Family Matters

[Stanley]

We haven't had any movement on probate yet, we are still locked in the clutches of HMRC and the lawyers!

[Tizer]

Stanley, I hope it goes through for you soon. My father-in-law's suddenly happened, a bit like when you're pulling harder and harder on a rope and think you'll never shift the object and then suddenly everything gives way!

Thanks, everyone, for your support. We're going to be very busy, with lots to organise. The removals men will do the usual packing but I can't let them do my mineral collection - I'm the only one who knows what's fragile and what's most valuable, and some contain elements like arsenic or mercury which would frighten them! So, probably about 600 to pack individually, at least.

There's all the usual problems of dealing with companies and other organisations. We already had two bad experiences and one good yesterday. To cut three long stories short:
1. We paid the £600 deposit to the removals firm over the phone and asked them to confirm receipt by email and also confirm the details we'd agreed for the move. When they did they said they'd changed their mind about not blocking the single-track lane. They'll have a van here on two days and we'd chosen them because they'd promised not to block the lane (it causes all sorts of angst with people calling the police etc). We had to be firm and remind them they'd made a promise and now it looks like they've back-tracked.
2. I contacted our ISP, Plusnet, to arrange for our broadband to be available at the new address. After a lot of heated discussion I ended up having to agree a 24-month contract, more expensive than I'd expected and not being what I'd understood from the details on their web site. I'm not happy with them at all. We've been with them 10 years and they used to be great but they've gone aggressive and joined the dirty tricks brigade.
3. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I renewed my car insurance by switching from Saga to LV (Liverpool Victoria friendly Society) and was very impressed with them. A few days before exchange of contracts I rang LV to switch from Saga for house insurance and to arrange the complicated overlap where you have to insure both houses between exchange and completion. It was all done very easily and quickly. They set it up on the present house and I paid for that. On exchange I rang and they added the new house and arranged a £33 refund. On the completion date it will revert to being only the new house. Full marks to LV! Now, why can't other business be like them?

[Stanley]

I think I must have some sort of phobia Tiz..... I have the strongest aversion possible towards any contacts with official bodies and large firms. Luckily my insurance broker, Swinton in Burnley, is top notch. You talk to a person in Burnley and sort out whatever has to be done on the phone in five minutes, even complicated things like declaring Janet incompetent and taking over responsibility for the building insurance. Reminds me of the old days......
As for the probate, we have had one or two rays of light but no resolution as yet. We suspect everything is going to fall into place but my god these lawyers are slow...... Problem is of course that we have no control as beneficiaries and that's the worse thing for me! I'd be on their backs every day!

[Stanley]

The good news is that some of the UK probate, the section that depended on the Australian lawyers, is in place now and it's eased the situation a bit but we are still held up by HMRC for the main items. They can't half stretch these things out! 9 months now..... Still, I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies! One thing is certain, Janet would be pissed off with them!

[Stanley]

As I have mentioned elsewhere, one of the consequences of the limited probate that has dropped into place is that tomorrow I can go to Skipton with Susan to arrange my funeral. (I think this is hilarious!)
On my early walks I almost always exchange words with my friend Barbara who, on weekdays, opens up Barlic Bites and starts the day's cooking. This morning I told her about my trip to the undertakers and she told me she intends to do the same thing. Further, she told me something I didn't know. She is going to have what is known as a 'Direct Funeral'. The corpse is taken directly from the undertakers to the crematorium with no mourners or any of the other expensive trappings. Then you have a memorial gathering afterwards which of course doesn't need to be on the same day and could be a good thing if people have to travel a long way like my Aussie contingent. I didn't know about this and Barbara has done her homework, it costs about £1,500 compared to about £6,000 for the traditional job with all the trappings. You can have a pretty memorable wake with £4,000!

[Stanley]

Mission accomplished. The cost is around £2,000, less than a third of what the conventional ceremony would be. Howcrofts were not phased by it, it's becoming increasingly common.

[Tripps]

Howcrofts were not phased by it

Sorry - I've been fighting the urge to say this all day, but finally succumbed.

It's fazed not phased.

[Stanley]

David, no problem. I think both usages are allowed. My understanding is that the origin is when an AC alternator on 3 phase drops out of synch from standard 50 hertz.

[Tizer]

I'm back! Three weeks without a broadband connection or wifi and without our own phone number (it's been working but on the previous owner's number so I don't know who'll get billed for the calls). And three weeks without OGFB!! We're very pleased with the house, it's much better suited to our present needs and lifestyle. Tesco Metro, butcher, baker, doctor's surgery, relatives - all within easy walking distance. The big shops and other services are a five-minute drive away or accessible by bus (I need to get a bus pass now - it was no use where we lived before). There's lots to do, of course, to get the house exactly as we want it but it's started and there's never an idle moment. This morning we ordered new d/g windows to replace the 1980s ones And we're enjoying endless free hot water, thanks to the 16 PV panels and the Solar Impulse system feeding solar leccy to the water cylinder's immersion heater. I'll sign off now but I'm looking forward to catching up on the OG posts.

