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

Sept.. 29. FRank,could you contact your family in Ca.I hope you read/or heard that thy had an other earthquake. Hope they did not have any adverse effects,since the tremor was felt from L.A. to San Francisco.
Josephine.

Dear Josephine,
Pauline wrote twice yesterday and never even mentioned an earth tremor. They are in Sunnyvale a well spread out area of Bungalow style houses that are suposedly proof against most things. I am sure she would have told me if only to stop me worrying. Our news never said anything about it either they are too busy with politics at the moment.
It has been a long time Josephine but there are not enough hours in the day during the summer months. I managed to get back to computer school today the first time in a month, luckily we set our own schedule so are allowed some leeway. My course is nearly finished but they have me pencilled for the next one so it will be on going.
It looks as if I will be getting a laptop soon so I have my own means of doing things, when my son is home I cannot get on here. He was on holiday last week so that was me out in the cold for a week. We are on radio everything now so I would still be on line anywhere in the house without a physical connection, all those modern improvements take some keeping up with but we get there.
I read the postings when I come on line but dont always have time to answer them all, you all sound well intergrated now though and dont need me? well not often then. Still think of you though, Regards
frank.

Sept. 30 Dear Frank, Thanks for your letter. Indeed it has been a long time since we contacted each other,but I know how busy you are with funerals,expecting a birth and what not.
I am surprised thar your news did not report the earthquake:it was a 6 on the R.scale and many aftershocks. I could not get hold of my son.(but he might have been on the soccerfield with his sons.)
The last big one broke about everything in his apt. So I sent him most of my plates and what not.
All his glasses broke apart from some champagne glasses.So when I came there I had to drink sherry out of a champagne glass,I thought it rather funny.
The earthquakwe warning is on level 2:expecting a blow out?-not a huge one as in 1980.I was in Salem,still working, The whole yard etc.covered in ash.Could not drive my car. The hospital had me picked up by car that could drive through the ash.
I have to ask my son where Sunnyvale isTalking about Politics:I refuse to listen or look at news:They are all abunch of liars especially our cowboy.
It will be nice when you have your laptop: being Independent that is the word.I have had a lot of problems with my iMac.Hopefully I have it fixed after changing my username this a.m.
I started a new story for WW2, hope to finish it.
Keep up reading our "NATTER?"isn't that what you call it?We get along well, especially anak and I have become
good friends.
I'll let you go. Once in a while I'll drop you a line on Re: earthquake,if that is ok with you.
I don't expect an answer every time,but I still like to stay in contyact with you.OK?
My best to you and your family,Josephine.

Dear Josephine,
Had a note from Pauline asking "what earthquake" it seems they knew nothing off it. She listened in to the news for a while and heard there had been one about 3.8 in the Mojave desert but that was it. She did know Mt St Helen's is making rude noises but that is far from them.
Sunnyvale is 50 minutes drive South from San Francisco, or it was when I was there. What frightened me was I drove round the area all the way out to The Grand Canyon, Los Angeles and the Mexican border coming back up the coast road past Big Sur then from Sunnyvale home. A week later the roads I had driven were a heap of wreckage because of earthquake. I could not believe the scene when it came up on the news.
With all the lives I have used up about ten more than a cat I feel some one loves me up there or else I still have something to fulfil, makes you wonder at times.
As the summer is over and we are into Autumn my time outside will be less so more time on the computer. I have finished the school course I was on and am now set on another, they keep giving me certificates and scratching their heads as to what they can give me next. I find that I am helping others as they struggle through the sections I have finished, makes you feel wanted I guess.
Let us hope you get your compensation and then a Rolls Royce of computers that will give you more satisfaction. E-mail and computer messages are a great way of keeping in touch.
Keep writing, Regards,
Frank.

Oct. 3 Dear Franck, thanks for your letter. I called my son and he said:"we even did not know there was an earthquake": exaggerstion! that should'nt be allowed:it is no joke,Between L.A. ans S, Fr. is quite an area.
I am sure you're still here for some reason.Just accept it.
I tried to catch up with "I-Fold-and enjoyed it. I wrote why I couldn't be there to put my 2 cents in.
But I'd rather be a listener as I cannot contribute anything worthwhile like you and Rob and Roos and Daffy.
Yes, i do hope I get some money out of all these problems I'm stuck with now.One of the results is that i am more alone.That is why e-mail is so important to me. After the accident every one is very interested and nice,but life goes on and I don't expect them to stay interested in my problems.
You sure are taking many courses,you must have become more of an expert by the day. I'm still grate full for all your help.It made working on the stories easier. I'll let you know whenever I get results from my lawyer.
Time to start doing things in the yard before the rains come next week:I love fall,all seasons have their own charmthough. The best to you(I know "regards" is the proper term,but it sounds too impersonal to me)Josephine.

