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

Good morning Ham,your here ? In person ? hahahahhahhaha We've REALLY got to stop meeting like this you no hahahhahhaha

Well booger me. How long ago were your folks there? I've been living in Wallie for about sixteen years now, I used to come to the Labour club for big dart competitions before that, when we lived in a village called Woodcote. The first steward I can remember was a bloke from Grimsby called Steve. I stopped going a few years ago, I was watching an England match and this bloke came out with the nastiest racist abuse you ever heard, I had a stern word and all the locals turned on me! Never been back since, which is a shame cos the CIU card was handy up North. Eeeee, ain't it a small word though hinny? More than a couple of lagers too many yesterday, gorra mooth like a drain, off to make a cup of tea, see you.

Hahahahhahhaha it is a small world Ham..Me Mam and Dad were steward and stewardess there in 1986..They didn't stay very long as they bought their own pub in Basingstoke and moved there..They've been everywhere man hahahahaha Yes me Dad paid his CIU dues right up until he died a couple of years ago ! He always went to the local club up home,Castletown,when we managed to get up there..Thats where we're from,just outside of Sunderland ! Near Hylton Castle..though not many Geordies have heard of it mind you hahahahahahaha Enjoy your tea,I'm off to have a cup as well..I'm day off today, YEY ,it's like heaven for me today..I'm going to do absolutely nowt hahahahahhahha See you soon Take care

But you're up and about early still, I'm an early riser myself when the wind's in the right direction! I can't get over the coincidence, I must have been in the club at some point when your folks were there, not surprised they didn't stay long to be honest, you lived in Basingstoke as well then? Bloody awful place, most roundabouts anywhere on Earth apparently, I used to go down there playing rugby and we always kicked off half an hour late cos we all got lost on the bloody roundabouts! Hey I know I write some tosh but I like chatting don't feel you have to respond to my inanities, just a few words when you've got time hinny! Crikey, you're getting to know my routine, you know it's meat draw day, and yesterday I had the last six of my beers that I won in the beer draw last week, and a few more on top I'm afraid, but I finished off fixing my shed this morning which blew the cobwebs away and I'm ready for a few revivers. Your pal Ham.

I like chatting as well hahahhaha Must be a North Eastern thing eh ? Yes,I lived in Basingstoke,and yes,I agree,not one of the best places to live Ham ! Me Dad bought the Station Hotel,Vine Rd (or street) ,the pub was OK,the people were OK..Just the place that wasn't all that.I'm sure you know what I mean !! I was late back from the market this morning,so I'm now running late..No change there then !! hahahahaha Hope you have a good day.I'll write later..You take care pet.See you soon

Well my dreary, (and last) workaday Monday morning has just been made, don't you go rushing around and write when you can. Wor lass has just left for work, she works in Henley and intends to carry on for a couple of years, she's an auxiliary nurse with a GP practice, she just loves it, (the job!) she's been there 20 odd years. I'm sort of glancing through the papers looking for something, but my inclination is to have a couple of months off and recharge my batteries, I've never had a break in 45 years really, except for a couple of months on the dole on Tyneside 30 years ago, and that was a bloody nightmare! Our main holiday last year was in Canada, all my family are over there, but much as I love them you come back more stressed than when you went! I'm the only boy and the youngest of four, (two surviving sisters.) They're both over there and although they're well meaning there's always a tug of war going on, the saving grace is my wonderful nephews and neices who know how to enjoy themselves, but there's some filial rivalry there too, but they've got young families and we both adore kids, so that bit is very enjoyable. I'm off on one again aren't I? still in me Calvins, haven't shaved yet and....... But they can't sack me! Speak to you soon, Ham.

Sorry to jump in here but I did a lot of the plumbing in the then new houses near the railway line in Wallingford back in 67 or 68 , it's a small world indeed

Sadly,I can't be sacked either Ham ..Doesn't mean I don't keep trying though..Believe me,I try,every minute of everyday ,I try hahahhahaha Yes,your last Monday..I don't know just how I would feel you know ? Happy,in many ways,sad too I suppose ! I know how you must be feeling Ham.Honestly,something will turn up when you least expect it..have you not thought about repairing bikes or something ? You know,turning a hobby into a money earner ? Just a thought..I do sometimes you know,I amaze myself,on the odd occasion,I can think sometimes hahahahhahha I do know what you mean about families.I've got 2 sisters and 2 brothers,and millions of bairns everywhere...you canna beat it man hahahhahahaha OR,can you I wonder ? I'll never know Ham,my life evolves around my entire family,everyone of them !!! Right,I'm off,I could stay here all day chatting to you but that won't get the bairns a pair of new shoes now will it ? hahahhaha Catch you later and drive carefully.Oh ,and don't forget to shave OK ?

