Rog and Di Happy Birthday Linds!!!! - even though its only the 25th here! Trying to outdo Grandad eh with a birthday abroad every year? What a great place to have your 34TH  birthday - "What BIG numbers you have." Really enjoying the photos from around the world - love to go through them all again when you get back - yeh right! Are you doing anything special today - has Simon been hiding a birthday present from you since you left home?!! Hope you have a gud 'un whatever. We're all OK here - Ames obviously back now and applying for boarding assistant jobs at private schools around the country - seems to have a sort of offer from near Leicester but has interview between Leeds and Bradford 9 June - we all might go and make a day of it - could be Fish and Chips in Skipton me thinks!! Jen and Andrew busy as ever. Di's really her dad's carer now. Grandad having his op on his growth on his forehead early June - seems quite content with his lot - really likes your cards. Anyway that's it for 2007!!!! CU soon may be. Have a great birthday. lots of love Rog and Di xxx

Mum Have just spent dinner time looking at Wanaka and the west coast. I got your card yesterday and looked all the places up on the map and highlighted them so I now know what they all look like! Brill! I do hope I get the chance to see them all for myself!

Mum hello sunshines! Just enjoyed looking at Wellington for a whole lesson.....(and reading Laura's message!)everything seems so picturesque and calm. What does 'pimping' mean? does it hurt? Love Mum xx

Laura Errrrrr hello there. Long time no speak...oh, nope, hang on, we did the other night.....for an hour and a half!! Cheap call ?!?!? As you probably guessed, I had retired inside half way through so Graeme and Hils could enjoy some time with you alone! Loving your photos as always, keep Graeme and i going sometimes. Although, I have to say, summer started a few weeks ago here and our weather has been AMAZING, barbecued with both Hils and Charlie on separate weekends, lovely walks on the Heath and toasted sarnies at the Coffee Cup in Hampstead. I'm 12 weeks today so very happy. I actually conceived on Dan's wedding dayin the end so maybe it wasn't a terrible thing that we didn't make it.  Will have a scan soon so I'll have a chance to see that everything is hopefully in the right place, a little nervous, but what wil be will be.  Trying hard to keep my weight down this time as I'm so much heavier this time around. I haven't put on a pound yet having just stepped off the scales. Very pleased. Trying to avoid the temptation to order in Chinese every night. Just as well we are broke at the mo!! Great that you'll both be back in time, Sienna wants a sister called Henry.....excellent.  Last thing, yesterday took Si out for a walk with Charlie and Gray on the Heath. We were walking past the large ponds and Si decided to throw every stick she could find into the pond all aimed at the ducks.  As we walked off, she ran back. "What are you doing", I shouted after her. "Just throwing this Mummy" she said, "last one...promise". We turned and carried on walking. Next things we hear is a piercing scream, Gray and I turn and run back. She's tried to throw it so hard, that she lost her footing, slipped on the mud and fallen straight down the bank into the pond. As we got there, she was pulling herself out, drenched in freezing murky water and shivering like a leaf. AWFUL. We had to strip her off to nothing and dress her in Graeme's huge green jumper while she spat out filthy water. WORST PARENTS IN THE WORLD. Was just glad she was able to scream or who knows how we would have found her. Fortunately, she's in great spirits this morning and has told me how she slipped 53267 times since she woke up. And how the duck could have eaten her if she didn't get out quick enough. ON that note, I'll be off, another day of event planning, got a huge fundraiser on the 19th. All very exciting. Huge kiss to you both, thinking of you always. Can't wait to see you. L, G and Sienna the Mallard killer.

Mum very funny photos in the car park! Like the ear rings, Linds!! Simon looks rugged and sun-burnt.....At Graeme and Laura's waiting for the BIG DAY!!SPEAK TO YOU SOON! I WANT TO GO TO NEW ZEALAND!! Love Mum xxx

Gemma Bear Oh hilarrrriiious mate, just spotted some bod on one of your photos who frightened the life out of me during a Hangi in Rotorua!!!!!! Can't believe he is still there (and not looking a day older either. Must be all that volcanic mud...). Hope all continues to be fun and apple orchards - I wish sooo badly I was there, even for a millisecond. It is officially freezing here and even though most of my neighbours managed to get sunburned over the weekend, I still find that thermals are a basic requirement for all outdoor activities. And sleeping. How come I am so soft about the cold?? Is this an English thing or what???? Anyway, it has been fab as always to see your pics and see you both tanned and gorgeous. Enjoy the beaches..... Miss you loads! XXXX

Hilary Turner Hello! Loved the photos!. Have sent you an e-mail today...Perhaps we can Skype this weekend, Linds.. Love Mum xxxx

