knock but wait till the daffodils are out in March. Good luck all - out.

Still reading myself in but am very pre-occupied with solicitors and Estate Agents/ Auctioneers to you Radar. Interesting that we are now getting employment news over here about job losses - looks like the first puff of wind in the faces of the cheap money merchants and there so called service industry jobs - how many of them will turn out to be just a pack of cards. Just me thinking aloud. Good luck all...

Busy here too - we exchanged contracts today for completion early next month - was going to buy some more shares but cannot see any white smoke - yet. The bankers and the been counters are still at work in there bunkers and nobody is giving a lead to the politicians who just carry on flying from one "working lunch/dinner" to another. Will be disappearing for a while because we are crossing the water to have a look around - have no wish to be here when things unravel - we've done that twice already. Time to Brexit I think... Good luck all. Radar the last of The Hartigans live in Strokestown now, Mrs Hartigan is long since gone upstairs but you could try for divine intervention with regard to your Ganzi..

I meant to type Hartigan's Bar in Lower Leeson Street - it used to attract a lot of interesting people when I used it.

This is good news? Has somebody heard something in a pub - we all know how fast news travels. Hartigan always used to be good for news.

Any news of our resident Kerryman - RADAR - hope that he hasn't been blown over the Connor Pass.

Where on earth did you find that - talk about bells and whistles - hope you've posted it on Lloyds it should get a few of them ticking - if they understand it. That really is something.....have pressed the recommend, button of course.

That Investor Relations - if they are anything like the individual that I met when I called on one of the branches are all in the back office playing darts. I really don't think that anybody is going to show interest until Brexit is concluded or at least the smoke clears - they are probably right for the moment. Impairments are reducing, profit has been restored - the main job now is to make the bank as strong as possible financially so as to be of some use to the economy when they are needed post Brexit - what ever that turns out to be. Unless of course they just don't care which could be equally true - the country is chugging along - they get their salaries every month. With things going the right way - on paper - what have they got to worry about ??? Good luck all.

What I should have said was that they have made the investments - we've had the investment (Huge) they can have a dividend (small) but as far as their investment is concerned - good luck - that's what the Americans said too. Good luck to you, thought of you today after communion.

Good to read you, take note of your comments re: China's investments outside it's shores but surely these are and would be vulnerable in the event that difficulties arise. I certainly would not wish to rely on any investment that I might have made in China OR Russia, because I am not convinced that their currencies can stand up reliably over the long term. How good has Sterling been over the last thirty years???

An excellent and important piece of research on China which has served to confirm what I have believed all along - the investment and transfer of intellectual property into China had only one purpose over the longer term. Unless the markets that have been allowed to develop for Chinese manufactured "everything" continue to be supportive when their economy begins and continues to deflate. The problems posed by China and its expansionary ambitions will no doubt fade against the unrest that is likely to be the result of a declining economy rather like Russia at the break-up of the Soviet Union. We're still going to be stuck with the Korean situation and of course good old Brexit. Good luck all..

Well done Deadcat just the note to lift peoples spirits - with all that is going on and distracting from our main event.

Your point with regard to the future is well made and very valid in the current situation as was the article that our Mr Mac posted last week. In response I am bound to say THAT BREXIT HASN"T HAPPENED YET - there is still time for reason to prevail as the Conservative Flat Earth Society descends into chaos - the braying jackass at one side and the quiet woman on the other. Now that the conference season has commenced, we may just find that a number of MP's will come to their senses and start to seek accommodation with another party. There is very substantial unease at Westminster because short of WAR WITH RUSSIA this is probably the biggest decision that our squeaky bums will have to vote on. The closer they get to looking down the barrel the more apparent will become the sense of panic. Just in case they are daft enough to follow it up when they vote - I will be well out of the way presiding calmly in cash with my new set of golf clubs which I fully intend making good use of. I will not however be surrendering my little pot of gold in BIRG in case a rainbow settles on it. The Fat Lady is not even warming up yet. Good luck all - I'm "OFF" @ 11.08