So commences what Angus and I call the Silly Season, where it seems like every other weekend is a three-day holiday. It's not as dramatic as it is in Sweden-they have holidays for any old reason (According to the Bible it's the day where everyone understands everyone, despite language barriers? Damn, we should take the day off and stay home! It's the day before the day of Midsummer? Let's bunk off!), but it is impressive. There are two more three-day weekends coming up and I am looking forward to every one of them.

Friday was a day off (as was yesterday) so we idled around the house. Angus bought all the component parts for a new pc and so is meticulously putting it together, which meant I was hanging out in the garden and reading while he studied and arranged. He had a fitness assessment at our new gym on Friday lunchtime, and so went to it.

About twenty minutes later the door opened and in walked Angus.

"That was quick." I commented, moseying down the stairs. "Everything ok?"

"Well...not really." replied Angus, running his hand through his damp freshly-showered hair and making it stick up like a hedgehog's. "They took my blood pressure and it appears I have high blood pressure. Really high blood pressure."

"What?" I ask, trying to remain calm. "How high?"

"They took it twice. It's 160/108. I'm not even allowed to work out there until I've seen a physician."

Cue panic. A call to our doctor reveals they're closed until today. Angus chugs nearly 2 litres of water and I surf the web about hypertension, choked up and scared that something may happen to the one good thing I have in my life,
to the one person that I can't live without.

We go about the rest of the day doing normal household things and finally head off to Brighton around late afternoon-we had decided to get away for the weekend, and our 2 pound coin jar is full. Whenever we get a 2 pound coin we wing it in a glass we keep on the dresser, and when the glass is full, we use the money on a Hotel du Vin weekend. The glass had finally just filled up and stunningly, we had over 300 pounds in there (nearly $600), so it was a glam weekend indeed.

Of course, I was mortified to think of chunking 300 quid worth of coins on the counter. I had once tried to pay for something in coins when I was a kid and I got yelled at. Follow this up with an episode of "Amazing Stories" I saw when I was a kid, in which Mark Hamill tries to pay for gas with a jar of pennies and gets thrown out, and I am petrified of getting screamed at by paying with strange currency.

I am so fucked up it's unbelievable.

Brighton is a city in chaos. It seems to have more than its fair share of crunchy granola hippy types, and there is a whole lot of beatnik-armpit-hair-meets-punk-pink-hair-dye there, residing in what appears to be complete acceptance of whatever makes people happy. You have every type of person in every type of situation. It's a big university town, the gay capital of England, and it's a sea of vegetarian and vegan cafes.

My kind of place.

We stayed in the Hotel du Vin in Brighton, since it's our favorite hotel chain, since they have showers the size of dinner plates. We checked in and went for a walk along the streets, stopping to have a large Moroccan meal. The meal itself was ok, but honestly not as exciting as some of the North African meals we usually have. However this meal was augmented by a belly dancer whirling around the tables.

The one thing about the belly dancers I have seen so far-and with our love for Middle Eastern food we've seen a few-is that the women, exotic and beautiful with their Middle Eastern coloring, are all curvy and voluptuous. They don't have flat washboard stomachs and bumps up the back where their spinal vertebrae are. They have curves, they have rounded tummies, they have soft shoulders. They could all be accused by the Skinny People Brigade of needing to do a few sit-ups...but the women seem to like their bodies, they like to expose them, and they love to dance. And that in itself is something that makes me respect them.

This woman was whirling around the restaurant like a dervish out of control. The table next to us had four Irish women that were all morbidly obese. The largest woman came in at easily over 200-250 pounds, but she made me laugh with her quiet acceptance of herself-upon seeing the belly dancer twirl her chiffon scarf around and undulate her stomach, the Irish woman sniffed.

"I can do that." she said in a thick Northern Irish accent. "I just need to get me wee tassled bikini."

This made me grin. The belly dancer didn't hear her but as Angus and I watched she lost her balance and without a hint of exotic grace she went crashing into a table, upending a hubbly-bubbly pipe and dumping the contents of the table all over the floor. Angus and I nearly wet ourselves trying to keep from laughing.

Crashing into a table? Now I can do that.

