What are you all up to
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Thanks Brue/MillieH can't say I'm surprised by the change folk have been coming in from tier 3 areas for weeks, so it was bound to happen, folk around here have become complacent when out and about so maybe its a good thing to give them all a reality check.
Its not as bad as you have to put up with, hospitality is still available until 6pm though no alcohol can be served, shops all open and we can move around our areas without problems (we live in one of the biggest) when will it lift could be a problem though, if its to soon we will be back into it come Christmas and if its just before Christmas they will all go mad hitting the pubs so back into it in the New Year.
Millie, nice that the Cathedral is still open for those who want to use it.
Brue glad you had a nice morning out, gosh haven't vet bills got expensive.
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Brue it is not in the eyes ,i would have thought , of a very large majority of those who are trying their best to help eradicate this virus, to be antagonistic towards you if you do your public duty by sticking your head above the parapet to report your neigbour ,as i understand it would not entail your identity being compromised
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We did our Lasting Power of Attorney recently milliehull. We also used the YouGov website and it was straightforward really. Lots of sections to complete and cross-reference. Two of our attorneys were hundreds and thousands of miles away (Hertfordshire and Macau), so that meant getting signatures by post. We did ask a solicitor a few years ago and they wanted about £1200 for both types of LPA, per person, plus expenses, which made us gulp a bit!! When you can do it yourself for £82 per LPA, no contest. Due to Covid ours took 3 - 4 months to get the registered certificates. Not difficult to do, but I do suggest you take your time in making sure you fully understand all the sections, and particularly take time to check and re-check everything, as mistakes cost money! Good luck.
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Thanks Heddlo. Yes we also gulped at the amount the solicitor wanted to charge! I will take your advice on board. Our daughter is an accountant and has said she will double check everything. Years ago when my Dad was ill in hospital at the end of his life he suddenly went into a coma and I had absolutely no access to his finances to pay his bills - rent/phone bill/gas and electric bills which were due. When I went to his (and our bank) to ask if they could help they treated me like a criminal and we dont want our childten to be put in a similar position. Thank you again for your advice.
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You will feel relieved when the POA is done Millie, I think whether you do it yourself or use a solicitor it's a very important document to have, we are so glad my late Mum put one in place and we've followed her sensible plans!
JVB, the "covid rule" breaker is very big dilemma amongst those of us looking on. I think there are several of us with our fingers hovering over the phone. I think the person concerned is in the "last chance saloon."
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A very unseasonably warm day with no wind at all. Took a trip to Tynemouth to see some places that were in the Vera episode we were watching last night.
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Good advice about POA. Take your time Millie.
MiL has her sensible moments from time to time and she made one quite a few years ago when her husband had Dementia. She could see how things could get awkward.
Yes Millie I did get them all sorted and lots shredded. We even had to ring M&S bank up and ask if an account was current. £50 shown but nothing happening since 2011. Cancelled years ago! Anyway she's sorted and as there is not much incentive to save at the moment we've told her to spend some, preferably on us for Christmas
.She's going a bit stir crazy, even with daily walking so we think for the sake of her mental well being, as well as ours, that we'll take her for a walk along the Promenade at Llandudno on Thursday. Out of harms way and some sea air should be uplifting. Might even give her a lift home.
TG, what can I say?
Glad you are seeing the bright side. (You are aren't you?)0 -
TG, what can I say?
Glad you are seeing the bright side. (You are aren't you?)Absolutely I am
(did I really come across as being fed up )Drum roll please, this afternoon I got a call from the CAMC to say that Eurotunnel have given permission to change the direction on our Tunnel booking
Hope you have a good day for your trip on Thursday, don't forget to bring MIL back, you know you would be lost without her
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I've enjoyed all your photos of Tyneside and it is definitely on my wish list ( not sure about the OH!) for sometime next year.
The only problem is, if holidays are only able to start around Easter then we have so many more exciting destinations planned it may have to be left until the following year.
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We spent a few days in and around the area both this year and last and if you enjoy social history, architecture, bridges, cycling and friendly people then you won't be disappointed. We thought the bridges on the Tyne, the Kittiwakes, Bede at Jarrow, Cycling from Consett plus their steel history all made the trip/s worthwhile.
Not everyone's cup of tea for a holiday but as part of a mixed tour it was great.
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That’ll be the drunken soldiers episode then!😁
We enjoyed Tynemouth, castle and Priory are very interesting. The whole of that Coast is fascinating. I think if we could live anywhere else it would be in Northumberland, it’s like Yorkshire. Coast, Moors, Castles, Abbeys, Battles, Industrial Heritage. Snow...... Romans......
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Good to hear that some are having good days out, especially those by brue and CS, and that your stint at the cathedral went well too, millie. LPA is something that I will have to get round to doing soon, as I can't keep putting it off for ever, and just also have a troll through all the paperwork that I've accumulated over the last few years and get rid of a lot of it. Not a very pleasant day here although it was dry this morning, so into the van to dust and Hoover it out. Just the furniture to polish and the seat covers to go back on then we'll be ready for the starting pistol.
