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

Congratulations Folderol!it must be great to be a grandad,I dont think my to lads are even slightly interested in making me one
So...I guess that makes me a little jealous.My youngest son got promoted at his branch of rbs,176 applicants and he won,he must get his brains off his mom(or the milkman)his new job as far as I know will involve a lot of travelling in the UK(?)teaching something to do with banking (yes Folderol it does begin with "B") I haven't seen him since he got the job officially a few days ago.So ...I guess I'll have to widen our front door so's he can get his head in

Congratulations on becoming a grandad, Folly. It looks like I got out of Sin's place just in time.

And congratulations on having such a clever son, Rikii. Sounds like he could go a long way. Any chance of a cheap mortgage?

Sin says she'll miss me because there's no-one else much to talk football with. Perhaps you could step into the breach there, Rikii? The main football thread is 2010-11 on Chatterbox.

Talking of football, Man U seem to have done well tonight. But Real v Barca is probably the one to watch.

Morning tickle,yes it's amazing what the cheque book effect has had on all of our games.Look at poor wolves and you can see a team that has really tried hard this season,as has west ham.
IMO the FA should make our footie like the fantasy football game,by making a maximum amout per annum that any team can spend on players.
We also need to put a serious block on all foreign players in our leagues,I rember a time not long ago when there was a cup final played at Wembly when there was only a hand full (or less) of English players between the two teams.IMO thats why England now struggle to field a quality side.It goes back to our roots,why would a manager/director waste money on a youth traing programme when they can buy their goods off the peg elsewhere?

Thanks. Rik and Tick (sounds like a pair of clowns from Billy Smart's Circus!) and congrats from me to your son, too, Rik - I was in Natwest for 30 years and eventually - about 5 years before I was made redundant - got to manager - thankfully they offered a huge package to get me out so I grabbed the money and ran. Banking wasn't what it was when I joined - no personal service to the customers any more - and that still goes. So if your son can try to bring some of that back in he'd be doing a great service. (Sorry, getting on my hobby horse!)

Afraid I can't get excited about footie - just hasn't the appeal once you're played rugby. I watch footie on the telly hardly twitching a muscle but put on some rugby and I'm jumping about all over the place with excitement.

Where's our pretty Polly?

Gosh, that took a while to get here! I had to re-set my BBC id. I've just jotted down my new password.

W4aT -you are still here! Brilliant! It's such a shame you have left the other place. But I'm sure you had a good reason for doing so. Whenever I get injured or angered, I have to creep away and lick my wounds for a while. And you know how easily I get injured! Anyway, you are here and that is great.

I'm so weary. I could fall asleep - but shan't as I am not at home. Just had some yummy bread with home-made pineapple-and-ginger jam. Lovely.

I must away to Waitrose soon for some fish - cod to be exact. And a pack of jellies.

Love to you all.

-X-

Yes, I'm still here, Polly. In fact, I'm all over the place just not at Sin's anymore.

My propensity for falling asleep seems to be increasing. I did so in an armchair not long after 7 o'clock yesterday - and I didn't have a very energetic day. It must be old age - or else the hot weather.

Much nicer here today. There was a fair bit of rain overnight - although not enough to make much difference to the garden or put out the fires in Swinley Forest - so the earth smells sweet and fresh this morning. There's a bit of cloud around, but the sun is shining at the moment and it's rather pleasant, so I'm off down the lane to the shops for some essential supplies.

Bon weekend les tous.

Hi tickle,no excuses from the Villa or Forest today,we've both got to win.As for falling asleep in the chair? you weren't watching those awfully boring election thingamies were you?

Hi Rikii, I don't think Forest need to win today: they're three points clear of Leeds and their GD is six better. Since Leeds are away to QPR (and currently 1-0 down) I don't think there's much chance of them overtaking Forest (currently 1-0 up against Palace, who are down to ten men). Villa don't need to win, either, since they've three more games to go, but doing so would make them safe, I guess. How is Gerard now? I hope he hasn't been upset by so many voters saying No to AV.

Polly, I meant to ask if you enjoyed your fish - or did you give it all to Pixie?

