... is this costing me 20p to write this then? To all you Australians - that is about 50c a message! Kaz - I did not leave the factory until about 6ish on Friday - I went up to say goodbye to you but it seems you had already gone at that late hour - so maybe it was you that never said goodbye before you went home?! ;-) So - seeing as my mother has kindly volunteered for me to pay for my friends to write to me - it seems funny that you are all being so kind and saving my wallet! Thanks! Just seems that the Clares want to make me pay!
Anyway - been in Melbourne for a week and the long hours have definately started! Been doing at least 12 hour days and I no longer have weekends off anymore! Seen some people I have not seen for a good few years - either from Athens or Sydney which has been nice. Living very centrally and will try and add some photos and postcards as soon as I can! Thanks for all the messages! Check out my progress for Breakthrough Breast Cancer - 45%!!! Link at the bottom of all the messages! Auntie Carole - stop working so hard - and Clare - Josh is soooooo cute! Congrats to Alexia and Dave who bring in another Ben to the world! Take care - t xx

Hello all on board! I hope you are all well. Kaz - I think John Howard is an Aussie!!!!! Well, firstly I must respond to self explanitory Tracey's Mum: Hi, I hope you are well, always good to hear from you - though I know this is really for Tracey not me!!! I'm skiing from the 18th Feb - leave work 17th Feb - no rest for the wicked, and yes, I'm very wicked! I have skied a lot, I try and go every year, I sometimes manage twice a year, I'm going again in March - hee hee, you'd think I'd be concerned about not earning any money wouldn't you!!!!! I like the idea of Tracey paying to receive messages - trouble is, I'd post messages under lots of made-up names just for fun - but the charity does deserve it. I have tons of news, I was going to email Tracey, but I thought no - I'll bore everyone with my stories instead!!! Firstly our walking team - the Breast Buddies is growing, there are now 8 of us and our target is £12,000 - how cool is that!!! I'm really proud of us all, we are doing well. On the job front, still not looking, but I keep mentioning it to people and I think I was offered a tour last night but the guy managing the Darkness tour - how rock 'n' roll is that - if it wasn't for my sisters wedding and the walk I could be touring the world with a bunch of show crew.... hee hee, thank goodness for my sisters wedding and the walk - is what my Mum said!!! Yes, last night I went to see 'The Darkness' - excellent show - the lead singer flew in a big pair of boobies with flashing nipples - you really had to be there!! I met the manager afterwards who sorted me out a free tour T-Shirt, then gave me tickets to the aftershow party, which had a free bar - needless to say I have a bad head today!!! Fun, fun, fun!!! Tracey - I really wish you'd have been here, you would have loved it! The bass guitarist, Richie, is very sexy too, which let's face it is a complete bonus!!! Anyway Tracey - I hope you get a chance to read some of this, I know you are working really hard at the mo, miss you and wish you were here - if only to feed me Alka-Seltza and tell me it'll all be alright tomorrow!!! Luv Ya. Clare xxx

Hi Tracey and all your friends on the messageboard. And hi Tracey's Mum. Goodness haven't see you for ages and ages. Hope all family well. Anyway just wanted to drop you another note and say hello. You can tell you've been away a longer time now coz your website takes longer to download. Thanks for Josh's birthday card. He had a lovely lovely birthday. If you can be bothered you can see latest pictures of him and the cake I made for him on his website. www.zinkin.name click on January 2006. All is well here. He is a very good boy and growing all the time. I am working two days a week for my old publishers so keeping very very busy as there is so much to do with a baby!!! Meanwhile other news from London, Alexia had a baby - Ben 8lb 6oz on Feb 2nd. Both doing very well. I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure he's lovely. Otherwise things ploughing on as usual. We are trying to sell our house, so hopefully by the time you come back we'll have moved. But don't worry, I'll give you our new address!!!! Take care and have fun out there. lots of love, Clare, Dan and Josh

Hi Everyone. Well Tracey has been in Melbourne since Friday morning (UK time) and her map on her home page of this website still says Sydney!!! Does that show she is busy or just little access to a computer. Kaz, Welocme to the board!! I need to know did Tracey cook for you? re the butternut squash, at last, her cooking is improving!!!!! Her email address is on her contacts on this website. And yes, we do seem to be all from the UK. But you could spread the word around and perhaps some aussies will join us here!.Carole, and anyone else who may be interested, you can find her Breast Cancer website at the bottom of this message board. Clare, when are you going skiing? Have a wonderful time - have you been before? There is not much news this end, where is everyone.
I think Tracey should pay, say 20p, for every message on her message board - the money going towards her walk? what do you think Clare? would we write a message every day? Everyone, then would happily write to you, Tracey!

Hi Tracey, YOU DIDN'T SAY GOODBYE! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD AND THEN YOU DIDN'T!!!!!!!!

