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

Hi dear golfer, So glad you managed to get a round in and that you enjoyed it. Thank you also for the good wishes for Keith. He is very chuffed about it. I am so pleased that my memory did not fail me with regard to the firing of the clay(mud) bricks. In fact, now that you mention it, it is perfectly true that the colours were weird and wonderful. I did not realise that it was because of the wood firing. I thought it was because the bricks were badly made!! I suppose then, that it is in some ways like Raku firing when the the very hot sculpture is plunged into water and then then into a box of paper. Please tell me how on earth the building bricks were fired in a kiln. Surely that made them dreadfully expensive? Perhaps it was possible to fire them in Africa because the weather is so good. It is jolly cold today and I must go and switch on the heating. My friend came to help me yesterday with the garden and we managed to prune the roses, fertilise the two beds and generally do a little bit of planting or dutch irises and clearing and dividing a few of the perennials. It felt really good to be outside. I believe that I am to receive a phone call soon from Kings telling me that they have a bed available for the first of the double hip replacements. I am both anxious and excitied about it. My GP was very encouraging this week and said he felt it would make a tremendous difference to my quality of life. I must admit that walks over the hills sound a very tempting pastime. Thanks for reminding me about the clocks. Do I move them backwards or forwards and when do I do it? An affectionate the V. but M. AR1

Hello VbutMAR1 (Hows that for space utilisation)!!
Hope all is well with you, and that the hip project is progressing as you would wish. Certainly, if you feel up to it, the prospect of mobility must be so very tempting, I can well understand your excitement Keep me posred !!
Re the kiln firing, the reason improvements were sought, over the old and more basic methods, was to increase efficiency, thus..more useable bricks..so, cheaper in the long run. Much like any other production process really. *chamber * kilns replaced Clamp firing, where each chamber was stacked with bricks, and the fire moved thro` each chamber.
Then *Tunnel* kilns were developed, where bricks are stacked on moveable platforms, which slowly moved thro` the firing zone.
All greatly simplified, but that`s the general idea

Gardening!! That`s more Shirley`s province than mine, but I do have plans for a pond. First though, I will have to demolish an old shed, and somehow get rid of it!! Plus, of course, all the accumulated rubbish in it!
We had Adam and Moira staying with us this weekend, and together with my daughter Joanne we all *Ate Indian* on Sat evening. A while since we had a *proper curry*...very enjoyable it was too!

Clocks go FORWARD, not quite sure of the date, at the end of the month I think!
See you soon....

L

Hello!
Everything OK, AR ?

Hi dear , Yes everything is fine although I seem to have slowed down a bit this weekend. Thanks for the tip about the clocks I have managed to fix all those within reach. Who are Adam and Moira? I love Indian food, but the genuine one. I feel that so many restaurants serve what they think we like, instead of the real Mccoy I drove to Rochester on Saturday (a 61 mile roundtrip)with Keith and my friend . They are having a sweeps festival there on Mayday and it sounds so inviting that I thought it would be fun to go. I am afraid that it will be too much for me as when I came back I was whacked. Although I had to cook Easter lunch for my brother and my son and a Franciscan sister whom I had asked to come to lunch. She was so kind and brought me some dietetic chocolates in an Easter egg which I loved. I also had two bowls of South African flowers, freesias which are making the whole house smell gorgeous and a lovely vase of arum lilies which grow wold around Cape Town where I used to live. Take care dear friend and enjoy some super golf. I found the kiln story very interesting. How do they make them now Still with the bricks moving along a tunnel of fire? I was very amused that you want to build a pond in your garden. why don't you ask Ground force and Charlie dimmock to do it for you. she would show you you how to dig a mean trench! I shudder each time I see her lifting all those heavy things. An afectionate the V.but M.AR1

Hey, AR1,What`s my favourite, doing up so late???

Hi dear What a thrill to actually TALk!! I have had a wonderful day. I went to a Camphill village outside London today, and was so encouraged because I think that at last I have found somewhere where my darling K. can go when - well you know we are not immortal!! I have been worried sick about it and hopefully this is the answer. I am therefore filled with joy and happiness and the wolf of direct lupine descent is the cherry on top!! I was in fits of laughter about the arrest on the golf-course. What a wonderful tale. A very affectionate goodnight AR1 V.& M.

Goodnight love...I`m so pleased you have found what you were looking for
I know what it must mean to you.
Will talk soon, take care and sleep well.


L

Dear You are SO understanding. Thank you for being you. I shall now have a wonderful night's sleep. Bonne nuit. AR1

L

Knock,Knock....anyone in?
*Waits anxiously for a reply*

Hi dear , I have a really full and happy week. Sorry I have not even been at my space. Great to hear from you. On Wednesday K and I went to Whitstable. We both felt like some fresh oysters. Well, once I was in the fish shop, thankfully K. did a recce and came back saying theat there was lift up to the restaurant upstairs. Wonderful. We decided to have an immediate feast and up I went transported on the lift and they gave us a wonderful seat right next to the window which overlooked the dear little harbour. It was blowing a gale so all the fishing boats were in harbour and were bobbing around like corks. We could see beyond onto the channel I suppose. What a luverly day.!! When I came back my dear lovely Franciscan Missionary friend phoned and asked if I would be in on Thursday p.m. because she was arriving from Scotland. I also had my gardening friend coming so we sat, covered in coats and watered the garden and caught up on news. On Friday I decided to have a lunch for my dear Franciscan friend. So entertained ten of her friends to a lunch. Fortunately because I had been to Whitstable I had bought a lovely Salmon so cooked that plus various salads, cheeses and then I had strawberries and cream and pears cooked in red wine for pudding. so you see, even in a wheelchair I am still able to get to see friends. It is very strange because for the moment I am virtually pain free which is wonderful and makes me feel like doing so much more. I hope I have not bored you with all the culinary details, but I do take quite a long time to cook and so my computer suffers. A very affectionate AR1

Hi Mr. famous !! Fantastic, Congratulations. It could not happen to a nicer person. Fond affectionate AR1.