Oooopsey,sorry.I didn't see your mail Arnold.Hope your well ? And your right,this worlds getting smaller with every conversation hahahhaha Speak soon x

They call it the Bunk line locally Arnold, the enthusists have reopened it and they run steam trains down to Cholsey about 4 miles away at weekends. They have a really good folk festival here in the summer, called the Bunkfest, the whole town is full of music and dancers and everything it's great. I think they have a permanent website, put Bunkfest on a search and look it up. They do the 'Singing Train', where anybody who can do a bit gets up and plays, and I did it this year, it was just a great atmosphere. I remember singing Travelling Light, (I'm pretty shameless when it comes to crowd-pleasing) and the whole trainload was singing along! I couldn't get a formal gig with my band so we just set up and played in the garden of the Cross Keys, the place rocked! I'm pushing 60, and this kid about 15 borrowed my mate's guitar and he was like Hendrix! If you can imagine Metallica meets Lonnie Donnegan you'll get the idea, no prizes for guessing who was who. I'm pretty pragmatic about finishing work Pinky, the reality is I couldn't have gone on I was knackered and at the end of my tether, it's just a fact of life, there's not many front liners in the business I'm in over 50 never mind 60. My pension should ennable me to get a 'cushy little number' somewhere, as you say, without having to worry too much, but I will feel anxious in the meantime, it's just the way us hard working boogers are ain't it gel? Oh I got a bike off Ebay, seems to be a real bargain, full suspension, should be a nice easy ride which is what you need at my age! Can't stand the bumps any more! Speak to you soon, Ham.

I have to agree with you Ham,I think we feel lazy,or inadequate,or perhaps we just like the nosiness of working with people hahahahhaha If we're not keeping ourselves busy,we don't feel right.It's that Northern thing,you know how we are ? If I'm sat down for 2 minutes at me Mams ,she'll find me something to do hahahaha No rest for the wicked,God,I MUST be evil me !! hahahahahahaha I'm pleased you got your bike though,the more suspension the better right ? So,you play in a band then ? I was the lead singer in a band a few years ago,up home !! I'm the only female who can sing 'Purple Haze',better than Hendrix ever could,but lower hahahahahaha Ermmm huskier then !! hahahahhahaha YES,I am telling the truth !!! Believe me !!I do know what you mean about being knackered at work..Some jobs,yours in particular,are more mentally challenging,and leave you feeling drained and worn out Ham..I felt like that when I worked in the Civil Service..Dealing with the general public,is testing,dealing with the general public who have problems,is even more testing ! Have a good holiday with your wife.You'll come back refreshed,and hopefully find something you enjoy doing.I hope so .Right,I'm off to have a cup of tea and chill out before work hahahahahha I feel like I've done a FULL WEEK already hahahha Speak soon Take care pet

Well yes, one lad I've played on and off with for years asked me to come out of retirement, we did have a website on mySpace so you could see my handsome features but he changed our name recently and he's reconstucting our site, I'll check it out later. Thing is some of the folk on here are a bit worrying, (not this thread) but of course anyone can read it and to be honest one or two people I've encountered strike me as being a bit sinister, I'm pretty sure one guy reads every darned word I write, and I'm not paranoid honest! Wouldn't want to give too much away, sad but that's the way it is on here. So we've did some great gigs, playing the barmiest mix of songs you ever heard, not made any money but free beer's good enough for me. Actually, we played a Shelter project gig in Shepards Bush at Christmas and that was just great, and all we got there was bottled water! As I said to the lads, 'well look on the bright side, if they don't like us they can't booger off home', but of course there's lot's of heavy drinkers there, and shall we say the audience were in good spirits. We do a fair few rugby club gigs, which are fun, but not much in the pipeline at the moment. Actually I'm soloing at my leaving do, just in a bar in Wycombe, and to be honest that's what I like best,you're in control and it's all down to you if you screw up. I might resurrect my folk club career, (such as it was) when I get back from holiday, don't really play folk but you can get away with anything acoustic. Did you do the club circuit up North or what? If push comes to shove I'll do a summer season busking in Blackpool, you can't miss me I'm the big bloke with the cowboy hat and the blue guitar!

