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

Good to see you back with us, Polly

We were beginning to think you'd been abducted by aliens.

Hello dear W4aT. Thank you so much for welcoming me back. I've missed several of you a lot.

I'm sorry that I never did answer your penultimate message. It was a wonderfully long and funny message(I've just re-read it). Thank you, W4aT, so very much for it. And for your continuing kindness and friendship. I trust that you are well and happy and taking time-out with your family whilst we have some summer. Today was a perfectly beautiful day here. I spent it at the coast (Lymington). My daughter and son-in-law have raced today in the 'Round The Island' race. I have no idea as yet as to how they managed in the strong winds.

Anyway, thank you very much for all your kindness, W4aT.


Polly


xxx

Well, we have missed you, Polly. Quite a few others have gone missing, too (and I fear some of them may not be seen again) but the manner of your disappearance had us all a bit worried, particularly as you've been gone so long.

It was a lovely day here as well - and not at all windy. What a shame it wasn't the same last Saturday, when we had a big party and barbecue in honour of moh's 50th. It didn't rain all that much, as things turned out, but the forecast was bad and we spent half the afternoon putting up a mess tent in our garden (while moh was out, as it was supposed to be a surprise party) which rather delayed some of the other preparations. It's a pity there was no-one around to video this, as I'm sure it must have been an amusing spectacle, although at least we didn't have to contend with a dog getting in the way like the Three Men in a Boat. Anyway, it all went off very well, thanks mainly to the efforts of our eldest, whose scheme it was in the first place, and we now have enough wine to last us till Christmas.

I'm not very well up on sailing matters, but I gather there was a record number of entries in this year's 'Round the Island' race, and some very fast times on account of those winds. I imagine you must have had a very good day. Hope so, anyway.

Take care.

Hello dear W4aT. The party must have been great fun. Isn't it enjoyable when a family can get together and be happy. I miss my little family as we were always so happy when together.

I have been with church friends all afternoon-for lunch and tea. It was a gentle afternoon~~dog walking amidst the hills and sweet talk at the garden table along with trifle!

Yes there was a record number of yachts in the 'Round The Island' race. My daughter and son-in-law will have been up and out by 4am in order to be at Cowes for 6am. I have only had one text so far from my daughter. In it she simply said 'Home by 8.30pm. Going straight to bed. Horrific race! Was soaked all day and frozen. Gales force 7'. I think that says it all! I still don't know where they came in the race.

I wonder who has left here for good?? Have there been 'problems' whilst I was away??

Thank you for your last message.

Warm wishes,

Polly


xx

Hi Polly,

No, there haven't been any major problems on the MBs while you've been away. It's been very quiet, as a matter of fact. A number of people haven't posted for a long time. I commented on this on the Stand Alone thread five weeks ago and you're the only one of the people I referred to who has been heard of since. The others were Thutmose, 'king'ell (who no longer goes by that name), agnarmykle and Frank.

I believe Thut has gone travelling in Iran, although he left abruptly without saying goodbye: hopefully he'll be back. I imagine agnarmykle just got bored, which is a pity, 'cause he was very entertaining. 'king'ell always was a law unto himself, but I did enjoy his contributions to the I-Spy threads. The fact that his name is no longer in use suggests to me that we may not see him again. The one I was really concerned about was Frank, as I had the impression he was rather elderly, but....I've just discovered that he made a post last week on the WH board, so it seems as if he's still around, just not frequenting Mornington Crescent.

Still, as Judy Collins put it in a rather beautiful, if sad, song called Albatross, "Day and night and day again and people come and go away forever".

I'm afraid my little family often drives me to distraction. We're quite close, though: I think our eldest would still be living with us if the house were big enough, but it's still too small even now we're down to four. One of my unfinished songs begins "We're just a group of strangers who share the same address; We used to be a family, but things went wrong, I guess. Which goes to show the dangers of too much togetherness: If we'd only had a bit more space, we'd not be in this mess." However, that was probably me in a black mood, feeling "cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears". Most of my verse is just a reflection on my own inadequacies, I guess.

Anyway, I must get to bed, got a busy day ahead.

Take care,

Dear W4aT,

I'm so glad that our Frank is still with us. I mentioned him to Folderol last night. I must try and say hello to him . I was very concerned last year about him as he seemed to be feeling very 'low' and alone at one point. Yes I also think that he is elderly~~but they are the ones that I feel very close to at church. I am reminded of my parents, particularly my mother who was wonderful with older folk. My legacy is to be of service to those within my reach (which means within my church [or those who come in from 'outside' when we have our monthly luncheon club]).

