Getting your house in order.

[rustic]

As you get older, and start getting ailments, when should you get your house in order?
Things like writing a will, so that your wishes are followed after you have gone.
What about the things about your house, your car, your boat, your caravan, your investments, your pensions, that only you know about.
If you leave your partner behind, they may not be able to do the jobs that they take for granted. What brought this to mind, was obviously my current illness, but yesterday, a switch in the garage failed, so I knew it was only a single pole two way switch, and from screwfix, I bought one today for 55p
Now my wife would have to get someone in, and I doubt the cost would be less than £50 for an electrical contractor.
There are also special wiring in our house, outside lights on time switches, underground water system for automatic watering, and pond level monitoring, together with UV filter and several pumps.
Lots of other things like MOT's servicing etc, what is on the boat and what are all those bits for, that my wife currently takes for granted. Equally if we both depart, how can our kids deal with these things in order to sell the house, and what about the gold bullion stashed away, well things that we think are worth a lot, but the kids would probably pay to get a house clearance company in. Pensions, some payout to the estate on death, some payout if you are given less than 12 months to live... Some pay half to a nominated person, but only if nominated.
Yes we have been dealing with that today too...
OK in all fairness you wouldn't care, you can't take it with you... but I don't want our hard earnt savings and investments being given to the state in tax, or squandered by some "financial con artist" Neither do I want my tools etc going into a big skip either.
Any of us could die tomorrow, car accident, bus running you down, a heart attack, so has anybody thought about leaving some instructions...
I am hoping to write details down for each room of the house, the garden, for each car, for the boat, the accounts, insurances, bills etc as every time I do plumbing I tend to fit isolators under the floor boards, which can isolate a bathroom, or utility room etc How the internet plugs in, and my automatic security cameras. Where are the manuals for adjusting time switches, TV, Satellite etc My wife takes everything for granted I just get on and do it, and it really worries me thinking that she would struggle and stress her self out.
I don't want this to happen.
She has no idea what the tools are in the garage, or how they are connected together, like the power washer, this bit is here but that bit is over there etc.

2015 has been one hell of a year for us...
In March I had a shoulder replacement, and it is still painful and I can't lift my arm higher than my shoulder, then in May my Step mother died, in June my Sister was diagnosed with a serious liver disease, (PBC) then recently, I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, my wife is currently undergoing medical tests and then today, I was told my 100 year old Aunty had died.
So getting our house in order is very important to us.
I'm sorry for bringing the tone down to one of sadness, but has anyone thought about this?
Every one thinks they are going to live forever, and think I will do that tomorrow, or maybe next week.
Have you told your loved ones that you love them, it's amazing how many families don't say this enough...
Sorry to bring this up, but today has not been an easy one for us.
The big one for me... is if I outlive the Maverick, how will my wife know who would want it lol
So I have to give her my log in codes... etc

On a lighter note, I stacked the diswasher last night, but this morning, not all the pots came out clean...
I put a dishwasher tablet in....

This morning my wife diagnosed the problem...

The dish washer tablets we normally use are the dissolve type, you don't unwrap them, but another type had got in to the box... One that I should have unwrapped..... lol.... That lives for another day...

Uncle Rustic

[solarman216]

Yes Rustic I have thought about it, but decided that if I go first that at the end of the day my wife will have to move away from here, having no services whatsoever means everything here is special and for anyone else a maintenance nighmare, just the simple act of topping up the batteries with water will defeat many people, (minimum 5 ltrs at a session) it you are not familiar with it you could be forgiven for thinking something is wrong, then we have solar that needs checking for antifreeze and pressure, boiler system similar, generators, charging systems, etc,etc, it would take me a year to write all the service and maintenance aspects and even then only a tecky would understand most of it, Rick

[don simon]

My wife takes everything for granted I just get on and do it, and it really worries me thinking that she would struggle and stress her self out.

Try looking at it the other way. How would you deal with having to do the weekly shop, organising meals and cooking a Sunday roast, or even working the dishwasher?
She'll be fine.