Hope it's not me your worried about .


I also lived in Wycombe in 71 to 73 before I went to the states I had an apart in a large house on the main road A40 i reckon opposite a large green ? and there was a pub close by that had live music all the time think the pub's name was a tree of some sort ?

Don't be daft Arnold, course not. I work close by where you're talking about (I think) the big green would be the Rye, which is a pretty darn wonderful open space with a park, soccer pitches etc going down to the Wye stream which is pretty small rivulet after which Wycombe was named.

Or was it The Nags Head?

Don't know, the pubs on the London Road, (A40) many are derelict these days which is a shame, you might remember the Friend at Hand which was at the West Wycombe end of the London Road, a massive place, I passed there yesterday and the site had been cleared for housing, these big old road houses have outlived their usefulness I'm afraid, and only the best will survive, there must have been over twenty between Wycombe and Beaconsfield but many are closing or have closed. I should be in Wycombe in half an hour actually, gotta go.

Enjoy yourself

Good Morning Bonny Lad..a blue guitar eh ? Mmmmmmm,I'm liking it hahahahha Yes,I did the clubs and pubs up home Ham.Now come on,give me a break here right ? You HAD to be half decent (or incredibly stupid) to work the places up home...We're hard to please don't you think ? OK then,we're very picky,indeed ! Now your not going to believe this,but one of my brothers lives in Shepherds Bush,in a house mind,but he lives there ! So yes,I have to agree,there are some heavy drinkers around that area hahahahaha I also understand what your saying about this site,difficult to have private conversations,and even more difficult to avoid people you don't want to talk to..I just ignore them of course hahahahahahaha You know ? The Northern 'no messing about'approach works for me hahahahaha I like folk music,sadly most of the decent folk clubs seem to have vanished now ! If your coming to do a summer season here in B\pool Ham...I'll drop a copper or two into your cowboy hat,no fear about that !!! You can count on it !! hahahahaha Ok,I'm gonna make a move,would you believe I'm late ,again today ?? hahahahaha It's no good,I'm gonna HAVE to sack meself when you retire hahahahhahha You take care Catch you later ...Hi Arnold,I bet your thinking how sad it is, all the best places here in England are being demolished in the name of progress ! It is sad ! Changing fast I'm afraid.Hope your OK today ? x

My bike came this morning, it's lovely, been assembling it, late.... I'll write this evening...... see my last client today, but off to Madeira Monday!!!! See you.

Well, just woke up on the settee! Worked a late today, which in all honesty meant going to see the landlord at the place where I'm having my leaving do. He's putting on a karaoke and rigging up a PA for me to perform, I need all the help I can get to perform these days. It's really nice of him, we just go there on a Friday after work for an hour, and he's going to a lot of trouble. I was working with our young O. T. (occupational therapist) she's a strange young thing but good fun. Had a couple of beers out with her and wine when I got home. Don't normally drink in the week. See, that's the kind of thing I'll miss. I like younger people, in my job it's nurses, doctors, students, all kinds of young people you mix with and it kind of keeps you young too. Anyway, lets see what happens. I have been asked to do some guest tutoring in Swindon in the summer to the School of Nursing and that might lead to something. In the meantime I've cleared my desk, it's my last day today (Thursday), just going back for my party tomorrow, Shan't hang around too long today so that's about it. Pinky, you've come across me at a pretty crucial time for me, don't think I'm piling it on, it's just what's on my mind at the moment. Strange how I can chat away on here but wouldn't dream of doing it otherwise. I'm sad cos I'm not sad if you see what I mean, I just want to get out of it and it should mean more than that when you've put everything into a job, but it doesn't. You watch, in three months I'll probably be looking for a Social Work job when I've revived! Remember to straighten your pretty little ear out after me bending it, your pal Ham.