Last One to Post Wins

[Stephen]

Morning all from paradise

You visiting Costa Del Maldon Merv.

[Mervyn and Trish]

If I was I'd have been round for a snifter by now.

But you're close.

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[Stephen]

Always welcome.

I can see the image is a close resemblance. There's a coastline.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I imagine your pad as larger though

[Stephen]

Only the incontinence ones Merv

[qbman1]

Have you moved then, Merv ?

[towny44]

I suspect he is on a jolly in Madeira, like most ex BBC employees he will have used his tax free perks to buy an offshore holiday property.

[Stephen]

Only the one!

[qbman1]

Merv's BBC pension has probably bought the whole of Funchal !

[Silver_Shiney]

Office computer playing billy suggers, working from home this afternoon while IT bods try to fix it

[qbman1]

For "working from home" read "watching Bargain Hunt" !!

[Stephen]

Lovely sunny afternoon. That's the weather forecast over with.

[qbman1]

I'd rather it was delivered by Alexis:

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[qbman1]

She'll even join you for a game of footy if you prefer !!

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[Silver_Shiney]

For "working from home" read "watching Bargain Hunt" !!

No, I'm really working from home. Struggling with MS Access right now (apart from taking a quick break here) to create a report on a single record in the table.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I suspect he is on a jolly in Madeira, like most ex BBC employees he will have used his tax free perks to buy an offshore holiday property.

I realise Towny joshes but for the record BBC perks are much overstated by the likes of the Daily Wail. Yes a few former employees have taken the p*ss. But the current DG earns one fifth of what the Wail's editor gets for considerably less responsibility. And yes the big stars get big money, as they do across the industry. But most BBC employees are modestly paid.

I took a 30% pay cut when I joined in 1979 and it was a few years before I regained my previous level of earnings. For most of my career I earned less than my contemporaries in the independent sector. While they got perks like company cars I got none. My one plus was a decent pension scheme, which I paid a lot into. And while I was working we lived modestly and saved so we can now live comfortably.

I am indeed at my offshore haven, our timeshare apartment in Madeira, largely paid for while we were working, so we can enjoy good quality cheap holidays now our income is fixed. Two weeks here, including flights, maintenance charges and spending money costs less than half the same time cruising, with the added benefit that the Cava is chilled and the canapes not curly.

Cheers shipmates. It appears to be gin o'clock.

[Stephen]

You don't have to explain to us Merv. But if you want to clear your conscience

[Mervyn and Trish]

That's okay Stephen. Didn't want you to think I was squandering Batty's tax contributions. He only pays for our cruises and the Butler's salary.

[towny44]

I thought Batty one only financed Blods cruises, how come you also receive some of his largesse?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Truth is Towny that once he's paid it in he has no control where it goes. You should apply for a grant. I believe HMRC have a form DK1 which you can fill in. But don't let him know I told you.

[Stephen]

That's okay Stephen. Didn't want you to think I was squandering Batty's tax contributions. He only pays for our cruises and the Butler's salary.

You mean you pay for the chauffeur out of your own pocket. Tut tut Merv. Standards old chap, standards.

[qbman1]

He's got a top notch Duck House too !

[Stephen]

Now that's just quackers

[qbman1]

I take it your copy of The Beano arrived today ?!

[Stephen]

No, but the P&O Moments mag did.