Motorhome update

Several phone calls over the last 3 days. As l got impatient and kicked up again. They have asked where it is, again!.

They were on about asking the dealer to take it, l said they won't touch it and they didn't believe me. They made the mistake of not believing me again as they are slow learners. Upon speaking to the finance guy at the dealer they suddenly believed me he updated me about the ripped earhole he gave them over their behaviour towards me and made it clear they wouldn't touch it.
1) It has been sitting for 6months
2) They don't want anything to do with barclays as kicked them out couple years ago from providing finance.
3) Don't want to get involved in any way with barclays again.
4) They don't have storage for it as have their own full inventory they can make money from as opposed to costing them trouble.

I reminded barclays when l gave them the storage info (again) they owe a not inconsiderable amount, heading for a couple of grand for storage which had they sorted this out 6months ago wouldn't have accrued.
And you guessed correctly, l warned them months ago about the fees, and told them furthermore they will not be able to collect it until it is paid. The keys and log book are "safely" lodged at the storage place.

The info was passed like a hot potato to "recovery" if they want to drag their heels that's fine the money is mounting up at one end and the vehicle is devaluing at the other.

barclays and the Motorhome

The saga is still dragging on with sending the motorhome back which is in Brian's name.

The finance was taken out under clydesdale/barclays finance it was a large amount as we had a camper we were trading in and they rolled figures around. The finance was all in Brian's name and l couldn't afford to keep the camper so l arranged for barclays to take the motorhome back.

Well l tried to, but they said it was a loan and they wanted the money. I pointed out it was a lease purchase according to the paperwork and all over it said that the vehicle remained the property of clydesdale/barclays until it was fully paid up.
I got nowhere though they refused to speak to me just sending messages via the desk jockey who answered the phone and 2 letters saying the same.

I spoke to a lawyer who checked the paperwork and said "If you sell that vehicle you are committing theft" and agreed that l should do what l had threatened as l needed the space at home. So in September l took it to a campsite and dumped it there, removed the insurance and notified dvla of what was happening and that as far as l was concerned it was the property of barclays bank.
Even though l told barclays and sent them a letter of this they never replied. I had spoken to the Financial Ombudsan who said give Barclays time to reply before sending the paperwork in.
I gave up waiting for a reply to my letter telling them what l had done and in late November re-rang the FO. They were shocked l had waited so long and had actually put it down as sorted. It was a nice guy there l spoke to who said hurry up and get the information in l shouldn't have put myself through all that worry for so long they had meant wait a couple of weeks and not months so l sent all the paperwork to the FO

This was a mixed blessing. It turns out that the FO couldn't deal with the finance on the motorhome as it wasn't finance that fell within their remit. The adjudicator who got the case though was an Angel. She contacted barclays and pointed out the problem at which barclays sent a letter that said.. "Oh my you are right we DO own the motorhome, l wonder how we overlooked that?, would you tell the executor that we will collect the motorhome, sell it and wipe out the debt"

I was over the moon, the FO adjudicator said if l had any problems to get back to her and she would see what else she could do. She was not happy at all at barclays behaviour and shoddy treatment of me and was upset she couldn't deal with them properly.

After a couple of days l had no paper work so rang barclays and back on the treadmill.
"You have to sell it"
"No you do you told the FO that you would sell it and wipe out the debt"
"The site can sell it"
"No it is a campsite they are storing it"
"Yes they have to sell it"
"No they are a campsite.."
After about 5x repeating this l lost my temper and asked if the conversation was being recorded.
"Yes of course"
"Good as l am speaking to a congenital idiot listen and l will speak VERY slowly...Some people have a bit of land, you go there and put tents up and stay there for a couple of days. There was a patch of dead ground and they let me dump the mototrhome there, there is nothing there but bare earth and the odd tent... do you understand?"
"Well get the dealer to sell it" the was the uncompromising reply
I lost my temper told them l would see them in court and slammed the phone down. I rang the FO back who had given me her personal number.
She rang back about an hour later having spoken to the FO liaison at barclays who would investigate it and get back to me. I spoke to him the next day and he was pulling in paperwork and would speak to me after Christmas.
True to his word he rang me and told me to speak to recovery and if any trouble to get back to him.

