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

You were perhaps distracted at the time(s) then.

And, ummmm, little girl makes FOUR grand-children. Our son-in-law sired a sweet little girl named Rebecca, who will be 9 years old in a couple of weeks. Since then, he and my daughter have built Nicky (5 in February) and Nathan (2 a couple of months ago).

I am certain that I have told them what is causing these kids. But I don't think they have listened very closely.

oops.. I missed the other two

and as for "what is causing" .. relax, , let them experiment and find out .. it's better to learn from own experience than by being told

But ... but ... As they are 'finding out', it's sending us to the poor house. Christmas's, birthdays, Easter ... The shopping is terrible.



Really, we do hope this is enough for them, though. They ARE dependent on welfare support and so many other means of "assistance". And with such a brood, it's very unlikely they will ever stand on their on feet.

ah yes, but think of the happy faces with Christmas's, birthdays, Easter..

and "means of assistance".. ah, yes. well, maybe that will sort itself out?

Sadly, the province that they live in is already the poorest one, the weakest economy. She has minimal formal schooling, he doesn't even have that. (We did get him into an upgrade program, but for lack of attendance, he was dropped) So their chances are below slim to begin with. It's rather disheartening, to be quite honest.

How-ever, it IS great fun to buy the most annoying and noise-making toys that exist, and send them along to the grand-kids. They are 1,350 miles or so away, and we don't have to hear the noise.

"the most annoying and noise-making toys that exist" .. yeah, right This is something you just share with all other grandparents and the distance can me 1350 miles or feet; that seems to be irrelevant in this

mm.. minimal schooling and weak economy, that doesn't sound too good. ah, if economy strenghtens? wouldn't that help? After the traditional seven bad years ...

just before the elections, three weeks ago, the government was ever so optimistic about global and national economy. Since election time however the economy seems to be in free fall.. pessimism and decrease of "all" funds.

Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. They have very minimal mining and forestry, and were primarily supported by the fisheries industry. That has been greatly depleted by foreign fleets, and so there are moratoriums on most commercial species. In brief, it's going to be a lot of years of low and slow economy. Unless something phenomenal is found. Even a few oil-platforms off the coast haven't given them much of a boost. Ah well, they have made their bed, and so must lie in it. We did everything we could, and made many offers as we could. Now, their family is just too large to bring to our area, and squeeze into our house.

I am certain that noisy toys, with built-in batteries that last forever, were created with grand-parents in mind. Further punishment for the younger couples for having been children.

it's a reward for having children and a way to pay them back

Newfoundland and fishing .. yes.. there's a problem. Oil platforms do give a boost but only for the very few working on them and for the oil companies owning the platforms... yes.. well, we hope for better times for them.

We love 'em, we care about 'em, we help 'em as much as we can. And we try to keep a smile in our voice. Beyond that, there's nought we can do, eh?

So what kind of delights are YOUR hatchlings up to today? I haven't heard of any really novel experiences for some little time. And I can be pretty certain that they have not become the perfect .

well.. the last week before Sinterklaas *all* children in NL are perfect s of course .. otherwise they risk being taken away to Spain when Sinterklaas travels back!

But that is a week ago .. Last I heard them (2 seconds ago) they were trying to tear echother's hairs out ..

it now seems they stopped disagreeing .. or try to repair serious damage to furniture

At times like this, do you just wish that you had SIX hatchlings? Like our tribe? If two get totally exhausted, there are always more to keep on raving, shrieking and generally causing mayhem.

Ah.. sometimes I wonder if two is ... but then again.. no. Two is enough and the difference in age is good; a bit over a year.

no no no no no, I will not consider more

we will keep practicing of course .. well.. training.. more or less

Ooooh, for just a very brief moment, you DID waver, didn't you? ... Wondering if more than two ...

Let me guess, you ran off and checked your mental-health insurance coverage, and found it just at it's limits now, right?

Really, in the 50s, 60s and 70s, more kids WAS the way of life. Costs were proportionally more reasonable, one parent working was enough. And not every 2nd child had a gun ... Now? Economies mean that smaller families, more workers, and even then, ends just meet.

So if you EVER get the twinge to ponder more, just call a sister or brother, and borrow some of theirs for a week. Sanity will soon return.

well.. for more than a moment and not just here but then again.. "NO". certainly not. two is enough

Heh heh heh. NOW I know your mortal spot.

Anyway, has your working day been met, and now just killing some time before slaying some supper?

.. that was never a secret .. well, almost never.

Meantime a brand new w*rking day started, is half on it's way. Past lunch time, moving into time I think I'll make a new face on the clock with "Sleep", "breakfast", "lunch", "", "dinner".. that's all that's needed. 24 hours in a day makes life too complicated.

Hmmmm, that sounds like a generally good idea. But you'll still need quite a number of markers ... Hootoo break after breakfast, hootooo break during morning , hootoo break as lunch settles, hootoo break as tea cooks ...

I think you get the idea.

easy, those are the blank areas in between the other marks.

and there's one more sign needed of course.. I'll think of that in a few minutes

No-no-no, ... you can't schedule THAT in on a clock. It loses much of it's spontaniety that way.

Unless, of course, you were referring to the ritualistic towelling-down of the bath.

of course I was referring to cleaning the bathroom what else??