We have a family of starlings nesting in our roof space. The little ones make a very cheering sound in the morning.



I see Leeds have equalized at Loftus Road. So if they can score another three or four - without reply - in the second half, and Palace do the same against Forest, they could yet make the play-offs! Stranger things have happened - ball #6 recently came up seven times in succession in the National Lottery/Plus 5 - but I don't rate the chances.

Good afternoon all.
I almost forgot my new password!

I'm really tired after yesterday. But I was up with the lark this morning - a sudden clap of thunder awakened me just after 6am. I've been into town twice, and lunched with a girlfriend at a country garden centre.

W4aT, yes I had my yummy cod and thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you. I've got a trout for Sunday's supper. And probably a pasta concoction which my friend will conjure up tonight. Pixie has had lots of 'Temptations'. I wonder what they taste like! They smell rather nice!

A very sunny afternoon here after rain at lunchtime. I might go for a walk later although my little legs are really too weary!

I forgot to mention your starlings, W4aT. I think they are such entertaining birds. So chatty and naughty. Watch them with your bins to see just how beautiful their feathers are.

We get to see the starlings at pretty close quarters here, Polly, so we don't really need to use bins. It's amazing how tame the birds are, really, when you consider that we have two cats - and there are several others about.

I expect you're still biting your fingers, Rikii, with Arsenal and Liverpool still to play. Mind you, the Gooners seem to be a pushover at the moment. You'll probably be rooting for Chelsea this afternoon, just to ensure Man U can't take it easy against Blackpool and Blackburn. It's amazing to think that Chelsea are still in with a chance of winning the Premiership - and can go top if they win this afternoon.

Hi tickle,at two nil up by half time it looks all over?

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a good weekend, I wasn't sorry to see the rain although I'm sure I can see the grass growing.

I would have liked to spend some time in the garden having a good tidy up but after having the two granddaughters on Saturday I too fell asleep (for most of the rest of the weekend actually!)

Have you moved yet Polly, if so, how is it?

Don't know if you read a previous post of mine on the last "page"
"My husband is on some new drugs for his fybromyalgia and we think that he is now about 75% normal, he is actually physically working again, I can't tell you how much better his life is - I'm not too sure what they are called but I will write it down and post it again soon."

Anyway, the drug I found for him in an American magazine advert was Lyrica, but I think the generic name is Pregabalin. Honestly he is about 75% back to normal - it's not a cure obviously but I can't tell you how much better he is. The advert says it is not for everyone, and for some people there are adverse side effects - all I know is it is great for him. His dose settled at 4 per day.

Had better go, hugs to all.

Toots.x.

Hi Polly,

I've given you the wrong name.

Lyrica (Pregabalin) is what he went into the doctors for but they gave him Gabapentin which is almost the same stuff but with less side effects apparently.

Toots.x

Hi all,tickle 0-0 not the greatest result,but at least it's no worse than when you started.

And it's better than 1-1 or 2-2, Rikii. But, as you say, not a great result against ten men. Should have had a penalty, really, but Swansea deserved a draw, I think.

I'm surprised you haven't been back to correct me, Rikii - but I guess you don't have much experience of play-off semi-finals. Anyway, it seems there is no away goals rule. So Forest simply have to win on Monday. I shall be down at my local hostelry, drinking the bitter cup to its lees - or a few glasses, at any rate. I daresay the affable chap from Swansea, with whom I was chatting on Thursday, will be there as well.

It looks interesting at the bottom of the Premiership. Are you worried? Villa should be okay, but there's every chance of a team going down with 40 points - so Wolves v Blackburn could be a fraught affair next weekend.

BTW, Rikii, have you given up on RBQ? I haven't seen you there for a while and we could do with your help to finish off the current quizzle, which is about onions - I'm sure you know them.

Hi tickle,I learnt with football you can never say never,Im not watching the cup final but with their blank cheque city must be favourites.Forest can get up but as we have seen so many times IMO it's not the players that win it's the person who motivates them as you should know having seen the best England manager that never was like Cloughy and now probably Redknapp.