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

Having been to the Vatican in real life (though I was never anywhere near the Pontiff), it was only a matter of time before I dreamed about the place. This was a lulu of a dream.

I only met the Pope for a few minutes, but he was certainly cheerful and pleasant. He had an older female helper who showed me around the rooms of his residence. What impressed me was that they were not very large, though certainly well-lit with natural sunlight. There were lots of shelves around the walls, with intriguing object on them. The helper graciously gave me some souvenirs to bring back with me. Little tiny glass jars and an ornate jewelled box of some sort, into which I put a delicious piece of from the luncheon that was provided.

I am not sure, but I believe I was there on a group tour. There was still plenty of time to kill, so I took a job in the cafeteria, which was much larger, but fairly dark. They were notn very happy when I said I had to quit and go back with my group.

One more thing: they were very open-minded at the Vatican. They had a radio station, and invited anyone in our group to say anything they wanted. One of our group members was a former Catholic who had written a book about the problems that she felt catholicism had caused for her. She was encouraged to read from her book on the radio.

Dear {aul H.

What a lovely dream!!

The only thing that was a problem with me was your phrase

"Had time to kill....."

Do you know that for years and years and years that is a phrase that gives me the shivers.

That most precious commodity, time.... surely every minute has to be savoured, enjoyed, lived, ......?

I am so looking forward to your first book - or have you already had some published?

All good wishes,

Christiane

Christiane
AR80

Unfortunately, they don't us change what we've already written, or I would change the phrase you mention to "I had time on my hands." Is that better?

Absolutely my dear friend - but it would be wonderful if we could try and get rid of that idiomatic expression!!.

Hope you had a good New year.

Another day- another dollar - as my darling Dick used to say.

Is that an idiomatic expression in the USA I wonder where and how it orginated?

i learned that in greenland people do not speak of time passing, but of time coming. makes a lot more sense to me. every fraction of time is a gift

i am now 3 years older than my father got to be and i try to remember as often as possible how lucky i am



ps: nice dream, paul

What a wonderful way of looking at time pierce the

In this way, one does not dwell on the past but views time as a gift - as a challenge and as something which is going to be longed for and anticipated with joy.
Thank you for that wonderful analysis of time.

Christiane
AlsoRan80

of course we should not forget those poor unfortunate souls who see time as a burden and desperately long to get out

their fates puts our lives in perspective - but that is about the only positive thing i can say about it

and now i will turn my computer off and go for a walk. it is a beautiful day here. the sun is shining from a clear blue sky and since my thermometer is broken i can not know how bitterly cold it is outside

good day to you

Oh my goodmess!!

Pierce did you get back from your walk or did you freeze into immobility?

Quickly - tell us that you are again awarm blooded human being.

CME
AR80

muetters quietly

!What a foolish thing to do - go for a walk , leaving one's wonderful computer, on a freezing cold day, being misled by the sunshing brightly and the beautiful blue sky above.

Come on! This is England, not sunny South Africa. !!

oh i returned all right, thank you. it was a nice walk in the countryside. the water in the sound was calm, but i doubt we will have any ice on it this winter. temperature is rising again

I've tended to do my walking in heated shopping malls rather than icy roads and sidewalks. I can resume walking outdoors when the temperature rises a bit.

but walking in the countryside is nice at all times. nature is amazingly beautiful all year round. once you get used to it you don't think so much about how cold it is as how nice it is to be able to use your legs and the rest of your body and see and hear and use all other senses

okay, i'll stop preaching now

I agree with you, Pierce, but the climate here throws rainstorms followed by freezing at us almost every winter. So, the stuff that coats the roads and sidewalks is ice, not snow. Call me crazy, but I don't relish being in a cast for three months if I go walking on ice, and slip and break something.

oh well, i tend to stay indoors as well when the weather is really bad. i've experienced bad weather so often it doesn't hold that much news to me any more.

Then I think we agree....

oh well, it's not like it's the first time

Nor will it be the last.

Monday 12th January 2009 5.2-GMT

Good morning dear friends

I have been rereading these postings - and it suddenly occurred to me that probably the worst thing about being in a wheelchair is the fact that one can no longer just "go for a walk",

Hence my bothered reply to you Pierce the

However. in my paricular case it has enabled me to live relatively pain free for nearly ten years. Which is a great bonus. Then there are some "virtual" walks which a friend and I have travelled. Some were replicas of old RL ones, and some really and truly "virtual"

So please enjoy your walking all of your. Paul H. take care not to slip on the ice, and Pierce the do please share your RL walks with us who are no longer able to brave the elements.

with a big thank you for the pleasure which you have brought to so many of us.

Your very affectionate wheelchair afficionado

Christiane
AR80

Maybe someday they'll find a way for wheelchair-bound people to walk with their hands. Some people "run" marathons in wheelchairs. They train their arms and get a lot of aerobic exercise from pushing the wheels.

My method is even better.

I have never had the foot rests put onto the chair. so I can sort of pedal myself along - and also put on the brakes if the person pushing me is going to fast. !!
I has helped the circulation of my legs enormously. !!


AR80