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

Heh, I see this used a lot as a term of greeting: 'hey, what's going on?' Even one of the managers (so I reckon) at one of the stores where I pick up and deliver laundry, always greets me that way. And yet, he never stops to hear me tell him what's going on! How is it in your part of the world - ever heard the greeting, or used it, or actually stopped to narrate what is happening in your life at the present moment, to the person who asked the question?

But: what IS going on with you folks? It looks quite quiet here at the moment. Nobody's reporting much of anything! At least, not what I can see ... maybe I'm out of touch or something? Can anyone give me tips on getting in touch again? I haven't been very diligently present here lately ...

What's going on in my own life? Still working the laundry work and in between working at my art and articles. Been going on many outings lately, the results of some of which I hope you'll all see soon. There are many outings coming up now, leading up to the Birding Big Day on the 25th of November, in which teams go out all over the country to see how many bird species they can identify within 24 hours and within a 50 km radius. My team and I are going to do a few practice runs, starting this very upcoming weekend.

I also am working on a big painting commission, a scene from the lovely country of Namibia, of a bushveld landscape with some cattle on it.

Things are going well in the gym. I'm trying to build a bit of muscle and strength again, a bit worried about some of my exercises 'peaking' too early, but most of them are progressing very well. I'm also a bit worried about gaining weight too fast, but I'm still looking (for me) quite lean. So maybe I shouldn't worry. Some of you folks may be surprised but a man can also be a bit vain and/or insecure about his appearance!

I find myself reading a lot. Been working through many library books, ones on: the substory mosses and other 'lower' plants of New Zealand; studying the canopy life of tropical rainforest; a scientific discussion about the great extinction events in the history of life on Earth; a big book on philosophy; and a book on everyday science explained (not that that one told me much new).

Gardening-wise, I'm getting worried, it still hasn't rained any notable amount and we're already well into the summer! So this part of the world is extremely dry right now. Some rain has been predicted for this weekend so we'll see what happens ...

So! That's what's going on with me. And with you?

Thank goodness, around here they're still saying 'How are you?' and still ignoring the answer.

It's a beautiful fall day today, sunny and gorgeous with the multi-coloured leaves. It was down to 25F last night, and the frost was everywhere this morning, I hope you get your rain.

We had to drive down to the Grange, about 20 minutes away, for a 'senior appreciation luncheon'. It's an annual event. I got guilted into attending, even though they don't appreciate this senior enough to provide a gluten-free meal. So I brought my lunch in a padded bag... Lunch, old people chattering, a devotional, a slide show of the Holy Land, and then it was race back to town for my chiropractor's appointment. He was happy to hear about The Book, and gave me some good advice about lifting without hurting my back. Now I can rest for a couple of hours before we have to go to choir practice...

There's lots of activity onsite right now - the reason you might not notice it is if you aren't looking on Create. Go to this week's Post Editorial Page - all those participants in the list? Click on their names. It will take you to their A-pages. We're all over there, nattering away.

It's just the usual November madhouse.

PaperKid's actually technically doing NaJo, too--though she seems to keep hitting "Preview" instead of "Post" and then Xing out--generally right before laptop curfew

Hi Willem!
I am mostly away from the computer as my presence is required at my mother's old house, as we've sold it and it requires emptying. Sounds simple, right? But when you're sorting through 35 years-worth of occupation, and some of the stuff you find you can remember from your childhood (my parents never threw anything out, they weren't exactly hoarders but always thought something might be useful somewhere down the road) [apologies if you have Barry Manilow's voice as an earworm now]
Mostly it's just me but yesterday my sister joined me and we have done several runs to the charity shop (she has a card allowing the shop to claim back tax, I don't) but she didn't have time yesterday. Today my younger brother & his wife are joining us, as they did last Friday, having both booked a day off work. They are doing the tip runs with stuff that's so old/unusable it can't even go to charity. I have to be there before 9am as the plumber is due then to fix the downstairs toilet flush. My life is *so* exciting, eh? But I am always interested to get snippets of other people's lives and continue to find h2g2 a rich blessing. It's a keeper - the Facebook world is so transient and I'm a tad wary there, even with the privacy settings.

I am looking forward to Sunday - many members of my family are going to be at the cenotaph in Cleethorpes for the annual Remembrance Sunday poppy wreath-laying service, and my sister, her older son and I are going to the prior church service for the first time ever, weather forecast is bitterly cold for our east coast of England so we'll be wrapped up warm after the ceremonies are over my family are all heading for the cemetery where we buried my Mum last month to present her with our poppies. It'll be the first time any of us have been back since the funeral, doubtless it will be emotional but we are consoled that Mum & Dad are resting together

My cat Goldie continues to provide me with company, warmth and comfort. I don't know what I'd have done without her this year. Coming home to an empty, cold house would have been too much for me some days

On the upside I have a jigsaw going on, it's a comedy one I picked up at St Andrew's Hospice shop last time we dropped some donations in - it's a combination of all the talent shows and there's lots going on. I'm really enjoying sitting down & doing a few pieces at a time, depending on my schedule

On h2g2 I'm updating the constellation articles with new exoplanet discoveries - a never-ending task, but one I am determined to keep on top of!

I didn't intend to write this much I guess I could have done the November journal thing but I'm not happy with my own health and need to lose some weightdue to my comfort-eating and total laziness in taking care of myself since Ian died. My new year's resolution will be to get my act together.
Take care

GB

Hi folks! Thanks for letting me know what y'all are up to. So what was your gluten-free meal, Dmitri? I'll head on over to Create ... would like to see what Paperkid comes up with!
Yeah GB my own parents were rather on the hoarding side of things also ... not pathologically, but still, an immense house full of stuff I don't have the heart to give or throw away. And it is indeed a rather sad thing to come home to an empty house (this one is now about 37 years old) each day ... I'm glad your cat is with you. I only have the company of a few occasional strays ... but I've lots of little animals coming freely to the garden, and I enjoy their company.

I am just back home from a bird-watching outing ... a practice run for the Birding Big Day on the 25th of November. We got just over 140 species and we entirely left out the Game Reserve. And now we had a bit of rain - only a few drops, so I'm hoping a few drops more come to see what's happened to these ones ...

She's only got a total of 3 NaJos, so it won't take long I was reminding her each day, but I was starting to feel like her being on here was my idea, not hers...

My homemade gluten-free meal was fried chicken, stuffing, gravy, cole slaw, and cranberry sauce. With a candy bar for dessert.

They had chicken with (non-gluten-free) stuffing and handmade noodles, also non-gluten free. And ice cream with lord knows what kind of topping.