A Loppyversary

Thank you Scott!!!!

and should have also said - you are very welcome, your gift was in appreciation of being such a lovely landlord to us.

Thank you Scott for our new, very special page.

Hello Scott - our way of thanking you for being such a wonderful Landlord - and here I am still posting one year on from my original Loppy comment! Who would have thought it!!! We Stage Loppies are very very grateful to you for allowing us to continue in our "slightly" bonkers world here!

Hey me first here wow wow wow. Happy Anniversary us.....
thank you oh lovely Scott for such a lot of touching comments.
Came back form printers with Go of course and his ADWA playing on the way there and back CED repeated about 3x
anyway the results are not as good as I wanted it the colours are pretty close but not so subtle as the painting, it looks great though. I would have liked the prints bigger format but was advised against it. ggrrr. Still after over an Hour playing with the photos and comparing with the original my mind was going round so took all the samples back and now up to ploppy to decide.
maybe rephotograph the painting but time is running out, painting has to be deivered to gallery next tuesday. sniff sniff sniff me will be like all of you !!!!
xxx

Hi Carol, (dear chief lush loppy)
Fame at last, and truly deserved I might add!

Thankyou Scott, glad you like our small way of marking this momentous occasion! Thankyou also for this lovely page all our own!

Happy Birthday everyone. And they said it wouldn't last!
25,000 posts. Don't tell my boss!!

Right I am off out shortly, going to Sloppy first then off to meet a friend for something to eat and then to see a show. Joseph? YES, West End NO! It is of course the touring production, which should be good and interesting as Tara is the narrator and has had great reviews. Thank goodness it is not the Teeth! Anyway will be late back, but will let you know what I think asap. Funny I bet you are not bothered as to when! Well another funny thing is I am for some reason not quite as excited as when I go to the Adelphi! Odd isn't it.

So the Tardis is all ready to take us to Spain and will be doing shuttles (as I won't be here early!!).

Scott thank you for our very special new home! Glad you liked the pressy!

I am going away this weekend so I might not be around again till Sunday - I'll miss the Tardis, but could someone send DT back for me?

Carol - have a wonderful holiday!

Karen2 & Geri - enjoy your drinkees

Ali B I'm another one that grew into hayfever

Chantale - well done getting those prints sorted out!

Bye for now Loppies - have a good weekend!

Do read the page Scott has linked at the top (geeky stats). It's interesting in it's own right but there are also some stats re ADWD and Lee.

Jo, hope you've had a good trip. When you have time I think we need an update on your stats.

Scott, thank you for putting us up (or should that be putting up with us?) for the past 12 months. Glad the advance on the next 12 months rental went down well.

Go to the Home page - there's a small pic of the GO in relation to this page as well as link to IDA podcast

Thank you Scott for our special new home and for the past year.

Hold the front page! Wow we are famous:-) Glad you enjoyed the pressies Scott. And a new word for the loppy dictionary to boot - A Loppyversary - well done!

Thank you Scott, for our new home (how many homes have we had now?)
It's because you have been such a lovely landlord, and have allowed us free use of your stage blog, we loppies have been able to form great friendships with each other.
I’m glad you liked the presents

I didn't find you as quickly as other Loppies but have certainly enjoyed your pages Scott and love reading the comments by all the Stage Loppies.I am a second-hand Loppy, having joined LMAS first. Your presents seem very well deserved to me and I'm sure that Lee would appreciate your contribution to his enormous following. And no it isn't the loin cloth that attracted me, just the wonderful voice and performances and the unassuming manner.
Incidentally, I found you through Google alerts.

Hello all you stageloppies!

It was wonderful to meet some of you Saturday 7th (and who was a leper like me and smoked during the interval?)!

Took me a while to track you down (well the correct thread anyway!).

I did pass on saying hi to anne on the forum but she hasn't replied yet! *snort*

- Anita (of www.lee-mead.nl)

Somewhat belatedly, but no less meant for that, THANKS SCOTT! Oue own special Loppy page - wow! Little did we realise a year ago quite what we were beginning. Glad to see you've managed to keep the servers up with their workload, or should that read, keep the big box thingy working!

We are now a Google news alert so stay out of the gutter!

Google News Alert for: Lee Mead

A Loppyversary
Stage - London,England,UK
A number of the contestants amassed fan followings, but perhaps unsurprisingly the ultimate winner, Lee Mead, acquired the largest fanbase. ...
See all stories on this topic

by my reckoning this post should also become a Google news alert ...method to my madness!

Scott dear,- I am really touched by our anniversary present, a whole article in our honour, and so glad yours reached you before you left today. I know the right day is tomorrow, but we couldn't risk the office being closed and you all having the weekend off. So enjoy! You so deserve it! (P.S. Do you think you'll be promoted to editor now? See, I don't give up.)
I have already saved this page to my Favourites, and I think I'll keep it there even after you have to move us again. Thank you for being a super landlord, a good friend and a first class journalist!( Anyone who can pull off an interview with Lee as good as the one you did, is first class!)

Oh, thanks Scott - what a lovely welcoming place this is.. glad you liked the choccies etc.. you're the best Landlord.
Hi Anita, lovely to see you here - I missed seeing you on the 7th - but then I don't smoke.
And thanks Diana.

