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

Hi Rains

Not being a scary stalker or nuffink, but just checked the researcher map and I reckon you're my nearest Hootoo neighbour!

Could you just watch the house for me while I'm away this weekend?

Cheers!

JT

Sorry, I've been really busy - did you have a nice time? (if nothing happened to your house, yes, I was watching it for you all along )

It looks like we are indeed hootoo neighbours in Warwickshire - I couldn't spot anyone closer, either. There don't seem to be many in our bit of the country, do there?

If you're passing this neck of the woods, give us a shout, and I'll get the kettle on .

There seem to be a few in neighbouring counties, but of course, not everyone's heard of the map let alone put themselves on it.

Prob'ly scared of people popping into their personal space to say "Howdy Neighbour", in case they end up having to make them tea!!

Don't know how soon I'll be in Leamington, as I work in the other direction (Brackley) and am doing stuff most evenings at the mo, but you might be interested in our next Am Drams production at Kineton - Funny Money by Ray Cooney, 23rd, 24th, 25th November. Keep an eye on http://www.kads.org.uk/ for updates or join the mailing list for ticket availability! If you come on the Saturday night, the bar stays open afterwards and the cast and crew mingle for last night drinkies. I'll be the one playing Detective Sergeant Davenport and you'll recognise me from my Hootoo Name!

Hope you can make it...

JT

I thought the hootoo map was a good idea - besides, I'm nosy . That said, most people on here seem to be pretty good.

I rather like going to Am-Dram stuff, so I'll mention your play to my husband and see if we can go - Kineton isn't that far away, particularly for us as we're in Whitnash. At the moment, I think that weekend is free, so we should be able to go . I don't think I've heard of Funny Money, although Ray Cooney rings a bell.

One of our friends is in a couple of Am-Dram societies in Leamington which I can't remember the names of - although he's soon to be starring in the musical Berlin which starts in Coventry next week, and we're off to see him next Saturday night.

Brackley's quite a way to go, isn't it? My hubby works in Coventry, although every now and again he gets to go to Gaydon.

Cheers,

Lins

Yeah - I think most people on here

That would be cool if you could come - make sure you say hi.

Funny Money is touring the UK at the moment and one of the cast is Vicky Michelle from 'Allo 'Allo. Ray Cooney is generally recognised as one of the top farce writers, although I find him a bit formulaic.

We haven't really got the crew for musicals. Hope you enjoy your friend's production.

Brackley's not too bad - just 24 miles which takes 30-40 minutes depending on Banbury traffic and whether I'm taking the missus to work in Kineton. On a good day, I'm out of the house from 8.00 till 6.30.

I take it hubby's in the motor industry then if Coventry and Gaydon are involved?

Might not be checking in for a few days 'cos it's my burfday today and a weekend full of eating and drinking is planned.

Later...

JT (IRL Matt)

Hi Matt,

Hope you had a good birthday weekend, and aren't feeling the effects of too many or too much .

Yep, my hubby (Dave) works for Land Rover (as did I till June). At the moment he's based at Jaguar's site at Whitley as Ford have tried to make Jaguar and Land Rover one operation, but he still has to go to Gaydon and Solihull occasionally. The hours are kind of shunted forward, as he's out of the house from 7am till 5pm, but at least that means missing rush hour.

I'm really not sure about my friend's production. Musically, it was excellent - the songs were really well put together and sounded good. It was simply extremely depressing; the main thrust of the plot was a married couple in East Berlin who tried to go through the Wall to West Berlin in 1966. The husband got through, but the pregnant wife got captured and was told her husband was dead - and when she gave birth they took the child off her and told her it had died too . They eventually got reunited as the Wall came down, but it was a long hard slog, really . There is a website, http://www.berlin-musical.co.uk if my explanation makes no sense!

The group of us that went concluded we'd have enjoyed it a lot more if they'd done the whole thing with 'Allo 'Allo style German accents , or had a surprise appearance halfway through of The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python style).

As yet I'm not sure if we have anything else planned; we're in the middle of trying to plan weekends and Christmas at the moment, and plan what decorating and things we need to finish on the house as well. I'm really not sure where all this year has gone!

See you later,

Lins

God, that does sound depressing! Alright as a weepy drama, but a musical??

We're also up to our eyes in it and the burfday's a distant memory. Very good weekend though. Dinner on the Friday night at The Vintner in Stratford, Shopping on Saturday morning for my pressie from 'er indoors, as she's stuck for driving herself anywhere - got David Bowie and Supertramp CD's and a double DVD of Pink Floyd' 1994 concert including full rendition of Dark Side of the Moon. Pub crawl around S. Warks - N. Oxon border on Saturday night, set-building at Kineton on Sunday morning followed by a pub lunch with some other friends. Fine on Monday - caught up with me Tuesday.

So now it's rehearsals, evening classes, tidying the garden for winter, finishing house projects, away on a course next week (IOSH - Managing Health & Safety - ), getting set for krimbo, etc, etc - don't know how I find time to go to work!

Right, must head home now - rehearsals tonight.

Later Lins

JT

- You are busy! Hope you managed to stay awake on your course - though it could be worse, it could be about Diversity instead .

Yes, we all thought it was an odd concept. Andrew (the friend who was in it) has said he's going to be in something more cheerful next time .

Got to admit I like your taste in CDs and DVDs - me and Dave went to see a Pink Floyd tribute band at the Spa Centre for our anniversary, and they were pretty good. Even the visuals were impressive bearing in mind how small the stage is there.

We're trying to finish decorating our house at the moment - it's nearly finished, but it's been like that for about 9 months . At the moment we're trying to sort out the storage cupboard and the spare bedroom, as it kind of looks like a bombsite at the moment. It's amazing how much stuff you can hoard without realising, isn't it?

Anyway, have a good week .

Lins