[rustic]

Originally Posted by don simon

Try looking at it the other way. How would you deal with having to do the weekly shop, organising meals and cooking a Sunday roast, or even working the dishwasher?
She'll be fine.

I can do a lot of that, use the washing machine, dishwasher, stack that every day, nice challenge to get all items in, hate unstacking it though lol...oven, hoover, doing the shopping not a problem, I tend to wear clothes that don't need ironing lol...but I would get fed up with Pizza chips and beans lol, the standard meal I did for when my wife worked late, and I did the evening meal lol. When my daughter in law stopped with us with the baby, and my wife was away, it was chicken and chips with coleslaw.
I can sew a button on, but with whatever cotton is available.
She has more patience with the accounts, but I get the better bargains when negotiating insurances, utilities etc.
But she can mend broken hearts, and put people back together when they are stressed or worried, that I cannot do.

[jims-terrano]

I guess Im lucky, my son will be able to sort most of my kit including my radio stuff. In fact though I hope he'll be heart broken I know he'll be able to sort practical things and look after mum. I suppose when you think about it we lead such complicated lives don't we.

[solarman216]

Yes Jim far too complicated, but you via your project have become closer to your son, that is good for all concerned, keep it up, regards Rick

[terrano bob]

blimey rick your place sounds like the enigma files

[Blocky10]

Thank you for this post rustic. It's just the kick in the butt needed to think about things and get it written down. Yes we have a will but I'd never thought about how the better half or the kids would manage if I / we suddenly became extinct.

Ian

[harlowmaverick]

I know a buyer for your place Rick, just tell Maggie to call me!😜
It's worth a fortune in scrap metal!!!!

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by terrano bob

blimey rick your place sounds like the enigma files

Alternative lifestyles are great if you can cope and understand the technology behind it all, I of course do (even blindfold) but to try and get another person to understand and then run it without blowing something up, (literally), is a very tall order, just the simple idea that we have "inverter" power and "generator" power gets most people in a spin, but it has to be understood completely or something will go bang expensively, Rick

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by harlowmaverick

I know a buyer for your place Rick, just tell Maggie to call me!😜
It's worth a fortune in scrap metal!!!!

Sorry mate scrap is at an all time low, that is why it is still here, it is literally not worth my time and fuel to take it to Hastings, in the future who knows? Rick

[makeitfit]

From my kinda slanted view, I just hope the wife doesn't sell all my offroad gear for how much I told it cost
On a slightly more to the point, point, do your will. I will soon as the wife keeps nagging me to do it, hmmm, what's she upto ?
Asset wise I'd cash everything in and buy gold and hide it. No way are any taxing swine having anything off me as I've already been taxed on it once.
When my mum was on her last legs we all agreed in the family to sell up and cash in before the sticky finger brigade could get at it for care home fees etc.
Cheeky but effective.
Transfer ownership of stuff to others you trust.
As soon as you do that you'll live for bloody ages
Cash is king

[solarman216]

Like your style Pete, any way to stop those that do not deserve getting their hands on it is good, Rick

[rustic]

I am really pleased at the way your replies have gone, it might seem morbid, thinking about not being there, but a bit of care and carefully written notes kept in an accessible place is all it takes.
Also consider data kept on the computer, photos, etc, or on facebook, or photo bucket, would your loved ones know how to access all your pics and data...
Then the big question.... Would you want them too?
Have you got things stashed away in the garage that might cause embarrassment... like Land Rover magazines, or videos of Land Rovers...

How embarrasing for your family to think you were a secret Land Rover lover...

I bet there are a few bonfires going tonight lol...


Rustic

[perelaar]

I am pretty confident my wife can handle things just fine. We both made financial arrangements - if either of us dies or becomes severely handicapped, all loans will be paid off by insurance. Not for suicide though, but I don't think that is a likely thing to happen.

As for the rest: I have no worries. And no landrover magazines