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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 20 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We use pallets to stoke the kiln and did have a bit of trouble getting them at one point, but luckily managed to find more and they are a bit easier to come by now. We are also getting some odd bits of removed wood from a builder now, so those are also of use.

Firewood is quite popular at the moment, and we also have log sacks we have to deliver as well as an order for some charcoal. We managed to fire that Monday, and yesterday was a shopping day, so today we empty the kiln and bag the charcoal. The little kiln is a bit tricky as it has to be tipped on its side, but no doubt we will manage.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 20 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Finding dry pallets is the problem now, and I am getting whatever I can, wherever I can, and putting them into the store to dry. I have been a collector of timber for years and glad to have done so, as the demand this year is greater than ever and I am getting a lot gone, and faster than any previous years-my charities will all be happy. I don't ever say where I am from as the first question is would you like to pay a regular donation by standing order?-second word "off". I decided to do logs this year as well, but just have not had the time to do it properly. I have a massive ash "weed" problem. I have some beautiful ash large trees, but their off spring would be limited if the tree parents had to bring them up. The worst thing about this year's demand is that I am cutting 15 ft. long clean boards which should be used on better jobs than firewood. I guess I will start on the ash tree branches in the future! I am also hoping to fell 2 large oak trees as these are now massive and covering field areas and so restricting grass growth. Hay making folks say it is now a long way to come to harvest much less grass! I have probably lost half an acre by excess tree growth. I have been offered a lot of money for an oak tree-well over 1K for the trunk alone.

Can anyone tell me what "power of attorney" is? and how critical it is regarding the progress of my life should I become incapable, and of my will post death? I am only wondering if it is something which could be used or abused by the person who administers that power? My current attorney is the recipient of the will, is that a problem? Could she get me "put away" for example-highly unlikely as she is the recipient of the will, but so is her brother?

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 20 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

"power of attorney" comes in several parts and has technical names, when i get a mo i will pop some references on here.

where there is a will there is a war, strong treaties before then are good for avoiding it while it matters to you.

iirc mine was less than the price of an oak tree and very robust legally, it protects me and my wishes while giving those i trust control and "expectations"

bump me off=prime suspect as well as a bonus

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 20 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It is probably better to get more than one person to exercise 'power of attorney' and also best to get it set up by a solicitor who could tell you about the various forms.

Both my husband and I have set up a continuing power of attorney with the other one plus our son as the trustees. We had a similar one for my parents, and it was useful.

I would suggest that you do. Sadly, you may become incapable and not really realise it yourself until too late. If it is a choice of you going into a home or being found dead from forgetting to eat, possibly the former is better.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 20 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i got my solicitors to draft it

it comes in several parts, money etc, health and wellbeing etc, a will(always get good professional advice for that part to ensure there is no scope for folk to argue about what you intended) and you can add instructions for end of life care to the package as well.

once those are fully written and signed in all the right places the attorney parts can be registered with the court of protection and used if required with very little further paperwork

getting your attorneys registered as next of kin with the nhs is helpful as well.

young or older it is sensible for the just in case times as well as a probable timeline. i know a few folk who became incapacitated young in assorted ways, it would have been very useful to have had a poa and especially the next of kin entry for one of them. she had to get somewhat better to sign it off which after 7 months during which she had lost her home, credit ratings etc and had caused problems with care plans and proper diagnosis +after care all of which could have been easily avoided with paperwork in advance.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 20 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

