Keeping up appearances.......

Honey_Bear

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving person, and how lucky he was to have you as his neighbour to help out when things got difficult for him. And that you were willing to look after Donkey Dog when the need was there and that he's got a wonderful permanent home. I remember you saying pages and pages ago that you walked your neighbour's dog last thing and the dog knew you were on the way because you texted to say you were, and then got all excited when he heard the incoming text. So, you've been a good neighbour for a long time and he obviously really, really appreciated you. It would be nicer, obviously, if you still had the neighbour as you clearly got on with him, but this way you'll never forget him and he knew Donkey Dog would be in safe hands forever. Good things happen to good people and no-one I know deserves that kind of generosity more than you do.

I am so, so happy for you, I really am. Lovely news. I'm going to be grinning for the rest of the day.

So, no more debt-free diary? *hurrah for being debt free* No more monthly targetty goalie things. *wail*

HappyNow

joeyjimbles wrote: »

That's amazing news HappyNow - I'm so happy for you. I hope that doesn't sound disrespectful as, of course, its terribly sad that your neighbour passed away but what a lovely thing that he did for you - you must have meant a great deal to him.
You deserve something unexpectedly lovely after everything - truly thrilled for you x

Thank you Joey. It is very sad that he passed away and we have a bizarre feeling of guilt about benefitting from the inheritance. But I know we were the closest thing to family he had, and I know that he would be pleased he has made such a difference in our lives.

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Hi Happy

I've been lurking around on your thread as I subscribed some time ago. I took inspiration from your diary for my own previous diary. May I offer my best wishes in respect of your wonderful inheritance. Richly deserved.

Thank you Seasidegal. I do remember your last diary and wondered where you'd disappeared to. I remember us discussing some M & S meal deal glitch a few years ago. I will search out your new one and see what you've been up to

chevalier wrote: »

Hi Happy
Wow, what a happy sad moment. Such a shame your neighbour passed away but what an awesome gift he has given you. You could even move your parents in next door....... or maybe not depending on how well you get on with them.

Thanks Chev. 'Happy sad' is exactly right.

My parents would make perfect neighbours, but they have just had an offer on their own house and are about to move into an adapted shared-ownership sheltered flat. It'll be much more suitable for them than a knackeredy old run-down farmhouse in the middle of nowhere with no heating and the original 17th century draughty windows .

reality_check

I don't know if I have ever commented on your diary, but I have been reading from the sidelines. It is bitter sweet with the inheritance but I do believe good things happen to good people and you clearly meant a lot to this man and he appreciated all your help. You deserve a bit of luck, you sound like a great mum, wife, daughter, friend who always puts everyone first, I am glad a bit of luck has come to your Happy Household xx

HappyNow

fern44 wrote: »

Hi Happy been reading since day one .Totally understand the guilt inheritance is not a nice way to receive money . But just look at how much you have paid off in the last 5 years .I don't think you are going to squander the money now ! Good Luck

Hello fern and thanks for posting . You are absolutely right that we won't be squandering any of this inheritance. Those days are WELL behind me - even the word makes me shudder nowadays!

jvr wrote: »

Wow that is huge news Happy! It's not always the case, but it is nice to know this time a good thing happened to a good person. It must feel a bit confusing being sad about his passing and yet excited about what he has left for you. After everything you have learnt trying to get debt free, you know you will make the most of this opportunity.

JVR

Thanks JVR. It still hasn't really sunk in yet. We absolutely will make the most of the opportunity, but so far we're not sure which is the best way to go. We have decided to sit down tomorrow with a pen and paper and write a list of pros and cons. I daresay we will be no wiser at the end!

Honey_Bear wrote: »

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving person, and how lucky he was to have you as his neighbour to help out when things got difficult for him. And that you were willing to look after Donkey Dog when the need was there and that he's got a wonderful permanent home. I remember you saying pages and pages ago that you walked your neighbour's dog last thing and the dog knew you were on the way because you texted to say you were, and then got all excited when he heard the incoming text. So, you've been a good neighbour for a long time and he obviously really, really appreciated you. It would be nicer, obviously, if you still had the neighbour as you clearly got on with him, but this way you'll never forget him and he knew Donkey Dog would be in safe hands forever.
So, no more debt-free diary? *hurrah for being debt free* No more monthly targetty goalie things. *wail*

Thanks Honey. Donkey Dog was the most important thing in our neighbour's life and towards the end I know he took a lot of comfort in knowing that he has a forever home with us. As you say, we'd been walking him for ages anyway so it wasn't a massive leap for him to just move in with us - once he'd had his emergency bath and trim!

