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

Whew, Lil. It's great to have some good news.

*a faint rustle and a vague shadow can be sensed - or not - behind one of the potted plants*

We've just watched a driver drive down the road on the steep hill near here. He drove down, turned round and drove back up again. Someone out playing with their 4x4 vehicle I guess.

Well I got the passport signed. After a bit of a scary drive. I've done motorways, and even motorways in the dark, so the fact that there was 1" of snow on the ground didn't phase me. Well not much.

I was doing okay for the first 100 yrds when I nearly killed myself. THis shook me up a bit so I got more scared. I managed to get onto the motorway, but was struggling because I just couldn't really see very well. My windscreen was steaming up. Ahh I thought! That must be because the inside is warmer than the outside, so the water is condensing on the windscreen, no problem I'll just turn the air con down.

I wonder why everyone doesn't need coat and gloves to drive in the winter though?

I got off the motorway and just couldn't see where was suppose to turn, I was surprised by a wall, and at this point was terrified.

I pulled off where I could and wipped the windscreen, then for good measure wound down both of the windows., This way I could see where to turn off, but not through the windscreen which fogged up again after a few 100 yards.

I finally managed it, having lost all confidence.

Until Hoovooloo pointed out the exact error. If it's cold you should put the heater on, and that will mean that your breath won't condense on the glass.

And I got home perfectly safely

Scary indeed, Z. When I went on my course earlier, we picked up a colleague of mine (these courses are much more friendly with two ) her road wasn't gritted and we went into am almighty slide, missed the park cars. We were only travelling at 10mph, and I realised I wasn't wearing my seat belt (I was in the back - stoopid-head! )

Made it back in one piece, happy and content that I don't have to do that again for three years.

Make sure you put the settings on "outside air", Z, rather than recirculating air. I've noticed fresh outside air, even when heated, defogs the windows that much faster.

The More You Know™

*Mindspring wakes up and looks over at the potted palm, decides the odd noise must have been her imagination and goes back into her habitual doze in front of the hearth*

[mr]

[GDZ]

Z, you may just want to turn your car's heater to "defrost" which points the hot air directly at the windshield, raising the temperature of the glass. This usually works for me. I only go with the cold air on the windshield when absolutely necessary.

And take things slower in the mornings.

>>Why can you never find a black jazz combo when you need one?

I know of a black string band in North Carolina, but not a black jazz band. Sorry.

> I had a steroid shot in the right hip and am feeling more nearly normal already.

Yay! I'm glad to hear that your leg problems have resolved with a simple steroid shot. It's tough when your legs don't do what you want them to do.

Severe back problems can really do a number on the muscle strength of your legs, as well as interfere with other stuff connected to the back. Take a look at a spine map, and you'll see what I mean.

Z, defrosting the windows has a lot to do with the dewpoint of the air. If you're close to the dewpoint, sometimes you'll have to turn the A/C on, even if it's cold. I watch the window, and if it doesn't get better in five minutes, I switch it to the opposite.

We spent our honeymoon in lovely Las Vegas, and had a wonderful time. Maybe we'll go back someday!

Great news, lil

Well, since I've bored you all with whining, I shall now do so with proud-mom stuff Like I said earlier, Faith made Honor Roll. What she got on for was citizenship, Bible memorization, and getting an97.75% average (100% for math) On her report card, she received "Excellent"s on all the "Desirable Traits and Habits" except for "Does Not Disturb Others" and "Exhibits Self-Control"--both of which she was scored as "Good" on. Not bad for a 5.5-year-old social girl!

Good night all.

What are considered desirable raits and habits? Is one allowed to be non-conformist?

*throws a 't' at the word 'traits' in the previous post and hopes it sticks*

*sips *

Criminey, Lil, that was an incredibly detailed intro for this conversation.

If left to me, it would have been:

"So we chatted, and there was a holiday or two, and some people showed up that have been missing for a long time, and lots of stuff happened, and... uh... right. Stuff."

Lil's (or the scribes when we have them) summaries are wonderful, in that if I come back after a weekend away hiking with S (as I just have) and find 4 or 5 LEDs have gone by and we have a new thread, I can just skim the old thread and get the important bits in the summary at the beginning of the new one! This is especially useful as I think I may be on her bad side so far as backlog exemptions are concerned

Morning everyone.

I wonder what the weather is like this morning. I want it to either be easy to go to work, or impossible to go to work. I am just not up for doable with difficulty.

Hmmm.

B

[SG V] (glad to hear the leg news)