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

Hi both,thanks for your concern,i did not realise it had been so long since i have dropped by.I have been busy working myself to death in between going to Brighton and sorting out my mother's 90 years of hoarding stuff. The house is now sold,well,the completion date is 2nd December and the couple want to be in and cosy for Christmas.We have had to clear the house of eveything and as none of us wants anything from the house,it has been endless trips to charity shops and the tip. Then there was the saga of the safe My mother has lugged the safe about since her mother died and although we all knew where it was kept and her jewlery was in it,the paperwork was a mystery.My sister asked me to help her to go through it as she did not want to throw anything important away by mistake. The safe was pre first world war and was the safe for my Nan and original grandfathers pub. My Nan divorced my grandfather about the time i was born and the reasons for this became apparent when i started reading the documents in the safe. It seems Nan and Grandad bought several properties in the east end of London just before and during the 2nd WW my Nan ran the pub and left the property running to grandpa. Unbeknown to her,he was running the houses as BROTHELS! He was passing the rents over to Nan,but, keeping the difference,which was a considerable amount.He was thrown out when my Nan found out what he was doing,but he wasn't bothered much,he was having an affair with the barmaid and later,married her. They had a son,who is a year younger than me. I have been in touch with him,his contact details were in the safe. It was strange that my mother never ever mentioned him So,on on my Fathers side of the family,i have two highly decorated war heroes and on my Mothers side,a brothel keeper and pimp still,at least he kept the troops happy
I am not liking the weather,it is very cold and miserable,although we have had some stunning sunsets.
On Thursday,i have to go on yet another course, more kitchen hygiene rules to keep the ,elf & safety erks in a job.I am sure Mary Berry does not have to keep doing all this stuff
Keep warm and take care

I have had a horrible day. Firstly, my friendly Robin at work, has died He often comes right to the doorstep, but last night he took a step too far and entered the kitchen. He must have been disturbed by a carer and panicked. I was told it flew around in a panic and smashed into the electronic fly zapper. Although it was alive when they took it outside, it quickly died. I miss him already.
On the way home, I ran over a cat. It darted out of the bushes at breakneck speed and although I braked, I heard a sickening thud. I pulled overto see if there was anything I could do but the cat was nowhere to be seen. I was in tears by then. There was a chap who was washing his car close by and he saw what happened. He helped me try and find the cat, but we coul not find it anywhere. I hope it is alright and hasn't crept off to die somewhere. It is the first of December and if the rest of the month is going to be like this, god help me!
Tomorrow, I am going to Portsmouth to see my great grandson. Perhaps that will cheer me up. Take care you both.

Sue what a sad day. I am sure the rest of the month will be better Put it out of your mind, cats have nine lives and if you couldn't find it maybe it went home. I am sure you will have another robin visit soon. My birds are very quiet at the moment, I think there is still plenty of natural food about.

Have a good day tomorrow. At least the culls have been halted in Gloucestershire and Somerset for this year at least. They just won't tell the truth and back down.



Websailor

Today was lovely in spite of work ringing me up at 5.45am to ask me to go to work, the other chef was ill again. I, of course, said NO!
I went to Portsmouth with Jacob, the now grandfather We had a lovely time and although I have seen many pictures of the baby, I had yet to hold him. He is a real cutie, the baby, not Jacob it seems I must have a funny face, as the baby could not stop laughing. It was just the medicine I needed.
l will post a couple of pictures when I get them unloaded.
Like you WS. I am very happy that the badger cull has been called off for now, we all know it is never going to work. I do worry about what they are going to come up with next, probably another pointless scheme.

Hey mate! Who are you kidding! Your Jacob is one of the cutest dudes I know! Just the sort of bloke I could leave home for!! Sorry you had a bad day earlier this week and glad it is improving. As I am due to go out for a 'free lunch' in a few minutes, this may well terminate to be continued....... etc; but till the taxi turns up, I will continue.

WS! Am also glad to hear about the cessation of the cull.

I am on committees various with our housing association; and as a result, have been invited to some fancy posh club for a Christmas lunch today. The taxi man should be picking me up at around 10:15 and I expect to be wined and dined on salmon and fruit salad til about 2:00 at which point, I shall come home and have a spot of the amber nectar.

Off to make sure I have all the important bits sorted. see you both soon. x

I hope you enjoyed your lunch Scorp and all at the tax payers expence,i hope you scoffed and drank eveything in sight
As promised a couple of snaps of the greatgrandson. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue980/
He really is quite a sweatheart and behaved very well in the restaraunt apart from throwing a few chips about
Sadly i have to go to work tomorrow, the other is still sick. I will have to take another route as i don't think i can face the road where i knocked down the cat
My sister just texted me to say my mothers house is now gone. Her words were "Thank god i don't have to enter that house ever again!!!" and i totally agree with her My other sister (prozac Lil) has already sold her own house and is in the middle of moving to Devon. This pleases me because her new house is almost on Dartmoor. She always says she never sees enough of me,now,she is going to see me much more than she will ever dream of
Hope you like the pics.

Scorp, I hope you had a good lunch and a after <biggrin. Lucky you!

Sue, there is nothing like a babe to put things in to perspective, they have saved my bacon many a time.

Is it something we said? A friend of mine is moving to the Somerset Devon border shortly, but visitors are not welcome so that's out.

I am so glad the house has gone, hopefully along with a lot of memories, and that your family are getting closer now.

