h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

> Question of conscience (or so): I have bought a matching set of necklace and earrings for the Mrs - she actually had that (not the specific ones I got, but generically) on her wish list. Now, do I get the almost matching bangle, too?

Yup, get the bangle. If she has a birthday or anniversary coming up soon, you can always present her with the bangle then. Or just give it to her around the neck of a bottle of wine... always works with me!

All these cysts around... does that make us cyst-ahs?

That was so bad, Lentilla. And I agree with your bangle theory.

Good night all.

Just woke up to find out that John Specner who plays Leo McGarry in teh West Wing has died suddenly of a heart attack aged 58. What a shock and talk about life imitating art.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4536990.stm

That's sad news, always liked him.

I would like to think that Xmas is under control, but I suspect it's not. Kinda like my in-tray, one false move and it'll all slip to the floor.

Oh, sorry to hear about John Spencer. And I just found out that John Fowles (The Magus, French Lieutenant's Woman) died last month.

Post office gig this morning. *yawns and picks coffee instead of tea as her breakfast drink*

{Teuchter}

It's a regular Saturday work day for me, as well. *thinks she saw Lil drinking coffee...must get eyes checked*

Speaking of coffee, my special Swedish Christmas coffee from Gevalia came yesterday. I am enjoying some right now. I'm anxious for Lady C to try it when she comes for Christmas.

Hmmm, where to start?

Since no one else has mentioned it, I congratulate Affy on his successful 40 mile trip through the blinding snow (uphill, both ways! ) to wrestle with someone else's C-compiler! Seriously, you are one dedicated student to do that, Affy!



Congrats to J ! I don't even remember what it's like to have a regular job, let alone one that would reward me for my efforts!



Lil, I hope you'll get your check soon; my was 10 days late, but it finally came. And I'll get another one for the past 3 days. It was supposed to be for a longer assignment, but it turned out otherwise. (Does this mean I've finally sunk to being *fired* from a temp job? ) If anyone has some spare pull with the Gods of Employment, please mention my name! Favorably would be nice.

SC

[GDZ]

Will get the bangle - if I can beat the pre-christmas parking war I sort of had decided but it's always nice with some backup... It'll go under the , though - so there'll be three small packages for the lady of the house

to go and mix G&Ts

Canterbury toay was rather, well, . I tried to stick to the back streets as much as possible, dashing in and out of the many and varied shops I needed to visit - Wilkos, Lakeland, Cancer Research, Tesco, HMV, Waterstones, the comics shop and the Post Office. If possible, that'll be the last time I go into town this term. At least I don't have to worry about parking as I live within walking distance.

*quietly drops a 'd' in that had got stuck to his right wing*

*staggers up the stairs, through the foyer and collapses on one of the sofas* The post office gig was BRUTAL. The truck was half an hour late and there were 14 delivery confirmation packages, each of which has to be recorded twice in longhand, so I didn't get started on the boxing (pigeonholing of mail) until past 9 at which point customers started streaming in.

They have all week to do their Christmas cards, but when do they decide to bring them in? The work is supposed to be from 8 to 10, but I was there till 11:20. And I stayed open so that Sadie could pick up her fresh oranges (delivery confirmations also have to be signed for and scanned).

I'm going to finish Pam's Christmas cards then put my feet up for the rest of the day.

Oh, and I got an email from my contact in Santa Fe: my check was sent out yesterday.

[Bagpuss - off work till Christmas ]

Family Chrisrmas part tonight and then my nephew is coming to stay the night.

*sneaks in puts a rogue y in its place, sneaks back out*

Bah humbug. Sorry, but bah. And humbug. Christmas shopping on a Saturday, what were we thinking? That awful moment when you look up from the gadget you were deciding wouldn't do and realise you have been gridlocked by fellow shoppers and no one can move out of your way until someone else moves out of their way and you are all motionless and growling like F1 cars until someone either leaves the shop or vaults the display cabinets. And then they discontinue that perfect thingy you just KNOW Aunty will love and that you've been planning to get her since August.

And then the planning of what to feed to whom when. And who won't eat this and loves that but can't eat it anyway and exactly how big is this blessed goose going to be anyway? There's only four of us, but my father-in-law and provider-of-geese is the envy-inducing sort of chap who eats like fifteen starving centaurs and yet looks like a wiry string-bean. And he tends to overestimate how much normal mortals can insert in one sitting. So it could be fricassee of curried goose all the way until March.

We've also found a mouse-hole, cunningly hidden in a corner behind a bookshelf. A little chunk of plaster has fallen away and there's a neat little gap. And some mouse poo. Rodents. Huh. Now this is the room we wish to have the In-Laws sleep in this Christmas, so this is really an unutterable pain in the cervical vertebrae. Who wants to be woken up at five am on Boxing Day by scamperings and squeakings under one's head? So, we are blocking the hole with peppermint tea-bags. I am told it works. Mice hate peppermint. If all goes not so well, the person who told me that will be getting a smack, because, really, I couldn't be more short-tempered without being wrapped in cellophane and presented in a tartan gift-box.

But the Christmas tree looks nice. There is that. I am doing my deep-breathing exercises, and if I get any more scroogy I shall go and mull something. Anything.

Meanwhile the neighbours are making alarming thumping noises in the ceiling. I can only assume they falling out of the attic in a valiant attempt to recover the Christmas decorations.

Perhaps it's bringing their gifts a bit early, Ag.

Hah, everything's shopped for, wrapped and I can put my feet up until it's time to bake for the three Christmas parties I'm going to. I'm making grape jelly meatballs, Ukrainian poppy seed cake, and New York-style cheesecake with cherry sauce.

Note: the grape jelly meatballs are not a regional thing. I'm told people in other states make them.

I have bought xmas presents for my kids and my brothers kids. This year we agreed on that adults don't make gifts each other. So most likely I won't have much presents. Only a friend of mine will come over with her son. That means a for me as well. To feel myself better about it, I bought a nice pair of earrings myself. Didn't make me happy though.
Today our pet rat died. I took it out of house, kids aren't at home, so they don't know it yet.
My house will be sold on Dec 27th (the same day my cysts will be removed) and I'll have 45 days for moving out and cleaning up the place. Makes me panic.
Sorry, I just had to vent it out.