I have been visiting Ma's house regularly...well, snow permitting.
Firstly to just check that the coldish weather has done no damage, and to pick up the post.
There has been quite a bit of that...post, I mean.
In the first few days after she left us, there were cards interspersed with the post.
Bills too...death does not stem the flow of these.
The house insurance is up for renewal, the gas bills are needing paying, as does the water bill.
I can do nothing with these at the moment as I am awaiting a grant to administer the estate.
Yesterday I went up there and there was a brown envelope behind the door...marked with the logo of HMRC.
I opened this with some trepidation..It seems that the taxman wants his cut of anything you might have..in the way of money.
Not this time!
It was to tell me that Ma owed exactly nothing...zero, nada, zilch.
Phew thank goodness for that.
I did a bit of hoovering at her house, shampooed the lobby carpet to make the place look and smell fresher...closed up houses have their own particular smell.
I opened the windows and the front door to get a bit of air through the place.
It is strange, the house has a different feel to it.
It feels like the soul is gone...and of course it has, so why should I feel surprised at that.
While I was upstairs two little wrens were beating themselves against the glass trying to get into the house.
Make of that what you will.
When I had finished I bagged up Ma's lifeline device and the bracelet and dropped it off at Hyndburn Homes.
Then I strode off into town and visited Keenans and Duckworths
They are coming to value the house in the next few days.
This too has been a bit hard for me. It is the letting go of the home that was where Ma and Pa were.
I did not think I would find it so hard to do...and I know that you carry your memories with you...that they do not have to be attached to bricks and mortar..But for me the house is Ma and Pa...even though I cannot feel them there anymore.
I think it will be hard to sell the place...to let it go to someone else.
I know that I am being female, illogical, irrational.
I know it makes no damn sense at all...but there you are.
Firstly to just check that the coldish weather has done no damage, and to pick up the post.
There has been quite a bit of that...post, I mean.
In the first few days after she left us, there were cards interspersed with the post.
Bills too...death does not stem the flow of these.
The house insurance is up for renewal, the gas bills are needing paying, as does the water bill.
I can do nothing with these at the moment as I am awaiting a grant to administer the estate.
Yesterday I went up there and there was a brown envelope behind the door...marked with the logo of HMRC.
I opened this with some trepidation..It seems that the taxman wants his cut of anything you might have..in the way of money.
Not this time!
It was to tell me that Ma owed exactly nothing...zero, nada, zilch.
Phew thank goodness for that.
I did a bit of hoovering at her house, shampooed the lobby carpet to make the place look and smell fresher...closed up houses have their own particular smell.
I opened the windows and the front door to get a bit of air through the place.
It is strange, the house has a different feel to it.
It feels like the soul is gone...and of course it has, so why should I feel surprised at that.
While I was upstairs two little wrens were beating themselves against the glass trying to get into the house.
Make of that what you will.
When I had finished I bagged up Ma's lifeline device and the bracelet and dropped it off at Hyndburn Homes.
Then I strode off into town and visited Keenans and Duckworths
They are coming to value the house in the next few days.
This too has been a bit hard for me. It is the letting go of the home that was where Ma and Pa were.
I did not think I would find it so hard to do...and I know that you carry your memories with you...that they do not have to be attached to bricks and mortar..But for me the house is Ma and Pa...even though I cannot feel them there anymore.
I think it will be hard to sell the place...to let it go to someone else.
I know that I am being female, illogical, irrational.
I know it makes no damn sense at all...but there you are.