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

Hi Polly,I was only joking with Mathos as he said he already knew the answer sorry.

I am not too bad at the moment I registered yesterday as a self employed person I thought I would give it a try for a while as Brum where I live is one of the most affected with the job loss situation.

Me and an old work mate have a few very small jobs in the pipeline,Thursday we are working in Worcester and Fri,Sat and Sunday in Middlesborough,then zip again for a while.

I sent in a signing off form into my local jobcentre yesterday and as I am to receive some leiu of notice pay from the RPO I have got to pay the jobseekers allowance back for ten weeks at £60.50p a week.

So after contributing to the system for 44 years they (the job centre) will have actually paid me nothing.

I wish you could get your tooth fixed and what are you taking for all those awful headaches?

I think you good do with some damart underwear long sleed vests and long john type underwear,my OH swears by her ugg boots but I have quite a bit of clobber on myself this morning because it is chilly but we have had no fog.

I doubt I will get on these boards the weekend as I am working away and after three months off it is going to be tough getting back to the grindstone,do you still do a bit workwise?

Dear Rick,

Thank you for the reply. I had no idea that one is expected to repay any 'job-seekers allowance' That seems very unfair. So it is only a loan after all? Surely young people starting out in work cannot afford to repay it. It seems so cruel and ironic.

I do hope the new jobs go OK. It will seem odd I expect when you have to get out of bed early after having time to yourself. I pray that the work will be enjoyable, and that much more will come your way.

I am quite busy within my church as you know. But if I have to stay here much longer I am hoping to re-establish my poetry recitals. And probably get some work within the NT or RSPB (or similar). Since losing my family-particularly my lovely father, I have had a few sad problems with stress etc. And right now I feel I am on a knife-edge with the problems here. I do believe that all my headaches and migraines are due to stress. And the stress makes me do odd things such as either hiding away from the world! or making me angry and out-spoken! I'm not an angry or aggressive person. Not at all. I'm very quiet and conservative. But stress puts one's emotions to the test. And right now I'm not coping too well. That is why I love my birds so much. I stand and gaze at the corvid family(crows, jackdaws etc) and long to fly with them. I long to be away from humans and live with the wild-life! Well, I don't feel like that all of the time. But it is escapism which I am excellent at.

Talking of thermal underwear makes me realise how old we are getting! Long-Johns seem an excellent idea. I wonder how they fit underneath slimish trousers.

I expect that the Ugg boots are cosy.I see so many girls and women wearing them. I have never tried any on although I have looked at them in Russell and Bromley's shoe shop in Winchester.

Well, I must now make up my mind as to whether I pop out for provisions or stay put. I think I will stay here as I feel unwell. Maybe I have got a new cold.

Time for a Lem-sip. I can't bear them but needs must!

Take care~~~all of you.


xx

As Valentine's day comes again
I always think of you
Like the fresh Summer rain
As welcome as the morning dew
Please accept this token
Spray, with a love so true
When love's words are spoken
Love's nothing, without you.

Hi Polly,I'm up at 3-20am tomorrow(weather permitting)and off to Middlesborough again for a couple of days.

We have had snow forecast for late tonight so I am hoping we can get there ok as it's about 200 miles from here.

I hope you are feeling a lot better these days as I know you've had a rough time lately,knowing you as I do I doubt you have had that dodgy tooth fixed yet.

Still,what is life if we've nowt to moan about

Hello dearest Rick.

You take care on the roads tomorrow. I have no idea what the forecast is for here but we have had heavy rain all day. So you are still having to do long 'shifts', or at least having to do unsocial hours. Life is so very hard, isn't it. I wish I could turn my life around but I really don't know where to start. I'm intelligent, sociable, cultured but alone and sad and scared of the future. It does often make me very sad (like this afternoon).

No I haven't had my tooth seen to! There is no NH dentist hereabouts and I can't really afford private treatment.

One day.....one day......one day.......


I've still got an awful cough after being ill. How are you?? What about all of last years aches and pains? Are you 'soldiering on'? I expect so.


Dear Rick, please take care whilst you are away in Middlesborough. Being up so early is surely no fun. Saying that, I can well remember getting up early often with my boyfriend when he was leaving, or we were going away somewhere, and enjoying every second. There was a romance about it, unlike getting up not long after going to bed in order to go to work in the cold. Wrap up well. Bless you Rick. You seem to always be working so hard.

Love and warmest wishes.

