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

It's me again.

Meant to say: don't take any notice of that message coming up on your screen. I get it quite a lot too. At first it sc ared me, wondered what it was about, but if you take no notice and carry on doing what you were planning to do, you'll find all is well. At least I do.
Sometimes I get: This page cannot be displayed, that used to bother me too, but again, start from the beginning and all is well.

I used to think I was doing all the wrong things, but when you know all the marvellous things that DO go right, I suppose it's bound to go wrong sometimes. We click on here and click on there and hey presto..
all manner of magical things happen.

Now, you've had two replies for the price of one.
Definitely your turn now.



XX

Hi FLY,
That clears up the mysery of A and B. Are you saying that even now his voice still sends you bandy legged? You say that you couldn't live with him...but it sounds to me that you almost couldn't live without him. Has he ever asked you to move to his area; or indeed has he ever suggested that he moves to yours?If not, he is obviously satisfied with the situation as it is, which I suppose you are too(does all that make sense?)Sorry, got my anylists hat on again !!
What was the local like. Hope it hasn't turned out like ours. We live on the edge of the countryside, and about a mile away is a lovely pub that was privately owned. The atmosphere was good, and the food was superb if a little pricey by pub standards, but well worth it.I suppose that it was so popular that it was bought out by a major pub chain. It closed for refurbishment and when it reopened we went there one friday night to eat...what a difference. The service was bad, the food was awful, and any friendly atmosphere was replaced by an air of business,business,business. We have never been back there since, although in fairness, a friend went there last week and had a lovely meal.Perhaps after 8 months it has changed.
Went to the CB, saw you there,you were looking the other way.I don't know if it is me, but I felt bored by it all..I don't want this to happen. I hope that it is only a passing thing.I must say though that on one of Pond Girls threads, Perkins made me laugh...He always seems to come out with just the right quick remark..wonderful. Getting back to lovers etc. My sister said after her husband died that she would never bother with another man as at her age she thought that most men were looking for a woman to look after them in their old age..It didn't stop her from falling for a 'wrong un' that nearly broke her heart. WATCH OUT !

Fondest wotsits

AL XX

Hiya,

Don't know where to start. Relationships are difficult. It may be me, but yes, I still get turned on by his voice, and then there are times that I really hate him. Lots of little things irritate me, but then when I don't see him for awhile I forget all that.
Trouble is, he now doesn't want any kind of commitment. He's been married twice, divorced twice and he thinks all women are the same, bossy. He doesn't want being told what to do any more. The thing is, in most marriages the woman is the boss. True or not? Not openly so, but they know how to get their own way. My husband used to say: "Find yourself a comfortable thumb and get under it". J. doesn't see that in a good relationship there is no quarrel about being boss, you try to make the other person happy and things revolve from that.
I live in a very expensive part of the country and once said that it would be financially much better for me if I moved closer to him. (He is in a rented flat). But he says it wouldn't work. If we fell out I would blame him and complain: "I've come all this way to be near you, and now see what's happened." There is no reasoning with him because he shies away from any kind of discussion.
A sad case, I reckon.

But, sometimes it feels like: better the devil you know...We are very comfortable together, "like an old married couple" he says. One of my friends says that that bores me and that I then start looking for arguments. Maybe. I don't like a rut. I'm a Gemini, I need change and some excitement. Especially excitement.
I know what you'll say: "Women".

I didn't see Perkins@ thread, was it yesterday? Now he is a mystery man, we know nothing about him, at least I don't. Wonder what his job is. He doesn't give anyting away, does he?

But then, neither do you!!!!! All you keep doing is asking me questions, I feel as if I'm in therapy.

The local!
It keeps changing hands. We were the only people there. The chef hadn't changed so the food was still the same. Not bad, nothing to shout about either.I had saved up some good jokes to tell my friend and when I came home I realised I'd forgotten all about them.

I shall sit here and prepare a list of questions for you to answer. I may start out innocently, like: Does your wife read the messages on the Boards? What does she think about it? That's for starters.

Hope you have a good night. Try not to wake me up when you're restless. I think it's time we changed the duvet, I keep waking up boiling hot.

Nice to hear from you.

See you soon,

Nighty night.

FLY,

Questions, questions, questions,
Answer to my starter for ten..No !
Where did you go to from the CB tonight? Will talk tomorrow.

