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

Hangs head

But if it makes you feel better I spent the whole day crunching numbers and laying out balconies

We really need a 'Hangs Head' Smiley.

F S

[Amy P]

You're right to not give in, dogs are hard work. Never mind the walking, feeding, grooming, cleaning up in the garden (and during walks - stern look at people who don't ). I'm talking about how much more effort has to go into the housework. Dog hairs are a a to vacuum.

Deb

(This is what I suspected, deb. Shudder).

Day 8

Eeek! Ten minutes to midnight!

We went to the local Big Park Firework Display today. Well, we went and stood across the river from it, as did half of Chelsea. It's not just that you have to pay for tickets, which rather offends me, but the music is EXTREMELY LOUD and the crowds are thick, and I wanted to take the kids.

We took a thermos and were lucky with the rain and the bus. The rain had been pelting down an hour before and I nearly called the whole thing off, but went down to a mild drizzle by the time we left the house. The kids were wearing their full body rainsuits as a result though and, it turned out, it might not be such a good idea to pour coccoa down the kids throats under those circs.

The display was pretty good, as ever. Certainly worth the trip, although my daughter hated the bangs and insisted I pick her up and cover her ears, which was a feat.

And then we went home. Which took ages. Unfortunately we do not live in Chelsea, and the roads were chocca, which meant infrequent buses, all of which were full. So we walked. Well, my son and I walked and my daughter was pulled along on her scooter. For over an hour.

To be fair the kids did not complain. But they were a bit hysterical when we got home.

Still, only once a year. It's not as good as doing it in Stevenage though. Unfortunately, they insist on doing it on the day, and midweek, that means school gets in the way.

With one minute to spare! Get in!

Congratulations! You got it in on time, though people who live in time zones to your west are hours behind you anyway.

In the U.S., Rosetta Stone is thought to be the ultimate language learning method.

[Amy P]

Finally made it....pheew. Have I missed anything? Oh yes I see I have missed loads of good stuff.

In a different context, as a younger person, I worked on a horticulture site. We had one lad, Irish as it happens, who would turn up in the morning for a bit of heavy digging, say, 'I'm just going to get a spade from the store', and promptly disappear for an hour. Later we would find him engaged in a deep philosophical or political discussion with the boss, who was known to enjoy a good chat.

Fireworks should be watched in the rain with a thermos. That's how I remember it, anyway . Oh, and a jacket potato.

Deb

I'm on auto-pilot with my smilies. That first loobrush really should have been a

Deb

Day 9

Have spent the day at Liberty's having lunch with BFF for my birthday. Liberty's, the flowery printmakers, also have this fabulous timbered arts and crafts decorated shop just off Oxford Street. It's got all sorts of odd nicknacks, clothes, antiques, furniture and, of course, fabrics on sale. They also had their Christmas shop out, and since I have decided to go with the flow and relax about the fact that Xmas starts in November, this quite cheers me up. Especially as their ornaments are so desirable.

Liberty's is a fabulous place and so is their cafe.

[Amy P]

I remember going there years ago. It was like a treasure trove crossed with a really nice jumble sale, at least in my memory.

Deb

I've just read SF's evocative journal about a French Christmas market, so now there are at least two places I NEED to be, there and shopping in Liberty's.

Day 10

My MiL has been watching a Russian melodrama for the last five million hours. Sort of like a soap opera, except that they show it in a couple of parts and each part is really really REALLY long.

I think this one is about two contrasting medical students and their intertwining lives. Well, one medical student and one nurse, because about seven hundred hours ago, the well off, spoiled one got the studious not well off one thrown out of the entrance exams for cheating (the rich one was cheating).

I think she might have stolen the poor one's boyfriend too.

But that's ok, because I think the poor one has been sleeping with the rich one's mother's new husband.

I think that might be the entirety of the plot, actually.

This episode has ended on a cliff hanger, unless this was actually the end, which I wouldn't put past a Russian film maker, even if he is doing daytime TV.

The poor one was just about to get back with her True Love (not the husband) when the nightclub they were in caught fire. The last thing we see is the young man fainting on the floor and burning beams comeing crashing down.

To be honest this is in very poor taste. Such an incident has happened in Russia a few years ago and over a hundred people died. I am not sure that making it into a plot point for the Young And the Restless (or whatever) is particularly respectful.

On the upside none of the women have suffered graphic and extensively filmed domestic violence yet. Rather too many shows on Russian TV contain this.

Now, it's not that I think that popular TV shouldn't deal with such a topic at all, ever. That's like sweeping it under the carpet. Just because I find it uncomfortable, doesn't mean I can get away with ignoring it.

But it should be shocking. Not used in every other TV programme.

Of course, when this FINALLY ended, I turned straight over to NCIS and the blood spattered bodies in their morgue.

My MiL has gone to bed, muttering about bad taste.

[Amy P]

I vividly remember the Russian film of War and Peace that came out in the sixties -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063794/ is it I think -- it lasted 8 hours, but that was (I seem to remember) a cut-down version of the original film. They showed it in two parts on consecutive days.

Never has a film so captured a book. My admiration was at stupefaction level.

Sorry to hear that Russian film-makers can also produce low-quality stuff though it is inevitable I suppose.

Deb

I've never seen the movie of War and Peace, Recumbantmant. Might have to consider it now though! But to be fair, this was definitely a made for TV sort of thing rather than a proper movie. Still.

Day 11

Something happened today that reminded me that I simply do not understand the mindset of people who actively set out to skimp on childcare costs by employing people with minimal qualifications, minimal English and minimal interest in kids to look after their precious bundles of joy, and then who treat these people badly.

I mean, I am aware, of course, of the phenomenal cost of childcare in this country, and I am aware that it is not always possible to do what we have done to counter that, but really? Feeding the cats lavishly but forgetting to buy food for your au pair? People have some odd priorities.