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

Hi Waz! This is the copy/paste letter I promised. My answers: first I had to look up in the dictionary what is: buzzard? We don’t have such a bird in N. America, never heard about it. It seems is a bird of pray. May be similar to our Falcon, which gotten so far, that built some nest in the middle of New York City! He must live on other birds which are plenty around like pigeons, sparrows and who knows what else he catches: rats in some places??


About the” cutting together photos for panorama” I advise you: never use STRAIGHT lines!
In Nature you very rarely see straight lines what only the human makes! With curved lines you can have good results, also watching for the tone values next to each other!

. Rowan the editor of Collective asks for some winter/Xmas photos.
Have to look around- to find some: sorry not in the computer yet, like my friend has. No more shoe boxes full of photos (never looked).

Rowan published a photo for this week, from, me” “The Garden of Eden”. Sorry it is missing from the text that it is in Hawaii! You can see it in large size too. Truly it was a nice place to spend the winter.

You can be very happy that you draw and enjoy it! Certainly it is much more comprehensive communication, than writing with words. A picture = 1000 words.
My painting now will be mostly on the computer. My right hand was injured 3 years ago, and since I can’t paint like I used to. But it is OK, could be worse.

The great big American celebration is over with eating the turkey and everything else till—is just too much. No, thanks I don’t like this stuff. But this is just the beginning of the HOLIDAY SEASON that is better not to get involved too much. Only as much that one can live in peace with the neighbors!

So much for today: Friday evening. Nov.26. Enjoy the weekend. BBird
copy/paste and saved

Your open house sounds great. I'm right in thinking you mean your web site? If so we seem to be working on the same lines! I haven't linked any of it up to the exisisting front page yet (which will eventually be a potting shed I think) but I have passageways of pictures there now.

No chocolate though? And when is the Open House opening?

I'm sorry I keep making you get the dictionary out - a buzzard is a large bird of prey. Smaller than our eagles but bigger than any of our falcons. It has broad wings and can float and hover. Rabbits are a staple food, I don't think they're quick enough to catch birds very often. They are beautiful to watch.

I liked your Garden of Eden. I also liked your apples picture. Very much. They're all so...round. You just want to touch them.

Injuring your hand is awful, yes it could be worse, but still... .

I put a piece of writing in the AWW today, after saying all I was doing was pictures - my brother has something he wants some pictures for. I sat down to do them and wrote something about something else altogether . I think it might be unintelligible however to anyone unfamiliar with what it's about. Tomorrow I'll get back to his stuff. I have done two for him.

Thankfully over here we only do the Big Turkey celebration once a year. Perhaps we should have a thanksgiving day for that? Celebrated by family get-togethers and neighbourhood street parties to eat baked beans on toast?

Hope your weekend was good. Mine was quiet but good.
Waz

It seems you are on line right now Waz. ( 1 AM your time?)Thanks for writing.( go to sleep please)
Was busy today to fix my messy computer.
I'll write to you on Word later.
Glad to learn new words: buzzard, though we don't have such a magnificent bird in this region.
I'll get back copy/paste. bluebird
P.S.
Latest issue POST has a poem: The Queen of the Garden also a nice photo of her (from The Queen Rose!) I want to read your AWW entry!

12.20 our time, and I am about to get off to s.

I saw your Queen of Roses in the AWW so I didn't go to the Post copy. I'll do so tomorrow to see her picture, don't want to miss that.

My AWW entry is deliberately wordy .

'night BlueBird

Hope you had a good night sleep. Waz I had a very busy Monday: A man from Peru the Machu-Pichu region worked in my yard with tons of leaves. These poor fellows come from long distances to make some money here and send it home for their family. His name was: Nelson, does not speak english and did not see his family since 5 years.
Now let me get to AWW to see what did you write!
I'll get back. BBird

Copy/paste to Waz.
I read very carefully what you wrote. Certainly is written in English, but for me it is a different English. That is no trouble, because I reached the age when I enjoy learning new things.
First came the dictionary about Rant, ranting = could be “raving”?? (Perhaps in America???) Though raving means only doing it while talking in very excited manner.

What impressed me the most is the boldness as you handle a difficult theme like this: writing down choreography with precision!

Though I have never seen Scots dancing, but have seen many times Irish folk dancing in beautiful costumes once a year when “everybody is Irish in this country” (St. Patrick’s day.)
Also enjoyed the humor what is always returning in your writings. I value a great deal the good sense of humor: it is essential in my connections with people.

