Will,

In the great and wise words of the wrestling God himself, JBL . "the pinical of all sports entertainment, where the lights shine brighter than anywhere else.WRESTLEMANIA 23". The hallowed date you yearn to learn is THE 1ST OF APRIL.

awsome lineup dude,

love brinky.

P.S. know i`ve had my op. "the animal's  running wild". (again?)

Ha! Copied it this time just in case - wasn't going to let it get me twice!! 

Had an excited early morning phone call this morning (well, okay, it was 8 o'clock but you know me and mornings!) to say that there are photos - and there are! How wonderful!  Excellent photos of NY, lads, some really good ones of the city, very atmospheric - well done! One or two took a bit of deciphering (the one of 'Maller behind glass' had me really puzzled for a moment, talk about slow on the uptake!) and decided not to even try it with the MoS ones, for the sake of my sanity, especially on an empty stomach!

What a posh McDonalds, puts the Stroud one to shame, doesn't it? Did you enjoy the sushi? You all looked a bit unsure about it - don't tell me there's a food that you don't like, Ian! Healthy stuff though. Just don't try the dangerous one that Johnny English chose...

Ah, Spring in New York (sigh) - and so good to see that Rupert trousers are the new black this season...

Also good to see that Jimmy's Mummy packed him a coat with fluorescent white stripes for maximum visibility at night - he certainly shows up well in the photos, positively glowing! Talking of which, am v distressed to find that Jimmy (James?)  is the one I can't tell apart from Will in all the rugby photos - no doubt much confusion is bound to ensue at this end.  Any chance of them wearing name tags in all forthcoming photos, for the benefit of elderly and easily-confused godmothers....?

So, if the apple-picking has come to a standstill does that mean you're jobless? Don't the Kiwis know about your barwork/washing-up/labouring experience?

MrsWill'sMum - Thanks for the address, I fear that without your assistance I may have been in for a long wait! Glad to hear that you don't have to send the manky trainers - just imagine the plight of the poor customs officer who decided to investigate the package...! It would possibly be the cause of an international incident...

Chris - Sorry to hear about your black eye, what a hero! Don't forget to take a photo in case it's all healed up by the time I see you at the weekend (don't tell your Dad I'm coming though, in case he gets overexcited!) Hope you had a good time in spite of the injury - bet it looks impressive though. I like the sound of your Book Day fancy dress BTW..!

Well, TTFN all, hope all injured parties heal quickly and all unemployed travellers find another source of income soon - am loving reading all the messages, even though I don't always understand them! Promise not to be rude about anyone's spelling or punctuation though - honest!  I say, have you noticed how much better at this sort of communication I am than any other sort, Thomas family?!  Lotsalove to all - GM xxx

Forgot to ask - where did you get the team trousers?!

Hi James, Just looked at all the great photos. Look forward to some NZ photos (thousands of apples trees?) Sorry to wake you up this morning - thought you'd be out apple picking. Sending more recipes by post, should be with you by the end of the week. Dad away skiing (blue skies, lots of snow, lots of beer) in Switzerland. Grandma and Grandad now in the Caribbean, lucky things! And me and Lara - trip to Sainsburys and Go Bananas! Rose off to Italy soon with the school for her ski trip. Have you bought any rugby boots yet? So sorry to hear about Ian's collar bone-very frustrating. Good luck with the rugby this weekend. Saw Russ Hillier last night, hopes you'll be back if they make it to Twickenham!  The sun is finally out after gale force winds and torrential rain. Hi to the boys. Love Mum X

 

 

Oh big naughty words!!!!! Have just written you a LONG message (and very good one too if I do say so myself!) and internet connection went wonky and didn't save it!*@!*@!!!! BUM!

Will have to go & do some work now, then come back later & try to remember what it was all about....

Hi Ian and boys. Photos!! Brilliant!! Great to see you all having a great time. So sorry to hear about the collar bone Ian, but it will be good to get it rested and sorted. It will be terrible just watching I know. Horrible winds here last night  but brighter this morning. Nothing much happening here. Easter looming which will be strange without you and Ben. Jenny and Mag away as well so we will be depleted. Ollie has chickenpox so I'm sure Dan will follow on later!  Love to hear all of your news, so keep sending the messages and photos. Take care.

