Hmmm.

During my conversation with CH last week (which was mostly career-based), I admitted the hair loss thing to her. It seems really obvious to me - I can see definite thinning, especially under some lighting conditions. However, CH said that while there was one spot that was obvious, in general it wasn't.

That's a small comfort - hair loss is hair loss. I still don't understand why this is having an effect on me while my other physical characteristics barely trouble me.

Ho hum.

It was supposedly a reunion night out - people who haven't seen each other in a while had a chance to catch up. Specifically, I think the night was arranged for GB, CH and KfW2. The rest of us see each other at least once per month.

However, KfW2 couldn't make it due to baby-sitting reasons. S didn't show up as he had another event the night after and is pretty incapable of heavy drinking two nights in a row due to his hangovers. CH appeared for a grand total of ninety minutes.

I got to chat to her for a short time, which was nice, but it wasn't the same. Are we still treading carefully around each other because of our falling out, or has the dynamic simply changed?

I understand her reasons for only being out for a short time, and in the past she woulda used this as an excuse not to come out at all. But part of me wonders why she didn't speak up so that we could have arranged a date mutually suitable to everyone.

Still, for a reunion night out, it didn't live up to expectations. As an ordinary night out with that group, it was decent enough.

I got talking to GM, though. It's the first time I've seen him without Sports Girl since... probably the night he went speed dating. We got talking about SG and he admitted that she spends lots of time in his company. He reckoned they spent time together at least six days a week... and SG wants more.

I think GM is also contemplating asking SG to move in with him as well, but is a little reluctant given their recent temporary split. I don't know a lot about SG's past relationships, but it seems to me that she's very full-on. Can that be maintained by either party on a long term basis? I think that's a concern of GM's.

He's not against the amount of time he spends with SG, but is well aware that he needs his own space too.

SG wanted to come to the reunion even though she has nothing to do with the reason why we all know each other. I was really expecting her to turn up.

It'll be interesting to keep an eye on that.

Never again.

KfW2 asked me to babysit. She'd already approached CC, who'd said yes. I presume that CC had asked that someone else was drafted in as she didn't want to do it on her own.

However, when I first said that I'd help out, I'd completely forgotten about the night out with CH, GM etc. I updated KfW2 and told her that I'd still turn up, but only to regard me as a backup at best, in case I was massively hungover.

Come the next morning, I wasn't as bad as I'd thought, but I wasn't operating at 100% either. KfW2 was, as usual, late out of the house, looking stunning. This time, though, the tardiness was working in my favour. The later KfW2 left, the less time I had to do actual babysitting.

I spent the first 45 minutes on my own - CC had been "stolen" for transport duties. Saying that, it was only about 10 minutes to where KfW2 was dining and drinking, so 45 minutes was suspicious. But, I kept the kids in check.

Once CC arrived back in, then the "trouble" started. The kids' choice of TV wasn't suitable. CC wanted to watch something else. In the next half an hour, CC made several demands that I call KfW2 to gain some unimportant, trivial information, which I refused. We served up dinner, but the kids weren't eating fast enough, so she ended up spoon feeding the two youngest. Then, when CC couldn't get the TV to work, she demanded that I call KfW2 to find out how it worked. She ignored me when I told her what was wrong.

And rather than just using the DVD player or KfW2's Netflix account, she called KfW2 to ask her how to use the TV. The thought that KfW2 might not want to be bothered, and to have a couple of hours with her friend never crossed CC's mind.

During the next ninety minutes, CC "demanded" several times that I call KfW2 or her husband rather than do it herself. For the few hours that we were left to do the babysitting, CC tried to get away with doing anything at any opportunity, despite being the one that KfW2 reached out to.

I've spoken about CC's princess personality before, but it was frustrating to see that CC seemed to be using my presence to get out of doing the thing she said she'd do.

I'll not be keeping CC company again, if KfW2 calls in a favour.

Behind the times.

I've finally joined the internet streaming age and gotten a Netflix account. What's worth watching these days?

Hmmm...

Yeah, I'm in a bit of a funk. I can't really figure out why though. Part of it could be to do with KfW2. For a while now, I've been trying to get her out, socially. Just me and her. We're long overdue just a night out with us. The last time she was out, socially, with me and a group was my birthday in the summer. The last time it was just the two of us was her birthday night out in March.

She's claiming that she doesn't drink alcohol any more. I get it. She's going through a phase where alcohol gives her massive, crippling hangovers. I'm not asking her to come out and throw shots down our necks on a 12 hour binge session. I'm asking for a quiet night, sitting in our favourite pub, chatting and people watching. But her time is limited and I understand that. I also know she has a few glasses of wine at home.

However, today, she reeled off a list of upcoming events, at least half of which were her heading out with friends, this side of Xmas.

And before that, she'd asked me a favour - to accompany CC when she's baby-sitting on Saturday. That's secret CC code for "Ruuude does all the work while I watch the TV with a cup of tea". I don't mind looking after KfW2's kids, it was only recently that I've done it, but I've got my own night out on Friday that will hopefully include CH. I'm not going to be in peak baby-sitting condition on Saturday afternoon.

So, yeah, that's disappointed me.

But I don't think it's just that. I'm also run down with work. I need a few days off, but can't afford to take the time right now due to workload, but I do have the days to take.

