well we are following in your footsteps liz and jack. Have arrived at franz josef fantadtic place we are staying at. Have booked a half day glacier walk as i thought the old knee would not hold up to a day on the ice it is still swollen from all the walking your father made me do in Hong Kong. Guess what its throwing it down with rain  It was sunny and warm when we left christchurch had a fantastic time with Mick and ross went to a lanten festival at night in the city. looking forward to seeing you soon if we survive the breathtaking scenery we have travelled through.

Mom and dadxxx

Super Lee Cattermole...

I am really sorry not to have written anything for so long, but the last few weeks have been ridiculously busy. This last week I have been working in Southampton, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Leek, Chester-le-Street and Durham gaol. And I am still broke.

 

The NZ photos are stunning. What extraordinary sky. Such a childish blue. No wonder Jack wanted to dive into it. I am glad I did not know about the sky-diving or the bunjee-jumping until afterwards. When Jack writes about the ‘rush’ of jumping our of a plane, I think this must refer to the earth rushing towards him at speed. Have you noticed how your antipodean adventures have been dominated by jumping and diving ? Even Liz looks like she is about to jump off a waterfall in one of the photos. When Jack was in the Woodcraft Folk he was once in a clan called the Jumping Monkeys…

 

You seem to have entered a landscape straight out of Tolkein. That glacier is surely the one in the Mountains of Moria. Jack in his stubble is turning into Sean Bean ; the Sealions look like the Fighting Uruk-Hai ; and Liz is Arwen in a West Brom shirt. There are even some dodgy looking orcs in hoodies in some of the pics.

 

Why do the penguins have yellow-eyes ? And why do the mussels have green-lips ? And why are Liz’s feet in a yellow plastic-bag ? Do these Alpine parrots really need tagging ? What have they done wrong ? Don’t let New Labour hear about this or they will be slapping Asbos on the dawn chorus. Do these parrots know how far they are from the Alps ?

 

Come back soon and safe and in one piece. Do you know what your plans are when you get back to the UK ?

 

No news here, certainly nothing to compare with the excitement of New Zealand. Al is playing for Middlesbrough in Northampton tomorrow in the quarter-finals of a national knockout competition. Nikki is still poorly. Britta has applied for another job (same school). Jon appears to be trying to design a portable fax-machine (‘to create greater social presence through the communication of tangible sentimental objects’). Jean is over in Jersey. Charl has a house in Manchester lined-up for next year. Joe is trying to get a job working for Joe Biden (possible Democratic presidential candidate). I start work soon in local primary schools on a project connected to the statue of Brian Clough they are putting up in Albert Park. And The Ghost Writer is coming out in June.

 

This afternoon Al and Sian have gone on our tickets to the FA Cup game against Man Utd. Amazingly it is on BBC TV. The Boro live on telly in a few minutes…

 

Lots of love,

 

Dad/Andy

Hey Liz, Yeah it is the Jools from Truro she lives in Oz now, Melbourne. Im loving it here its great in Sydney at the mo its a bit lonely but im managing. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My heart was racing just looking at the photos of that jump and reading your journal entry Jack.I just can't imagine how you mustered up the courage to jump! Fantastic.Well done. Well done too Liz for resisting the temptation to jump I bet you were under some pressure.I wouldn't do it for a million pounds.Very sensible. Sorry for the lack of communication recently. We have been driving up and down to Stoke rather often and arriving home exhausted.Just to cap it all I now have the worst illness I've had in years, aching bones as well as a sore throat, cough and cold. I blame your Dad Jack, he had it first! Take care. love Nikki

Hi Liz and Jack, just seen those fab pictures of the glacier, unbelievable ! Your Mom came today and had lunch with us as they are off tomorrow on their way to NZ. Wish we were going with them. We have had nothing but rain, rain and more rain for days now, patio flooded. Don't mind you doing a jump Elizabeth as long as you keep one foot on the ground ! Jack going all macho, don't let him kid you it is shattering ! Sending our love with your Mom and Dad, Love to you both, Nan and Grandad.

