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

Hi JozCoz,

Just a question. What does the word "meh" mean?



Red

I know what you mean about the dog. Going for a stroll on a warm dry afternoon is wonderful but you need to do it when you just don't want to.

I remember when they gave girls a doll that cried and wet itself. The girls had to look after this thing for 24/7 and it recorded how long it cried, how long it was wet and how often it was fed. The purpose of the excersise was to show girls how responsible you need to be with a baby and put off girls who just wanted one of their own cos they look nice.

Pity they don't do that with puppies, I certainly did not realize just how tied down you are with an animal. I love my dog and would not be without him for anything, but people who have a life should beware.

Hi Cookeicate,


I love the idea of owning a dog, the love the companionship, and yes even the walks - on fine days. I even have a breed of dog picked out, I like big dogs. Really though it is not the size of the dog that matters, what really matters is the love and care you give to it, and in return the dog's love and devotion.

I feel awfull having to keep saying NO to my family, but at the moment I don't have the time.

That's a really good idea CC about a doggy doll they would have to look after; maybe then the realization would hit them. A dog is not just for Christmas but for life, and neither is it a puupy all it's life.

Thank CC

Hi Red-coat,

Here in Manchester there was an ad in last nights local paper that said that 300 dogs had been abandoned since Christmas. You are quite right you need to think hard and long before you get a dog. Your life is not your own, you just can't decide to go off for the week-end. Mind you that is when a Mother in Law comes in handy

Hi CC,

The only time I would find my mother-in-law handy is if I had both of them round her neck ! Just kidding ... ...

I read in a magazine where there is a farmer in the Yorkshire Dales and he and his wife take in abandoned collie dogs - the one man and his dog breed. People buy them as house pets and 9 times out of ten it does not work; these are working dogs and can be very boisterous, especially with children, some can be aggressive also.

This couple take these poor waifs in and re-train them to working dog status and then find them homes on farms as working dogs.

Most people see the … puppy in the window, the one with the waggley tail .. and buy it; they forget they grow up and need attention for the rest of their lives, not like children who fly the nest, well some of them do .

The country as whole abandon dogs in their thousands every year, and we call ourselves a nation of dog lovers, yeah right. At least I gave the question serious thought before saying no. When you take on a dog, or any pet, you have to be prepared for the down side, walks in inclement weather, vet fees, holidays etc.

I love dogs too much to have one, does that make sense? I think you’ll understand what I mean.

CC

Red

Hi Red,
Yes indeedy I know what you mean.
I also get cross with the idiots who get a dog to "train" to be visiouse. I had the misfortune to meet one of these nutters when I was walking our dog last year.

He had a german shepherd or alsation as I call em. When the dog ran over to us tail up and friendly the man took a 2ltr bottle filled with water and started to beat the dog with it. As he rushed over to us I thought he was going to hit my dog and I bunged the lead on and went home.

To this day I feel guilty and wish I had done something more than run off, but you know he scared me and I don't scare easy.

They say there are no bad dogs just bad owners and I think they are probably right.

Mother in Law was 79 yesterday, she says she will not be doing 80 as it sounds soo old.

You have made the right decision about not getting a dog. Now about "looking after" a Mother in law.

Cate.

Hi Cate,

I wish I had been there (guy beating the German shepherd) … Oooooh! I wish I’d been there … so much for dog lovers then. One day the dog will turn on him, or someone else and the poor creature will be put down .

I cannot understand why anyone would want a dog to be nasty, even police dogs are not trained like that. The whole idea of having a dog is for friendship, companionship and love; the pig you described deserves neither of these.

You did the right thing though, sometimes it is prudent to just leave; the pig of an owner may have become nasty to you. But one day I hope he gets his come-uppence!

Will not be doing eighty, that’s some statement

I could not resist the quip about mother-in-laws, what man could .



Red

Hya Red,

Mother in law jokes are impossible to resist but a lot of mother in laws are quite nice. I think the problem is that we see a lot of the reasons our partners have some of their hang ups.

My mother in law for instance always has to be right. She always has to have the last word and she always knows best.

You know what they say about looking at the Mother and seeing the daughter in a few years. Well I worry about that sometimes because my mother could be a bit of a scary lady.

I just thought I never did see that bloke with the german shepherd again, maybe the poor thing ran away, dunno but I always carry a stick where I saw him just in case.

Cate.

Hi Cate,

Sorry not to have replied sooner. I have a tendency to read the latest posts then reply to them later. Unfortunately I forget. I will have to reply to posts as soon as I read them; hopefully that way I’ll not forget.

Truthfully I always got on well with my Mother-in-law and father-in-law. They were a nice couple, they’ve gone now, but I do miss them.

I am glad you never saw that guy with the German Shepherd again; people like that are not worth meeting. Talking of dogs, I saw a beauty the other day on my travels; it looked like a Husky or something like it. Its fur was thick, it held its head upright and its tail curled over on to its back. A real good looking animal. No, I’m not letting my resolve drop, it was just such a nice dog.

Red

Hi Red,
Don't worry I like to hear from you when you get around to it. Talking of around to it. I bought my daughter a mug which said.

You always say you will clean your room when you get a round toit please consider this mug to be a round toit and now you can do all those things.

My dog looks a bit like a husky he is half samoyed and is pure white with a big fluffy tail which curls round he is magnificent but so much work and responsibility. We have just had people to stay and he slept on their bed. I am just glad they loved him or else it could have been bad.

Talking about in laws when I first came back from abroad I stayed with my mother in law for a while. My dog had come back with me and made himself comfortable very quickly. One night I was woken by her yelling "Get off me" "Get off me" he had jumped on her bed. (Bluddy cheek)

I never knew my husbands dad but he sounds great, between you and me he sounds a little like he had a thumb print in the top of his head. However, I think by the sound of it he got his own back sometimes and preferred to spend lots of time in the garden producing lovely rose bushes.

Cate.

Hello Cate,

"a little like he had a thumb print in the top of his head"

Cod have thumbprints on their heads, or is that Haddock? Does that mean he's Holy then?

What does that mean? Not heard of that one before.



Red

Come on Red, He was under the thumb so much in fact he had a thumb print geddit geddit? He probably was a holy man cos blokes who are under the thumb usuall say God help me a lot.

Goddit, I was a bit slow there!

OH dear! I can't stop laughing at myself, thumb print on 'is 'ead

Blokes under the thumb say God help us ...

I'm always saying that

They are my most favourite smileys they just make you laugh looking at them God help us quick

Hi Cookeicate,

I love those as well.

Hey if they make you smile here's a bunch more for you!



Do you remeber the laughing policeman or the laughing sailor machines at the seaside? I used to my socks off at those, in fact just thinking about them I'm starting to giggle.

Here's a couple for Tommy Cooper as well, he split my sides

Laughing is good for the digestion



Red

Hi Red,
I had a chuckle bag when you threw it across the room it laughed. Maybe it was a giggle bag.

I used to work as a psychiatric nurse and we used to have hand overs at the beginning of every shift. Depending on the nurse in charge they could be quite stiff affairs. Very serious without any interuptions and certainly no laughing.

Someone had the laughing policeman ring on their telephone and it went of during one of these really stiff handovers. Well, the whole room just disolved into giggles which we could not control at all, never, for the rest of the hand over we just fell about helpless at every word from this very serious nurse who was so up her own bottom.
It was great.
I thought laughing made you fat. However you get plenty of excersise getting back onto the chair I suppose.

Love Cate and thanks for making me