[PanBiker]

Nice Tiz, glad to have you back, conspicuous by your absence would be the correct term I believe. Glad it's turned out OK despite having lots to do. Steady away and you will get there. Enjoy your solar.

[Stanley]

Yippee!!!!

[Tizer]

The house buying/selling process is becoming more complicated every year. Although we'd been in the previous house for 21 years we'd been involved in transactions for our parents houses and also observed the problems faced by young relatives with theirs. The solicitor's report was about half an inch depth of paperwork, all needing reading carefully. The questions posed when you sell have almost reached the stage of `Is there anything you haven't told us'. You're expected to mention anything that the buyer `ought to know about'. Of course it's so ridiculous that hardly anyone observes it. We had a mass of paperwork on environmental issues which flagged up in red frightening concerns such as chemical pollution hazards - in our case, a dry cleaner's shop a few hundred metres away from the house!

[Stanley]

All legal processes now have the same complications. My mate John runs a boiler repair industry and has to employ a manager to do nothing but manage 50 page contracts for the smallest job. Needless to say the on-cost is passed on to the end user.....
Garlick's come to install all my new electrical goods next Wednesday and dispose of the old ones. All courtesy of Janet's trust fund for me. God bless her little cotton socks!

[Tizer]

Some of the funds from my father-in-law's estate is going to be used to pay the tuition fees for one of our young relatives to do a degree in psychology after she gained good A levels this summer. He would be pleased because, like us, he believed that well-qualified youngsters shouldn't have to go into massive debt to attend university and train for a vocation that's needed. It's wrong to push them into debt so early in their life and there's also the problem that it makes it difficult for them to get a mortgage afterwards because the banks mark you down if you have student debt. But these days nothing is as simple as it seems. No, you can't just choose to pay for something up front and avoid the taint of debt. We now find that the student has to take out the debt then pay it off from the estate; it means she doesn't stay in debt but she isn't allowed to avoid jumping through the usual hoops and intrusive forms etc. I smell a cunning wheeze in all this somewhere. It's exactly the same approach if someone wants to buy a car by cash now - they tell you there's a big discount but then say you won't get it if you pay cash. So to get it at the same price as those who like being in debt you have to take the loan, give it a month or two then pay it off. This system is arranged so that the various parties involved in providing the debt can get commissions and also because you're forced into checks on your credit worthiness, background, origin etc and bingo, all your personal details are on multiple databases too.

[Stanley]

Very good point Tiz. Big data rules! OK?
There have been some interesting calculations about how much the debt scheme is going to cost the government. Horrendous forecast!
Did you see the Oxford vice-chancellor defending his £300,000 per annum pay packet? He says it is simply a reflection of the global market.... That's what they told the farmers when they dropped farm gate milk prices below the cost of production.
Do you ever get the feeling you are being screwed right left and centre?

[Marilyn]

I am not proclaiming YET that hubby has given me his cold, but I felt a sore throat coming on this afternoon and took some soluble Aspirin. Problem solved, I feel no pain, but as he has been coughing all over me for the past six days, it will be amazing if I escape his bugs!

[chinatyke]

Very good point Tiz. Big data rules! OK?
There have been some interesting calculations about how much the debt scheme is going to cost the government. Horrendous forecast!
Did you see the Oxford vice-chancellor defending his £300,000 per annum pay packet? He says it is simply a reflection of the global market.... That's what they told the farmers when they dropped farm gate milk prices below the cost of production.
Do you ever get the feeling you are being screwed right left and centre?

I thought the Vice chancellor was a woman, Prof. Louise Richardson? Or is that being sexist?

[Stanley]

Could be, my mistake.....

[Stanley]

I had a lovely visit yesterday from granddaughter Jess and Muthomi her partner. I am reminded what a blessing good kids are. They enrich my life and I thank them.

[Sue]

We have had good news that Bobs sister has made a temporary recovery and in the absence of a hospice place has left hospital for a local nursing home. We know it's only a matter of time but the immediate crisis has abated

[Stanley]

Good! Any respite is welcome! XXX

[Stanley]

My grand daughter Jess gets married on April 5th in the UK and then a ceremony with Muthomi's family in Africa later. I was invited to the latter but declined, even though it's tempting!
Everybody is coming to the UK including Mo's parents. The kids have started gathering already. It will be the first time for years that we have all been together and almost certainly the last time I will see it. This and ancillary events are going to fill my social calendar shortly. It is going to be quite wonderful!
[and yes, I am looking after myself!!!!]

[Stanley]

Grand daughter Laura visits today. I haven't seen her for five years..... She is a fully trained paramedic now......

[Stanley]

The wedding in four weeks is forcing arrangements to be made. I am going to crop my hair today so it will be tidy on the day and I must have a word with my mate Philip about him looking after Jack for the day......

[Stanley]

Here's a happy pic for you...... Me, Margaret and Jack yesterday.