Now is a good time

Wife told me that I cannot take it with me. So sod it I am not going !!

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An interesting subject this as none of us enter into making a will gladly, after all, its an admission of our own short tenure on this earth. But wills also need to reflect the dynamics of life and therefore they need to be amended from time to time as beneficiaries circumstances change. I have recently modified my will in light of changed circumstances within the family (my daughter now lives abroad so to ask her to be an executor would put strains on her work career).

Basically, I have left all my tools and equipment to a young son of a longtime friend of mine. He is a good engineer and although more inclined to the art of fabrication (sheet metal work) he does have a lathe and mill and I know he can make good use of my 'kit'. Originally the will required the disposal of the tools with the aid of advice from several people to ensure she was not ripped off, but as I joked to the wife many years ago "when I go you will get the benefit of the proceeds of my workshop - when you go however, what am I going to do with 76 pairs of shoes!"

Everyone keep safe and well, please!

I have made two young relatives my Executors and willed my model-engineering and caving-related possessions to the relevant clubs, save only any money from models to be for the Estate , as they are potentially more valuable than the tools and machines). I am preparing an instruction-sheet to accompany the Will, with names of societies and other useful details. (I've not mentioned how to move a Harrison L5 lathe and Myford VMC mill through a 2-foot doorway and across a lawn...)

In my own ME society it has become established now that when a member meets his own maker, one or two fellow-members act for the family in disposing of the workshop contents as best they can. Even If not raising a fortune it will still be a lot more than the clearance-firms will offer, and at least the family know the assets are going to people who will appreciate them (often, within the society).

This does not affect only model-engineering either. A number of Mendip Hills-based cavers have organised the Mendip Cave Registry Archive to collate and store for all manner of relevant, original literature (exploration histories, surveys, photos...) that would otherwise have been simply thrown away by uncomprehending relatives or house-clearers.