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

Hi tickle,
young maidens just like our forteen yearolds

I dont know about well paid tickle but about 15 years ago the old company I worked for would charge about 45 quid an hour for my services,obviously I only got a tiny proportion of that.

But if I work only 4 days a month I can earn nearly double my job seekers allowance

What a great day here today at about 26c I shall be splashing on the aftersun today,my veg plot is starting to rise and I shall be getting my hose pipe out again as the ground here is starting to crack.

Hmm, I thought I might be asking for trouble when I posed that question about what Spanish teenagers like to eat.

Hi Tickle - just a quick answer to the 14 year old qusetion - so to speak .

The main things to remember about Spanish eating habits are:

a) They don't eat a main meal until well past 9 in the evening
b) They, like French and others, often have a series of plates with, e.g. only meat or only veg on, so you end up using loads of crockery.
c) Again, as in other parts of Europe, although it varies from restaurant to restaurant, you usually keep your cutlery for different courses.

Of course, if the Spaniard is coming here, then he must accept our ways and our menus - although as he's 14, probably a trip to Macdonalds won't go amiss

More chat later

Fol

A at MacDonald's would be fine by me, but our girls wouldn't be seen dead in there.

As far as dinner goes, I think Juan Miguel will have to make do with what and when we eat. It's more a question of what we give him for his packed lunch. Still, I don't suppose he'll starve.

When I worked in a school, with 9 - 13 yo's, it didn't seem to matter what was in the packed lunch, most of it got dumped in the bin and pocket money spent in the tuck shop or they bunked off down to the chippy!

The big drawback with a apart from the plummetting of street cred (is that still the right term?) for your daughters, is that one temds to feel hungry even after one's eaten the meal.

Hi team,all this food talk is making me feel hungry,well,last week I dashed out of my tiny pad a drove to our local cheap shop and bought Mrs Cut-Out a very cheap wok(I mean we are talking £2.99 here)with a splash of wok oil it cooked the mega thin sliced chicken in wait for it 4mins andding veg noodles and soy sauce all stir fried(stir flyed) in 15 mins and wallah! spotty dod whoopie a very savoury snack.

Confusius say:man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day

Stir fries are the saviour of the man in a hurry who's promised to do the meal for the love of his life.

Cutting the meat in thin strips means that even beef only takes a few mins and you can get frozen packs of stir fry veg from any supermarket. I usually add a few veg of my own to boost it up a bit - like mushrooms or peppers,then, like you suggest, Rik, some soy sauce or even worcestershire sauce for the last minute or two. Served with rice - yummy yum yum.
A Tip! Make it look even better by serving the rice on the plate in a ring around the outside and pile the stir fry in the middle, then garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or basil or slices of fresh tomato.

Loads of brownie points to be won especially if served with wine!

Hi Folderol,like an old slut sponge I'm soaking all this woked info up

Hi team,I'm up at 4ish in the am off to a wet Portsmouth(according to the weather forecast)Penzance has been diverted so I have nowt on next week,I haave had so much time off now I have had to start wearing a baseball cap(deep redening shame)as I keep getting a sore head from sunburn

Good evening to each of you!
There isn't a 'smiley' for the sun so the next best thing seemed to be fire coming out of a rocket.

Rick, I hope that the Portsmouth job goes well. I haven't heard the weather forecast but rain would be great here. My Globe Thistles are huge and I don't want to suddenly lose them due to lack of water. They never did terribly well in my Dorset garden but they seem to love their position and soil here.

I've had a migraine since last night although it is a lot better now. I know I shouldn't be on the computer but I am too warm to sleep yet. Plus, I slept all morning.

I was in Winchester yesterday. In front of St. Cross alms-houses there a lot of beautiful trees. And the trees are home to a huge gathering of Jackdaws. Their chatter was incredible and lovely. I stood for ages and listened to them. They talk constantly to each other. But when I got back home the migraine started....


I lay on the settee and watched some tennis this afternoon. I felt very guilty spending time watching afternoon TV but I couldn't do anything else. And I sipped Lucozade.

In August, Wimborne model town is illuminated some evenings. It is years since I took my daughter there. So I am looking forward to going on my own. The model town is beautiful.


Ah, my M&S pasty is now ready to eat. I've eaten nothing all day and am looking forward to it. It is far too late to cook a meal and I don't feel like a sandwich.

Dear Toots, how are you? I do hope that you and your family had a very happy time in Dorset. Did you get any knitting done? I've been making new cushion-covers. So far I have made three~~~all by hand as the sewing machine belongs to my daughter and is in her home.


Take care and keep in touch.

Evenin' all!

Just got back from art group where we were painting crowds - I chose a photo of MOH and our niece and her family strolling down La Ramblas in Barcelona and I must say I was very pleased with it. We have an exhibition coming up in Novemebr and I might even frame it and exhibit.

