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

I fight for Cromwell and Parliament - A pox on the King. It does tend to get quite serious and people are loyal to their side.

I haven't heard of William Lilly.

I know some members of the Napoleonic Soc. and the ECWS took the field against them with World War II guys as surprise backup! We also met them at the Battle Proms in Coventry and they tried to recruit us to their display as they were short on numbers - It's a shame I didn't have my licence with me (but I would never have been able to keep their pristine white trousers white!!)

I will throw the words 'coy' and 'carp' indiscriminately in Sonics direction and see what the reaction is!

William Lilly was Cromwell's astrologer whom he consulted on when and where to fight battles. You don't think of Cromwell being that kind of a guy do you? Lilly wrote this amazing tome called 'Christian Astrology' which was mostly about Horary Astrology (the astrology of questions - most people didn't know their birthdate let alone time so they would look up the star position of a time when they asked a particular question).

Something flattened a load of iris and water hyacinth and stirred up the pond-weed overnight. We have a pond predator! Will have to try and count the fish again. I see Maurice the Tench a lot but I've not seen Norris since he went in. Being a Tench he's supposed to stay at the bottom but Maurice isn't so keen.

If I did battle re-enactments I'd be a Prussian hussar at Waterloo I think. Cavalry!

Doris the fish kopped it today. I think she was shagged to death (I wonder if I'm allowed to use that word? Soon find out...)

We found her all limp and breathless on the top of the pond a few days ago but she was alive. She seemed to be awfully hot so we put the fountain on (actually it's the hose on spray but I'm just being pretentious) and she cheered up.

But the last three days she's been chased round the pond by Horace and hassled to death (literally). I presume I sexed the two of them right and Horace thought she was going to lay eggs. Maybe she did. But she was a goner this afternoon.... Sigh.

The man in the petshop says they often die of over-exertion and/or excitement in the mating season. Golly...

Hellooooooo. I'm back and I feel great!

Sorry to hear about the sad demise of Doris - what a way to go! We have not lost all ours, just half of them. Fish, Fish and Fish are OK but the rest have vanished into the great unknown.

I have just taken a two week holiday and it was just what I needed. I had 4 days by myself and the rest of the time with my husband. We decided to go on a 'tour' of Lincolnshire visiting sites of historical interest relating to our geneology. It was really good fun. An during the 'me' time I cleared out some clutter and strolled down memory lane. I am still smiling at some of the things I have done in my life and remembering the people I have known. Thank you, reading your aticle spurred me on and instead of viewing the clearing out as a chore I had fun while I did it (and got rid of loads)!

That's wonderful! I'm so pleased. Sounds like a lovely trip. Lincoln Cathedral is quite something isn't it? (or am I confusing it with Durham? )

I'm a bit shattered - my beloved 13-year-old beagle had something like a heart attack on Friday evening and I sat up with her all night (having not realised that there are 24-hour vets in London) thinking that this was it...

She was in a dreadful state but picked up amazingly with some homeopathy and the vet was very kind and supportive and now she's home and better, though she'll have to take drugs for the rest of her life.

Part of me is thinking 'all that angst and I'm going to have to go through it again another day...' and the rest is just so glad to have her back. Odd how she just seems to be a part of me. I know pets are very special but I hadn't really felt it at that depth before.

It was also very moving that when she was so ill she totally wanted to be with me; I thought animals went off on their own when they were ill...

Back to fish. I bought this lovely silver koi carp and a comet to replace the two shagged-to-death fish. The comet - a goldfish with a lovely long wavy tail - is around but I've not seen the koi since I put him in the pond. As I'm supposed to feed him that's a bit odd. Don't think we've got a heron...and he's big enough to spot a body on the top...

I have never been to Durham but Lincoln is something. We went on the roof tour and it scared the life out of me - That roof is just resting there, not fixed in any way!!!!

The castle is quite good fun too.

Sorry to hear about your beagle. I hope she is feeling better now. Pets do form such strong links to us humans. My parents Border Collie was never the same after my mum died and just sort of lost the will to go anywhere or do anything.

Our pond is almost ready for fish now but I have no idea what we will get. I will let you know when it is populated.

that roof sounds seriously

Didn't realise you had a pond as well as a rainbarrow. They are just so satisfying. We've got midges and mozzies now (ho hum) but I can still sit for half an hour at a time (which is good for me!) just looking and enjoying the life in there.

I got another Bunkum fish...just a tiny one...The petshop says the koi carp must have jumped out...weird.

The beagle is much better, thanks. She still doesn't want to go for walks very much but she's capable of jumping up onto the spare bed again and she hasn't done that for months. We had a lovely time in the garden together over the weekend...I planted vegetables and she chewed her marrowbone. It's probably not good for her but I let her have 'iced bone' on hot days (bone out of the freezer). She loves it!

When I first met you we didn't have a pond! It is about 2 weekd old but we already have frogs, water boatmen and water snails. Sonic much prefers spending time outside and will spend hours by the pond watching the wildlife in preference to the TV. I will spend short bursts of time in the garden and disappear in the house when it gets too hot or the kids next door get too intrusive.

I still find this astounding but we had to install a CCTV camera recently to prevent the neighbours children from destroying our garden (and they are still Juniors school age)! We have even had the police round when the kids broke into our shed and stole some dangerous tools (like a sythe) - not that they did anything about it. After all, as home owners we have no rights against trespassers, burlars and the like .... I will get off my soap box now!

We might be having some baby bunnies! We have three rabbits, two females and a male. The male is actually a house bunny and we took him outside the other night but he seemed to be having problems working out which end to aim for!!! Not only that but I inadvertently got them on CCTV!