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

Hi sweetheart, I hope all is well, I'm just back in from Oxford, then I met my missus and daughters in town here for a little drink, nice change. Did I tell you that my ex neighbour's husband the guy in palliative care had passed away? Gloomy I know but his missus is a great friend of ours, anyway we're digging in for Christmas, hope all is well with you and yours, Love, Ham.

Ham ,sometimes I can get into this site ,sometimes I can't ..hope this posts ....Have a wonderful Christmas ,to you and the family ...I'll write over the holiday at some point ....I know the cloggs you're talking about ,I have a pair, your wife will love them ....I'll be thinking of you ...Love Pinks XXX

Bet she takes them back, they don't come in half sizes and she's fussy as heck! It's a relief to hear from you, I'm just off down to Waitrose and the fruit market, get my weekly dose of cheek from the barrow boys, they're all Arsenal supporters, they'll be full of it this week! I'm listening to Radio Newcastle, Homesick as anything for some reason this year, keep in touch darling, Love to you and yours Love Ham,

Hope you had a peaceful and not too difficult Christmas sweetheart. We had the family round for Christmas dinner and the granddaughters and my daughter and her old man stayed over, we're gradually getting back into shape. Actually my missus got me a reading light, one of those floor standing ones which I'm pleased as punch with, oh and she loved the clogs, says they're too smart so she's saving them for going downtown! Typical! Oh I know you're an avid follower of my gambling addiction,. namely the meat draw! Well yesterday I won the first prize, a great big chicken and £50, and I won four pints on the beer draw! I spoke to my half sis yesterday, it's ridiculous cos we've been estranged for many years, no fault of either of us, just circumstances and family politics, anyways it's a really lovey thing to happen, it just makes us both regret what's gone before, but better late than never, the death of our sis in Canada has been the catalyst really, and another old saw comes to mind, it's an ill wind....... Anyways we're off up there not quite sure exactly when but within the fortnight, Margaret's sis has some apparently real problems, I've always been a bit cynical about her health worries, I feel awful saying it, but this time it seems real enough so we need to get up there, but I'm around over the next couple of days, Love, Ham.

Happy New Year Ham ,hope you are having a wonderful time up 'home' ..funnily enough ,I have had most of the whole of the North East down here over the holidays ,surprised you didn't arrive with them all hahahaha what's a few more eh ?

Christmas ,considering the situation was actually wonderful Ham ,a few sad moments ,on the whole ,we all had a wonderful time. Lots of gifts ,I was very shocked I got so much ...how good a girl was I last year then ? hahaha

So sorry for the negligence in my replies Ham ,I get onto the PC when I can ,it has been rather difficult lately,hopefully things should get back to normal now.

Sending best wishes for a healthy ,wealthy and happy 2016 for you and the family Ham. Speak soon Love Pinks XXX

Thank you sweetheart, I couldn't get on here yesterday, it wouldn't let me open any messages but it seems fine now. We had a really good New Year's day actually, friends and neighbours around with next doors kids, twin boy and girl and their brother, super kids, I haven't played hangman for years, the lassie gave me 'advent calendar', she's only 7, I couldn't have spelt that till I was 17! I reckon we'll be away on Tuesday we're stopping at Whitley Bay, my sis in law is going nuts but she's not well, I think I told you, but we'll see plenty of them, we'll get Metro weekly tickets, you can be in town in 5 minutes from Whitley and that seems the best thing to do. Oh we had the funeral for our ex neighbour on Wednesday, his missus and her son, daughter and grandkids popped in yesterday, it was great to see them, we're quizzing tonight as well, mad social whirl it is! I'll not bang on, but it's so great to hear from you, love and all the very best to you and your family sweetheart, Love, Ham.

Hello,I'm typing on the keyboard, the bluetooth thingy that works with my playbook, I hope you're impressed! I bought it cos I hate the bliddy touchscreen. Well we're off oop North shortly, I'll be back a week today, in the meantime please look after yourself, I worries ye knaa! Love, Ham.

Have a wonderful time up home Ham ,hope the weather is't too bad. At least it's stopped raining here ,well the odd shower but nothing as bad as it's been.

