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

Neither can I - resist ice cream that is.

Hello Shea, just thought I'd pop over to look at your space and find I have travelled to Long Island! According to the screen your "eyes" are open, so I presume you are hard at work at your newspaper (and at hootoo!). You must be about 5 hours behind us though, so that would make it about 8.35 in the evening over there. I live just south of Heathrow airport, about 15 miles from the centre of London.

I often follow your threads, and come across you quite a lot wherever Tefkat is lurking, but have never actually thought to contact you. I am never likely to travel, for various reasons, so I love to be in contact with people from other countries/cultures etc to "travel" in my mind with them, does that sound daft.

Well, I won't witter on any more now, some people don't care for a Granny cluttering up their space.

Take care now, ..........what flavour do you prefer, by the way?

Universal Granny

Hi there, Granny! I'm very glad you dropped by!

I'm *sort of* hard at work ... I tend to leave myself logged in to h2g2, and post between images. If I'm not working on a project, I spend my time choosing and formatting photos for news and sports stories. That doesn't take too much concentration, so I can usually post and work! It's only when I'm working on a project (like I have been the past week), that I can't be distracted by too much fun.

Not to many people have been to Long Island that I know of from h2g2. People tend to visit NYC, and leave it at that. Where did you visit? Did you get to the beach? I really love it here, and really wouldn't want to live anywhere else! We're close enough to the City to get that experience, but far enough away to not be bothered by it if we don't want to! We're right by the beach, and are still only a 30 minute drive away from rural farmland! The only downfalls are the cost of living and the difficulty in getting *off* the Island to travel! You always have to drive towards the City to get a bridge or tunnel off, and that's almost always loaded with traffic. The ferries are kinda pricey if you want to take the shortcut over the Long Island Sound.

I've been to England twice, and to London just 2 years ago. In fact, I was probably very close to you last time I was there since I flew into Heathrow! I wish we were friendly then! I got stuck on my last night there ... all of a sudden my travel arrangements weren't for as long as I had asked, and I didn't have a place to stay that night! The hotel I had been staying all week graciously charged my a huge amount to let me stay.

My husband and I just accumulated enough miles for a free airline flight, and we're thinking of trying to make it to London next year in time for the summer meet-up. We'll have to see how expensive it is, though. I missed so much the last time I was there!

It doesn't sound daft to chat with others to learn about their cultures. I've learned so much from being here about many places I'll never get the chance to travel to. It's also made me realize that most peoples' differences are purely superficial, and that people are remarkably similar in their wants, needs and desires throughout the world. Too bad government/policies and such get in the way of people realizing that, most of the time.

Witter on as much as you'd like! It's always wonderful to make new friends! Some of my best friends are Grannies!

And the answer to your question is always: CHOCOLATE!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Hi Shea

Slight misinterpretation of my humour there - I meant I had travelled the airwaves (hootoo waves) to Long Island, not that I had ever been there.

Where did you visit in England - anywhere I know?

Must sign off now, shift is nearly at an end and day staff are arriving thick and fast. Will talk again

Take care Universal Granny

Sorry for the misinterpretation ... I do that a lot. I'm more of a "skimmer" than a "reader" and I sometimes mistake what's been written. It's very funny sometimes, and my husband is constantly shaking his head at what I *think* I see ...

The first time I visited the UK, my friend and I were given a rental car and a packet of vouchers that were good at approx. 400 inns, hotels, etc. in England, Scotland and Wales. We made our own vacation! We started in London, and headed down to Stonehenge and Dartmoor, back up towards the Lake District, on to Blackpool, then to Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, back to Edinburgh, to the Yorkshire Dales, to Nottingham and back to London, with lots of stops along the way! This last visit I just stayed in London, as I only had a week (5 days after travelling). So, do you know any of those places?

So you're a night shift gal, too? I work from 4pm to midnight (5 hours behind you), so I guess I'm technically second shift, but we don't have a 3rd shift in my department. I leave at about the time the collators are getting in to finish up the newspaper.

What sort of work do you do, if you don't mind me asking? And are you a for-real granny? If so, how many grandkids do you have?

