Things Are Moving...

My uncle stopped in, as I mentioned. He told me about one of my cousin's mother-in-laws estate battles. Seven years to took because there was no agreement. I told my brother that; he was spastic. We can avoid that. We're on the same page for now. I hope to stay that way. My uncle told me, "If you're smart, and I think you are, get out of this state," and he's not wrong. The costs are fantastic. He told me where he wouldn't suggest I move: Oregon because an exodus from California has pushed prices high there, Washington (state) because of weather, Arizona because of weather and being a retirement state, NY unless I lived in the upper part of the state, ditto for Pennsylvania. Texas is bad if only for the stigma of living there. The upper mid-west and so forth are too cold. I already don't want to move into the deep South. He talked of Tennessee's cost of living, how it's between the upper and lower storm belts so protected from hurricanes and tornados and the city he's moving to is on the border with Kentucky which has no sales tax. It would have the benefit, if there is any, of relatives there too. It's something I'm of an open mind toward. I'm also considering Nevada; no income taxes there. He suggested I pick some states and call telling I'm considering relocation and asking for a package on their state. Good advice. He's lived all over from Hawaii to the Northeast to the Northwest to Southern California. He's done much travel besides.

Mother's been picked up. We waited for her ashes and the death certificates in the chapel lobby. It was depressing. We'd been there to pay her bill two weeks ago, and more than a dozen years ago we had a service for my grandmother there. More recently we'd had a viewing of Father. When the box came out I thought it looked cheap but it was what Mother wanted; what she'd picked for Father too. I guess I'd have liked to given her more but this was exactly what she asked for. I carried the box out to the minivan. The rain had let up. It was heavier than I expected and my eyes got moist. She was placed on the floor between the front seats for the ride. We went to the bank.

It was lucky brother'd canceled the face-to-face with the lawyer. He took care of that basic stuff over the phone and we have another appointment. The bank took awhile. I've discovered that personal bankers have to sit through the same phone messages that customers do. There's no secret number for them to call. Since Mother's due another deposit from her retirement, we left the account alone for now. Brother has agreed to assume payments of the mortgage on the estate's behalf. His name, being the elder, was on the death certificate so he's got that burden until such time as one of us is appointed by a court. I've handled most of the leg work on the phone: we know we're down to effectively the mortgage and maybe one irritating debt. It's irritating since it was insured until December and because I found the costumer service woman to be rude. Even the banker never got through that toll-free number and cancelled the call after 40 minutes. I don't believe for a second anyone is there waiting to talk a call. It's just a recording telling you your call is important. Duh! If it wasn't important, would I be calling? No! So the bank doesn't care about anything except that payments get made on the mortgage. I had hoped that was their view. It's cheaper than rent, I keep thinking to myself.

We don't know why we have a lawyer now except we need someone to get a court ruling to allow us to settle the estate. Everything is so 'simple' (in theory) but she'll shuffle papers and take her big check. It's a bitch but totally understandable if things went sideways which happens when folks die. Not everyone can be as practical as we are being. Tomorrow I will rest. And eat. And pet the cat.

Left the bank after more than an hour, and passed time we'd have had the lawyer appointment, and went to the post office so I could ship the ebay stuff, the insurance claim forms and pay some bills. I was a bit off on the ebay shipping. One person got undercharged a bit when I combined the items. And I went with next-day tracked for the insurance claims. Almost $15 each--insane! I'm tired. I should eat. I had breakfast but that was a long time ago. I should strike while I've got an appetite and go fetch today's mail.