Sorry for the belated New Year greetings but I thought I had e-mailed you but we lost a lot of our old sent e-mails so no idea if we did wish you a happy new year. But we are now! Just been catching up with all your photos. Some of the Antarctic ones are really impressive. I might pinch some of your NZ ones cos some of mine weren't that great. We had Ian stay with us for a night just before Xmas on his way to Montrose to pick up his mum to take back to Wales. It was not much of a night for him because I was really ill as I had caught labyrinthitis. Never been so sick in a long time, thankfully it stopped after the doc gave me an injection but was off work for a week. I phoned Ian at Xmas and he said he had gone on a pub crawl on his own in Montose. He started at the Lochside and worked his way into town. He said the only one worth visiting was the Northern Vaults although I think its called something else now. I think he fancies me going to Montrose with him sometime as it is now 5 years since I went up with him. We bored him with all the Aussie/NZ photos. Joan fancies going back to Toronto as long as we don't stay in Chinatown like last time. We will no doubt hear from you when you return. Are you having a returning home party? Bye for now.

Loved reading your blog and looking at your pictures! Hope your travels continue to be safe!

Happy New Year. Hope you had a good night.

We had friends over last night and had a good time , nearly missed seeing the New Year in though as we was too busy gassing!!

I'm just off for a run (I've got weight to lose for a wedding!!)and then off to friends for drinks and nibbles this afternoon.

Speak soon

Julie,Rob, Hannah and Izzy

xxx

I am just heading off to work for a night shift and leaving Bruce and the boys for a quiet Hogmanay (well that's what they are telling me!). Hope you have a great Hogmanay and a nice day on New Years Day.

We hope to go to mum and dad's in the pm but I will be sleeping til lunchtime and they will be recovering from their festivities with the Ferriers tonight!

Look forward to speaking/seeing you both soon.

Love Susan,Bruce,Craig and Cameron xxxx

Happy New Year to you! Love to Rosemary and Rosie, who I hope is on fine form. Hope Colan is hot and bet it's noisy!

Quiet one for us tonight. We've got a wedding to save for!

Love Gills and Stuart xx

1. Glad you enjoyed the Christmas video, and hope you both had a great time.We had a lovely Christmas day visiting Susan,Bruce,Craig and Cameron, and then on to Steven,Sarah,Jessica and Elliott's for a super Xmas meal.Pity we couldn't chat, but hope to speak to you soon. love Dot and Ronxx

Just about to pop off and pick up Rob Julie and Hannah from their visit to the theatre.

Everything is now go for a full couple of days with all the family.

We will be thinking of you and hope that you enjoy yourselves tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Love Pama nd Jim xx

Hiya, Just dropping you a line to wish you both a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

We have not long been in from our yearly trip to Harrods to see the man in red. We then went on for dinner with some friends and their little one down on the embankemnet. Tomorrow we are off to Mum and Dads for few days to all spend Christmas together. In the afternoon we are leaving Izzy with mum and dad whilst rob and I take hannah off to wimbledon theatre to see Cinderella Panto. She doesn't know we are going yet but we know she will be very excited.

Hannah very excited about christmas generally as all children are. She has been counting down the days for weeks and weeks and weeks......... Izzy no idea its her first special christmas but is loving all the trees, light and baubles!!

Anyway really looking forward to catching up properly when we see you in person next month.

Looking forward to hearing all about the "Cruise".

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Lots of Love

Julie, rob, Hannah and Izzy.

xxxxx

Good to speak on the phone yesterday. Just looked at the Antartaca pix- really spectacular. It looked COLD. Hope to have a chat at Christmas.

Well you Travelling Scotberrys. Its been a while since I posted anything for you but they are getting very strict at work about using the internet and sending non business emails. My own beastie at home has been infiltrated by dastardly viral thingys which had me shut down for quite a whiley in aw.

On top of that it has been a pretty busy few months. Naomi is now married and I will be a grandad in the Spring. The wedding in Dumfries was quite a day. If you Google Naomi Purdie + Bebo you will see the wedding photos. Love to hear your comments.

Renee and I managed a two week break to the south of Turkey in September. We enjoyed it but we both were bitten to bits by the supermozzies which seemed shake off all the potions, creams and plug ins we took with us. Good laugh though and we had some enjoyable trips including to the swamps where the Africa Queen was filmed at Dalayan. It was also filmed in the Belgian Congo and studio lots in California but Turks being Turks boasted the best bits were filmed in their country.

Ten years ago Turkey used to be inexpensive but not now. But where is in Europe these days.

Had a visit from Fernando and Penny friends I met in Glasgow a few years back. They were over from Texas and we exchanged gifts in the Horsehoe Bar. He got a See You Jimmy hat and I got a splendid hee haaa cowboy lace tie.

My old pal and neighbour Ray has been back in touch all the way from Thailand and some not so good news is that wee Mary Graham, who you will remember well Eric, is undergoing chemo for breast cancer in British Coulbis where she is living with her son. I keep in touch with her by email.

Chrsitine has finally moved from her old flat but still ahve to see her new pad. She was in for an operation to her legs last week so will be off for a while yet.

Dont want this to sound like a Rev I M Jolly annual report of doom and gloom but Dennis's aunty Frances passed away in October so that meant another trip to Montrose for the funeral. He and Debs have taken her death very badly and he has been off work ever since.

Renee and I are going up this weekend to stay at the house before it is handed back to the cooonsil. Meeting up with them for a meal on Saturday and withe his cousins Alan and Ian Craik and their partners.

Probably head to the Market Arms for pints and some cheese and onion toasties then to Johnstons for five greasy pehs followed by mair pints at the Royal Erch then to cap it all to the Heath for a Scotty Special of sausage, two eggs and chips, bacon, liver, and onions .....and toast. If only....................

I have been very busy at work writing/photographing a colour supplement for the Herald on our Better Barrhead campaign then I spent two weeks on a video production course in Hamilton with S Lanarkshire Council's TV unit.

Looking forward to about 10 days off from 24 December until about the 6 January. Then we start all over again. Its scary how the years fly in as we get older. Different for you guys on the move all the time. Probably seems a long 24 months since you hit the road. So much exciting things to see, people to meet and stories to tell when you get back.

Been playing a bit more live music of late and played up at the Tarbert Music Festival in September which was great fun. Keeping the hand in but I think I have mandolin elbow and I need to go see the doc in a day or two. Very sore and stiff. Why is it always the bits you dont want to get stiff that do and other you do don't. Ooooer missus.

Well you must be up to about 14 million photos by now Eric and that should keep you busy during your retirement sorting that lot out.

Right its bedtime here at Buchan Mansions so I will sign off. This grew like toposy as usual and I maybe should have sent it on an email. Sorry if this clogs up the system with my blethers.

All the best for the festering season and heare from you soon.

Jim

Hope there are no more problems with your cruise and it goes ahead as planned, and that you both have a great time. Keep us informed.

Hola "pibes". It is great to catch up with you and know you are enjoying as much as your first day away. José Mª has enjoyed a lot the great pictures from Machu Pichu and I simplely keep my mouth opened watching every single wonderful photo. Thanks for giving us such a fantastic views.

We are all fine and next e-mail not long.

Marilud & José Mª. xxx