So how was everyone’s year? Mine was quite good! 2023 didn’t start overly promisingly, I was recently unemployed, after working for an ■■■■■■■■ in a job I hated, absolutely broke and a bit fed up. It ends as one of the best years of my life, and I’ve had some f**king great years! Working for myself in a business starting to take off doing something I actually really love is one reason………but the main reason you’ll not be surprised to hear goes by the name of Albert! 4 months he’s been in my life, 4 short months and already I can’t and don’t want to imagine a life without him. He’s the realisation of a dream I’ve had my whole life but I never had a life suitable for a dog till now. It was only when I could answer yes to the question ‘am I prepared to make them the most important thing in my life for the next 15 years’ that I was happy I was ready. He’s stuck with me for life come hell or high water! The fact he’s settled into what is now our home so quickly and he’s such a jolly happy little lad fills me with pride. So yeah, thanks Albert for being you, even when you try and play bite my face and wee on the mat 
Have a great New Year all, me and Albert will be seeing it in quietly together as I’m working 9am Monday. Happy New Year friends
switchlogic:
So how was everyone’s year? Mine was quite good! 2023 didn’t start overly promisingly, I was recently unemployed, after working for an [zb] in a job I hated, absolutely broke and a bit fed up. It ends as one of the best years of my life, and I’ve had some f**king great years! Working for myself in a business starting to take off doing something I actually really love is one reason………but the main reason you’ll not be surprised to hear goes by the name of Albert! 4 months he’s been in my life, 4 short months and already I can’t and don’t want to imagine a life without him. He’s the realisation of a dream I’ve had my whole life but I never had a life suitable for a dog till now. It was only when I could answer yes to the question ‘am I prepared to make them the most important thing in my life for the next 15 years’ that I was happy I was ready. He’s stuck with me for life come hell or high water! The fact he’s settled into what is now our home so quickly and he’s such a jolly happy little lad fills me with pride. So yeah, thanks Albert for being you, even when you try and play bite my face and wee on the mat
Well I got married in July this year and my new wife does everything you mention your Albert does apart from pi55 on the mat.
Happy New Year everyone.
Great year for you too then so Congratulations
I took…
One test drive and then turned the job down. If you think I’m gonna spend over an hour queueing/fuelling up before I go home, you’re mistaken. (the truck was an Iveco anyway, looking back, why did I bother in the first place)
I sold my campervan and found a small, quiet and comfortable place to reside.
I maintained my 100% record of not doing any Dcpc bollox.
I got laid.
I remained the same weight (slightly too much) throughout the year. (consistency is everything)
HMRC gave me a large amount of money (I have no idea why they did but like was gonna question it)
I spent the HMRC money on some new teeth.
I got tinnitus, so there’s that.
edit forgot things
Good to see things have turned around for you Luke.
I always tell my kids, life has a habit of working things out, no matter the drawback or how crap things are.
Been ok for me on the whole, still like the job I do, around Devon,.Cornwall,.Dorset, Somerset and the like., made a few friends doing it also …in fact I met up with one for an end of year pint on my penultimate day before hols, the own a/c transport manager of a firm I deliver to regularly in Devon.
I still like my long weekends at home on my 4 on 3 off, although still putting up with a lot of unneccesary officious b/s from the firm, but I tend to field it, keep my head down,.and look after me…as always, so nothing new there. 
Oh yeah, got a decent truck to do it in now, managed to shake of The curse of the Actros at last.
On home front …everything cool, good social life with friends,.although been quiet lately, still married to the best girl in the world (still amazingly fit btw…her not me ) and still spending times away with her.
My lad tells me our 8th grandkid is on the way…I still look around for a little old man in a cloth cap when they shout ‘Granda Rob’ though, still not used to it 
,.so yeah everything is cool to date.
So although I voted ‘standard’ I should maybe change it to ‘good’. 
switchlogic:
So how was everyone’s year? Mine was quite good! 2023 didn’t start overly promisingly, I was recently unemployed, after working for an [zb] in a job I hated, absolutely broke and a bit fed up. It ends as one of the best years of my life, and I’ve had some f**king great years! Working for myself in a business starting to take off doing something I actually really love is one reason………but th e main reason you’ll not be surprised to hear goes by the name of Albert! 4 months he’s been in my life, 4 short months and already I can’t and don’t want to imagine a life without him. He’s the realisation of a dream I’ve had my whole life but I never had a life suitable for a dog till now. It was only when I could answer yes to the question ‘am I prepared to make them the most important thing in my life for the next 15 years’ that I was happy I was ready. He’s stuck with me for life come hell or high water! The fact he’s settled into what is now our home so quickly and he’s such a jolly happy little lad fills me with pride. So yeah, thanks Albert for being you, even when you try and play bite my face and wee on the mat
Happy New Year Luke, All the best for 2024, The more you put into your business the more you will
get out of it, But you don`t need me to tell you that, as your past record shows you Can and Have done it for others, not many out there can say that if they tell the truth ,
As for Albert you will find he will Allways be please to see you. Shame people do not take after Dogs lol
A Dog is the Best Freind you will ever have thats for sure,
All the Very Best to You and Albert, stay safe x
Finally retired, now delight in turning down work.
switchlogic:
Great year for you too then so Congratulations
Thanks for that
It’s been a good agreeable year.Hopefully next year will be as good if not better.