See, now you have questions to answer!

Hello Shea

Well, yes I know all the places you mention, but I have not been to all of them. My godmother lives in Yorkshire, so I know the Dales fairly well, and York itself, which I think is a wonderful city.

I used to holiday a lot in Cornwall (far south west of England) and go past Stonehenge and across Dartmoor to get there, so know those pretty well too.

I have only ventured into Scotland once, and explored Edinburgh fairly thoroughly then, but have not been to Glasgow or Inverness.

I have cousins in Newark which is the next town up from Nottingham and spent a lot of time in my younger days up there.

Yes, I am a for-real Granny! I have two daughters (Wilma and Betty - not their real names you understand!). Wilma is the eldest and has Pebbles (a rising five little girl who has just started school) and Bam-Bam and roguish little boy of 2 and a half years. Betty has an eighteen month old little boy, Dino and has promised him a sibling sometime next year.

Both families live in the same road as each other, and only 5 minutes away from me, so I am often over there "grannying", which I love

Looks like we're at work at more or less the exact same times as each other. I am trying to picture you in your office as I type this to you, and by the touch of a button you could be reading this in a few minutes time (providing you're not picture hunting!). I am still in awe of this internet thingy, you know, typical Granny, I suppose!

I work in the communications industry as supervisor to a night team of 10 people. They are an odd bunch, but we seem to work as a team quite well and that is all that matters at the end of the day. I am only 3 and a half years off retirement, and to be honest I just want each night to pass in peace with targets met and staff happy, so that I can say I am one more day towards getting out of here!

eh? That's another thing we have in common - most definitely! In fact, I quite like the on hootoo, because it doesn't seem to have any calories, I seem to eat as much as I like and still not go over 180 pounds (yes, I am very overweight!).

More work arriving, so had better go now. Hope you've had a good night, tonight. Speak again soon, but in the meantime

Take care Universal Granny

Hi again!

Here's a quick answer for you before I have to get back to work!

I truly loved the Highlands of Scotland. I thought it was some of the most beautiful country I had ever seen! I found the scenery of England to be very similar to New England here in the States! I realized why they call it that!

What wonderful ages all your grandchildren are! I have a niece that just started kindergarten, and she's great to be with! I'm taking her to a small amusement part this weekend, and she's very excited about "driving" the antique cars they have there! She thinks she's really driving!

Sadly, I don't have any children. I only got married last year, and am a bit long in the tooth to start a family at this point in my life. I *did* acquire a *lot* of nieces and nephews by marrying TJ, and now have a total of 18, including some grand-nieces and nephews!

When you picture me, also picture a large room with empty cubicles, with me being the only one here. I'm in a corner near the windows, but luckily I have a television right over my desk, and since I'm the only one here, I get to switch from the news channels they put on during the day to whatever will keep me company!

Right now I'm working on a Flash presentation about Long Island poets, so I won't be picture hunting much for the rest of the week. It also means I won't be posting much either.

You are so lucky to be so close to retirement! I'm very much looking forward to it, and am hoping to be able to retire a bit early in 15 years. And I think the night shift tends to be a more ... shall I say ... creative thinking group than the "normal" day shift folk!

I know what you mean about the ! I gained what we've been calling "happy pounds" since I got married last year, and hit the 175 pound mark! This is difficult for me, since I was always a very slim person when I was younger. I've been slowly putting on weight as I got older, but put on 25 pounds this past year! I've managed to lose 8 so far, but really need to start exercising regularly, but it's hard to find the time to do it.

So let's indulge in more and stay away from the scales!

Gotta go!

'evening Shea!

Was a bit concerned about you and Hurricane Isabel, but guess as you are on-line tonight she either passed you by, hasn't reached you yet, or didn't do you too much damage.

We continue to enjoy hot weather (for this time of year) although the temperatures are nowhere near what they were in the height of summer .

I have spent the day with youngest grandson, Dino, pointing out objects/animals/people in a miriad of books he keeps producing because he has just learnt to mimic all you say and he is trying out new words all the time. If you can associate each picture with an action (sort of menomic for him I suppose) he is delighted. Spent a lot of time with his right arm extended along the side of his face and out into space, being an elephant today!

