Ian from Sydney

Oh Hi
wow look at the mess ...... I just made a bit of home brew yesterday to help your house minders relax a little and whoaaaaaaa
cant believe what they have been up to.
ssshhhhhhhh dont tell them what was in that brew but I think someone may have cleaned up the horses droppings and put it in my cauldron .....
not sure they will be feeling too well today

Welcome back Ian!

Yes, welcome back, Ian. Just dropped by to pick up my lampshade. You have a lovely place! (HAD a lovely place, that is).

Hmmmm,I said, as I slid out on the unoccupied side of the house unseen...I hope...just trying to bring about a little order to all of the mess...some folks just don't know how to act or what to bring and what to take with them...note to all...lessons to be learned here......but wasn't it a blast????? If you weren't here...you should have been....party.....hardy!!!!

Thanks Ian...we didn't talk about you while you were gone...promise.....we were busy....

Welcome home, Ian. That sudoku puzzle drawn on the fridge in Autumn Blush lipstick? I didn't do it. By the way, you are out of dishwashing soap.

I did drop by this morning before I went shopping but the party was still going... I'll run the vacuum around now, & wash the floors. There that's a bit better! Welcome home. Ian!

tip toe, tip toe very slowy and very quietly...
sorry didn't mean to disturb you, I just came back in to pick up the I left behind, ummm, errr, you see I just popped in to say, have a great trip, and like ummm, you see I spotted Rose and Greg here so we sort of had a few drinks, hope you really don't mind, didn't mean to stay so long, it was umm just one of those things, you know when good friends get together and have a quick drink or two.
Well think I had best be going and leave you to it, hope all went well and ummm, you really do have a noice place here.
See ya around Ian..might just put up the sign and leave you to it, shall I.

Ian, I think we need a clean up party here now!

Great Jumpin' Jehosaphats, that must have been one heck of a party I missed. To those of you who helped me clean up the mess - thank you. To those of you who helped create it - why wasn't I invited? It looks like everyone had a great time at my expense - I cannot dream what will happen when we go away for a month in a couple of weeks.
Seriously, Anne and I have had a great laugh at your comments, it's really nice to have so many good friends.
Also, I have to give a serious talk in about an hour from now and I must use the time to stop laughing, collect my thoughts and run through my notes. Thank you for brightening my day. I'll be back.

Only just realised there had been a party and some one was asking for scones. I was about to make some and realised Ian was back and the party is over.. Maybe we can have another party when Ian goes overseas.

Oops, I missed the party too!! Was too busy over night to post, thought i had today to join in. Never mind, the place is looking quite clean now. Welcome back, Ian and Anne!!

Thanks one and all.

Ohhh Ian ..........they did this to me when I went away too.

They just can't help themselves

Hi Ian - Billy and Jaz here - that utube just woke us up.....Bluddy awesome...roll on the world cup - go waballies!!!

Ian - very interesting war dance. I have a cousin that played rugby all over the world back in his younger days. It is truly an amazing sport with amazing fans.
Thank you for sharing.

Great clip of the war dance. I don't think I'd like to see an army of them coming over a hill. Have you ever seen the movie ''Once Were Warriors?'' Grim, fascinating, very well done.

Ian/Boston, I have seen the movie, but some time ago. The Haka sends up the hairs on the back of my neckevery time I watch it. Often I will turn on an International Rugby match just to watch the Haka at the beginning of the game. The sight of a thousand Maori warriors doing the Haka must surely strike fear into the hearts of their enemy.
I get the same feeling whenever I watch the movie 'Zulu', it is a great movie.

Yes, it is, with a most unexpected ending. I think it was Michael Caine's debut.

Wrong, Caine had small parts in other movies and TV (both US and UK) before Zulu. But I wonder if the name of the male lead in ''Once Were Warriors,'' Jake Heke, is an oblique allusion to Haka.

Ian/B, the interesting thing about Zulu is that it was based on fact, but I'm sure you know that already. We used to use it as a training film to show examples of leadership in action and the importance of sorting out the chain of command. The fact that it was a great movie was not lost on our students.

Ian,
What a great Haka. Even though we aren't New Zealanders, it is still stirring to watch. Thanks for including it.

