Sol Solntze

I'm thinking it sounds normal myself, but I can definitely understand the worry.

I do find hospitals are great at the build up and the actual event and a bit pants at explaining how the aftermath will go to non medical people who have no idea what normal is in this situation.

Hugs! Gentle ones!

Survived the new travel experience and inevitably it was, in fact, an absolute breeze.

Thing is, at my age I really resent this whole 'and we insist on giving you new, character building life challenges'.

I don't feel I need all this growth.

Anyway.

Tomorrow I have to do a travel which is currently pressing all my buttons.

Of course, if it's a familiar route then it's not really travelling.

I'm generally better about it when it's a familiar route.

I hate the uncertainty of it. I hate the idea I am not fully in control of my own fate. I hate the number of things that can go wrong.

Not life threatening things, you understand. That's about the only part that doesn't bother me.

I hate travelling. This is ironic because reasons.

Damn. Many hugs. Thinking of you.

Wet chips are not ideal. I'm very much with your husband on this one.

Bah! And again I say, bah!

I want you to be (medically) boring too. Here's hoping this is a step, nay, a giant leap, in that direction.

Well that is dramatic. Crossing fingers that they feel that have SOLVED IT!!! And want to show off, after all this faffing around.

Many hugs.

The joy of being interesting to doctors...

Grits is basically polenta. Which makes it instantly much more acceptable. Still bland though. Smother it in bolognese sauce is my advice.

Distressing. Still, I'm glad to see you are putting all that freezer space to good use. Will be putting it to good use...

... had... Oh dear...

SECONDED!

I'm much less nice than you but I'm glad you think I'm likable!

It really is. Plus, you are not just likeable, you are also nice, and consciously nice too. I very much cannot believe this is a recent development.

Nonsense. You are one of my most favourite people for a reason. I'm very offended on your behalf actually.

Well, I find it very hard to believe that you were ever unlikable, but I am pretty sure the same cannot be said for your relative.

PIVOT!

Fingers crossed it goes like a dream

It's tempting to make like the Hulk and say, nonchalantly, 'I'm always stressed at the moment' as an example of a coping mechanism, but possibly the real benefit of the last couple weeks is that clearly that just isn't true.

On the upside it is quite helpful in dealing with it to know this.

In much the same way, having cranked up my anxiety levels recently, just because the original source was emphatically removed, it doesn't mean all that negative energy disappears as suddenly.

It is very dangerous to make statements about your life in my presence during periods like this as I find it hard to turn the 'must give one or two action points' off.

Sometimes the ratio of me doing this compared to other things, like playing music too loudly and asking people to find a connection between Metallica, Scouting for Girls and Dennis Brown, goes up.

One of my professional responsibilities is giving people feedback aka advice about how to improve stuff.