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

Done. This is taking forever to launch. I wonder if it's going to die on the vine?

My straightening still isn't finished. I have way too many interruptions to ever get anything done. Better get back to it. Talk to you later.

It's under way love - look at Phillip's office thread.

I can't hang about either - A is just on the phone and cannot be much longer.

See you soon. J

Ah! Ships passing in the night.

And stay but a while in passing.

I hope this week is easier for you love, I am gearing up to start my evening classes again tonight. You know, I miss them, even over half term.

When you are retired there is no pattern to mark the days, you wake up wondering is today Tuesday or Wednesday then the garbage truck comes and you realise it's Thursday.

A is in town having coffee with a group of ex barbershop singers so I have some time on my own. Typically, now half term is over, the weather has brightened up, still cold but the sun is trying hard to shine through a thin cloud cover.

Well, I'll close for now - I have an appointment with Lola at the pussy cat club.

J

My sinuses are infected. My head has hurt for three days. I'm off to see if I can find something to calm it down. I've been using otc sinus tabs, but they just make me dopey and don't stop the headache.

I'd better go find Lola.

Dang! my head hurts as badly as Hyp's.

Well I feel a bit better. I need to take my car for an oil change. Maybe I can manage that now that my head hads calmed down a bit.

You had better watch yourself with Rosa, by the way. That broad wants all the men to herself.

Hyp love,

hope you are feeling better.

Re Rosa - screwing the client means getting as big a fee as possible, not getting into her knickers.

goodnight love,sleep well

Jazz

I fear that we will suffer a serious loss of continuity in this panto. We've barely started and it's already a mess.

Sweet dreams.

Phillip has already expressed doubts about the meaning and purpose of it all.

Will get around to Lola soon no doubt.

Goodnight again J

I'll be up all night listeneing to election returns.

You got George Bush back I see.

Hope you got some sleep.

Bye love

J

Thanks to F, I never get much sleep. About three hours last night - and that interrupted twice. I am seriously tired.

You poor darling - I only sleep about 6 hours during the night, but I like my afternoon nap.

I see you are trading under the title 'Exercise your mind - read a book'. I'm busy reading a book which my daughter-in-law brought for me. 'My life', by Bill Clinton, and finding it very hard to maintain any interest in it. I know so little about American politics and have never heard of most of the people he refers to. I wasn't even sure if Bush was a Democrat or Republican until this last week.

Of course I know a bit about Vietnam, L.M.King and the bussing about of coloured pupils (that's about where I'm up to in the book!) Guess I will finish it,or it would otherwise be the only book I had never finished reading.

You back at work now love?

J

Got Martin Luther's initials rouns the wrong way - sorry.

J

At work. I have another fire to put out this morning. And the phones aren't working right.

F sleeps all day then is restless at night. I'm going to see if the doctor will give me something for him to make him sleep at night. Last night he fell again and I didn't think I was ever going to get him up and back to bed. Something's going to have to give. I'm too tired to do anything efficiently.

We have in-house help schemes over here (which we have to pay for).

The alternative is a rest home - but apparently you feel very bad about arranging that.

You must do something though my love or you will make yourself too ill to help him. I feel for you in your dilemma.

J

He has fallen four times in the last 36 hours. He's becoming weaker by the day. He is adamant that he won't go to the hospital again. But he's so confused most of the time that I don't know if he understands what I'm even talking about.

So I have a dilemna. I can keep him at home and take some vacation time to take care of him and let him die at home with some privacy and dignity or I can send him to the hospital where they will hook him up to goddess knows what machines and prolong it all as long as they can.

The least expensive nursing home in my area costs nearly a thousand dollars a week. I simply can't afford it. In home care is nearly as expensive - $20 an hour.

And to make my day complete, I went up to the new building this morning and discovered that the carpet on the third floor is the wrong color.

You're going to be sorry you befriended me....all I do is complain.

Even if all I can do is to lend a willing ear I hope I am being useful.

I'm sorry that F is in such a state and feel very sorry for your predicament.

Feel free to weep on my shoulder if it helps.

J

Hi, thought I'd better let you know that I'm ok. I finally got a decent night's sleep last night. And i plan to turn in early tonight.

I called EMS Sunday evening and had F taken to the hospital. He's in ICU. His blood sugar went to nearly 700 and he may have had another heart attack. And his kidneys are failing. Anyway it looks pretty grim right now. I have signed DNR forms and called the kids.

If he makes it they will send him to another facility for 30 days to see if they can get him up and walking. Otherwise there is no way he can ever come back home. He'll have to go to a skilled nursing facility.

So, I'm just waiting to see what happens. I'll try to keep in touch, but if you don't hear from me for a while it will be because I'm at the hospital most of the time.

Hyp