Donna, Jonathan and Isabella Halloo both! Just checked how long it's been since I left you guys a message and am overcome with horrid, Catholic guilt...it's weeks and weeks....mmmm, clearly I've been, y'know, really busy..urrmm... .Gosh! That's awful. You know the worst thing? It's not as if I've got much of import to tell, either. Well, apart from the fact that I'm due to pop in about three weeks and that it's predicted to be a bit of a whopper, by all accounts. The midwife used that tell-tale word 'healthy'. Excellent. Actually, it's a bit babytastic in the family at the mo as both my sisters are expecting - within a week of each other in August. The old fogies are cock-a-hoop! This has meant that Hells and Aki have cut their trip short and are now back in Japan where Helen is being advised to bind her tummy up from the 5th month to prevent a big baby (mother-in-law). Clearly, this is insane and I believe she used that exact word in response to the advice. Dear god... Jonathan is now officially lighter than me by some several kilos. This is because I am massive but also because he has kept up the running. He was in Paris a couple of w/ends ago for the half-marathon and has managed to raise a pile of dosh for the NSPCC in the process, which makes me v.v.proud. With babe on the way, that's his last official race for a bit, but he's already got a place in the Great North Run secured so.... Isabella..well, where do I start? She's just amazing! Reading what Laura says about Sienna and Gem about JWB, I'm just like, yeah..EXACTLY! Such good company, so hilariously gobby...too many gems to remember! 'No, I don't think so, mama.' with THAT tone - you know what I mean! Or, 'No, mama, I don't think that's a good enough reason, really.' Mmmm...work cut out for me, do you think?! Number two doesn't stand a chance, does it? Anyhoo, hope all is going well in NZ! Sporting a new haircut yet? Will, of course, let you know about bump/babe as and when. What are your plans for the medium term? Are you going to be wending your way back to these shores at some point over the summer? L.S. did mention something about the Pre-Sessional.....?! Best love, Donna, Jonathan & Isabella xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gemma Bear Hello lovelies! How are you both doing?! I see you have managed to stay a bit longer in NZ than last time (oh I just had to mention that, didn't I?) so hope it is going well. All is fine here, spring is coming and the garden is beginning to grow again. Planted lots this last week and am getting it all finished this week - very exciting for a saddo such as me.... JWB and MB are both fine and hard work / working hard. Titch is such a gasbag and talks and talks and talks all the time - it is truly hilarious. M now wants more but I have told him to get lost until the feeling returns in my severed stomach, and that seemed to shut him up, funnily enough. Saw Barb in Rome which was just fab to catch up and take in a few bag shops (totally Barb's fault) and yesterday went down to see Bry, Jem and gorgeous Evie - what a stunner she is! I couldn't take my eyes off her and just wanted to cuddle her. Bry is looking very well and motherhood is definitely suiting her - she was all aglow and we had a jolly good old natter. Am trying to head back to the Toon next when I cam next allowed a weekend away.... heeeeee heeee!Well, that will do for now - am off to bed. I think of you both loads and can't wait until you are back! Have tons of fun in NZ - no idea where you are going, but have a fab, fab time. Any thoughts of bungees????! Tons of love, Gemma, MB & JWB

Shizoo Hey!! You guys are near from us!?!?!? How is Kiwi country? You know, so many Japanese people would like to visit there. I have never been there but if you found something interesting, will you show them us? Probably you will be watched by lots of sheep! Have fun there, too!!!

hilary turner BYEEEEEEEEE!! See you in Neu Zeelund!! Well, it would be nice! Stay a bit longer then I can! It's raining today and very cold and the sky is grey and the clouds just above my head.....DON'T RUSH BACK!! Lots of love Mum

Laura and Sienna Helloooooooooooo there guys. OOo we miss you a lot, our lack of communication in no way reflects how much we miss having you here in person. We love looking at the pics, reading your diaries and most of all, getting your fab postcards. We keep them all and read them to Sienna. My brother is getting married tomorrow in NZ. Feeling very sad we are not there. I took him to the airport last week and we both sobbed as he went through the departure gates. Sienna is amazing. A chatterbox and full of life. She is such a lovely little girl, always saying please and thank you, very kind and caring BUT still a complete nutter....we wouldn't have her any other way. No baby yet on our side....oh my goodess, not sure we can keep up this nocturnal activity for that much longer, it's exhausting. WHERE'S THE KID..is what I want to know !!!! I only need one little b***** to make it work, there must be billions swimming about !!! Graeme just got back with breakfast..yummy. Watched the BRIT awards the other night, terrible, aren't the British awful sometimes. They were all drunk and falling all over the place....horrible. Justin Timberlake won best male so I was rather pleased in the end :-). Can't wait til you both get home...and come and sleep on our floor. Actually, we do have a large rug now, so nights won't be soo hard and cold! You are having such an amazing time which I know you'll appreciate all the more when you are back home. You really haven't missed a thing. A bit of rain, a few storms, The BRITS, Oscar night, Chelsea at the top of the league, Newcastle somewhere near the bottom and the new series of Lost. As I said, absolutely nothing! I will sign off now as we are off to see Kaj later, then Gem and Bryony who are in town with the little one. HUGE kisses to you both. L and little Si xx

Gemma Bear Hi yoo toooo! How are you??? Did you get my message from Dos Talas? I really, really wanted to get to you in person and I'm so sorry we couldn't hook up. Was it ace? All floaty muslin and gauchos? Cor blimey, guv'nor, bet that got the creative juices going!!! So how are things? What is it like down there? Always wanted to get that far south - more pictures please!!!!! Know that you are still very much missed and next time you are near a land line, let me know!!!!!!!! XXXXXXXXXX PS: If you are in touch with Chris and Lucy, please tell them I said OUCH and congratulations in that order....!! XXXXX