KfW2 claims she owes me "big time", but I shouldn't have to call in a favour to get some social time with a friend.

Questions.

Sometimes, when I'm bored, I tend to ponder questions that no-one would ever think of asking me. To be honest, there aren't a lot of people who would react positively to being asked them, I don't think. KfW2, for example, would be horrified. GM might not. Sometimes these questions are rooted in real life and can be quite deep or personal:

• What is your biggest regret?
• What is your biggest mistake?
• If you could change one thing in your life, no matter how small or large, what would it be and why?
• What is your biggest goal?

Sometimes these are less serious but still require some actual thought in order to answer:

• What one super power would you like to have?
• If you could swap places with someone for a few days who would it be?
• If you woke one morning in a body of the opposite sex and knew you had three days to do what you wanted, what would you do?

Sometimes, these questions seem flippant, but all of them, if considered correctly, can often show how people think regardless of what the answer actually is.

Wow.

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that this was a picture of SG. (Edit: the great image purge of 2023 has robbed me of this particular image, so have another one instead.)

It's not, though. It's one of my favourite adult movie stars, Mindy Main. The resemblance, in this photo at least, is uncanny.

False dawns.

Four months, practically to the day. That's how long my shoulder has been painful. I've yet to make a return appointment to see my GP - like everything these days, it gets forgotten about during the day when I'm at work (and my shoulder doesn't really bother me then). By the time I remember, every other day or so, it's too late in the evening to call.

Finally, though, I think there are definite signs that it could be pretty much mended. There are still minor twinges, especially when my shoulder gets jolted - sudden braking on the bus, for example - but other than that movement seems fine. It definitely seems to be a joint rather than muscle problem.

I'm still planning on attempting the double whammy of Freeletics and DDP Yoga. DDP for a few weeks to get properly stretched out and ease into exercise again, then add the more strenuous Freeletics bodyweight exercises when I'm comfortable that my shoulder isn't going to relapse. I've had false dawns within the last four months as it is. If I can get a couple of DDP sessions under my belt without incident, then I'll be much happier.

And to add to that, dietary tweaks. Reduce (or cut out) as much bread and crisps as possible (crisps are my real vice) and reduce portion sizes. I am notoriously greedy with food.

Regular readers won't find this surprising at all - I've probably posted about this a few times now. The details haven't really changed. I did do DDP yoga about three years ago with the dietary tweaks mentioned above and lost 10lbs in as many weeks. While it was disappointing that no-one else said owt, at least one of my co-workers noticed an improvement and did ask about it.

Socially speaking.

Next Friday, there's a mini reunion of sorts - people I (used to) work with. GM, FC, GB, KfW2 and CH are all on the invite list, amongst others. It's been arranged by FC. So far, everyone has said that they're going to attend, but I'm pretty sure that KfW2 can't make it. She already had plans in place for the night after and can't get a babysitter. It'd be nice if she came out. I think having some "me" time would do her good. I get the sense she really needs a break and as a recent post implies, I don't think her husband is helping right now.

As far as I can tell, CH is still attending. However, history has shown that this can be called into question up to 24 hours before the social gathering itself. I will only be convinced that she's going to attend when she walks in through the door of the pub.

Part of me's not convinced that SG won't show her face either, even though she's not a work colleague and no-one else is, to the best of my knowledge, bringing their partner.

Changes.

So, the planned day out with KfW2 quickly fell apart. She was called into work unexpectedly as I was on my way to hers. She didn't know how long she was going to be tied up with work, so we didn't immediately change our plans.

I arrived at lunchtime and proceeded to entertain the kids. Every now and again, KfW2 would call me for some advice or technical knowledge.

During some downtime, KfW2 then dropped another bombshell. Mr KfW2 wasn't going to his friend's house after all... apparently there were crossed wires and that both he and his friend were coming to KfW2's place instead.

It was tea-time when KfW2 put away her laptop.

I did admit that I wasn't staying late. Part of the reason that KfW2 had to spend the afternoon working rather than spend time with her kids was a deadline that required KfW2 to be in a meeting in the middle of the night. When we originally made the plans, her presence in this meeting wasn't required. I wasn't going to hang around when KfW2 needed to be tucked up in bed. I did think it was pretty selfish or at best short-sighted that Mr KfW2 didn't change his plans to leave KfW2 in peace, especially after a long, stressful day.

KfW2 owes me big time. I don't see it being that big a deal, but when she hugged me as I left last night, those were the words she used, and she was very earnest about it.

Oh.

"You should come down on Friday night, if you've nothing planned this weekend"

Yes, you guessed it... KfW2.

As it happens, I don't have anything planned, so I'll probably go down. I was contemplating taking the day off, but work is a bit up-in-the-air  right now and until a few things get sorted, I can't really take any time off.

But I will probably be leaving work early, so I suggested that I'd head down then - pop into the house, drop off my work stuff and head on down.

I was waiting for the usual comments when KfW2 invites me down but instead...

"Hubby's going to his friend's house on Friday."

Now, to be fair, the last time I went down, the husband's friend didn't show up, but it definitely seems to be a recurring thought in KfW2's mind.

Still... something to do. Someone to talk to. Something to keep me away from the TV or PC on Friday night.