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

I am a fairly good friend of the Lady and Goddess, Venus. And because I tend to casually monitor stuff (okay, I'm a lurker, so ) ...

I do chat with the dear girl nearly daily by phone, from Canada. And can advise that our recent visit to her home and gardens has corrupted the poor girl into thinking that she wants to visit US !!! In 2009. Hence the whole scarey passport thingie.

By the way, I am 'Nick', ... no titles or silly stuff attached.

Ah, that explains all, thank you. There was me thinking she was fleeing the country to escape the consquences of evicting the leeches from her pond.
Welcome Nick, I do enjoy the interesting and various people I meet here.
It gives me some light relief from the stresses of work.

So far as I understand, yoo too are UK'ish .... so that puts you 5 hours ahead of me. Gods, I wake at 5 am, so where would that place you?

If I may ask, what is your work, that cause stresses? I was in our military for 21 years, keeping their radio and radar stuff alive. Now, I do the same work as a civilian contractor. So while the importance is still there, I feel much less pressure.

Most definately UK, South west to be a little more precise. Canada is a vast country, so I would have to guess with your 5 hour difference you live on the east coast, still a huge tract of land.
I suppose in canuck speak you would call me a correctional officer.
Which of the armed forces were you in?

Close, but not quite. Our Maritime provinces are only 4 hours behind you. I am in southern Ontario. And working at our primary Air Transport base.

When I joined our military in 1977, we were a blended and generic green outfit. Later national election promises put us back into distinctive envirnomental uniforms, and so after 12 years, I was known as Air Force. As was my wife, a cook in the uniforms as well.

Well, we have just returned from your country from celebrating our 20th anniversary (Including a good visit with Venus), and I am back to work with the Air Force folks ...

Correctionals, eh? My friend, I have met some times and places, and YOU have my respect for what you meet daily.

Ontario, wow, the capital city. That debunks my image of 'Grizzly Adams' Sadly we all are victim to the influences of media, Malabrista, from Germany, who's family all think we dress and look like the Thomson Twins (Of Tin Tin fame) in the UK, still makes me laugh even now. Good thing is we can all laugh about such and share our foibles, as long as we know to take as well as give, I'm a great believer in equity on such things.
I must confess to any number of faux pas when I first found this site, landed me with 2 weeks on the naughty step (premod) before I fully understood the protocols. The armed forces, as you well know, breeds it's own type of robust humour.
Congratulations to you and Mrs Nick, 20 years is a fine anniversery to be proud of in these seemingly such fickle and transitory social mores of modern life.

Ummm, actually Ontario isn't a city but our most populated province. It's kinda big, like perhaps 4 times the size of the entire United Kingdom.

Indeed, we all have such stereo-typical images from the TV, movies and media. For instance, I always had the idea that Brits were sombre, serious, without humour, and always carried a brolly. Well, it didn't take me very long on this site to learn that all of that was wrong. Mind, your image that we Canadians are all 7 foot tall, French-speaking lumberjacks IS correct, of course.

If you wish, you are welcome to see what I amd my family look like. I have a photo site, found at http://revnick.fotki.com ... And there's even a folder with some anniversary pics. If you look closely, you'll see Venus and her infamous blonde pony-tail in one or two.

I really am such a doofus that's what results from trying to get on with work and writing here. My head was thinking of Ottowa and not Ontario Province

Aren't all the Southern provinces almost entirely French language speaking states? So your not all lumberjacks, trappers and gold miners living in log cabins around the Hudson Bay? Truthfully, I'm just teasing, I have been to Winnepeg, Nova Scotia and New Foundland, never as far South as you are.

I shall be delighted to have a look at your picture link, thank you. I told Venus I have an image in mind of David Bellamy (A grey bearded and aged UK Tv naturalist) from her blog. Not withstanding the Hannibal Lecter passport photo , I'm sure a blonde pony tail will be a far more pleasing thought to bring to mind when we're exchanging a few missives here.

No worries, our provinces and majhor cities are easily confuzzled by folks who don't live here. But yes, Ottawa is our nation's capital.

So, you have been to Newfoundland? That was the first place our military sent me, my first marriage, and where my daughter and our 4 grandchildren now live. In the primary city of St John's.

