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Not dead yet

Steve Lewis

Senior Member
Hi all

A couple of you have messaged me offline - presumably spurred on by my post in the big cats thread - to enquire as to my whereabouts and ask about my wellbeing. It's much appreciated, thank you. I promise I'm fine, and you'll see I still post (very) occasionally, and also browse the forum at least a few times a week. I haven't abandoned fishing (at least not intentionally) or BFW.

Unfortunately due to various financial and health reasons I'm "out of the game" for the time being. Nothing disastrously major or terminal, but struggling with a few long covid issues (I'm still physically mobile, but not really fighting fit for the bank), and currently waiting to find out if my pay is about to drop by £8k a year following a restructure and pay grade review at work. This is almost immediately following my wife being made redundant twice from two companies that went out of business and leaving another job due to bullying, all in the last two years. We also have some fairly major problems with our house which have revealed themselves since 2020 and we can neither afford to address them nor move.

All in all things haven't been great and, as you can imagine, I find it quite difficult seeing all the fishing I'm missing out on (there's only so much vicarious fishing you can do by reading others' catch reports, 😂), so have purposely kept my posting to the bare minimum. But I'm constantly reminded that there are plenty of others - especially with things going on around the world concurrently - in a much much worse position than me, which is keeping me humble, sane and level headed.

So yes, I'm still alive and still keen, but tempering my hopes and expectations, at least for the time being.

I hope everyone else is doing okay and hope that the ongoing river pollution problem is resolved, or at least improved massively, by the time I properly rejoin the ranks.

Much love now
 
Hi Steve,
you aren’t on your own mate, my wife and I have had some major ‘issues’ in recent times. We try to go for a stroll in the countryside in the afternoons to keep fit and basically get a little exercise. I can assure you that a glance at the ages carved on the headstones in churchyards soon makes us realise how lucky we are. Onwards and upwards matey and good luck going forward.👍
G.T.
 
I have just had over three weeks in bed floored by some virus. The nightmares were horrific and the illness was like I have never had before. I would have cashed in if someone offered me a tablet, it was that bad. Anti biotics made things worse and what saved the day was prescribed sleeping tablets.
I lost a stone in weight but regaining strength now, even eying the little feeder set up 😏
Very much with you GT and Steve and anyone else on here having issues now....and it really helps to chat, even us crusty old types need a hug at times. Xxx
 
Hi all

A couple of you have messaged me offline - presumably spurred on by my post in the big cats thread - to enquire as to my whereabouts and ask about my wellbeing. It's much appreciated, thank you. I promise I'm fine, and you'll see I still post (very) occasionally, and also browse the forum at least a few times a week. I haven't abandoned fishing (at least not intentionally) or BFW.

Unfortunately due to various financial and health reasons I'm "out of the game" for the time being. Nothing disastrously major or terminal, but struggling with a few long covid issues (I'm still physically mobile, but not really fighting fit for the bank), and currently waiting to find out if my pay is about to drop by £8k a year following a restructure and pay grade review at work. This is almost immediately following my wife being made redundant twice from two companies that went out of business and leaving another job due to bullying, all in the last two years. We also have some fairly major problems with our house which have revealed themselves since 2020 and we can neither afford to address them nor move.

All in all things haven't been great and, as you can imagine, I find it quite difficult seeing all the fishing I'm missing out on (there's only so much vicarious fishing you can do by reading others' catch reports, 😂), so have purposely kept my posting to the bare minimum. But I'm constantly reminded that there are plenty of others - especially with things going on around the world concurrently - in a much much worse position than me, which is keeping me humble, sane and level headed.

So yes, I'm still alive and still keen, but tempering my hopes and expectations, at least for the time being.

I hope everyone else is doing okay and hope that the ongoing river pollution problem is resolved, or at least improved massively, by the time I properly rejoin the ranks.

Much love now
Hope things get easier for you and you can get back out on the bank. Yes. When I was exiled in West Devon I found there was only so many fish reports I could take!
 
Could do with losing a stone or three myself Neil, although perhaps not the way you did it eh ;)
Hi Steve, i posted a health recipe for a homemade drink on another thread, ( can't remember where ), Its helped me lose 2 and a half stone. If you want the recipe, i can PM it to you if you like. 👍
 
Sorry to read your post, Steve, however it's so wonderfully written I just felt I should reply - if only just to say that! The travails of life strike most of us at some time or another, and as you've demonstrated so well it's important not to get too down and/or pessimistic. I hope you get back to full fishing fitness, and your wife finds a role and company that provides a longer term solution, without bullies.

Wishing you (and yours) all the very best and I hope to read many more of your posts on BFW!
 
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