Polly

If you are feeling lonely
'n' you need someone to hold
You're worth more to me
Than a mine full of gold
Even when it's cold outside
Thoughts of you make me glow
With a love that's hard to hide
Because my feelings show
Though I am far away
I close my eyes you're there
Just a touch would make my day
'n' show you I still care
So you are as close to me
As every beat of my heart
Till the time I cease to be
Is the only time we'll part

Hi Polly,thanks for asking about my foot,it isn't getting any better although yesterday I have an appointment at one of my local hospitals to see a rather pleasant Asian lady who measures both of my size 12 feet for some correctional insole supports.

Two or three weeks from now hopefully I shall be running around in them,BTW I will also have to wear a night splint in bed on my left foot,so I'll try not to boot my OH at night.

Everything hunky Dora in your corner?

I do wish you could get the poorly tooth of yours fixed,I had to order a new pair of shoes off the net today as I could see daylight through the side stitching as I put on my everyday shoes at £75 a pair they are not cheap but they are Clarks and the old pair are over 5 years old(when I was looking for replacements I saw the same shoes on their website listed as classic geography teacher's shoes(gulp)a sure sign I'm starting to get older

Hello dear Rick.

I haven't been too well. Again. Stress.........

I now have 2 naughty teeth.

We are ALL getting older! I was only just telling someone today how I dressed only 5 years ago. I looked great and felt young. I certainly don't feel that way any more.

I have to close the bottom few inches of my stable-door with my foot.
My toes are getting very sore with having been doing this daft practise for the last year! And tonight the rain has been seeping
in through the bottom
of the ill-fitting door. I'm so tired of it all.

I've just been drinking some rice-milk. Have you tried it? It is very odd. Made from wholegrain brown rice, and tasting of watery milk! It is meant to be so beneficial. But doesn't mend sore teeth, heartbreak, or old doors!!


I do hope that you and your family are keeping as well as possible. I haven't yet read any more threads so I am unsure if you have been telling Folly about your work-venture. How is it going? I trust you are managing to make ends meet etc. I, too, am a little church-mouse!

Love,

Polly

xx

Hi Polly,two bad teeth?OUCH!.
I have a stable door at the back of the house from my kitchen into the rear garden,it sounds as though you door has swelled up with all the damp we have been having lately,the best way aroungd this sort of problem is to reduce the width of the door slightly,when you open the door next time if you observe the door jamb that the leading edge of the door closes on you will see the telltale rubmarks where the paints will be scuffed or missing.

The best way to reduce a door with this type of swelling is to wood plane just the area where the rub marks correspond on the door leaf itself until there is a gap between the closed door and jamb about the thickness of about a 2p coin,you could rub the door with rough sand paper wrapped around a small flat wooden block(or a sanding block if you have one)although this is a tiring job with a little care and time the sand paper will eventually reduce the door.(NB. only rub the edge of the door where it rubs on the paintwork on the door jamb try and keep the sanding block flat on the wood you are sanding and dont scollop the wood, try and keep the door edge as straight as poossible.

BTW Polly,when the warmer weather come again the door would normally shrink slightly.(phew)

Good luck sweetie

Oh~~~thank you dear Rick. Yes, the door is very very swollen. But was also very ill-fitted in the first place. It is only the last ??inches that do not lie flush with the door-frame. They never do! During the warm weather it isn't really a problem. But during the winter it is an absolute nuisance. The door(at the bottom of the door) lies away from, and in front of, the door frame. I need a new door but will not do it as I now would like to move. Each time I kick the door shut I am actually forcing the door to lie in the wrong position (although it is really the RIGHT position!!!!). I wonder if you understand what I am trying to explain!

I've put an old tea-towel on the floor to soak-up the incoming rain! And the cat-flap is closed for the night as the rain was coming in through it(due to the gale!).

But it is cosy otherwise in here tonight! All I crave is either a bar of chocolate or some licorice! I must get something sweety to eat tomorrow evening.

Hello darling Rick.

I'm so sorry if I seemed to be 'bullying' you into joining 'Original Sin'. I didn't mean it at all. I fully understand what you said about your not joining (I don't agree with you though ). Please accept my apologies, Rick.

I don't do a great deal on that site. I do enjoy the poetry thread that W4aT stared although it is very slow due to -

a) My not being there every day (not that the thread relies on me!!)

and

b) There are not many folk on that thread. In fact, there are not many members on that site!

Anyway, I just had to apologize in case you had been annoyed at my insistance for you to join.

Hugs,

xx

P.S.

It tok ages for me to locate this thread again!

