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

Happy birthday Bryce and roomie!

Oh, so I mixed up MR and FG again, did I?

*off to put the badge on her user page*

Happy Birthday, Bryce! Have you started celebrating already? It must the small hours there

Oh dear s and flaps! Cassie insists on having doors opened for her, in spite of her flaps being opened as soon as she is fed in the mornings. The outer one is locked when it gets dark and she is in and kipping somewhere, on a bed usually. She just likes to get us running round after her and has been known to insist that she is let in through one door (by meeuuwwing pathetically and scrabbling on the glass with her front paws whilst standing up on her hind ones) then going straight back out through the already open one in another room !

H has offered to take a day off w*rk to help No1 son find a permanent job, he will act as a recruiting agent and contact all the places No1 is interested in finding a job. No1 son wants to pay off his student debts within about 6 months so that he can go travelling, he is aiming to do that by working with charities and conservation projects overseas.

FG, you still have some time on your hands if the first place is behind schedule to get the second landlord to improve the size of the kitchen whilst still having anoption on the first apartement. Even moving a wall just 3' can create a surprising amount of space in a kitchen without necessarily reducing the living room space. Or could the whole area be made open plan with an island unit or breakfast bar?

I haven't actually started celebrating yet, Caer. In fact I have no particular plans for my birthday. My roommate who shares my birthday is going to be busy studying and taking a test. Maybe I'll go out to the club tommorrow night...

*Waves back at people*
Life is pretty good up here at the moment. We are planning our weeks holiday to Oirland at the end of the month. Unfortunately Toc also got introduced to a local artist who is VERY good and hence VERY expensive and so my flat now has objects in it I keep worrying are going to fall over.

Mackem = person who lives in Sunderland, in particular fans of Sunderland AFC

[] - off on holiday

If anyone has a minute, I need some help.

Some dear friends of mine are getting married next week and shortly afterwards they are moving abroad to live and work. Originally the wedding was going to be just them and two witnesses but they've decided at the last minute to invite a few close friends and I'm one of them.

I was going to wait until they were settled and then order a gift over the web and have it shipped to them but now I feel I ought to take a gift to the wedding. However, they haven't produced the usual Wedding List because they aren't intending to take anything with them - they're selling everything off.

So can anyone think of something nice that I can give as a gift? I need it to be small enough to go in my handbag at the wedding and light enough to go in their luggage when they move but also classy and not too cheap but not silly-expensive.

Fancy paperweight or similar or will everyone be getting them that? Something soothing for the flight/arrival?

Happy birthday Bryce, have a good time when you do celebrate

Munchers, where in Ireland are you planning on getting to? Had a week down in the far SW not too long back, was just grand.

Happy birthday, Bryce!

Gee, Amy, not too many criteria to fill there. Maybe something travel related, or moving related. International phone calling card? Gift certificate to a home furnishings store in their new location? Subscription to their new local newspaper?

Hmmm... something useful for the new country? Dictionary, travel guides, maps?

Do they like ? Those little hand mixers are quite useful for making foam out of milk, and there are some pretty neat designs

How about traveller's cheques or money order? Not very exciting perhaps, but at least they can buy something when they get there and it would be light and not take up much space.

This would depend on the country in question, but how about tickets to some event like musical or theatre or something?

Happy birthday Bryce.

So this makes you how old? 84?

Amy, I am notorious for selecting gifts too large to carry, mail, or fit in the car. So, I'll pass on a suggestion.

Supposed to be a lovely day.

A nice day outside here as well. Down in Nodnol they'll be getting a nice day inside for a while
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3194200.stm
A new instalation at the tate modern which looks like a giant rising sun in the morning mist.
I've seen a couple of the other instalations there in the turbine hall at the tate modern (a huge, huge room, 5 storeys high and a couple of hundred yards long) and they can be good as the scale is so different to the usual art gallery exhibition space.

I would rather like to see that, Phil, the turbine hall is a wonderful space. The cafe at the top is a great place for views both north and south.

How about a small, folding silver photo frame, Amy? I'm still trying to think of something more interesting than my earlier suggestion.

A currency converter calculator? Not very exciting but useful

Hello everyone, I would shy away from the useful because if they are reasonabley well off I'm sure that they will have thought of the useful things. What about a piece of art (small of course) by a local artist, something that will remind them of home?

Happy birthday, Bryce.

If they are selling everything off before moving, that's the hard part. It will have to be something that not only fits in their suitcase but that they are willing to pack. I think your first instinct to have something sent after they move was the right one; for the actual wedding you should give them a hint of what will come later. Plus a card.

It seems h2g2 has not been implemented a few times this morning.

A box of tea bags. Remind them of home
Phil, we are starting out in Dundalk, just over the border, but we have no firm plans of anywhere to go yet. Basically if it sounds interesting and we can drive there without a major argument I'm all for it. The South West may be a bit far though.