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

Hello Lew,was just browsing saw your name thought I'd drop you a line.
I'm pretty new to hootoo, joined January 2007.would like to here more from you if you have the time. I live in the north east of England.

Pal-ladin.

G'day Pal, I live in Victoria Australia. We could not be much further apart. Most of my forefathers came from up your way. A bit further up I suppose. I have not been in hootoo long myself. Still making mistakes.

Hello Lew
Thanks for replying,I'm sorta getting used to the keyboard and computers in general, sorry It's taken me so long to reply but you know what It's like. I dont play golf or anything, my interests are reading,musicfootball walking the dog and going for a drink. I'm coming up to retirement this year but I dont know whether I will stop working.I have the option of staying on till sixty five on a year to year basis so we'll see how it goes.It must be your summer over there now is it?,we are just coming to the end of our winter and a mild winter we have had this year.I watched the Australian open tennis on Eurosport in January,loved it.It's nearly midnight hear does that make it 1300hrs over there.? By the way I'm at work doing this, I work nights.One week on one week off.I'll sign off now and hope to here from you soon. Pal-ladin.

It is certainly summer here, although the last month of, and it has been a grim summer this year. Many bushfires and little rain. The fires are out at the moment but the dry weather continues to make it still dangerous. We have been lucky here on the Mornington Peninsula but it would only take a lightning strike or a moronic maniac to cause more misery. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope for a wet Autumn.

I have never regretted retiring even though I had little money. I guess I am just plain lazy. My own view is that it is not a good thing to make work the center of your life. There are too many wonders in the world to be always looking in one direction. But as Robbie Burns said, we must all dree our ain wierd, whatever that means.

Hiya Lew,
Nice to here from you.Your quite right about making work the centre of one's life, there is much to see and do. With me working week on week off It just seems like a part time occupation to me and I would need something to get me out of bed so to speak.Where not rich or poor but somewhere in between, but we'll see how things go.Have you had the golf clubs out lately?, my local football team won again on Saturday,there's ten games to go yet but there only two points away from a play off place for promotion. It's 2,00 o'clock in the morning now 26-03 - 07 what time and date will it be where you are?.It's great to talk to you,hope you are well andlook forward to hearing from you.I think I'll put the kettle on now and then start reading a novel I'm half way through. for now
Pal-ladin.

G'day Pal,
I'm not too good on figures or the remembering of, so all I can say is that we are 9 or 10 hours ahead of you. We are on summer time now so it is probably 10 hours. March is officially the start of Autumn but there is still plenty of hot weather ahead. It always seems that summer speeds by and winter drags on. But that is me! A discontented man.

My golf improved the last couple of games. Golfers generally are optimists who always think the next game is going to be better. The nice thing is that now and again it is!

I am not a great watcher of football. As a native Victorian I was brought up on Australian Rules, a Game usually vilified by other codes
but much beloved by locals. It has the advantage of plenty of action and
a lot of goal scoring. The tensions caused by a couple of hours of playing without scoring a goal must be unhealthy, and is probably the reason for so many riots in your region. Sport can be as bad as religion for causing animosity, which is strange since they are both supposed to spread goodwill. Such is humankind.

Hello Lew

Sorry It's taken so long to reply, one or two things to do. Hope all is well at your end. My wife and I were at the theatre on Tuesday night to see TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, which was quite enjoyable. Me being an avid reader I read the book some years ago. Watching the news here I see there is some serious weather problems, ie flooding there, are you affected by it?. Do you live in the South East of Australia?. I'll be going on holiday in a couple of weeks to Benidorm in Spain. Six of us go every year just for a week of laughs and a bit of sun.Been doing this for the last ten years.Have you goy anything planned regarding holidays?. Im about to get ready for work so I'll speak to you soon,Later Lew. Palladin.

I did reply Pal, but it must have got lost. I am in a bit of a downer lately with a few problems, not major but a worry.

I live in Victoria, a southern state on the East side of Oz. No floods, rather a serious drought. Not a lot of water in Australia and the pollies are encouraging too much population.

As a retiree, every day is a holiday, but I am stick in the mud and prefer to do my travelling at home, in comfort, by means of the wonderful world of television.

Hiya Lew,

Sorry to here about your problems, hope you sort them out soon.At least the floods are'nt anywhere near. I dont know what pollies are?. I like some television but prefer to read or listen to my CD's. Do you know about Google Earth, just tap in on computer and you can go anywhere in the world by satellite, It's great. I'm off to Spain on Sunday for a week, I'll be in touch when I return.

Palladin.

