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

Hi
You didn't turn up last night, expect you had other fish to fry. Well, it was Friday after all. Did you make nice chips?

Saturday-morning. I want to spend most of to-day gardening, lots to do. And lunch-time I have to watch the qualifying session of F1. Yes, I know it's boring, but, you never know... Life is full of surprises, thankfully.

May see you later.

Hi FLY,

Browsed the boards fairly late last night,had too much to catch up with (thread-wise) to contribute. You feel as if you are constantly playing catch up don't you? and you can't quite get up to speed; so came away early.

Now you know how much I know about F1 ?...but did I read somewhere that your man Jensen has little or no chance this weekend, because he has a bum car?(BTW, have you noticed how the word BUM is creeping more and more into our messages? I wonder if a 'shrink' would read something into that?)Anyway, I hope he proves everyone wrong and gives you the win that you want so much....Keep EVERYTHING crossed!!....No...not your eyes!!

Ordeal by roast beef at my sisters again tomorrow. Sort of enjoy it when I am there..but always glad when on my way back.Isn't that an awful thing to say..she is so kind..it's just that she and my brother clash and you feel that at any moment the balloon could go up.

Every week at our quiz we have to think of a topical team name. It can be literally anything vaguely topical,hopefully witty, preferably amusing... and in any form; so you get puns, poems, songs,jokes, fictional headlines..absolutely anything! The trouble is that we struggle week by week to come up with something..so we have decided that we will start earlier in the week to think up a name, and then on the Sunday we will choose the best one.My contribution for this week is; 'Tony Blair orchestrates Mandelson's third movement'..Mmm!!... All of a sudden it looks a bit pathetic when written down...Never mind, perhaps one of the others will have something better...Hey,Ho!!

Am off out into the garden myself in a little while. Got some cutting back to do.I have let things slip a bit(no Cornish help for me!)so drastic measures are needed if we ever want to walk up the path again without being 'attacked' by shrubs.

Enjoy the qualifying, and if I don't see you later, enjoy the race..and may the best man lose!!!

Bigger the better 'uns(Wotsits that is)

Hi

Hope you got done more in the garden than I did. (Something very wrong with that sentence!) I got out there at 11.00, watered the pots and swept up. It looked quite good, I thought. Then a friend came along and we had coffee in the summer-house. Just as she was leaving another friend phoned and suggested we go to the Sales. So, quick bite to eat and at 1.00 off we went. In and out of dress shops, trying things on, taking them off and then I got fed-up and bought a lovely blouse without trying it on, and yes, you've guessed, it doesn't fit. Doh.

I think your headlines suggestion is brilliant, I'm sure they'll go along with it. And hopefully you'll win again.

I know what you mean about your Sunday-lunch. We had a couple of friends who were always arguing. He was a business acquaintance of my husband's and the invitations always came from him. I think his wife didn't want to entertain us at all, she never had any other guests. She would be in the kitchen while we sat around the dining-room table, because then we could talk to each other. She had her own bottle in the kitchen and the more she drank the more aggressive she became. Often started hitting her husband and we didn't know what to do. Sometimes she'd get so overwrought she'd start crying and had to go and lie down. Her husband pretended nothing much was wrong, but one evening she didn't come down again and when he went to check up she was fast asleep.
We went home.
She wasn't at all keen on me and called me a "dizzy blonde".
Her husband died a year before mine did and since then she has been my best friend. Very supportive and loving and I'm her ONLY friend. She is coming for the day next Wednesday and we'll have a great time.
She now talks as if she and her husband were madly in love with each other. I just go along with it.
But dinner at their house was full of tension and we used to drink far too much. Luckily they only lived up the road and we could stagger home around 3.00 a.m. I could write a book about our friendship, it would be hilarious, but people wouldn't believe it was real.

Nothing going on at the CB. BDG and I send each other messages on Nick's site, it is supposed to be "private" messages, but I'm never quite sure.SC lurks there all the time.

Enjoy your Sunday

CONTINUED

To listen to Jason: Google "www.radio jackie. com"

Click on listen now and then on Real Radio

Works for me!

Jason just thanked a lovely lady called Belgian Chocolate for her e-mail!!!

Does he know something we don't??

