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

Hi coelacanth

You wrote to Hati:

>>Won't your daughter feel left out?<<

I was thinking along the same lines yesterday and will send the kids a card each. I've met both of them so that gives me the privilege - or so I would like to think. .

It won't take the bubbles out of 'almost 9''s special day if she has one or two greetings while he gets many.

Pleased to meet you - I have seen you around but never actually exchanged words with you

tartaronne

Hi tartaronne! Thank you for dropping by. Pleased to meet you too.

I've chatted with Hati about her daughter in the past, one of mine is about the same age and like all teenagers, they do make us go sometimes. I like the idea of you sending something for her too, since you've met them. I'll remind myself to ask in a few months time when she has her birthday as well.

This is h2g2's strength, that people from all over the world connect. I was in London on Saturday evening to meet up with a small group who had been to the Science Museum exhibition. Hypatia over from America, Titania flew in from Sweden and the other people from all over the UK. Hypatia is over for 2 weeks and is being looked after by researchers for all of it, getting to see so many different places. Isn't that brilliant!

I'm very thrilled about Hypatia's visit to Britain and all the going-ons. (And a tiny bit )

In the beginning of the year I was hoping I could go myself. But now I follow Le Tour de Grande Bretagne via the Atelier conversations. .

I'm only a bit younger than Hypatia, and I have enjoyed her contributions to the Atelier and would very much have liked to meet her. Hope you had a good time.

I was at at mini-meet in Copenhagen last month with Hati, Pierce and Milla (Swede), so I shouldn't be greedy

I'm Danish by the way - and a long lost friend of Pierce's. We studied together about 30 years ago. He introduced me to this place three years ago - and I've spent (too) much time here since. A brilliant, intelligent, funny and friendly community, indeed.

I've met Pierce! He came to London a few years ago and we arranged a mini meet around him. Perhaps you will make it here one day after all.

Poor Hypatia seems to have caught an English cold and her feet ache, so I hope she'll last the rest of the week. She'll have plenty of memories anyway.

I've sent a very boring looking postcard off to Estonia. I didn't mean it to be boring but the only ones I could find locally looked about 20 years old! It will still be exciting for him anyway. If Hati has a map she can show him all the places in the world where the cards come from. I have an idea of what I will send to his sister in a few months time.

I've sent them a postcard each - the free ones we get at caffées - (ad for Sky Radio featuring Anastacia and ad for a film featuring Harry Potter) - but in an envelope with little tokens added, fun stuff like balloons and rubbers.

I haven't been in England since my oldest daugther was 11 (in 1984) as far as I remember.

My husband and I would like to see Scotland and have wild plans about driving from the south coast of England up to the far North....when we win on the polls, in lotto or whatever

My youngest (son) turns 16 today, and the next in line 18 (girl) is planning to move out at the end of the summer . My husband has a son of 28 - and we have three grandchildren. .

It doesn't look my postcard arrived yet but we had a Bank Holiday this week which delays things. The stamp was 42 pence which seemed very apt. Perhaps one day you will do that drive and get to meet lots of h2g2 researchers along the way.

How was your son's birthday? Sunshine, my eldest daughter, leaves at the end of the summer too, to go to university. She's going to be a . I'm very excited for her but the house will be so quiet (and much tidier). Of course, my youngest, Moonlight, wants to go too but she has to wait a couple of years.

Do your grandchildren live near to you?

42 P

Both our adult children (I have a daugther 31) live in or near Copenhagen - with the grandchildren - and it is five hours travel to get there, sadly enough.

The birthday went well. The son attends a live-in school where pupils can go for the two final years (the 9th and 10th class) of ordinary school (obligatory). They live 22 together in each of four houses and have a great time with their peers. This school also offer special subjects like drama, music, media and art besides the obligatory Danish, Maths and so on...

We conspired with one of the girls in his house, and she made sure all the cohabitants were present, and the evening/night-teacher knew we came - and never let the son know. So he was very surprised when we - husband, daugther, her boyfriend, my brother and I turned up with cakes, cocoa and loads of presents. He doesn't really like to be the center of attention, but the youngster are good at creating a warm and friendly atmosphere for each other. And some took time out from the wargame they were playing around the houses.

When all was eaten and the kids went for evening tea, the son played us some Hendrix he has learned. He took up guitar less than two years ago and has learned a lot - especially from his mates at school.

...oh, and good luck to Sunshine. I know what you mean about tidy My daugther is a saver and a hoarder. We have bags of second hand clothes and piles of bits and pieces that might come in handy.

Next year the son again will go to a (different) live-in school - and we will be all alone

I didn't realise I'd left this conversation so long! I posted something to Hati's daughter for her birthday, a BBC pop music magazine from the UK. And, of course a postcard for Hati.

As I predicted, my house is much quieter - and tidier. Sunshine seems to be having a great time at university and Moonlight is missing her like mad, but there's always the phone. Mine has a loudspeaker, so I put it on and it's like having her in the room again. We all talk at once, interrupt each other and laugh a lot. She promises me that she's eating properly and trying to get enough sleep. Then she tells her sister about the bar and the boys.