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

I admire Ben's flirty 'come hither' pose in that photo. Must work on it myself . . . whenever someone tries to take a photo of me I end up cringing and trying to hide behind whoever is available.

Which doesn't often work with Noggin as I am twice as wide as he is . . .


az

I was wondering if you've read (or heard about) the Aristotle Detective series by Margaret Doody. I came across it the other day (heck, with that surname it even comes on the same shelf as Davis) and wondered if it was maybe just an obvious and inferior rip-off.

Anyhoodle, the books I ordered two weeks ago (another Falco and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman) still haven't come in so I bougt Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn, which *looks* promising.

Have you finished See Delphi and Die?


az

No - haven't come across Margaret Doody yet - must have a gander next time I'm in a bookshop.

I'm still reading 'See Delphi' - most unusual for me to take quite so long in reading a book. I've been so tired recently that I haven't read more than a few pages before falling asleep. Then I pick up the book next evening and can't remember what I read the night before so have to re-read it to get some sense of what's going on

Next on the to-read pile are a couple of Henning Mankells and an Alexander McCall-Smith.

Do you get 'antsy' when you haven't got a stock of unread books? When my pile gets down to about two - I have to think about looking for a '3 for 2' offer to restock.

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No such thing here for books in English. It's a lovely feeling having a stock of unread books but I only get antsy (panicky actually) when I'm about half-way through my last one and the most recent books I've ordered haven't come in yet, especially as the bookshops here have such a limited supply of books in English and I often can't find something I want to read.

Btw, Another Bullshit Night in Suck City is quite good so far.


az

So, what exactly is the problem with your back?



az

I've got severe muscle spasm in the Erector spinae - which was causing a lot of pain.

You've had bad back probs in the past too haven't you?

Luckily for me Mr T's employer covers us for private health care and I've been able to see a physio. He's a rather dishy young Ozzie - which is very therapeutic in itself
Today's massage and acupuncture seemed to work rather well and I'm able to move a lot more freely now. And I've been a good girl at doing my mobility and stretching exercises.
The heavy duty drugs have also helped a lot - but I've been trying to keep them to a minimum since it feels like being without any of the fun.

Don't think I'll be going back to work until next Tuesday - and normally that would really stress me out, worrying about letting my patients down. However, the beneficial side-effect of all these drugs is that I don't really give a damn
I'm sure that will revert to normal eventually.

How's life in Sevilla? Did you and N do anything special for Valentine's Day?

Bit late in replying here. Well, we don't really *do* Valentine's Day here at 'casa az' but Noggin did bring home a bottle of and some of our favourite arabic pastries (kind of like filo pastry with honey and nuts - pistachios, walnuts, cashews). But then we ended up going out for fab pizza and instead, so now the plan is to save the for our biz opening on March 20th.

Um, where exactly is the erector spinae?

Yeah, I have a compressed disk in my lower back as well as a wonky hip (technical term) which often results in serious PAIN and occasionally sciatica. Of course, if I lost 20 kilos this would probably help matters, though to be honest, I've had this problem since my early 20's when I was young and v-e-r-y thin.

Anyhow, hope you are feeling better now. Dishy young physiotherapists can't hurt and might help.

Well, back to cutting. One of our sewers will be along for a 'pick up' soon.

az

Erector spinae? Here's far more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the anatomy of the lower back

http://www.ptcentral.com/muscles/muscletrunk.html#erector%20spinae%20muscles

It seems to be the Iliocostalis lumborum on my left side which has decided to come out on strike.
I think disc problems are far, far worse - at least I should be able to exercise my way out of this since it's only muscle spasm. This acupuncture is

We don't really *do* Valentines Day chez Teuchter either. Mr T is a typical Scotsman - who regards the fact that he pays the mortgage every month as being a declaration of undying love - which I suppose it is, in a way

Sounds like things are storming ahead, business wise. Hope all goes well with the grand opening.

Which logo did you decide on?

You're right - that was a *lot* of information!

The logo image we've decided on is here:

http://public.fotki.com/azahar/stuff/azahar_logo.html

Apparently the actual page should be online and functioning by next week . . . and with miscellaneous spelled correctly.


az

The logo looks good

Thought 'miscallaneous' looked a fun category

Had a fairly quiet day here in Englandshire. Managed to do half a pilates class - just didn't bother doing the stuff I wasn't confident about and practiced my physio exercises instead. I did think things were getting much better after my last acupuncture - but then I did a silly thing yesterday by driving a 100 mile round trip to Ikea - and now I'm sore again. Bu**ery-bu**ery-bo**ocks.

