h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello folks. I thought I'd pop in and make yet another attempt to motivate myself to get the old compound tidy and open for guests. There is a lot of work to be done both inside and in the gardens due to the general unreliability of the caretaker.

So, I guess I should catch you up a bit. I'm doing ok again, finally. The past 18 months or so have been spent in the doldrums. There are those who insist it was full-blown depression, but I'm not sure it was that serious. Whatever it was, I pretty much lost interest in things. Not just h2g2. Things like my garden and other hobbies and my job. I haven't been here much, and when I was I checked inot a few of my friends conversations, sometimes posted, sometimes didn't, usually didn't.

But I'm better. Whatever it was is lifting, and I'm feeling much more like my old self. I have a project at work that interests me, have some non-work related social events planned, a road trip coming up in a few months that I hope will still be on when we find out what the price of gasoline is going to be then. There is a trip to Blighty planned for next spring for my birthday. Ditto on hoping I can still afford it when the time comes. Have you seen the prices of airline tickets?

On the personal front, Mother is still hanging in there. She is also still cranky and nearly impossible to be around some days without wanting to smack her. She still lives by herself in the house my dad built for her when I was five years old. She needs to sell it and move into an assisted care facility, but she throws all sorts of fits when it is suggested. She is in better shape physically than a lot of people her age. But, she is becoming more frail, doesn't eat well, is chronically dehydrated and sometimes takes her medicine and sometimes doesn't.

Also I have a bit of news. Remember when F died and I said there was never going to be another man in my life? We need to file that in the famous last words column. I have a fellah. We have been seeing each other for a while and are becoming rather more attached than I expected. We're at the point of going to each other's family events together, he does library and chamber events with me, the vacations are going to be together and Annie seems to like him better than she does me! Fickle pooch.

I imagine his presence is helping my mood. Let's see, what can I tell you about him. He hates yard work, so there is no way I can get him to do the grounds here. He lives 15 minutes away, so is close enough for us to get together easily. He's two years younger than I am. At our age that is totally insignificant. He's retired so is able to work his time around my schedule. He is active in veterans affairs. We have quite a few shared interests. He loves history and is especially interested in the Byzantine period. He likes both classical music and classic rock, likes to travel, follows the same baseball team I do, (that's important, you know), reads a lot, takes an active interest in politics, and we even like the same movies. There is always something interesting to talk about. He also has a wonderful sense of humor, so we laugh a lot. He has a very dry wit. All in all, we are doing quite well together.

So, that's what has been going on. Now, I have a lot of work to do if this place is ever going to be presentable again. I'd better get to it.

H

gosh, H, that sounds wonderful!

i don't know you but i am glad for you... and understand because i am pulling out of a period of doldrums myself

oh (looks around) sorry... is there anything i can do to help? (picks up a broom leaning in the corner)

Thanks for offering to help, fluffykerfuffle. Perhaps you could air out the bedrooms in case we have visitors. I plan to tackle the floors in kitchen and dining hall. Then there are a lot of weeds in the garden that need pulled.

k

. ...hands you the broom. ... .
. ...then sets off through the mazes to find the building that has bedrooms.. .. .

. ...finds it. ... .

. ...bursts in through the entryway and up the stairs to the bedrooms. ... . entering the first and dashing to the french windows and FLINGING them open. ... .

. ..a breeze rushes in.. .plays around the room then softens to lightly waft the gauzy drapes and lift my hair as i turn to find the next bedroom. ... .

. ... .as i find and open the windows in each room i leave behind me eddies of breezes which find the hallways and flow throughout the building that has bedrooms. ..freshening all before exiting through the front door.. . .



ah... that's better!

. ...stands on the veranda hands on hips and surveys the weedy grounds.. . .

oh dear

Really good to hear from you, H! Glad to hear everything seems back on track, and the news of a fellah is great!

This place hasn't seemed the same without you. Nobody seems to be posting much, including me. Good to have you back.