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

All good Texas barbecues have beans on the menu. And not those sweet, southern things. Good old pinto beans cooked low and seasoned with salt pork or ham.

Hyp, would you like my recipe?

Wolfgang, speaking of pinto beans, SIL is part Mexican and he has taught our daughter to cook pinto beans his way---with onions, green peppers, and smoked sausage. Talk about tasty!!!

Happy belated birthday, Teuchter. Would you like a bowl of pinto beans????

Wonder if putting that low fat Healthy Choice smoked sausage in beans would make the sausage edible? Or would it ruin the beans?

And thanks for the offer of the recipe Wolfgang. But ahem......you got it from me in the first place.

What is frisbee golf? Which reminds me that we have a minature golf course close to my house. That might be fun to do in a group.

Right. Head to head song title competition between Marv and Mr. D. I'b better start hunting appropriate prizes. And I was appalled to find none other than Barry Manilow's photo staring back at me when I checked my AOL a few minutes ago. He's doing a tribute to the 50's. Think I'll give it a miss.

Oh yes, crazy golf (as we call it here). I tend to be extremely variable at it, though. Chances are I'll get a hole in one on one hole and then score about 15 on the next.

Hmm, which CDs should I pack?

Baggers, since you're flying I think you can be excused from packing CDs. Unless you just want to, of course. In which case, don't bring any Barry Manilow.

Do the crazy golf courses there have windmills? I always have a hard time on the hole with the windmill.

Some do, though many are a bit cheap and shabby to have moving parts. Sometimes a few bumps in the concrete is all you get.

Frisbee golf involves a large area with well-defined distant targets. The frisbee is launched (one frisbee per player) toward the target, and a tally is kept for the number of strokes taken to hit the target. This is much more satisfactory than chasing a stupid little ball with a heavy load of overpriced implements. Plus, it's easier to find a frisbee in the rough, or recover it from the lake, if you happen to have invaded a real golf course for your game.

Ah. So as long as there aren't any dogs around to intercept the frisbees...........

I'm afraid my yard is too small for frisbee golf. No, actually that's a good thing. I can barely keep it mowed as it is.

Frisbee golf would better be played in a public space. A LARGE public space. Most of us here have no room for a big frisbee golf course. Hyp, you could set up an obstacle course in your back yard for the game we used to play at our fourth of July celebrations. Have you figured out that I can't spell crokay?????
I have tried everything and nothing fits.
Think maybe I should say "goodnight".

Croquet. What Lady C is referring to is our own version of the game. The course was laid out in a wandering pattern requiring you to navigate around bushes, etc. One wicket was always placed on top of a hill.

I have to play croquet in my show. Well, make an attempt to play croquet and get fouled by the woman I love...

David, any progress on the passport front?

I always enjoyed playing croquet. I haven't played it for ages. That's a definite possibility for the meet.

I don't think I'll be making it somehow.

You know you're always welcome, any time in the future when you find you have the opportunity to come.

Thank you. Of course, I may be stuck on this damp little island for the rest of my life, but if they do let me off, rest assured that Webb City is very high indeed on the list of places to inflict myself on...

Croquet......the correct spelling came to me in the middle of the night. I was too tired to get up and post it correctly though.

Of course, there is the distinct possibility that our version of the game would be more aptly spelled cro-kay.

We played badminton and softball at those picnics too. I think my softball playing days are behind me.........way behind.

Isn't croquet making doilies with funny-shaped knitting needles?

I've just been having a browse around and I'm considering taking the Greyhound bus from Toronto to Joplin. Okay, it takes just over a day compared to a few hours for the plane, but it's a lot cheaper and I'd get to see lots more of the exciting Ohio scenery.



Do they all have wee tellies in the seats like the one I caught in Canada?

I haven't taken a trip on a bus for 40 years. I have no idea if they have little TVs or not. That would be a long ride. But you wouldn't have to do the driving, so it might be more relaxing actually than the plane.

And this does point out that you can get a bus to Joplin. For those of you wanting to come but not wanting to drive or fly. But forget about a train. It's not possible.

The last time I travelled by bus was about 20 years ago and there were no tellies on the one I took. No bathroom either. We made "pit stops". What are you looking at as far as time from Toronto to Joplin?

Where is the nearest train station? Is there one in Springfield or is KC or St. Louis the closest Amtrak location? We can take a train out of here, but are limited as to destination.

There's an Amtrak station in Kansas City and one in Tulsa. There used to be one in Bartlesville. None in Springfield.