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

hi liz.
Billy got his results on monday,although he's been having what's called "glucose tolerance" tests for a few months.This was the blood test result,and shows that he is diabetic.He only has to watch his diet,but they can't predict if that will continue,or for how long...they said it can change quite quickly,or staythe same for many years.
We have to watch the sugar content which is listed in the carbohydrate section,and it hasn't to be over ten in 100,so that matches the fat content that we already look for,nothing over ten in 100.
We do eat a lot of fresh things fortunately,but cook in sauces are a favourite,so we shall have to watch those!!!!
Isuppose e could resort to eating rice,and tortillas with salad in them,those are the only "easy" foods that have sprung to mind so far
I'm glad that you heard from chris,aand that communication hasn't broken down completely.
I would imagine you're going through varying emotions still,from hurt to anger,etc.but it's the anger one that can cause a lot of problems;
Well.better go now,and have a quick lurk before i have lunch....it's all go isn't it!think i'll invite myself for tea with you,it sounds good to me!
Chat soon.
sal

Let's hope Billy can continue to manage his diabetes with diet - it must be miserable to have to do that testing and injection stuff everyday.

Chris rang me up last night. He sounded rather odd and very unhappy. He doesn't seem to like his new place much and I think he is already regretting that he has moved out of Ipswich. He's only been there since Saturday! He intends to give himself a few weeks to settle down a bit and then think about where he would like to live in the longer term and then buy himself a new home. He still isn't very well and I got a bit more idea of exactly what his problems are last night. He's a worry to me, but at least I know where he is now and maybe I will phone him next week.

Chat again soon.
Liz
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hi liz,i must say i can sympathise with chris,it's a big upheavel moving house,but to a different area as well.although there is the thought at the back of my mind,....well,he did it himself!!!!
Having said that i don't recall that you mentioned what the problem with his health was...is he depressed by any chance???
Iaren't prying,but he seems to be acting a little out of character from the things you hae told me since we started chatting.
Whatever it is i imagine you are pleased that he can ,and will ,confide in you still.eleven years is such a long time to share your life with someone.
billy is getting a testing kit so that we can keep a check on his levels,but it isn't compulsory,it's just so we have peace of mind ,and can adjust to what we should be doing foodwise.There's so much information available,but at the end of the day it isn't easy until you get used to it.
Well.off i go for my low fat,low sugar soup,and brown brwead!!
Chat soon,have a good wekend.
sal

Hi Sal,

Chris's health problems are of a somewhat delicate nature and to do with his water works. He is waiting to be referred back to the urologist who couldn't find anything wrong with him two years ago, but as he is in increasing pain, clearly something is wrong! So, he is depressed but the cause of that is a combination of the long, slow deterioration of our relationship and being in pain all the time.

I had a nice day out with a friend yesterday. I hadn't seen her for about two years and she has only recently moved back to this area after living away for nearly four years. She is separated from her husband (there's a lot of it about!) and he moved back to this area about 18 months ago, bringing the children with him (he's a house husband) so she has now come back too, in order that she might see her children more often. Anyway, we went to a really picturesque little village full of 16th century buildings set in rolling Suffolk countryside. We had a nice meal in the pub and then went for a walk for about two-and-a-half hours. Then we came back to my house for a and more chatting (my throat was a sore as my feet by the time I went to bed last night). I'm exhausted today, but it was lovely catching up with Sharon again.

I haven't felt like doing much today because I'm so darn tired, which is a shame as the weather has been lovely. I logged onto my e-mail just now to find a somewhat shocking message from another friend whose 17-year-old son has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Life is proving to be something of a roller coaster this year.

Chat soon.
Liz
~

hi liz,your life is full of ups and downs just now,isn't it love.I appreciate how your friend,and her son must be feeling.I was in the same situation as you a few years ago,and i felt totally inadequate,i just couldn't find the right words.
I ddn't realise chris had health problems,i'm sorry,and i think that maybe the relationship might have drifted so far because he was depressed about that anyway.I hope he soon gets it sorted out,been in pain certainly gets everyone down,especially when there doesn't seem to be an explanation for it.
It's nice to read about your meet up with your friend,and that you had a good time(apart from the sore feet and throat).
We went to the white rose centre yesterday,then to lincolnshire to see my daughter and her partner,so we had a nice day,and the sun was shining,which made it even better.
I bought myself (well,actually mum bought it for me)a bracelet,i wanted to buy something nice from the money mum left,We had lunch out,so no cooking for either of us,and it made a nice change.
I can't say i like motorway driving,but then i don't particularly like been too far away from home,but i think the nice weather made me fel better.
It's almost lunch time,so i'm off to put the kettle on for my soup!!
Chat soon,
sal.