Best wotsits

Al XX

Hi Al,

Where did I go?
Just flitted about a bit on here and then read my book. Been feeling very very tired to-day. So off to bed now.

Nighty night,

Hiya Al,

Where've you gone? Got tired of it all? Don't blame you.
Just had a look at CB, nothing there for me to join in with and on R2 Scott is holding forth again. This time telling people off for criticising the Sunday programmes. You've never seen such twaddle.

F.1. was good to-day, lovely to see Jenson Button on the podium. Been watching too much sport the last couple of days.

Hope you are well and haven't caught my cold.

IsMrs. Zima just not interested in anything to do with computers? Just about all my friends are like that. I don't know why, but peoplewho never look at a puter seem to think that all we do is watch porn.
"you be careful" I keep getting told.
When J. was here Christmas time I tried to interest him, but he looked over my shoulder out of the window. When I laughed at something funny Perkins had said he couldn't really be bothered.

Perkins was saying that when he was a little boy one of his aunts visited his mum and they 'd forgotten he was there. The aunt said: "Laugh? I laughed so much the tears were running down my leg"!!

I thought it was hilarious. (no...not quite that much)


Hope to hear from you

Hi FLY

No I haven't got completely bored yet. Have not been around the boards much over the past few days..just a quick in & out occassionally.
How's the cold? Should be on the mend by now I should think.
Isn't SC just the most annoying person on these boards? They had a good thing going in the CS tonight about Reynolds Radio (much too quick for me to contribute!!)And then who should butt in and ruin the rhythm of it all?...yes you've guessed it....!I think that, in Liverpool, they call his kind a 'NO MARK'

Mrs. Zima has no interest in puters,I think that she was suspicious at first in case I got myself into trouble, but she's OK with it now. I sometimes feel guilty that I spend a lot of time on here, while she is watching the TV.

It's 9.22 pm at the moment. Can I take a guess and say that I bet you are watching that new David Jason thing that has started tonight. If you are....enjoy.

See you

Al XX

Hiya Al,

No, I wasn't watching the David Jason thing last night, but the soaps I had recorded beforehand. I had promised myself a sleeping tablet and a WHOLE night's sleep. And it worked. Wonderful.
I wanted to be on my toes to-day, had to get up early because friend and I were catching a coach at 8-30 to this shopping centre in Kent and then on to Bromley for more shopping.

All went well and we had a Chinese(no, not a whole one) for lunch. Had to be back on the coach by 4-00. And

there we sat....and sat..... and sat..... An old lady who looked very eccentric, to say the least was missing. The driver waited for an hour for her, she never showed up. My friend was going berserk. "Never again" she kept saying. "I'll never get onto a coach again" and I felt guilty because I had asked her to come.
We didn't get home till 7-15 and she had to cook her husband's dinner.
Shame, wasn't it?

I just saw you on R2 board. Couldn't you contain yourself any longer? Good for you. Me, I'm too lazy for all that.
I thought last night's CB was very funny, but again, I had nothing to say. I'm getting worried about myself, I'm getting so dull.

I don't think you need to feel selfish for being on the computer while Mrs.Z. watches T.V. At least she can watch whatever she wants to then. Myhusband and I were always together, never did anything separately and it was a great mistake. When I suddenly lost him I had no other interests, I had to start joining things and making new friends. When you lose your husband your friends (couples) aren't so interested any more and the wives are scared you're going to nick their husbands. Just when you need them most, they get very suspicious. Strange world, isn't it?

It's nice to have these "cyber" friends, everybody anonymous and nobody demanding.

And yet you feel as if they're there for you.

See you again soon, fancy a glass of ?





Bought nothing but 3 new books to-day. Lovely!

Hi Al,

Now I won't be able to sleep, wondering what game we're playing.

Hi FLY,
Just got back from the CB.Pheew!!gets a bit hectic towards the end doesn't it? I'm just not quick enough !

You said last night that you are getting dull..I think not..you more than held your own tonight.Nobody asked me if I wanted a drink tonight...I wanted to crack my joke which is..'Hi Al, what are you drinking?...I'm OK thanks...like Van Gough I've got one 'ere'(Boom, Boom )Alright. Maybe it isn't funny, but I like it !!