My little family was a very close one. We lived a very insular life which made my brother and I very close. If my brother was still alive we would have been wonderful friends. He and I shared so many wonderful times together.
Yes we all need our 'space'. Living alone means that I have all the space that I need~~and it is still very necessary. I love being with my friends. I have some very dear friends. But I love my 'me' times when I can do as I please! I never need to put the television on, or be expected to switch off my beautiful music! I can eat when I want to, and what I want to! 'Space' is great---most of the time.

Your lines written during 'inadequacy'(!) are excellent.


Goodnight W4aT. Have a super day tomorrow.

Polly




x

Afternoon, you two - Poll and Tickle - I say, the two of you together make , wait for it....Political!! Sorry, I'll get me coat......

I do hope you don't think I'm butting in, but I was casting around for some friends and found you on here. I have been on here some time back, but I don't come on the boards so much nowadays.

You're right, some of the old names have long gone or changed their ID and can't be traced - like me a bit I suppose.

I recall Morris - he lived in France, I believe - and more recently, deejaycee, squirrelowl, Tafkaj - although I do come across him now and then, and ladyhedghog. Frank is sadly missedand I can't find him anywhere. Stout is still about, thank goodness.

Of course, AHL keeps cropping up and tends to put a downer on things - see my latest posting on 'Weekend flight delayed' where I tried to get a friendly, happy poem going only to be thwarted by his doom and gloom. It really does dismay me and I wish he would only try once in a while to be nice to people.

Anyway, such a wonderful summer's dayt today, we mustn't get in the doldrums, just thank God for giving us our beautiful countryside.

Have a lovely evening and I hope to hear from you both very soon

Folderol, I have to say that's the best political joke I've heard in a while.

I looked at Frank's message list yesterday and he doesn't seem to have posted anything since early March, apart from one post last week on a WH thread called 'The Most Influential Woman' - msg 92 if you want to check.

Tafkaj still posts quite regularly and I'm sure I've seen lh on at least one thread recently, though I can't remember which one(s).

Hello yet again, W4aT.

This is just to say a huge 'thank you' for your message on that 'Where is Polly and Pixie' thread! I had no idea at all that it existed until a short while ago. I hadn't looked at the MC list of threads until tonight~~and I had such a surprise when I saw that particular thread. I feel so very honoured, although I hardly deserve it. It was so kind of Rick to start the thing in the first place.


I hope that you and your family have a gorgeous weekend.

Polly
xx

Hi Polly,

It really is good to have you back on board, even if your posts are a bit intermittent. Are you still having trouble with your pc? or not yet back to 100%?

Until you resurfaced, I was on the verge of making another contribution to 'your' thread. Would have done so before, in fact, but I couldn't think of a good fifth line. Still can't, really, so this will have to do.

Either Polly's pc is kaput
Or the black ox has trodd'n on her foot.
We should start a search;
Let's begin at the church -
They'll know there if she's run off with Thut.

Have a good weekend.

That's splendid, dear W4aT.


I'm quite unwell.

And I can't use my new posh computer! I seem to have a lead missing I think.

And I personally need rewiring!

I assume that Thutmose is now missing!


Very warm wishes to you.

Polly

I know that Thut was planning a trip to Iran - he must be very brave - and he said he was looking forward to his holiday at the end of May, so I assume that's where he's gone. It was a bit weird, though, because he suddenly stopped posting about the middle of May, without even saying Goodbye. Of course, it may be that he was busy with his preparations and didn't want to be distracted by the MBs.

I'm guessing he'll be back - I hope so, anyway - but who knows when?

You're on good form on the boards tonight.

Oh crumbs~~I do hope that Thutmose is safe.


I've enjoyed tonight here. That last one from me on the 'One Pome' thread had me urgently searching my 'Penguin book of Comic and Curious Verse'! And all the time there was that great Lewis Carroll one just waiting to be remembered. Well done!

Trust some twit to feel the need to spoil the 'Stand Alone Lim' thread!

Anyway~~~~~

'Night 'Night, W4aT.

Polly

It's lucky it was Grace III and not Grace II (i.e. our youngest and not our middle daughter) who was looking over my shoulder at the Stand Alone thread. I don't think Grace II would take kindly to all those lims about hair, as hers is falling out. As you can imagine, for a 16 year old that's very depressing. Doctors are baffled, in spite of umpteen blood tests (about which she has a phobia). I think it may be a thyroid problem, inherited from my mother, or maybe it's the vegetarian diet.

BTW, I didn't really remember that Lewis Carroll one: I just had the notion that I'd find something in Lewis Carroll about pills, and did a quick google on that assumption. I'm a terrible cheat, you know.

Good night, Polly.



PS I'm with Folderol when it comes to hairy backs.