Chris kept his health problems very much to himself - he didn't even tell me about his trips to the hospital two years ago When I asked him why the hospital were writing to him he said he couldn't remember! (So I went through his stuff to try and find out what was going on - bad Liz!) I still had only the vaguest idea of what the problem was until he told me a little bit more when he phoned last week. Poor old chap - I can't help feeling that he has isolated himself just at the point in his life when he needs some support.

Someone phoned up for Chris last night and was suitably mortified when I said that he didn't live with me anymore.

It's nice to buy something to remember someone by - when my brother died in 1989, after my Dad finished sorting out his affairs there was a bit of money left over, which was shared between me and my other brother. I bought myself an ID bracelet with Christopher's name on it and also a rather nice blue topaz ring.

I've been busier at work today, which has been nice, but I thought it was time to do a bit of skiving now as there is less than an hour until we go home.

Chat soon.
Liz
~

I am sorry liz,i waffle on here about allsorts ,and i wonder sometimes if i'm a bit self centred,i didn't know you had lost a brother.
It is nice to have something that i can take out ,and think mum bought me it,especially when for the last six years of her life,she didn't remember anyones birthdays,and when it was hers she used to open her cards,and then give us them back!!!!!!!
I think chris has made a mistake by moving away,you're right ,he does need support just now,it seems such a shame that he finds it hard to talk.
Maybe he is too emotional about himself right now,and doesn't want to show that to anyone,but i would say you know him better than anyone,and he just finds it easier to tell you what's really wrong when he's on the other end of the phone.
I feel sad for you too,but life is full of "if only"s, i suppose.I told you before i'm very much a romantic,but maybe he will realise that most things can be put right with talking about what was wrong.
I do waffle,don't i..liz.
Chat soon
sal

I grew up with two younger brothers, and the elder of the two committed suicide in 1989. This is why I can cope quite well with most things in life - nothing else will ever be as bad as that was.

As for being self-centred, I've got that down to an art form I don't imagine you are any more self-centred than me. I'm rubbish at noticing what is going on, unless it's clearly spelled out to me. Hootoo is great for me because everything is there in words, none of that non-verbal communication to deal with (which is a total mystery to me).

I haven't got much to say today - not much has happend since I last posted to you.

Chat again soon.
Liz
~

Hi liz,?
I am assuming that you mean what is loosely termed"body language"?
I'm afraid all these "new" phrases are lost on me
Political correctness,i hear that all the time.
Just give me plain old written down english and i understand what people are saying,i think i must be a bit thick sometimes!!!i refuse to believe that i'm too old to accept new ideas,i just need them explaning to me.(am i making any sense?)
I'm sorry that i asked about your brother,i seem to be putting my large foot in my even larger mouth a lot recently,and i understand your ability to cope with most things after something like that...it happened to me a long time ago,with a friend i helped out after a divorce.

well,it's my frinds birthday today,so she's coming to visit for a few hours,looks like i should get the vac out.Have a nice weekend liz,Chat soon.
sal

The weather has been lovely here today - the loveliest so far this year. The forecast got it all wrong, of course. Yesterday should have been the better day but today really has been super. Unfortunately, I've now run out of things to do outside and I'm too tired to do anything else anyway. I went out for a walk earlier on, and there were kids on bicycles everywhere and Newbury Road Rec was full of children playing. Spring has definitely sprung! Unfortunately, it is supposed to pour with rain again tomorrow, but at least it kept fine for the weekend. I've dried washing outside, done some weeding and cut the grass. Result

I hope you had a nice time with your friend.

Liz
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hi liz,justpopped in to see how you were??Hope all's well.We went out for a meal on sunday,the weather was lovely,and the food ,when we eventually got it,,,although we did have cause to complain,afer not getting our full order for starters ,then waiting an hour for the main course.
I am still trying to figure out the logic of the managers reasons....we were a party of none,which he said would take longer,but if we had a party of three threes' then it would have taken only fifteen miutes to serve each table with their meals.I couldn't quite comprehend the reasoning in that
Have you been doing anything exciting??
It's certainly been lovely weather for walking ,and i know you enjoy your walks
not much time to tell you more ,the hairdresser is due i about five mnutes,but had to post,before you thought i'd forgotten you.Chat soon.
sal

Hello!