We survived Christmas and New Year Ham ,much better than I expected to be truthful ,a few sad moments ,but really ,on the whole ,we did have a lovely time. Sounds like your's went well too,I'm so pleased. Hope you won your quiz night ?

I've been staying over at me Mams house a few nights a week , my step dad is in hospital ,so many tests ,scans etc going on Ham ,to be honest ,we haven't a clue what's wrong. Anyway,hoping not to sound harsh at all ,me Mam hasn't been too well lately ,so my priority is with her. When I'm at me Mams.I have no internet connection so please bare with me ,if it seems I've vanished, you're good but you're not that good Bonnie Lad hahaha Let me know when you're home and, safe travelling. Love Pinks XXX

Pinky I'd love to bare with you,but all in good time! So I'm back, we had a great time actually, the old Rex Hotel wasn't half bad, and really reasonably priced, six full English breakfasts on the trot, I'm counting the cost but it was really good. We spent a lot of time going back to Newcastle to see the family, and I had a crazy day drinking on Gateshead High Street with old mates, not for the faint hearted! We didn't need to touch the car all the time we were there, the public transport is so good, that's what I love about the North East. We went to see my sister. She lives up the coast a couple of miles, this is my last surviving real sister, there' a tale to tell there, I'll write tomorrow if not later today, I hope things are sorting themselves out up there, you're really going through it, Love, Ham.

Welcome home Ham ,so pleased you had a good time ,it sounds terrific to be honest . Nothing much to report from this end ,weather still cold ,but not as much rain .Step dad still in hospital,so I've been at me Mams a lot ( no internet there ,it drives me crazy ) I have a cold , the fruit and veg man loves me ,he's never sold so many lemons hahaha On the mend ,but it is lingering. Apart from that Ham ,all is good in the world ,the bairns are fine ,and spring is just around the corner. I can't wait.

If I do miss writing to you for a few days Ham ,please don't worry ,it means I'm at me Mams and lets be honest ,the kids love me being out of the house 'Go to Nans ,Mum !' Like I'm stupid or something ,I know they're blasting the music out while I'm not here ,wild parties I expect ..I'd kill for a wild party hahahaha I'll write when I am home Ham ,you know that anyway. Just pleased your home safe and sound ,I've missed you. Love Pinks XXX

You know everywhere we went up North people were 'coughing and barking' as my old mum used to put it but we seem to have escaped flu free, actually I've never had a cold since I finished work, there's got to be a message there. I want to share this with you, my sis I was telling you about, I spoke to her before Christmas, she sounded terrible, really down, remember I did this stuff for a living for years, she said something that had 'happened years ago was getting her down', I said then I would be coming up in a few weeks, tell me about it then. Anyways I told her to get to the GP which she did, amazingly and he's put her on some antidepressants, and she's a bit better. I was worried sick, things happened not long after my birth which I've discovered gradually over the years, dogged me all my life, but thankfully it wasn't anything to do with that. Turns out her husband, they've been married nearly 60 years, had a fling back in the 60's and has been supporting a daughter that nobody but him knew anything about! She's turned up she's in her mid 30's, wants to get to know her Dad! Can you imagine the impact on my sis and her kids? He's terminally ill, what a situation. She took my missus to one side and told her, obviously it's easier for her, remember I hardly know my sis but honest Pinky I can feel the filial bond, never believed in it before! They're planning a trip down here in March if he's well enough. I know you've got more than enough on your plate but it's an interesting story, the lassie wanted to meet her dad and his kids, two of the girls went and don't want any more contact with her, what a carry on! I bet this doesn't post, and you sweetheart keep a had, don't worry write when you feel like it, All my love, Ham.

Pinky, I hope all is well, write when you can, actually I'm not up to much, my knee has been gypping me since I got back from Newcastle, I'll get it sorted next week I hope, Love to you and yours, Ham.

