Mac

How's life without the demon drink, Jewell? I'm sat here on me laptop waiting for the chiken to marinate with a nice, big glass of Rioja by my side. Ahhhh, bliss.

I note you're reading The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Douglas Adams has a lot to answer for regarding my formative years. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to Hitchhikers on the wireless with my Dad, shortly before he cleared off. Then reading the books, loving the TV show, all that jazz. I think the guy was a genius. I hope you're enjoying it.

Have a great evening.

Morning, ii. I'm sorry to read you've lost your friend. It's a terrible thing to lose someone whom you respect, admire and love so suddenly. I know that this may sound like a platitude but, if it does, please believe that it's not meant to.

My thoughts are genuinely with you. It's not an easy time for you.

Happy anniversary, Michelle!

Hello, Library Nook! I'm going to PM you my address so you can send on those Charlaine Harris books when you're done with them (there's no hurry, as I've got approximately 8,693 books on my TBR pile. Approximately...)

Hope you're well.

Hello CaliLily. I thought I'd leave you your first message.

Happy days.

Morning Paula. I can't seem to find The Library Nook on here anywhere to pm her my address for the Charlaine Harris book ring thing. Any ideas?

Hope this finds you tip top.

Hi Bethany. When moving to your next, more permanent placement, do bear in mind that there's a house up for sale on my street on the edge of the Peak District here in sunny England. The amenities are excellent, the scenery quite splendid, and the company is second to none (I'll even break out the champagne upon your arrival).

On a serious note, it must be strange not knowing where you're going to be going next. The idea is not unattractive to me. I once upped sticks and moved somewhere where I had no history, knowing nobody. What a liberating experience that was. People got to know the me in the now, rather than the me of my childhood.

I hope this finds you very well, friend of mine. Take care.

Heya, Roxi. Today is my last day working with adults with learning disabilities. It's been a bit of an emotional week, because most of them have burst into tears at some point and wailed that they don't want me to go. This makes me feel very bad. Tonight, I have to go to a staff 'do' - the first one I've been to in four years. I hate these things and generally freak out before hand and end up not going. However, I have to go to this one, because it's my leaving do, dammit. I'll have to get bladdered beforehand. *sits gibbering at the mere thought of the evening*

How're you doing? House hunting going well? Or is it a source of near-total anxiety? (I know which bracket I'd file that under).

I hope you're well, friend of mine. Take care, chuck.

Ah-ha. Thank you. I'd have gone mental wondering about it. Have a great...erm...afternoon? Evening? Heck, I don't know...I'm such a dork!

Hiya. I like your new avatar. Who is it of? She looks (or rather, the photo looks) familiar.

Or am I just being mad?

Hope you're very well, chum.

I've worked with teenagers since I was 21 either in a voluntary capacity or as a part-time youth worker, so I thoroughly agree with your friend. I'm really looking forward to it.

Oldfields is in Jesmond, and there's another one in Newcastle proper, somewhere, and one in Durham and another somewhere else (I'm not sure where!). My Uncle is Bill Oldfield. He's a brilliant bloke. When I was small, I used to call him "Uncle Brill". Still do, really.

I hope the hangover is not a two-day job (mine tend to be, these days!)

Hey there. I loved The Book Thief. I hope you're enjoying it.

And, watching Friends is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, it is on all the time!

Things a re reasonably good, thanks. Tomorrow is my final day at work (with people with learning disabilities), I then have a week off where I'm going to record some new tunes I've been tinkering with, and then it's the New Job In Secondary School chapter. So I'm okay.

How're things up there? My Uncle owns a number of restaurants round your neck of the woods. Have you ever been or heard of Oldfields?

Good evening, Nicola.

Hiya. I noticed on Dan's thread that you've borrowed Norwegian Wood. Its beauty is second to none. I hope you enjoy it. Check out my review of it on Mac Reads 2009 if you think it might tantalise your taste for it.

Hope you're excellent and well, friend of mine.

Hiya, Kelly. Thanks for getting Ben to recommend that book for me. That was lovely of you. There are so many lovely people visiting this site regularly. I fell a bit touched! I hope you're very well, my friend.

Hey Giulia. Really looking forward to reading some more of your stuff. Hoping you're very well, chum of mine.

Han Solo was my ultimate hero when I was a boy (he still is, to be honest!), so - cool avatar, Joe. I hope you're very well.

Ahoy there, Paula! As previously asked in your reading thread, what's new with you? How's your weekend been? Whatcha been up to? I hope you're very well, my friend. X

Hi there. Just dropping in to say 'Hi there', so I have achieved my objective! I hope you are very well.

Mac

Yo Beef! What's happening, Chief? I trust you're enjoying an excellent Sunday. Because Sunday should be spelled Funday!

I went without booze for nine months last year. I don't know what came over me! The daft thing was, it didn't make me feel any better!

The reason I did it was that I found myself getting home at around 9.30 in the evening, sitting down with a book and a bottle of red, reading until I went to bed at 12.30 - having drunk the bottle. Every night. I began to think that this might not be a good thing. I'm much more sensible about it all now, but it's surprisingly easy to drink a whole bottle of wine over the course of three relaxing hours.

Good luck with the no-booze drive!

Sounds good to me. We'll try and sort something out. Have a great Sunday.

Hi Michelle. Just dropping by to reiterate my thanks for running such a smashing site. It's perfect for me (despite it taking me a short while to work out the why's and wherefore's!!) and I've found so many new authors because of it.

So...

My family has a cottage in Porthleven, near Helston. 'Tis a magic spot. I'm sure that, if you had time, we could meet for a couple of pints. It might be fun. I'll introduce you to my somewhat eccentric girlfriend.