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

Re: post 657, that 10th hole is something else! It must be awesome to see at night

We have another board meeting tonight. I had such a time getting quorums for my meetings early in the year that we are having to make up 3 before the end of the year. So, two in October, two in November and one in December, which is usually a holiday for us. If trustees can't or won't attend meetings, they need to step down and let us appoint someone who will attend. I have a statutory obligation to meet 9 times a year. Nothing I can do about it.

Black Bart is settling in nicely. The dogs are absolutely thrilled to have him. It's so sweet the way they look after him. Heather is especially attentive. She is defending him against Minerva who is seriously annoyed and jealous.

We have IE6 at work, otherwise things break in the systems we've got until the new year. At home I am all Chrome coloured, though I do have IE installed, for really annoying websites.

Glad to hear the new cat's ok. Our 2 are secretly (to them at least) being wormed with powder this evening.

You have a cat called Minerva? That's our new puppy's name! Though she gets called Mini most of the time.

Hypatia's Minerva has held dominion over the manse for quite some time, so another moggy is to be distrusted. Your Mini, (Beatrice) is a whole other matter ... I've seen pics of how she has got poor Max properly in his place.

Hypatia's Minerva is certainly the queen of that household as I recall. She was friendly to me, however.

I do believe we had a Sporky siting!

We had an atelier naming contest to name my Minerva. She was supposed to be the library cat. I wanted a literary name for her. I think it was Lentilla who suggested Minerva McGonagall. If it was someone else, my apologies. That was years ago and my memory isn't what it used to be. Anyway, she lasted as library cat for about 6 weeks until an irate 'stranger' complained that she couldn't use the library with a cat here. The city threatened her with the dog catcher, which of course they had no right to do. They don't run the library and Min was legal. It got ugly, though. So, she moved in with me and has ruled the roost ever since.

She definitely liked Marv.

Oh! The woman who complained about Minerva has never set foot inside the library again anyway. Another classic example of one person against something having more influence than the hundreds who are for it. I had people actually cry when Minerva left. She was super popular.

As someone with a allergy, I suspect the complainy person has a reason for staying away from the library, especially if she doesn't know the is gone.

As a person who lives with a and takes his allergy medication regularly, I do suspect the compalainy person was slightly overreacting.

My opinion is that if there are books, there should be a cat!

It was! It was! It was definitely Sporky!

And I think there is a Bludragon roaming the site, too. Amazing.

Less than 20 minutes ago, I received a 1934 vintage novel that was once the property of the Kansas City, MO library. And as I type, my little Molly is perched on it. So indeed, libraries and cats are a natural combination.

Sporky *and Queen Bludragon? Wow... this just keeps getting better

I'm allergic to cats, but spending just a limited amount of time in such a vast space as a library wouldn't affect me much. I even cuddle cats outdoors if they approach me looking cuddlable, even though I know I have to wash my hands the moment I get home or else I'll break out in rashes.

Today was the first time I've come across mentions of the Siberian cat - a cat that is said to be 'allergy friendly' to some allergics but certainly not all. Seems incredible, since they have quite long hair (needed for Siberian winters):

http://www.raresiberiancats.com/sitebuilder/images/XMAS2009A2-383x564.jpg

Described as friendly, social and playful - sounds like I might try to meet up with the 'try-out families' that are listed on a Swedish site. Oh, and possibly write an entry, like I did on the Bashkir horse.

I'm pretty sure that Eliot would be less than amused if I got a new . He's very possessive and not likely to share his Mama happily with ANYONE else.

*sips *

For 12 and 13 years, we had a pair of 'Norwegian Forest Cats', siblings. Despite their full coats of hair, a brother who has always had problems with cats had no problems staying with us for an extended visit. Perhaps it is more of the 'dander' ?

Those holes are amazing, Titania. I remember seeing the guatemalan one when it first opened up, but the rest are new to me and just look stunning.

Indeed, dander is more the culprit than hair. Hair just happens to have dander all over it, most of the time. Urine, too. Which is why I can't change the catbox, and why I have my doubts about the concept of a hairless cat being automatically considered allergen free.

Also, hairless cats are creepy.

I wish we had a library cat. Apparently, the Library of Doom used to have one (before my time), but the Powers That Were persuaded the librarians that said cat was no longer desirable after it jumped onto a table at a reception for the Archbishop of Canterbury. I suspect the Archbishop would have seen the funny side - was probably George Carey at the time.

I've just realised, I've not come up with a name for the new(ish) place of work. There was the Library of Doom, which then moved to the Shiny New Learning Centre of Farce. But now that I've upped sticks to a different library (and loving it), I haven't come up with a nickname, affectionate or otherwise.

I have seen newspaper and website today about people walking out of a new RSC production of the play Marat/Sade. The tabloids are foaming at the mouth. Frankly, though, people should really be prepared for 'shocking' and uncomfortable scenes in that play, given that it features the Marquis de Sade... I don't expect the publicity material said "fun for all the family" or "laugh a minute", somehow.

Oh and hole number 10?