Dearie Me - I'm turning into a Bad Back Bore

How has your weekend been? Are you and N going hell for leather in the run up to launch day?

I should get back into doing Pilates. I've got two dvd's but they're boring as f**k. Ah well, still riding The Bike fairly regularly . . .

Just started reading another Lindsey Davis - The Course of Honour. Apparently about the love story of Vespasian and the freed slave woman Antonia Caenis. Have you read that one?

Glad you like the logo. We can't wait to see the webpage operational.

Now all we need to do is get those pesky clothes finished . . .


az

Haven't read Course of Honour for a few years - but remember it as being a goodie. Might have to read it again soon. I give away a lot of books - but keep Lindsey Davis since they always bear re-reading at some point.
Have just finished a highly implausible but strangely entertaining swashbuckler by Quentin Jardine - one of his Skinner thrillers, set in Edinburgh and involving a plot to kidnap Prince Willie.

Back to wo*k for me tomorrow I've just spent all afternoon composing an info sheet for our clients on what they should expect from their first appointment with me. Quite pleased with the first draft, actually - but not sure what the boss will think. Ho hum.

Early night for me now - I woke at 4am today and couldn't get back to sleep and am pooped.

with the sewing and finishing.

I'm quite enjoying the book. My only 'mini complaint' is that Vespasian and Caenis sound a bit too much like Falco and Helena. Still, a pleasant change from down-and-out drunken street people . . .

Howzit going being back at work?

I spent most of today cutting. Am beginning to hate cutting almost as much as I hate sewing. Ah well, one day we'll be able to afford proper contractors who do all the cutting and sewing . . .


az

Haven't done any proper sewing for years. I used to quite enjoy the process of making dresses for my girls when they were wee. Of course, I was doing it for my own pleasure and because it was cheaper than buying them - not in order to make a living.

The last pair of curtains I made was a disaster - so I haven't done any for a few years.

Do you cut your pieces in several layers at a time? Must be jolly hard work - even with the best of sharp shears.

Wo*k not too bad - though I do think my boss might have been a little more flexible with the scheduling of patients.
I'm still at the stage where I need to not be sitting for too long and to get up and walk about and do some stretching every so often.
She was pushing me to book some extra sessions to try to catch up with the cancelled patients - so I told her I'd be happy to accommodate her once I was confident my back had healed properly.

Not wo*king again until Tuesday now - so plenty of time to practice my new set of core strengthening exercises.

Currently waiting for J to get home and hoping to persuade him that we should eat out tonight. But he'll be pretty tired and it's been snowing for the last few hours. Nothing much lying on the ground - not quite cold enough for that.

Time for more methinks...........

Thanks for the email and glad you were okay about 'the thingy'.

As for you living in "Boresville, Boringtonshire", Noggin reckons you have never been to Llanelli in South Wales where he lived (so to speak) for 18 years. Apparently it don't get much boringer than that.

So, back to RL this week. Should be 'going live' with the webpage by Monday. Tomorrow we are meeting with our Gestor (don't ask, there's no English translation - basically the guy who takes care of all our 'papers') and then after a trip to the Treasury and Social Security we will be ready to open for business.

Did you see the 'sneak preview' photos (of the ones we took on Sunday)?

http://public.fotki.com/azahar/the_studio/page3.html

If you don't have the password I can send it to you in an email.

Has J gone off to Dublin by now?


az

Would love to see the sneak preview - but don't have a password.

J left for Dublin about 5am - and Ben, MoG and Z left about 10ish - so it's very quiet here. Still haven't made it out of the door to the gym yet - but there's plenty time. I'm still in 'holiday' mode

Have sent you the password by email.

az

Ooops - now I do

Any news about the ring?

Too bad you can't use a and go back and this time not leave it in the locker . . .

Been working on biz stuff today. And we also made the absoluteliest final decision about our opening date - which will be this Friday the 7th.

But now we're going to take a break and go out to see Transamerica (which I hear is wonderful) and also have a bit of a walk in the sunshine. This weekend the orange blossom is at its peak - heaven!


az

So now that you got the ring back what is your new plan for when you go to the gym? Will you just wear it or will you leave it at home? I suppose one option could be to wear a chain around your neck at the gym and put the ring on it while you're working out. Anyhow, that was such good news.

I've heard so many stories of people who habitually take off their rings (when they do the washing up, before bed, etc) forgetting where they left it.

We really loved Transamerica the other night. Such a lovely and *real* story and not overly sentimental. And amazing work by Felicia H. Next on our movie list is Capote, but we probably won't have time to go to the cinema again before next weekend.

Next week both of us are off work (classes) because of Semana Santa. But we hope to be kept busy filling orders for the biz .


az