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

I have Facebook and Myspace accounts. Only really use Facebook now. Like Mr D I spend far too much time there

I suppose I should look at my facebook page, since I haven't in several months. I still don't get what it's about, really.

Did someone say Pimms? Don't mind if I do! Yes you can keep your TCP flavoured Laphroaig thank you very much, I'll have a glass of Bushmills instead (same amount of water, no ice ta)

Now, which way to the reading room?

A slightly frustrating morning, a parcel delivery company left a card saying I wasn't in so I rang them last night and said I would cycle to them to pick it up as would waste less of day waiting in today. When I got there afer an hours horrible cycling over one motorways and on busy duel carrigeways through mainly industrial estate area I found that they had sent it out on delivery van again! They said it would be delivered again at 4pm. I was going out but decided to go home as knackered after all that cycleing and the parcel turned up at 1pm when I said I would be out!
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The parcel was actually a pair of Nikon Action 8x40 binoculars in a sale for £50 instead of around £120 so I couldn't resist. Yes I know I bought some Praktica one not long ago but I didn't realise they are faulty and close focusing at 14m instead of 6m they are supposed to. The Nikon ones are a little clearer, well the proper price is more than double Praktica's and they are quite close focusing, the box says 5m but I think they may focus even closer which is ideal as can focus on tree branches near my window.
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I know I have been buying a lot of clothes in sales recently but I did buy my hopefully final item today. I bought what is actually a one piece fishing warmly lined suit. Although not a fisherman these days I want it as find I am spending far too long indoors in winter and wanted something that will allow me to sit still in extreme cold of heavy rain taking photos, etc. It was only £35 and although not breathable Gortex type material is thick and very waterproof. Every now and then you hear in UK of someone who has died of the cold in their car in heavy snow or left car in poor clothing and sadly died. At only £35 the suit would be a life saver for emergencies which people think would never happen to them. I watched a film a year ago based on a true story of an American family with a young child who got lost in snow in car and nearly died due to poor clothing and the adults lost toes/feet due to cold.... a suit like mine would have helped with suitable boots of course.

[Bagpuss]

[fgatdfhb]

Ouch, the backlog, the backlog!

I'm sure you had a lovely time at WOMAD, Phil!

I think the kingfishers we have in Sweden are the same ones as in the UK:
http://www.bingsmarken.se/Bilder/060819_kungsfiskare_2.jpg

My family background - it somehow feels as if I've talked about this before, but here we go again:

The Finnish Winter War (part of WW II) resulted in the majority of the Finnish people suffering poverty. In the peace agreement with the Soviet Union, Finland lost more than 10% of its agricultural area (Karjala) which, at the time, was inhabited by 12% of the population.

These Finns found themselves on the 'wrong' side of the border and, rather than becoming citizens of the Soviet Union, the majority chose to leave land and housing behind and move to the Finnish side.

Among these were my paternal grandparents.

My maternal grandfather took part in the war and returned home as a war invalid.

So follows that both my parents grew up in very poor working class families.

After WW II, unemployment was exceptionally bad. However, Swedish industry was prospecting more than ever, so much so that they found themselves lacking manpower.

Recruiters were sent to, among other countries, Finland. My father was the first of my parents to emigrate to Sweden and, once he had a steady income, my mother followed. They got married in Sweden.

Now, in those days, unlike today, there were no official courses in the Swedish language. As an immigrant, you'd start from the very bottom, and learn the language on your own and from fellow countrymen.

Mother used to sew most of my and my brother's clothes herself. We were both frequently told that we might not get what we wished for for Christmas or birthday present because our parents couldn't afford it, but somehow we usually got it anyway (our parents would work Christmas, New Year and put in a lot of overtime).

After I had left college, my parents took a loan to get me a secretarial education.

However, I found myself having difficulties getting a secretarial job without any practice. So my first 'real' job was switchboard operator in a hotel.

I recently tidied out a lot of saved papers, and found a hastily scribbled down monthly budget. I could hardly believe my eyes!

After paying all the bills and putting aside money for the quarterly bills, I had 700 kronor (roughly 50 GBP or 100 USD) to sustain me for a month.

This was more than 20 years ago, but still...

I earn a *lot* more these days, but find I haven't quite learnt to adjust my living accordingly - old habits die hard, and I still tend to look for bargains and sales.

[mr]

hmmm...facebook users...look for melissa under uci network. I'm in the b's, and my picure is Daria (from the MTV series).

So is facebook another blog site?

The cacheing situation is really bad for me the past few days. I wish they would take it seriously.

Evening all, must do better, i have been blogwhelmed, so will sit with my goldfish face as i listen to the banter and nod in a sage but utterly unknowing way at the various conversations.

The cacheing sucks for me too, Hyp. *pushes the Pimms bottle toward PWM*

Well, I scored more swag at Happy Jacks after I got the car's oil changed. 21 books for thirty dollah!

Ah, more books to read... Always a happy story - until you go to look for a place to put them.

I desperately need more bookcases but have no idea where to put them.

Same here - the books have expanded out into the garage. Now the garage is full of stuff. So if I want to pull out a book I haven't read in a while, I have to clamber over the old waterbed and the circular saw to do so.

The brilliant thing with Happy Jacks is, you can take the books back when you're done and get a discount off the next pile.

Okay, we're getting too quiet. We officially need something to argue about.

Can you tell I'm from a big unhappy (in terms of communication) family?

Hm... Owning vs. renting?

(Or maybe just how pathetic an offering that is for an argument?)