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

We had an interesting speaker today for our Ladies Circle Tea at the library. Her name is Lisa Livingston-Martin and she has written a book titled "Civil War Ghosts of Southwest Missouri". Most of the stories included took place locally, which naturally makes them more interesting to those of us who have longstanding family ties to the area.

We are old friends and were shooting the bull after most of the guests left when the topic turned to historians in general and Civil War historians in particular. It is so frustrating that the halls of academia are lined with experts who have absolutely no interest in anything that happened west of the Mississippi during the Civil War. They just don't think any of it is important.

Well, it was important to the families living here who lost absolutely everything as a result of the war and it's aftermath. This isn't going to be a history lesson. I'm too tired and no one here is interested. But I will give you one small fact to illustrate my point. In April 1861 the population of my county (Jasper County) was a little over 6000. At the end of the war there were less than 50 and every single one of those was a woman or child. There were no men, no livestock, no homes, no businesses. So don't tell me nothing happened here that was of any importance.

Yours may still be considered a 'new' country, Hyp. Yet it is steeped in history. It's good that someone is able to tell local stories to local people.


lil x

I know what you mean, Hypatia. When we wrote the online US history course, we were strapped for space. The Civil War west of the Mississippi took up one page.

It was about the Battle of Glorieta.

Dang, Dmitri. You didn't even mention Jasper County? I'm so surprised. But thanks for that one page.

lil, I agree. Kids need to learn their own history.

That reminds me of the Finnish Winter War, one of the many small wars that were part of WW2, known mostly only by Finns and some Swedes (who went there to join Finland's cause and fight on their side, even though Sweden remained, officially, neutral). My form master (class 4-6, age 10-12) was one of them, or I would never have known. I got some information about the war included in the collaborative entry A930232

Hi lil and Hypatia and Elektra,

I wrote to all of you yesterday but somehow, in spite of all your help, my postings do not appear to have materialised.. Perhaps i did not finally post them?

I really would like to be in contact with you all, as well as Shea the Sarcastic and paulh and pierce the pirate and my other friends, However I cannot seem to get anywhere. Gnoman did help me because he has my real email but I seem to become undone when I try h2g2 account.

I am very keen to write up a few things.

Tips for those of us who have experienced strokes of one's brain.

It really is true that my memory exercises are helping me. But not a soul believes me. i think that Icy has asked Dr. Zen to help, and he has written to me telling me that he is going to do some research and let me know the result.

however, as I am remembering more and more fascinating things of my quite wonderful life, and so wish to both confirm what I remember, and also to share it, but nothing seems to materialise. .

I am sure that what I am remembering is what actually happened. However, perhaps it is difficult to corroborate except with a history book. !!!! When one is as ancient as I am, I suyppose all you youngsters look on me as an odduty!!!

~with much affection to all my friends, old and new ones hopefully,


AlsoRan80
AlsoRan83
Christiane

Sunday 13th November 2011 13.11 BMT

My dear Hypatia,

I have been trying to get through to you without success. So you are now working on the number of days before your retirement.?

I so well remember your lovely visit to me with Teucher to my new seaside home.
Well i am still going strong, and trying to write my experience of having a stroke and retraining one's memory. It is possible although i think that the medical fraternity will be having kittne.s !!

I do hope you have the time to send me a message. It is really good to recognise friends with the same name - even if unlike me, they do not add a number to their nom=de=plume.

with affection

AlsoRan83
Christiane

Tuesday 22nd November 2011 8.10 GMT

Hi Christiane. It's wonderful to hear from you. I apologize for not responding to your first post. With all of the NaJoPoMo journals, this one got buried in my conversation list.

I'm doing ok. Keeping busy as always. The library always has something or other going on it seems. And now there are all of the holiday preparations to make.

The writing sounds like wonderful therapy for you. I hope you keep at it.

Right now I am in the process of rearranging some furniture while I wait for the plumber. I am heartily sick of drain problems. I will have a house full of guests Thursday for Thanksgiving, so I need to get all of the drains open before then or there will be a real mess.

Take care, dear, and stay in touch.

Hypatia

Hi dear Hypatia.

It was sooo wonderful to hear from you. thank you for taking time off to reply.

Do you know you really seem to have a lousy pluming system or a lousy plumber. !! I seem to remember you having that problem before. am I correct?

I also remember the last time that you painted the Kitchen. and the fact the you have a lot of cats - or seem to have.

what on earth are you going to do when you retire? will you move somewhere else. You will be sorely missed.

Oh! I am so glad that we are in touch again. There are a few other friends whom I would like to be in touch with again. Hope I can.
Do you still keep in touch with Teucher?

With much affection and happy plumbing today. !!

AlsoRan63
Christiane.

Thursday 24th November 2011 9.10 GMT