Follow ups

Good morning Vietnam...and Suriname! I bet Lynn's straight off to Google maps, ha ha! I understand what you meant about visualising where people are and will try to find your work place later as I've already visited the harbour nearby. Juanita I was in Townsville just yesterday couretsy of Mr B...and Carole I understand you meant your comment well so I have 'published' it. I concur that people are being selfish but then so am I if I want them to be here when they don't, that's why I don't ask. I may not be able to travel far but I refuse to go down the 'you'll miss me when I'm gone' route even though I suspect, even though they may not, they are probably going to feel bad about the way they've been at some point down the line.

An old school friend of mine had breast cancer. We'd kept in erratic touch for years and I went to stay with her and her family for the first time after she'd recovered. She had done well for herself you might say, and as soon as a lump was found went straight off to the top man in Harley Street and even had her chemo in his private clinic with Ian Dury! Her husband had an excellent job and she could give up hers for as long as she liked and still pay for her three kids' private education and for someone else to do the chores long after she was well and strong. The thing is she wanted to talk about her illness more than I wanted to listen and, although I forgive myself totally for this as even now that I probably have far more idea of the things she might have in her head I still think there are more rewarding things to dwell on. But I still wish I'd had more compassion and wonder whether my attitide conributed to her chilliness after I left and our losing touch for good (or whether it was another of my many social incapacities!) I'm sorry Evadne, wherever you may be.

Anyway, I give thanks that I saw the sun come up over the trees (more of that later perhaps) and that Heidi had a happy birthday yesterday and to campaigning Carol for her rant on my behalf because of its good intentions and that I'm managing very slowly to get things out of the living room to make room for Laura to finish painting the ceiling.