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

Hello Scarletchelseawomangirl

Thanks for the call, I thought I'd pop round to see you and have a nose around your place (not a euphemism!)

Also thanks for info and request for reciprication (good word, spelled right?) . I agree about the MC doldrums. There are two new threads today trying to start games of MC for goodness sake! You may have noticed my moniker is included in both, just to try a bit of quiet derailment.

You really want to hear about me? I warn you, it can get boring. The bit that controls my life is a stroke I had in 1992 (at the age of 37), followed by loads of operations, resulting in the fact that I don't do much at all nowadays (except talk to nice people like yourself).

Before I got this computer thingy with the broadband connection, I spent all day reading and watching films. Books; mainstream fiction, history, philosophy, biography, travel: films; japanese (hence nickname), french, indian recently, spanish, mainstream and arty, you name it. Now I've become Mr Online and seem to have this thing on my lap all day long (ooer missus), reading the papers and magazines, partaking in the occasional message board and emailing far-flung friends.

Now that I've suitably depressed you for the rest of the day, on the plus side; I have a brother (45), a half brother (21), twin nephew and niece (17) and both parents still living. I have a small group of very good friends. My brain and arms still work even if my right leg doesn't (I count that as a plus!). And I enjoy red wine and good food.

Enough for now? I think that's the most I've ever talked about myself to someone I've never met! Now it's your turn!

Well Peter, All Power to all bits of you!

You are the sort of person who has the questionable privilege of putting other people's lives in perspective.

It is a pleasure to speak to you and GO AND GET 'em for me on the MC board - I just want to have a bit of a laugh (Istvn and I have egged each other on somewhat!) - and having the 'which ever' L/R side? of me brain in gear - I am not so good at the revised rules and Huffington's anything - There is only so much 'true' MC that any sane person can play!

You are an inspiration, and have not depressed me in the least! and indeed, I deem it MY luck to hear about you and your family - clearly top folk.

The last film I saw - last night on vid. The Shipping News - perhaps a bit of a girlie film - but i'm a girlie, and i loved it. Last Spanish film: All About My Mother - FFAABB!!!!!!

Indian films... I am a 'part time' Chelsea Girl - so I did purchase from H.A.Rrods last year, various films to put in my daughter's Christmas Stockings - some of which were Indian - however I forgot where I put them - so they will have to go in this year's.

My turn: 42, divorced mother of two 18 & 15 year old daughters. Partner who is fellow painter - equally concerned as Peter Sturdgess re my familiarity with innuendo and flirtatiousness on the MB!

I live in Dorset mainly, on the coast,(London at other times) and my father is at present in a Nursing Home in the next village, having had a fall and a hip op at the age of 80 - not that old - but events and injuries of WWII have made him more frail.

My mother battled heroically with various forms of cancer for the last 10 years and died last Nov. So we have been through a bit recently...and I am a little tired - hence my tuning in to the message boards - which, I have to say, were a great help when Dad was in Hospital.

I don't like red wine - or rather - it doesn't like me - I go for a good old chardonnay - I hate to disappoint!
And I am a damn fine cook! When I was married, and didn't have to earn a living, painting my heart out, I used to bake all our bread and still would, if i didn't have several too many bods to look after at the moment! My Nom de h2g2 should be 'Laundry Lass'!

I'm glad you felt able to talk to this stranger, and hope you will continue to do so!

Chelsea, Scarlet Woman, Girl - really - Sarah!

Hi Sarah

Well, this is very pleasant; two new friends chatting.

I always thought Dorset would be a beautiful place to live. I have a few friends'n'family living around the area that I'll tell you about. I have a cousin who lives some of the time in London and the rest of the time in Cerne Abbas. He is a composer and had a cd out called "A Dorset Suite". His name is Paul French and his record label is DisCerne, a name I wish I'd thought of.

My brother lives just up the road from there in Frome. Jamie is a sound engineer for bands when they're out on tour. He has recently been touring with Van Morrison.

Just outside of Dorset, just down the coast at Axmouth near Lyme Regis is the abode of my mother's second husband's niece's family. We went down to visit them a few weeks ago. By "we" I mean myself, my mother and her husband, as I don't drive anymore (little sob, I still miss my car after all this time). Leaving them after a pleasant lunch sat in the garden of their local, we set out to drive back to Reading, missed the turning and ended up in Lyme Regis, turned back towards Axminster, missed another turning, followed a B road all the way to Crewkerne and finally hit the A303 somewhere north-east of Yoevil. But not until after we had seen some gorgeous Dorset countryside.

We were on our way back from Cornwall where we have some friends with a house in Penryn. Moving down there from Reading is becoming more and more inviting. Or should I say living in Reading is become less inviting. It's far too expensive to live in nowadays, especially when one's lifestyle is being financed by the DSS. (They don't seem to realise that two holidays abroad per year is necessary to my health and well being!)

I'll leave it at that for now. If you are interested I'm going to try and start some journal entries which may be worth - I hope - a peruse. I've posted one extolling the wonders of Bollywood which I intend to expand on soon. Which reminds me. "All About My Mother" - one of my favourite films. No, really! That and "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" are the two best Almodovar films. But then any film that features Penelope Cruz as a pregnant nun has to be different.

I'd just like to finish by saying how much I appreciated your last message. It really made my day.

See you here or over with the MCers soon!

Hello again,

This is going to be V. short - as the sun has finally reached this misty part of Dorset - and I have just spent all morning in Dorchester Market - so need to go out and experience it!

Sounds like your step father or mother has a similar problem with driving as me! I get lost at every opportunity - infact these days I won't drive anywhere I don't know - slightly limiting -but it is a character flaw that causes much amusement amongst my friends! The first time I failed my test was because I turned left thinking it was the 'right' mentioned by the examiner. I am hopeless - and thinking of investing in one of those computer thingies when I finally have to get a new car.

Lucky Jamie - I am a Van Morrison fan - but suspect he might be a tad tricky to work with! The DisCerne is very good - I will keep an i out for the Dorset Suite.

Cornwall - lovely - we try and rent a house there most years - once our season here has ended. Padstow has become our favourite spot for a base - reasonably central - and great food when we return after a days tramping about. Only drawback is those tiny little roads which can only take one car - i'm rubbish at reversing too! By the way, very yummy fish and chips are to be had in Lyme Regis - right on the Quay.

Well, longer than I thought... see you later,
Sarah