Glad to refused to go to work, it doesn't pay to be on call too much. Hope they appreciate what a lucky lot they are <smiley

Websailor

Just thought I'd better post here, so we don't fall off the bottom of the world!

Have recently returned from a very enjoyable stay with the inimitable Bluesue; who made us welcome as usual. Will not go into details; but as you are well aware WS, she was, as always generous to a fault - beyond a fault even. Like my Daughter when she comes to visit, we came away with far more than we went down with!!

On another tack - it never happens in summer - the bloody central heating isn't working and it is cold, so am shivering and SS is calling me grumpy.

Thanks for posting Scorp. Oh, you poor thing, I hope it is sorted soon. I know now why I have a coal fire as well. A bit of work but well worth the effort.

Glad you had a good time. You didn't pick the best weather though did you?

We have been very lucky and missed the awful stuff so far, but I feel sure we have some US snow and ice heading our way before long.

Take care,

Websailor

I finally got round to turning the PC on after weeks of inactivity only to find trillions of emails.This gets on my nerves
Sorry the heating has packed up Scorp. Jogging on the spot, begin!
I have bought a new lens for my camera and i am itching to try it out,all i need is a boat so i can access the countryside.I have never known floods like it and it is not going away I got up at really stupid o'clock this morning,the idea being,to go to Blashford Lakes as soon as it gets light.I will probably find it has turned into one big lake instead of eight small ones Wish me luck,i will report in later,hopefully with some pictures

I am so glad i made the effort. I have been going to Blashford Lakes for years, and for years,i have heard a Bittern call but never seen it. Today was pay day My new lens paid off as well.It was a long way off but i just managed to capture it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue980/
How i managed to see it at all is a mystery,they are so well disguised.There were loads of other birds,Teal,shovelers and great crested grebe.I had a great morning out!

Good Heavens, I hadn't realised how long it has been since I last heard from you both. Hope you are both ?

Sue, you seem to be getting a real battering down there, I hope you are alright? A friend of mine moved to Somerset at the end of January!! I think she must be wondering whether it was a good decision. I don't think the floods have come close but the way things are going you just never know.

Scorp are you ?

Websailor

Hi both!

Am o.k. thanks WS - have had a touch of the 'black dog' but as usual our mate in 'sunny'? Dorset helped me overcome much of it.

Sue! You really must get that second pair of wellies Wherever you are, they are guaranteed to be in the wrong place.

Did I mention that the very nice people at ViaM kindly sent me a USB cable free gratis and for nothing.

It was SS' 70th on Tuesday, so on Wednesday I took him on a surprise (pre-paid) visit to the National Space Centre near Leicester. He had a great time; and because I had also pre-booked a wheelchair, I got in free

Like WS, we are constantly watching updates on the weather and floods. Imagine last year around this time, we were sunning ourselves in Lyme Regis. Wouldn't like to do it just now; and I am remembering someone (who shall remain nameless), who had considered booking a cottage on the Somerset levels for March 2014.

Stay safe both.

Scorp, My goodness, a cottage on the Somerset Levels in March i think a big houseboat would be the only option.

i get a touch of the Black Dog every winter and this one is worse than usual, but I wallow for a while then give myself a kick up the butt! Just trying not to comfort eat. Just as well I don't get any Valetine chocs , Hope you are feeling a bit brighter.

It is dreadful watching it all and feeling so helpless, and so thankful! Fence panels, trees and stuff have been flying around here but our river seems to be coping with things. Not being tidal helps no doubt. I haven't been able to go and look and we haven't had as much rain as coastal areas.

Hop Sue is ok, it looks pretty awful down there with more to com.

Websailor

As reported in the e-mail. Have been down to Dorset and am now safely back home with our mutual friend; who drove me back and is staying 'til whenever she wants to leave.

We had the journey from hell; because this idiot gave her wrong directions. I mixed up the M40 with the M4 and we somehow managed to get from the outskirts of Oxford (where we should have been) down to Windsor - past the racecourse but didn't call in for tea with Maj), ended up going round the M25 would you believe; then up the M1 (which we should have joined at Junction 15A. SS told me I was a hero and I won't repeat here what Bluesue called me!

Speak soon

Thanks Scorp, it sounds as if some of her spirit is still there. Give her my love

Websailor

Hi to you both. I finaly got back here,the only reason i got back was because i bought a sat nag in Derbyshire,otherwise,i would have been as missing as a Malaysian aeroplane if Scorp had anything to do with it. As interesting as Windsor most probably is,i had no plans to visit it on my way to Derbyshire and frankly,i have no plans to go there again,Lego Land the moon would have been preferable. Nuff said.
I have had a lovely,much needed escape,from Dorset,i feel so much better after all the traumer of the last few months.Today,i managed a trip out with my new ,huge camera lens and i am chuffed with it.It is a bit of a to lug about,but,i can now take pictures from half a mile away and they are still in focus.http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue980/
The other pictures of the Water Vole and the bird feeder Rat were taken in Derbyshire. Enjoy!,as they say every time you order a greasy bag of chips

Bluesue, so glad to see you back, I have missed you. Pleased the break did you good, sometimes it is good to get away.

At least the nights are getting lighter and the weather has been lovely, though it looks about to change for the worse soon

Take care, keep in touch.

Websailor

PS was sorry to hear about the stag that has been killed. There are some dreadful people around.

Websailor

Went on a protest march in Stratford on Avon against the badger cull last Saturday. It was a good, and very noisy turnout which left the whole of the town in no doubt what it was about.


Websailor