Thai Chow

Had an up and down day yesterday...

Had a call from the lovely Jen (in Brisbane), and it seems that plans are afoot for her and John and Helena to come and visit next year. This is unbelievably exciting news, and have been tryin to work out maniacally the last time I saw Jen.... am pretty sure it was summer-time in 2004 (in fact am sure it is), as was the same year I met Mark. Anyway, can't wait for them to come and visit, and love the sound of her plans to stay in a cottage somewhere in The Highlands en masse... We had lengthy discussions re: the poor deal for Tracy at the moment, and praised Nerida's new novel, "Death of a Whaler". A fantastic book that I was unable to put down, and even got up at 6am two morning's in a row to get through it quicker!

Started my 'running club' at work yesterday - we have decided to do 5k runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week. Quite how this is going to fit around the big feast we have in the office on a Thursday I don't know... I suspect it will end up with me eating far more pork pies than normal ;-) The run went quite well, despite a poor show amongst those that promised to join me on this folly. In the end was myself, a guy called Mark (who runs a lot anyhow) and Jenette (who did absolutely brilliantly, despite having done no exercise since the conception of her 18 month old son). Am really hoping we can keep this little group going...

Mark managed to lay the floor for the new garage/workshop yesterday. He really has worked so hard, am very proud of him... came home to find him and his friend Kurt with their shirts off and working hard around the garden in their workboots. I am easily pleased! ;-)

Spoke to Tracy yesterday, she seems so upset re: Sam's recent demands on access to Henry, and his apparent failure to face up to the fact that she is due to have his child in the next few days. I am very concerned about her, and don't know how she is coping... from bitter experience, I can only half imagine what she is going through - god knows how I would have held it together through some of my harder times if I had been pregnant.

Saw my cousin Robert and his girlfriend Emma last night. This was tinged with much sadness also, as Robert's maternal grandmother was diagnosed with liver/bowel cancer last week and has deteriorated very rapidly in the last few days. Last Thursday she was well enough to go to bingo, and this week she is so ill that they have withdrawn food and water. Life seems so unfair; here is a woman in her 80s that doesn't smoke or drink to excess and keeps herself active, and she has to die like a frightened child. Words cannot describe how sad I feel for Robert at the moment, I just hope he is going to be ok. Anyway, we (myself, Mark, Robert and Emma) had a fairly nice evening under the circumstances at the local pub that serves Thai food.

Am meeting up with Ricki Dyer tonight, and going to my fave turkish restaurant near work called Haz. They have these little vents on the side of the restaurant, which blow the gorgeous smell of bbq'd meats into the street... the tricksters. Won't be late home as the bus/train configuration is quite tricky, and if I get it wrong it can take an age to get home (or cost a fortune in taxis). Will be nice to catch up with her. Have lots of friends I want to catch up with at the moment though - if only some days had 36 hours in them instead of 24!

Sigh... I just hope everyone can look forward to some happier times!

Hayls
xx