Blog Roll

In response to:Back in Blighty

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:34:27 +0200

Welcome back - hope to see you soon when you're feeling up to it

In response to:Blood on the Tracks

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:14:24 +0200

We have enjoyed your travel news very much and glad you are home safe and sound AND with such great news Amanda!! Congratulations to you both. Hope you now have a more relaxing holiday in Florida with the family. Love John & Allison x

In response to:Canyons of my Mind

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:34:13 +0200

congratulations gav, i might have known the old essence of giraffe would have spotted it. I´m thinking of launching an exciting readers´ pop quiz because there are a few song titles hidden away. Details to follow. I bet you can´t wait.

In response to:Canyons of my Mind

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:06:20 +0100

Well done for getting a Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band title in there!

In response to:The Brazilian Dream

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:50:49 +0100

I can ask him to pose in them for real` when we get home if u like
luv manda

In response to:Slippery Customers

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:48:38 +0100

Thanks John and Allison,
Im glad the blog has kept u entertained and thanks for your comments. Unfortunatly, I cant take much credit for the words or even the uploading of most of the pictures, but i did take some of the photos! Look forward to seeing you at home
luv amanda

In response to:Busy getting ready for Christmas ...

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:43:08 +0100

Hey lindi,
see u at becs house for her moving in party
take care luv manda

In response to:Eclipsed

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:40:02 +0100

Hiya claire & Denise, I can just imagine u cherried up on g and t's on the flight to Cork. Steve is a star inihe, I think he should write a book, short tales of Steve,would be a best seller. So u are getting even more national, look forward to ur next show in Manchester. We have to come up to Jordieland wen we r bak, take care of urselves
luv manda

In response to:Eclipsed

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:57:13 +0100

Yikes, glad the bee's didnt get yus! I rented a film recently about Morales but cant for the life of me remember the name. If you make it to Guatemala you must visit me auntie - she lives in Guatemala city. Lots of Love to you both. Anna

In response to:Eclipsed

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:05:21 +0100

Hi Guys

Hope you are still enjoying Bolivia or where you are now.

We had a little slice of Manchester up here on Saturday nite - our project in newcastle hosted the Contact's show on tour. Now I am really shattered doing that and poetry and comedy workshops all weekend and have sore throat. But I have the day off tommorrow.

Britain has been battered by storms and floods this weekend. I flew over to Cork to see my mum last weekend and it was a rocky ride, with gin and tonics consumed for - what Count Arthur Strong would describe - the 'cumulative effect.'

Steve was asking how you both are and how you are getting on - his mum Nelly and co. are now off to Oz - now he has finished feeding them his homegrown turnips! So, as you canc guess, Ste is as crazy as ever. We were both wandering thu when you would like a homecoming do - when you do come back.

Miss u guys - looking forward to seeing you soon

xxxxx

In response to:Busy getting ready for Christmas ...

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:29:32 +0100

Hi

Can't believe how much I've missed, you two have been busy. Looks like you had a good xmas and new year, although it looked a little hit and miss with Amanda's old granny fall. Hope the elbow's ok now, I thought you might of been offered a years supply of chocolate or something which would have eased the pain.

Keep safe and see you in April.

Love
Linda

In response to:The Brazilian Dream

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:07:15 +0100

Jim, we're going to need a picture of you in your shorts and flip flop combo.

I'm glad you've managed to get Amanda to the safety of Bolivia, Brazil just seem to make her more accident prone than normal. Too many caparinas?

In response to:Ay Corumba!

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:15:31 +0100

Crikey James- heard nothing for ages & then it all comes at once!! Haven't settled down to read all the posts yet but have just read the beautiful coastline bit. Am worried about Amanda - will she get back in one piece at this rate? And don't go touching any more cysts in dodgy areas James (did she think you were a vet?) Glad you're both Ok. I went on Google Earth today to zoom in on Bolivia. Couldn't see too much detail - the closer you go in, the more hazy & confusing it gets but I did notice some large foresty areas & Santa Cruz is HUGE. Don't get lost......
love
Mumx

In response to:Slippery Customers

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:11:13 +0100

We have enjoyed your world travel feedback but so sorry about Amanda's fall. Pictures have been good and great stories Jim. A book is in the offing I am sure! Best wishes for the rest of your trip. John and Allison (Hartford) x

In response to:The Full SP

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:18:03 +0100

hello fiona, roy, holly and hello to the geordieland crew, good to hear from you and thanks for the birthday greetings.
I´m trying to live the birthday dream so will be catching a bus in an hour to a small village on a beach where I expect to spend my time drinking coconut milk under a palm tree. well, that´s the plan at least.
I expect the international phone lines are clogged up with people clamouring to wish me happy birthday. I´m afraid our phone doesn´t work in Brazil so all those texts will go unread until we get somewhere else. sorry about that. Anyway, over to amanda...