I finally felt more positive and spoke to recovery where l now got a second full name, barlcays people won't give out names that way they can practice denial. She said they were looking into if they could just collect it or needed to repossess it.
She rang back at the end of last week that they were speaking to the dealer to see if they would collect it and sell it or if it had to go to auction and should be able to let me know this week.
I am awaiting that phone call but feel l may be getting to the end of a 6mth nightmare with barclays/clydesale finance.

We shall see..........

End of 2010

I have not really stopped for the last few months. Work at my normal place went quiet and l enjoyed getting out and about and seeing how the other half lives. Last night was the first night l have slept in my own bed for over a month. The time l was home over Christmas and wasn't working it was too cold to sleep upstairs l huddled under duvets on the sofa with heating on and doors shut.

I went to stay with a friend for 3 days down London but then the first lot of snow hit and l was stuck there for a week. Finally got home at just gone midnight of the Friday missed 3 nights work and felt awful for having let them down even though there was nothing l could do and they were fine knowing l would never let them down on purpose.

Work has carried me down to the south of England where l stayed with a friend of ours in Hastings Brian was his surrogate Dad.
I drove to work up in Sussex and Kent and back each day and worked at l think it was 5 different practices in 2 weeks but have lost track. The round trip was about 140mile each day, but l would rather stay with a friend so l didn't care. What l hated was the bit of M25 l had to drive on OMG the thought of doing that daily would drive me nuts.
His crazy dog, a Labrador, need l say more ate the bag of double pink poppy seeds l took down for him to plant in Brian's memory. However poppies will grow all over the small woods l am sure as Rosie was dashing around off a lead in the undergrowth!

I met a friend of his who has become a fantastic new friend to me, he has driven me to distraction at times, although good friends do that.
Kev was the only one l would allow to come with me to Brian's inquest. By that l mean anyone was welcome to go but l didn't want to sit with them. Kev isn't a skydiver he is is a fireman who teaches BA and has never met Brian.
I felt that Brian's death had hurt so many not just myself but skydivers, l knew l would find the inquest hard and couldn't l suppose the word would be "carry" more hurt from his friends mine was enough to cope with that day.
A lot offered and l couldn't explain easily so if they read this l hope they understand why l said "no thanks l want to be alone, but you are welcome to go just not with me". It was not them it was how much l felt l could carry.
I have already put a small bit in about the inquest in an earlier blog. It is over it was the expected verdict, and it changed nothing in that Brian is still dead so there really is nothing to add.

I worked at a place in a town with a weird name won't say where as l really disliked the practice, although the locum vet (only the 2 of us there) was lovely. The up side was l was placed in a nice huge pub for B & B.

Down to the Fenland's of Cambridgeshire, 3 different practices and staying in 2 different towns to the practices that was yet more driving. My sat nav broke on me. Thankfully he came back on but l had a nasty shock. Luckily l managed to remember part of my route and then it came on again, no tom and l go into meltdown.

My final practice for 2 weeks before Christmas them Christmas week off and worked over new year was one in Bristol. Which l enjoyed it was all night work but they were very quiet.

I decided to treat myself to a new sat nav as tom has played up a couple of times, he is nearly 4 years old and as stated my sense of direction is abysmal.
I am now the proud owner of the Tom Tom live 1000 not all the functions are working yet but they are coming on line. It guides me round traffic jams, at junctions splits into lane view so l can work out what road to go on. Tells me street numbers and names all sorts of nice things I did look at the 1005 it has a 5" screen as opposed to 4 3/4 but decided the present one fits in my little case and l would need to pay a fortune for another one.

Health wise end of year sort of crammed it in. Washing machine died on me so l have another coming have had to change delivery date 2xs due to family and work.

I got multiple chomps on the hand from a dog, luckily smallish dog but still left a few deep holes which l decided to get antibiotics for as being run down l knew sods law would get infected a 3 hour wait at an empty NHS walk in did not do my temper any good.

