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

Oi!! I did'nt know you were back? I just saw your post in 'mix the last 3 letters'

Fleeting visit you sweetie, fleeting visit I'm home alone for a few days so I thought I'd make the most of the computer. I really don't get the opportunity to mess around like I used too. So with a little under 48hrs left, how are you, how are the little ones and your daughter and you still at the garden centre?

I'm doing ok ta. The arthritis is slowly calming down with yet more tablets.
My daughter is fine, she's recently split with her boyfriend, but does'nt seem to worried by this. It was'nt going anywhere anyway. The grands are fine. Despite the youngest having alot of tests for epilepsy, he was given the all clear. So now he can carry on as usual, which has been noticed by his grumpyness The eldest just gets taller every time i see her She has done me a christmas list I'll need a mortgage to get everything on it...which includes an MP3 player!! 'empty purse smiley'

So to the important stuff.
How are you? Have things finally settled down between Mr BB and the kids?
I do hope your family life is how you've wanted it to be for so long.
What have you been doing with yourself all this time?
Yeah, yeah, i know sooooo many questions.
Take care of yourself.

I'm so pleased to hear that finally your arthritis is settling down with the medication. I know it will never go away but it seems to have taken ages to find the right tablets for you. I hope it continues to be easier. As for little man's epilepsey, how strange that nothing came up at all. Let's just hope it was a phase and he has grown out of it.

And as long as your daughter is happy, you're happy, right?! I suspect you frightened boyfriend off with unexpected visits and checking him out tactics

As for me .......... I have unintentionally made things so much worse I knew this was never going to settle down overnight but my goodness, the three of them are just bl**dy awful together. I'm OK with Mr BB on my own, Y&E are all right with me but put the four of us together and it's war! Instead of Y&E having gained a parent, it feels like the one they had has been split in half. It feels like a competition for my attention. If Mr BB suggests to go somewhere, anywhere, from a trip into town to a holiday, if they don't want to go he is either happy to leave them at home or have me organise heaven and earth so that we can go away together! Y&E just don't like spending anytime in his company. Unfortunately where they are concerned, the boat has sailed. It's too late. Talk about what goes around, comes around. This has come around and bitten Mr BB good and proper in the a**e And the most awful bit is Mr BB can't figure out why!!

Mr BB has taken a few days away to see older daughter abroad, hence the hootooing, and the atmosphere here at home has been noticeably less tense. Several times Mr BB has asked me to choose, him or Y&E. Other women seem to be able to combine being a wife and mum, why can't I?

I have what I wanted, for Mr BB to come home, but my goodness, I thought we would be further down the road than we are right now. How much time do I give this is the next question?

Today the three of us had a busy day filled with schooly things and extra dance tuition in readyness for an exam next week and we are going to top it off with a firework display later on.

Hold the sparklers at arm's length and see you as soon as I can I'm sometimes able to put a one-liner in here or there but not much. I don't even get the opportunity to lurk like I thought I would

Take care of yourself and thanks for checking in on me when you saw me around, it really was appreciated
xBBx

I'm sorry things havent improved. I thought it would be all settled now. Sometimes life just does'nt go the way we'd like eh!
I do feel for you, it must be so hard trying to keep both parties happy. You have 2 very strong willed children there. At least you know when they grown up, no ones going to walk all over them and give them a hard time. You should be very proud. It does'nt change your situation though Maybe it will improve with more time.

Anyway, whenever you get the opportunity, i'd love to hear from you again.
Take care.

Jen xx

Yes, I am disappointed but you are right. Same thing happened to my Mum. Apparently Grandad was a right so-and-so and Mum just doesn't take any nonsense, not that Daddy would give her any, he is such a sweetie.

I won't be around as much now as Mr BB returns from his trip now!! But thanks for your silent support.

See you when I can and you take care of yourself
xBBx

I see you're online
Is Mr BB away again?

Correct! I'm getting round to everybody in turn. How are you? Gearing up for Christmas? I remember last year and the Christmas display you did. Are you doing it this year too?

I'm just about to get up in the loft and get the Christmas tree down For years we were abroad for Christmas so now I put the tree up the nearest weekend to the 1 December. This year is the first year we have Christmas lights outside - and they have been up for two weeks this weekend! The intention was to tie the fairy lights up but not turn them on until December but once it fell dark and we turned them on to see what they looked like ........ need I say anymore!

Have you been Christmas shopping yet? I've made a mental list.

How are your hands in this cold snap? I hope the medication helps, and if it doesn't, I'm sure a nip of something will.

Mr BB has one more trip away before Christmas. Y has her entrance exam for senior school tomorrow

What's new for you?

Hi BB.
WOW! Lights up already?? I take it you're a fan of christmas eh!
Our display at work has been running a month or more now. It is a big display and took 2 weeks to set-up

I've done all my christmas shopping and wrote out all my cards. Not because i like to be prepared, its usually a mad panic for me. This year was different. I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks back, resulting in a screen for cancer Thursday The good news is that it was just a cyst, which was drained. The even better news is, i can sit back and watch everyone else panicking over buying presents and stuff.

I don't like this cold weather at all It does'nt do the arthritis any favours. Its still much better than it was though.