We went back to the hotel and laid on the stunningly comfortable bed and watched a bit of TV, while cracking open a bottle of red wine. An interesting BBC drama came on about a school trip, and while I kept expecting it to careen off into the overwhelmingly stupid, it captivated us and kept us watching. One of the characters was a troubled young girl that resorted to cutting herself, repeatedly and often.

Angus shakes his head. "What makes people do things like that?"

Curled up in my terry Hotel du Vin bathrobe, my hands twitch as they recall the even burning of the oven rack. I sigh. "It's hard to explain."

He takes a sip. "Well...try."

"Sometimes it's the only way to remind you that you can still feel something. Sometimes things happen to you and emotions and feelings can't get through. Physical pain is proof that you're still alive and still capable." And it is that, but it's more. It's also about having the ability to control a situation-something pushes you over the edge? You can do something to yourself to bring it back. Something hurts so badly emotionally that you can't stand it? Give yourself something physical to focus on instead.

It's all of those things and so many layers of more.

Like I said...fucked up.

The next morning is Easter-we award each other with Easter candy and a big kiss. My Easter candy came in the form of a chocolate cow called Myrtle, which I loved. This is her (however we'd already feasted on her arms before getting out the camera for this pic).

We read the thick Sunday paper that the Hotel drops outside our door. We drink coffee and just chill-there's nothing big to do, nothing of urgency to deal with. As I sit there reading the News section, Angus comes over and parts my robe, laying me down on the bed. He spreads the section about my crotch open and, kneeling, applies his face with gentle and excruciating pefection. I twist my toes about, feeling them crunch against the newspaper. As he goes faster and faster, my feet whirl about the newspaper faster and faster, until I explode and clear the bed of all remnants of newsprint.

He sits back, grins gorgeously at me, and then does it twice more.

It was a good start to the day.

After that we get dressed and walk along the pier.

We head into the crunchy-granola section of Brighton and get breakfast which, being Brighton and very veggie-friendly, I even get to scarf my favorite veggie sausages. As we walk down the streets I see a dress in a window that's incredibly beautiful. It's simple, elegant, long, looks like it's made from spun silk and is perfect for the wedding. Earlier in an antique shop I had been trying on antique dresses-I tried on two party dresses from the 50's and the 70's, since I just felt like I wanted to wear something different, something unlike everyone else. I had thought about taking Calla's advice and going to Monsoon, but instead I take Kathy's-I go right in and try it on. I choose one that's the color of sky, the color of the water in the Seychelles, and I love it instantly. It's a halter-neck backless dress that I will dress up with strappy shoes but that, unbelievably, I will also re-use and pair it with flip-flops.

The best thing about it is the dress is made of hemp. Talk about unique. And as I bought it, the man tells me it's made from free trade materials and that it was pieced together locally by people paid a decent wage. So not only did I get a fantastic and very individual dress, but I did my part, too.

That night we have a relaxing meal in the hotel and then head upstairs to watch a bit of TV and drink wine in sleepy relaxation together. There is something so calming about twisting my ankles around under a comfortable duvet and finding my toes crease up next to Angus. It's toe therapy for the solidly crazy. It's a quiet space next to the warmest man I know.

The next morning Angus chunks our money on the counter and they simply laugh. Desperate sitch averted. I do not need to fear having the police called. They don't look thrilled, but at the same time they don't get angry.

We go to check his house and mow the lawn there, more desperate than ever to sell the place, and then we drive home. The long and lovely holiday weekend is over, but luckily there's another one right around the corner.

-H.

PS-doctor visit today had Angus with a high blood pressure again. We've been given a home blood pressure monitor and will go back in a week. In the meantime, it's moderated diet, gym, and loads of water for my dear boy.

PPS-Lemurgirl asked me to do a book meme, and since I love me some books I couldn't say no (I also couldn't say no to her!) It's in the extended entry, and I would like to pass the meme stick on to four non-bloggers, if they're up for it. Kyle, Lindsay, Justme and Azalea, if you're lurking, are you interested? Or any other book lovers? You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
Following your lead, I would allow burning the only book I've ever really and truly hated: Moby Dick. They call it a classic, but it's a mind-numbing account of revenge on a whale. A whale, people, a whale.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Hmm...Yes, I think I crush on most of my characters, mostly because I tend to care about them. If I hate the characters, I won't even read the book (this is why I never read Grisham. Ever.)

