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

Don't think I could go in with him - will need to be there for a couple of hours and that would just ensure that everyone in the open plan office, right up to director level, could see how flaky I'm being.

I do worry about other people's kids catching it, but hopefully he is over the infectious stage and just needs to recover.

Don't want to let work down after my crappy start last week.

Am just hoping he will have staged a miraculous recovery by tomorrow morning.

Evening all

Grandparents? Another mum? Just for a couple of hours while you fetch the laptop. That's assuming you will be able to work at home if he's poorly. My kids have a knack of managing short-term recovery - or requiring endless refreshments - if at any point I'm trying to concentrate on something.

I had to leave Nod all on her own at home one day this year when she was off school sick. She was 12, and totally sensible, and fine about it. But it still cut me up, her little pale face at the window as I drove off.

Horrible decision. I hope work will be understanding.

Mol

ya gotta do what you gotta do.

I'd offer advice, but I'm not a parent. Mine would be along the lines of "toss him in the trunk and take him with you".

[GT]

[GDZ]

Ooh, ! [takes large piece]

Thanks for the b-day wishes, guys! I had a quiet birthday this year...

> for Lentilla. It's Vegetarian Leather. It looks, behaves, works and even *smells* like real leather, but it has an even thickness and grain (except where you want it not to) and arsey-veggie-hippies will happily buy masks made out of it.

Oh, if that actually existed... that would be fantastic.

Well, for my birthday I made a delicious pot of homemade tomato soup, with sun-dried tomatoes, merlot, and beef broth. It was a lot of work for the eventual result - six cups of soup. I had to strain out the skins and such, and it took forever. But it was worth it - we had pepper-jack cheese sandwiches and homemade tomato soup with cream.

And then for dinner I made a cilantro-walnut pesto with roasted zucchini to go along with our roasted pork. Sheesh.

Last night I made chicken enchiladas...

Michael Pollan says that if you're going to eat junk food, make it yourself. I think that's brilliant. Spend the effort making the food, then you appreciate it more, and don't wolf it down.

> We've done art exhibits and contests, poetry and short story contests, lots of music and dance, some history, some social issues.

And one mask presentation! That was fun - I think that the library is serving as a cultural center for Little Doo-Dah, and it's a valuable service.

Mol - I expect NOD had great fun at home alone.

Kelli, I'm a vote for taking him in, at least then you'll be able to do both.

Having a throughly depressing night so far.

Mornin All

Sleety and cold windy but no signs of any sticking snow.

Here you go Mags lots of strwberry and orange creams, nobody in our office likes them so we have a surplus.

Yaaay for Lil's progress, long may it continue

That is encouraging news, Lil

Enough of the snow already. I do not like doing dancing on ice behind the wheel of a peugeot.

It is great news Lil, its slow but you do seem to be making improvements all the time

My problem is solved - the boss just rang me to say she almost had two accidents getting out of the town (less than half a mile) and has turned back to home and said I shouldn't try to go in unless conditions improve. She doesn't have her laptop at home either, so I'm not going to be in trouble for not being able to do anything. I've been cursing it but today I am happy to see more snow.

Good news Lil!

IIEM, a Mog's special please - and make it strong this time!

Very good timing that was, kelli

IIEM - could I have a Mog's special, too?

I see your boss has nicely solved your dilemma Kelli

I'm glad that it got resolved, Kelli!

And sorry, Lil, that I forgot to say -- YEAH! for your movement!

Hi again to the (to me) newbies. Runescribe, what exam were you taking?

Good news about your knee Lil. The comment threw me, so I read your user space. I'm so sorry to hear about your mobility problems. How are things at the moment, if you don't mind me asking?

You can still call me Prof if you want. It'll take a while for me to get used to it, as for the past several years I've been called Proc after my character Procurator in The Matrix Online, where I've been hiding. I'm not doing Web development any more, though I'll always have ideas just begging to be realised. Instead I'm working as an applications engineer at a semiconductor company (network timing to be specific). Running tests in the lab, writing customer applications and utilities. I'm enjoying it.

New apartment Beatrice? What's it like?

Disgracefully belated birthday wishes, Lentilla. That soup sounds gorgeous.

Bit of snow last night, covered my car but didn't do much harm to the roads. I timed my departure badly this morning, though. I live next to a school and leave late to avoid the parents. When they're there the road is pretty much impassable, not to mention dangerous, especially in these conditions. Turns out the school was opening late today, so I left right in the middle of their onslaught. I'm lucky I made it through!

Well, I got to show the new pad to my daughter last night, who was absolutely enraptured by it, and kept going "Oh Mummy, it's so beautiful - it's perfect!"

It's a modern apartment - one big living/ dining/ kitchen area with patio doors onto a juliet balcony (ie you can't actually go out onto the balcony, but I may grow some herbs in a windowbox. There's 2 sofas in there, and still room for my computer desk in a corner.

2 good-sized bedrooms, mine with a tiny en-suite, and a lovely main bathroom nicely tiled, handy cupboards and mirrors. Underground parking space.

Location wise it's great - there's a train stop on-site, a bus stop just across the road, and being right on the edge of Belfast, even the City-bus service goes out that far.

On with the packing!

Morning all.

Sounds great, Bea.