UPSIDE DOWN - still struggling, trying to detach

[Eskimo Nell]

Well my friends, the day started curiously, and got even more so. I need some fast answers here so listen in!!

Got to work and started my day. Next thing, H emailed to say thank you for a warning that I had sent him, regarding some stores which have had a real hammering on card fraud.

I replied and asked how the conference in Sydney had panned out and he came back with another polite email saying that it was good but would evidently cause him more work - and lots more travelling. I validated this - especially the travel part as he has always been a bit envious (supportively so) of the opportunities that I have had to travel in my previous roles. He said that he thought the only down side was that he couldn't get Air Miles out of it ... I didn't rise to the bait as I normally would have, just in case he was meaning that the Air Miles would have been useful for visiting ow (I tried not to be overly sensitive here)!! I merely passed over that bit and said that it was good to have a conference which was useful as so often, most are not! I also said that it was awesome that he was getting out and about a bit more, rather than being stuck in the office.

To close, I described a situation last night where the cats had been so cute at play ... I know that he would have loved to have seen their antics and I told him about it - even though short and sweet.

I asked after his health (he was having palpitations) but he ignored that totally and there was no more back and forth emails. I considered that I had probably blown it at the last point. I became so busy with my work and as I was fairly content at what had transpired, I just got on with my day. When I got home I went through my usual routine and then turned on my computer ....

.... only to find that H had emailed again!! This time was to say that he was considering coming down at the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As my regular readers will know, this is a HUGE breakthrough - not only in the amount of emails but that I only saw him the weekend before last. At that time, we had not discussed when he would come again and although I had asked him if he would assist me with some garden shopping at some stage, I never expected that he would remember, that he would really help or that it would be so soon!!!!!!!! I'm blown away.

Of course, all of that is the heart talking so now, the head must speak. Are his actions because:

1) he genuinely wants to help
2) I told him that the spa and lawn mower needed some attention
3) he wants to pick up more stuff from the house
4) he wants to see the cats
5) he wants to see me - well, more surprises have been known!!!!
6) he wants to keep his eye on the place and make sure that all of his efforts now will equate to a better valuation, if and when he carries out that threat?
7) he has more bad news to break to me
8) he knows that I was being SERIOUSLY checked out when driving up the Freeway this morning (!!!!!)

I haven't emailed him back yet in response but I am trying to keep calm and not show any excitement. I almost wanted to say "that's great and why not stop for a BBQ and a beer" but that might scare him right off. Instead, I am thinking:

"That would be really great if you could help out at the weekend" .... and then make sure that I have stuff here ready for a barbie, or, could offer to go out for something to eat, if not - don't want to scare him by having a vegetarians fridge packed with carnivorous produce!!

I REALLY expected pull back from him after the last weekend that he was here and this seems like a dream come true ... well, almost.

So, quick, quick ... what is my response?? H seems much more ready to engage with me these days if I don't "play games" and not answer him for a day (or several) at a time!!

It's crucial that I get this next bit right .... suggestions, PLEASE!!