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

The Kitchen: Oh boy - too much happened to have kept up with it all - fridge/freezer was a so&so to put in cabinet & fix doors - then it had to be moved to alter the wall socket - legs collapsed - now heavy wood supporting instead of "plastic" legs!! The socket had to be moved to enable the fridge/freezer cabinet to be moved nearer the wall, otherwise the cabinet drawers wouldn't open the other end as the cooker was there - if you see what I mean!! We've just found out that the two "pretty cabinets" with glass doors & glass shelves we have put one in upside down so we'll have to drill holes in to fit the shelves . To fit the cornice round the top of the cupboards we've had to buy an expensive mitre as the basic one was too small to fit the width of the wood - you need to be a mathematician to work out the angles

Anyway, once those two obstacles are overcome all that is left is the tiling & fitting some hanging rails, then ... we will have finished the kitchen ... ready to start under the stairs

The Coast: We've been to the coast a couple of times: one time I was making the bed & found a dead earwig inbetween the pillows ... then I walked in the seaside part of the garden & found a dead, wait for it, RAT Just to make it "things happen in threes", I found a dead bird just outside the conservatory in the front garden ... WE survived

One of the bedrooms has now been re-decorated & so too the lounge ... just got to find some new curtains.

Art Society: My last art exhibition has just finished - I say "my" as I am resigning at the September AGM after 11 years of working as their secretary - all I have to do now is loads of filing ... never was keen on filing & should have kept it up - own fault . Anyway all the artists that sold a painting have their cheques crawling by snailmail to them. Almost an end of an era - yaaaay!!!

Hospital: Letter arrived last Thursday - I go in tomorrow to have my right arm manipulated + cortisone jab and an op to my thumb & ring finger on my left hand. They have managed to keep to the 40 weeks date they gave me - 37 weeks I've been on the phone to find out how they are handling the diabetes this time as I have had only one letter stating "nothing to eat or drink from midnight & arrive at 7.30am". It appears that if I am very early on the list they won't bother about the diabetes too much, but later on the list then a sliding scale drip. Ah well, I am glad that someone realises! Each time I have been in for an op the attention has dropped somewhat. Years ago my diabetic specialist was there as soon as I was on the ward. Now, they seem not to be informed & it is left to the surgeon & ward staff. The diabetes nurse advised me to take in some sweet drinks if I felt worried about going low-sugared - huh? - "nothing to eat or drink" !!!!! (Taking in loads of antiseptic wipes too & will discharge myself asap!) Ah well, if I survive ... "I'll be back"