I'm not boring enough to be an actuary but ONS gives average life expectancy of a 77 year old male as another 11 years (to 88). If you want to play around with your chances or reaching certain ages have a look here

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/articles/lifeexpectancycalculator/2019-06-07

Obviously this doesn't give credit for being fit and active (i.e. golfing 4x a week), or penalise for a diet of Fray Bentos pies.

Afternoon Tikay, Essexphil and anyone else who may or may not know me....

Well we won the tennis, a close game, we lost the first set 6.4 (having been a break up), won the second 6.2 and then won the 10 point tie break decider 10.7. I didn't play very well but my partner played excellently, I'm thinking of buying him a rucksack so he will find it easier to carry me next time! It's always nice to beat two of the club coaches in the club tournament although these were youngsters (19 and 25ish) and will only get better, on the other hand my doubles partner is 35 and I'm 59 (and 'high mileage') and I will only get older, slower and worse, so I suspect it may be different if we play them again next year.

Tikay I suspect you are indeed confusing me with Tomgoodun, we were both in Vegas that year and I know he has played the SPT Brighton event. I am slightly younger and better looking though . Wouldn't it be great if he showed up here? I miss his updates on his family and I hope they are all doing well. I'm sure this little story will make you feel better anyway Tikay -  I went to my cousin's house yesterday evening to watch the boxing, my cousin told me that a few months ago his eldest son had asked if he was related to me, he knew he was related to my mum but didn't know if he was related to me! I've been his 'uncle Paul' all his life, he's 28! I can certainly forgive you not getting all my details spot on, you literally dealt with thousands of poker player over the years, and you're not my nephew!     

If you want to see a Heron get his comeuppance have a look for videos of otters and herons. Otters are lovely animals but too many have been released and they are spreading like wildfire. If they find their way to a lake near you then they will eat the fish first and then start on the birdlife, they are very much an apex predator in the UK and also protected so there is little you can other than otter fence your water and hope they don't get inside the fence. Otter v heron is not even a close match!

[Latest Member: Enut]

Latest Member: Enut


Just noticed that, "Enut" (Paul) has joined us.

He was a regular on the Forum Next Door & a good friend. Came to the Brighton SPT's most years, & won a Vegas trip with us one year.

Owns a nice pile down in Sussex, seems to have almost a zoo living there with him. Big tennis fan - still plays I believe - & is a Financial Advisor or somesuch in real life.

His pride & joy used to be a super cool Lotus, but I'm pretty sure he upgraded to a beautiful Ferrari recently which is his pride & joy. He's not a boy-racer, just a car enthusiast.

Good to see you here Paul.

Morning Tikay, thanks for the mention.

A couple of corrections......

1. I've never been to any SPT's even in Brighton which is just along the coast, sadly I've always been too busy with 'life' things, although you are correct I did fluke a trip to Vegas a few years ago, which is where we met IRL after many enjoyable battles on the virtual PLO8 tables (good times).

2. Currently have 3 horses, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 4 chickens, too many fish to count, about 10 ducks and moorhens (number varies) and the recent addition of 7 ducklings is very welcome as the first two lots that hatched had the worlds worst duck mothers and all got taken either by Mr Heron, Mr Herring Gull or, sadly, one of our cats. 

3. Still playing tennis, club finals today and I'm playing in the men's doubles final, which isn't bad for someone approaching 60. We're against two of the young club coaches so it'll be tough.

4. Still an IFA, although trying to retire at the end of the year, at which point I may even try golf again. I hit a few at 'Top Golf' in Vegas, which was the first time I'd hit a golf ball in 20 years, some even came off the middle!
 
5. Pride and joy is still the Lotus for me, no Ferrari, although the Lotus does look like a Ferrari and is red, so easily fools non car people. Not looking at changing it, I think it's one of the best looking cars ever made and looks like it's going to be the last of a dying breed.

Anyway.....I have enjoyed reading your Vegas diary, although I've only read from the recent Vegas trip (as you linked in the Discord group), the other 3000+ pages (!) will have to wait until I have a bit more time. I'm so pleased you're having a great retirement journey, it's thoroughly deserved.

I noticed Essexphil has joined and posted a few times too, wouldn't is be great if most of the old posters come over and join here, it would help continue some of the banter that's sadly lacking now that table chat is a thing of the past.

Off out now, where are those tennis rackets? Wish me luck.

Cheers

Paul