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

Hi, we haven't met. I'm a friend of FwT and dropped by to read your poetry. Hope you don't mind. I love the little guy who electrocutes himself.

Hi Hypatia, I believe we did meet some time ago on Abbi`s page, Yeh! I liked the wee "shocker" too, thats why I spent ages learnig to transfer him to my Home page?? No I dont mind you reading the poetry, thats why its there! Mind you Im going to try and link them to my page as I still have around 19 more of them!! I had a lot of short stories on there for a while, but had to put them into w/shops to speed up my loading time. They are still on my other page, if you want to read them
Smudger.

I'll do that. I love poetry. It's such a wonderful way of expressing things that wuld be awkward to talk about otherwise.

Hi Hypatia, The other stuff I stuck into the W/Shops was short stories, but as I mentioned earlier I will link all the rest of the poems to my journal as soon as I can remember how to do that
Smudger.

Short stories are good, too. They're harder to write than some people realize. And vignettes are nice. I like those also. I'm working on one about the last time I saw my dad before he died.

Hi Hypatia, When I said short stories, I mean really short you will see them on my page some where? I can still remember the last time I saw my Dad, it was as I was working away from home at the time, and he died two days after I last saw him.
Smudger.

I think it's easier to write about something real than to just invent a story. I must not have a vivid enough imagination.

It's been hard for me to come to grips with my dad's death. He had alzheimers and died the day after Christmas in 1999. I saw him on Christmas day. I took him some gifts, but he didn't know who I was or didn't want to open the gifts - didn't know what they were either. He was so thin and I wondered if they were feeding him and decided that I had better take him milkshakes in the evening or something. All he wanted to do was walk. He walked for hours every day.

Anyway, I was hoping that writing something about that last Christmas would help me, but I can't get it finished. I guess I'm still not ready.

Hypatia

Hi Htpatia, It will come in its own time, believe me, I know. During my time in the ambulance service I met and got to know quite a lot of terminally ill people, yet I never treated any one of them different to the rest, I think thats what they liked about me, we used to have a good laugh and a joke,which they really enjoyed, probably the only time they got to be themselves was when they were in my ambulance. The experience I gained there came in useful, as my wife is terminally ill with emphysmia just now, but we cope very well together.
Your writing will just flow when the time is right, dont rush it, Im writing about stuff that happened to me thirty years ago now, as you may have read already. Any way, be patient and be happy
Smudger.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's illness. When there is a serious illness in a family everyone focuses on the patient and forgets how difficult it is for the caregivers.

My husband and I have been married for 30 years. He's quite a bit older than I am and has a bad heart. He's had two open heart surgeries - arteries and a valve. He nearly died three times last winter. The surgeons saved his life, but he will never really be healthy again. We don't know what to expect next. Anyway, I understand your situation - the frustration, guilt, impatience, anger, fear, resentment. It's quite a package. At least in my case.

I'm available if you ever need to talk/whine/complain/blow off steam.

Hypatia

Hi Hypatia, It was good to hear from you, all be it not so good news, re, your husband. I think we all find our own ways of coping with sickness. I felt as if I had learned all I could while in the ambulance service, but when its someone really close to you its totally different, as you already know. We have only been married 8 years now, (as we are both second time rounders) we actually met way back in 1991 just after my return from Russia. We seem to help each other as my mobility is restricted with a back injury, but we get by OK.
Any way, its good to hear from you again,
Smudger.

I certainly wish both of you the best. Are you in a lot of pain from your back? That would make it harder for you to cope with everything else.

Does your wife write poetry as well? You could be Smudge and Smudger.

Hi Hypatia, I have some good days when Im quite mobile, others, well maybe not so fast?, I get around with my stick. My wife doesnt write much, her skill is human nature? she is good at reading people and listening to them (everyone but me)We get in our car as much as possible go and visit our Grandkids, all from her sons. I have no contacts from my own family, ever since my divorce some 10 years ago now. Still 4 Grandkids keep me too busy to worry about that
Smudger.