Dear Claire, hope your gig went really well and looking forward to catchin up. In Uruguay they carry the tea in a flask and a goblet-like thing with a pipe in it under their left arm and drink it everywhere. But it is not tea to you and me. there is no milk and the tea tastes like herbal nettle flavour. anyway, i am really missing english tea. brazil has nothing and we´ve been able to get tea everywhere till here. I am most looking forward to a good cup of tea when I come home. really good to hear from you, luv manda.

In response to:The Full SP

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:38:45 +0100

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES!!!

Hope you have a lovely day - where ever you happen to be!!

Thinking of you

Lots of Love

Fiona, Roy and Holly xxxx

In response to:The Full SP

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:40:38 +0100

Hi Guys

Happy Birthday Jim!!!
Hope you have a fantastic time in Brazil. I think you guys must have pretty much circumnavigated the globe by now!! My colleague Sam is also in S America at the mo (Chile, in fact, which is probably no where near you now!)

I am really nervous because my productions company - Monkfish - has a really major gig on in Newcastle tomorrow nite!! Eek - there's so much to catch up on when you both come back to blighty.

Amanda - I hope you elbow has recovered, it looked pretty sore judging by the pic. I was a bit worried about you but was relieved when I heard about the John Shuttleworth flasks and copious amounts of tea available for medicinal purpose!

Take care and have a great birthday Jim!!

Love
Claire and Denise
xxxxxxxxxx

In response to:Driving Ms Daisy

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:17:50 +0100

manda need your date of births deb

In response to:Slippery Customers

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:45:33 +0100

Hope the elbow is doing ok. Take more water with it next time.
Was the excitement of a large supermarket too much?

Take care

Love

Dad and Maj
xxxxxxx

In response to:Busy getting ready for Christmas ...

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:17:13 +0100

Happy New Year Amanda and Jim!!

You lucky things in South America - if a bit wind swept!! Hope you have a great 08!! Looking forward to hearing more about your escapades in El Dorado!!!

See you soon

Claire and Denise
xxxxxxx

In response to:Busy getting ready for Christmas ...

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:48:28 +0100

Happy Christmas.

Is that a new hair cut? looks drastic - was it deliberate or the result of your spanish?! Looks good.

Where are your sun tans? Isn't it the middle of summer there?

Hope you had a lovely day.

love

Bec
x

In response to:Busy getting ready for Christmas ...

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:54:10 +0100

hiya
We all wish you a happy chrimbo
jax, john, joe, fin, deb,ash,charlie,phil, mum and john
xxxxx

In response to:Mountains, Glaciers, Whales etc

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 13:44:52 +0100

Hello guys,

Quick note before I head off to France with Seb for 5 days staying with the crazy-french-in-laws.

Hope you have a good christmas - at least you won't be watching BBC repeats and tepid spouts, listening to another X factor winner Christmas Number One.

Also wanted to share that I'm 12+ weeks pregnant - and Baby Benne is due 6th July 08. So it's my first sober christmas!

So ho ho ho, happy Christmas.
love,
lisa
x

In response to:No Hablo Espanol

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:18:09 +0100

Thanks gav for the fulsome explanation of what happened in Shooter. seems a bit far fetched to me.
sorry tom, I know the stool report has taken a long time coming but we´ll give it some attention over the festive period.
And Gav (gav and bec gav) did your friend start a paper called the Argentimes in Buenos Aires? I picked one up the other day.
Thanks for all the other messages too.

In response to:Happy Birthday Holly

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:36:08 +0100

Thanks for the birthday texts and blog for Holly. We were in France all week - Disneyland. Mickey Mouse gave Holly her birthday cake. She had a lovely time....we all did!
Thankfully she wasn't too taken with the Llama/bambi animal...its hard enough deterring her from the desire to own fish!!
Wishing you both a very Happy Christmas.
Lots of Love
Fiona, Roy & Holly

In response to:On the Trail

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:14:55 +0100

HAPPY CHRISTMAS both and have a wonderful time enjoying the rest of your travels. Shame about the relative Jim but that's romantic notions for you, they bite you in the bum!
xxxxxxx

In response to:No Hablo Espanol

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:46:23 +0100

You asked for it - from imdb.com, here are the last few paragraphs from the plot of "shooter".

