My home is a mess

bearcub

I visit a local residential home, Emms, mostly for those with dementia. There, are, though, two gentlemen of 88 and 97, (the home's VIPs!), neither of whom have dementia. They are darling men, and are so concerned for each other. My friend was only 66, but she lived life to full, if in a quiet way.

Emm-in-a-pickle

The Great Grate Saga -
last time we burnt the arriss out of the grate bottom, I went all over the place in my search, and found a fireplace specialist shop on a major route towards motorway, 2 villages beyond other side of town. They had to send off for the thing, cost 40 quid (sorry, DS has sorted my computer but now pound thing comes up as dollars) and took a couple of weeks to come in. Went there first today, but the conservatory bit has moved to `near the coast`, and the fireplace shop is now selling BICYCLES!!! I could have cried. Was resigned to having to buy a complete new effort but hardly likely to find something similar. Chap in bicycle shop told me there IS a shop nearer town, little village on other side (I get lost so easily without OH to navigate) so eventually found my way there, after a few diversions. Not in the mood for the scenic route, but ... got there, found a `specialist`shop that did fire accessories, fittings, etc - but only for GAS fires.
Was about to weep again. Then noticed as I was trying to reverse out of poky car park - local hospice shop `depot` was just next door, but further back...so went in for a quick browse.
Got distracted, found a LOAD of audio-books (always after these, can`t get tapes these days. Nice lady volunteer on the till told me about a place OTHER side of town, near supermarket, where she got her woodburner spares. Found my way there, but they only do wood-burner stove spares...they advised me to try the builders` merchant nearby... found my way into their yard, nearly got squished between a fork-lift and a lorry, eventually found their sales counter doorway....
NO. They didn`t have fire stuff...but a lovely old chap who was waiting to order some timber and overheard me told me there was another building supplies place who definitely DID still do fireplace stuff, borrowed a pen & scrap of paper, drew me a map - turns out it was quite close to my farm shop.
By now, I`d have been happy to just get a whole new grate system, if only I could find a place that still sold them. I was Grateful to that chap, and though while I`m this side of town will nip to supermarket..
Got a winebox (can you tell?) and some good whoopsies. Then followed instructions, found The Place.
Like a mini industrial estate. The Place was well tucked away behind an `Antique & pre-loved` Emporium, a carpet & tiles place, and a bathroom showroom. You`d never have known it was there, and I almost gave up on finding it. Verging on tears again, I spotted the name I`d been told - looked like a builders` scrapyard. Found the entrance (original entrance boarded up to confuse things) and went in, took tape measure out of handbag, and found the relevant area....sadly eyeing up possible alternatives - as long as I get something that fits, I thought.... then there they were - a STACK of grate bottoms - at least FIVE! with the label - FIREMASTER REGAL!!! Price tag - 20 quid.(plus VAT, ok it was 40 last time PLUS VAT, with a 2 week wait!!!))
A chap had sauntered up to see if i `needed any help`, just as I spotted them.
Just as I was saying a squeaky OOO!! and about to jump up & down with GLEE! It was all I could do not to hug this poor bloke! I was so exited I could have got myself arrested!! (I`m going to go back & buy another spare bottom next payday, they may have got over my strangeness by then...)
On the way home, as it was near my farmshop, I popped in to get some broccoli to go with whoopsied stilton for soup - told veg man of my travels - he said, yes, he knew the place, could have told me about it if I`d mentioned it yesterday. I really thought I needed a lie-down then... but installed new grate-bottom and made soup instead...

Cat501

I'm glad the service went as well as it could bearcub xxx

Re the will - thanks for the advice - I'm just a little concerned DS won't get to see it, and he could be duped, not intentionally, but because his gran appears to see herself as rightful heir to anything which is unspecified in the will, but from what I can gather, legally DS would be - just as DS would inherit everything if he'd died intestate. Could be wrong, but that's what I've been told Not that he cares, and he'd happily give stuff away to anyone who wants it. Anyway, we'll leave that for a couple of weeks at least. I was just a bit rattled to hear his nephew asking what was going to happen to the big telly and various other stuff:( I told him we'd have to wait and see what his uncle wanted. I'm pretty sure he'd have wanted to do something for all his close family.

Dinner wasn't a disaster in the end, it was surprisingly nice! I might have gone a bit overboard on the lentils though There's enough for another couple of portions, but I'll need to make extra topping for it.