ps

dad no , nightmare and expensive

mum yes, easy

aunt 1 no, easy as she had sorted things for herself

aunt 2 yes, very useful when she faced a hostile take over bid

i should be easy if/when such papers are needed, although i did have to "lay mines" in my stuff to pre-empt any hostile bids, to bequest a small sum and named item to those who might have contested if they were entirely excluded(specifically those who tried to exploit aunt 2)is said to be rather effective.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 20 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thankyou for the gen on power of attorney. I will be putting how it works to my friends for us to do it, "proper-like"! It should not be needed in reality as I plan to sort it when I realise life is not worth the living, i.e. when someone "has" to look after me. I remember doing things with my mother when my grandfather was dying and it is no fun for the him or the us, doing it for him. I am not sure how yet, but someone, somewhere will tell me. I am not ready to go-enjoying my smallholding too much at present to want to stop, in spite of the weather! But I guess I will know when I should be handing over the reins. If I have to go in a "home", I hope my friends' daughter will have the money in her bank account already-plan "a". I don't want "them" in authority to put me in a home for the terminally ill or just plain nuts, and have a huge salary at my mates expense. Being alone I have saved a few bob quietly and had a good spend as well. I have to give this girl a power of attorney somehow soon. It would appear that my current will is sound, as my "estranged" brother,is excluded. He stole my property-when our mother died and is a top uk lawyer, earning thousands from insolvency lectures-by taking my collection of scent bottles which I had collected since I was a child. Not that I am into scent, but I am into silver! The problem with solicitors is they charge too much for doing the job in the first place and charge through the nose for recovering the will from the clouds and subsequent distribution of the property and money! I guess they are paid a lot as insurance will be a high feature of their business!

I have just come from the doctors and had a clean bill of health regarding the prostate. Not the most pleasant of inspections but the doctor, a lady, did ask if I would prefer a male doctor to which I replied -"Aren't you a doctor?" I actually was going to see her anyway by the appointment for my remembering process and got a clean bill of health on that too, which has surprised me. The remembering process tests were quite fun in the style of repeat the months of the year-backwards -not to be rushed!

The library is not opening on Saturdays now, I expect it is a cut to encourage folks to use it for 3 days and not the 4 it was so saving money!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Nov 21, 20 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Getting a solicitor to help can be money well spent; ours saved me a great deal more than his fee when my father died by legally minimising inheritance tax. He has also been able to advise on how to minimise them for husband and me so our son gets as much as possible. As you say, they must have horrendous insurance for giving that sort of advice.

I had that memory test, as my family said I was getting forgetful; you know, being the family 'rememberer' I couldn't remember at the drop of a hat things that I had done 2 years ago etc. When I did the test the nurse said I did it better than she could.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Nov 24, 20 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well it is still all go with the firewood and not all have turned the heating on, as my right arm wishes they would.
Yes memory is strange. A local lady does food parcels for me-I in return have done work for her. I set out to take a bowl back to her, and to my annoyance she refused it as it was not her bowl. So off I trot and find another bowl. Which I hope is hers! How can I forget who owns one bowl and who owns another-it would appear to be simple-or am I at "that stage" already .....oops!
I have discovered a "working boot" on the market. They are Australian and called "Redback" if anyone is looking for a pair they are expensive, but so comfortable. The last pair lasted 5 years at about £90, thought this to be reasonable as they were used on concrete for most of that time 8 hours a day. Time is up, I have been to see the librarian and she has added a bit more for me to continue on a browse!

Thankyou for the Will information, M.R. I will be making a few changes.

I thought the library was opening as before. It appears that it is 2 days a week end of

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Nov 25, 20 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I wouldn't worry about it. You would be surprised at how difficult it is to put owners and bowls/tins together at the end of any 'do' where people have brought food.

I will look out for those boots. We have a company near us that does work boots, where I got my last pair at a very reasonable price. They are comfortable enough to wear all day, and seem to survive quite well wandering around the woods, which can be pretty hard on boots in places.

Currently we seem to be doing a mixture of log loads, log sacks and besoms with a bit of charcoal thrown in. Pretty hard to fit it all in one way and another, but we do our best. I also have to arrange a day cutting birch for besom heads and husband and son are felling diseased ash trees and extracting them too, so all go.

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Wed Nov 25, 20 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

To find a pair of proper work boots today is a nightmare,must have tried on 6 different makes in our local farmers coop all to narrow a fitting ,the Redbacks being the same,Dickies boots now made in China.
When i started on the buildings in 1970 Tuf was the working boot and they lasted with the basking of bricks,blocks and cement or if you could get a pair of NCB boots from a mate working for the board,
But both of them are off the market these days,the best i`ve found that are comfortable and last hard use are ex army surplus German para boots,the best quality leather i have ever seen.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Nov 25, 20 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

the austrian ex mil mountain boots are better than german paras, mine got resoled with the middle hardness vibram soles and dressed with lots, i do mean lots, of good leather dressing

iirc boots off the internet and having them resoled was around £100, bargain

previous to that i had british gortex lined infantry assault boots which lasted a few years

a really nice £1 bargain i got years ago is a pair of cavalry gaiters which are super flexible very thick leather, they protect laces, the top of the foot and ankle and give extra stability if playing in rubble or a steep and stony environment.
those and full plated dolomites is quite nice for very rough,unstable, sharp and slippery places.