I had to go to the emergency dentist while l was away due to a cavity, he put me on anti B for an infection, took an x-ray and talked garbage telling me that the bone was fine. WTF l didn't expect it not to be, he told me off for putting in temp filler from the chemist. I don't like BS and wasted money but l was in too much pain to argue.
My dentist went nuts at other dentist (didn't ring him but was tempted)& said l didn't need anti B l needed it filled and my temp. fill was why the pain died away, the nerve that was exposed and swollen and got a rest.

I had a huge build up of my allergy. Have never discovered to what exactly just general chemicals seem to affect me, think being all over and the different washing powders etc triggered it. I was dosing myself with antihistamines 3xs a day to try hold the itching off. I finally caved in and had to get some stronger ones from my idiot Dr. 3 weeks later l am finally less purple on my legs and not scratching myself raw.

The worst one was the leptospirosis (weils disease) scare. This is one of the few notifiable diseases in humans. In fact in October 10 it killed an Olympic rower.
I was intense nursing a dog and asked a couple of vets about lepto but was told no way, then he died and life moved on.
I went back over the new year to be told "we were trying to decide if we should tell you sammi died of lepto, but l decided to tell you as l don't think any one else was going to bother to."
I was furious, one of the minor side effects can be death or any or all of the following liver, kidney, heart failure. It is a very painful disease having seen dogs with it and knowing a vetnurse that caught it.
It can manifest as severe headaches something l had been having but figured was the tooth due to nerve problems to be sure l rang the OOH Dr who agreed but we had a pleasant chat, then she commented about the cold like symptoms.
I burst out laughing at this point and told her it was either going to be swine flu or lepto so there was no point in worrying. Thankfully l was ok but l was not a happy puppy.
Had we not known fine but to know and try to decide whether to "bother" telling someone is another thing entirely.

So now we are into 2011. No proper work on the horizon but to be honest l need a bit of a break. I recon Brian is behind this work bottleneck to force me to rest, work will come in when he unblocks the log jam l have no doubt.

We aint finished Christmas yet!

I nipped into Sainsburys for some bit's last night. Surrounded by all the few days post Christmas sell off's, when many people still have Christmas decorations and cards up, there, spread proudly on several shelves, was a display of Hot cross buns!

I staggered off poking myself in the eyeball to see if l was possibly hallucinating but no.. they were still there and a bit further on was Easter maltesers, they seemed to have a rabbit ear top on them.

I gave up at this point and scurried out of the shop muttering darkly about Easter, Christmas and commercialism. I am totally not religious which is just as well because if l was l think l would be offended at what is a total corruption of something that a lot of people hold close to themselves in favour of the fast buck.
As it is l am just fed up of all the false hype that goes with life nowadays and seems to try and stop people finding their own meaning or none for feast days in favour of mass brainwashing, overspending and consumption.

Brian's Award

Sorry so long no posts l think my head is as sorted as it will be for some time. I have been working all over the country for the last 3 or so months but am now settled back at home.

I want to wish everyone a great new year and after the bad news l have had to get a new washing machine as mine died, had a big tooth cavity, got a dog bite, had a big allergic reaction thankfully now settled, and a lepto scare over a dog we had been nursing and no one wanted to tell me it had leptospirosis.. l was furious at that one.
So here is my best bit of news that came out of the back end of 2010:

I received an email the other day from the British parachute Association. Brian's friends had tried to get him voted the Skydiver of the year. However the BPA felt that this did not go far enough and l received a wonderful email.

The award will be presented in spring at the Royal Aero Club Awards ceremony l will go on his behalf to receive the award. The award is only given on an occasional basis and under exceptional standards.
I burst into tears when l read about it and am so proud of Brian and his friends and l know he is as well:

Brian Laithwaite – Outstanding Contribution to the Sport

The Jim Crocker Trophy for an Outstanding Contribution to Sport Parachuting has been awarded to Brian Laithwaite in memoriam. Brian was an exceptional coach/load organiser who over the years served as CCI at two Drop Zones, and devoted decades of dedicated commitment to training the next generation of skydivers.