And -'I do enjoy the poetry thread that W4aT stared...'

That is meant to say'...started...'!

It TOK ages

Hi Polly,I do hope you are well,I have a busy few days ahead as Im setting off to bonnie Scotland for a few days work and I have a full weeks work booked in for next week.

I dropped MOH off at my Sister's yesterday so Im fending for myself at the mo' but I cant make my mind up what to eat tonight and I dont want to buy anything in as I wont be here for a few days.

I've just looked at the highlands forecast and I think Im in for a soaking again,my old knees start to play up when it's cold and damp,BTW how is your back these days?

Did you manage to get your back door fixed? when (like myself) you are feeling the pinch and dress up to keep the cold at bay your house starts to get a little damp,that is when old wooden doors and windows swell up and become very difficult to open I had trouble with my hardwood front door for a while so I spent just over a £100 on a dehumidifier that stops condensation and dries even the doors and windows out,I normally start running mine when my windows start steaming up with the cold.

I have noticed many of the usual posters have drifted away from their normal threads I do wish Auntie had left the womans hour thread alone there always were many varied and interesting threads there,still I suppose to each there own and I know with all our cyber buddies that like a welcome smile in adversity,they'll be back

Hi again, Rick.

I've just been looking at a catalogue of clothes that come from 'Bruar' Country Clothing, Pitlochry.

When my daughter was young we still stayed for part of the year in an old cottage in Callander with my parents and my brother. We had some wonderful times there in the Trossachs. Even the rain was lovely. When I consider many of my Scottish memories I also remember rain. But I can imagine that it is far different when one has to work in the rain. Wrap up well (I'm sure you hardly need to be told that!). Thermal clothes? I've got my thermal vests out of storage in readiness!

I didn't have a proper dinner this evening. I cook a proper one almost every night/day so I didn't feel guilty for not eating cabbage and carrots tonight! Instead, I had fresh spinach and ricotta ravioli with a tomato and basil sauce. It was so delicious. And cooked within 7-8 minutes in all! Then I had plain yogurt and a small tin of prunes! I love prunes.

My door is beginning to rot. I have had to tell my land-lord (son-in-law). The wood that makes up each part of the stable-door can be moved if I push it. And it is rotting. When I am not here the door is not safe 'cos it is not closed properly. The bottom half gapes a lot. I bought a handle to put on the outside of the door to enable me to close the bottom bit from the outside but at the moment the door just springs open again. I guess that when the wet weather really starts the door will swell. Then I CAN'T shut it easily at all!!! I then have the opposite problem. It makes me so unhappy. Everything just gets worse here.

A few weeks ago, the curtain track on the stable-door broke with the weight of the curtain. I eventually bought a new track in John Lewis's. I also bought a hack saw as the new track is too long. Then last week I had a visitor from church who told me to return the new track because he has an unused track in his garage that I could have. Well, so far he hasn't brought it to me so I think I am going to go ahead and use the one I bought. I need the curtains put up as it makes me feel safer somehow, and hopefully it keeps a little of the cold out.

Do take care on your travels. I'm off to my Dorset later this week for some much needed peace and warmth. And I have a jigsaw there to finish. But I will miss the Masterchef final!!

I hope I sleep tonight. Last night I was still awake after 3am. It makes it so hard to get up early the next morning.

I've got my CH on tonight. I can't stand the cold in here. My last house was so warm. This place is freezing. The thermostat doesn't seem to ever switch off once I switch the CH on. It is a tiny hall where it is cold.

Anyway, Rick, it was great to see your message here this evening. I was concerned that I might have annoyed you.

'Bye for now.

Hugs,

Polly

xx

Hi Polly,I saw on another thread you were about to aquire a new door what a good idea although doors can be expensive,so unless it's a plastic one you will need a decent coat of wood preservative on it ASAP.

Me? I got back from Scotland about 7-15pm it had been awful (weatherwise) there it took us about ten hours travelling each way so as you can guess I am a bit knack'ed now,it seems I have more jobs next week than I can fit in so I think I shall have a lot less time here than I would like,I noticed that on a previous posting you thought that you had offended me I must say Polly that you could never offend me,after all the postings we have had the fortune to share I actually miss your contributions quite a lot when you have swanned off elsewhere(lucky beggar)anyway sweetie take care and I am missing you already

Bless you, Rick. What a lovely welcome back for me .

