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

I have a recurring dream in which I look at plates that had been in storage for a few years, and I find that the bright, vivid patterns that they once had are now so faint that I hardly see them.

When I was growing up, there was a marvelously optimistic and hearty woman in my town who lived at the foot of the hill where our church was located. On Sunday mornings, she would climb straight up the hill, even in her old age. When the hymns were being sung, she sang loudly and confidently. She taught metalworking to generations of boys in 4-H club, and for girls she had classes in cooking and baking and sewing. My sister learned a lot from her. When she got into her late 80s, she remarked to my sister one Spring day that the leaves weren't as green as they used to be.

Some present colours seem faded, but those of the past are even crisper than when they were real ...

Enthusiasm fades, alas. The shiny new plate possibly seemed brighter than it was. Later on, you look at it again and see it as it really is. Maybe the woman was remembering how green the leaves were when she was younger and in love with life. The disappointments that you suffer as your body weakens and you can't do what you used to do may make the leaves seem less magical.

Or, maybe her colour sense was fading? That does happen sometimes.

The grass is always greener on the other side... It's still manky when you get there

You know Paul, I have always been 'shade-blind' to a degree. I could easily recognize 8 or 9 basic colours, but shades in between were lost on me. Stuff was red, or blue, or orange. As years go on, I am actually becoming able to see the subtler differences. Isn't that an odd reversal?

I think it's great, dear friend!

I think so too, ... until a wife wants an opinion on a shade of sheer drapery that I can't even ponder the spelling of, let alone recognize it from a common blurple.

Is this "a wife" your own, or someone else's?

Mine, of course. What might I know of others' wives?

Could be a generic wife or a wife in the Platonic sense.(forms)

"Mine, of course. What might I know of others' wives?"

I can't answer that, but all sorts of intriguing possibilities are opening up in my mind as we speak.

Mistadrong, the idea of generic wives gives me the willies.
No, wait, the Willies were dead brides in some French ballet, which is hardly an improvement.

I have some memories where the sun seemed extra bright and not glaring or hot. It was either March or a really happy day.

Some things really were brighter in the past. I mean things like red and white kitchens, yellow rooms, vivid clothing colors all before the neutral and pastel eras of the 70s and 80s.

Color acuity can be enhanced by essential fatty acids and vitamin A.

Evangeline, one night I dreamed that the sun was as bright as nuclear blast, and I was desperately trying to find curtains that would block it out.

*giggles*

A number of our HGV drivers had been on a particularly demanding repeat run (something not encouraged) for about 3 months, and sleeping in their cabs during the week.

One night, one of the drivers was found standing naked in front of their bedroom window, opening the curtains saying:

'How can I be expected to drive, when I can't see where I'm going!'

Most annoying dream I ever had was: While really studying for a test, fell asleep, dreamed I was studying for the test, woke up to go to school feeling like I'd had no rest.

One of my friends used to sleepwalk. One night I woke up to find her perched on a windowsill something like 7 floors up. Didn't want to startle her, so I said nothing as the window was closed and hopefully locked. For an hour or so she sat there doing something that I couldn't determine because it was too dark. Next morning she says 'I couldn't sleep last night, so I got up and played solitaire on the windowsill using the moonlight to read the cards'.

old captain who built my ship's model used very bright colours

old artists tend to do the same

colours (or eyesight) may fade with age

Dear Piercer the

Thank you for giving me the get out stakes. !!

The problem is that definitely my eyesight is going - diabetes could be the cause but obviously the aging process has something to do with it.

I believe there was a wonderful play/poem written by - OMG - was it Dylan Thomas to/about his father.

something about
"Go angry into the night. .....

Those words always worried me when I was young.

They worry me still because I honestly am not angry about it.

I believe that if one has lived a fulfilled life, one accepts the inevitability of death.

I also do not like being called a "serior citizen".

There is nothing senior about the way that we oldies are treated.""

Why not be honest about us and call us Geriatrics?.

I have no problem with that, particularly as I think I have still got quite a lot of life in me!. I also very seldom regret anything that I did. I believe - oh dear -I shall have to take issue with Voltaire again...

I hope you have had a good weekend, and that your aches and pains have abated.

Christiane
AR80
Sunday 23rd August, 2009 18.45 BST

This post has been removed.

Oh dear.

What a way to open my Home Page . To find that someone has replied to one of my postings and that the reply has gone to be moderated.

well, I hope that it is reinstated. Otherwise that the reason for it being joderated is conveyed ti both the writer and to myself.

AlsoRan80

Monday 24/VIII/2009 4.a.m. BST

Saddened to wake up and find that ab ebtrt ub reokt gas bee niderated,

I have already written a reply but that was Hidden so gave accidentaly returbed to the site and find that there is a reply button so am writing one again.

I hope that if is is removed, both the writer and i WILL BE INFORMED OF IT AND ALSO THE REASON.

gREETINGS.

AME
AR80