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

This will disappear after Jan 5th - Christmas tradition - must take Chrissie decorations down before 6th January - so I will also post it here.

My Christmas Wish For You

2001, well ..what a year!!
We lived with war and hate and fear
The world will never be the same
And yet we play the same old game
We rush, we shop, we eat and drink,
I think it's time to stop and think.

Be grateful for the things we've got,
For, you know we've got a lot,
Friends and family, Freedom too
And I am grateful I've got you.

So now Christmas time is here again,
Remember, "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to men"
I send my love, I wish you Peace,
I hope your joys will just increase.
And as you raise a glass or two,
Remember me - I'll think of you!

Feisor - Christmas 2001

Thast really nice of ya Feisor



CK

Thank you!


Thinking of you....
and praying for

Thanks AGB

It's one helluva barbeque here

No sign of rain yet though - but it's a bit cooler tonight.

Are you OK Feisor? how far away are the fires?



CK

I;m fine thanks CK - I live in a beach suburb with the CBD between us and the fires - not much chance of them coming this far, but I have friends who live in outlying suburbs who were packed and ready to evacuate - luckily it missed them - though I am a bit concerned about other friends living in the fOothills of the Blue Mountains. They emailed me some pics of the fire which were only 2 kms from them.

Just listening to the weather - no sign of rain for at least a week - the longest hot spell like this that we've had was something like 22 days - it's only been about a week so far - so we could be in for a lot more

The smoke is still all over the city, - they have warned people with respiratory problems to stay indoors. On Christmas Day there was ash in our backyard which is spooky.

Two amazing things - there has been no loss of life (thank goodness) and, though lots of homes have been lost (lots have been saved too) and, while we swelter in 30C temps (100F) in the mountains of Victoria they have had snow in summer - go figure!!

Mother Nature is being a real MOTHER!!!

Hi Feisor,
I like your rhyme for christmas.

Never thought I'd find myself joining in a chant to bring on rain! (We get so much here!!!!) Hope things are getting better fire-wise.

Fingers crossed for you and your friends.
Z

G'day Zhora!!

I am pleased to say that recent rains have eased the situation - some outlying fires are still burning but the emergency has been lifted.

Latest news from this weather obsessed town is a massive hailstorm (not near me) - apparently some of the hail was as big as half a brick - Mother Nature has gone mad (again)

Thanks for your chanting

Feisor

Looking at the volcano action I'm thanking my luckythat I live in GB!

Hope you're Feisor

I'm fine thanks AGB - everything's back to normal here now - or as normal as Oz gets

I know what you mean about the volcano - I was watching it on the news and really feeling for those poor people who have so little and now have even that taken away from them.

I know
And they're going back!

Hi Feisor,
Glad to hear things are nearly back to "normal".
With all the volcanic action and weird weather, you can't help wondering if Mother Nature has gone bananas. Here in Bonny Scotland, we are unseasonably warm for January, even with howling gales coming in from the Atlantic!
At New Year, we were freezing cold as you would expect, but the turn around is quite strange. Still, no hail the size of half bricks. I saw the reports on the news here, and I thought, "I wouldn't want to be caught out in that!"
I just wish it would snow here! (It's OK, lots of people tell me I'm nuts, because I like snow so much!)
I hope you all get sorted out soon,

All the best
Zhora

Yep! It just shows you that although we are doing our best to destroy ourselves we are really no match for good old Mother Nature - and, all things considered you really can't blame her for going a little mad. Let's face it - when you in your own nest you can't complain when the starts getting to you

Yeah ... that was a good hailstorm - the one we had a couple of years back had hailstones the size of cricket balls (I kept one in the freezer for a few days) but this one was even bigger, but in a smaller area - not quite so much damage.

Snow?? The only time I've seen snow was when someone trucked some into Bondi Beach as a promo for a new ski resort - can't say that I was impressed - it was just cold and wet - and I had to wear shoes



Feisor

I wonder how you'd cope with British weather, Feisor, if you dislike wearing shoes...

Right now I've got the sun burning down on the top of my head and it feels
It's January for ****'s sake!
It *should* be snowing, and it's like a Spring day out there.
Dunno why I'm complaining really, except I can barely see my screen & my head is hot.

Still, back to normal tomorrow, gales & rain forecast for the British Isles.

Maybe James Lovelock is right about Gaia after all!

Wow! Hailstones in the freezer? I l obviously lead a very quiet life weather wise!

You weren't impressed by snow? May I suggest you go to the mountains when winter comes? Go and see how lovely snow is, in it's natural habitat! Lets face it, Bondi is not the place for it! I think you might come to like it, despite the need for footwear!

Actually, I was well impressed during my holiday, in lovely Australia, last year to see that you guys have sled dog racing. Once I'd stopped laughing at the thought of sled racing in August (I was stuck on Northern Hemisphere season), I thought, why not? We have it here in winter!

Honest, snow is nice in it's true habitat!
Zhora

Back to normal today....rain, rain & more rain.

I've seen snow-topped mountains in Austria.
Absolutely beautiful.

You said it.... rain, rain, rain, and it's not really got properly light either.

A dear friend of mine sent me an email which, arrived this morning declaring his imminent departure to Jamaica, for his wedding. Lucky Lots of sun, sea and sand! Just what you want to hear on a dark dreich morning.

The Alps are lovely to look at! I remember seeing them early one moring, taking off from Zurich. Awesome!

Have we convinced you yet Feisor?
Zhora

Convinced me?? Wot, to like snow?? Pass....

I love the days like we have in Sydney during Autumn and Spring - warm (not hot), sunny, with a cool breeze blowing - what I would call ideal beer garden weather

I don't mind rain though as long as I'm on my way home, I hate it when you are on your way TO somewhere and you get drowned on the way there.

Weather's horrible here but do I CARE????

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

I'm on my way to London in 16 hours!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh -beer garden weather! Yes, I like that. I take it, you like to spend time in a beer garden now and then? Partial to it myself!
I agree about the rain. I usually walk to work if the weather is good, but, wednesday was sooo wet, I just got the bus. I had to get the bus home too. Yuk! Mind you, living in Scotland, we get a lot of rain, so I just have to grin (soggily) and bear it. Mind you today, thursday, it's sunny, with a cold breeze. Talk about chop and change! No beer garden today!

The good news for me is, that we have a snow forecast for friday!

When does Autumn start for you in Australia? Is it march/april?
Zhora