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

Lethal injection!!!!!

Well, I have three short-haired cats that LOVE being brushed. In fact, they go totally mental whenever I brush them (which should be every day but usually ends up being every other day). Meanwhile I daily sweep up enough cat hair to make a new cat - I mean, why aren't these guys bald already???

The mind reels.

And I continue to have cat-hair tumbleweeds.

az

Ooh, I can sympathise with you too az. My compressed lumbar disc isn't too bad, apparently, and it still manages to cause a lot of pain. You must have much more if yours is badly compressed. Do you get sciatica too?
Apparently there's less space in the cervical vertebrae. (I think they bend in more directions too).

An industrial accident.

I think their hair grows three times as fast as they do.

The Blonde Bitch does it deliberately of course. She's trying to inflict "Death By Furball" on me so she can have the dog-god all to herself.

I used to get sciatica. My last bout of back pain was a few weeks ago and although I didn't get sciatica (THANK GOD) it was the worst back pain I have ever known - and I had my first bout more than twenty years ago. It felt like painful electrical shocks shooting through my lower back/hip region, making my legs buckle so I had to hold onto walls to even go to the bathroom. Really, it was just too much. Painkillers did f**k all, so I resorted to rioja which seemed to work very well indeed.

And now - to add to the fun - I have developed a HUMP at the base of my neck, which sends shooting pain down my arms at times but is mostly just a pain in the neck (ha ha?)

I'm falling apart!

Re: furballs. Came home the other day to find a massive furball with long trails of vomit thrown up on the sofa and on surrounding floor area. Luckily (???) my female cat Lua - total b*tch cat from HELL, but I still love her - had previously (over the years) ripped the sofa to shreds so now I have a cotton throw-cover over it which is easy to wash.

I also can't keep bedsheets in good condition as the beasts like to scratch on the corners of the bed.

*sigh*

az

keep with the Red vino Az!
Fur balls - I'm begining to think the razor idea might be better! It's what I use anyway!!

In fact, I need very little encouragement to keep up with the ole rioja treatment - even when my back isn't hurting!

Preventative medicine?

I reckon it's an all-round treatment for whatever is ailing you. Either that or I'm just a total souse-head who looks for any excuse to have a glass of wine.

Anyhoodle, fur-ball season will be finishing in another month or so. Have got through the worst of it without needing to shave cats so I think I can manage another month of daily sweeping up. Anyhow, the fur-ball vomiting is totally MY fault as I haven't been giving the beasts daily doses of malt extract and I also don't brush them as much as I should. What sort of pathetic excuse of a cat-slave am I??? It's bad enough that I have to give Sunny eye-drops twice a day now - ever tried giving a cat eye drops? It's no picnic, let me tell you.

az

Now you've got me thinking.................

Rioja..................Marques de Riscal I think.......Picnic......yup

Sounds good to me!

Marques de Griñon too!



az

ps- have nicknamed my cat Lua the Marquesa de Gruñon which is only somewhat funny if you know that gruñon means cranky old person and that Lua is that crankiest cat on four paws.

basically, had to be there . . .

Like you say - Has to be done"!!!

Re: being tidy.

Yesterday evening I decided to try a little 'delayed gratification' on myself, saying that I could only lounge around on the sofa eating popcorn and drinking wine (chilled white Rueda) AFTER I had washed all my floors. And it worked. I kept thinking - just a few more minutes . . . - until I finally got it all done.

Perhaps I should try doing this more often?

My problem seems to be that I am in total agreement with whoever it was that said - the only problem with immediate gratification is that it takes too long!



az

I'm all for a bit of gratification! Immediate or delayed - but not TOO delayed!

Lord give me patience - and I want it NOW!

Coincidence?? Peter Riscal from El Ciego - one of the best Riojas in my humble opinion.............also has a Bodegas in Rueda! Also very good stuff!

Peter Riscal?

In my humble opinion, the only good white Spanish wines come from the Rueda region.

As for red wines, Rioja or Ribera de Duero (hope I spelled that right).

Yes, I am afraid that patience is not one of my many virtues!

az

Sorry Az - I wasn't trying to "name drop" but..........

Peter Riscal is - "The Marques" de Riscal - same guy - I met him and his wife when I used to travel the world buying wine.

I agree about the Rueda for White generally - You should also try the Torres - Esmeralda - well worth a case or three.

Oh - Pedro!

Don't like Esmeralda at all - too sweet for me.

Ruedas (as I am sure you know) are dry yet fruity. Most Rioja whites I have tried are dry and somewhat acidic.

Wine merchant, eh? Interesting.

az

Hummm - hows about Torres Vina Sol??

I agree about the Rioja whites for sure



No longer a Wine Buyer though

I think Torres Vina Sol is okay if you can't find Rueda.

Not a favourite of mine, however.

az - serious retail wine buyer!

Good for you - once you know what you like you should keep with it!

Simon - ex professional but now amateur!

Ex-professional? What do you do now?

I do love wines - always have.

After having lived more than 11 years in Spain I am now mostly used to Spanish wines - natch. Though I like many other wines - it's just that they end up costing way more here.

Still, I think that if one has to have a limited source of wines, Spanish wines are not such a bad option.

az

I'm an IT manager now

Circumstances unfortunatly made me change job


Yup Spanish Wines in Spain do cost a fair amount - but you're right - I certainly prefer the Rioja above most other although some of the Italian are good

Actually, my point was that Spanish wines are quite cheap here - it's the other wines that cost much more. And so, being on a very limited budget, I opt for Spanish wines.

az