When my sister lost her husband, I think that I may have told you, we were very worried for her; but, after a time she picked herself up, and made a new life for herself.One night,some years after his death, she said, what I thought was an incredibly brave admission, she said that now she had come to terms with his death, and was making a life for herself that was entirely different to the one she had before, if she had the chance,she wouldn't want him back. I was flabbergasted. I asked her why, and she said that she had got used to being without him, and the worst thing in her life had already happened to her (his death)nothing would ever be as bad as that, so to have him back, she would only have to go through it all again and she couldn't bear it.Some may say that she was selfish, but I think that she was brave to admit it.I could have cried for her.

Sorry for being maudlin.
Have a good nights kip, and if I'm not too far gone after my night out with the lads, I'll speak to you tomorrow.

Very fondest wotsits

Al XX

Hi Al,

Oh, what a pity nobody asked you if you wanted a drink. I think it's very funny, I shall look out for you next time and have the question ready.

I understand what your sister meant when she said what she did. After the initial shock of losing my husband (he had never been ill and seemed so fit), it took me awhile to realise that now I could do exactly as I pleased. My husband had worked his way up to Managing Director and with that expected me to behave with some decorum. Afterhe died, gradually I became myself again, typically Dutch, talking and laughing a bit too loud, very open and honest and very tolerant. And I did things he would never have approved of, like eating chips in the car and little things like that. I could go to bed and get up whenever I liked, eat or not, cook or not, watch all my favourite T.V. programmes (even Eastenders) and I believed I was happy and self-sufficient.

But then I had a little prang in the car-park. Came home, nobody to tell it too. Nobody who says: "Don't worry. WE'll sort it out", no, it's all up to me.And I had been so cossetted and looked after.
And when things went wrong recently with the drains, the fence came down, the electrics failed, the video blew up etc. all at the same time, I wished he was there to help me sort things out. I coped and did it all myself, but it would have been nice to have an arm around my shoulder, somebody to give me some advice.

Who's maudling now?

But your sister is very lucky to have you, you sound like a very caring brother. I was very close to my youngest brother, all our lives we had been able to tell each other everything, I knew all his faults and he did mine, he told me about all his escapades etc., things he couldn't tell his wife.
When I phoned him on the Sunday afternoon when I found my husband dead in the garden, my brother said, quite simply: "I'm on my way" and took the next plane. He stayed for three weeks and when he left it was like another bereavement.
He died last year and I miss him terribly, he was a wonderful man.

Hope you had a lovely time with your friends and hope I haven't made you miserable.

Have a wonderful Easter.

Happy Easter FLY,

Didn't get home 'till late last night, so tired just fell into bed. I hadn't even had a drink either. I volunteered(is that right spelling?) to drive so I was on orange all night.

My sister felt like you did about suddenly having to do everything for herself. At first she was very hesitant, and was always asking advice. I was always there for her but I encouraged her to try and do it for herself. As time went on her confidence increased so that now, although she sometimes askes our advice, she deals with most things herself, which she is very proud of.She uses this sense of achievement as a strength.I would think that you would be the same...I know that it has been hard on your own, but just look how far you have come !!

I'm sorry about your brother. It is obviously still very raw with you.

I'm going to see the enemy tomorrow (B'ham City) My son in law usually goes with his father, but his dad has gone away for a few days so there is a season ticket going spare(you don't think that I would PAY to watch that rubbish do you?)They are playing Man. U. so, with any luck' they'll get a good thumping.I've told him that I will wear a Villa scarf(only joking..I want to come home in one piece)

Must be off now.Going shopping being as Mrs. Zima is at work.

Very fondest wotsits

Al XX

PS You NEVER make me miserable.

Hi Al,
I had actually dragged myself into the garden to do some weeding, when I suddenly remembered it's a friend's birthday, so made myself a cup of tea and sent her a "cyber"-card. And then, what do you do? Exactly, have a look around and there you are!

My garden is mostly pebbles and stones and quite a few beds, which are easy to manage, it's the pebbles etc.that drive me mad. Grass and weeds and even bluebells force their way through them and it's very hard work.

Just heard an ice-cream van! Never ventured out here before, how lovely. Feel quite tempted but I have this lovely cup of tea and quite a lot of ice-cream in the freezer. Don't tell anybody, but I'm hooked on Cornetto's and I saw there is a new one coming out, pistachio-flavour which is my absolute favourite. I know it will mean many fruitless trips around the shops, always the same when they advertise something new, the shopkeepers have never heard of it.