No other work done at all today, have taken my tab, have to take another if I'm not asleep by midnight, so I'll sign off now. Hugs Messies

eta feeling no sleepier than normal yet....

soupdragon10

Evening all. Emm - your grate search was just like one of the quests that knights went on in olden days - although I think a grail rather than a grate was what they were looking for.

Feeling carp tonight as car has to have welding done for MOT and I wont' have it back till the end of the week.

Cat - as far as wills are concerned, do you know who were named as executors? It will be their job to make sure that the terms of the will are carried out to the letter (have had to do this twice now myself).

Going to bed now as visual migraine kicking in and I can hardly see screen for zig zags....:mad:

Take care all.

Cat501

soupdragon10 wrote: »

Evening all. Emm - your grate search was just like one of the quests that knights went on in olden days - although I think a grail rather than a grate was what they were looking for.


Take care all.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Hope your migraine gets better soon !

Yes, the executor is a cousin - but if things go before that DS is mean to have - I feel I can hardly ask for them back

wifefaefife

Hi All,

Bear cub I am sometimes glad of grey weather on funeral days, I always feel the sun has a cheek o shine when I'm feeling so grey inside.

Cat I hope you get it all sorted soon. Do you know the name of the lawyers who are dealing with the estate? Maybe you could call them, even if it's just to leave your details with them incase they need to get in touch.

Adela, hope you enjoyed your burns supper. We had ours at mums tonight, it was yummy.

Lori- I'm lazy too, I need to snap out of it though.

Emm -pleased about your grate.

I was round at an old lady's (82) house today and her house was lovely and tidy and clean.....it really put me to shame. I must try harder over the next few days.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Cat - (HUGS) to you lass, I`m glad you had a chuckle there, sounds like you needed one...hope you`re fast asleep very soon hun, but I can very well understand if you aren`t with your son`s rights on your mind. Some worries over-ride even the best of meds, and I didn`t like the sound of the nephew asking about the telly. As YOU are mum of DS, the executor cousin can hardly object, surely, if you ask him outright? AND, I`d suggest, ASAP. Deep speech with that Cousin. As you say, if stuff is taken away it`s hard to ask for/get it back (possession nine points of law, etc...) Horrible the way folks crawl out of the woodwork at times like this, seen it happen many times in my last job, and you don`t want to be seen as/feel like one of them, but your son is young & naieve, you aren`t. You are a Mother, you are neither! You have every right and instinct, I reckon, reading between the lines of your posts. It`s not nice, not comfortable, nor conducive to sleep, but DO be strong & assertive, now, and catch up on sleeps after if you don`t get enough now.
Won`t be posting Friday (long-day again) and maybe briefly tomorrow, but sending +ve vibes as from now. xxx
Soupdragon - I really HATE being deprived of my wheels - even for a day, I`m like a kid being `grounded`. And a migraine too, poor babe. Hope you feel better in the morning.

laurel7172

Sigh...Cat-I remember years ago after a great uncle died, a distant cousin spouting off indignantly about how another distant cousin had got into the house first and helped himself to the tools that...well, it seemed the first dc had been planning to help HIMSELF to. But getting there first made dc2 a scavenger, apparently. Some people seem to invent rights for themselves at times like this, then defend them with as much tenacity as if they were real. I don't envy you.

kittywight

hey all, sorry i havent been on, been so bloody busy

off to the drs this morning to finally sort myself out, then down to thevets to get cats flea treatment

other than that , the place is lookin kinda okish ... blah, i dunno ..

xx

bearcub

Afternoon Messies from a very sunny IOW!

Hope you're ok, kitty!

Wonderful story, emms, although I doubt you felt like it at the time, driving for miles back and forth, always hoping that, just around the next corner .... Glad you found what you were looking for, though, and the possibility of getting a spare. :T

Cat, I feel for you. Life always seems at least twice as difficult when you've not had enough sleep.

SD, hope you're migraine hasn't turned into anything really nasty. Used to get them when I was younger, now very rarely do.

Have vacuumed and dusted. Found some mould on our bedroom wall, which OH cleaned off, bless him. There is a large chip out of the mortar, just above the damp course, on the outside, and we know that the bungalow could really do with re-pointing. Think this spring and summer could be expensive. Anyway, having put the furniture back, I've put away lots of books and papers that had accumulated in the bedroom. I've just cleaned the bedroom window, because the sun shining on it made it look disgustingly dirty. While I was there, I washed the window frame, unhoming a spider, I think - or maybe the spider's long gone.