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

I've never seen an eel like that, or a giant prawn, but I remember a story my mom told about a possum.

Her dad caught one. This was in Mississippi. He put it in a gunny sack. He gave it to my mom, who wasn't my mom then, just a little girl about eight years old, with cute dimples and bobbed hair.

'Take this to the school principal,' he told her. The school principal was his friend, and he liked a nice, fat possum for dinner.

My mom took the bag, which was, er, moving, to the school. She went to the office.

'My daddy sent you a possum,' she told the principal, and held out the sack.

The principal smiled. 'Thank you, honey. Just put it in the wastepaper basket.'

So she did. Her good deed for the day.

and awww, that is story beautifuly told

There are horrible scenes concerning eels in Robert Harries's book Pompeii.

The wealthy Ampliatus accuses the slave who looks after his fish pools of poisoning the fish and has him thrown into the pool containing a huge eel. Later, he has the huge eel served to his guests as the centre of a grand banquet. But the eel is virtually inedible.

You know, I didn't remember that. Nasty.

whoah, weird eel stories. . Plus added possum story.

I love it.

I've never seen a possum. There weren't any near Hastings. . (coastal resort, SE England, near to where I grew up).

I'd worry if I did see one in Hastings.

I would like to learn about possums.

Just checked a piccie. Are they related to cats? Looks like they have sharp teeth. I wonder what they eat, when humans aren't eating them. . Is an opossum the same as a possum?

I've never seen an eel, either, although in Hastings there would definitely have been jellied eels.

I don't know what jellied eels are.

I am overwhelmed with a deep desire to avoid the jellied eel for the rest of my life. .



OK, here's a geeky passion of mine. Wiring. If you are spooked by tangled wires, look away now.

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/03/disturbing-wiring-part-3.html

It all began when I started to play the synth, a couple of years ago. The digital synth is small and neat and only has a few wires, but the original analogue synth looked like this.

Steve Porcaro my hero.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/abramsv/R-8VzPXRjMI/AAAAAAAANCE/jx8JYx24UY0/s800/2070168575_d4efbbdc59_o.jpg

If I lived in a big space I would get an analogue synth. Ah wires like this! Yes! People try to get back to the analogue sound, using digital synths. I don't know the difference, but I would like to find out.

The history of the synth is very amazing, I think I might go on about it. Oh, I just did. .

An opossum is a possum.

They are marsupials. They are not related to s. They keep their babies in a pouch.

They can be spooky. Once, I sat on my parents' porch after a rain. The sun had just gone down, and it was getting too dark to read my book. I saw something ambling up, out of the corner of my eye.

My first thought was, 'Oh, it's my cat, come to visit.'

My second thought was, 'No, that's not Niki. It's...lord, that's the biggest, ugliest rat I've ever seen.' It ambled up and sniffed my shoe. I didn't move.

My next thought was, 'Aw, it's just a possum.' It went away.

Another day, same porch, it stopped raining. There was a rustling in the box hedge, which shuddered. The possum ROSE from inside the hedge, and emerged on top. I laughed. It was hiding from the wet.

This is some new world, the oppossum. Thanks! Look twice, it's not a cat, it's not a rat, it rises out from the centre of a hedge, this strange marsupial. That bit about the hedge, straaange. I love the way you write this little possum piece, it has made me go a bit peculiar, in a good way.

Not picky eaters, it seems. I just found out that the wild oppossum will eat vegetables, grass, fruit, worms, slugs, insects, mice, snakes, eggs, fish, laptops (they are particularly partial to Windows 8), and they even like cat/dog food.

Can you tell which one of this list isn't true? (cheeky grin).

I'll bet they prefer XP.

With HP sauce

XP with HP

not Bobby we have only just bonded

that is some crazy wiring if you get an analogue synth you have to be a look out for those naughty monkeys who seem partial to a bit of wiring

The possom that rose out the hedge, I love it

Spiller likes to walk along the river path, early in the morning when it is realy foggy and the cows are grazing on the common land, it is so foggy sometimes you can only see their heads so it looks like there are floating, disembodied cow heads observing him ambling by

Hiccup and I went up to Cothlestone Hill, often you will see the Exmoor Ponies there, it was a scary drive in the fog, and if I knew it was going to be that bad I wouldn't have gone.

The bonus was that there wasn't a dog walker in sight, not that I have anything against dogs or dog walkers.

We like to to pet the on this route and it was on this particular route that we once saw a little dog, who didn't cock a leg to pee but did a handstand (pawstand)both back paws in the air and peed on a post with an accomplished aim and we all nearly peed ourselves laughing

It just that they scare the wildlife away

Anyway...

We walked to top of the hill and sat on a fallen tree and cracked open our hot choc. It was stil and quiet and visibilty was poor. It wasn't spooky but it heightened your listening senses.

We heard the ponies before we saw them, and they emerged from the fog, it was mystical, how we contained our excitment I do not know, specially as Hiccup was five. We stayed quiet, talked softly, looked around slowly and carried on supping our hot choc

We were surrounded by ponies they were so close I thought the odd one might be eyeing up our sandwiches and apples

It was magical experience

I can just imagine that.

Especially as it's been foggy all afternoon here, and when we look out the back, the whole little valley between the ridges is shrouded in mist. We won't see any ponies, though - just the occasional deer, if we're lucky.

What amkes it particulary special is the Exmoor Pony is a rare breed of pony, native to here, it status is endangered and critical. They are semi-feral, in that they are owned by someone or an organisation but some still roam freely

It is also a privilage and joy to see them, they usually like you to keep a polite and respectful distance, but are not overly bothered by your presence, being that close was incredible

On another track we came up behind a mother and a tiny foal. We were in the car and on a climb. We stayed a good distance behind but folowed them as they were going our way

Niether Mum nor foal were bothered, they plodded on at their pace,there were places they could have turned off, if they bothered. They went on for ages, and I was inching along, steady

I was so busy concentrating on going slow but so taken by the two of them it wasn't till I stopped I realised that my clutch foot and whole left leg was seized

I was limping for a week

Now, that's a nature lover.

Seriously, though, the whole experience sounds wonderful.

*puts out recycling and washes up* (do I get a free pass into heaven now )

*makes pot of , gets out best teapot , a bottle of plum wine, elderberry wine and off course the slow gin and a 'help yourself sign'*

Got qotd today, the comment about blocked loos in cellars, zebras and spiral staircases

which means we are on the front page and might get visitors, if they click on the link to the thread

so thought I would put out some welcome drinks just in case

if we don't well the washing up and recycling is done, and the drinks won't go to waste

That is one of the best QoTDs I've heard

I'd say not as good as mine, by my ones are much funniner in context, to be honest, I don't think it's my best work being displayed

and thanks, 'one of the best' is a compliment indeed

did you help yourself to a drink, we have clean mugs and glasses and everything

Morning all!

(emerges from Sunday-sonic world of synth sounds)

Beautiful writings about the Exmoor ponies, Peanut, that's so amazing. . The nature writers are at it again, you folks are a book , it's inspiring. I offer you , cheesecake. and peculiar chapter titles.

Morning Nosebagbadger!

qotd? (tentatively ventures over to front page)

Recycling! Out to do ours. its Sunday again already. Time has its foot on the accelerator pedal . What happens to the middle bit? the days between the Sundays?

Tried to watch the 2 hr UFO programme Secret Evidence, on More4 last night, but fell asleep somewhere between the secret evidence and the secret evidence

And ..

One of the best is indeed a great compliment, and I am glad that you appreciate it as such

UFO videos on Sunday...wow...and QotD...the truth is out there...way out there...