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

Right, I'm popping out now. I'm not sure where I'm off to, but I'm hoping it will involve beer somewhere along the line. Nice nattering to you, have a good evening

Simulpost, sorry...

You know what to put on your list for Santa now, anyway

See you tomorrow

Have a good evening. See you tomorrow

Well, I went to my cousin's band's practice and had my ears blown out, then went to the pub and found it was empty of all intelligent life. I came home with a superb curry, though

What sort of music were they practising?
I've always found most pubs to be devoid of 'intelligent' life, especially once i'm in there

Curry!!

I had an early night and naturally an early mornng has followed

Very loud, heavy rock - it was great

I reckon if you'd come to the pub, it would have instantly become an interesting place. I hate it when there's no-one in there to talk to, and the beer wasn't that great either, some kind of pumpkin beer. The curry was sensational, though

Yeah, i could have bored you to death with plant stories Failing that i could have done a dance on the bar
Pumpkin beer? Is it made from pumpkins? Bit of a stupid question, but things are not always what they say they are
I see you've been busy today, i'm pleased you got your Hawthorn

Do a dance on the bar? F114501?thread=3704866&post=43478263#p43478836 I wouldn't advise it, but probably wouldn't stop you

Yes, the pumpkin beer is made of pumpkins. It's strong, dark and you can't really drink more than one or two, because it's very heavy. They do some great beers there, but that isn't one of them...

I have been busy today, having a now

No, not such a good idea!

I've never heard of pumpkin beer. I was always under the impression that beer was made from hops and barley - that any fermented fruit or vegetable (apart from cider) was classed as a wine.
My friend used to enter competitions with her home-made wine. She would call me round to taste them and see if they were up to scratch. There were many times i staggered home after a tasting session

I'll be the judge of whether it's a good idea or not

It is hop-based, but the pumpkin is added as an extra ingredient. I can't find a link to the beer itself, but the brewery http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/301 is about five miles away, so it's great to go to a pub that serves such a good local beer. There's a new one in today that takes only a few minutes to drink - it's like liquid gold...

I've made lots of wines in the past, I've even got a recipe book of my own somewhere. I might have to dig that out, some were very nice!

Ahh, that explains it then I suppose it's one way to use up all those leftover pumpkins

I don't think i would attempt any kind of brewing, aside from the fact that i very rarely drink, it would be a shame to blow up my home now that i've decorated the living room

It must be insane round your place - kitchen ablaze, exploding demijohns... no wonder you like being in the garden! And to think I was impressed when I popped round

Hey! c'mon, i've lived here years and years and the place is still standing. Just goes to show, they built solid property's in the 1940's
The place looks much better since you were here in the chaos that was my living room.

Do you get many pheasants down your way?
This morning just as i was going out, i looked out my front window and saw 2 male pheasants in the garden below me One was sat on the gate post looking all regal, the other was strutting around in the garden. I managed to get a photo of one. The other legged it into another garden. Wow, can they run fast!

Yes, we get quite a few - there are a number of estates round here, so quite often you see them in country lanes.

They're pretty stupid, though. After all the other birds have knocked off, they're still noisly alerting all the nearby foxes to their presence It's great to see something so spectacular in your own backyard though, isn't it? One appeared in my garden last year.

I'll try to pop up and see your renovations when we finally get through this bloody winter, as long as you promise it's safe

Yeah, they are quite dim in the bird-brain stakes. I often hear them out in the orchard at night when the foxes are about. You know i'm constantly surprised at was appears in my garden, just like a big kid i get all excited I'm soon brought back down to earth though, my daughter thinks i'm sad.

You should be fine, but maybe a hard-hat is a good idea

What have you done with your day?

Well, not everyone gets it, do they? I've got to know a couple of blue tits that have figured out where my sunflower hearts are; I know fairly well where and when to find them now as they stalk my feeder I could watch them for hours, much better than TV!

I'll bring body armour and a cricketer's box just in case, I think

I've spent a lot of time on Photoshop today, as people have worked out that I know what to do with it. I've been scanning, cropping and tinkering with family photographs for most of the afternoon, so it's been a bit of a drag. I'm not sure what to do with the evening yet; at the moment I'm working on a column for the Post. I'll probably just pop a pizza in the oven for dinner

Thats it!! Thats what i want to do next year, grow some sunflowers Then i can hang the heads up for the birds. There is a sneaky magpie that visits the garden. The cheeky thing has worked out how to get the fat balls of my feeding station and fly off with them. It's costing me a fortune! I think i'll get one of those coconuts with the suet in, he won't fly off with that.
You're right, some people just cannot see the beauty in nature and wildlife, it's a shame because they are really missing out.

I've got photoshop and have no idea how to use it

Body armour!! Oooh i like a chap in armour!

You'll be pleased to know that i ate out today, so no smoke alarms buzzing

I'm away now, have a good evening. Night night

Ok, love - see you soon

So, how was your weekend, love?

Hello

I don't think my weekend was nearly as much fun as yours, i was working.
Christmas tree fever is alive and kicking at work, already people are bickering over trees
On the up side, i bought a new plant with a gift sent from a friend It's a Butchers broom. It has lovely big red berries, which grow in an unusual way. They don't form on a branch or have a stem, instead they grow from the centre of a leaf

Aside from going to a concert and walking up a big hill, what else did you do on your break?