I noticed that the membership is reading much more, but don’t bother to express their opinion, reaction etc.

So much for my “comment”. Naturally these opinions are very individual and from different cultural background. Yet I value the most Www because of the possibility of such exchanges.

I am closing this note. The left open other subjects will be answered in a different Reply.There is no interruption once you write Off-Line. Beautiful! Long live Copy/Paste.
Blue Bird
P. S. Thanks for sharing some very special “stuff”.

Hey Blue Bird - on line at the same time again! Thanks for those comments, I will reply properly but I need to get off to again now. It's been a very tiring week, I was away and then had things to sort out when I got back. I've caught up on reading posts here but haven't had time to post much in reply.

Hope all's well with you.
'Til later
Waz

Happy to hear from you Waz!

All is well here mostly. When you are dealing with yourself alone. But humans are not so easy, no need to say that.

The american holiday season is in full swing: noisy at day time ( the cash register's bells are ringing) lot's of lights when it gets dark few of tasful decorations, mostly kitsch in atmost.

So much for that. I like to stay out of it as much as possible. No shopping at this time, off the road before they push you off, do your little own thing out of the mass-madness. My european "old country" roots are acting up at this time: was very differnt there.

I'll be over the winter solstice the only thing gives me hope that the days will be longer again. The December darkness can really wear me out.

But have a subject at this time: to write about: 101 year Birthday of the airplane as it was created by the Wrights Brothers.
Because of my love of flying I am devoted to write about my pilgrimage to the site
where on December 17, 1903 the first successful flight took off. Hope the many fotos I took on this trip THE POST will publish. The text is in my head but will write it as this surrounding "madness" let me.

What now Waz? What are you up to? What is happening over there? I thought you had computer problem. So you were around? Hope some good stuff came in your way?(!)...Get and when comes up share the joy if you have.( you can always make some
I did this on line,-- hope I'll make it there on the other side of the pond. Bluebird.
P.S. Collective did publish a loooong string of pictures from my Hawaii Christmas photos! Look at them in Large size! ( In the text are some errors)

Rowan the Editor/producer in collective went on vacation to Bombay in India. Her boyfriend is from there, but they live in London.
Hope she makes many fine photos to share! bird

Humans are not so easy - I know that feeling . Know about those lights too - two of my neighbours are trying to out do each other.

I haven't started Christmas shopping yet but I will do for family. I'm thinking of getting people tickets for things, shows etc. this year. Either that or what my sister calls nice consumables. Shopping on the internet is best - no crowds, no sore feet, no getting cheesed off by all the glitz and the overpriced Christmas junk gifts. I enjoy Christmas for the family get-together and the excuse to give them things.

What would your 'old country' Christmas have been like?

It wasn't computer problems last week, I was away from home so had no pc. On the way home the car packed up on me - I wrote the story of that in my journal. All good fun.

I was staying in Blackpool - a very popular seaside holiday town in summer. In winter it's a place of empty hotels and guest houses and closed amusement arcades, fun fairs and piers and deserted beaches. Full of atmosphere. The hotel was very big, pretty old, pretty falling to pieces too! Also atmospheric. Could have done without the fire alarm, the two floods and the ceiling falling down in the room belonging to one of the group I was with.

I'll check out those photos. I've had a couple of cartoon corners in the Post. Not sure if they'd be your cup of tea, I'm going to send shazz another tomorrow which is much more cheerful.

Copy and pasted by Waz.

Hey, you posted while I was writing.

Nice photos - the sun through the palm trees shot particularly. That must have taken a while and some skill to get? Dodging the sun.

I had a look at the Advent Calendar too. There's some pictures you just want to stare at for a while in there. Your Hawiian roses contrast with all the European wintery shots.

There's a painter of winter scenes with sheep that often gets used in Christmas cards. My mother refers to them as Frozen Mutton cards. The sheep picture in the Calendar reminded me.

