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

I saw our thread in The Bull last night, Anne-marie, and I'm so sorry you missed out. Well done you on putting such a brave face on it for your colleagues' sakes, despite your own feelings about it. Fingers crossed that you'll have better luck soon.

Katy

P.S. re your request in the Cookbook: any particular foodie likes/dislikes? Just so I don't dig out some recipes and you can't use them for whatever reason....

Katy, thanks so much for your kind message. I felt really floored by it all and had a real physical reaction - couldn't face any food; sleep an impossibility as my mind relived every last detail; extremely emotional as well. I'm starting to recover a bit now - namely I'm able to eat without feeling sick - and sleep was better last night; the sad depression remains and will take a long time to fade. It makes it hard to focus on revision when I fear I'll never get a job...

Re foodie items: Most food goes down well in this household; I am allergic to certain nuts (walnuts, brazil, macadamia) but if any recipe calls for them I substitute with almonds or cashews to which I have no reaction.

Thanks again. Finding your mesaage has made me feel a little tearful but also consoled.

Love Anne-Marie xxx

Hugs

You're more than welcome, Anne-Marie. I'm so filled with admiration for all that you're doing, how you manage it beats me.

Pine nuts ok?

Katy

Pine nuts fine.

Don't belittle all the wonderful things you achieve for your family, as well as your maginificent weight loss dedication, MFC cookbook hosting & music interests - good luckk in public exam btw. I used to play clarinet; but my fave instrument was the treble recorder.

AMx

Pine nuts it is - tried out a WW recipe we got on a card last week, and it was yummy (even though I say so myself).

I didn't know you played the clarinet & recorder too! I learnt to play the descant recorder at secondary school, then didn't pick it up again for decades, until Cellofreak started music, and I wanted to help her with her practice (all children learn it at music school here).

OH joined at the same time, he plays the tenor recorder. I joined a mixed group for old instruments, but the combination of a very rusty technique and a hectic family life meant I had to give it up. I was already learning to play the clarinet (I'm in my 6th year now), so I started the recorder as a second instrument, descant and treble (currently my 3rd year), which was much easier to fit in with home life. Here you have to learn the fingerings in F and C if you study the recorder, though they're more lenient for adult students - OH has been exempted from the treble because he barely has time for the tenor! I prefer playing the descant with some accompaniment as it's so highly pitched, whereas the treble I'm quite happy to play on its own. I love the sound of the tenor too, and would be able to play OH's if my hands were larger - as it is, my hand span is too small for the lower notes.

I was supposed to do my 2nd public exam for the clarinet too this year, but have deferred it a year, as doing both would have really been too much. I just have to turn up on the day of the clarinet exam and play 1 piece, a so-called 'incomplete programme', then do the year again. As it turns out, I'm dead relieved I decided on this, as the clarinet exam has been scheduled to take place the day before the recorder one! My clarinet teacher is very amused that he's been appointed as 'chairman' of the jury for the recorder exams...

Katy