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

What a beautiful day.

OH and I had been away at Winchester (at a Murder Weekend), and I was intending my first journal entry to be all about that - but I had to tell you about the superb little museum in Selbourne that we visited on the way home today.

It is Gilbert White's House - and I have copied the following from Hantsweb (Hampshire County Council) - hope they don't mind.

Anyway - I would recommend it anyone in the area - and it is not far from Jane Austen's House at Chawton - so an excellent day out.



"Gilbert White's House & Selborne, Hampshire
Selborne, Alton, Hampshire GU34 3JH
tel 01420 511275

The attractive village of Selborne and its beautiful countryside is famous for its association with the 18th century naturalist Gilbert White. In his book The Natural History of Selborne, he meticulously records his observations on the plants, birds and animals of this lovely part of Hampshire. The Reverend Gilbert White (1720-1793) is regarded as England's first ecologist. He lived at "The Wakes" most of his life. The rooms have been furnished in the 18th century style and include items of his furniture, beautifully embroidered bed hangings and portraits of his family. The original manuscript is also on display.

The Garden
Through Gilbert White's writings, the garden is probably one of the best documented of its type and is gradually being restored. Already established are his 'Quincunx', wooden ha-ha, alcove and 'Six Quarters' - beds to display many of the fascinating plants known to White. His brick path leads to the stone ha-ha, sundial and part of his fruit wall. Later additions include a spectacular laburnam arch, topiary and fragrant herb garden: all set against the backdrop of the magnificent beech-clad Selborne hanger.

The Oates Museum is devoted to the remarkable Oates family and in particular, Frank Oates, a Victorian explorer, and to Captain Lawrence Oates who accompanied Scott to the South Pole. There are illustrations and relics of both these adventures.

Tea parlour
Delicious refreshments are served in the restored dining room. Much of the fare is based upon interesting eighteenth century recipes.With the emphasis on unusual and inexpensive gifts and books, there is an excellent gift shop to browse in to find something a little different."

Glad you enjoyed yourselves with the journey home being part of the weekends entertainment; but we are waiting for the Murder Weekend revelations!


Sue and Douglas

OK Sue - just want to point out that this was the last weekend that they were doing this murder plot - so OK to tell you folks about it.

The theme was a reunion of Blue Peter badge winners - and everyone had to wear something blue, and have a story of how they won their badge.

We all assembled for the intro drinks do, then went in for dinner - very colourfully set out. Gradually, the "participants" in the mystery revealed themselves. There was a new BP presenter (who turned out later to have a bit of a cocaine habit!); a producer, who was planning to make a programme about BP badge holders grown up (she ended up getting murdered on Sat afternoon); various other researchers and an ex presenter (one researcher murdered on the Friday night, and the ex presenter on the Saturday night).

There was a loopy woman who had convinced herself that she was the mother of the new BP presenter, and when he found she was wealthy - he was happy to go along with it.

The actual motive for murder complicated (now there's a change!) - but here goes.

If you remember the bomb attack on the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2002? - it starts there.

The plot was that there had been a piece of the True Cross hidden there - that had been stolen by an agent for a wacky American church. The theif was a casualty of the explosion, but before he died, it was passed on to a man, who hid it in a safe deposit box, with the intention of selling it five years hence.

Without going into elaborate detail - the way the safe deposit box number was to be found, was by superimposing the marks on four tattoos that had been put on the arms of four people. The daughter of this man was one of them.

One of the TV researchers - who was manically anti religious, got wind of this, and, when she found that the three remaing tattoed people were to be at the BP do (the original man's tattoe having been noted on his autopsy report) she murdered all three. Each time, a recangular piece of skin had been removed from the victim's arms - ie the tattoes.

The murderer intended to recover the piece of the True Cross and destroy it, believing that religion is an evil in the world etc

Sound daft - and it was - but great fun, with lots of games and red herrings along the way.

There was an incident room where the detective added clues (eg postcards, autopsy reports, birth certs, newspaper cuttings) from time to time. By the end of Saturday evening confusion reigns!

They also put three sets of clue sheets under the bedroom doors - these have quotations from many sources - that may help with solving the crime.

A great weekend - would warmly recommend it - but save up and do it properly. Have tried a few, but the best are Joy Swifts Original Murder Weekends - there is a webpage that will tell you all about it - easy to Google.

Phew - back home, exhausted and catching up on sleep - but looking forward to the next one. There are three different plots per year - we usually go along every 18 months or so.

Perhaps we'll see you at one some time - wouldn't that be fun

Hmmm... It sounds very tempting, and Sue is indeed a big fan of the whodunnit genre - crime stories generally in fact, but particularly British Golden Age stuff (Allingham, Sayers etc.)

I heard a radio murder mystery this week - something called Foul Play on R7 (on Wednesday, I think). It was OK, no great shakes but it made a nice lunchtime break. I'm old enough to remember Whodunnit on ITV in the 60's/70's, and Timothy Hutton as Ellery Queen on the Beeb. Queen is my favourite whodunnit writer(s), but it's so difficult to get his stuff nowadays. There is a twisted pshchological - almost psychedelic - mania to Queen's best stuff.

I've just had a look in Mustardland, BTW. Hope you're OK.

Douglas

Yes - am fine thank, Douglas. Just being a bit cautious.

I haven't read any Queen yet - so will have to give it a go.

We may be going to another Murder weekend in August at Banbury - the daughter who was with us at the last one, is planning to go with some friends - and we are allowed to come along too

If you do treat yourselves - the Joy Swift ones are excellent - you can find out more on www.murder.co.uk/

I promise I don't have shares in the company - just happy memories of some fun weekends.

Prue

Auntie Pru,

We have been reading today's unfolding adventures in The Bull.

Making light of heavy matters why don't you pass the story onto your murder mystery bunch.

The senario is at least every good as 'Blue Peter Badge Winners' and the 'Splinter from the True Cross'

When fiction becomes indistinquishable from reality...


Douglas