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

First Class! Get you!

It would be rather fab for that long flight to Beijing - but, as you say, I wouldn't spend gazillions of my own money on it.

Got my car yesterday. Sh'e fantastic. Will try get Bob to set up a photo somewhere online.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m132/calderfisher/Nora2008/IMG_2683.jpg

Hope that works ok. She's a dream

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m132/calderfisher/Nora2008/

Thats the one! Got it wrong last time.

car
It looks very like the one my Dad used to drive in the 60s.

Super cool!!

Bags have gone bye-byes... I'm not happy.

Off to San Francisco tonight! Yippee!

If you haven't seen the photos in my blog, please check it out! San Francisco was really cool. Biked to the Golden Gate when the mist was coming in, one of my abiding memories..

Oh, and I got my bags at last: about 10 minutes before I checked out.. I could write a book about BA. Anyway the flight back was excellent. Really friendly cabin staff and I got a good sleep on the flight back.

And best of all: my moles have come back negative. I'm a hoopy frood again..

W

Yaay for negative moles

Hope you were compensated for the contents of the missing bags. Did you get an upgrade on the way home too?

to have a look at photos

Nah - I got business class, but I can't complain. I slept most of the way. Full recline seats are the way to go.. A big bill is whittling it's way into BA as I speak..

W

Hi guys

Just been up at the hospital with dad. No additional tumour growth in ten months now. Good news just before xmas.

How is everyone? All set for xmas? I'm all wrapped and ready to go. Looking forward to my brother coming up from Oxfordshire and to take him a cruise in lovely Nora. New pics here. http://www.freewebs.com/dollina/

I'm really enjoying having the car and working away on her. Can't wait for the time of year whan I can get out in her more. Too wet or too much salt does her no favours.

I have folk coming for dinner on Sat for a pre xmas roast. Should be a good night with an enormous bit of topside which Bob was given for his 40th off an organic farming friend who lives on Lismore. Be lucky if it fits in the oven - may have to chop a bit off.

Bob has a new job with the same firm and is feeling the strain of being the works manager. He hates Mondays as he has to sort wages then. He'll be very much looking forward to time off at xmas when the factory closes for a week. But his work has came in useful with the car. He had to machine a bit for the distributor when we were having issues finding one. He was chuffed to bits.

Chat soon and wishing you a cool yule

Happy Christmas all, and good news to Bob! He seems to be a bit of a classic car fan - I have a good friend who is hugely into Ford Granada's of all things. He regularly takes trips over to the UK just to have a Granada on his front porch. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that..

I am starting to get ready for Christmas now myself. I have a nice break for the hols, so I will be well refreshed by the time I get back. I was briefly back in San Fran again last week but this time it was just work, eat, sleep, so no sightseeing. Plenty of jetlag though..

My youngest boys just had their 5th birthday. Where did the time go? The kids are getting ready for a big Christmas nativity play next week. If I can I'll drag myself along.

That pretty much brings you lot up to date.

It's always great to hear from you guys,

W

A - hit - hem!!! Tha car is MINE!! Bobs just the mechanic!!

So how is everyone? Teuchter?

Celtic connections is in full swing here and I've already been to JP Cormier - a fantastic vocalist and guitarist. Met him later wandering around Glasgow and had a wee chat!

Working away on the car doing all the essential servicing in preperation for the season starting. I'm hoping my first show to be a localish one in nearby Kilmarnock so will nedd to get my application from in soon.

Had a stinking cold for nearly two months around and over xmas - just the right time of year for spreading my disease further!

Its been snowing overnight and I'm off to slip slide my way to work.

Let me know what you've been up to.

Hi NR!

Happy New Year to you!

All is good, thanks. It's been a quiet start to the new year to be honest, but I'm happy enough that nothing too much is happening. Work is busy of course, (thankfully) and I managed to get a lecturing assignment in Dublin over the weekend so it's not as if things are not happening either!

I'm hoping to go to Germany later on during the year for a few days. I'm looking forward to it - lots of Jurassic fossils and a huge meteorite crater that I never knew existed until a week or so ago.

Also I have been laughing my arse off at the Ricky Gervais podcasts - man! I nearly crashed the car a few times over the weekend listening to Karl Pilkington expound on his view of the world..

So life is pretty darn good at the moment. Some big family stuff on the horizon mind you, so we'll see how it goes.

Oh, and I am off again to California in a couple of weeks again. It's likely to be my last visit there in a while though, so we'll see how it goes

Lots of hugs!

W

Whats happening with you/

We are up to our eyes with dog sitting and oily leaks. Car off the road til we can source all the parts. Bummer. But I have booked in for the first show of the year in May and then later in May will be doing a weekend long show back in Manchester area - where the car was bought from. Will meet up with many people who we've been in contact with via internet. I can sense a big hangover coming on!!

Dad is still doing well and getting stuck into his garden. They are off for a few days to Scaborough just now so I have the elderly dog. When they come back, I then have someone elses dog for a few days then again the next weekend. Phew!! Hair and muck everywhere.

TTFN

Hi NR,

All is well here.. Just started walking again now that the weather is improving. I did a walk on the Galtee Mountains yesterday and a coast walk today by Power Head. I feel alive again after the winter!

Bringing my daughter to London soon on her first trip to the UK (and her first flight). I'm really looking forward to it. She doesn't know anything about our trip as yet..

I'm glad to hear about your dad. There is a new dog in the house here, and she' has become best friends with our grumpy cat. Amazing. I thought there would be skin and fur flying..

Take care,

W

Aw brill. Is it a puppy?? If so gimme gimme gimme!! What kind? Details please??

Yes, she is a young dog, about a year old now. She's a King Charles spaniel. Here are a few shots.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cfryan01/Dog#

Other details? Hmm. She pees a lot. Inside the house.

Oh dear - what a big gap in our convo!!

How is that puppy - and how is you furniture!!??

I have a very nice life involving petrol, polish and pints. My car is getting plenty use now and the prospect of another is on the horizon.

Work is boring but pays bills. My garden is still not started but big plans for it when time allows.

Dad still doing well although our much loved old dog had to be put to sleep a week or so ago.

Looking forward to a week in France with friends - never been before - ther or with them!

I did my first wedding in the car the other week - smashing weather for it and a suprise for bride and groom.

Erm- what else?? I need a haircut but have no time.

ERm erm.....oh, and I'm off out tonight to Paisley real ale festival - hic.

TTFN

Hi NR!

Good to see that things are going well, and wow, your dad. You know it was your posting about your dad that started this posting, ooh, oodles of years ago now!

A lot going on here too. My kids are off to France with their mum and grandparents at the end of next week so I will be doing quite a bit of walking when they are away. I have been walking very often recently - Wicklow and Kildare last week, West Cork the week before. I'm thinking of heading out to the Burren in a fortnight's time.

More moles removed last week, and I'm waiting for the biopsy results to come back. Fingers crossed, but I don't think I need to worry too much. One of my sons saw my stitches last week and commented that they looked like tentacles growing out of my skin...

Also I'm off to TAM London in October! I am a big fan of James Randi, and for me this is the opportunity of a lifetime. James Randi is a magician who spent his career debunking frauds and charlatans. His biggest beef was with Uri Geller a psychic who made millions pretending that he could bend spoons. I'm really looking forward to it.

Work is going well - very busy, kids are well, on the whole life is good at the moment.

Good to hear from you as always.

W