Elvis left the building, a week ago.

[Firestorm]

Well, the beard is coming on nicely, there were hardly any tears on the final parade, honest! It's been a whole week since I buggered off and it's all going quite well!

Well. I've been drunk for most of the week anyway. I'm off to Brighton tomorrow for the first leaving do, the second is in Prague in 6 weeks.

I'd just like to say a big thanks to all on here who played such an enjoyable part of my fire service journey.

Stay safe, look after each other and cherish your families.

Firestorm, out. 💖

[Carl]

Congratulations Mark. Hope you have a long and happy one. Enjoy your time off now.  

[Messyshaw]

Many congratulations on your retirement mate. Perhaps now you are an old fugger like me, you will stop giving me so much stick!

Behave yourself in Prague - on second thoughts, don't

 

[Cashybai]

Snuck that one in mate, when's the do?   Enjoy, smell the hops and roses and put yer feet up mucka

[JonnyHolbs]

@Firestorm I should’ve put 2 and 2 together, mate, but I was there in the back rank. Congratulations on your retirement. Would’ve come over but we doubted you’d want to be swarmed by baby FF’s 😂.

[Steve]

Silly old goat....

[Noddy]

Congrats Mark and enjoy your well earned retirement 👍👍

[Keith]

All the best for whatever you do next Mark, enjoy the retirement.

[Jet]

That’s a considerable amount of FF’s that turned up to make sure you had actually left 😝

Congrats Mark, enjoy your retirement.

[TandA]

Enjoy the retirement. Well deserved.

[Carefree]

Nice one Mark, I for one am hoping that you’ll stick around.....some of your one liners are comedy gold😊

[Firestorm]

Thanks for all of the kind words. Just back from part one of the leaving do, feeling a little fragile but had a brilliant time. I'll pop in from time to time to keep order and share some lamp-swinging experiences. Shuffle over Messy, is there room on that sandbag for me?

The final morning, as @JonnyHolbs will confirm, was emotional for me, I wasn't prepared for that turnout. Old faces in the form of old watch members and old bosses, off duty colleagues and our next generation, led by instructors I worked with in the distant past.

So far, so good! My liver is complaining, as it will do until next month when I reboot and start my next step.

I'm looking forward to spending the first combined Christmas and New Year with my family in over 30 years.

Take care and stay safe.