hello fishy! HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!! Abi's slow at typing so this is from caroline - hope you guys are well and having a great christmas. I'm at Abi's for christmas, we just had christmas day with some of Abi's Australian friends and have eaten lots, drunk even more and danced to Kylie. Mia's doing good, just too cute for words and she got the best christmas present from her parents this morning - a bog roll! Although she did seem more interested in this than in anything else that she got :-)
From Abi - Hope you're enjoying Australia, it's all really mad here at the moment as we're packing the house up next week and getting ready to leave for a year. When are you back? Did Santa come? And what colour are Ian's panty's? Want to hear all your news. Sorry to read you haven't been well, do you have a contact number, I really want to talk to you.Love you, miss you and hope to speak to you soon. Christmas kisses from us all xxx

Hi guys, Merry Christmas I guess you haven't checked the site yet as I have no number to call you at. As soon as you log in send me the number PLEASE I can't wait to talk to you. It's mad here at the moment as you can imagine. MItchy is in present heaven and still got loads to open though we're having a short breakfast break. Take Care love you loads Thomi

Happy Christmas you two! Last minute as usual but in time at least. Have a brilliant time and enjoy New Year. With some birthday celebrations in the middle too - Happy Birthday Claire - has to be early, we're away at both mums for the next few days. Have a great day. I've just booked our trip for March - 3wks in NZ then 1 in Sydney seeing friends and a tiny bit of Oz. Took a bit of persuasion to get the time off but Flip said yes so we're going! We'll be reading all your tips and planning our route soon. Jim's starting a new job the first day at work after we get back so hopefully the jetlag won't be too bad. Usual news from us - next DIY project is taking a while...oh, and we had to have a new boiler too, at same time my car needed a new steering rack, ouch. Did hockey christmas dinner on wednesday, 25 people and no reports of food poisoning as yet so I did OK. Just pretending to work for 1/2 a day before skiving off early. Hope you have a great summer christmas and don't miss your family too much, lots of love Catherine and Jim

Doh! It does help when posting a message to write something before clicking add message. I really really hope you get this pre christmas morning. Can you please please send me Kevs phone number to my hotmail account [email protected]. We're down in Torquay and guess what I left the number at home and can't remote access our homecall email address. Hopefully speak to you in a few days. LOL Thomi

Hi both of you. Great to speak to you last night. I'm sure Sydney on New Years Eve will be fantastic. It's good that all the Christmas cards have arrived as well. Wolves have appointed Glen Hoddle as manager on a 6 month contract (don't know whether he wanted this or the Wolves). Results still the same unfortunately. Suspect new signings must be imminent.
We're going to see if we can get the digital camera working tonight ready for Christmas. Leaving for Tina & Ants tomorrow afternoon. Very wet today and the forecast is then much colder and possibly snow. Maybe a White Christmas in London.
I haven't heard any more about the boiler so I assume that everything is now OK.
Look forward to talking to you both on Christmas morning (or before).
Luv Mom & Dad

Happy, happy christmas to you both and all of your many friends! Have a great time and enjoy the barbies on the beach. Weather here is very seasonal - cold, and a chance of snow! All the shopping is done and Tina is cooking Xmas lunch so no worries for me. Your dad has helped (NOT) with the xmas pressies as usual, but we will have a lovley time I'm sure. lots of love mom xxxx

On the 12th Day of xmas my truelove gave to me, 12 billys bonging, 11 Roos a bouncing, 10 didgerees dooing, 9 wombats wombling, 8 redbacks biting, 7 surfers surfing, 6 emus laying, FFIIIIIVVVEEEE WWWWAAAAALLLLAAABBBIIIEEESS, 4 Platypus, 3 pink gallas, 2 dingo dogs aaaaannnndddd a koala in a eucalypt treeeeeeeeeeeeee

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR......

DearIan & Claire
Happy e- Christmas from the Shakespeare family. We wish you continued enjoyment with your escapades in 2005. Happy travelling.
Lots of love Dave Marg Andy & Ed

What happened to frog? Poor old gingery men! was that a pukeko? What happened to long-necked brid!
It looks brilliant. Fabulous forest and swimming and wallabies. Hasn't your pulsating blob moved down now? Hoping to talk to you 2moro. Below freezing but sunny here. Don't suppose u can remember. Off to UK Wed. John's picking us up at Ashford and we're going by train so it shoudl be a v easy journey. Made a cake but nt iced it! VERY VERY HAPPY XMAS YOU LOT. It's great I just know you're going to have a brill time. Wonder if gerry's set off yet! Will ring 2 find out. LOL to ALL of you! westbymum

Hello everyone

We're in Newcastle, dont think much to this place so we're heading off to do some wine tasting in the hunter valley....dont you know.

Been having a great time, seen lots more great stuff and wildlife and spent a few days with Ste and Zarena which was great fun, cheers guys for putting us up.

I (C) am now back on steroids, hopefully not long enough to get a big as before, but after 4 doctors one finally took my bad rash seriously, so hopefully in a week I will have a nights sleep and stop itching.....
they reckon my crohns messed up immune system was the problem.

Joyce, its great news that grandma Mason is better, if she is able to understand please give her all our love.

Thomi, so sorry to hear you're bad, trying to call you with our new phonecard but its playing up, I will keep trying, lots of love xxx

Take Care everyone,

We've updated our jpournal and photos, enjoy

Claire & ian