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:cryingwlaughter: Like the way you think Bottle! HAPPY NEW YEAR FCA We had a lovely NYE - went to the beach with friends and watched the early fireworks (about 8.30) . It was a balmy night and we could also see all the other fireworks up and down the coast-cool. A good time was had by all and we headed home by about 9.30 thus avoiding the worst of the tired and emotional revellers and the plain crazy/criminal drivers. Happy times to all and esp those hardy souls in NYC. Can't wait to see what next year brings in Clayland! Of couse if Bottles' musings come true I may have to sell my house and make a little visit............

Lovely banner Cindilu! Yeah, I'll be here next Sunday as well......

MERRY CHRISTMAS FCA Its all about over now and it's been a lovely day. It was very hot and humid so the cricket match didn't last too long, just long enough for no2 son to try out his new bat, hat and stumps. We had too much food, as usual. I did a cold buffet of turkey, ham and salads and then my mum, MIL, and step mil, turned up with enough food to also feed all eleven of us so we probably could have fed 33! Thank goodness I persuaded them to take it back home with them. Thank you aikim and muski for the lovely posts . Thank you to all who hang here for the good wishes and support (and spirited debate!) I feel throughout the year. Hoping everyone feels peaceful tonight.

I'm hearin ya Claytonic Are you like Vegas?

{{{Couchie & Mum}}} Hope you do get to NYC Happy Birthday to all the Birthday girls I have missed in the last coupla days. It is now the first week of school holidays so I haven't had much board time. I have been kept busy with calling insurance company to try and claim for some storm damage we had recently and arranging the repairs/ replacements. The kids have kept me on the go- yesterday we walked miles around the city in gazillion degree temps and my feet are still sore! We saw a cool exhibit at the State Library on the history of computer games and had a healthy lunch at a greek restaurant. Yum! I read wistfully about the snow since we are having temps in the mid 30sC. The a/c is running overtime! My DH has sort of started his new job or at least it has been announced so that we are no longer bound to secrecy. We both are still not feeling secure so it maybe a case of being a bit more careful with the pennies for a while. ITA Cindilu This time there can be no wink wink nudge nudge because it was all laid out in People Magazine. Any tabloids have lost the "scandal factor" right there. A) Thread title? SSHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Its a vewwy big secwet! We'll be overrun if everyone finds out! Hmmm...... trying for Elmer Fudd there.....don't quite know why........... Favourite Hallelujah? K D Lang everytime! :3: Hi Cha Cha

Yay one up for Luckiest! ....isn't it funny though that complaints, chastisements etc are usually done loudly and with an audience but the apology is usually private and quiet?......

I haven't seen the movie yet but Hugh Jackman in a film or on TV or hosting the Oscars is always a good thing!

Hey Luckiest thanks for the great recaps! I love all your other NYC stories too. ITA with what Luckiest said about all the concerts and this year fans having to come to him. It works another way too, for the people like me who would find it harder to get to a concert. Easier for people to fly direct into NYC and have a choice of many dates to see him than to have maybe two days and have to get to a regional centre. Also if you want to travel with family, spouse or nonclayfan friends there are many things in NYC to keep everyone happy and even within Spamalot itself. My situation this year was just freakish good luck. I know I would not have had any hope of dragging DH & sons to some "off the itinerary" place (probably at great expense) just to see a concert. So even though I would Love to see concert Clay it's not likely to ever happen ( barring finding the winning $15mill lotto ticket which I am sure is in my other handbag!). I am so thankful that Clay made this foray into broadway even if it does put a blip into his touring schedule!

And I am staying off to clean my messy house before the school holidays come and the kids mess it up again.........on the other hand...........

Who are you calling "they", young lady? You're cracking me up lately!!! Maybe "they" don't bite, but "they" can be biting now and then. Well , it just depends on who wants to be bitten. And I mean that. Clay? Fancy a nibble?