Yep, this made Google!!!
We'll be celebrating the Loppyversary in America as well (I've been brewing some honey)

Been nice chatting with y'all, even if I can't keep up most of the time :)

Thanks to Scott for putting up with all this,
and congratulations Lee for having a prolific fan base!

A new home - thank you Scott and I assume you were including the loppies, as well as the chocs,and flowers in comment "they're all much appreciated" :)

Hi Anita and vickiS - looks like we could get lots of visitors thro google alerts.

carys - your creativity and techie know how put to good use in your latest oferrings - thanks

Carol and jane E _ i had forgotten about the charcters of the play within the play. Knowing ploppy he would rather play wall (he is obsessed with building - i blame his uncle who gave him a minature building set, complete with miniature bricks, mortar etc, when he was young) but we will see which is easier. thanks for those ideas.

Carol - where do you get books to download - good idea for hols. speaking of which have a brill hol.

Off to concert in church tonight ( i know on pub night - i hope you are impressed - ploppy isnt) so see you tomorrow

HAPPY LOPPYVERSARY EVERYBODY!

Love the term Scott and love our very special new home. Thank you so much. I hope you have had many laughs along with us over the last year!

Well, my tickets for 14th July arrived today - wooohoooooo!! That was quick! I've booked the train and the hotel today so am now getting excited. We decided to go down on the Monday so Ploppy gets his golf comp after all but I get to spend my birthday watching DVD's of the GO and then I get to spend the GO's birthday watching the GO in the flesh, so I am a happy Loppy.

We've decided on Hairspray for the other show so I'm looking forward to that too.

Pauline2 - enjoy touring Jo. Glad you won't be subjected to the Teeth as Jane and I were.

Jane - enjoy your weekend away.

Carol - have a good holiday. I'll see that the lushloppy standards are kept up whilst your away.

Wine anyone? See, started already.

Thank you Scott for our new home so glad you liked the pressie! How cool we are a Google Alert!! Hooray its now hometime and I hope fellow sneezers are feeling better (my nose is throbbing!)

Hi Anita, welcome - do drop in again. I also didn't get to meet you last Saturday but visit your site now and again. Hi again Vicki S and Ringer - I enjoyed the write up of your recent visit.

Have a nice weekend and happy anniversary/birthday to everyone.

I had my first Google alert for The Stage comments several weeks ago, when I'd Do Anything first started. My alert is for blogs as well as news items. You will be pleased to know that this link is a cut above the others!

Thanks for accepting the interloper.

Hello ladies
I have put captions to the loppie pictures from the 7th
There are one or two that I have not done due to the number of bodies, I'm sure you know who you all are
BUT if I have missed anyone, please let me know.
Are the two Karens Siamese twins? they seem to be stuck at the hip, where you find one, there is the other, mind you it is easy to remember your companion's name if it's the same as yours, especially if there is a large "incahol" intake.
Looks like you all had fun.

HAPPY LOPPYVERSARY! What a great word Scott, and thankyou for hosting us over the past year, it is much appreciated. Enjoy your pressies.
Carol have a great holiday, you too AliB. Very envious of you both, but will be with you in a virtual sense.
I'm off to work shortly so behave if we're likely to have some house warming guests, wouldn't want to put them off now!!
May see you later, depends what time I get home?
Btw Karen how did you talk ploppy into Hairspray? any tips gratefully received as I'm still trying to twist my ploppy's arm.

Hi Anita,- waves! We did say hallo last Saturday (after you had indulged in that filthy habit outside! Don't worry, I was on 30 a day until I stopped 15 years ago.)
I've just listened to the podcast with the girls from IDA. The sound quality isn't too bad. If you turn down the sound a bit, it's easier to listen too.
Dear me,- we are on Google Alerts again. If we're not careful we'll be famous!
Now to RIII,- I've finished the book, and I'm still somewhat bemused. If the truth was as clear as the book makes out,- that Richard III didn't have his nephews killed, why on earth haven't historians and History cottoned on before? I know the Tudors sounds a nasty bunch and obviously did what they could to blacken RIII's reputation, but they didn't rule forever, did they? Why didn't the Stuarts rewrite the story, or the Hannoveranians for that matter? I'll bet you a fiver that RIII will still be the big, bad wolf in the school curriculum 50 years from now, no matter what the facts say! (It's a safe bet, because by then I won't be here and can't pay my eventual debt!)

Well I know i'm supposed to have gone but our friends haven't arrived yet!

Karen - I'm proud of you! You get on that train - think of the GO and you'll be fine!

Vicki S - naturally I agree, but the loincloth does help...

Hi Anita! Sorry I didn't see you either! Again another non-smoker.

Carys - us? gutter?

Oh Scott, thank you so much, just what we needed, how cool to be a google alert. Glad you liked the gifts, they're 'because you're worth it'

Not caught up on the blog yet, arrived here from the G alert.
See you later

Hi all. Just popped in to wish us all a happy birthday for tomorrow, but see Scott's beaten me to it! Thanks for such a lovely article Scott. I'm loving the new word "Loppiversary". Hope you enjoy your pressies. You deserve them.

