I am a pensioner

Green I took the larger amount each week rather than the lump sum. I am pretty healthy and think I will win out easily on this as the government said it will increase it by either 2 1/2% or CPI whichever is the greater. I do take it weekly as well as there is no benefit to having it monthly because that is in arears. I deferred mine for 3 years and it has made quite a difference.

The Jenny Joseph poem has dated badly. Purple isn't an eccentric colour. I have lots of it. I fact, I have a purple-ish polo shirt on at the moment. The poem was written by JJ when she wasn't yet old, so it could be seen as patronising.

petallus, you are not the only person who hates that poem. I loathe it.

Though I do think it's interesting how people latch onto it because no one else ever writes anything positive about being old.

Hi AlisonMA,

I have also deferred my pension from last September and will be drawing it this September. I am also planning to take the higher weekly amount rather than a lump sum. I think it is a reasonable gamble to assume I will live longer than another 10 years, afterall we are always being told we are living longer, so we should all work longer. I was speaking to the Dept of Pensions about my plans, and was told I would be in the minority if I took the higher weekly amount rather than the lump sum. Apparently when people see how much they will receive as a lump sum they give in to the temptation. Am I being cynical thinking that this is what the Gov'n want us to do?

johanna perhaps alter the spelling to pensionistaRs?
P.S I remember amo amas amat, as an impressionable 11 year old, I thought we were in for a treat, I mean, who talks about love to an 11 year old?

I suspect I was thinking of it as conturbabat. It has been a long time since I did any Latin.

Definitely "conturbat" like "amo, amas, amat "etc. (did Latin and Greek to "A"Level!)

Alison - Respect!

I like that one, johanna. The men can be PENSIONMISTAS.

PENSIONISTAS.???

What's wrong with Senior Citizen? I think it has a certain gravitas.

nonu you are entitled to your view about men but I don't share it. I have 1 DH & 3 DSs and can assure you that when the need arises I can easily outnumber them.

I've just come back from pilates which I have been doing for about 2 1/2 years and am now in the advanced class and finding it mostly quite easy. I had polio when I was 7 and as a consequence have one leg longer than the other, severe scoliosis and am knock kneed. I have scars all over me from many operations and have had more than my share of illness BUT none of this bothers me and I think I am fitter with more stamina than many people half my age.

I am not old at 66 and think it is a great age as I no longer have to go to work and deal with people I would prefer not to know. I can do what I like when I like and don't have to use an alarm clock. If I want to go on holiday on impulse I can do so. If the house needs cleaning and I get a better offer I can choose which I want to do. We worked very hard to do the best for our sons and now it is our turn to enjoy ourselves and that is what we are doing! We are thoroughly enjoying our S.K.I.ing.

Being a Senior Ccitizen is brilliant.

Gosh, yes, I'd forgotten about that one, Annobel!
'Old Age' indeed....huh!

Anything but OAP! That should be banned.

I'm not keen on 'silver surfer' either. I have hardly any grey hair, let alone silver! I suppose 'retiree' is better than 'pensioner', but a bit awkward.

Back to the latin (23% in mock exam so not allowed to take the REAL one!)
I thought 'leechis surriganis and physicianis' might refer to those who might like to use leeches (leech surgeons?) as opposed to real physicians ! [Hmm]
.
Back to the thread, I would prefer another name, NOT pensioner. Any more suggestions?

Back to the original thread - I deferred taking my pension for two years and am very glad that I did as, as someone said upthread, I now get more money each week. I could have had a lump sum of about £8,000 (I think that's about what it was), but would have had to pay income tax on that, so for me, as we didn't need the lump sum, getting extra each week seemed a better bet. And, as someone else said, each time there is a percentage increase, I get that increase on the larger weekly sum.

OK, let's put that controversy to bed - I have dug out my Complete Works of William Dunbar and checked on the Lament for the Makaris. And it is 'conturbat'. I did a year's classics at University 'just in case' but saw sense and decided to specialise in English.

Because it's twee.

How come I contribute to a website where people post in Latin? Me who hardly had a proper education in English?

When I was scrolling down through the posts I caught the first bit of Latin without noticing who had posted it but I scrolled back up thinking 'I bet it's jeni'

As for getting old, I don't intend to try to stay young, think that I'm younger than other people of my own age or wear purple and say I can't afford butter (I am the only person I know who hates that poem).

I like silver surfer as well!

I have no idea what all the latin is about, I left school in 1948 (YES! 1948) Latin was not an option, but we were expected to stay late for typing lessons, and arrive early for mothercraft and first aid. To get back to the original thread, a friend of mine called herself a re-cycled teen-ager, but that was when being a teenager was a lot different to what it is today. I think silver surfers is a lovely phrase, it brings all sorts of images to my mind, but then I have always been a dreamer.

I'm glad I did Latin for two years - it does give you a bit of a clue (!) about the roots of words. Yes, it was difficult in our school to do all the sciences - I only took Biology because Physics and Chemistry defeated me. You couldn't even do general science at our school.

I think 85was a one.
I must be older than you. Grades came in later.
I HATED Latin.
I was trying to do the three sciences on my own as my school only did general science and you needed the three fot medical school.
I decided to ignore Latin. I've only ever found it useful for xwords

nonu You are entitled to your opinion of course. BUT. Men superior? You are having us on aren't you?

We got grades. I got Grade 1 for English Language!
Didn't take Latin though - gave it up in the Fourth Year.