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

Phew that was a long catch up.
Roundabouts. The one at Heathrow inside the perimeter road by Hatton Cross has it's own set of rules... One large roundabout, three or four mini satellite roundabouts and 'hey just go round whichever way you like'...terrifying.
Driving tests. Passed on the third attempt seven years after I first started driving. Half way through figured I'd failed again so really didn't give a whatsit. had a meeting afterwards and just wanted to get back. When the examiner got to the emergency stop game, my left arm shot out to keep him in his seat.
'You have children then.' He remarked with the enthusiasm of a dead cod. seriously rattled threw caution to the wind and told him exactly what I thought of him.
'There's no need to get upset my dear you have passed.' Hurled even more abuse...ungrateful child that I was.

Best car comment this week came from my mother after she had incurred yet another minor ding.
'I think this car is accident prone'.

Completely off topic...been buying the Leo birthday cards. My favourite is little baby boy talking to mummy.
'When I grow up I want to be a man'.
'Don't be silly, you can't do both'.

Off for two weeks for a little sun and sanity. Take care one and all
back in time for the mini meet.
boots

that magic roundabout makes perfect sense to me. we have one roundabout locally, soon to have two more in about a year, making three roundabouts in the area of about a mile and a half, one stretch. i can't understand why people have such problems with them. you simply yield to traffic on your left- there are even signs that state this, but 98% of out of state drivers either ignore that or they stop at the intersections while on the roundabout, waiting for other drivers to go through when they have the right of way.

one day a hummer came speeding through the roundabout, narrowly missing my car by about six minutes. i was so mad i threw my pickle at them (it was lunch time).

[]
(passed driving test first time)

[] -- needing to find a photo for provisional license

Just got the call I was waiting for. I WILL start my new job on monday
This makes going to the job centre to tell them what I'm doing to find work easier than it was going to be in the morning. Still I think going to the RHS Tatton Park flower show afterwards a nice reward (as does the visit to friends over the weekend). You never know me and MC might get some ideas which could translate into the garden here.
Talking of the flower shows, Caer, did you go to Hampton court this year? When watching the TV coverage I did wonder about it.

Well done, Phil .

My visitors changed their minds - they're coming tomorrow instead. This means I have to keep the nest tidy for the rest of today .

At least you now can do something else with what's left of today.

May I ask why you were trying to go round the magic roundabout with a glider trailer in tow (having seen one of those things, they're very, very long) or is it a story for another time?

Must find out how many photos are needed to get the rail season ticket I'll be using for work.

Great news Phil.

Have a wonderful time boots.

It's worked out quite well, Phil. I have a picture to draw on a tight deadline - if I get it done today it will be better for the Italics' blood pressure .

The glider trailer story will have to wait. But I did succeed in getting it through .

No, Phil I didn't go to the Hampton Court flower show. As a member of the RHS I can get tickets to the preview days, but I always leave it too late . But I shall be more organised and try and get there next year.

Someone keeps proposing a roundabout for a notorious six-way intersection in Missoula and it gets shot down every time because so many of the locals are such horrible, horrible drivers. Four-way stops are a complete mystery to them. If you have more than one person coming from each direction they will just sit and stare at each other until they both decide to cross the intersection at the same time.

[{Courtesy}]

Every year I order something from the Thompson & Morgan catalog so I can enter the contest for the Chelsea Flower Show. One of these days I'm going to win. How's that for a positive mental attitude?

Well I survived the driving lesson, I'm feeling a lot more confident this time. It was a bit difficult because the driving instructors car has just had a new clutch fitted which means that it responds at a different level. Still I managed to not get into a panic when I stalled at inopertune moments..

I did a good three point turn but I messed up the reverse parking and the reversing around a corner, (now that's a pointless skill!)

You'd be surprised how often you use reversing round corners, or at least I do. A friend's house is on a corner and I reverse round it to park ouside her side door. What I do is line up the kerb just to right of the midline of the boot as I look over my shoulder(left in the US) and I end up nicely alongside the kerb. It varies slightly depending on the size of the car, but take it nice and slowly, Z, and it won't be long before you've got it.

I was never taught parallel parking, so do find it a little difficult, but the Black Beauty has a very poor turning circle, so hopefully it will be easier in the new one

Congratulations Phil!

I'll miss you, boots, but have a lovely time.

And now my exiting news is that I have an interview next week! It is for a semi-permanent job, ie permie rates, but a one year contract in a three year project. The reason I am keen on it though is that as a job it is one to kill for. I could contribute immediately, but learn a whole bunch of stuff, and actually get some career progression. It is also near to one of the better accredited MBA unis, and I would be working for a respectable national company in an international industry.

And just at the moment, I lo-o-o-ong for at least one part of my life to have some kind of stability.

Ben

Regarding maneuvering cars in tight spaces - I can do it three weeks out of four - on the fourth I cannot do it, and am liable to burst into tears if I try!

B

Congratulations Ben, Good luck, I won't add the I'm sure you'll do it, because I don't actually know the details of the job or your career skills. Though you are really good at making a logical argument and presenting your case so I'd imagine that you come across very well in interviews.

Ah, good day to be away from work. I took today off after having a bit of a row with my mangler. It's also a friends birthday party, so I don't have to worry about tying up loose ends at work to make it tonight.

Hooray. Go for it Ben
And have a good time Boots, and Marv with your respective outings