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

Good idea to get a full service for the bike while it's out of action, so it should run much better when the cycle path is also back in action

That is disappointing about the scanner at work generating 600dpi pixelated images... I scanned all mine at work and they were mostly OK (although I know what you mean about faded colour) - page 15 came out pixelated, though, so the settings must have changed for that one... Maybe something to do with the image format (not jpg?), I don't know. Yes indeed it is worth waiting a bit longer for better quality results That is good news that you've found a second hand one

Yes, although I was reliant on wifi during this weekend, it wasn't *that* much of an issue. I was nearly turned away from there last time I visited the model railway exhibition, though - somehow they had booked someone else into the accessible room. Fortunately the other person was not disabled and was able to move to a non-accessible room so I was able to stay after all. Very convenient for visiting

The work scanner scanned in jpeg format (it does either jpeg or pdf) and while the blacks are very dark, everything other colour appears faded somehow, and very spotty if you zoom in. But presumably despite the work scanner's results looking bleached and devoid of colour, Amazon would think, 'Aha! 600dpi rather than 200 means this document isn't a colouring book'.
Sometimes it is true what they say about good things coming to those who wait

So, after your trip away and hectic work week, are you having a more calm, measured, normal week? Or are you up to much?

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Ah, yes I think PDF format might have been what made my cartoon pixelated, so that is strange that your work scanner scans in jpg and still manages to generate a grainy image... Highly possible that Amazon would like it better

The stressful week has caught up with me today somewhat so I've been feeling rather drained, but shopping was OK as I just went to the little Sainsbury's and got everything I was looking for (plus I used the voucher that I got from Eastleigh, so that was a nice bonus ). Some non-strenuous birdwatching tomorrow should help me feel more refreshed

Next week isn't looking very promising, as I met one deadline on Friday but another one went whooshing past. I have a meeting with my boss on Monday, anyway, so we'll sort it out I have a hygienist appointment next week, too, which is daunting - I generally don't mind a teeth clean, but I haven't met this person before so am anxious about whether she will be understanding (as the nurse I hadn't met before wasn't very understanding) but I am sure we will be able to have a dialogue, at least Anyway, I shall try not to need to work late, and that should help

I hope you had a successful Saturday, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend

Excellent to see your Model Railway photos on - fascinating to compare and contrast Glad you enjoyed looking at my photos, too - really interesting studying all the details

They are very high quality images drained of all colour, so doubtless Amazon would love them... But hopefully the new old scanner will arrive soon, it is supposed to at some point before the end of the week.

Sorry to hear that you've felt as drained as a colour image scanned by a photocopier, but hopefully the birdwatching has indeed made a difference, and things will look better after your meeting with your boss, and the hygienist appointment will be better than previously.

My weekend has been successfully uneventful, which is good.

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"as drained as a colour image scanned by a photocopier" - a very apt simile. Birdwatching was a tonic, though, indeed, as I added 7 birds to my list including a Kingfisher and Goldcrest It was one of those fantastic days when I announced what I was looking for and there it was! (I mentioned that I hadn't seen a Tufted Duck, and then I spotted two. I asked if any Nuthatches had been seen, and then I saw one in a tree ). 71 bird species seen and photographed by 2 February is a record for me Might make subsequent birding trips more difficult, but there are still a few 'easy' species I haven't seen yet

Glad your weekend was good

You really are making excellent birdwatching progress this year! Soon you will have spotted so many you'll be able to take the rest of the year off, and be able to spend your time relaxing and going birdwatching instead. If everything you announced turned up, did you try announcing winning lottery numbers too?

Sadly I lost the bottom half of my lunchbox, which has been missing for a couple of months now. I bought it from Ikea, so my nammettime mission today is to see if I can get a replacement lunchbox from them. I bought it a good few years ago - definitely before lockdown - so I don't know if they would still sell it. Ikea is a frustrating shop to pop to when all you want is a lunchbox - the secret is to know the shortcuts and to use the fire exit staircase so you don't have to go all the way round every area. But which area would lunchboxes be in? Kitchen utilities? Will I be able to find one? Only time will tell.

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Yes, in theory someone could spot all the winter birds in January/February, then after the summer birds had been spotted there wouldn't be anything new left to see in August-December (without 'twitching' rare birds blown off course from somewhere else), but that won't be me. Some days I do focus more on photography than adding to the list, though, as I tend to find there are fewer species around on a bright day that is good light for photographs. It would be interesting to try out the announcement technique with lottery numbers Not likely, as the same number can be picked two weeks on the run, but I did used to take note of which numbers hadn't appeared for a while when the draw used to be on BBC1 - announcing 'I haven't seen X for a while' might just make it appear

Sorry about the mystery of the missing lunchbox compartment... I hope you managed to find a suitable replacement if not the exact same type That is good that you know the secret shortcut to avoid the one-way system - otherwise it would be frustrating indeed when all you want is the bitty bits at the end. Sounds like the lunchboxes would be in the kitchen utilities area, so I hope they were easy for you to locate

I've still been under the weather today, but feeling better since this morning as I had a tonic drink so I'm 'forty-fived with vitamins and iron' The meeting with my boss was reassuring, and clocking off at usual finish time, rather than working late like last week, also helped. Nothing too strenuous anticipated for tomorrow, so I should feel even better then