Okay, now that I've got that out of the way, thanks for the "butternut squash" (aka "butternut pumpkin"). It was very yummy. So, how is Melbourne? Much the same as Sydney but at a slightly slower pace? Ken is on his way down to see you today. Think he is paying you guys a visit this afternoon and tomorrow. Did all your gear make it down in one piece in the refrigerated truck? (Why do you suppose it had to travel in a fridge????) Kind of crazy, really. Well, nothing much has changed here in the four days that you have been absent. I have your keys hanging above my desk on the wall now. (THAT was worth knowing, wasn't it?!) The loading dock is very empty now, Chris is still running around looking very over-worked, I finally finished cleaning out the "junk room" (aka Board Room) upstairs, and, well, I don't know, life goes on here, despite the lack of Tracey!

So, am I the only Aussie writing to you via this message board? Is everyone else on this message board in the UK? Wish I could send you a normal email - I have a great one with photos of a Kangaroo that went swimming on a beach in Perth. A truly "down-under" type email. Will save it for you for when (if) you make it back to Sydney. Say hi to all the boys from me!

Lots of love, Kaz.

Hi folks its me again, I've missed you all. No job yet Claire I'm green with envy. Thought I was having a break down earlier in the week but when your husband has been retired nearly 3 years you've got to get a grip on life and get on with it. Are you in Melbourne now Tracey. How do I access your breast cancer walk website? Hope you meet a hunky athlete and if there is one who likes his women mature send him round to Pinner. Hope all goes well for all you lovely people on the message board. Take care. Love Carole xxxx

Hello You, Great to talk to you yesterday - I can't believe we were talking for over an hour!!! Oops, glad it was your phone bill - tee hee. Really good to hear all your news, what's this rubbish about work being busy and working long hours?? Blimey, you should really be getting out and about and having fun, just pretending to work!! Shame there was no juicy gossip... have to work on that when you get to Melbourne, get to grips with an Athlete, preferably a Brit so you'll come home again. Yes Tracey - the Games are about Sport you know!
Well, that's enough chatting to Tracey - how are the rest of you? I still haven't found a job, ok, so I've not really started looking yet, looking forward to a bit of time off first. The fund-raising is going well and I'm still beating Tracey - tee hee...... come on guys, rise to the bait!! I've started my college course - First steps in Interior Design, it's all a bit basic, but it's quite good fun and the people I'm doing i with seem really nice - except they are all women - now that's not gonna sort out my non-existant love life is it!!!
Oh well, it's just gone 5pm, so I'd better start winding down my day now - Oh, didn't I already do that 2 hours ago?? Anyway, I hope everyone is well and happy and I'm looking forward to reading everyones news, even though it's all meant for Tracey! Have fun. Clare xxxxx

Hey Tracey, this is such a fabbie site! Looks like you're having a ball, but I'm sure you are doing some work?? Can't believe that you had poor weather in Sydney. When I was in Perth and looked at the Oz weather map it looked stonking hot in Sydney - but perhaps turned too humid. Anyways, hope you find better weather Melbourne. Keep up the good work!! Lots of love etc, Lesley (;o) xxx

hello lovely,
having just read through your messages, you sound like you're having a fantastic time, and everybody misses you. thought i would just prop you a line to say hi. Have just finished PP, Birm and off to the Gambia for a week-not as exciting as your venture though. will write to you with lots of news later as i still have my tax to do and send in. lastminutesasha.com. take care....more photo's please. x

Tracey's Mum - I laughed out loud when I read your comment on Tracey's website for the contact money!!! Thanks for that! Cx

Tracey - you are so right, I am Flying by Foy - though soon I will be Ski Bum, then Unemployed layabout - can't wait!!!! I was just scraping the ice from my windscreen this morning and thinking - "I really miss Tracey, I wish she was here and not over there in the sunshine" - see, that's how good a friend I am! (tee hee) Helen, can you post me a bit of your luck on this website please, new job and marriage proposal would be great for me just now, though I have no idea who the proposal would come from it would still be a little ego boost! And he wouldn't even need to be very rich, just solvent!! Hello self explanotary Tracey's Mum, I hope you are having fun - she's not mentioned any Aussie men yet, so we haven't got anyone to threaten yet - shame I was looking forward to the trip to Aus to sort that out! Hi Sheema, any thought on doing a Sunday quiz night? Anyway Tracey - I'm really proud of your fundraising, I can't believe how well you are doing considering you are the other side of the world, but come on folks, I'm still beating her (by a lot of luck more than anything else) so all you Aussies, have a swearing competition within earshot and get her to £1500 before her return ;-) Anyway Tracey, better get back to work in my empty, dull, boring office, miss you, lufff yooooo. Cxxxxx

Ha ha sorry! SYMPATHISE, SYMPATHISE, SYMPATHISE --might learn to spell - one day!