Other grandson is undergoing potty training at the moment, with varying degrees of success. Yesterday, every hit was in the potty, today he just couldn't be bothered and happily pee-d where he stood and waited until he had finished before telling his Mum!.

Have got a school reunion to go to this weekend. It's strange- none of us look any older than when we were at school together!!! I quite enjoy catching up with everyone, but we have all be separated for so long we have little in common except the "old days" at the school. Eventually remeniscences dry up and conversation becomes a bit stilted. Never mind - it's a day out.

Well, I hope Isabel keeps her windy fingers off you. Speak to you soon

Take care Universal Granny

Hi there!

Sorry about the long delay in answering! Things got busy at work, and I didn't get a chance to post again, and I had a very busy weekend! I'm still busy at work, but I'm trying to find a little time for posting ... starting at the end of my very long conversations list!

Hurricane Isabel didn't do very much damage here on Long Island. Thankfully, it passed well west of us, and all we had were heavy winds, some rain and high surf. We ended up with a truly beautiful weekend, so all well that ends well!

I think it's funny you came up with all these "online" names for your family! How do you keep them straight?

The potty training story reminds me of my niece. She just didn't want to be potty trained. She knew what was going on, and was at the stage where she could even discuss it with you, but she stubbornly refused to do it! She would sneak into a corner and hide behind a chair to poop into her diaper, but wouldn't go into the bathroom for it. She finally got embarrassed into it. She was left with a person she didn't know well, and she pooped, but didn't want the person to change her diaper. She spent a few hours with a very disgusting diaper. That experience cured her of not using the potty!

I have to admit, I've never wanted to go to school reunions. I was talked into going to one from my elementary school days, and I had a nice time, but it was odd.

Back to the backlog! Take care!

Sorry ... I forgot the

Oh, and did I mention the run we did last night for brownie mix and ice cream? We had a lovely dessert in the wee hours!

No you didn't mention brownies and ice cream Any samples left?

UG

There were 4 brownies left ... big ones ... and lots of ice cream ... and 2 kinds of sauce ...

We'll leave the light on for you!

"Gosh, I don't miss any of the worrying over meeting new people!"

Celebrate! My very first "cut and paste"!!!

Thought I'd bring that over to this thread, but I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean you are never going to meet new people again, or that you don't worry at all about meeting new people - or what? !

Ostensibly he is not a "new person" but he might as well be, my memory is not that good. I remember going out with him, but I cannot bring his face to mind, and I don't seem to have any photos, and we did not do anything particularly remarkable, because I seem to think we were both very active in our respective churches at the time and so just went to each other's services, youth clubs, outings etc.

In theory, I don't mind the idea of meeting up with him, but he is so INSISTENT and when I said I would phone him on Friday night he immediately wanted me to ring him tonight instead. I didn't, Friday I said and Friday it will be.

I take your point about ground rules. It is a very good one. If I go, then I am just out for an evening, and want to have a good time without getting "heavy".

I think he is just lonely.

Anyway, must get back to the grind, speak to you soon

Take care Universal Granny

Sorry, just realised that the "ground rules" bit came from Witchone. Ignore me - senility is setting in...!

UG

I really meant "new people" in terms of dating.

I know I'm not a great one to talk about warning anyone to be careful when meeting new people, because did everything wrong when I met my husband TJ for the first time. Everything turned out fine, but I would have been having fits if a friend of mine did what I did!

Your "friend" is probably just lonely ... lets hope that's it.

'Evening Shea, you about?

No real news today, I slept most of it after a really bad night shift. I didn't get home until 0900 (official finishing time 0600) and then was too wide awake to go to sleep. Finally nodded off at about noon, got up in time to babysit Pebbles and Bam-Bam at 1830, back home at 2030, food, change and back in here!

Doesn't look too bad tonight, except two people have reported sick (out of ten).

Hope your evening is looking good.

Speak to you later, probably in my break.

Take care UG