Memphis(Michael Pena)calls the FBI field office and talks to his superior officer, informing him that he has Swagger (Wahlberg)in custody. He talks long enough for them to trace the call. Swagger then calls Johnson (Danny Glover), who tells him that he wants to meet. Johnson reveals that he has Sarah (Kate Mara), and Swagger reveals that he recorded Sandors confession about everything. Johnson agrees to meet, but wants to see him coming from a long way off. Swagger requests that Meachum be present. The meeting is in the snowy mountains where Johnson, Meachum, Payne, and Sarah are present. Payne rigged a shotgun to his hand and is holding Sarah at gunpoint. They see Swagger walking towards them in the distance, and he is immediately shot in the chest by a hidden sniper. Johnson and Meachum are pleased, but their hidden snipers are shot through the head one by one. Turns out Swagger was posing as a hidden sniper while Memphis was walking towards Johnson. Memphis pulls out his armor and continues to walk towards them. Swagger aims carefully, and destroys Paynes shotgun while blowing off his thumb. Payne laughs in shock, and then Swagger blows off his arm. Memphis disarms Johnson and Meachum, and Swagger finally approaches them. Sarah grabs a pistol and shoots Payne to death. Meachum offers Swagger a job, but he refuses. Memphis calls in the FBI to come to their location, and Swagger burns Sandors recording. Memphis tells him that it proves hes innocent, but Swagger knows that whoever turns over the recording is dead. No one there is innocent, and so they wait for the FBI to show up.

Some time passes, and Swagger is brought to a meeting in the Department of Justice. Present are the attorney general, Johnson, Memphis, and Sarah. Memphis shakes Swaggers hand and hands him something. In front of him is his sniper rifle, and Swaggers hands are freed. He asks if the rifle has been tampered with by the FBI or any other authority, but it hasnt. He asks Memphis if he believes hes innocent, and if he trusts him with his life. Memphis answers yes, and Swagger loads a bullet into the rifle. He aims for Memphis, and pulls the trigger. Nothing happens. Theres no way he could have killed the Ethiopian Arch Bishop, since before he left to scout locations he removed all the firing pins from his weapons (including the rifle in front of him that was supposedly used in the shooting). Swagger and Memphis try to pin the mass grave in Ethiopia to Johnson, but its not an international court and the attorney general has no jurisdiction over crimes Johnson may or may not have committed in other countries. Johnson is allowed to leave, but not before he tells Swagger that he won again. The attorney general frees Swagger, convinced that hes innocent.

Later that night, Johnson celebrates his victory with Meachum and Dobbler in a cabin. Meachum and Johnson laugh about winning again, and Meachum plans to move Johnson out of the country to fix another problem they have. As Dobbler begins to explain his next mission, blood splatters on his face. A dead guard falls down directly in front of him. Johnson realizes that Swagger is there, but is shot through the chest. He dies very painfully. Dobbler turns off the lights, and Meachum orders him to get the car. Meachums SUV explodes, and the men panic. Swagger moves below the cabin, and Dobbler tells the remaining guard that hes under the floor. Swagger shoots Dobbler through the knee, and shoots the guard to death from below. He then enters the cabin, where Dobbler pleads that he spares him since he didnt do anything. Swagger shoots Dobbler in the chest and approaches Meachum. He says that hes a senator, and he cant do this. Swagger blows his brains out with a pistol and places it in Johnsons hands. He breaks the gas line of the cabin and it explodes as he walks away. Swagger runs off to a car with Sarah behind the wheel, and the film ends with them driving off.

Hope that ties up a few loose ends.

Whalley Rangers Xmas night out tomorrow. A glass to be raised in your honour,
Gavin

In response to:No Hablo Espanol

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:34:56 +0100

Can piles be crenellated? I'd like to think so, when viewed upside down or with the suffered upended....Speaking of which, that stool report is conspicuous by its absence......

In response to:No Hablo Espanol

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:36:58 +0100

hello,
I´m surprised crenellated caused such a stir - well, two comments. I think it describes the battlements on top of castles, but i just recklessly used it without checking so may be wrong.
you´re right, it is Glacier Grey. There are more exciting glacier pics to come.

In response to:No Hablo Espanol

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:52:22 +0100

I believe that is Glacier Grey you can see. What does crenellated mean?