Ham ,thank you for not giving up on me ...there isn't the time or the space to even begin with events up here ..long story short ,my step father has been in and out of the hospital ,one thing and another ,he's in there again ,really poorly . Like you, me Mam has a bad knee ,so stairs etc ,well she's suffering at the minute,I'm over there helping as much as I can ..sleeping over again tonight ..thats another long story ..but step fathers relatives (who we've never even met ) are coming up on Friday from Hampshire to see him .They've never been in all the years he's been in our family ...anyway ,thats another story.

I feel so sad for your sister ,all of those years then a daughter showing up ,how do you handle that ? Did she know about her Ham ? I feel sad for them all really ,I mean even the daughter having no Dad all those years ,it's sad.

I have so much to tell you Ham ,so little time at the moment . We are fine though ,the bairns and me ,battling on ,a year already next month Ham ,I can't even think about it.

I hope you do get your knee sorted out Ham ,please know I do think about you and will try to get here as normal asap. Sending all my best wishes ,as always. Love Pinks XXX

Hello my darling, Funny enough I'm just back from the quack and they're giving me an injection in late Feb, while to wait but better than nothing. Your poor mum is probably feeling like me, you get old and expect long peaceful hours of course if you're in bliddy agony it's nothing like that! Can't even mount my bike I'm going to have to get my little step through out, otherwise I struggle to get my leg over! Nothing new there I assure you! I don't want to be morbid sweetheart but it sounds like you've got the vultures gathering, perhaps that's being harsh, but I know how2 these things happen. My sis brought up her daughter's daughter, and unbelievebly didn't tell her, the mum was only 16 when the baby was born, but anyway, she's doing very well, but it amazes me, exactly the same thing happened to me, different circumstances, my mum died when I was a baby but my sis was the very one who had to tell me when I was about 14, screwed me up for years. You can never judge, but you can wonder! Reet, look I'll be here whenever, don't worry at all about getting back till you can, it looks like there's clouds gathering again, but it couldn't be worse than last year, all my love, Ham.

So very true Ham ,now I should beable to survive anything after last year ,but the truth is ,to see the bairns grieving ,in pain, missing their dad so much ,there are no words to describe how I feel. I try ,to say the things he would say ,try to give comfort as only he could give it ,I'm failing on all counts here. They say 'times a great healer',not sure who said it ,but for me ,time is the worst coming terms of all. Almost a whole year since he shouted at me ,since I held his hand ,it seems incredible and most of all ,it hurts. People keep saying he's out of his pain now ,well sorry for being such a selfish brat ,but I'd have him back ,with all of his pain in a heartbeat. Let the analysts work that one out ! hahahaha

The step family arrived ,all very odd to me Ham ..it seems 'they' drew the short straw and they were ones pressured into coming to see how the land lies ,if you understand ? I was very sweet ,kind and understanding ,bad move ,they've decided to stay another day hahahaha I can't win at the minute,I really can't. The good news is ,he should be home Monday or Tuesday. I'll keep you informed Ham.

An injection ? In the knee you mean ? If so ,my neighbour had a few of those treatments and they do work ,ease the pain. So make sure you keep that appointment Ham. My neighbour has now had the knee replacement op ,I refuse to go into too much detail,she's recovering now. It is a slow procedure for her ,everyone is different ,you'll be back on your bike ,before you know it xxx

That story is sad indeed Ham ,so many tragic events occur in our lives ,people do the best they can at the time to rectify them. Some making the right choice ,some the wrong. Personally ,I think people try their best with the cards they are dealt at the time,how can we judge ? How can we know what we would have done in those circumstances ? Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Oh dear ,there I go getting all philosophical again hahahaha Perhaps I should go back to bed and grab an extra hour of much needed sleep hahahaha

It's just wonderful hearing from you as always Ham ,hope the storm hasn't battered your area too much ? Hope this sends,sending it now with crossed fingers X Love Pinks XXX