How did Y do on her exam? Have you chosen a school yet?
Theres alot of pressure on kids these days with subject options and stuff.

Oh my gosh! I'm so glad that it was a cyst. It must have been agony waiting for the results. You seem to be going through it the last year, Venus

Y came out of the exam saying it was easy, which means one of two things: 1) it really was easy or; 2) it was really hard but Y thought she understood it and answered all the questions ... incorrectly I'm backing the first option. Y will attend the same school as E. E is doing very well so and so will Y.

Y was on stage tonight with her school choir in a singing competition with our local radio station. They had to be good enough to get into the final with three other schools. The final will be announced on the breakfast show tomorrow morning. Y was the spokesperson for her school so she was interviewed too. A is born

Take care of yourself and I'll be back just as soon as I can.
xBBx

Hi BB.
It does seem to have been a funny year for me Hopefully next year will be a better one.

My grandson performed is his school nativity this week. He was a twinkling , which somehow does'nt quite suit his personality At one point he had decided that HE was going to be a soldier, as thats much more manly

Oooh so Y is going to be famous eh! Good on her.

I've spent the last 2 afternoons raking fallen leaves. Not the sort of thing i would be expecting to do in December I still have some shrubs clinging on to their leaves, a strange Autumn this year.

Speak to you soon. Take care
Jen

I love it when the nativity's go wrong. I have my last school carol service this afternoon seeing as Y will be going to senior school next year. Her school didn't win the competition but all four finalists won a great prize. A presentation certificate, a VIP tour of the radio station and a chance to record their two entry songs in the radio station's digital studio

I too am raking leaves ........

Take care of yourself

In case you get back here before next week.
Have a lovely christmas and a happy new year. I hope it all proves better than last year.
See you another time.
Jen xx

Venus! It's been awhile but how are you doing? How goes the medication? The garden centre? The family? Your love life? E&Y are doing fantastically at school. Y passed the entrance exam the A stream at E's school and they will be together in September. Y would have been going there anyway but the fact that Y passed for the topstream from the start is great I didn't doubt Y's ability for a second. Y was understandably nervous the nearer the results day came but was thrilled with the result. Just this morning, another letter of commendation has come through the post for E What a shame homelife is not as successful for them Mr BB and Y and E are still struggling with me in the middle. I confess to being at a very low at the moment but coping better than you have known from me in the past.

So then, where is Spring? I know you wouldn't have hidden it away delibrately because it isn't good for your condition and it isn't good for business at the garden centre. Maybe we should blame 2Legs for its late arrival. In fact, I'm going to blame him right now!!

I look forward to catching up on your news when you are good and ready. In the meantime, take care of yourself,

xBBx

Hiya BB.
Nice to see yo about

I'm pleased to here your brood are doing well, despite the'other' difficulties.
It sounds like you are getting stronger with the passing of time? Its such a shame that you are constantly piggy-in-the-middle. Do you see things getting better at any point?

My tribe are doing well. The eldest has just celebrated her 10th birthday. She's growing so fast, its hard to keep up.
Next year she will sit her 11+ i'm hoping she will pass, she's clever enough.

My condition although much better, is going through a bad spell just now. I blame the weather AND 2 legs.
Don't you feel like this winter has gone on forever! The garden is'nt looking to colourful right now, much different from this time last year.
I'm still at the garden centre, its been like a morgue there for weeks now. This should be a time when we're getting busy, its just not happening. His bossiness has mentioned laying people off a cuople of times, i'm not sure if thats a threat or a promise.

I'm in the process of preparing for the decorators, i'm having my living room done. Its going to be expensive, as i'm having a new settee and carpet, plus all the accessories like curtains, lampshades etc. I'm also having all new doors fitted. I should be just about skint by the time its done.

Anyway, its great to hear from you. Hope to catch up again soon.
Take care of you and yours.
Jen xx

Hi Jen,

I shouldn't be here really but I just wanted to say how your cooking thread has really sparked something off! You were saying the other week how quiet things were and look what you have gone and done

I trust your garden is looking real good now. My poly-somethings that I planted in pots at the front of the house to give instant colour three weeks ago, are looking a bit sorry for themselves already

I hope you are not in too much pain and the family are well. We are a three for a week and a bit. We've really had a bit of a do here so I'm taking this as a time-out

A bit more another time but until then, take care of yourself,
xBBx

PS I really wasn't joking about 'meatball madras' by the way

Hi BB.
Who would have thought a cooking disaster, would prove such a fun thread

My garden is looking pretty good just now. Everything is growing at a rate of knots
Your poly-something or others (polyanthus) are meant to look tatty now, its what they do i'm afraid. Time to find somethng else to go in those pots eh!

The aches and pains are bearable, sometimes they are not there at all Today they are though, mainly because i've been over-doing it in the garden again
I put up a tubular steel garden arch. It said on the box it takes 35 minutes to do approx......3 and a half hours later i finished It took ages to make the bloomin holes, then i realised my arms needed to be several inches longer to slot the top part into the base Anyway its done now
Do i take it, things havent improved on the home front?
Make the most of your time out, relax and enjoy

Speak to you again soon.
s Jen xx