Hi AR!!!
Can it be we are on-line at the same time??? Now there`s a thing,
Sounds like you have had a great week, and I`m delighted.
It`s a long time since I was in Whitstable...I seem to remember delivering some Pine furniture there. That was in another life, when I had a "one man" small delivery firm, driving about 95,000 miles a year! I couldn`t do it now, there aren`t enough hours in a day , to cover those sort of mileages, with road conditions as they are today.
BTW, Michele was asking after you, not having heard from you for a while. I said I would be in touch with you soon, and would pass on her good wishes.
See how people are concerned about you?
And...you don`t bore me with your "culinary details"....always like to keep abreast of what you are getting up to,

One last thing..What is this Mr Famous!! ... do you know something I don`t

With much affection
Your old pal

L

Hi Mr. Famous Did you not see that your one thread - I think it is called - was the most talked about entry on h2g2? It is off now, but I cannot believe that you missed the great occasion!!. By the way I sat up until 11.30 to watch the Augusta tournament. My God, Els and Singh had wrotten luck? I would have gone ballistic if it had happened to me. Did you watch it. I expect so.I should think that all pro golfers MUST have high blood pressure. I have a very busy day so must get back to work. An affectionate and have a good day AR1, serene, happy and painfree PS Thanks for the message from Michelle. I also wrote to her yesterday and have received a very nice reply. PPS Incidentally not only were we on line together but I was just above you. But I always look at the end of my conversations. I suppose that is stupid! Incidentally I have lost my smiley page which you helped me to print. Please could you remind an old bird what to do thanks so much Again an affectionate - or maybe even two, or three Goodness I must fly!!PPPS Did you not have any oysters when you were delivering the pine furniture.? You were a regular entrepreneur dear friend. Fascinating life you have had.

`Morning AR!!
No, I didn`t noticed anything!..rarely do
Watched the Masters last night, once again Tiger had it all his own way. He is a class act, and no-one could get close enough to trouble him. I thought that Goosen had the best chance, but he put in a lack-lustre performance, when it mattered most.Thats the difference between good and very good
To get the smilies list, just click on any smiley, this will bring up the list of `em, and then print away!!
No Oysters!! ...I can`t eat anything like that...makes me ill!
Had a nice fresh crab once, and suffered for a couple of days. That`s when I found out that me and shellfish don`t mix!
Must go now, have a nice busy day
See you soon

L

Hi Stranger I have been having such fun setting up a royal Pine Forest with a dear Australian friend. Tell me, isn't your golf course next to a Pine Forest - or did I dream it? So sorry about the shellfish. Really bad luck as they are reputed to have other properties which would make (and keep)you very happy I imagine!!. I have had my first swim since the op and managed to swim 16 lengths - in spurts of 100 metres each. Horrifies me when I think that I used to train about a mile and a half EVERY DAY. I suppose that is what accepting one's age is. It was so funny. There was a older woman having a shower when I was wheeled through to the hoist. The next thing I saw her coming to the side of the pool with a small boy, holding his hand, and pointing to me sitting waiting to be lowered into the water. I thought I had better make the most of this and educate him still further so waved to him and had great pleasure in swimming off from my chair into the pool. That gives me such a sense of freedom that I do not mind who is watching me. I send you an affectionate AR1 aka Dowager Queen (or Duchess) DD upright pp. pinetree.

Hello AR1,(or should I bow to a Dowager Duchess ? )

Nice to see you are going up in status

I`m more the *Old English* type of forest lover myself, although the Lupine side of me is happy in either. Wherever the Prey go...I`ll be there..

So you`re back in the water, eh ? Excellent! I can picture the scene on the hoist
Perhaps, next time you could manage a *handstand* dismount...that would shake `em up..
Things have been quite busy here. The drawing work I do tends to come either all at once, or not at all! That`s how things seem to work, but I`m not complaining ! I think there will be a lull in proceedings now, which means I can get on with various jobs about the place, to say nothing of a few games of Golf
Today`s project is repairing a window, which REALLY should be replaced, but I shall apply my restorative talents...and save a few quid

Not much else to report at the moment, so I`ll get off-line and get something done!!

Take care love, talk again soon


L

Hi dear , You may call me DD as well, but as my Boss(the King himself) so clearly pointed out to me, and quoted from Debretts I am NOT of Royal blood. I must admit I laughed and laughed when I read that. I am hoping that maybe we can talk because I saw that you are also on line. How do you do it with Michelle, Batty and Light? and how do they do it? thanks for the smileys tip. There are a few more, but I wish I could have an upright tree. A forest full of fallen down ex Christmas trees looks pretty miserable I think. An affectionate AR1 PS I do NOT think think the handstand is a good idea!!. I know my limitations. Although perhaps.......!By the way, how about a lupine foray into the great Australian bush? It would be nice to see you on different gound!!

Hi again. It has'nt worked and you have gone off line. Have a great weekend golfing and doing all the things that majestic lupines do at the weekend. AR1

#Sorry I missed you AR although I was only on for a very short time, before I went to have a round of the glorious game!!!

A visit down under....hmmmmm.... trouble is, no true Lupines there.
I mean...dingos don`t have the style, do they

And them other things,,,wot `op about

Have a nice what`s left of the weekend

L