Bad service in restaurants is a real pet-hate of mine - and there's never a good reason for it.

Talking of restaurants - one of my work friends is 50 next week and she has just brought round the menu for the restaurant she wants to go to for lunch next Friday. I'm not looking at it too much, because it is making me hungry.

No, I haven't done anything exciting. I've been out and about walking in the sunshine, but only around town. I went for a walk down by the waterfront at lunchtime and it looked really lovely in the sunshine.

Liz
~

Whooops,that should have said nine....brain non-functional till after lunch!!I really will have to start checking my postings

I did notice that type actually - a party of none and you still couldn't get served.

Now it's me that can't post properly - that should have said typo not type.

As long as we understand each other liz...I've just been informed that sunday is going to be a beautiful,warm day,so maybe it'll do everyone good.Have a lovely weekend,chat soon.
luv sal

Sunday was warm here, but very cloudy so I couldn't spend the afternoon laying in the garden as I had planned (I'd charged up the batteries for my walkman and everything). I went out for a walk yesterday afternoon, but I can't say I enjoyed it - I was just killing time really and trying to wear myself out so I'd sleep properly last night.

The sun is out at the moment so I really don't know what to do with myself for the rest of the day (I don't sit out between 12 and 2 because that is asking to get burnt). I need to eat some lunch but by the time I have cooked and eaten a meal, the sun will probably be gone. I was wondering about going to see the Hitch Hikers movie today, but I don't really want to sit in a cinema on a nice day and anyway I suspect it will be full of kids on a bank holiday afternoon. Decisions, decisions.

I hope you're having a nice bank holiday weekend.

Liz
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Hi liz,we had a good weekend,on sunday went to the garden centre,and got lots of plants for my tubs and hanging baskets,I really enjoy going there
Monday was a lovely day too,so we had a barbeque at my daughters ,which was very nice,until the thunderstorm started!
I've used most of the plants i bought ,so it looks like we'll be having another trip out soon for more
It sounds as though you were at a loose end yourself luv,but if nothing else you got some sunshine and fresh air.
Did you sleep well after your walk??
I hate it when i have those nights when i'm still tossing and turning until it gets light,then the birds start chirping,.
Have you done anything exciting,and did you get to the cinema at all???
I have one of the children here just now,but we had a late night ,so she's still in bed.....i think she takes after me,,i love to lie in as well.Looks like she's missed breakfast,so i think i'd better give her a call before she misses lunch as well.
Chat later.
salx

I like to lie in bed in the morning myself - I've never been an early riser. At the moment it is just too tempting to spend half my day in bed and I really have to force myself to get up and do stuff at the weekend. I even set an alarm on Bank Holiday Monday, otherwise I would have slept until about 10 o'clock The trouble with sleeping in late is that I then can't sleep the next evening. I slept well Monday night, so my shopping expedition must have worn me out.

No, I still haven't been to see the film and I did find the weekend long and rather lonely. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself this weekend either - I'm having trouble motivating myself to do much at all at the moment.

As you may have seen from my journal, I now have to deal with some upheaval at work, which I could really have done without at this point in my life. I'm going to meet my new line manager later this morning so maybe I will feel a bit better about things after that.

So, I think it is fair to say that I'm pretty darn fed up at the moment.

hi liz,i read your journal late last night,or should i say early this morning,billy was watching the election results,so i sneaked in when he went upstairs.
I am sorry that you have more upheaval to contend with,i don't think you needed this right now.
Have you read your contract of empoyment??There are only certain changes they can make if you really want to dig your heels in,and maybe this is one that they aren't allowed to??It might be worth checking.
I hope you like your new line manager,that can go a long way to making the job worth getting up for each morning,and i really undrstand how fed up you must be feeling.
If you manage to get online i hope you'll let me know how it's gone,and maybe i'll catch you over the weekend.
Try to have a good one,and treat yourself to something nice,it might do you good.
Chat soon,my e-mail addy is floating around here somewhere if you need a friendly ear.
Take care.luv salx