I agree with cindilu. If he was inclined to spin, we would have seen many public pictures of him dating women in the past to refute the tabloids, Conan etc etc etc. I think if I were famous (it could so happen! ) I would be inclined to say "I'm living how I want, loving whom I want, and going where I want, pictures be damned." Maybe this is what Clay is doing? Perhaps not fully before he came out but it also doesn't seem like any pictures we have seen have been engineered to give any certain impression. I dunno if I am saying this right?

Thanks for the "slash" explanation. I thought it meant slash as in with a knife!

Ooh Ooh pick me pick me! ( she says waving hand in the air) Yes this was taken on the other side of the world. My side in fact ! I am close to Brisbane. My son dragged us out to the driveway the other night to view this apparently fairly rare phenomenon. He did mention that the northern hemisphere would see it as a sad face. See, TV is good for the littleuns!

I love Spamisms! But as you can imagine nobody except my husband and sons know what I'm talking about. And I sound a bit pathetic when I explain "It's a line out of a play I saw once" I always say "I feel Happy" ( I try for the accent, unsuccessfully) and "It must be my outraaaaaageous french accent! I agree with CG - THREAD TITLE!! Hugs to luckiest and others with job woes. My last week and a half has been very unsettled with my DHs job. His company has had many retrenchments and his job went but he was not offered a payout. His boss was very complimentary and tried to be reassuring but it was still a week and a half of nausea for me and very up and down for DH. Today finally he was offered another position with the same company ,same pay and seniority. We are breathing a sigh of relief but I am not an up & down person- I still feel a bit sick and unsettled. Plus we are now starting to hear of friends who no longer have their jobs. I have not had much inclination to post for the last week or so- feeling too down and blah - but a few new snippets of clack sure can cheer a girl up!

Happy Thanksgiving Americans! Ummmm..... What's turducken? I'm guessing maybe either a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey? or some kind of tofu creation?........

Yay for new clack! Yay for brave Cindilu! Booooo for Muskis dental dilemmas!

{{{AnnabearsMum}}}

Hey jmh I can totally sympathise about having to rely on other people for work questions etc :thbighug-1: One thing I have learn't through experience is to ask questions in email and save them and the answers for future reference and evidence when the you know what hits the fan!!

I just finished "Those Faraday Girls" by Monica McInerney. It was a biggun. I finished it so it must have been good, but not one that stays with you KWIM?

{{{Cagney}}} Not at all. I won't even mention any rivers...anywhere. This time. Eh...I went to the site...I read Clay's profile but I'm too lazy to do my own. I mean there was clicking and registering and potential typing and answering involved. Not to mention actual thinking. That's way too much like my job. --- I'll be taking off in a couple of hours. 6.5 hours of driving north. My family waiting at the other end. :cryingwlaughter: Hey! Stop reading my mind!!!

Lovely new banner,Cindilu!

Yay, I love Criminal Minds too. Yep nothing better than a cute geek to watch (...or listen to... ). I love Bones! I don't know how far behind we are here, some shows they advertise as "hot off the satellite" but I don't know if this is one of them. Last night was the first Bones and Booth in London episode. Luckiest what did you think of the story with Zac? I found it very unsatisfying somehow. And too short, with not enough explanation.

That would be 8th Avenue between 44th and 45th. Which is important for the driver to know because 44th is one way going one direction, and 45th is one way going the other. Most importantly, eeeeeeeeeeeee - have fun!!! They wouldn't. It adds to the adventure. And just think, afterwards you can say " I did it"! Back in April I went on a couple of forays on my own. I felt very brave and only got lost in Harlem once! I've been telling all my friends of my ( not so) daring exploits braving the subway at midnight. Yep, sure not in Kansas anymore!! Couchie, Just last week I discovered contact lenses to correct stigmatism. Literally a revelation! I now have contacts for special occassions (or when I can be bothered) that allow me to actually, you know,SEE!

My work here is done.

Hello FCA, Just thought I'd say Hi. I've been working extra hours lately and I don't know how I ever worked full time! I have been lurking here most days but am too tired to post even if my addled brain could think of something! Love the recaps, It seems like a hundred years ago we were there (hey Anna?). Well I had better go and cook something, for some reason my family won't live on vegemite sandwiches!