Al

Try googling www.radiojackie (without the .com)

See if that works.

Hi FLY,

Did it without the .com and I at least got onto the site(or whatever you call it)It seems that I have too much on my 'pooter.What I want to know is, what's it got to do with them? I don't know what time Jase is on to but I'll try again..although I may have to wait for my daughter in law to come back from Brazil to show me how to 'tidy up'

Don't 'spose you're around so I'll see you tomorrow maybe!!

'Night

Sweet Dreams XX

Hi

Jason is on at 2.00 p.m. for 2 hours. I won't be hearing much of him as I'll be watching F1, boring though it is, you just never know.

I expect you'll be off for the roast beef soon.

I've already had a phone call from TCL. I get so exasperated, he lets his son walk all over him. Will tell you the story when I have more time.

BDG and I have "private conversations" on Nick's site, although I don't know how private they are, really. It's mostly: Are you there? Yes. Have you gone? No, I'm still here. etc. until the thing goes haywire and you can't get back in.

You've said before that your pooter told you there was no room. I don't understand that. You are not recording everything, are you? The "net" is there all the time, or was it talking about installing Radio Real? Maybe you've got lots of things installed on your hard disc. Do you have lots of games etc?
Only trying to understand. Don't know much about these things either. It's all a matter ofhit and miss. When Helen comes back from her break she is going to send me an e-mail about installing Real Radio step by step, because although I get it on Jackie, I can't get it on R2. But we're learning all the time, aren't we?

Much cooler to-day.
Hope you have a good Sunday and win the quiz to-night.

See you

Fancy a quickie FLY?

Team name didn't win(I like to think that it was above them!!)
Won everything else though!!
I asked this evening how your boy had done..I was told that he came second..If so..BRILLIANT!!!
Didn't go to the CB this evening...will probably see you tomorrow..er.. I mean..later today!!

Fondest whatevers

Al XXXXXXXX

Hi

I really enjoyed that quickie

You must be very knowledgeable, as there was a "pub quiz" in my paper yesterday and I didn't know ANY of the answers. So, congratulations.

Nothing going on at the boards yesterday. I haven't looked yet to-day.

My feet haven't touched the ground to-day. I was so lazy over the week-end and now I've got it all to do. Yet, out for coffee this morning and to our craft group this afternoon. I had to take one of the ladies because she's hurt her leg and can't drive, so I then had to take her home afterwards and THEN go shopping.
I'm getting up early tomorrow and start doing my housework
straight away.

Boring, isn't it?

I've got wasps in my greenhouse!!!!!!! I'm such a coward, I shut the door and hope they'll go away.

Do you know of a decorator I could call on? There's just nobody about who's got time. Oh hang on, I've just thought of somebody who might do it. I'll give him a ring.
Not the most reliable chap though. See how it goes, I must pin him down to an exact date because I've then got to have the hi-fi people along to unplug everything.

Think I've got to lie down.

Hope you had a good start to the week.

See you soon

Hi FLY,
Where do I start? As I said on the CB board last night,I didn't know that you could recieve messages...seems that you could..sorry!!
I haven't been around the pooter much either for a day or two; which you can probably work out by the amount of posts that I have done...sorry!!
Today, after shopping with Mrs Z.(she had a day off today..first saturday since I don't know when)We went to our grandson's birthday party at one of these Wacky Warehouses...Do you have them where you live?...Well, I don't know what to make of them. I suppose that it is great to take your young 'uns along to a place like this and everything arranged for you...but it doesn't seem like a proper birthday party to me(no jelly, or blancmange)having said that, the kids seemed to like it.
Afterwards we went back to my daughters for the afternoon, which in turn became the evening..so there was red stuff and suchlike...we finaly came home just in time to post a couple of last messages before 'lights out'

Didn't have time to read all the other posts tonight..was it busy?
have promised myself that I will contribute more as from tomorrow...not too early as I have to collect my son and his wife at the airport, haven't a clue yet what time!!

See you tomorrow then.