The last book you bought is:
Two of them: Andrew Collins' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and Tom Wolfe's "Charlotte Simmons"
Update: Over the weekend I bought Emily Barr's "Across the Atlantic" and Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go".

The last book you read:
"Stasiland" by Anna Funder, a fantastic and incredible documentary of people's lives behind the Berlin Wall.

What are you currently reading?
"Memoires of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden (second time I've read it, it's for my book club. I just love this book).

Five books you would take to a deserted island.-Any one of the books by David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. Seriously. It's all I'd need.
- "Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold
- A book of poetry by Rilke
- "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" by Clarke-I have it but haven't read it yet, although it looks like it'd take a while to read. That'd be worth it.

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Kyle, Lindsay, Justme and Azalea. Just because I am curious But anyone is most welcome to take the meme or comment on it here.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 10:45 AM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
Post contains 2083 words, total size 12 kb.

1 Well you could've said no... I wouldn't have minded! Your weekend sounded like heaven. I'm glad you got to get away from everything. Plus you got a Myrtle Moo, they just rock! I was so tempted, but my friends dragged me away from the stand they were on. Tell your darling boy to look after himself ok? Big hugs, AxXx

Posted by: Lemurgirl at March 29, 2005 11:46 AM (E8+p7)

2 i love the picture of you on the pier, you look so beautiful! and thanks for the giggle about the belly dancer. i too could crash into a table. :-) xoxox p.s. myrtle looks deliciously cute.

Posted by: kat at March 29, 2005 12:14 PM (DLLH+)

3 What an excellent meme! I will be stealing it. My wife also has high blood pressure. When she was first diagnosed, she was in a doctors's office. I don't remember the reading, but the nurse literally ran out of the room and got the doctor. He took it himself, and then made her sit still until they could get a pill in her. She was more amused than frightened at the time, but she's been on the meds for almost 20 years now with no problems.

Posted by: ~Easy at March 29, 2005 01:12 PM (tOTOf)

4 Sounds like quite an excellent weekend and a much needed break from scary bad job. Did you go see Alice's rabbit hole? It is supposed to be in Brighton. My daughter wants to go see it very badly.

Posted by: RP at March 29, 2005 01:24 PM (LlPKh)

5 I'm torn between wanting more gov't sanctioned 3 day weekends (they really are nice) and less gov't intervention in my life (that's really nice too). The internal battle rages...and yet, it's really a no-brainer. Work on the BP Angus, and I'll work on the cholesterol. We owe it to our loved ones.

Posted by: Solomon at March 29, 2005 01:36 PM (k1sTy)

6 Um, is there another justme? There must be, you can't be talking about me. I think I have seen someone else posting as justme. Right? Panic, panic. Speak up the other Justme!

Posted by: justme at March 29, 2005 03:25 PM (FHtTp)

7 Ok, now that I have taken a breath. It sounds like you both had a wonderful time. I so so disliked Moby Dick also. Great meme!

Posted by: justme at March 29, 2005 03:31 PM (FHtTp)

8 I didn't mean to panic you, babe. It's totally optional

Posted by: Helen at March 29, 2005 03:45 PM (1i2pB)

9 I second kat, you look fantastic on the pier. Also, as I've been known to read a few books, I'm gonna jump in on the meme. You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? Gonna have to be "The Grapes of Wrath". Why is it that all the classics they foist off on you in school suck a**? Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Anita Blake, vampire hunter. While the series by Laurell K. Hamilton was designed for women readers I am really enjoying it. The last book you bought is: "Bolo Rising" by Keith Laumer. The last book you read: "The Virtues of War", an historical fiction account of Alexander the Great by Steven Pressfield. Not as good as "Gates of Fire" but a good read none-the-less. What are you currently reading? "Eragon" by Christoper Paolini, the second time I've read this. Good fantasy novel and it has been optioned for the movies. Five books you would take to a deserted island. Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I've seen it in one big book, so there. "The Vampire Lestat" my personal fave in that series. "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman, I've only read this on once and I'm sure there are several layers I haven't gotten to yet. "Battlefield Earth" by L. Ron Hubbard. "The Way Things Work" look, it's a deserted island, I'm gonna get all 'The Professor from Gilligan's Island' and 'Swiss Family Robinson' on this islands a**, and when resued have a thriving resort ready and waiting.

