boy, it's been a long week.

I've been trying to blog since Friday. That's tough work when

a. you're stoned on medicine and
b. you can't see straight and
c. you feel like hurling whenever the lights hit your eyes just right.

not that I have any of those difficulties, I'm just saying.

My heart continues to break for Huggy, now in Salem, Mass., shivering already. There's not a thing to do but hold onto that part of him that was always good, however lost it may seem at this time. He's so broken. Recent photos of him reveal that stark sadness, the resounding emptiness within him. I Fed Exed two boxes of clothes and food and various sundries yesterday. Thank you to the friend who took those photos for me. Thank you to her for spending time with him for someone she's never actually met. Thank you for helping him get the meds he needed, and a decent breakfast, and for listening to his stories, however tall (or small) they may be.

Friday, we left the truck at the trusted shop for a clutch replacement and emissions test. $900 later I was screaming at the guys I usually, honestly, adore, for they are just good old boys who've never, ever done me wrong.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR A CLUTCH???"

Turns out, they did a few other things while under the hood. "But you really needed them done, zippy!!!"

So I had them show me EXACTLY what they replaced and why. Of course, they were right: I did need those things done. Simple things, all small, but any one of them could have stranded me along the side of the road.

Sigh.

We took my engagement ring in for repair on Saturday. A couple of months ago I noticed I'd somehow bent one of the prongs of the setting, so I immediately put it away until we could get back to the jeweler from whom we purchased it. I couldn't imagine what I possibly could have done to do such damage -- the prong was definitely bent up and the diamond balancing precariously.

WELL

Not one, not two, but THREE of their respected diamond professionals inspected it and said "Whew! Good thing you didn't crack it! It's such a GORGEOUS diamond - GORGEOUS! Nearly perfect! Excellent selection! Thank God you didn't crack it!"

After lunch, mr. zippy and I returned home to a phone call from one of said professionals.

"Mrs. Zippy, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your diamond is actually cracked after all. That corner of it just crumbled once the gemologist got it out of the setting."

AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Mrs. Zippy? Mrs. Zip--"

"I'm here," said me picking myself up off the floor.

"The good news is, we're going to replace it with an equal diamond at no expense to you. I just needed to know if you wanted to stay with the same cut? Mrs. Zippy? Mrs. Zip--"

"YOU'RE SHITTING ME????"

"Um, no ma'am, that's a no shitter."

I couldn't tell if one of the three professionals who signed off on the gem as being good were going to lose their job. That's an expensive mistake.

"Well, THANKS!"

"You're welcome."

Sunday was brand new FARSCAPE!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Monday was more brand new FARSCAPE!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Tuesday was spent in hospital, again, tending to this lingering illness that my doc now says with a patpatpat to my long curls "Just be patient."

Is that redundant? After ten weeks?

Somewhere between Sunday and Tuesday I touched base with the other brother to tell him about Huggy's new wherabouts and well-being. He's so closed off from it. He's so afraid of having his heart broken again by Huggy that he's hardened himself to it, lest he actually have to give himself emotionally again to his only brother.

Pour me another scotch, tarbender, please.