So here we are again, a decent fall of snow in the Midlands and the motorists are bent on suicide. Cars driving around covered in snow apart from a windscreen wiper shaped hole on the front screen. Piles of snow on the roof waiting to avalanche over the front window. Headlights and indicator lights covered in 3 inches of snow so that in daylight you can’t see either. Crazy or what?

I may not be the best driver in the world, but I like to think I have some consideration for other people. I try to park neatly, giving room for others who are already there, not on bends, blind spots, or across people’s drive. I sometimes feel in a minority.

This morning outside my son’s school on one side of the road are a series of parking bays, long wide (you could get a bus in there and not be on the main carriageway), and yet a number of drivers manage to park with the back or front end of the car sticking out into the road and then watch others cars pulling out to get around them. I don’t understand it, they must have no pride in their car handling skills at all (and probably see themselves as ‘great’ drivers). I think not.

We’re nearly there with sale of Mum in Law’s house. End of February is D-Day, fingers crossed. No more dashing up to Manchester to sort out this or that. Planning to use some of the money to put a conservatory on our house.

Update March: Sale completed. Sadly my Dad died on the same day.

My Skoda developed a wheel wobble over the Christmas period. Had the track rest, wheels balanced etc. It’s better but not fully right. I was thinking of changing it in the Spring, so I might start looking earlier.

Update to this -  Took it to my local friendly mechanic who diagnosed a faulty tyre. Put the spare on and problem sorted, cost £10.

After the sadness of Mum in Law (MiL) dying and 2007 being one of those years we’d rather forget, 2008 is starting OK. We’ve had and accepted an offer on the MiL’s house, the shower is finally working, my sons’ work experience is all arranged and the money from MiL’s estate is starting to arrive.

It’s my 60th birthday this year and I have to give my family a short list of things I’d like to do, so thinking cap on.

After a year of being quite poorly my MiL took a turn for the worst and was in and out of hospital for a good (or bad) few months. She finally passed away in October. So why am I mentioning this. Well I decided as she had left no will to Administer the Probate etc myself. They are really helpful people at the Probate Office. I kept phoning with queries and they never lost their cool. Probate was granted in late November so that was quite painless. The banks, unusually, seem to be cooperating as well. The house sale has produced a good offer so all seems to be under control. Not as traumatic as I’ve heard from other people ‘doing it themselves.

I’ve been neglecting the Blog lately as my Mother in Law has been very poorly and died a few weeks ago. She left no will, which was easy for her, but makes the sorting out after death a bit of a job.

First day of real frost and there they are. Motorists with a little rectangle of clear glass through which they can see absolutely everything around them??? I thought I had mentioned this before sure enough I’m repeating myself.

I hope they see my son and other children going to school.

Good news, but whether it will make any difference only time will tell. At least it sends a message. I know there aren’t degrees of breaking a law, you either do or you don’t, but the punishment should reflect the severity. 55mph in a 30mph zone can hardly be excused by “I thought I was only going at 30mph”

Realised that the deadline of 30th September 2007 is approaching. If you make an Enduring Power of Attorney before that date it remains valid even though the law is changing. From 1st October it will be more difficult and expensive to get the new Lasting Power of Attorney. You can download the current forms from the Public Guardianship Office. Go to this link: http://www.guardianship.gov.uk/formsdocuments/forms.htm

Scroll down to the Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) section.

Download PDF, Print it, Read it VERY carefully if you don’t understand it take proper advice (not someone in the pub).