Big Wotsits

Al

Hi

I'm glad you've got such a busy life. That's good, isn't it?
I had a busy week too, although most of the evenings are my own. I was out to lunch nearly every day, but Wednesday I had a friend here for the day, she stayed till well after midnight, so no chance. Thursday I just had time to read the messages from the night before and it all went pear-shaped. It said it was clearing up "clusters" and went on and on. Had to turn it off to go outto lunch and then afterwards turned it on again and it went on for hour after hour. It stopped about 9'00 in the evening and I was able to send a few messages, but there is definitely still something wrong, it is sooooooo slow, takes 10 minutes to send a message, I'm going to give up soon.

I haven't heard of those wacky warehouses. I suppose if the children like them it's good enough. Probably much easier for the mums too.

Is this your son coming back from Brazil again? Does he bring you back a bag of nuts?

Poor TCL. His daughter sent him a cheque for £ 250 for all the gardening he's done at the bungalow (they've all got their inheritance now), they paid him £ 5 an hour!!!! But, to add insult to injury, she told him that the caretaker of the school she works in, has an overdraft of £ 800 and she wants to give it to him. But she doesn't know him very well and is afraid he might be offended.
I get so angry when he tells me these things, TCL must be so hurt.

I had a horrendous night the one before last, so last night was exhausted. Went to bed at 11.00 and slept till 6.30. At 7.00 I was out in the garden with the hosepipe, did two lots of washing and ironing before lunch.Had the vacuum cleaner out...now I want to lie down!!!
All or nothing, that's me...

I hope to come to the CB to-night, but I don't know if it will work. Didn't see your message to me until this morning. Not like me to be sl SLOOOOOWWWW>

Is there no quiz to-night?

Its so hot, isn't it? We haven't had any rain for weeks, all the grass is brown everywhere.Like your knees!!

Going to make a cup of tea. Like one? Got some nice home-made fruit and cherry cake. Delicious!!

Hope to see you again soon.

Oh FLY!
You make me feel so good......I always read your posts at 100 miles an hour, as I think that that is how you write them....please don't change!!
Haven't been over to the boards at all tonight(quizy things y'now !!)So don't know if busy or not.

Was tempted to make a rather crude joke about nuts..but thought better of it....respect you too much!!

TCL seems to be having his face rubbed in it doesn't he? I know that it is hard, but if it was me I would have to have my say......
I suppose that that is what you feel all of the time....Families?...They can give you so much joy..but they can also break your heart!!!

My knees are no longer brown. Owing to the lack of sunlight over the past few weeks, they have reverted to their original colour of brilliant white !!...Who cares?

It is still very warm/hot here at midnight....hope that we both get to sleep tonight.

So goodnight my sweet FLY......See you tomorrow.

AL XXXXXXX

Hi

I see we had a visitor last night!!. You thought it was me! I realise it was dark, but surely he wasn't wearing my perfume, was he? I would have thought you'd recognise that anywhere.
I suppose it is a reminder of the fact that we are not alone, I tend to forget that now and then.

The CB was very quiet last night, everybody doing much better things, I think.

It wasn't until late evening that my computer got back to "normal", whatever that is, it had been so dreadfully slow for days, I spent most of my time staring at the screen while nothing moved. If I sent a message, three or four would be there ahead of me and the thread would be lost.

Anyway, I phoned an "expert" to come and visit me tomorrow afternoon to see if there are things I could upgrade on my computer to speed things up a bit, as people keep telling me I was sold "old" stuff. That's the trouble when you don't know a computer from a dishwasher. The word dishwasher comes to mind because I haven't got one of those and I'm the only one of my friends who hasn't. They can't believe it: "You haven't got a DISHWASHER?" as if I'm someone from another planet. I would quite like one, but would have to have the kitchen moved around. One day...maybe.

Still no rain. It feels like a thunderstorm all the time, but nothing happens. Ah, now the sun has come out again. It ain't gonna rain no more no more, it ain't gonna rain no more !!!!!

I could offer my services as a bricklayer, I've been watching my neighbour for weeks now. He is terribly slow, but it's lovely to do. A bit like icing a cake really.

Was going to have an afternoon to myself and a friend turned up. Then we saw another one walking by and called her in, so, nothing has been done. Except a good few laughs.