Dear W4aT,

My daughter suffered from alopecia many years ago. At the time her hair-length was half-way down her back and very thick. It was very upsetting when I realised just how much of her hair was falling out. I took her to see a recognised herbalist friend of mine and he asked us many questions. He decided it was due to an emotional upset that my daughter had suffered. I can't remember what he suggested as an 'antidote' but it did work. I do hope you get it sorted out very soon for your daughter.

I was only joking about hair(on the lim thread). Well, sort of joking! I thought I would never like a chap with lots of body hair (can't imagine why I thought that though). And then I fell in love some years ago with a very Bohemian chap who had masses of hair! Even a small pony tail!! I loved it all! Sigh.....


As for the 'pome' last night~~I just could not think who wrote the words '...as thou hast moulded from the clay...'. The poem that I DID use was quite funny actually. I had never read it before last night. I am so tired all the time that I find it hard to get my brain working!!

Oh~~by the way, I haven't got a hairy knee!!!


Polly

Polly,

It isn't difficult, I know, but you have confused me. I think the poem you were thinking of may have been 'The Toys' by Coventry Patmore (not a work with which I'm familiar, I just googled it) but I don't know what to make of your comment regarding the poem that you did use. You surely can't mean that you have never read The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (as transmogrified by Edward Fitzgerald), can you? I thought everyone of our generation learnt it at their mother's - or father's - knee (hairy or not). A friend of mine once became very distraught because he had forgotten one of the quatrains. He was an extreme case, of course, but even I used to be able to quote big chunks from it. And I post it very often on the Pome thread. In that particular instance, I think I would have gone for

Then said another with a long-drawn Sigh,
"My Clay with long oblivion is gone dry:
"But, fill me with the old familiar Juice,
"Methinks I might recover by-and-bye!"

Anyway, I must go and recharge my glass.

Hi W4aT.
I am getting very confused and embarrassed! 'The Toys' is one of my all-time favourite poems. My father loved it very much and often read it to me when I was a child.I love Patmore's poetry! I have recited 'The Toys' many times(without the aid of a book) to friends!!! The other evening I just could not think where that line came from!

And ofcourse I have read Fitzgerald's 'Rubaiyat! I wasn't referring to that poem when I said that I had not read it before now! I was referring to the daft poem that I found in my Penguin book of comic verse!!!

I'm just in a muddled state these days. I hope it goes once I am 'sorted out'!
I think you had better pour me a drink too whilst you are at it!

Hi Polly,

I've poured you a couple.
I think it's red wine that you need, it's so medicinal, especially when taken with cheese.

I knew I'd got it wrong, but what was the 'daft poem' you found in the Penguin book of comic verse? I believe I have a copy of that, but I've no idea where it is. I'm afraid I seldom read poetry - or anything else - these days.

I don't write much, either. But I've decided to post some of my 'verse' on my hootoo journal. After all, if Rikii can do it, why can't I? In my case, though, it will be mainly blasts from the past.

I hope you get 'sorted out' soon.

Take care.

Hello dear W4aT.

The 'daft poem' I quoted from was Matthew Prior's 'Paulo Purganti and his Wife-an honest, but simple pair'.
Here is a little more from it:

**She often set the Doctor's Band,
And strok'd his Beard, and sqeez'd his Hand:
Kindly complain'd, that after Noon
He went to pore on Books too soon:
She held it wholesomer by much,
To rest a little on the Couch:-
About his Waste [waist] in Bed a-nights
She clung so close-for fear of Sprites.


** The Penguin Book Of Comic and Curious Verse. J.M.Cohen (Two shillings and sixpence!).

I really must take a look at your 'blasts from the past'. I like the snippets you have printed here.

I've started to get back into my reading again. And it's great. Ill health is a good time to pick up the many books that are lying unread. And I have quite a lot! I can't resist books. Or book shops. Wonderful places. I have put 6 books on my coffee table in readiness (there are more in the book-case too)! And I have finished 4 half-read books in the last week or so.
Yesterday a friend gave me a Christian book. I took it with me to my surgery today as I knew I would be there for quite a while. I now have only one chapter left to read. It was/is riveting.

Hi Polly,

I've never read any of Matthew Prior's poetry before. I see he wrote in a humorous vein - and was born near Wimborne Minster.

I too have a lot of unread books, although I have now kicked the habit of buying them. I hope to get round to reading them someday, if moh doesn't get rid of them first. Unfortunately, the eccentric people I live with seem to think that walls are for covering with paper or paint, and perhaps the odd picture, rather than bookshelves, so most of my books are stashed away in inaccessible places, such as the loft. Not that I'd read them even if they were accessible, but it would be nice to have them around.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you've got back into your reading again and hope it's a step on the road to recovery.