Hi everyone,
Rachel is right, where are you all?

I feel particularly bad about staying quiet as I have been meaning to thank you all for ages for your wonderfully supportive, caring, funny, and oh yes, rude messages sent to me back in the summer when I was in hospital. It was a scary time and it meant alot to hear from everyone. Now of course it is all a distant memory and I am indeed firing on all cylinders, Rachel. Although that makes me sound as if I am not very pleasant to be around, if you know what I mean! And of course that is not the case at all.

lots of love
Brenda

Hey Aunty Bren, good to hear from you! The website has been quiet for so long that I haven't been checking every day.

I'm glad to hear you are fully mended and can assure you that I have never once known you to be unpleasant to be around regardless of how many cylinders you are firing!

It is Pirate's week here in the Caymans which is a week long festival celebrating the Islands dubious heritage and as the Island is full of bankers and lawyers you can see that we like to maintain the old ways. I have become quite adept at uploading photos onto my computer so I will post some pictures soon, including some from Halloween where I was one third of a solid gold dance troupe. That is of course if our Webmaster is able to work his behind the scenes magic to get them to appear...still waiting to see Emma's sky dive.

xx R

well hi Rachel,

Solid gold dance group, eh, sounds good. Am looking forward to those pics.

Which reminds me, I did promise to post a few of my moonwalking outfit quite some time ago. I came across them the other day, ughh! However, it is not vanity that has prevented me from sending them. I think I proved my generosity at sharing some pretty unflattering views of myself with the world when part of the choosing committee for Tom and Judy's 40th anniversary video. No, it is not vanity but ineptitude. I am going to have to get my head round this. And I will, but not today....

You enjoy the pirates,
lots of love
Brenda

Hi

I also haven't checked for a while. You will be pleased to know that I posted my skydiving photos to the webmaster so I'm just waiting for them to loaded onto the website!

Everything in Leicester and Birmingham is going well and I am joining the ranks of the pirates etc ... my qualification ceremony is being held on 4 December at the Law Society in London, all very exciting .

Emma

xxx

My apologies to all for contibuting to the slow activity on this web site, especially Sarah who was very thoughtful in remembering me on my birthday (the big 50 to be precise). Thank you Sarah.
I guess the Skype device has cut into our family correspondances on this site.
Fear not, I am back to post a little update on the Houston Riley contingent.
I have been traveling quite a bit with work, and am in fact in Dallas as I speak. I realize that this is no excuse for not writing but it does make for good filler when reporting on my life at the moment. Work is going very well, my not so new employers still seem to like having me around and we recently opened our 18th pub with another one on the way in early 2008. You are all very welcome (any time) to come and sample our product, on the house, of course.
Rebecca just celebrated her 16th birthday and was delighted to recieve a second hand car as a gift, she is now driving around solo, and I am having fingernail extensions fitted so that I have something else to chew off the ends of my fingers. Even though, I assisted in her driving tuition, Rebecca is a very good driver and thrills at the prospect of her new found freedom. She continues to do well in school and her many other interests. Her boyfriend just joined the Air Force a few months ago and is stationed in Louisiana so there is a bit of an adjustment period for Rebecca but she seems to be coping well.
Drew is in his second year of college studies and has decided he wants to get a teaching degree and teach History. Teaching is a pre-requisite for his real desire which is to coach basketball. He is also working full time as a waiter/bartender at a local seafood restaurant.
Jackie also celebrated a birthday this week and continues to operate her own home loan processing business out of her home.
I sent Rebecca and Jackie to New York to see Rent on Broadway as a surprise birthday gift for them both. Neither had ever been to the "big apple" and I had a few air and hotel points that I could use so why not...They had a great time and hopefully have stored some very good memories of their weekend.
For those of you who took such a keen interest in my on-line dating exploits, I am sad to report that none of my many contacts ever materialized in an actual date so I am off that scene for now. It was fun trying but I think I will just wait for nature to take it's course. I may be waiting a long time but it beats being shot down by an electronic image, (how humiliating).
Well that's me all caught up, how is evetyone else doing?
I promise to write more and I too am looking forward to the Webmaster updating the many photos that have been sent his way to post.

Talk to you all soon.

All my love
Steve, alias Uncle Steve, Stevie and "What a Hunk" (that's actually just a little ad-lib, no one really calls me that)

no one told me you were having an operation. no one ever tells me anything. my dorky dad says hi and i hope you're doing all right.

Rhys!!!

I'm really touched. Yes, I did have an operation - appendix out - back in July. Am completely back to normal now and have been for awhile.
I know the feeling of never been told about stuff though. You give that dorky dad of yours a (playful) kick from me and tell him you need to hear about the important news in life, and at the time!

Well christmas is looming fast in our house, in yours too I should think, and the geese are getting fat (ok, the lentils at our place, but that doesn't sound quite so good). Anyway, I hope you all have a really great time. We will be thinking of you.

lots of love
Brenda xxxxxx