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

I don't know I didn't ask. But you don't ask cos if they are ladies of the night and cops see ya, that's it. The cops can work out without ever seeing anything at all about you, your entire life story and motives.

If you are a judge you are a dirty kerb crawler, if you are a vicar you are a dirty kerb crawler, if you are disabled... well its easy life being a copper.

It is not easy being a pimp though just jokin I'm a really.

A lot of jobs are not as easy as they look once you get into them.

Hi Paulh

You are too kind. I was always a lousy housekeeper - and I remain so. I have however, always loved cooking, and now I realise how incredibly important it is to eat the right sort of food, and the right amount. I am sure that is the reason for my great age. !! And I mean to really try and offset the effects of this natural progression of one's life cycle.

Years ago I found a book which suggested that if one had a certain blood type one should eat certain foods. It was then that I discovered that the reason why I really did not enjoy huge juicy steaks was basically bcause I belong to a negative blood group and basically should never have been anything but a vegetarian.

I am one now except for certain fish, and I am convinced that is the reason why I have recovered my senses - at least I think I have!!! - and am coping mentally so much better, although physically, I find that I cannot wheel myself around outside like I used to. I think that I shall have to invest in an electric wheelchair. I do enjoy doing my own shopping though, and yesterday was obliged to go and get some urgent provisions.

I so enjoyed the outing. The taxi comes pracitcally right up to the front door of my block of flats. I swan off in it, and then return with all the lovely provisions which I have just purchased.

Yesterday when the second taxi arrived to bring my purchases and myself back home, I was chatting to the driver, who really made me burst out laughing. As he had a ramp on the taxi, he was able to wheel me into the cab and then put all the parcels into the cab. I thanked him and said how comofortable I was, and his reply was

"Now, come on, lady, don'r try and chat me up!"

I must admit that I nearly burst out laughing; to be accused of chatting up someone when one is an octogenarian is indeed a compliment - or he must be blind. !!

Anyway, he helped me bring up all my parcels in the lift, so that was OK. But I must really try and get someone to come and live-in. One of my h2g2 friends suggested that I should do this some time ago, I tried, and was not successful. If I want to retain some sort of independence and not be obliged to go into an old age home, I think I shall absolutely have to be successful in my efforts.

Ah well, I shall try again.

Go well,

Christiane
AR80

20/II/2010 2.29 GMT

Actually I saw something in the news stating what you eat and how you exercise wouldn't help in the slightest unless you had the right kind of genes, Christian.

In the last year I've been on a fat free diet with regular mild exercise, a few kilometres walking a day. Twelve years ago I was a fitness fanatic down the gym every couple of days for two hours gruelling exercise and was a weekend professional club dancer, often called break dancing but without the theatrical head swivelling but occasionally used to flip head over heals just to show off.

However for approximately twelve years I completely abused my body with heavy drinking and smoking where previously I did neither.

A month ago I went to the for some antibiotics for a chest infection and found myself in emergency surgery where one of the surgeons said, the first who carried out the investigation and called in an expert; I was the closest he had seen a person to death that didn't actually die, and a staff nurse said they thought they lost me for twenty minutes, but then I just came back again.

So it is not what you eat or how you exercise because many live on beefburgers all their lives and only walk as far as the local burger bar.

Age is relative and you sound young in mind, Christian

Dear Pirate Alexander Le Gray.

Thank you for your cheering news. I am glad that you were "made better" by the doctor.

I also wonder about the efficacy of my mind exercises! But they really DO help my memory. It is the immediate recall that I am still lacking. I wheel myself into the kitchen and then sit a and try to remember why I went there!!!! Sometimes I remember, and I certainly remember more often now since I have been doing my exercises.

I agree about te genes. But you see, my dear friend, I am an octogenarian, and have so far survived both a double heart bypass. and the removal of my left lower lobe of my lung and a massive tumour. I am extremely fortunate, and even if it does not help I certainly think and believe that eating correctly does help the body to heal itself.

Thanks for your kind comments.

Christiane
AlsoRan80

20/II/2010 4 00 GMT

Hi Christian

I am pleased your exercises are helping, I'm forgetful and even forget where I left my car when I had one.