Dear Josephine,
Every time you put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard) you contribute something, dont put yourself down.
I was first drawn to your stories because they were from the other side more or less, you saw things from both sides of the front line. We do not have too many like that Peter being a classic. It intrigues me to know what it was like so we need more to fill in the gaps.
Len with his POW stories has given me insight into something that was pushed under the carpet at the time. They did not get the recognition they should have had but I read his account and learned.
Keep adding things as you remember them Josephine there is always something to say.
I keep up with the courses on computer because again there is always something to learn. The one I have just finished was not new to me but I learned key things I had not known before and Jennifer has me lined up for at least another four sections to take me up to her standard mark.
She is very young (to me) but loves us golden oldies as we get stuck in and finish the term, 50% of the young ones drop out or will not take the exam at the end. We who do not really need certification have a folder full whilst the kids that do need them will not try. Is it a sign of the times? they have had it too easy where we had to struggle all our lives?
I suppose the change of venue the new faces and the interaction with others learning new things helps keep my interest too.
My Son has this machine so updated now I could throw a letter up in the air and it would grab the thing then post it for me. We are all wireless now which is why he said I could run a laptop from anywhere in the house. If I am looking for something on the internet it is so fast the pages are flashing past and you need to grab the ones you want. That is very good for finding information when people ask a question but I think some would be put off by it.
Benji and I have had our long walk this morning and only got slightly wet. We still enjoy being out in the open air even when as today it is wet windy but not cold. The leaves are starting to fall and the bushes are covered with berries for winter, the birds will not go hungry.
Five Magpies were strutting their stuff on the big field, Benjy scattered them, we do have fun.
Keep adding your comments Josephine it helps to keep the flowers in hand on the other posting.
Best regards,
Frank.

Dear Josephine
I keep trying to contact you by email, but all emails are 'returned to sender'. Rob thinks it may be caused by the earthquake.
Liefs Len Baynes

You are not the only one Len, Rose sent a short while ago and is now trying to contact Josephine on another thread. I think it is her wild computer we better club up and buy her one.
Regards frank.

4-10
Hello Frank and Len,
I have contacted Josephine by e-mail, though a couple have been returned with strange reasons for throwing them out.She answered two of them and was fed up but not too bad. I had cancelled out her mail that she asked me not to use but it was still in my addresses. The other one does seem to be working. She is having problems with her pc. I wish we could help her too, she gets so frustrated. St Helens is almost blowing its top so I keep sending her our good wishes, along with Rose and Rob when they get through.
Exciting time for me on Wednesday as Rob and her husband Jack are coming over to Harrow to me (and my friend Ken) for the day. You will probably see the steam rising, and hopefully the laughter, reet oop North! OK, OK, so its the wrong part. That is to the Weed.
Sorry Len, can't remember where you live.
All the best to you both
The Welsh Daffodil, Elvira aka Elvie.
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Now Elvie, any more of that "OOp t north" stuff and I will be down to clip yer lug with a wet lettuce. This is the County of the Lord Bishops and we "Al Tack propper Likes" so there.
Have fun at your meet and dont pull us all to bits! well not too much then.
Regards Frank.

Dear Elvie
I live in Stapleford, a village 5 miles north of Cambridge, not far from the parish church, but a long way from Harrow.
Best wishes, Len

Oct. 6 Dear Frank,Thanks so much for your long letter:I needed that after all my "fights"with e mail and what not.I kept getting messages from Len that he did not get through with his email and I sent him one again tonite.I have no idea what the problem is.I am being connected with the wrong Tech Help.The people who OK'ed my new username screwed up by letting my old password go with my new username.I better leave that alone, I have had experience with a messup before.
I talked with a nice guy from the Mac store in Seattle.I was told by some one else that I could add to my RAM:Not so acc. to Matthew. So whenever my P.& S money gets paid out I'll get another computer.This one is a second hand one,that might have complicated matters.So....I'll start withe a clean slate.
Does Benji mind getting wet?? Hickory does as he comes from the East side of Oregon. He had trouble with his patella and was a tripod for 3 days:it is self correcting.So today he gingerly put his left paw on the ground again.The last 2 days I had to go to classes,so the poor thing was all alone.But I got my certificate so I will get a discount on my carinsurance. I admire you with all the classes you take.There are NO classes here for people with c. p.
If you want my email adress it is: .Len has it also.He tries to write dutch;he learned it from a dutchman in the pow camp who had a dutch bible.I think that is fantastic to even try it.
I'm sure I will write some more but I have to be in a different mood for it:More relaxed.The winter with rain and storms will do that. I have been trying to work in the yard as exercise for my R.hand mainly.Working and hobbling with a cane should look very funny to people.But my yard is very private and IF some one wants to laugh about it:that doesn't bother me.
I love being outside,it clears the cobwebs from one's head . Frank, I took too much time from you already,so I better quit.Thanks for getting me over the hump of feeling bad.My very best to you.When is the baby due???
Josephine.