Hi Ian. I enjoyed watching the Haka, as I've never seen a sporting match in which this was done. Your conversation about Zulu and the battle at Rourke's Drift was also interesting. That is at the top of my list of all time classics in film.

Good Morning Ian
Thank you for your concern, but I am fine. We are located in the Heart of Texas so we will have some affect from the hurricanes but only in rain form and the winds will have lightened up by the time they get us.
Christina is getting hit but she said she is on the other side of town. And she should not be flooded since she live in the second story of an apartment complex. Though she did mention another member that is getting the storm pretty bad, but I do not know the member. I believe Christina said her name was Dora. I am not sure if that is correct.
Anyway, thank you and you have a wonderful day.

I was wrong--surprise surprise!

There is no member Dora.

Christina was talking about the next hurricane-Dean.

Gday Ian, just popped in to see the haka. It brings back memories. When my kids were in primary school in Sth Aust, we had a substitute head master for a term who was from NZ. For some reason, he thought it would be a good idea to teach it to all the students and staff which included the parent's support group. Mind you, we only had 100 students at the time but it did make an impressive display at the interschool sports day. If I remember correctly, we did pretty well that year!

The haka is truely intimidating. My wife and I were visiting the Maori village at Rotorua when a large delegation from another village came to visit. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the entire thing from a gift shop porch while one of the tour guides gave us a blow by blow description of what was going on. Sadly, we were asked not to take any pictures.

Thanks Ian, for your kind words re dad and graeme being unwell. we never give up hope, dad has been through heaps in his life and is a true fighter. we think this one maybe just an issue with a medication and he has a minor issue with a valve that they monitor. he was due to see the cardio specialist in a couple of weeks and will probably now see her in the hospital tomorrow.
he also dehydrates easily due to bowel issues and so that may be adding to the problem. tonight it seems to have settled.
you have been through some medical issues yourself and seem to be doing relly well now too.
lets hope it stays that way for both of you.
graeme is coming good too, any virus he gets complicates his diabetes but he is recovering ok.
thank you again for your good wishes.

PS love the Haka, we saw one carried out when we went to NZ although I think the All Blacks do it spectaularly well.

Hi Ian, Not sure when you take off overseas but hope you have an enjoyable trip.
I caught up with Linda from Pioneer yesterday and we took her and her husband to Olympic Park then down to Wollongong via the look outs. It was dark when we came back over the Sea Bridge but I did explain that was your photo of the Bridge on the site recently. I would have liked to have organised for Linda to meet more of the Sudoku Sydney family while she was here but her husband and family were very apprehensive of her even meeting up with me.
I am proud of our city and love to show people around whenever the opportunity arises so made the effort to do so this time.

I'm off tomorrow for about a month. PLEASE respect my page while I am away - ie. no parties while I am gone, it takes too long to clean up the site and the memory gets clogged..
I have no idea which of my photos will appear while I am away but I hope you enjoy them. I will try to stay in touch but the opportunities will be limited.
Take care everyone, help each other and look after the best interests of what is a wonderful site.

Have a great break Ian. Look forward to enjoying your photos in due course. Just LOVE travelling the world with this site - and, even though I may have seen some of the places, seeing them through another perspective. Many thanks for your beautiful work - you have a great artistic gift.

Hi Ian! Hope I'm not to late to wish you a Bon Voyage! Will eagerly await seeing some more of your wonderful travel photos. I've been home too long I think - I'm already looking forward to our next big trip which will be to China in 2008 (BEFORE the Olympics!). Have a wonderful trip & stay safe.

Just adding my wishes for a wonderful and safe trip Ian and Anne!!

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip,
Ian and Anne.

tinkerBell, Kathy, bluey and Anne, thank you for your good wishes. We have arrived safely in Hong Kong and are enjoying ourselves immensely. Will try to keep in touch. Cheers

Hey Ian
I think it was my comment about skiing that you had read - I got back from a week in Perisher about the same time as the comment that I saw on Kate/Lane Cove's page.
Love the photos. Hope you are having a great time in HK. Rose

Good to hear your having a great time.

Hi Ian. I don't know if your monitoring your page whilest away, but I hope you and Anne are enjoying yourself. Take care and stay smiling!

Oh heck, I think another post is warranted to get you to page 14, isn't it? Cheers!