Brian’s enthusiasm and sheer love of the sport shone like a beacon. No-one was ever left out with Brian. He knew how to make learning fun. His greatest satisfaction was to see his fledglings fly, and many have gone on to make their own mark on the sport. Brian suffered a fatal entanglement in summer 2010. He lives on in the memory of so many skydivers who look back with tremendous affection on the direction, fun and solace they enjoyed in their formative time under his wing.

Letter From Cath Buckle

Under a wide blue sky a warthog and her three babies ran across a red dirt road below a kopje. The piglets ran with tails straight up, like aerials, as they followed their mum into the surrounding bush. In the sky nearby half a dozen vultures circled low over a clearing and in the distance, the haunting call of a fish eagle promised water, fish and the myriad treasures waiting discovery in our beautiful Zimbabwe.

A couple of hundred people had gathered at the foothills of Castle Kopje in Wedza. A beautiful kopje, her rocks stained orange with lichen and balancing precariously on top of each other. We sat under a great Acacia tree watching a couple of young black rhinos browsing nearby, waiting for the proceedings to begin.

Our host told us this was a traditional Shona burial ground, a sacred place, and that he’d had to get permission from the local Chief to bury his mother here. Just seven months ago we had been in this same place to bury his father, Norman Travers, here.

The service began and one after another the eulogies told of how Gill Travers was a loving, dedicated and endlessly creative woman. A woman who made her home in the African bush, raised her family there and then shared it all with lions, leopards, hyaenas and otters.
Gill’s doctor said she was the only patient he had who had been bitten by a hyaena and then an otter; the only patient who needed a leopard’s claw removed from her forearm!

Alongside giraffe and elephants, rhinos and warthogs, Gill and Norman Travers farmed the land and created a game park which attracted tourists from all over the world. They began outreach programmes with rural schools, endlessly spreading the message of conservation, and they held open days for local elders, headmen and chiefs.

Working with the Department of National Parks, they took in black rhinos ravaged by poaching, and embarked on a unique programme, rearing the calves and then and returning them to the wild. Gill and her catering partner Mattheus prepared milk formulas in bottles for rhinos and cream teas and venison casseroles for visiting guests all in the same farm kitchen! The perfect team creating what Gill’s grandson called an “oasis.”

Nineteen years ago Gill Travers was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but she fought on undeterred, always welcoming, cheerful and uncomplaining. Gill finally gave up her valiant struggle this week and watched by family, friends and elephants was laid to rest in the ground she so loved.

I write this letter today in memory of Norman and Gill Travers who lie side by side under an Acacia tree beneath Castle Kopje on Imire Game Park in Wedza. Almost two years ago Norman and Gill invited me into their home and week after week we worked on a book together. They told me the amazing story of how a piece of virgin bush in Wedza was farmed, nurtured and transformed.
Norman spoke of a “stream of naughty, smelly, little animals” filling their lives and Gill of how much she loved them all and how proud she was of her family continuing with their life’s work.

“Imire, the Life and Times of Norman Travers,” will be available within the next fortnight, please contact Cath Buckle for further information.

To Norman and Gill Travers: Fambai zvakanaka, thank you for giving us Imire,such a gem. Until next time,love cathy

Copyright Cathy Buckle. 13 November 2010 www.cathybuckle.com

Inquest

It was the coroners court on Friday. The verdict was expected Accidental Death. The coroner was very kind as were all of his staff. 2 Friends ended up at the court with me and they and the thoughts from friends and family gave me a lot of strength.

Family were allowed to ask questions, l didn't l could picture the whole thing as l have a skydiving background.

The witnesses, Gary, Dave, John, Richard did a very hard job with dignity and l would like to thank them for the way they gave evidence, it was clear and understandable.

Press were skulking around but l ignored them. The coroner had a word with us about when the clips would be on and that the bbc and itv camera men were basically ok and known to him. I just didn't want anything to do with them though and left the court so fast l left one friend trailing.