French is mostly limited to Quebec, though there are corners of New Brusnwick, and the core of Manitoba (Winnipeg, specifically ,,,) The bulk of us are our version of English. No accent, of course. That is YOU folks.

I say old chap, some of us do speak ever so, yah. It's no excuse for disgracefully confusing Canadian spoken English with American.

I think I was in Newfoundland in 1995, actually stayed in St John. I recollect walking up a small hill to visit a museum and just one small high street with a few bars.
Halifax, Nova Scotia was the other, downtown was ok, but up town I managed to get into an enormous ruck with a couple of people from Toronto who didn't like Brits for some reason. 7 stitches in the back of my head and any number of bruises , rather like being at work here some days
Winnepeg was pleasant enough, I have a picture of myself, somewhere, at the fork of the rivers, it was in November 1995 also.

I'm going to guess that it would have been Signal Hill, to the Marconi Museum. Did you look down the cliff from the tower? Somewhere down in the rubble would be a Kodak instamatic camera that slipped from my grip in about '79. The same summer that I skate-boarded down the road of that hill. Scars and such to a left-wrist are my permanent souvenirs.

The bar-street would now be known as George Street. It began as an old home turned into a pub for doctors, lawyers and pilots, called "Christians". It was such a success that within 2 years, the entire street became 'theme' bars and pubs. I've not been up or down that way, having been somewhat matured since then. But my daughter and son-in-law have many tales to tell.

As to the 'peg, I've not seen the city since I flew out of there in '85. So I really have no ideas of what it may have become.

It was a small square tower, with an artillary piece out front. I don't recollect climbing the tower, but rather a a flat roofed building alongside with some fascinating exhibits, mainly from the indigenous peoples of cabot bay. I was staying at a large hotel up top of the high street. Seems so long ago now.

I'm fairly certain that would have been the Hotel St John's, part of the CN hotel chain. They were just building it the year that I left there, '82.

And yep, that sounds like Cabot Tower, a-top Signal Hill. It's not a very large structure, and really was little more than a look-out.

A lunchtime break from the necessities of work, aside from the essential of course.

Where did you go on your trip to the UK? Apart from the obvious visit to goddess venus.
I still haven't checked your photo album yet, thus remain with a mental image of a grey bearded naturalist and a couple of 7ft lumberjacks

We visited Venus in her area of Essex, and a day trip to London before a 'tube' strike, having a wonderful 5 days. Then on to see another h2g2 Lady, Tsarina, just outside of Cardiff, Wales, for 5 days. Followed by the researcher "Aye Bee, Pirate Wench" a few minutes outside of Dublin, Ireland for a couple of days. Finally, a night and much drinking in Manchester with two h2g2 lads, Flamestrike and Lucifer. It was a busy 15 days, but one that will for-ever be momorable to us.

And as to the garden Goddess, she really must have shaved well ... not a sprig of grey beard. She really is a lovely friend, in every way anyone may care to measure.

I finally got around to having a look at your pictures, excellent! Wow, you really are a dedicated H2G2'er, proud to be part of your network of friends

I'm week off now, time to relax and enjoy the countryside. As I said to Venus, it is my spiritual recreation.

I am pleased that you liked the limited pics. In fact, there were nearly 200 of them, but to sort them to exclude children, and also make it reasonable to 'upload' ... It all takes time.

I do wish you every enjoyment with your vacation. I took one once, just for time away, before I married the first time. In the spring of 1981 !!! This trip was as close to true leisure time as any, and it was fabulous. It was because I had met so many truly wonderful folks through h2g2 that Milady was the one to suggest this anniversary travel.

Happy Birthday, Nick. at being so aged, I'll not grass which H2G2 er with the blonde pony tail told me.

, mate.

There is always one consolation about the age, mind you. Aside from the next 7 or 8 weeks, that same owner-of-the-pony-tail is older than me.

I'm just about to shut-down at home, and off to work. But how was your week or so off?

Not quite as old and doddery as me 2 weeks and I can no longer call myself a forty something Have to change my write up profile.

Had a great week off, we're enjoying an Indian summer here, brilliant fro enjoying the peace and tranquility of the beaches with my a WFT answers to the name of Toby, when he's a mind to