It's six o'clock ( I had started this at 2.00) and I've got it all to do now. Someone is coming to see me tomorrow-morning at 9.30, so I'm going to have to be up early. Yuk!!! I hate that feeling
Isn't this weather enervating? No wonder chap next-door is so slow. He leaves for work at 7.00 and then when he comes home has to start building his extension. Mind you, it's pure greed. An Estate-Agent told him that if he had 4 bedrooms instead of three, he could sell the place for £ 400.000. I wonder. That's what they want to do, sell up and go and live in Ireland.

Hope you sleep well to-night. You don't mind if I have the light on for a bit, do you?> I';m reading this lovely book.

See yo soon!!







The builder has the radio on and now and again I think he howls with pain and then realise he's singing, only a few notes each time, though. Wish you could hear him, it's soooo funny. Shame there's nobody to share it with.LOL XXX

Fly,

Where was the interloper?...Here or there?

Al XXX

I'm a silly old AL, FLY,

Didn't check ALL messages...

Terrible what drink does to you isn't it?

Catch you later

Al XXX

HiAl,

Posted a reply to you and it disappeared.

Completely exhausted.

Good-night

Hi Fly,

Sorry that we have been missing each other!!
Have you had enough ?
Perhaps we are becoming a tad indulgent on this board....I must admit that I tend to treat it as E-mail, when we know that it most certainly isn't. Do you think that maybe we should restrict ourselves to the main boards? and if that isn't sufficient; make other arrangements.
I know that you have broached this before, and we decided to carry on, but.....is it time for a rethink?

Answers on a postcard please to..............

Tell me honestly what you think!!

Al XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi

You ask me to tell you honestly what I think.

Well, HONESTLY, I would be very disappointed if our little chats had to stop.

But I do agree that it's not a good feeling to be reminded of the fact that it isn't a private conversation, especially when I have been talking of TCL.

But I have an idea.

Go to Nick's place. It is: www.r2fm.co.uk and Register.

Then, on the main page you'll see what is on offer.
Click on Memberlist.

There you'll see me on 2nd page. Click on my name and you'll see: Private message. (It is) Click on that.
Ignore all the other things on the page-just go into the square and type a message.

Then nothing until at the bottom: Submit.
....................

If you receive a message it is shown when you log on when you click on the flag of: you have received one message .

Have a go!

Hope to see you there.

Next day

Oh
I've had such a horrible day. I damaged my beautiful New Mini. Scraped along a hard bollard. Feel v. sad and upset.

What did you think of my idea?
After printing I realised the www. address wasn't very clear, so I'll space it out a bit:

www. r 2 f m. co. uk.

Hope youll find it.

Hi FLY

Only just come back on line after a couple of days. We had our central heating system updated and the engineers had to move my pooter to get flooring up. When I came to use it I couldn't get into the net at all. There was a message saying 'no dial tone'. Well you know how useless I am with anything invented after 1965...But, I contacted a very nice man on the helpline..explained that I was pooter illiterate(he said, rather too confidently I thought 'Don't worry, I'll sort you out')He asked me questions that I not only didn't know the answer to...I didn't even understand the questions. He tried ever so hard, but you could hear his 'understanding' starting to falter...then, almost as a last resort, he asked me if there had been lightning. I understood that alright...Yes I said, loads of it...in fact there was a storm raging as we spoke....He perked up...'It could be that' he said ' I think that you should switch off, leave it for 24 hrs, and contact us again if the fault is still there'....Well I tried again yesterday..It was still the same, and I didn't fancy being humiliated again, so I tried to get my daughter in law to come and have a look at it for me, but she was working and wouldn't be able to help until after the weekend..so I gave up. This morning I decided to rearange my DEN (do all dens have clothes horses bedecked with drying washing in them?)I pulled the big thing with all the cables going into it out from under the pooter desk, and noticed that a cable was loose...I shoved it in properly and Hey Presto..I'm back on line..Yipee!!! Now I know what you are thinking ('Well'that would have been the first thing that I would have looked at!!')But when I say I am useless at such things..I am telling the truth.

Anyroadup..to matters in hand..I have had a fleeting look at Nick's site, and I think that I may contact you there later...just need to have a good look..and I am off out soon so I will look when I have a bit more time.

See you later

Al XX

PS So sorry to hear about your new mini OUCH!! Try not to worry too much.. Cars can be repaired as good as new...FLIES take a lot longer..Glad that you're OK.