Bitter and Twisted Briefs

 There's a solicitor who seems very keen to take my case, but I'm a bit put off by £145 per hour plus VAT. He's been asking me to double-check the £80+ being quoted by my preferred firm, seems to think they have conflated the initial consultation fee with the more normal one. He may have a point, I'll get back and double check. I wish they all had a written tariff, but I suppose it depends on the work you present them with. What's galling is the £60+ that my x2b has secured, though this guy says that is "legal aid rate" - I just thought legal aid was a loan, not a reduced rate as well. I suppose I shouldn't object too much as my lovely wife says her solicitor has "made" her apply to the court for me to pay the court costs and her legal expenses. I'm not that nieve, I know she will have instructed the solicitor. Anyway it's nice to have briefs fighting over me, I just hope they're legal eagles and not vultures. Good to hear the surprise in his voice when I said I would pay my ex £10K, "what for" he said noting the length of the marriage.

 She turned up today, looking for some post. Why can't she get her mail forwarded or, better still, tell people she has moved? Especially her solicitor, she's waiting for some sort of affidavit form apparently. She's turning into a very creepy woman, hanging round my neck like a blood-drunken bat. I get a real feeling of doom whenever I see her.

 Someone phoned last week from the advocacy service to say that the specialist at CAB could see a way forward with my impending housing problem. She wasn't in today and I'll have to try again. Sounds intriguing.

 I think I've found a way forward today with Council tax as well and they've accepted she's moved out so will deal with me. They're sending me a new bill with the arrears on it - it'll be bigger, but I can offset some of that with single person discount. I just want to know where I stand.