Hope you enjoy the football tomorrow. I used to support Man.U. but I hate Ferguson so much, I can't watch him chewing any longer and haven't got anybody to shout for any more. J. supports Arsenal but I think it's daft, there are no English players in that club.
In Holland, when the local teams play, there is nobody to be seen outside. I lived in Eindhoven, so did all my family and my cousin lives not far from the football-ground, she thinks it's so brilliant that when they score, she can hear the shouting!!!

Rugby is almost unheard of there and so is cricket (to this day I don't understand it), so football is and always has been the National sport.

Well, I really ought to go back to those weeds, but I'm ever so comfy here, don't want to go. I shall have lots of aches and pains tomorrow, always the same the first gardening session of the year.
Still, the sooner I go, the sooner I'll get finished, so Cheerio Al,
enjoy the football. By the way, why is it better if Man.U. wins rather than Birm.City if you support Villa? Obviously I don't understand the finer points of the system. So much ignorance!!!

See you soon.

Local rivalry FLY !! It's almost a sham really, but it gives us something to argue about when we are all together( my other son in law supports West Bromwich Albion)Mrs Zima & the girls get fed up with it!
My gardening starts tomorrow(hope it rains)Don't you feel better when everything is tidied up. At the moment the lawn is in need of some TLC, and the borders need livening up,a bit like me really.Mrs Z LOVES Cornetto's,she is very low maintenance. A Cinzano/lemonade & a packet of bacon fries and she is content.....I know how to spoil a woman don't I?

Well must be off again...promissed to do a spot of ironing before she gets home;and I bet you thought we were all rough and tough in the Midlands didn't you?(and perhaps a tad uncouth to boot!!!)

Fondest thingies

Al XX
I don't know which smiley to send you...so have a selection..

Hi Al

I liked smiley no.2 and no.4 best!!!

I'm impressed, you doing the ironing. Once, when J, was here he caught me ironing his shirt. He said: "That's the first time in my life anybody ironed a shirt for me". Do you do the blouses and the frilly bits as well? Seems to me I've had a hard life!!!

Can't believe you said that, me thinking people in the Midlands being rough. The only people from there I know are in Birmingham (is that Midlands?) Bill married one of my Dutch friends and we have had some wonderful times together. She didn't speak any English before she went to live there and it was funny how she spoke with a Brummie accent. I had no idea there was a kind of "divide" until her daughter got married and my usband and I were invited to the wedding. I've never been so upset because none of the other guests would have anything to do with us. Never knew why, but later my friend said it was because we were "Londoners", we lived in Croydon at the time. Very strange.
As a "foreigner" I don't always notice accents etc. it's all the same to me.
Mind you, although Holland is so tiny, there is the same kind of thing. I belong to a Dutch "coffee club", I am the only one who comes from the south, all the others talk with a "posh" accent, some more so than others. Luckily they think my "accent" is hilarious and we have a great time when we meet.

I did a lot of gardening, even mowed the grass. Am completely exhausted and going to have a lie down while watching Corrie. Could do with Clive and the velvet glove!

See you soon,

Hi FLY,
Three times in one day..people will talk! I was half joking about you thinking we were rough, but you are right that there is a divide. The 'Brummie' accent has taken some stick of late, if you want to depict anyone as thick in a tele production..give 'em a 'Brummie' accent.I used to be embarrassed about my accent at one time, but now,in defiance, I am proud of it.Of course it goes the other way as well, as you found out at the wedding. That was just plain bad manners.A funny story; My son is married to a Brazilian girl, and for a time lived in Brazil.He started to teach people to speak 'conversational' English; he would say a word or phrase, and the pupils would repeat it.It eventually dawned on him that, yes, he was teaching them to speak English, but unfortunately, they all spoke in Brummie accents. We often laugh at the thought of English businessmen talking to Brazilian customers over the phone and being taken aback by the person on the other end of the line coversing in 'Brummie'
Enjoy Corrie, speak to tou again.

Wotsits
Al XX

Hi Al,

I answered your thread on the CB this morning and asked if you had been offered a drink. Thought you'd come along with your joke, but you'd again, I think.

Funny thing about accents, I've never noticed that what you said about the T.V. and Brummie. When my husband died, my friend Bill came to the funeral. He had driven at night and arrived at 7-30. He then got the vacuum cleaner out and started working. After the funeral my husband's work associates seemed to gather in the living-room and when I went into the dining-room there was Bill with all my best friends around him. They thought he was lovely and just enjoyed the way he spoke. He told everybody he was "Bill from Birmingham" but somehow made Birmingham sound like it came as a surprise to him. Hard to explain.