That looks like a young Springer Spaniel ? you’re going to get a lot of exercise knowing their definition of a ‘walk’.
2023 has been mixed with a strong surge of work in the first half enabling me to bank enough money to ride out the next year or so, the 2nd half wasn’t as good. But it’s shown me that it’s probably time to get off the Hamster Wheel, reduce the number of days that I need to work and go part time, and enjoy my life, especially as I approach my 60th birthday. I finally got the new car that I’ve had on back order for 6 months (a VW Gti replacing an identical VW Gti), the new car went to a local specialist car detailer during the Christmas/NY holiday week to be polished and cleaned while I lazed around on the sofa, I got it back Saturday afternoon, so I recon that as we approach the 2024 spring bank holiday I’m going to head out to Spain/Portugal in it for a month or two on a road trip and forget about truck driving for a while
peirre:
as we approach the 2024 spring bank holiday I’m going to head out to Spain/Portugal in it for a month or two on a road trip and forget about truck driving for a while
I’m planning similar for March or April with a road trip to Gran Canaria.It seems they are offering massive discounts for over 60’s on the Cadiz ferry.
Not sure wether or not I’ll also use the Biscay ferry route or just drive across France and Spain.
Well not at the same company I stared the year with but defo the bank balance is better for it and I do less work as now a box jockey
Health is getting worse
Semi retired in spring…not alot more to say,really.
In December, I quit my full time office job of 11 years to drive lorries for a supermarket on agency to give me more time with our 2 year old son and save a bit on childcare at the same time.
I will soon find out in 2024 how sustainable that turns out to be!
Sent from my DUB-LX1 using Tapatalk
blue estate:
Well not at the same company I stared the year with but defo the bank balance is better for it and I do less work as now a box jockey
Health is getting worse
Good luck with the job. Bad news re health.
Dont fall into the trap that many box-jockeys do: dont spend all your time vegging out in the cab.
Many skellie trailer sit a long way behind the cab allowing lots of space to mount a bike…hint!
Not too bad here.
Got laid off in February by a company that were paying good, 5 minutes from my house, only to be replaced 2 days later by someone else. Another driver who was up the gaffers arse saw to that. Luckily an old boss offered me my job back, 4 years after leaving, 2 days before the above, and while the money isn’t as good, I am left alone with the truck I got new 4 years ago, and do around 43 hours a week.
I stopped doing motorsport, realising that at 59, I was too old to compete.
I watched my ice hockey team, Leeds Knights lift the league title and then win the playoffs at Coventry in only their 3rd year of existence. Currently we are on to do the same.
Had a cracking holiday in June with the wife.
Not been too bad with the old health.
And to cap 2023 off, at our final game of ice hockey in Sheffield yesterday, met one of my heroes from when I first started the ice hockey journey in 1985 when he played for Durham Wasps, and had a right old chinwag about it.
Hope 2024 brings much of the same.
Pretty good overall.
Wifey still puts up with me and we’re both in good health as are the kids, all of whom are doing ok too in their own lives, our dogs are still all good too.
Job’s sound got no plans to retire any time soon, compared to what i used to do this is a part time job.
Life could be a hell of lot worse and is for many, no complaints, we’re grateful for our lot.
Happy New Year.
I’ve had an okish year, my health has been deteriorating over the last year, I had a great holiday in Cyprus in September, for my 60th birthday in 2023, a treat from the family.
Had a good time off for Christmas and New Year, hoping 2024 will be a good one, as long my health doesn’t get any worse.
Still at the same job, the money is good and I like the work, although there are bits I don’t like, apparently the own account contract is up for renewal this year, I may have to look for another job, I’m starting to get itchy feet anyway, as I’ll have been there 2 years on the 4th January. I don’t like to stay in the same job for too long nowadays, after doing 27 years at Royal Mail…
Anyway Happy New Year
Despite prophecies of an economic crash work ticked over fine.
Final year of my determined attempt at weight loss and managed to get my weight down to within a stone of where I was when I was 18 and I’m happy sitting at that. As a result of that this is the first year in possibly decades where i’ve not had to take time off sick because of my back. Previous few years I’ve had to have sometimes a month off at a time.
Still steadily throwing money at pension. Fully determined to retire when I hit 60 in 7 years time or at least drop it down to just a day or two a week to give me something to do and I’m on target for that still.
Finally managed to get to John O’Groats after years of saying I’d do it. Booked a Premier Inn in Inverness 3 weeks in advance so I’d have to go. As luck would have it it turned out to be a week of glorious sunshine in between weeks of rain so spent a nice week bimbling around the Highlands.
Got back in touch with a mate I’ve known since I was a kid and I’d lost contact with several years ago when he got divorced and his life took a dump. We’re planning a road trip to Nurburgring this summer.
Pretty mediocre here. Job wise, all good. Am in the rubbish game so pretty secure, had a decent pay rise so funds are good too.
Health wise not been too great, the years are catching up and taking their toll. Hitting the 50 this coming Feb and starting ro look at things differently, especially as the yougest has turned 18 and started on her way in life. Mentally is the worst as things are now catching up that I’ve been putting off or storing away, but getting there slowly.
Think 2024 will be a big sorting out year and not sure where it’ll end up, with turning 50 and hitting our 25th wedding anniversary being big milestones, plus health issues for both of us. Only thing at the minute that I’m pretty sure of is I’ll still be at the same job and tramping all week.