I am a mobile phone addict. I am also a computer addict. Ooops.

I've always thought I was pretty good at doing without my mobile or my lap top but it seems not! I hold my hands up. I am obviously an addict. I may need therapy!

We're not allowed to use our phones during working hours at my place of work. Naturally it's fine in your breaks, but otherwise it's a no no. So you wouldn't think I would almost have hysterics when I left my mobile phone at home last week, would you? Well I did. I pretty much came out in a hot sweat and hyperventilated. Well maybe that's an exaggeration but I did feel a bit of panic. My first thought was what if someone wants to get hold of me? There could be an emergency, or my parents might need to get hold of me. My sons might need to contact me. Neil may need me. Oh noooooo. This was weird. I honestly would not have put me as a mobile phone addict, but there I was having a 'moment' all because my mobile was at home. My parents have rarely if ever telephoned me when I am at work, neither has any of my family. I can only think of one occasion when I had an urgent family call in the 12 years I have been in my current place of work. In my defence I think I panicked because I text Neil every work day in my break, especially since he has been ill. It's a touch base love sort of thing. Send a few hearts in a text and make sure we know we are thinking of each other...…..and sometimes it's a reminder we need chocolate! As my parents have aged I also worry about them, and so have mentioned my mobile is actually in my pocket at work on the vibrate setting if they need me. I just hope there never is an emergency so that they need to get hold of me, but I like the idea that they can do if necessary. That's my defence for my hysteria, honestly.

Now you wouldn't think leaving my lap top at my parents house, also last week (it was one of those weeks!), would make me feel lost, but it did. My hobby is tracing my family tree, and I usually look at ancestral records each evening and add them to my documentation. It's relaxing, and I am learning so much about my family past. I also, of course, write this blog. Quel horreur, I was without! I realised this half way home from visiting my parents, and lovely Neil even offered to turn the car round and go and get it. He even, get this, suggested he drop me home and then afterwards he would go back to my parents. What a darling. In view of his potential sacrifice I really felt I couldn't possibly accept his offer, and bravely said it would be fine. Fine? Fine? I was having palpitations and hot sweats wondering how I was going to cope without it. Actually the palpitations only lasted a couple of minutes when I realised I have access to everything on my mobile. Good job I had that! Good job it wasn't the day I went to work and left my mobile at home!!

Now all I am going to say is that my mobile is a 'mini' version of an android phone. I bought it because I don't like big mobile phones. You can't fit them in your pocket. You can't fit them in the mobile phone pocket in your handbag, and you most certainly look like you are talking to a huge television screen when you use it as a telephone. To say that I had to squint to write my blog is an understatement. I almost had to use a magnifying glass. Not only that but I was so scared I would lose the post that I saved every sentence. This meant writing my blog took me three hours. Okay that's an exaggeration but it felt like three hours! Maybe there is something to having a big screen on a mobile phone? But then I am never going to leave my lap top at my parents again am I? Yeah, as if!