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

Terri I will be keeping P's mother in my thoughts and prayers.

I am mostly cold but I do have the odd occassion when I am hot and I need to keep my hair away from my neck because it makes it hot at night and I am unable to sleep on my back long because it gets very hot. During the day when I am at my coldest I have thick thermal socks on, layers of leggings underneath my jeans, thin jerseys underneath my woolen jumpers because they sometimes irritate me and make my skin very itchy.

Kat

I don't know if it has anything to do with where I was born in my case. Winters don't get *that* cold in Chicago- we rarely see temps below zero- but summers range from quite warm to hot and the humidity here is brutal. So you'd think I'd be more inclined to prefer warm weather to cooler weather, and I would much rather it were cool.

Hmm... wonder if it's thyroid thing; apparently that controls temperature regulation & many folk have a slightly under or over active thyroid.

Latest on P's mum is: He spoke to her by phone tonight; she sounded much chirpier, definitely rational; but his sister (who is there with her) left urgent message for him to phone her.

It seems sis thinks she is going downhill, isn't always making sense verbally, losing vision. Apparently she was on Warfarin for a heart attack she had previously; which typically she didn't tell the family about

P is trying to get his work trips out of the way quickly, so we can be ready to go *if* necesary; but we don't want her to think if the entire family seems to be like vultures round the bed, we fear the worst.

He's done one trip today & is back, has another two day trip this week, then a longer one next week.I am just dreading me being the one to break bad news to him whilst he's on the road.

Plus his van seems to have some sort of problem; i'm terrified he might be overtaking & it cuts out; he is a *very* careful driver; so it's unlikely he'd take risks, but with all this added pressure re: mum;it worries me.

Vicious circle stuff; if you show you are worried, the other person feels even more under pressure, which increases their stress & likelihood of something happening.

So i'm trying hard to be "The Strong Silent Type", which really isn't my usual style.

Difficult times. Very good for losing weight though!

zdt

Looks like we will be off on a short trip to Germany next week. Mum seems to be recovering; but nonetheless....

Anyway, we *do* need a break, & i'd love to do Christmas shopping in a traditional German Christmas market, plus stock up on cheaper booze & cigs!

Plus P needs a new computer, his is dying on him & he needs it for w**king! The one he wants is there; it's cheaper & more reliable to collect it personally than have it posted.

It's going to be a busy time from now till Christmas; we have to fit in a 3 day Inspection Tour, get cats into Hilton Hotel Ireland, get the pregnant sheep back, arrange for neighbour to check on them etc...

And meanwhile, i want to make & send Christmas cards to 'you lot'; so anyone who hasn't already updated me via email with their snailmail address, please do so ASAP; otherwise you may end up with a video of singing puppies & reindeers falling over in shock, with Teddy In Bondage watching the scene in great distress.

zdt

Hey Terri hun! I'm sorry I missed your post three days ago -- I must have overlooked it. Anyway, I'm here now. Good luck getting ready for the trip, may it be safe, and may P's Mom recover. I'll send you my latest snailmail addy. You might have it, but I'm not sure.

short trip to Germany ?? it's a long way from Ireland, do you know a short cut ??

all will be well, the vibes are a plenty

Maybe it is thyroid. I have an underactive thyroid and I'm always too warm.

It's beautiful here in Chicago today. 30°F (-1°C), which is brisk but not cool enough to warrant a coat or anything like that. We're getting some light snow, but nothing unpleasant, and there's no wind.

After my recent visit to Florida, I don't think I ever want to travel by airplane again. I'm sticking to places I can visit by train/bus/ship.

Yes; know that 'airplane' dread; i'm really not into it, but the alternative is P driving so much from here in a state of not-goodness; it's really the only way.

Prof: if you have some secret short cut; please advise!

We're off tomorrow morning for around 3 days to solar systems, back to collect pregnant sheep, then probably off next day to Germany.

Yoda & Fritz are installed in cattery today, Edda will come on Infection tour, but stay with P's ex while we are in Germany. Neighbor with cattle will check donkey goat etc.

It's taken a lot of organising; i am exhausted already! One of ths days i may get a 'real' hoiday?

What are the rest of you up to in the run up to the supposed Festive Season?

zdt

Business as usual - over Xmas my Mum will do horrible things to my equatorial circumference, and on New Years Eve, when Sis is away, we´ll deplete the stock.

You take care Terri .

All the best.