I tried a new walking route this afternoon, completing a wander round all the pavements, on both sides of the roads round the top half of our estate, without using any length of pavement twice. It ended up in a 3.8 ml walk which I and Flyte managed in 1 hr 12 mins. Will see what I can make it the bottom half tomorrow weather permitting.
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We had that too for my Mum, all signed up when she was well and mentally alert. But we also needed the POA when we needed to sell her home and find care for her etc. Even then the POA had to be verified at the Court of Protection and access to bank funds was the first available source of help. Thankfully these events don't happen to everyone but it makes a huge difference if it's needed.
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We did Lasting Power of Attorney for health and wealth and updated our wills last year after a very real close call. We used a solicitor for both, best after the mental stress of last year! Solicitors fees for LPA were less than £1000 including VAT but excluding registering fees for all 4, one for each, at the court, so it's ready to go.And that included sending docs overseas. Registration took several weeks, which is needed before it can be used if not already established.
Milliehull I'm sure you and others will be fine doing the DIY government online forms, but check check and check again. I know friends have done it this way. Unfortunately any errors, even if using professionals 😉, will only come to light when they are needed.
My parents had done theirs before the new LPA but luckily we never needed them. As brue says it's not just access to money via accounts, that's quite easy to share as joint holders, but the more serious matters such as care, selling of assets etc does require legal documents!
Another grey and dull but mild say here. New gates being made for the drive, currently using an improvised barrier of wheelie bins to contain the dig, very handsome it looks too! Itll be a 2 day job as they're making, painting and fitting. Tomorrow is bin day 😱
Stay safe folks.
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Out shopping early this morning. Not many people in store. The shelves looked like they'd been attacked by a swarm of locusts. Only went in for fresh food as we're having all the household goods stuff delivered or Click and Collect.
Have to take MiL to town soon for her new hearing aid fitment. She had a bit of a fright this morning whilst we were out. Doorbell rang so she went to answer it slowly and someone had opened the door and thrown a parcel into the hall. We've told her about locking the door when we are out but she's slipped out of the habit. This will get the message over far more than us. The problem is when she's away in her craft room with the radio on. Anyone could slip in. Shouldn't be a problem, hopefully, for some time to come now.
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Another miserable day here but the fog has gone, we now have rain.
Went food shopping this morning, first to Aldi it was nice and quiet
then onto Tesco which was also nice and quiet much more civilised than Asda has been of late, so think I might just keep using them for the time being. OH went across to B&Q for some wood he wanted, while I did the food stuff. Couldn't get the paint I wanted so had to go elsewhere to get that. Strangely cat food was in short supply in Aldi, the shelf was bare.
Had a good experience re negotiating our LPG supply, our supplier is Flogas and has been for years. This year I decided not to haggle with them direct but to use a third party. Glad I did, I've got a much better rate than going direct 7p a ltr less than I am currently paying, that's for the first year and a price cap of 3p for the 2nd year, standing charge remains the same. Last time I had to do it with Flogas it was all rather stressful, this was so much better and I'm still with Flogas
We haven't done our LPA yet but spoke to the solicitor who is doing our wills, she said fairly straight forward, around £800 and that's with the registration. We will look at the government site but Scotland have a slightly different system so hope they have it on their website.
Not sure what this afternoon is going to bring, raining to much to do anything outdoors, so might have to do some sewing, its either that or go and sort out the spare bedroom ready for decorating
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The other day I started soaking some dried fruit in brandy and then realised that if I didn't get going with the planned Christmas cakes the fruit would be dry again...so I'm waiting for two cakes to finish cooking, a nice aroma filling our home. 🍪
I watched the sevice at Westminster this morning, did some household jobs, entertained visiting dog who is here again for a few hours and all the time I was thinking I would like a day off...ha ha.
One of the cakes will go up to my son and grandson, they can decorate it as they think fit as I've suplied them with enough cake decorations over the years and they can tackle the icing this time round. Also they can keep it topped up with brandy along the way. My DIL has gluten free food so the cake is just for two at the moment...unless there is any easing of restrictions, not much hope I think, but you never know...
Dank and dismal day generally.
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Yes it is, under EH. Worth a visit
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Corners, I've enjoyed your local photos, my BIL always showed us around the area years ago (great excitement when the Byker Wall was built!) and now our son does the same too.
If anyone's been looking in on the Remembrance Day services etc just a reminder that the National Archives are still offering free searches in certain areas due to the pandemic. I have still not found details about one of my Grandfathers who was in WW1, only a basic medal card but for one of his brothers there's a detailed history, from enlisting to all the missions he completed.