de walt riggers are a decent improvement on wellies for on into mud or a pig peg and off again for a hot chocolate etc
mine lasted a couple of years and apart from me pouring chicken grit down my boot necks they performed quite well in horrible mud and farmyard slops

iirc nick has nice things to say about haix but i have not tried them yet

matterhorn tacticals are ace for general use but wear out fast as work boots in sharp places, matterhorn fort bragg are solid and comfy if a bit heavy
both are daft money unless you get very lucky with some pre owned ones
1980's vintage RM engineer high leg are very strong but taking them on or off is at least ten mins, a bit rare nowadays as well

farm boots is an odd specification they need to work for everything from a piggy toe bite in deep litter to shuffling rubble for a track or a walk or a fast exit from an upset moo

tacticals and riggers was a practical combo set

rob was a fan of basic wellies, he may have had a rethink after impaling his foot on a blackthorn spike through the sole

re german paras, not bad urban, leak a bit in constant damp, grip medium, support medium, not bad dancing boots, no toe protection(pigs/moos/heavy stuff etc), poor in sharp mobile stuff etc
they are light and quite comfy and made for a wide foot.
6 to 12 months urban+adventures is the best i got out of them
£10 to 30 is as much as i would pay for grade 2/1 paras and maybe £40 if they had a retread or they were barely used

at the mo my favourites are a pair of old ksb-100 gtx karrimor which i got for £9 in a charity shop in worn once and put in a cupboard condition:lol:

light, hard sole but not as hard as plated, good vibram grip, hard toe, ace stability for a short boot

if i added the gaiters they would be pretty hard as well even though some upper is fabrics and goretex

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Nov 26, 20 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Can;t remember the name of the ones I have at the moment. A bit has come out under the toe, but still perfectly waterproof and a nice wide foot. I had to get a size larger as there is a rubber wrap around on the toe, which seems to make them a bit short. Very reasonable price and showing far less sign of wear than the hiking boots I had before which cost a lot more. No steel toe cap, but solid enough. I will look at the name today and let you know.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Nov 26, 20 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Wow I started something with the boots; not sure I have enough time left in life to do a test with the different boots available to realise I have the best anyway! I wouldn't work or walk without steel toe caps, MR, especially in the tree and log business or on a trek. Mind I take a first aid kit wherever I go usually-ex boy scout! Same with wellies-as pigs are attracted to feet and chew the same whether or not they have a delicate foot inside. I used to go places walking in the hills and found the foot was useful to be protected as I couldn't resist picking up stones/rocks and dropping them and of course walking through the inevitable stream which in Wales is always half a step wider that anyone can jump! And we did night trek-reinforced wellies essential, but is there a case for wearing pumps for fleeing chasing cattle?

On the mis-placed bowl note, I have lost it somewhere, so a new bowl will be bought at some point. I have had another search today. We are still talking, but Christine is not very happy. It was not a "do", MR-she gives me food to heat up and I am grateful, but I do have a good tin opener.

Kindling is selling like it will run out. I thank the world now for the invention-central heating-well my right arm does. There is plenty of wood available to chop, but not dry enough. I keep it for months by collecting it together in the summer, but haven't got enough storage and drying space for after a spell in the drying shed. I have started cutting some of my "gooduns"-as I call them-which will "come in". Some are 3metres plus. Such a waste when there is a need locally for boxes for planting flowers in and at a better price than all the kindling ever chopped!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 20 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

For some reason, if I drop something on my foot, I find it hits just behind where a steel toe cap would come to anyway. So far I have managed not to do any damage, so hope it will continue, as having fairly wide feet, steel toed caps would probably mean going up 2 sizes of boot to get the width, and I would be always tripping over my feet.

We are collecting together lots of scrap pallets for the charcoal too. Drying is always a problem; if my experience of Wales is anything to go by you do have more than the average rain, and in our case we tend to work in a cloud some of the time.

Worked in the coppice yesterday. Husband and son were felling ash trees with Chalara, and that meant cutting some severely overstood hazel. I was getting the manageable rods out of it. Some are going to be chainsaw jobs as they are more firewood size than usable for any 'coppice product' work.

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