Thought i’d better let you all know that yesterday i retired after 41 years of being involved with military fast jet operations. Today seems a bit surreal at the moment since it was actually 48 years ago i left school and started my first job (comments like “really old git” are expected).
The retirement has come with a marital separation and a change of location. Things have been a bit grim on the wedded bliss front for quite some time so the inevitable has now happened. and what better way to mark the retirement than to leave the marital home and relocate. I am at this moment with my son who lives in West Wales and will be busy over the next few days sorting out rented house etc, but don’t go worrying-----as soon as i’ve re-established contact with my sources, i’ll be right back with my inane/insane sense of humour. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.
Best of luck Ozzie, it must be a very strange time for you.
Staff
All the best mate, your humour keeps dozens of us entertained so I hope you can keep your chin up through this transitional period.
Thanks Staff and Allen—feels strange indeed to wake up this morning without the thought of a working day ahead.
The relocation has made one big change in my life already, this morning i walked my six year old grand-daughter to school with her clutching my hand and this is the grand-daughter who i have only seen a half a dozen times in her life because of geographical locations etc. What a wonderful experience to be repeated many more times in the weeks/months ahead methinks.
Best of luck Ozzie but don’t go changing it’s your sense of humour that gets most of us through the working day.
Not sure if I should be glad or sad for your situation but I’m definately jealous of the retirement part and as long as your ok and you’ve still got your sense of humour I’m sure it’ll all work out right.
What ever happens keep enjoying life 
A strange situation Ozz congratulations and comiserations! Must be a great feeling taking your grand daughter to school like that though! hope your on your feet soon, im sure if you need any assistance buddy theres plenty of us on here that can try to help
As the others have said Oz must be a strange situation , good in one way awkward in another ,
Dont let her get your pension money though :lol:
Craig 
good luck OZZIE with your retirement and relocation!
Tony
All the very, very best Ozzie. Whatever happens, look on it as a great big adventure …life is far too precious to do otherwise, its called the ‘present’ because its a gift. You are so obviously a star just missing a stage - but it’s there, rest assured.
Change is, I suppose, inevitable - even if it’s not, on the face of it, seemingly always welcomed at the time. Take a HUGE deep breath, be thankful for what you HAVE got, don’t worry about what you haven’t, and just know, for certain, that there are a lot of people out there in the wider world, whose faces you might not know, who respect the hell out of you. 
Don’t worry Ozzi at our age it’s soon you’ll find all the good things in life that when working
you missed and failed to enjoy… soak it up and enjoy no longer being one of the herd of sheep
having to do what they have to… Baaaah!.. you know what I mean !
I wish you all the luck in the coming future
As others have said it must be strange times at the moment, time is a great healer though. I for one will miss your sense of humour so please stick around 
A huge thank you guys and gal for your kind words and worry ye not, my sense of humour is intact and now living very happily in Wales. Now that i am up and running using my son’s server while i’m staying with him, at least i can plunder my suppliers of humour to give you all your fix.
On the personal front, i’ve got a viewing organised for next Monday for an apartment overlooking a Marina situated on the Cleddau estuary.
And as far as the marital split is concerned, it was something i should have done years ago but stuck my head in the sand and hoped the problem would go away.
Babel----you are so right, this thing called life aint no rehearsal, it’s a one-shot thing, so i am doing everything possible to move forward.
Once again, many thanks for your comments.
What do clouds and women have in common?
Occasionally they f*ck off and you have a nice day
Amen to that, matey. One foot in front of the other. You know, it’s strange how once the inevitable has actually happened, we end up wondering what in the hell we were scared of! Humans, huh??!!
Good luck Ozzie, us old gits need to stick together Never to late to get to know the Grand kids better & never too late to find the love of your life again I seperated after 28 years of marriage & here i am 10yrs later getting wed again, so embrace what you have & never ever look back & say what if, only look forwards & say what next !!
Cheers Julian.
Thanks Julian, you really don’t know how true your words are ringing to me. Means a lot you saying that, you were the first person to reply to my very first post on the forum, you told me off for having the caps lock on and the only reason i had them on was that my old eyes(they were a bit younger at the time) could see what i was typing.
I truly hope that in the months to come, i can emulate what has happened in your life Julian, many thanks for your words.
Sorry Julian, no offence meant, it was’nt to my first post you replied to but not long after (see what a sad old retired git i have become–ALREADY).
Just found myself trawling through the archives to check when the post was that you told me to turn the caps lock off----NURSE----i need help please.
Seriously though, where else but GTOUK can you banter with a bunch of guys and gals, share your innermost secrets and feel that somebody is listening and does care. And this is with a bunch of people that have never met me =—YET.
Just you lot wait now that i am a free man and can travel to meets and AGM’s etc
well with your sence of humor we will all be looking forward to meeting you then .jae and billing coming up
Good luck on your new adventure. It must feel surreal right now. The apartment sounds like it could be a nice place relax.