WOW ,it sent Ham ,someone up there must love me hahaha Love Pinks XXX

I really do know what you're saying, all the old platitudes, none of them are any comfort whatever. You know I really dislike the concept of 'closure', as if everything can be made OK, funny enough I was just thinking yesterday, the family of that poor girl Milly, they've been through hell several times over and the swine who did it is still tormenting them years later, honestly I would pull the trapdoor lever myself, my blood boils. I was out at the hospital yesterday, the sleep clinic would you believe, you know they gave me this machine, I just took it so they would get on with the op on my knee, but the nurse pulls this SIM card out and it shows exactly how often you've been using it, talk about big brother! Anyways I'm absolutely fine, I told them that at the start, it's just put my surgery back weeks! You're too good a hostess, they'll be more regulars for you just wait! It's my birthday early Feb we are planning a few days in Bournemouth, nowt special we just enjoy it. I'm off to watch the Super Wallies, 2pm kick off in winter, I'll write tomorrow. Somebody down here loves you, Love, Ham.

So here I am, I've just downloaded the form for the Great Garden Birdwatch, Binns at the ready, my missus is glued to the telly watching our gallant young man in Sydney. I was just thinking apart from football and buying the paper I wasn't across the doors yesterday, sat up and watched the telly till 1am, Oh I finished my latest book, if I wasn't reading I don't know what I'd do, it was 'The Time of the Hero' by Mario Vargas Lhosa, a really great Peruvian writer, I had to order it out the depository at the library, but well worth it, it was his first novel, staggering when you think about it. I'm quite looking forward to my next one 'By the Ionian Sea' by George Gissing, a travelogue written in 1901, I love Gissing me! Actually I bought it at the Sunday market on Tynemouth Metro station when we were up there, brand new as well, I've been looking for it for years. Gosh pet I'm rambling, and banal it might be but it's what I do! All my Love, Ham.

Hello sweetheart, I hope things are OK with you, Friday is just dawning here, blackbird singing, always a real treat. It's my birthday Sunday, don't spend too much on the present, we're off to Bournemouth on Monday, sounds crazy I know but the Hotels are such a screaming bargain this time of year, midweek rates less than 40 quid a night for both of us b and b, I don't know how they do it. Back on Friday. It must be the same up your way, one of these days gel, mark my words, our eyes will meet across a smoke filled room, oh I forgot, you can't smoke in pubs anymore, I was back in 'Brief Encounters' mode! Of course living where you live, I know you don't take it for granted, but we love to be by the sea any weather, I can't book a long holiday abroad just now so it's great to be able to pop down to Dorset, it's even a quite pleasant drive, we're there in less than two hours. Weymouth is lovely as well, but you can hop buses all over the place from Bournemouth. I bumped into an ex-client of mine in Waitrose yesterday, I was all bedecked in my cold weather cycling gear, but she chucked herself at me, her mum as well! I was really touched, I only worked with her for a few month, must be 9 years ago now, and they were telling me they often talked about me, I was really surprised. You know you don't realise how important to people you are in Social Work, this lassie had multiple problems, nasty epilepsy and mental health problems, but a lovely lass despite. She's moved to a village a few miles away, no doubt I'll be bumping into her, you've got to be careful, I always worked away from where I live but I have to say I was moved and surprised by their reaction at seeing me. Look I know I'm havering, but I'll keep dropping by, write when you can, Love, Ham.

Happy Belated birthday wishes Ham ,and hope you both had a wonderful time in Bournemouth. I think I told you ,my aunt lives there ,my namesake. It is a beautiful part of the world. Years since I was there ,and if I'm not mistaken ,the beaches are pebble beaches ,I can remember thinking 'This isn't a REAL beach ! ' hahahaha Hope you had a great time anyway.

Life is busy for me right now ,and I've had a cold it's just been so hard to shake off,wake up and it seems to be gone ,by lunch time ,back to square one. If it lasts much longer I might bite the bullet and go to the doctors ,mind you ,you get more germs just sitting in the surgery .

It has to be the case of ,once seen never forgotten Ham hahaha,I agree though ,it is nice to be remembered , touching really ,you don't realize what an impact you have on other peoples lives. Nice to know though.

I hope you have a fun Valentines Day ,personally I can't wait for it to be over and no one will even know just how much I hate red roses hahaha I'll write when the excitement is all over Ham ,if my fingertips allow. hahaha

Sending best wishes ,as always Love Pinks XXX