Hiya Lew

Just got back from Spain, hope everything is okay your end,ie your problems.Had a good time on holiday, weather hot lots to eat and drink.Did you manage to sort anything out regarding Google Earth?.Drop me a line and tell me what pollies are will you ? thanks.

Palladin.

Pollies is a slightly derisory term for politicians. Quite apt really as Polly is a sort of generic name for parrots, and if you ever see parrots in a group you will hear squabbling and raucous screeching and attention grabbing activities that are similar to any parliamentary meeting.

I have not been very good at communicating lately as I feel a bit washed out. I do not lead an exciting life, in fact not much of a life at all. I don't travel, not even to see an ageing sister-in-law who is only 90 miles away. Now that winter approaches I will probably be even more reluctant to leave the comfort of home.

Alright, so I am not quite as miserable and reclusive as I make it sound, still you would never think of me as the life of the party. Grumpy old man however, does fit me well.

Hello Lew

I'm sure your not grumpy or as miserable as you make it sound. You should try and visit your sister- in - law I'm sure she would be happy to see you, do you phone her?. I thought Pollies had something to do with politicians, but of course a group of parrots make a lot more sense than politicians ever do. Try and make that trip to see sis before winter gets a hold. you never know it may make all the difference. .

Hiya Lew
Iv'e just been reading your journal. This is a coincidence, your great grandfather, Steve Tierney was a prison warder.I work in a prison and have done for the last 18 years,so there's a common thread eh.

There is some confusion in our family as to my great-grandfather's name. My mother always referred to him as Handsome Steve Tierney, a romantic sounding name, but any records we can find indicate that he may have been Steve Turner. Tasmania was a pretty turbulent place in those days, so any records may have been messed about. Literacy was suspect and a broad Irish accent might have made Tierney sound like Turner. We will probably never know.
Well, the past is done and dead and whether we are here from spontaneous creation or evolutionary means, we all came from the same seed if you go right back. Cheers brother.

Hiya LEW
Yeah your probably right we'll never know,but never mind that how are you at the moment?. Have you made any decisions as to whether you will visit your sister-in-law,dont forget the weather is not going to get any better any time soon.You could be snowed in for months soon with only me to talk to. You would'nt want that would you?.I've just come in from the club, been playing dominoes and having a few drinks with some friends and putting the world to rights as you do.Do you go out at all with friends and socialise, if so Id like to here about it.A work friend of mine took a holiday in Australia 2 years ago and told me on returning that if she had the guts she would up and go right now.Of course It's different when your a tourist is'nt it?,Ive realised that on numerous occasions when I've been abroad.I must say I do love America and have done since I was twelve years old. I have been to the states three times on holiday in the past so I have had first hand knowledge.Anyway I hope you are doing okay and write to me soon.Keep in touch..

Have'nt heard from you in a while Lew, how are things with you?

Palladin

G'day Pal. I am still standing, as a well known Sir sang. I have been having computer troubles (so what's new?) but it has now been resurrected. However, I have just sent a long (for me) email to my sister-in-law in Queensland and the morning is almost gone with still things to do so I will just let you know that I still am. Later.

Good to here things are alright Lew.Everything is alright this end.Have'nt done a lot except work and sleep.It must be winter down there is it?.Are you planning on visiting your sister - in law at all?.Been backwards and forwards to the daughter's house this past fortnight looking after the grandkids, at least my wife has.The daughter is in FLORIDA on holiday,(It's alright for some,).I mostly stay at home because of the dog.Well I've got things to do I'm at work at the moment,nice to hear from you, dont be a stranger

Palladin

We are well into the last month of autumn here and the weather has finally started to look like we may have a winter after all. It has been a long dry summer and water is getting in short supply. Today we are having light showers locally and it looks like the temp. will peak below 20c for the first time in weeks. Beautiful autumn really if the dams were a bit fuller.

My partner in golf and I won the comp. yesterday and were pretty pleased with ourselves.When I got home and unwrapped the trophy I found it was four mugs and a small tray in heavy white china. Quite nice really but I am afraid utterly useless to me. But that is the way of many trophies. It was a good day though.

Hiya Lew

Well done to you and your partner for the golf win.Never mind if the trophy is not what you would prefer, dont forget there's other competitors who were involved who would have loved being in your position.I'm sure they will be a little bit envious.Do you keep the trophy for ever or just for a year?.Nothing happening over here,we have'nt had any signs of summer yet, in fact it's a bit nippy at the moment.I'm at work right now and I'm just going to make a ,Just starting to get dark,2200hrs here. Will write again soon,keep your chin up.
Palladin