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

I did mean the Life Store - a very ennervating place I find and Saturday afternoon I think the whole of Northumberland and Durham were looking for parking spaces at the Metro Centre!
It took me four and a half hours to get home from the West Midlands on Friday afternoon.
The weather continues to be weird and I am resigned to not having a summer (well a proper one anyway). Are you planning on going away? (I may have asked you that already - it's my age!)
I like Rugby. ( just thought I'd say that lol)

The town or the game with odd-shaped balls?

A friend had a student placement in the town and couldn't get out fast enough, I've played the game (the Union version) but was never much cop: I was better at American Football The All Blacks look set to re-establish their ascendancy though: by all accounts they stuffed Australia more thoroughly than the scoreline suggests.

I suppose the obvious question would be "How much does it cost to get a life these days?" now that there's a dedicated shop and all: I've never been, because I'm fairly sure I've already got one (Sorry, that should be "Ah've alreddee got wern" in an outrageous French accent) Finding a parking slot at the Metro Centre looks like the new regional sport: if you wind up closer than Berwick you've done well.

Hope you've recovered from the travelling: I always find the last bit from Scotch Corner drags the most, it must seem slightly shorter for you surely? (Only slightly though: I'm sure the local space is warped.)

No plans to go away, unfortunately. I may take a couple of weeks to try and accelerate the getting back into shape process once I've finished therapy, but I'll probably just slob out.

Al

You? A slob? Surely not!!

In fact i've never thought their balls were odd shaped
However, I did once go to a Senior Mistresses Conference at Rugby School - there was dense fog all the way down so I (and lots of other people) didn't get there until lunchtime. Lunch was in a very large hall with very small heaters and after freezing for an hour, we adjourned to the Library which was only marginally warmer and then most of us left before it got too dark. Some people, going to Essex, left immediately after lunch! The buildings (what I could see of them because of the fog) were very old and very beautiful, however, i think the heating was also medieaval

I'm not sure why you have adopted such a terrible French accent btw - over my head!

We got a parking space outside Pizza Hut but not before my daugher in law went off on one in front of a queue of traffic lol

The bit from Scotch Corner is usually interminable - have you forgotten/not experienced the hell that is the A66???

I am very stressed at the moment - my neighbour is putting in for planning permission - I may kill myself...or him!

For preference kill him: this life after death stuff is extremely speculative. What is he planning to build anyway?

Don't worry about the accent: it was just an homage to my second-favourite bit out of Monty Python and the Holy Grail

For some reason advanced hypothermia in public schools was (probably still is) considered "character building". Quite what sort of character they are building, who knows?

I've only been on the A66 once, and that was at an odd time on a bike so it probably wasn't so bad, but there's definitely something odd in that part of the space-time continuum.

Good luck with the neighbour - is there any scope for anonymous objections in the planning process?

Al

Nothing anonynmous about my objections - I will be going for the full monty. I told him I would be objecting.

They want to build an extension onto their dining area - 2 feet from MY dining area. All this in a garden the size of a postage stamp!

I'm trying not to think about it while, at the same time, marshalling my thoughts and evidence - that should tell you something

How odd was the time then?

Quite odd: I was going to Scotch Corner for a convention

Ah well, so much for "Love thy neighbour". One of the guys I row with works for Alvis-Vickers, so if you need to "borrow" a tank for some Israeli style objections....

Hope it all works out, anyway: with luck they'll find a larger and better appointed dining area - attached to a house somewhere else.

Al

Actually they're good neighbours.
However, he has been trying to get more room from the house since buying it. Within one year he'd built a room in his garage (complete with original up and over door at the front into a small storage area and no window of course. Just an archway into the hall). Now he wants to extend the back and put a porch on the front.
The annoying thing for me is that i bought the house because of the location but also because it's the right size for me now they've all left home. Sadly my neighbours (there are only two of them) can't leave well alone!
I'm talking about it again!
Don't let me become obsessive
Scotch Corner from Newcastle via the A66????

Only the mile or so near the end

You could drop subtle hints, like taking them to see "Thunderbirds", or renting them "The Great Escape" on DVD: if I remember any other celebrations of underground construction, I'll pass them on.

Repeat after me:
"I will not become obsessive"
"I will not become obsessive"
"I will not become obsessive"
"I will not become obsessive"
"I will not become obsessive"
"I will not become obsessive".....


Al

I think I'm becoming obsessive about not becoming obsessed now!!

Thunderbirds???? I thought you were a Trekkie! :D

I can't get the hang of the smilies on here lol

Trekker, please

Although I'll always have a soft spot for the works of Gerry Anderson.

I saw the movie on Friday: not as disappointing as some reviews had led me to expect: the machines were great; TB1 no longer looks like it should fall over on landing, and Anthony Edwards actually makes a pretty good Brains...

Al

I can't believe you're speaking with such passion about Thunderbirds!!!

I know: Captain Scarlet's much better

Al

Unbelievable!!!

Each to his own...

I suppose that means you reserve your affection for Stingray?

Al

If this helps - Close Encounters of the Third Kind is one of my favourite films.
But then, so is It's a Wonderful Life

It takes all sorts...

(OK, I've got the Special Edition of CE3K on DVD...)

Have a nice weekend

Al

Sorry - I thought I was waiting for a reply from you lol

How are you? I have The Great North Run on tv at the moment - are you a competitor?

I finished my Creative Writing course this week, so now looking round for new projects (in addition to keeping on the scribbling if I have any brain waves).

The weather has turned to its customary grey blanket-like appearance and the nights are very dark - very depressing - I don't mind crisp and sunny but this is so ugh!

Best wishes

Helen

How many people aren't talking to each other because "it's HIS turn to say something"?

I'm not too bad at the moment: mostly through not doing the Great North Run, although I did row the Lincoln to Boston Marathon (again!) the week before. This time I did it in a crew (for a change): it's still tiring, but over quicker.

Can't say I've noticed the weather much: I've been too busy watching my Star Wars DVD's

Well done with the course: there's always the irony of a creative course cleaning your brain of any ideas, but I hope some occur to you soon

All the best

Al

Is a rowing marathon the same as a running one then - 23 miles? If so, I'm impressed!

An idea did occur to me re the writing but unfortunately I can't seem to become sufficiently disciplined to write every day which I did do while I was doing the course - I mustn't be a bona fide author :o)

I spent last weekend in the West Midlands - babysitting while my daughter and her husband had a weekend in London. I tokk the car seats out of their people carrier and put them in my car so that we could visit Kenilworth Castle last Sunday morning. As we were driving there, my grandson suddenly said, "My seat's moving."
There was no danger of them coming loose but they greatly enjoyed swaying as we went round corners :o)

Blooming grey weather here again today!
Speak soon
Helen