Wow, wow and even bigger wow!!!! What more can I say? Thinking of u both and am constantly enthralled by your adventures.... hold on.......... we're just boardin' the plane!!!!! Miss u loads love to you both for now mwah xxx

Hi Good to hear of the sky dive after the event. I enjoyed the photos. The stretched grin that means 'I'm terrified'. Frankly I have not seen it that often over the last 23+ years. The scenery is huge. Your photography manages to convey the massiveness of the place. I think I am nearly there with you. Well not really. Anyway , please can I pass a message on to Leslie and Derek: have a fantastic time. Leslie, give Jack a big squeeze from his Mum. Oh, and Derek you give him one too. Went to Leeds today with Al and Sian. Just for a look round to help the choosing. We were all impressed. It was the best day of the year weather wise which may have influenced us. Loads of students, great shops, lots of handsome, old buildings. We didn't sample the nightlife. Home for a cuppa before six. I think he will go for Leeds in the end. Take care my lovelies, All love Mum/Ali x x x

Hi there you Guys! Ow u bin? Sorry its been so long since we wrote, but we're sure you understand how things have been. Won't go in2 it all now but suffice to say Johns Mom Enid is doing absolutely brill and coping reely reely well and we are very proud of her and how she's doing at 81 years of age! She's settling down in the Granny Flat with the help of your Dad making it really feel like home by putting up all her mirrors and decorative plates/pictures yesterday and we are very grateful to him for this, sure he has enough to do b4 they fly out to have a wonderful time with you both! They're getting reely excited now - wish we were coming with them! Just know you're gonna have a fab time together. Liz you've got an awesome tan now and look like a superstar in your stunning shades! How fab are you gonna look at the wedding? The pix on the Photo Album are out of this world - all the open spaces, Lake Aviemore, and real-life close up on nature look wonderful, love the evening sky setting, and the waterfall would just take my breath away! Can see you are both on the trip/experience of a lifetime! I am at work this morning (it's 08.12am now) so had betterdrag myself away and do a little bitty work! Thanku once again for your text it was very much appreciated to know you were thinking of us at such a difficult time and I have told Enid all about you and know she will just love you to bits as we do! Would say hurry back but that would just be selfishof us. (Or is that shellfish, Jack?!!!) Tk care love for now xxxx

Hi both, glad your having a brill time!! just wanted to say thanku very much liz for the text you sent mom last night, she was very touched by it, so thanku. The funeral was today, it went as well as any funeral can go really, except some of the people got lost trying to find their way to our house after the funeral!!! Its great to read your journal on here, bet your looking forward to seeing your mom and dad! Take care. lots of love x

Hi Jack and Gypsi daughter Its the end of another boring day at school. Kids have left the building silence decends and I am left with that strange smell of swetty children and rotting pump bags. Counting the days only 8 more get ups and my life as a classroom teacher will be over. Feeling a little sad but looking forward to the challenge of ( oh my god its that odd supply teacher again in my classroom) challenge. Looking forward to meeting you in new Zealand will email you nearer the time with some details of where we will be so we can catch you up in the North Island. Liz I am little concerned that you are loosing your delightful black country twang for a more sing song smoggy dialect , Will have to gang up on Jack with comments like 'where yow bin 'and lets go swimmin in the cut' Anyway time to sign off and go home we have a match tonight which we need to win and then we have the delights of playing (slaughtering)!!!!! borough again in the cup repay. Then we have Man U to face. Speak to you soon Love Mom

Hi Liz and Jack, following your progress on the net with interest, so glad that you are now in NZ. A wonderful country, so like home for weather. We tried NZ wine years ago at the Haywain at Hampton Load. It was Nobilo 'White Cloud' and we persuaded Sainsbury's Wine dept. to stock it, it is a delicious white wine, smooth and medium dry. They now have the Nobilo red in Waitrose so now trying that. Won't be long now and your Mom and Dad will be with you Liz. I bet you are looking forward to that. Take care, all our love, Nan and Grandad.