Waz! Thanks, but you now have to wait til tomorrow, because I have to "munch" on wot U wrote. You are sleeping now anyway, so it is not proper to bother you. I'll visit tomorrow after good Gnight. B

Here is the tomorrow from yesterday. But I am still "munching", because my life is ruined in these days.
If you interested the sad story is written in the conversation with JTG John the Gardener.
Have to finish my invitations for the Open House, but lost a lot from enthusiasm!
I'll be back with good stuff!
Next Tue is Solstice: we got 16 hours for sleep! BB

I found the thread with JtG, that wasn't nice at all, not just for the plant but also for you. Almost like putting you down. Not all gardeners are plant lovers, for some it's a competition, others want control. They have bowling green lawns and plant french marigolds in regiments around the edge. 1960's municipal gardens style.

Don't let it keep you down BlueBird.

I have two cyclamen on the kitchen windowsil. I find it difficult to get them to flower a second year usually but these two I put outside during the summer and they have both flowered again. One dark pink, one almost white.



When you say "but lost a lot from enthusiasm" do you mean you got over enthusiastic and lost some of what you'd done or that you have lost your enthusiasm for doing it? I suspect it's the second which is such a shame, if it is do you mind if I ask why?

Waz (getting to before midnight tonight)

Just got to the computer, here is almost 7PM = 18:55 and you are going to sleep after midnight.
I ran into you as I am franticly looking for your page, where you have your journals and I want to read about this trip from the other days you wrote about.
I am just so bad when it comes to finding something, juat hopless. I'll find it: go to my Friends list and than I get it. ( Yeah, but got distracted all the time!)
Sleep tight Waz! Gnight.
I'll will work now 2-3 hours finding stuff. Writing stuff, and do some strechings getting off the computer.BB

"Who seeks will find" or even more!
Yeah I found my favored "Tales from Avery Place" and Lo and Behold printed it just the way I wanted, because this printer has his own mind and usually does what he wants.
Also the comment from flyingtwinkle suggesting for the forth Holiday, what I approved with the next reply!
Now about the Journal Entry: I go to my copy/paste. Bb

Hello Waz!
Now comes the copy/paste. Read all the comments (replies) from your sympathetic friends about and after the “melt down” of your car! but nothing last forever!

I had once a car for 10 years, sold it a year ago to a friend = my computer man.
But had only 60 Thousand mi because I did not use it very much. There were the winter stay a ways, traveling and sicknesses when I again could not drive. So my ten year old was a very good deal for him.
In my situation (lost husband) one cannot have an old car. Because the repairman “rips off” a fortune from a widow, and cost more than buy a new car – on loan of course.
So did I get a new car ( Nissan Sentra) last year for Xmas, but again the entire year I just did 3 thousand mi.
Because of my injured hand I don’t like to drive.
But it is a wonderful thing: did not see a repairman the entire year!
The payments are very little; sometimes the bank wants only the interest. The longer the loan, the more money comes to the bank. And I don’t care as long as the interest rate is low.

I wonder just how do you get a car so fast? I negotiated with a dealer for a month when I was going to cancel the deal. Than he gave me the car less with 15 Hundred Grand. Anyway it was Xmas: I gave him a box of cookies!

I wish you the best luck with the new “baby”, guess you can change the oil, the brakes etc. if you can do it yourself it can be economical an older car too!

I passed that stage. Now it is much cheaper to live with a new car.
Blue bird

December 16 issue of THE POST is very Goooood! Read
there will be no till next year! bird
P>S> the season greetings is for solstice and I made it to forget the darkness!

LLLWaz polishing your new "baby"! ???
But don't work so hard! PC is also waiting for your attention!
Bbird = Busy bird, writing her wings off.

Hey, so much for my resolution to get to sleep by midnight - I wanted to spend time here today but h2g2 wouldn't let me log on all day. Now only time to say I got a new car so quick because I can't handle not having one! It is difficult where I live to do without, difficult to get to work too.

Not knowing anything about cars really, and not being able to change oil, (can change a tyre though - not totally useless) I thought what difference will it make looking around for days? If I see one with a bit of warranty, from a garage with some reputation to lose it's not a bad bet and why wait? So I didn't.

By the way it's a Nissan like yours, but I expect much smaller. Do you get Nissan Micras in Big Car USA? The old one was as well - hence 'tincan'. You know nissan/tincan...and it was a bit like a tin can. very basic. But a good car.

As for polishing it! Haven't polished a car since my parents used to pay me 50c to when I was saving up for that aviary I had . No, I've been spending a lot of time doing some bits on the pc for my brother this weekend.

Liked your solstice picture . Very seasonal.
Waz