Posted by: Brass at March 29, 2005 05:08 PM (6TLEO)

10 Thanks for the invite, Helen. If it was for a different Lindsay, then I'm going to feel like an ass. It certainly wouldn't be the first time. Hey Helen, did I ever mention that my grandmother's name was Adelaide Helen? You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? I confess. I have not read this book so I had to do a little research. Give me some fire right now, please. "Scarlett" by Alexandria Ripley. A sequel to "Gone with the Wind"? Oh, the horror! Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Far too many times to count. That's the sign of a good book to me, if I can become completely involved in it and lose all touch with reality. I'm currently in love with Snape from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. I think he's starting to love me in return. The last book you bought it: "Ain't She Sweet" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It was cheap and it was trashy and I enjoyed every second of it. I love being able to buy disposable books for flights and vacations. The last book your read: "The Kite Runner" by Khalad Hosseini. This book has some of the most beautiful wording that I think I've ever read. Not to suck up, Helen but his writing kind of reminds me of yours. What are your currently reading? "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. I'm only a couple of chapters into it but it's about this completely fucked up family, so it's sure to be something I can relate to. "Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life among the Pirates" by David Cordingly. Reading this book officially makes me the biggest dork in the entire world, but who cares? "Disney War" by James B. Stewart. Okay, maybe reading THIS book makes me the biggest dork in the entire world. Five books you would take on a deserted island: "Imperial Woman" by Pearl Buck. She's my all-time favorite author and I've read this book so many times that the pages are loose from the binding. If you like "Memoirs of a Geisha" then you would love this book. "The Ordinary Princess" by M.M. Kaye. This was a favorite when I was a kid and I still love it. "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. I'm from the south, I can't even imagine the shame if someone rescued me from the deserted island and I didn't have this book with me. "The Encylopedia of World History" by Peter Stearns. I'm probably going to be on this island for a very long time, this would keep me busy for awhile. "Labyrinth" by A.C.H. Smtih. This is the best movie of all time, so the book form seems like a wise choice.

Posted by: Lindsay at March 29, 2005 07:00 PM (srIAp)

11 LOL. You did! It's just, I haven't had time to read anything lately. I haven't picked up a book since before christmas. Well, except one by someone who's name has escaped my mind at the moment. It was just a mind waster kind of book. And the funny thing is I didn't even get to finish it! I forgot it when we moved, on the counter.

Posted by: justme at March 29, 2005 07:10 PM (UKyDt)

12 Bank Holiday weekends are my sole reason for moving to England next summer...oh and my fiance too...forgot about him ..well my husband by then. The dress sounds fab, not my style but fab. I know who you remind me of...Jeanine Garfalo...circa about 1996...not now where she's all weird. The mystery is solved, sorry i knew you reminded me of someone!

Posted by: Juls at March 29, 2005 08:26 PM (SDeyC)

13 Brass-you are right-I too have seen the trilogy in one book. That sucker'll break the back! Lindsay-not only am I now longing for "The Glass Castle" (which isn't out over here yet) but you made me laugh. And yes I did mean you

Posted by: Helen at March 29, 2005 08:27 PM (1i2pB)

14 I'm glad you found a dress. I also like you lovely description of the belly dancer. I bought a video of "how to bellydance" last year, and you know, I couldn't do any of it, there's way too much coordination, and yes, I fell over lots of things in the living room when I tried to do it right.

Posted by: Calla at March 29, 2005 10:05 PM (A5yBb)

15 You've got me pining for Brighton now. Must go back there. It has a big place in my heart

Posted by: MrDan at March 29, 2005 11:23 PM (l8gSf)

16 Subject: High Blood pressure. Why is Angus drinking all that water. In a week, they will have him on diruetics plus other meds. Make sure he goes to a cardiologist and not the family doctor type. his ideal blood pressure should be about 120/70 (or similar). So they will want to know his cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.. he needs a stress test - the fancy kind with radioactive stuff. he needs to get his weight under control and work out daily. his diet will become very important. Being young, he has plenty of time to get everything under control. Most important reduce stress. Therefore consider waiting on him every second of the day. (ok, that last part is not true, but everyone likes to be waited on.)