Brilliant photos!! So good to see you all making your mark on New York. But where did you get those trousers??

Lots of love xxxx 

We have photos!!!

Ther are more to come, but you'll have to wait for those.

x

Hey guys,

Stop mum, ive finally bought some boots after dragging teh boys around being my usual picky self. But have got some blades now as the groud is still tough. Have a real bad infection, really quite painful. Will see how it is at training tonight. Good news about the netball team, have faith that they will win, you must believe to acheive! Gem rang this morning and sed she spoke to someone who apperently knows fo me? don't understand that was still half asleep haha. Missinyouto will xx

Brinky, awesome to hear from you mate, i think the date your thinking off is the 6th of March so like tomo/today for me! At last youv'e had yer operation mate perhaps you can stay demolishing people again haha. Oh yeah and wnd when is Wrestlemania? HooRaa! will xx

Hey Josh, i knew you had my hat you idiot, i'm saving all my beats for maller for when i  get back, and i'll bit stronger when i get back so its unfortunate for him, youv'e got soem coming as well, for two reasons! Sweet, will def coem up had an awesome night out with the boys and weekend in general, tempting to move up but the rugby here is sweet and we're settling now. On the mention of you bringing us something out, do you reckon you could speak to my mum - 860280, and try and get hold of some of my playstation games, most importantly the conflict games. timesplitters 2 and any others like tomb raider and gta. Cheers mate we need them! will xx

 Thank you all for your messages, things are going well, havent gone to work today because we've picked all the apples and are awaiting the next variety of apple to ripen, got a feeling we're moving onto either braeburns of normal galas next. We're becoming pro's haha.  Hope everyone is well,

Miss you all the boys xx

On behalf of the Boys (because I had instructions to send out tired, dilapidated rugby boots ....), who I'm SURE would love real post, their address is: Unit 12, Marewa Lodge, Taradale Road, Onekawa. Napier. NZ. Apologies to the Thomas family for any Warden input to injuries (didn't stop either of you from playing some serious sport ~ very British! Good lads ~ your brother is a very promising hockey player, Ian, watch out). I shall be a nervous wreck next Friday night when you run out to play your first match (10.03.07) and I don't like that throwaway line " ...and they said something about the Poms playing for the Men's 1st team ...." Mummies like to sleep, you know! In Brighton this Friday as the Girlies won the SW Region & have qualified in the top 18 Nationally. T'ment is on a windy cliff edge where no sport can be reasonably played, let alone netball. It's as far as we'll go as we're in to MAHOOSIVE specially bred 7' tall mammoths who can throw and catch the ball ~ the hairless ones play netball, the bearded ones rugby!! No offence to darling Izzy, Ian, who despite being tall still giggled girlishly without 'wax on wax off' as your foul sister would call it, Will! (She was VERY drunk Friday night ~ NOT a proud mother ~ apparently she was surrounded by 'ugly old Ming Pings who needed to be burned'...). Keep picking, cooking, training and enjoying. Missinuloadsandloadsmore. Mxx

Had fun looking at your site this morning - almost voyeristic reading all messages to you.  Ian, hope the colar bone is not too uncomfortable.  Is it your lifting or leaning side?  Funny old things - you can never be sure anything's wrong with them until you reach in a certain direction.  I did mine when I hurtled out of a sidecar whilst doing a motor cycle sprint, and pitched on my elbow.  But it only hurt to brush my hair.  Good thing your hair  isn't as long as mine was (doesn't take much management and can't be used as a tool of torture in Rugby.

Sad to hear K & B have two boys 'in the wars'.  Still, a black eye always looks impressive! 

We had an eclipse of the Moon last Saturday 3rd March.  I stood outside the Seven Stars at Stithians, and gazed at it - and actually wondered (because there's lots I don't know) whether you'd get the same eclipse in NZ and watch it.  Then I walked into the bar, my specs steamed up, I wiped them in the hem of my skirt and the frame dropped in two.  Couldn't see a thing properly for the rest of the evening and I'd only had two red wines up to that point.  Still Barry and Jill know what 2 can do to me! 

Thinking of you often.....Have Fun!!! Joy.