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

I'm going to stick with the emails. I like the word processor better than this one. I can't copy any of my work without tediously removing all the ' symbols from my word processor and making the same symbol all over again. If I miss one, it looks like this

I#3487ll instead of I'll

Anyway, more later.

Still, Pika

Hi dear friend
I have just read this one. I hope that you received my email. I sent it this morning. It is now 5.30 p.m. GMT. Am anxious to know what time it is with you!!. With love AR1

Dearest AR1
I am in the Pacific Time Zone. We are 3 hours behind New York. I'm almost exactly on the opposite side of the world from the Dalai Lama.

The stars were fabulous in the Himalayan Mountains. I saw the Milky Way Galaxy for the first time, as a denser swirl of stars in an ocean of stars.

I told the nuns stories about Orion. I said it was Manjushri holding his sword of Justice, but we call it Orion after an ancient legend.

Sharing stories with the nuns was really fun. Not only did I get to tell them about the Mary being turned away from the inn, but I got to share Cinderella and the Tortoise and the Hare. I made up a story called Tenzin and the Beanstalk, with a happy ending for all.

I miss those days, and hope to return to India soon.

How was the visit with your grandchildren. Did you go to London? What did you buy?

More later.

Still, Pika

Very dear Pika
Thank you for your lovely letter. I am intrigued as to how you got to a convent in India!!. I love the Milky Way and the many constellations in it. I wonder if the sky is as black at night in India as it is in Africa. That is something which I alway loved. The huge black vastness of the African sky and the brilliant stars in the heavenly vault. Very awe-inspiring.
Yes I did get to London, and my sons were with me. I met a lot of very nice people and have put faces to a great many people who were just names on my computer. That was fun. I was a bit flummoxed at first but now I think it is a good thing.
I am trying to catch up with my post so will end.
A fond
AR1
Thank you for the information about the time. I shall remember it.

Very dear Pika
Not a peep from you for some time. How are you my dear. I hope well and happy. I had an emotional week. A friend of forty years standing came and had lunch with me on Thursday. We had been friends in Zimbabwe, and she now lives in South Africa. I had not seen her for five years - at the time of my last visit to South Africa - and I was still walking then. Her daughter brought her and as they had both known my son before he was ill it was wonderful to be with them; they showed us both so much love and compassion. When the time came to say goodbye I was really sad.
Do you have children? And have you started the bathroom yet? Do write when you have time. Go well, dear friend. A big AR1

Without knowing, you hit upon the very reason for my not writing.

THE BATHROOM IS FINISHED!!!

I still want to paint, but the floor is perfect. The new linoleum is lovely, with tan flowers on offwhite. But more important is the fixed floor and the fixed pipe. Wonderful, and what a relief.

I have two children. A girl first, 22 now, works for a construction firm in the office, followed by my son, who is now 19 and just graduated from college with a degree in Computer Applications Programming.

I will write more later. Have you considered sending the poems to an agent?

Take care, and much love.

Still, Pika

Very dear Pika
I hope that you have recovered from your labours. I hope that you children were able to help you.
Your bathroom sounds great. What do you mean by a fixed floor and a fixed pipe? I have visions of you wobbling in your bath and spashing water all over the place!!.
We have had an incredible heatwave here. But I think that it has been really all over the northern hemisphere.My garden has needed lots of attention and care as it has been so hot. But it is looking quite beautiful.
No my dear, I have not yet done anything. But I have had to get into a new routine as my cleaning lady left to go and work in a factory and I have a new person. She is very nice but cannot spare so much time so I am doing more. and of course I take much longer to do everything. Your children sound great. You must have been a baby when you had them - they must give you a lot of pleasure. Go well dear friend. Your affectionate friend AR1

To make a long story short, a pipe broke in the wall and caused a small spot of water damage on the bathroom floor. That led to a hole. The pipe and the hole are now fixed and an entire new floor was put in. That's my favorite part, well, I like the new floor alot, but having the pipe fixed is really the best part.

Have you read any of J R R Tolkien's work? I love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but I've just started reading Lost Tales, and I've ordered The Silmarillion. I can't wait.

Tolkien noticed that there are different ages of souls, but he was a meat eating star, so he couldn't see quite straight. His 'Iluvatar' is magnificent, and The Music of the Ainur is great, but he made Melko an evil incarnation from the beginning.

He did, however, allow Iluvatar, the Creator, to take full responsibiblity for the discord of Melko, and that is perhaps the best that a meat eating star can do.

In any case, Tolkien is enthralling and he takes me to Middle Earth and I love it. I wish I could have known him as a vegetarian. I wish there was literature as spell-binding as his, that allowed the animals to be the baby souls that they really are.

Anyway, I've been meaning to ask you about South Africa. It must have been beautiful. The closest I've been is reading James Michner's book about it...that was years ago...and I can't quite recall the title. Something like The Covenant, maybe. Anyway, what a fascinating history. Please tell me about your time there.

And oh yes, the heat has broken a bit here, too. It's never really bad here, but it got close to 90 degrees F. here last week. It makes working in the back yard sticky.

Good luck with the new house keeper, and with your extra time.

Still, Pika