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

I was just perusing "Who'se on line" and saw your name. I have no better reason than that for dropping by!

I like Brief Encounter too, where Celia Johnson cries at the end. That scene is so electrically charged with energy and emotion, (and not a special effect in sight), that you can't help but be caught up in it too. But it's not really cool for a bloke to say that so I'll change the subject.

Pride and Prejudice is so well written it deserves it's place among the classics. I also like Daphne Du Maurier, Monte Verita especially.

You sound like a romantic at heart. Oh well, it's 1:30 in the morning here, so I'm off to bed, night night.

Hello Hoon

Thanks for your message, nice to hear that some guys are romantic at heart!!

I have just spent 2 nights in hospital because I went out for lunch on Sunday and managed to get food poisining, I dont know how because we all ate the same and I was the only one to get sick, but never mind I had a nice rest and I am better now and thinking seriously about when I can have a gin and tonic!!

Yes, Brief Encounter is a truly beautiful film, I also think steam trains are particularly romantic!! odd I know, but thats me!!

Well got to get up for work in the morning, so off to bed.

Bye for now

Jane

I know what you mean about steam trains. I once travelled from Bombay to Goa on a steam train, one of the "cowboy" type, with the cattle grid shaped like an arrow head on the front. The journey was eventful, even for Indian railway standards. The trip here would take about four hours, then it took the best part of three days; we even ran over a cow on the way, and the train driver had a fight with the cow's owner. The heat was oppressive, and third class passengers sat outside on the roof. Quite a memory!

Have you been a member here very long?

Hello Hoon

Well, how exciting to make such a trip!! I do envy you, but I am not such an adventurous type!!! the most exciting railway trip that I ever did was from England through to Spain, in 1986, I really enjoyed it though and I was proud of the fact that I did it alone and didn,t get lost!!! I actually used to work on British Rail and made the trip on my free passes!! and visited Barcelona, Madrid and various places which I can,t remember now, but the entire trip was by train, except of course the part from Dover to Calais, because of course in those days there was no other way!!

I have been a member here for about a year, although I haven,t been around for a while, I have rather a busy life, I have 2 children, a very, very old dog and a cat, and I have a business to run, not only that but I have been going out rather a lot recently too!!

Now I am going to have a look at your page.

Jane

So Jane, I hope you found my page interesting, if not, don't worry!

How old is your very very old dog? I like animals I always have.
I was interested to hear you say you run a business, what sort of business is it? Is it as tough as they say?

Martin

Hello Hoon

Well Dolly (the dog) is ancient, it,s very hard to say how old she is because she is a rescue dog from the dogs home, we have had her for 14 years, and she was already an adult when she came to us, my vet said 6 years ago that she was about 16, and she only had maximum 2 years to live due to a heart condition, well she is still here, but is going downhill, I am keeping a very close eye on her because I really do not want her to suffer, but she seems fine at the moment although she is at times a bit strange, I would guess her age to be around 19, she is a dear and is very much a part of our family.

We also have a cat called Fifi, who is 9, we rescued her from a building site when she was a tiny kitten.

So tell me about yourself, what do you do?? etc.,

Jane

I work as a community warden in Coventry, basically I patrol the streets and try and deal with anything that comes up. Environmental issues, lost kids and animals, advice on social services. I do talks on safety and drugs in local schools, and put up intruder and fire alarms in old age pensioners homes, all kinds of stuff like that. Oh, and I also help run a rehabilitation program for young offenders.

Hi Hoon

Well now I know what you do, after reading it on your taxes thread!!

Me?? well now I am going to bore you, well you know that I have a shop, I also have 2 children a boy called Hugo who is 7 but thinks he is Arnold Swarzanegger and hates girls and today decided he wants to be a farmer, hence the pots of lentil sprouts currently spread around my kitchen in beakers with cotton wool!! a daughter, Lydia who will be 9 on Tuesday, she is into looking in the mirror all the time and cant wait to grow up and be allowed to go to McDonalds without mother!! she also pinches my lipstick!!

I sing in the English church choir here, badly, but I do try!! I also am involved with a childrens english speaking theatre group, we promote the english language and we have several spanish children in our group, its a lot of fun and very LOUD, we put on shows and raise money for a local centre which looks after mentally handicapped people here.

Ummmm, lots of other things but I won,t bore you, plus I am fading fast and need to go to bed!!!

Jane

Night night Jane, let's talk again.

Hello Hoon

Hows your weekend been?

It's been good. My daughter went to her mates house for the weekend, and my partner went out. So saturday night gave me a chance to spend some time alone with my son. We had a really good talk and watched some videos and played games (he's 12). It was really good, as we seem to pass each other by most of the time.

Hello Hoon

That sounds nice, to spend time with your son. How old is your daughter?

I have a boy and a girl, 7 and 9, we went out this afternoon to the square where we met some friends, it has been a lovely day here today, really sunny and warm.

I am working all week and the kids have a long day in school, they leave at 8.30 in the morning and don,t get back until 6pm, so we dont have a lot of time together during the week, so at the week-end I always try to do something they like, usually ending up in crazy, loud, McDonalds!!!!! Why DO kids like McDonalds????

Jane

My son Daniel is 12 and my Daughter Rebecca is 13, there is only 13 months between them.

I think kids like McDonalds because they don't have to bother with a knife and fork!

Hello Hoon

Wow, only 13 months between your children, that must have been fun when they were babies!! but no doubt great for them.

There is 23 and a 1/2 months between my two children, and yes when they were little it was a NIGHTMARE!!! I thought I was going to go mad!! in fact I think I did go a little mad, they think they have a totally mad mother!! but I was quite old when I started, Lydia was born when I was 35 and Hugo came along when I was 37, so you get a little set in your ways at that age, then comes along these little monsters who change everything!!! Oh, but what a blessing they are, that is one thing I did right in my life!!

Tonight, they went to bed late, and when they were finally in bed they decided to mess about and giggle, I was getting madder and madder telling them that it was time to sleep not to play, then Lydia got up and came to me, my first reaction was to say get back into bed NOW!! but she said, mummy I forgot something, when I asked her what, she gave me a big hug and a kiss and said... a kiss. Ahhh, see I just melted at that, they can be so absolutely lovely and sweet.

Hmmmm maybe that is the answer to why they like McDonalds, using the fingers to eat!!!

Oh dear its so late AGAIN, and I have only just connected, and I have to work tomorrow, I am sooooooo tired.

Jane Zzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nice story. Night night.