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- A grey but dry start to the day, although it was cooler due to a breeze. Prior to our morning dog walk we washed and reproofed a couple of Paramo garments, OH's lightweight jacket and my Cascada trousers, in the portable washer. Managed to get them dry outside during the day. After lunch I started on the polishing in the van, which I hope to complete tomorrow, before doing the second half of our estate walk, 4.1 mls in 1hr 20 mins. Just have look out for another different walk now. Rain came just as I was finishing and continued while we did our shopping this evening. Both Tesco and Aldi were quiet, but we did have to queue for a very short time at the tills, and we were able I get all that we were after, no shortage here.
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Nice and sunny here, a tree arrived this morning, an acer with a coral coloured stem and we've managed to plant it where some light will shine through the golden leaves.
Spent some time on the National Archives free search, having reminded myself on here about it!
I didn't progress very far with WW1 army records for one grandfather but I found some naval records for the other one and have even found a painting at the Greenwich Maritime Museum (by a series of links) that was my Grandfather's last sailing off Malta...so I've ordered a print. It will have to be my Xmas pressie this year. I didn't know how much was available at Greenwich, you can even set up a search trail on line.
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At last a much better day, the sun was shining when we got up and it was lovely to see it again
OH has been busy doing one of the mods to the MH he had wanted to do. We now have more storage under the beds. There is an area that is blocked off causing a void, OH has removed the board that was 'fixed' and made 2 bolley holes, he has fitted magnets to the board for easy removal. That's one side done, another day he will look at the other side, slightly more complicated as that's where the heater, leisure battery and consumer unit is. If he can do the same on that side then we will have gained a fair bit of storage for soft items like spare bedding, shoes, towels etc. plus items that we might not need while on the journey but want once we arrive. Its nice to have a handy man around
I've been busy in the caravan, its had a clean from top to bottom, all liquids removed. The base seats we are sending back to Bellfield to have them redone. The foam is far to soft for us so we are opting to have it changed to spring interior, its only the 2 large base cushions that will go back. Might as well get them done while we can't use it.
Been trying to get a hold of the' travel' tv people, we have an issue with the satellite tuner on it. We only bought it a few months ago but until we got the dish fitted to the MH couldn't really try the Satellite side of it. So far we have left 3 messages with reception for a technician to give us a call
Sky getting grey and cloudy, rain due overnight so at least it won't be frosty.
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Sun was shining when we got up so after breakfast we headed off down the much quieter than normal A55 to Llandudno for a change in scenery.
It's the first time MiL has actually been somewhere other than inside a supermarket since the end of February and we haven't moved since getting home in late September due to various forms of lockdown. The ladies headed off along the wide and long promenade towards the Great Orme area whilst I went the other way to climb up Little Orme. All of us enjoyed the sea air and sun. We met up for lunch, taken in the car
. None of us wanted to venture into any shops so we drove home the scenic way over the hills.I do hope Llandudno isn't bought to its knees as a result of this pandemic. It relies on 5 night stays during the week in Autumn and Winter usually from Shearings and the like but they've already lost a couple of the bigger hotels. I should imagine there are a lot of seaside places around the UK in the same boat.
Home to blanch some cauliflower, some for the freezer and the rest for dinner tonight thrown in with the Mac'n'Cheese and Cumberland sausages.
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It sounds as though you all had a good day out in Llandudno WN. I hope it has lifted MIL's spirits a little. I do feel for all the holiday resorts, they are having such a tough time and I think a number of the businesses will go to the wall sadly. As will some of the coach companies.
I love acers brue but have had absolutely no luck with growing them either in pots or the ground. I am sure you will enjoy yours.
We have had a lovely nice bright mild day here so we spent the morning planting lots of bulbs both in pots and in the ground. We then had a really good tidy up of the patio. All pots moved, paving swept and washed and pots put back. It looks a lot better now. Another good job done. I then did an inventory of what I have and what I need for the Christmas cake so the plan is to make that probably during the wet and windy weather over the weekend.
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I love acers brue but have had absolutely no luck with growing them either in pots or the ground
Millie, you and me both.
I love Acers as well and had one presented to me by MiL for my 55th. Birthday. Well, it's gone to that great compost heap in the sky but the Camelia is going grand in its place.Yes MiL's spirit is better tonight. You can tell how this pandemic has affected her. Mrs WN took her into M&S, principally to use the facilities, and she point blank refused to look at clothes and they hurried out whereupon the trousers she needs was ordered online when we got home.
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Glad to hear that MIL feels a bit more cheerful. I think this pandemic has knocked the confidence of a lot of people. I have a friend who has not left the confines of her home or garden since March other than a quick drive by her daughter's to give them a quick wave from the car (with windows firmly shut). I begin to wonder whether she will ever go out again especially as she doesnt seem to have much confidence in the vaccine. It's very worrying
My camlia is in full bud and one of the buds has flowered! It appears that not only are we confused but the plants are as well.
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