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

Ah, yes, well. It's archaic Norwegian. The original form of Dorthe. It's a very good friend's middle name, given to the oldest girls for at least 10 generations, but she and her brother don't want kids, so with her parents' permission, I used it. It's pronounced Dar-tay. It's unique, but not weird...if you know what I mean.

And you? What are you doing this weekend?

I like the Scandinavian heritage of the name Daarte.

I'm not planning anything special for the weekend. We're just going to hang out as a family. Me and the kids I mean. We'll probably go somewhere and do something together in the end, but it will be a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a planned event, if you see what I mean.

If there's one thing I really hate about being in Southern California, it's that spur of the moment things often occur to everyone else, too. It's really hard to get away from people!

I understand. Britain really is tiny compared to your country. For instance, I live in the county of Warwickshire, which is the "heart" of England, meaning dead centre geographically. Although Coventry is a big city, and Birmingham, England's second city is only 25 miles away, I can drive to the coast, (either coast on either side of the country) in under four hours. I can be in the Welsh mountains in under two hours. Being small and compact does have its advantages sometimes!

Happy easter/passover/not quite vernal equinox!

I don't know about you, but after this holiday, I get mightly sick of chocolate!

You can never have too much chocolate!

Oh yes you can!

The ex is home for a week or two, and I can feel it. I'm snappish as a turtle, I tell you.

Ah, well...he'll be gone again soon enough, right?

And how was your Easter weekend?

Mixed, Wendy and I finally split up Easter Sunday, so I'm living back at my mother's house temporarily at the moment. The kids have been very ok about it all, we all sat down and had a good chat about it. A very British divorce!

Oh, hon, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure it's probably for the best, but it's not something that I would wish on anyone. I'm here if you need me. Anytime. Either here, or email me.

Oh M that's so lovely of you. And don't think I don't appreciate it I realy do!

It's just that this has been coming for years, you could say our marriage died of neglect. We both looked after and loved the kids, but neither of us looked after the other one! And then, before we knew it, we were miles and miles apart, so far apart in fact it was impossible to go back.

Speak soon love,

Martin.