Mac

You guess correctly. If I'm not under fear of death or at least severe hypothermia, then I don't feel suitably challenged. Throw what you will at me, Nature! I am the thorn you cannot remove from the lions paw...

...erm, I'm not sure where that came from...

PM away, dear friend, and I shall email you my dodgy journal from aforementioned walk. Enjoy the painting! x

Sarah. Hello, pal. Not caught up with you for a while. How're things going on the old job front? Do you want mine? It's rubbish, so I wouldn't bother if I were you.

I'm thinking about doing something radical. Maybe. What about yourself? How're things elsewhere in Sarahville? xx

Hola. All okay witchoo? x

Well, it's supposed to be a feet-up-reading kind of week. I work 70 odd hour weeks at the moment and I think it's killing me, so down-time is needed. I, too, am at these forks and seem to be experiencing the same quandaries you speak of. I need to make a decision that may involve a little risk and some upset elsewhere, but now is the time.Now is the time.

Would you like a copy of my Coast to Coast journal? It might make you chuckle... xx

Hello Abby! I'm very well, thank you, and enjoying the beginning of a quiet week off. Lots of thinking to do vis a vis my life and work. How are things with you, my friend? x

Morning Noll. I hope all is well with you. I've not said Hi for a while, so this is what I'm doing. Hiya!

Have a great weekend, eh?

Of course, I realise now that I should have typed "bade them farewell", but hindsight is always so clear, is it not?

Pip pip and all that jazz.

xx

I am pleased to tell you that my train shall arrive at St Pancras on the aforementioned 25th June at approximately 6.30pm. Maybe we could meet for a brew near this wondrous architectural delight close to this time? Speak, and your wish shall be achieved. Or something.

I went round to my friend Katy's the following morning with her present and card - only to discover that an even bigger party was about to commence. I had an hour before hoards descended upon the family home - so I mowed their lawn, made Katy, her sisters and her mum a cup of tea, made them laugh, apologised for freaking out and bid them farewell before anyone arrived. Excellent work, no?

How is it that I can be so gregarious and yet such a pansy at the same time? What is that?

Anyway. Giu, my friend, I wish you a lovely Bank Holiday filled with friendship, love and the odd beer or so and I'll pop back soon.

Take good care. x

Morning Paula. I'm not too bad, really, apart from being almost impossibly busy with the stuff I fill my life (my own fault). My cat, Frank, has turned out to be a lot older than the RSPCA told me - 12, not 7 - and he keeps throwing up his dinner, which is quite frustrating.

How are things up North? x

Morning. I have added your recommendations for Swedish authors to my 'Investigate' list. Thank you for the info.

I hope you are very well.

Hola. Been a while. I'm a bit...erm...well...rubbish? Stands to reason.

How're tings witchoo?

Aaaaaand here we are. Faffing about on a Saturday evening at nine o'clock, spazzing out because I'm supposed to be at a birthday party, unable to go precisely because of my general spazziness. My friend Katy wants me to go (it's her birthday) and will be upset because I haven't trolled over there, but I can't manage it. Total doughnut, that's me.

What a to-do. Social anxiety, and I only get it with the people that I love when they're mixing with people I don't know that well. Never get it when I'm in a crowd of strangers. Odd and spazzy, that's my middle name. Or names, I guess.

How are you, Giu? I'm coming down your way on 25th June. Art around, my friend? Coffee? Cake? Conflab? xx

Hiya Kate. Just popped by to say "Mmmmm...Belle..."

I appreciate that many of my friends prefer Ariel, The Little Mermaid, but it's Belle for me every time. I mean, come on, she's gorgeous, brunette, with big brown eyes, loves reading and, man, when she wears that yellow off-the-shoulder number....

*sounds of Mac howling as if to a full moon

Morning Paula. It's been ages since I said hello. I'm rubbish and very busy for some reason. Can't seem to catch my breath...

How're things in Weaveworld? x

Sigh.

I have had a busy week, my friend. I'm tired, a bit fed up and hungry. And a bit fed up, to boot! My life seems to be most chaotic. I wonder how people would feel if I sold up and cleared off to the Orkney's or the Shetlands or somewhere like that...you know, started a walking holiday business in Scotland, only taking my books and my instruments and my CD's with me.

Did I mention I feel a bit fed up? Big hugs, Giulia, dear lady. Big hugs.

How's you?

I am quite fine, thank you. My hike across the country proved to be quite a challenge - the weather, in the words of he-whom-has-the-acting-skills-of-a-chair Keanu Reeves, was heinous, dude. My mountain skills were put to the test in the extreme. I'm putting together some sort of journal type thing and will bang it on here so that anyone who may wish to bore themselves senseless are free to do so.

I'm still in the process of organising a weekend down London, but as soon as I know when I'm coming down, I'll let you know so we can meet for coffee and maybe EVEN CAKE!

Oxfambooks, eh? What's that all about? xxx

Yo, Nicola. How's things?

(How is things? Terrible grammar...)

How are things? x

Good morning, Sarah. Sorry to read that you didn't get the library job. I'm sure something will turn up, though.

I noticed that you're reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I loved this book (it even inspired a song of mine). Murakami is sublime. I'm currently reading A Wild Sheep Chase which is equally brilliant. I love this guy!

You seem to have gone through the mill a little of late. All your friends on here are thinking of you and sending excellent vibes over the water. Take care.x

Hello there, Genevieve. I hope you are very well. Just popping by to make sure you're alright. x

Hello Giulia.

Just wanted to send you a virtual hug, 'cos it's been ages since we last chopsed together (is that how one spells "chopsed"? Is it "choppsed"? Maybe I should just write "conversed"...)

How are you doing, my lovely friend? I think I've missed you while I've been away!

Oh. ****. That's not good news for you. I'm sorry to hear this. Unless you're pleased about it, as it was crappy. If that's the case, then I say congrats.

As for the whimple and the spinning - were you shadowing me? Or am I being paranoid? I'll have to mention this to my psychiatri...oops - that's supposed to be secret, too...

I shall be doing the West Highland Way, I think. Already done the Pennine Way. I do 'em to raise money for my Scouts, you see. That's why I do 'em on me own. So people think "Crumbs! What a plonker! I'd better sponsor him some gooood money!"

I've got to get some more dodgy mountain days under me belt to go in me log book, tha knows. That way, I'll have enough for my Mountain Leader qualification.

My blisters are not here. They never even arrived, the dirty stop-outs! I'm not going to let them in, even if it starts raining when they turn up!

The trip was...eventful. The weather tried it's very best to thwart my attempts, but it failed, and failed miserably, for I ploughed on through all it could throw at me! Thought you could stop me going over the mountains by dumping a tonne of snow upon me, did you?!? Ha!!! You'll have to try harder than THAT, if you want to best Matt McKenzie, I tell you!

Bloomin' weather. It was mean to me.

Still. I did it. It just tested my navigational skills to the max!!!

Yo. Kelly. What up, y'all?

Hmmm...note to self: do not attempt to type in 'street'. It makes one look stupid.

So, Kelly, my friend. It has been some time since we last spoke. How are you? Everything okay with you? Pip pip, old girl. x

Crikey Jessi, you really rattle through these books, don't you! How are things going? x