I feel strangely depressed to-day, don't know why. Keep turning things over in my mind to find a reason, but that's fatal. I can find dozens if I start looking.

Went to see a neighbour across the road this morning. He used to bring me fish and chips every Friday-night and then Christmastime he became ill and now is only a shadow of his former self. He needs a prostate operation, but his heart is wonky, so he has to have a heart operation first, but, he has leukemia and they can't operate with his blood the way it is. He looks terrible and told me he has no appetite because his spleen is so enlarged. Also has a shadow on his lung. His face is covered in sores. He has a son who is useless, living in, unmarried, spoilt by his parents. No wonder I'm depressed.

Bought 2 jam doughnuts this morning! Lovely! One gone, one to go. A whole leg of lamb is looking at me, how stupid. Just because it was half-price. I shall be bleating! Baaaa Baaaa Want to come to dinner? I have some nice new potatoes from the farm shop which were dug this morning. And I shallmake an apple crumble, how about that?

Hope you enjoyed the football.

Speak to you soon.

FLY,
I'm really sorry that you are depressed today.I'm sure that it is personal to you and that there is nothing that I can help you with, but if there is........?
Jam doughnuts seem a perfect antidote to feeling low,. I recommend 2 to be taken three times daily.
The lamb sounds devine...and new potatoes.......apple crumble (with custard?)Oh FLY...you certainly know the way to a man's heart !!!!!!
The footie was wonderful...the enemy lost!!..trouble is, Villa could only manage a draw...Oh well...never mind.
Didn't see you answer in the CB...been busy most of the day. Think I may drop the joke....jokes aren't the same if you have to set them up.
Your friend Bill from Birmingham probably wasn't surprised. The tone in his voice was possibly an apology......
Look after yourself FLY,

Wotsits(of the very fondest kind)

Al XX

Hi Al,

The depression was just one of those things. I don't think men understand. My husband used to say: "Why are you depressed?" "I don't know, I got up like it", he didn't understand that there isn't always a reason you can identify.

Looking back I think it was because I had worked hard so that I would have the week-end free and then there it was...and I could read, watch T.V. go to the the puter.. but it all bored me. None of the friends I phoned were in or they were busy. Then somebody invited me to lunch to-day and then this morning somebody else wanted me to meet up. All or nothing, isn't it? But I am looking forward to the lunchand the good company, there will be plenty of laughs.
Another thing is, men never have to worry about what to wear, all they do is wear a pullover or not, whereas we.. One of my friends just phoned to say her bedroom looks like a jumble sale, all her clothes on the bed and her three cats "nesting" there, nothing fits, nothing looks right. I know the feeling.

Glad you enjoyed the football. It wasn't televised otherwise I would have waved to you.

Beautiful day to-day, maybe there'll be time to do some gardening when I come back, but I don't suppose I'll feel like it, what with the wine etc.

The CB seems to have been taken over by SC now. Wouldn't you think he has other things to do? I don't suppose he has any friends, just sits there drinking beer all by himself. Pathetic, isn't it?

Sister-in-law in Holland is selling her flat and yesterday I was HOURS looking at all the property there on the puter. I was exhausted, seemed like working in an office all afternoon. But very interesting. In Eindhoven alone there were more than 1000 properties for sale. Lots of flats, or appartments as they like to call them. Some very nice as well.
They have very strict rules about noise out there. No washing-machines to be used after 10.00 p.m. and no loud music. If you sit in the garden you mustn't make any noise. Makes you realise how free and easy it is here.

Thank you for cheering me up. Hope you have a lovely day. Are you having a family-gathering?

Speak to you soon,

XX

Hi FLY,

Just a quickie. No men don't understand...but there again, sometimes I don't think women want them to.By the way..we don't understand about women and clothes either. The most dreaded question a woman can ask a man is 'How do I look in this?'It doesn't matter how he answers, he will be wrong !!
Been gardening myself today until, thankfully, daughter No.2 called with husband & kids so I had to stop.

Pub quizing tonight....bar extension....no work tomorrow...heaven !

Just popped on to other boards, made a few comments,popped off again. You're right about SC,pathetic.

Hope you had a nice lunch...The gardening never stood a chance did it?

Fondest thingies

Al XX