With all three ladies having streaming head colds, no-one was going anywhere today.
This afternoon I scanned and e-mailed to the cemetery officials a copy of Mum’s grant of probate. Apparently this is necessary to have our mother’s name added to our father’s gravestone. I then focussed on completing a form for recovery of Jean Knight’s Premium Bonds, until I realised that I cannot do this until the Bank Account has been freed.
Checking the renewal of our home insurance policy was straightforward enough.
Next, I read four more chapters of Charles Dickens’s ‘Bleak House’ and scanned the relevant illustrations.
‘Mr Tulkinghorn, standing in the darkness opposite’
‘Sir Leicester finds the cousins useful’
‘Pacing her rooms, her figure twisted as if by pain’
‘She flings the sovereigns on the floor’
This evening, while the others grazed, Jackie and I dined on her delicious chicken and vegetable stewp with which she drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Fleurie.
Oh my, Sher and I wish the trio of ladies soon get rid of those ailments! The end of the ‘probate’ and other tasks will soon be at the end, we’re sure. Take care, Derrick, we’re thinking of you and yours.
Thank you so much, Maj and Sher
Bleak illustrations indeed. I really should give Dickens another try. never quite caught on to him. maybe because it was in French? I should get an English version. Which book would you recommend? Just one?
(Fleurie again? There should be a law against accumulation of Fleurie)
A Tale of Two Cities is popular and short and involves French history. Thanks very much, Brian
Duly noted. Thanks Derrick.
Looks like you managed to stay busy, even without a drive. Don’t catch what is going around the household. All of these etchings make the people look like they have acne or the pox.
Thank you very much, Pat. Nicely observed
I hope everyone is feeling better soon–and you don’t get what they have!
The people in the Sir Leicester illustration are like figures in a bad dream.
Thank you very much, Merril. I’m hoping the same 🙂
🙂
That third illustration presents quite a wraith-like figure. I hope your three ladies are soon over their head colds.
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
“her figure twisted as if by pain” is a very skilful and impressive illustration.
Thanks very much, John
Hopes everybody shakes off their colds soonest. I prescribe hot rum toddies all round.
Thank you so much, Sheree
I hope the ladies feel better soon! Hot chicken soup, chamomile tea and gentle (((HUGS)) for them!
Mr. Keeping’s faces and clothing are so detailed and a wonder to peruse!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn X
Another normal day at the office then!
I hope all are well!
Thanks a lot, Cindy
These heavy colds are rife at the moment. I hope that everyone recovers soon.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
I found this piece to be exquisitely descriptive of the Lady’s exit .. Derrick
“Both before and after saying it she remains absorbed, but at length moves, and turns, unshaken in her natural and acquired presence, towards the door. Mr Tulkinghorn opens both the doors exactly as he would have done yesterday, or as he would have done ten years ago, and makes his old-fashioned bow, as she passes out. It is not an ordinary look that he receives from the handsome face as it goes into the darkness …. “
Thank you very much, Ivor
I like the drawing of the woman with wild hair, hands behind her head, and a gown like a tree trunk. I’m wishing good health to all of you!
Thank you very much, JoAnna
I hope everyone is feeling better soon. Stay healthy, Derrick!
Thanks a lot, Jill
Hope the ladies will feel better soon! Those illustrations are always impressive!
Thank you very much, Ribana
Pesky colds. Wow those illustrations are dark. Really impressive.
Thank you very much, Gary
It’s mind boggling how gruelling and complicated we have managed to make what could have been ordinary proceedings. Thoughtless computerisation can leave us thoughtless in the end. Keeping, meanwhile, keeps his brilliance intact.
Thank you so much, Uma
I’ll echo many of the other comments. Hope everyone feels better soon.
Thank you very much, Laurie
Hope your household is soon healthy again. Hope settling your mom’s affairs is soon over.
Thanks very much, Mrs W
You’re welcome.
Thanks for more bleak house / I am officially more eager to dive into the book again soon…
Thanks very much, Yvette
If your 3 ladies were here, they would have to get a RAT (test) just in case it wasn’t Omicron! Once you’ve got a negative result you will not need to self isolate…our local covid site tells you how to do that successfully even if there are other none affected people in the household, although it seems that most households all end up with the “bug” be it Omicron or the “cold”…. anyway all take care, and hope Derrick you stay well.
Thank you so much, Catherine.
Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery to the ladies, Derrick, and I hope you stay well. The administrative tasks seem to be moving ahead, though it does take time to get all the probate requirements resolved.
Charles Keeping plumbed the depths of the human experience in his drawings. He was an amazing illustrator.
Thank you so much, Lavinia
So sorry the ladies are suffering head colds. Give them my best wishes, will you? And stay healthy, Derrick. I send my love 😍
Will do. Thank you so much, Jan
There’s always something for Executives to do, although in regard to cemetery/grave site details and bank account releases, I had been able to do that before the funeral since I had access to accounts up to 7 days after Dad’s death. Keep at it, Derrick. It will get easier. 🙂 mmmm….. chicken and vegetable stewp sound yummy.
Thank you so much, Chrissy
I do hope the ladies didn’t get their streaming head colds from me. Although I don’t know if it could be contracted via the internet. My doctor told me there have been more than usual because with two years of lockdown many of us didn’t catch anything during that time and hence we were all open targets.
It seems the same here, John. Thanks a lot
You are still immersed in bureaucracy, Derrick; I wish you luck! Of this marvelous set of illustrations, I especially enjoyed Mr Keeping’s mastery of flowing line in the last two.
Thank you so much, Dolly.
My pleasure, Derrick.
Everything is complicated. Poor Derrick. I sned the two my kindest greetings. 🙂
I have the feeling I am reading the book. Thank you, Derrick. 🙂