I haven't actually got the door yet. My daughter has told me that they(her and her husband) have got it but it 'isn't ready yet'. So I don't know what to expect. I'm sure that their chap who has been with them for months- painting, re-sashing windows, putting in new heating, complete posh kitchen, building book-cases, new loft, bathrooms etc etc, will be putting my door in. He will know what is to be done. But all this door business and boiler servicing and all my other 'moans' have come between me and my daughter a little. This is after all their home and I can't understand why they don't want to do things for me. But anyway....whilst I was in Dorset, the chap came to service the boiler. So one thing at least has been done! I just hope that my two(daughter and husband) will remember that Pixie needs a cat-flap in the new door.

I got back this evening. I am so so tired. I have so much clearing to do but it might have to wait until tomorrow. I had to empty a very full cupboard in order for the boiler man to get to the boiler! It is in my bedroom. I have huge boxes and a chest of drawers to put back into the cupboard. I can just about manage to find my bed!

Poor darling Rick ~~ one minute you have very few jobs of work and then you have too many to get done in a week. It never rains but it pours.

I keep having awful headaches. I had a dreadful one yesterday whilst I was in Dorset. And it is starting again I fear. And I am terribly tired all the time. I know though ~~ I should not complain.

I should have cut the grass during that dry spell of weather. Now it is far too wet to cut, and it is rather long.

Rick, I would never like to offend you. You have, I believe, a difficult enough life with all the money worries. I have something similar. I feel so terribly unhappy with life. I should never have left Wimborne. It's not easy to get back there for good. I wish that I could. I break my heart every time I start my journey home to here. I find that I cannot bear anyone telling me what to do(which kind-meaning friends tend to do). Or if anyone is rude to me I have to walk away before becoming upset or angry. I seem to get hurt so easily since living here. And with that in mind I was worried that my remarks about 'Original Sin' might have annoyed you. But as they haven't I am happy.

Well my dear Rick, I am very thirsty so must get cup of tea.
Do take care with all your work and long weary hours. You are about the same age as me and I certainly feel my age at times. I used to be so active but now I am so tired. Life seems so difficult....I secretly can't stand it at times.

'Bye 'bye for now, Rick.

xxx

Hi Polly,Iam sorry that you are a bit bluesy incidently that knitting click on is on my favourites section on my PC because Mrs Cut-out often looks at it and another called"501 secrets about knitting" as MOH does try to knit but is not very technical about it,however it amuses her and also amuses me as I often find many packages of abandoned knitting clumps.

I do hope you are not allowing yourself to become depressed though because depression is a dark cloud that can last for months and wont be shoowed away,I find that a hobby or even typing(chicken pecker style of course)passes the time but understandingly MOH complains if on spend too long on the keyboard.

My money troubles are easing slightly now and as I think I once mentioned MOH hasn't worked for 30 years and I wouldn't want her to start now,there has to be more to life that money even though it seems to influence and dictate the steps most of us take,me? well I wont be the richest man in the cemetary because I'll be cremated what with my pension prospects being almost zilch I'll try to work on as long as my legs can stand,my youngest son seems to have settled in his city flat(rented) and our house seems a little too quiet at the mo' but peace is a wonderful thing to live in no doors banging loud music and toilet flushing after his many late night sessions with his mates at city wine bars.

Still his job in the banking sector seems to be improving I just hope he can cope on his own now and find his own niche in life.

Headaches Polly? is that stress or are you finding living alone too isolated? I only ask because I cant stand my own company for too long,anyway I do hope you settle wherever soon,do forgive my waffling and take extra care of yourself

Hi, Rick.

Did you read my post on 'Dreams'? I've been thinking about my lovely brother this evening. Well, I think of him and my parents every day. That song by Al Stewart is so haunting and beautiful. I have got my brother's old record of it somewhere. Isn't it strange that we can remember certain things - like my going down Prices Street and listening, and singing to, that song. I guess that all my happiest memories of John are of when we were in Scotland. He loved it there. We all did. Maybe I need a glass of wine before Uni Challenge starts at 8pm!
I do hope that you are keeping well.

xx

Hi, Rick.

Did you read my post on 'Dreams'? I've been thinking about my lovely brother this evening. Well, I think of him and my parents every day. That song by Al Stewart is so haunting and beautiful. I have got my brother's old record of it somewhere. Isn't it strange that we can remember certain things - like my going down PRINCES Street and listening, and singing to, that song. I guess that all my happiest memories of John are of when we were in Scotland. He loved it there. We all did. Maybe I need a glass of wine before Uni Challenge starts at 8pm!
I do hope that you are keeping well.

xx