As for 'no more debt-free diary' and 'no more monthly targetty goalie things', I doubt that will happen. We will technically have enough money to be debt-free (only the unsecured debt, we'll still have the mortgage) but I doubt that will make the most of this opportunity. I've mentioned that our neighbour was a hoarder - the house is in awful condition, and while some of that can be put right with a skip and a lot of bleach, there is a lot of costly work to do before it's inhabitable. I'm hoping tomorrow's pro and con list will help us work out the way forward.

HappyNow

reality_check wrote: »

I don't know if I have ever commented on your diary, but I have been reading from the sidelines. It is bitter sweet with the inheritance but I do believe good things happen to good people and you clearly meant a lot to this man and he appreciated all your help. You deserve a bit of luck, you sound like a great mum, wife, daughter, friend who always puts everyone first, I am glad a bit of luck has come to your Happy Household xx

Thank you for those kind comments, reality_check, although I doubt my family and friends would recognise me from that description . You're right, the inheritance does feel bitter sweet and it still hasn't really sunk in. 2016 has been a really crappy year up until now, so I'm hoping that this is a sign that our luck has finally turned!

chevalier

Just like the debt busting, baby steps is the way to go. Don't feel that it has all got to be done tomorrow. So first get the probate sorted out and continue making your payments.

The only thing you need to do re the house at the moment, is ensure it is water tight, and that there is no food in there that could attract rat/mice. ie half opened packets.

Once probate is done and it is actually yours then you can start making inroads into the stuff. I know most of it is probably junk but you might find some jewels in the dross. Just don't let one of these house clearance firms come in and gut the place. You never know what you might miss if you do. I am probably telling my grand mother how to suck eggs.....lol
chev

Honey_Bear

Take your time, Happy. As Chev says, the important things are that the house is watertight and that there's nothing to attract vermin, although experience has taught me that a bar of soap is enough to attract mice. There's no rush to make decisions or implement them, is there? It's not as if all your other responsibilities and commitments have disappeared just because of the inheritance, is it. Within reason the longer you take the better your decisions will be. What a relief not to have to fret over every single tiny amount of money, though. I hope you had a Fry's Peppermint Cream or three to celebrate.

Dolphin1

Oh my gosh, how did I miss the news?!!!

Congratulations HappyNow! Despite the circumstances, I am so pleased for you. You were clearly a very good neighbour. I suspect that enabling your neighbour to keep Donkey Dog until the end and then giving him a home are just the tip of the iceberg of the ways that you have helped and supported your neighbour because he clearly thought a lot of you and your family.

As chevalier and Honey Bear said, take your time and don't rush in to making any big decisions. Give yourself time for it to sink in.

FlacosFloozie

Hi Happy!

I just popped by and saw your news. I know you'll miss your neighbour but I am so pleased for you. You are a very kind person and he must have appreciated that. I am sure he would be pleased to know that he has taken some of your worries away

HappyNow

chevalier wrote: »

The only thing you need to do re the house at the moment, is ensure it is water tight, and that there is no food in there that could attract rat/mice.
Once probate is done and it is actually yours then you can start making inroads into the stuff. I know most of it is probably junk but you might find some jewels in the dross.

Yep, we've emptied all the food cupboards to try and keep the mousies down, but there's lots of evidence of them being about. We've also started sifting carefully through junk because it's going to be a massive task, but so far no jewels! Definitely no house clearance company coming in though, and to be fair I doubt they would want to. I think there will be lots of bonfires coming up .....

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Take your time, Happy. There's no rush to make decisions or implement them, is there? It's not as if all your other responsibilities and commitments have disappeared just because of the inheritance, is it. Within reason the longer you take the better your decisions will be. What a relief not to have to fret over every single tiny amount of money, though. I hope you had a Fry's Peppermint Cream or three to celebrate.

No, there's no rush to decide although we've talked about nothing else really! The only decision we've made is that we love where we live and see ourselves here for at least another decade.
And yes, Fry's have played a big part in the last few days, weeks and months, both as a comfort food and a celebration. So have Cadbury's Smashables Popping Candy and my new contender, Galaxy Caramel. Very nice