Trust your trip goes OK, Rik. I heard ont he news that heavy rain is expected in Glastonbury - that'll be a change!

Don't feel guilty watching tennis, Poll. Although I find it's one sure way to go to sleep. I was raised on Jimmy Connors and Christine Evert and they were both, to my mind, boring baseline players who put me off tennis forever.
Last weekend's rugby was much more my thing.
Day off tomorrow to catch up on parish council paperwork before I fly off to Spain on Sunday to spend a bonding week at our house with
my brother. He lives in Cornwall and we only see each other once or twice a year, so it will be good to spend some time with him. He's promised to take me to a golf course - he plays 3 or 4 times a week - I last played in 1980! Should be interesting

Before then I have a duty on Saturday at The Stables for the Dankworth/Laine Jazz in the Garden season. Outdoors jazz in the garden of their house which is attached to the Stables. Looking forward to it, but it will be a long day as I have to be available for the punters from 10.00 to 5.00. looking after wheelchair customers etc.

Still no Frank?

Here are a few useful golf tips for you, Folly.

If you can't play like a pro - but would just like to sound like one - I've listed a few of the more printable items of golf slang from the US tour. Maybe you could give them a try next time you're down at the club....

An Adolf Hitler - taking two shots in a bunker.
A Kate Winslett - a bit fat, but otherwise perfect.
An O. J. Simpson - somehow got away with it.
A Condom - safe, but didn't feel real good.
A Kate Moss - a bit thin.
A Diego Maradonna - a very nasty little five footer.
A Salman Rushdie - an impossible read.
A Rock Hudson - thought it was straight, but it wasn't.
A Glen Miller - kept low and didn't make it over the water.

If you mention these phrases at the right time, you might even be able to put your brother off his stroke.

Thanks, Tickle, I've emailed them to my brother so he can teach me some of them!

On other things, am I alone in not being particularly mournful about Jacko's death?

In a word, Folly, No. I'm guessing that something like 100,000 people die every day, so why should you be particularly mournful about one of them? Unless you happen to know them, of course (I speak as one who's just got home from a funeral.)

I was never particularly 'into' Michael Jackson's music, though he undoubtedly did some good stuff. And they say he more or less 'invented' the pop video. But I regard that as a minus, since I prefer to listen to music rather than watch it - call it a blind prejudice if you like.

As far as all the other stuff goes, I'm more than happy to give him the benefit of the doubt. But then, I like to believe that rich people are unhappy - that way I don't feel so bad about being poor.

Morning all! And what a morning it is for our family!

A few weeks ago I sent off an old family holiday snap to the Guardian's 'Family' section. They pay for articles and snapshots of interest. And it's made it into print!

So! I am now a paid columnist for the Guardian! I'll be dong in depth interviews with Gordon next!

If you want to see what my two girls looked like when they were young and hear about our hols in Dorset, go to

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jun/27/family-life

where it appears on line in the Guardian's website.

Can't say more as I'm off for the day to be on duty at the Stables Garden Jazz festival till about 6 this evening.

Naughty,naughty,smack,smack,Folderol you know you're not supposed to give out personal details

Well done, Folly. I bet that gave you a glow of satisfaction and if there's money in it too... Maybe you should look to a literary career rather than doing driving jobs.

Thought for the day (or rather yesterday):-

Anyone can die at any time
Old people and young people
And people in their prime
Suddenly get blown away
Without reason or rhyme
Cuz nobody's too young to die
And nobody's too old to cry
And there's no use in wondering why
It happens all the time

Enjoy the sunny weather, folks (though we could do with some rain here - hardly got a drop this week in spite of the forecast). Hope you don't burn up on those Spanish golf courses, Folly.

Folly! You are a Guardian reader.

Did they pay you much???? There must be so many folk sending in photographs. Congratulations are certainly in order.
I couldn't get my Telegraph today. Waitrose and M&S had sold out.

As for Mr. Jackson ~~~~ all deaths are sad. The death of each member of my little family is sad. And as far as I am concerned, my family are of much greater importance to me than Mr. Jackson. I can't expect anyone else to feel for my family as I do. And I can't feel for Mr. Jackson as his own family will. As for his death 'changing the world' (as a fan stated in America) I can only say how daft a statement. Nothing changes except that the deceased has gone. As so often seems to happen, some folk have so much money and yet their lives are dreadful. Masses of money certainly doesn't always bring happiness.

Quote by Polly:

Masses of money certainly doesn't always bring happiness.


In that case, Polly, I'd better be careful with my journalism earnings - all fifty quid of it! I'm going to squander it on a meal or two for my brother and I in Spain next week.

Do you think the tax man reads these boards?