Do you keep getting "Please explains" from the old bill, Alexander? It could give you a clue where you left it parked on your street - too near the

I've alweays thought of vegetarianism as the born again christian of foods, eat me or die horribly I was at the doctors the other day, something I do a lot at my age He told me "You need to lose some weight, chunky" (He didn't really say Chunky, but you get the idea) I replied "Give up bacon and grated cheese sandwiches and my fatboy breakfast at the works mess! I'd rather die".
He said "You probably will".
It's good to reach agreement on concord with people The sod then sent me for a glucose tolerance test, which I passed, but involved fasting Very devious and cunning my

My last used to call me fatty even though I wasn't. I was 14 stone almost, 5'8 and with 34" waist.

It was a bit of a shock when he first said it, and eventually changed doctor because I used to do the weights and couldn't see how I could get down to 11 stone without giving up the gym.

Anyway those reminders from the cops about where my car was the day before were very useful.

Eating and exercising sensibly probably never did anyone harm, but I believe in the gene theory myself

It may have saved my life too. I asked the doctor to check certain things and told him about my father and other dead relatives - and lo and behold, a specialist was able to remove something that definitely shouldn't be in my body

I am now 4 years older than my father

Common sense should be applied to any of these sayings. Granted, there are centenarians who got very little exercise, but they are balanced by others of equal age who got a lot of it. What you need to do is live the kind of life that is best for *you*.

My mother has always had very high cholesterol. I inherited this from her. It would be foolish for me to eat a lot iof saturated fat, as my liver would use it to manufacture a lot of cholesterol. So, it may matter a lot what you eat and what kind of exercise you get. Lifting weights might bring out a hidden tendency to get high blood pressure, which is a killer if it continues. There was a body builder in California who had a magnificent body, but he got congestive heart failure and died at 27. This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen!

Don't do it now Paul, packed up exercise started on the juice and I didn't smoke either until 1998 but I used to have the odd 10 packet a week before 1988.

My granddad smoked 50 a day and lived with a fractured skull he got when he was a Sergeant in the army.

Now I only go for rambles and the heaviest thing I carry is my camera. Mind you I was looking at a lens that cost $200,000 and weighs 35lb.

I'm fairly contented with my diet and exercise program. I can swim for a solid hour and not get out of breath. My weight has come down to a safe range. Life is good. All things in moderation.

The liver makes an enzyme whose only known function is to break down nicotine so it can excreted from the body. If it makes a lot of the enzyme, and you happen to be a smoker, you will smoke more so that there will be enough nicotine in your bloodstream to satisfy your addiction. If it makes very little enzyme, you will be unable to handle very many cigarettes and may well give them up after just a few tries.

These are just some of the ways in which your body is unique. You might live a long time, but if you weaken your body, you won't enjoy the later years.

I really miss having swordfighting training twice a week; that's what kept me sane during Uni!

And I want to take riding lessons again, but I practically have to start over, just like I had to re-learn to ride a bicycle.

I got on a shire horse once and it was deaf. It saw an RAF low flying jet and bolted. Whoa whoa whoa whoa deaf or wot. It jumped over a twig on the beach and I got off.

I've only gotten on a horse a few times.

Very dear friends,

What lovely postings. They made me smile and laugh out loud.

Have had a lovely day with K. Now back on my own. But I do not mind it.

K and I have decided to go to Torquay this week for a fortnight. we have not had a break for three years, and although we do not work we do need a change. We both love Cornwall.

anyway, we shall be able to use a computer as the hotel where we shall be staying does have one which one can rent.

with affection to you all

20/II/2010 19.35 GMT

Christiane and Keith.

Just try to avoid Basil Fawlty if at all possible.

Oh Paulh

Why on earth should I avoid him

I just lurve him. !!

CMe
AR79

21/II/2010 8.20

Just don't mention the ........ Perhaps it's better we don't go there It just ends up getting me in trouble, even if us Brits find it so irresistably funny (ha ha, not peculiar). Apparently, I'm told by a respected friend, the French are worse for the unmentionable humour .

I did love Basil's Spanish assistant, "I am from Barcelona". Left me with a life long love of the Spanish, and their language. Salud!

If you go to Spain and watch a re-run you will learn that Manuel is from - Italy

The thing about humour is that you can make fun of everything, but only Jews are allowed to make fun of Jews, only invalids are allowed to make fun of invalids - and so on

There are jokes you can tell your closest friends in the back of a noisy, crowded bar - but never write in a newspaper

Mala, once you have learned to ride a bicycle you never forget it. Maybe riding a is different? I wouldn't know. Never sat on a myself

Dear Christiane, I totally understand why you and Keith have to go somewhere else. We all need a change of scenery from time to time

And isn't returning to your own bed a bliss?