Posted by: Iowa at March 30, 2005 01:10 AM (JwM+Q)

17 You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? Like, which book's knowledge would I memorize and keep? A Wrinkle In Time. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Heh, yes. The last book you bought is: Required text for my DHTML/CSS/Javascript course; 'My Life As Emperor' The last book you read: Onwards and Upwards (second time, still not a big fan... I should go buy more books!) What are you currently reading? The High Flyer (and assorted texts.) Five books you would take to a deserted island. --A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L'engle --The Diana Gabaldon books because I might have some shot at finishing them while there. --The Worst Case Scenerio because it might come in handy while on said island if it's not the type that comes with hammocks and food and such. --Ray Bradbury's Twice 22. --A big-ass notebook for writing my own book. Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why? Cait, the biggest bookworm ever, and my dear friend. ----------- And Brighton? I'm jealous--I was there in January and loved it. Of course, I'm a bit of a sea-whore and I love anything remotely beachy.

Posted by: Marian at March 30, 2005 03:29 PM (tAGqP)

18 Myrtle Moo is/was just too cute! I'm glad you had a wonderful holiday, and I'm sure no one minds that you've been blue these last few days. ::hug::

Posted by: the girl at March 31, 2005 03:15 PM (Cmagg)

19 Sorry, I jsut saw this - went to Umbria for a week with MY man and had a great time. I was diagnosed with essential hypertension when I was 30. Mine was 170 over 110 at the time, although it was much higher two weeks earlier when I fell out after a three mile run while dehydrated from beer shooters the night before. Spent two weeks in Walter Reed while they checked me out. Turns out I am the rarest of the rare - white female, not overweight, good shape, no reason for the blood pressure (they always want to check for kidney cancer or disease, so they might run these.) I've been on medication ever since - it's a good thing they've caught it if it's essential, i.e., unchangeable in spite of diet or weight loss. Otherwise, the pressure builds up on the blood vessels until you stroke. NOT a good thing. The medication prevents this and I should be much healthier much longer. I cut back to one cup of coffee a day and don't smoke at all, walk a lot and TRY to maintain calm. Difficult, because I like stress - I guess that's why I enjoyed the courtroom arguing so much! Because I missed the stress and the extra pump you got from it, I stopped taking the pills for a while. It sort of sucks to be told you'll have to take a pill every day for the rest of your life. My very funny doctor sat me down and said "You have two choices - take the damn pill and live a long and happy life, or don't take the pill and end up drooling on your pajamas at age 40." Needless to say, I take my medicine! If Angus needs medication to keep it under control, tell him to work with the doctor until he finds the medication and dosage that still lets him feel awake and aware. Some of the Beta Blockers made me feel like a turtle on a hot rock. Duh. I couldn't even finish a multiple choice question without forgetting the question by the time I got through the answers. Said lethargy also affected the sex drive, dontchaknow, which is DEFINITELY not what the two of you want. Although the medication has gotten much better - I take Lisinopril, just 10 mgs in the morning, and I'm fine. (My staff can tell you on the days I forget it I become super cranky speedy perfectionist.) Overall, it's not the worst thing to have. Just needs to be taken care of before it causes other problems. All the best!

Posted by: Oda Mae at April 02, 2005 09:24 AM (H8gC0)

20 Assignment completed!! You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? Anything Conan Doyle has written. Crush on a fictional character? John Clarke of Clancy fame Last book purchased? The Revenge of a Middle-Aged Woman by Buchan The last book you read?Tempest Down by Rovin. What are you currently reading? Deep Fire Rising by Jack Du Brul Five books you would take to a deserted island: All of the Harry Potters, all of the Tolkiens. Okay, I exceed my limit, so me the riot act!!

Posted by: Azalea at April 02, 2005 10:25 PM (hRxUm)

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