I am so sorry for the length of time between updates... The last few months have been a rollercoaster.
The last update saw me beside myself with worry, and after numerous hospital tests Vic had got the all clear and we are still none the wiser as to the causes... BUT not a stroke! We are still together, and still in our home countries.
Since then, I have spent a few months without Internet bar ropey 4G, due to everything from power cuts to smashing my tablet by dropping it on a fluffy rug during a hand spaz. My decades-old phone is in no way equipped to deal with the modern Internet... I now have a second-hand tablet also with a smashed screen, but I made it back here!
I keep in touch with G, and he has moved in with his new girlfriend, who I have known longer than him and honestly hoped he would get together with. I am happy for them!
I have continued to lose people to Covid. The most recent was a customer, Sue, who was a big advocate of my charity escapades and - so I have been told - talked about me a lot. She will be remembered fondly.
I am struggling to declutter after my parents decided to sell the family home of almost a century and I now know how much stuff will definitely not fit in my rented 1-bed bungalow with no loft or garage... It hurts. The sale has been postponed as part of the chain fell through, but the new people are besotted. They have a Tesla and a chow chow called Ted (who is adorable, I can't refute that) , and are the newest set of people moving in from the big cities.
I got officially recognised as having a chronic pain condition, after fighting for this since my 20s. I turn 40 in a week. The best solutions given for pain management include swimming, and quitting my job - both of which are impractical here, so guess I am screwed.
I have hospital tests on Wednesday to investigate the causes of my anaemia. Yes, my period. Fucking wonderful. One week on, one week off, for months, is honestly exhausting. I sleep for unpredictable lengths of time. Could be 12 hours, and I wake without feeling rested. My libido has been dented, which is frustrating to say the least as I normally have a high one! I just look like death, I bruise like a peach and nothing heals. I still have acne scabs that were there at Christmas.
Work is tougher than ever. We are - like most catering places in the county - struggling for staff. We are down to 5 full time staff to run the place 7 days a week. With the rise in costs, I cannot get out as it would mean a paycut of at least 1k to change vocation. The pain flares have been unpleasant at best, crippling at worst. But I enjoy my job presently.
The best is that I finally met Vic in person! Last month was our first face-to-face, and it was awkward as fuck! I took a series of buses to get to his country. He met me, and his dad was driving the car (he got evicted through no fault of his own and now lives on the top floor of their 3-storey home). We held hands across the car and barely spoke a word or glanced at each other. It was strange to adjust to 3D... However, the awkwardness melted away as soon as we were behind closed doors and he turned out to be the person I thought he was. To be accepted just as we are was new for both of us. We talked for hours on end. Hand on heart, I think I had more sex in those 2 weeks than the entire 6 years with G. My first bus home ended up cancelled, so I got a bonus 2 days with him. I met 9 other members of his extended family. We even stayed at his brother's family's newly-built place for the last night.
My customers are legit now asking when we are getting married and look at my hand to find a ring. Really?! But I feel it is a when, not an if... It is moving way faster than we hoped but it feels so right at the same time...
I am returning in 2 weeks to see Vic for 5 days. With my parents... We are both rightly terrified, but also excited! My English-speaking parents and his Flemish-speaking family are going to be hard to balance so we get enough time alone together, but we will certainly make the best of all of it!
I PROMISE YOU I WILL BE BACK AGAIN TO UPDATE SOON!! Please kick me if I don't!
