There are belated New Year greetings from all the fish here in the big-pond. The server has been down for a few weeks now, so I extend even more greetings to those faithful enough to keep visiting despite the downtime. Hopefully we'll be up for a while now and I can catch up on the lost posts of 2006, including Caitie's first visit to Colombia and our mini bus epic from Barranquilla to Venezuela. It was rum old year, one to stir life to the roots and stir the pot to the bottom. On the one hand there was great sorrow and loss, for me the shadow of Jay passing will overshadow everything and mark the year of 2006 darkly and indelibly in my memory for the rest of my remaining years. I know that there have been big changes for all of us, old friends reunited, changes in both address and attitude. New relationships and new arrivals, (more about those in the next post). There is a wealth of promising things looming on the near horizon. For me the impending completion of my personal physical and dental repairs will be high on the list, followed by the Barranquilla Carnival where I will be joined by a small, hand picked group of European hedonists who will use this immense cultural event to attempt to learn temperance in preparation for Lent, or more probably to learn how to dance 'Cumbia' on a table wearing nothing but marimonda masks, while balancing beers on their heads. (Again these are separate posts in which I will also sing praises to the standard of Colombian health care). In all I'm in an optimistic and sunny mood. That's easy to say, I know, when it's thirty degrees and blue skies. But on the whole I'd say it's a question of heart and eyes and keeping all of them open, regardless of how bleak things may seem at times.
On the phone today with Ireland I asked Jamie what the weather was like in Longford; "There's a beautiful clear sky and a full moon...." he said. These natural wonders seemed more interesting and remarkable to him than the storms that have been lashing Europe and the frosty grass crunching under his boots on his way home from Monica's. Both our Jamie and things are looking up.

(Photos: Caitie and Cosmo in Barranquilla, Colombia and Caitie in Maracay, Venezuela. August 2006) 

Well it's going on February life is quickly putting time between me and my annus horribilis. Aye yes, there are many things in this confounded life I'm never going to get to grips with (like Shakira for instance) and even more things that I do not have any ready explanation for; like nearly everything on earth except the hiccups. Funny, because I'm reasonably sure I knew everything when I was younger. Still I continue to live my life in the cheery expectation that things will eventually become clear. I'm back in the Caribbean which is a good thing: sunshine, sea and sand. Apparently the weather is going from bad to worse for the European and American contingents of family and friends. An Exception being my dear brother David who is working nights in the freeze box of a packing plant and, as such, does not know the meaning of weather anymore. But by eye witness accounts he is looking very well on it. Maybe I should join you Hedge. Get some gut off and get the blood pressure down. We'll both last longer; like a pair of Inuits,(at least that’s how I think that’s how you spell it).
Yes I do miss being away from those I love but still feel the itch to keep on the move while I still can. I also feel a compelling need to catch up on all the old posts that I've missed between May and September last year. That's proving difficult because new stuff just keeps happening as life's rich plot develops. Writing these posts isn't a problem; the laptop still seems to be holding up since it's last repair,(cheers Ike), the last words haven’t been wrung out of it yet. Pics are more of a worry. My little digi-camera has been going steadily to bollix since Charlie lubricated it with maple syrup last year, so I think photos are going to be few and far between. Actually my little silver friend might loosen up and start working again now that the ambient temperature is higher and the syrup thins a bit, its switches have tended to loosen up while I'm here, as have mine. I do get the odd encouraging message on the e-mail with added attachments which means I can poach a few photos of your photos too. These coupled with some old shots from last year mean that I can still share some snaps through the magic of the Internet, without the massive effort and not inconsiderable risk of lifting a camera to my eye. Anyway enough of the tech guff.
Gillian, star of stage and screen, has finally completed her newest production:"The Snapper". A fine little girl as you will all see for yourselves. I haven't got the weights and measures, but she'll probably turn out about as shy and reticent as her mother. 2006 was a veritable incubator of a year for some. Veronika and Yessenia in Colombia also had daughters Nancy and Sherice. No pics of those yet. It seems that however dark and cold and foreboding things might appear,there is always some glimmer of light somewhere. Gillian didn't send any photos of the proud dad, Alan, so he's going to have to be imaginary Alan for the time being. Gillian says he's a mad Irish fisherman and doing more than his share to keep the Atlantic salmon running. Good Man. So God bless them all and I'm sure we'll flick a fly together someday. The only things hatching at the moment are the brutish Aruban mozzies that are eating me alive while I write this. Welcome to the world Elizabeth and congratulations to Mum and Dad.
I think we're (by we I actually mean Elkie) are going to have to make a hall of fame photo gallery on this blog as soon as 'we' have relocated 'our' computer. Anyway I'm also including a photo of Ma in her pre-Ma Hollywood days. Sorry Gilli, next time send three snaps, I have to keep the numbers up!
Next post I'll be on my way to Venezuela and the pics will be coming from Longford!