Oct 6 .L. Len. This eve I sent you another email. I am só
frustrated that your letters are returned. I have no idea why.I hope you got the one I wrote tonite.If not let me know on this site where Frank sent me a letter too. And My letters to WW2 come through.So What is the other problem.
Eventually I will get another computer. Frank can clue you in: he knows what happened to me,but I do not want to bore you with that story.
i hope you are feeling ok. Stay healthy.liefs van J(osephine).

Lieve J.,
I did receive your email yesterday, and sent a reply to your new address 3 times, all of which came back.
Cest La Guerre (or something!).
Liefs Len.
ps. So I 'try to write in Dutch', (note the capital); what is it I actually write in? Chinese?

Hello Len,
I have been in touch with Josephine by e-mail but had to initially bully my way past her Spam Guard.
It is often best to use the REPLY button on the incoming mail and send an answer above the original message then press send, you do end up with a long line of messages though after a while.
I got her on the BAN--R (I will not put it all down) and as I said had to clear the spam guard but once she has your address all should be well. I did tell her you were trying to reach her so it may all be OK now.
Keep well Len,
Regards Frank.

Dear Frank
Another mystery. Firstly, I do mostly communicate (or try to, rather) with J. by 'reply', as you suggest. But the last twice I made the effort, in spite of the email being 'returned to sender', with all the usual tripe included, she still received it! The last time was the day before yesterday.
When I 'reply' in those circumstances, I first eraze all the tripe.

Dear Len,
Josephine is recieving all the mail even though we get instant messages saying they cannot send it. I sent both ways ignored the send back and waited. Sure enough she answered my mail on both counts.
Her server has a computer glitch which sends out automated messages dont worry she is getting the mail from us all.
I use the (band--r) and they all got to her.
Dont worry Len Josephine did say she had got mail from you and was going to reply.
We Just keep plugging away Len and get there in the end.

Oct. 11 DEar Frank, I told you before that you are a wizzard:
I told my ISP that there are constant messages of not being able to deliver. The b.. ir username DOES work.I just sent my ISP a letter to solve the constant problems,I am tired of . I' ll let you know what their answer is.
Rob has umpteen problems as well.
I asked to scratch out the other 2 usernames .My son said when they tried another username as an extra,they had constant problems as well. So they got rid of the extra one and everything works ok now .My ISP never had problems:I think they expanded too much. too fast.I have to go to the Philiipines for Tech Help. They are knowledgeable
but there is a language problem.So, I'll wait and see what their answer is. I'll let you know.I'll write Len a note as well.Thanks Frank,also for telling Len what is going on.Josephine.

Oct 21.Dear Frank, I just wrote a note to Peter to thank him ànd you by the way for straightening out the Letter writing mess for us girls.
Ysterday I was totally lost,couldn't find a thing like R to the F. This a.m I was só happy to find out that we were back where we were cut off.Even : "last message 2 hrs ago "or whatever.
I know that Ian will be able to get the letter I wrote to you and is locked up in the Out box.No idea why it happened.There is also a letter for Terry in Bend in that box.
I am glad we have our email address so no one can" look down our blouse."
Thanks again, Best regards,Josephine.
P.S. I called my lawyer about the 3 tranfusion bit. He said that he would let Jezebele's insurance know about this mouses'tail.I have a 10lb file under my bed already.

Dear Josephine,
I had nothing to do with putting thinks back together, it is all a mystery to me too.
I do know that all though I get mail saying they are sending back my messages it is to do with Sn------N and not B. so I just keep sending and ignore the messages. If we all read the returns carefully it tells you this is so so "less haste more speed" most of it is common sense.
I will go to e-mail now so watch for it.
Regards Frank.