Joint Executors

This was another dreary day outside so we stayed in and I read more of “Great Expectations” and scanned a further 7 of Charles Keeping’s outstanding illustrations.

‘Mrs Pocket falling into discussion with Drummle’

‘Wemmick’s House’

‘The weather was miserably raw, and the two convicts cursed the cold’

‘She held her dress in one hand, and with the other lightly touched my shoulder as we walked’

‘The prisoners were buying beer, and talking to friends’

‘Rattling up Newgate-street’

‘The six bearers shuffled and blundered along under the guidance of two keepers’

Although I have completed the probate forms and presented them to Mum’s other joint executor for signature, I realised this afternoon that we probably had the seniority in this instance the wrong way round.

Eighteen years my junior, my brother Joseph is the acknowledged best mathematician among the siblings. He has now demonstrated a superior ability to decipher probate forms and worked out what is required to prepare another set. We will deal with this next Saturday.

This evening we dined on succulent Hunter’s chicken served with crisp chips and plump garden peas. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Chianti.

78 comments

  1. Good luck with the probate forms. The Hunters Chicken sounds delicious. I make a similar dish, but stuff the chicken breasts with feta cheese and pesto.

  2. I’m so glad those forms soon will be completed and gone — and presumably accepted. I think focusing on that delicious dinner was exactly the right move! I just looked up Hunter’s Chicken, and have a recipe in my files now. I do believe I’ll give it a try; it sounds delicious.

  3. I didn’t realize there was such an age gap. You have the same expression in this photo.
    It’s funny how siblings take on specific roles. Good luck with the forms!

  4. An interesting post, Derrick. It is cold here as well. Snow came in overnight along with temps in the 20s F. I am working inside today, although it has warmed up.

  5. I’m glad you’ll have help with the probate forms soon. And, like Linda, I went in search of the Hunter’s Chicken recipe and will be giving it a try soon.

  6. YAY for Joseph! And you two make a great team! Continued best wishes on everything going smoothly and forward.
    The Keeping illustrations you shared today are ripe with motion, expression, and character!
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  7. Oh Derrick, your second scan today is an perfect example of Keepings illustrations of the period houses and structures that does so intricately … and they always fascinate me …

  8. That is a wonderful photo of you and Joseph, Derrick. It sounds like the probate issue may soon be solved with his help.

    I am still enjoying the illustrations by Charles Keeping.

  9. Charles Keeping keeps my imagination fed for the era that’s under narration. We all need a Joseph to walk us through muddled waters once in a while. I hope the probate is resolved for good within the month.

  10. I always marvel at how each of my children has a different skill to bring to the table.
    All the best with the new forms.

  11. I think that those pictures may be among his best work, especially page 230. My wife was told, incidentally, that because of covid and so many deaths, there was a wait of at least seven weeks before anybody looked at the Probate forms she submitted. That has proved quite optimistic!

  12. Wow, Derrick, I didn’t know that you had a brother who is 18 years younger than you. My sister, Margaret, is 22 years younger than I am, so I have a similar situation in my family. She’s expecting a baby in March! So sorry about the government/legal forms. There’s nothing worse than slogging through that nonsense.

  13. Of all Mr Keeping’s exceptional illustrations in this set, I was particularly impressed by his ability to express both ‘the miserable weather’ and ‘the two convicts cursing the cold.’ Equally remarkable is the ‘dismal place’ on Newgate street, as well as the collection of prisoners’ faces.
    Good luck with the second round of probate forms, Derrick.

  14. Being the youngest sibling in my family, it’s nice to see that your younger brother is recognized by the family for his math talents. Nice picture, Derrick.

  15. Thank goodness for Joseph. I have been helping Tara settle affairs with the death of their father who had no will. Every time we have a new thing to settle, people tell us, “This will all be so much harder because he had no will.” So I had the fantasy in my head that WITH a will, everything would be smoother. Apparently not.

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