Nigel

Terri I thought I would not get a cold this year as usually do but this was a mega cold, accompanied with all my sinuses severely blocked making me look like a hamster. So I am having to catch up an all that I had not done in the past 6 days on one day.

I hope that you will be able to have some rest after all the hard work preparing for the trip abroad.

Take care and all the best

Awww, poor you, Thinker, sinusitis is evil isn't it? Have you tried olbas oil, or any other eucalyptus stuff (Tiger balm etc) in hot water, putting a towel over your head & inhaling it? i find that's really the only way of sorting it.

Anyway, we're back from infecting windmills& solar panels! It was a long trip, "it's a Long Way to Tipperary"indeed! Plus Limerick & Galway; but we were really lucky to find a Brilliant place to stay, a stud farm, stately home, almost a castle, our host welcomed us with open fire & open & we chatted with him & all the s about his time at Gordonstoun school with Prince Andrew, alternative energy, Life, the Universe & Everything, slept in a huge room in four-poster bed, surrounded by antique furniture, paintings etc; very much made to feel part of the family!

P had to Infect a large factory installation in Limerick, that was not nice, since some stupid teenage lad wandered past the van when i was still inside, shooting a gun apparently randomly; i couldn't get into the factory to warn P not to get on the roof & be a sitting target 'cos of the security locked door; but did eventually, we phoned the police, factory workers just said "Ah, that's normal for here"

Yuk. What sort of street violence do 'You Lot' get?

When we got back to our nice, peaceful farm; the neighbour said there had been hunters on our land, shooting anything that moved; we're putting up large signs tomorrow forbidding them to trespass on our land or that of the neighbours.

The have returned from their holiday, frisky donkey has been moved to another field & we suspect may be pregnant also. P reckons sheep, dog & me will probably all turn out to be preg with twins & go into labour at the same time; like waiting for a for hours, then they all come at once!

(He is defininitly showing signs of being broody!!!!)

zdt

Thank you Terri for your very kind concern. I have tried various inhalations but they have never worked. I may try getting an air purifyer or an ioniser to see if it will help.

I have never experienced street violence personally but I have heard of a few muggings. I do witness a few locals who have had one too many and are either rowdy or merry .

Hope you're feeling better, thinker.

Yes, last time i actually felt unsafe on the streets was back in early 80's in Birmingham; so this came as quite a shock. Apparently Limerick has 2nd highest street crime rate in Eye land, after Dublin. I imagine it's because lots of folk are unemployed & bored....maybe we should drag them here & get them w**king on the farm; they certainly wouldn't be bored then!

We've got back, gotback, suspect is expecting puppies; P has another week of Infecting solar systems, there are Christmas cards to sort, his son is arriving, still not got the door on the porch; the 'To Do' list grows longer every day!

*But* it's a lovely life, never boring, full of , which is the main thing in my book!

zdt

We are off again for another two days Infecting Systems in Donegal; the chnces of me getting Xmas cards made & sent are receding....but P has a new Beast on order, so maybe e-cards may arrive...we have wonderful sexy video involving teddy bears in bondage, reindeers falling over in shock...& much more<<<<<<<<<<<<<<;

We got the cats back, Yoda has a cold, but i don't think it's serious, she's had her flu jab.They will stay inside here in the warm while we're away; the cattery wasn't heated.

P's mum seems better, she's back home; thanks so much for wishing her well, so we will probably visit after Xmas, when work pressure is off; P has a load to do right now, a pilot scheme for other forms of sustainable energy, which he needs to do before Xmas..we're both really tired but it has to be done.

zdt

xmas cards, who needs xmas cardsEaster is just around the corner (choccy eggs in supermarkets before 2nd Jan)

Terri says: *But* it's a lovely life, never boring, full of , which is the main thing in my book!

JEllen says: Amen to that!!! I am so glad that you are no longer in France freezing half to death and isolated. So good that you have found someone wonderful to love and cuddle, and who cares about you. An early Merry Christmas to you both! You already have your best present -- each other!

Much Christmas to you and P, Terri, and all the various fourlegged people.

Thank you Terri, I am feeling a lot better. I am thinking of investing in an ioniser as I used to have one and it did improve my sinuses.

I am sorry to hear that Yoda has a cold, I hope she will feel better soon.

I have still got my Xmas presents and cards to do, I have bought them and the difficult part is the wrapping up part.

Please send all to Aye Bee Wench.

And R.I.P Ric

He was very loved.

zdt