Wow, what a lot of catching up I've got to do. You've moved on 3 whole threads since I was last here! To be honest, I don't think I'll do more than skim through (except for Geri's story of course, i'll make sure I read that properly) so apologies if I've missed anything important.

Hope those of you that went enjoyed Tearfest. I was thinking of you all & was there in spirit.

Right, I'm off to try & catch up a bit. Hopefully I'll make it back later.

Hi there Lindsey! Great to 'see' you again!

And now I'm really going! See ya later Loppies!

Martin - ah I see you have the Kar'ns sussed out! Trouble is, after the imbibing of incohol I have a tendency to forget my own name (might explain why I was calling K2, Fred all evening!!).

Ali - I just told Ploppy I'd prefer to see Phantom knowing full well he'd choose the other one!! Only joking! Actually I told him Hairspray came highly recommended by my Loppy friends and as you all obviously have great taste in musical theatre and know your onions he went for it! Of course, that does mean if he doesn't like it I can also blame you lot - sorry!!

Jane - I was shaking just booking the train tickets so goodness knows what I'll be like when it comes to actually getting on it. Still, at least I'll have done that first journey before ours in August so I might not have to squeeze your hand quite as tight (don't count on it though!!).

Hi Stage Loppies

You must have blisters on your fingers - 25,000 entries !

Happy Loppyday and thanks to Carol for the 'naming ceremony' that changed so many of our lives !

Proud to be a Loppy !

Are you all still basking on a foreign beach somewhere, or is summer in the UK enough to keep you at home ?

Owlie Sue

Happy Loppyversary everyone.
Can't believe it's been a year simce I first read the blog about Lee and finally joined in. My IT and typing skills have improved greatly since then. Although I haven't actually met any Loppies I feel I've made many new friends and received support and Ohms when they were needed. So thank you Loppies and Scott.

Hi Owlie Sue,- we are in the UK at present and haven't been away for quite some time, so tomorrow DT will be manning the Tardis and we're off to Spain for a couple of weeks, only in the morning of course, as we return to our daily lives after breakfast!

Thankyou Scott for giving us a home for a year and for coining the term Loppyversary, very good.

Is it really a year since we all became afflicted with this sweet madness? It's strange to follow the 'Carol' link and see how it all began.
Here's to the next year of Loppydom.

Managed to get tickets to see the man himself last week. I've never known 2 hours to go soooooo quickly. The show was fabulous!!!

Have a brilliant holiday Carol and you too AliB.
Are we going to have a special chapter Geri to celebrate this event?
Oh I wished I had not been so stupid and missed the first round of badges now have to wait for second one, silly me.
must go to bed now
Hope you are all on week end break and not working.
ninite dear Loppies xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
sweet Mead all chantale

Goodness me,- we are quiet tonight! Where are you all?
Carol,- after watching the news I think you'll be wise to pack some food to take with you to Spain. The supermarket shelves are empty because of strike, so a few packs of Jaffa Cakes and tea might be a good idea!

I got the Musicals leaflet and stickers. Yes, I've had two McDs today - children's portions! The leaflet has one page on Joseph with 3 pics and a bit of blurb plus the pic of Joe crouching down singing ADWD at start. There's also a SOM page and 2 stickers, Chitty Chitty BB with Michael Ball sticker, amongst others.

Just listened to the IDA podcast - definitely worth a listen.

Good night, sleep tight and see you sometime tomorrow.

Forgot to wish you a happy holiday Carol and ploppy.
Might be able to join you all before breakfast one morning. Last time I went to Spain, we went to Ibiza for our honeymoon, before it was quite so popular.

Just caught up with yesterdays posts, agree with the general opinion about Aragon, VM knocked him into a cocked hat, but then he was my very favourite in the films.
I watched two of them back to back, and then the third the next day, with my godson to explain things to me, having never read the books, some of the action was a bit fast for me. Mind you I'm the sort of person who records things so I can wind back and check who's who!! BTW, I loved the actor who played Pippin in the show

Oohhh, I want a DVD of the Dutch CED. Geri, how nicely did you have to speak to Anne?

I know I'm very late with this, but never mind the hand under the cheek, give me sliding off his boxers any day, and I thought my love of Lee was pure!!!!!

Karen, I really feel for you with your train phobia, I just love train travel. Is it the actual train you don't like, or the whole station/train thing? I used to have a fear of getting on the wrong train, or falling asleep and missing my station.

Carol, have a lovely holiday, that'll be two of us looking for an internet cafe then!!

It's taken me all night to read up and post this, so I'll just refresh (after I've clicked submit, wouldn't be the first time I've lost a post by refreshing first!!)

Oh btw, I'm at my old lady's tonight, and she is so excited because her son and his partner, who live with her four days a week, and in Poole the other three days, got married today without telling anyone.

Back in a bit.

It is our birthday!!!! GEFELICITEERD!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Scott thank you for housing us the past year and I hope you will enjoy your gift.

Sue1,- are you going on holiday too, since you'll be looking for an internet cafe?
I'm watching a repeat of Frost and the Romanian girl from HDYSAPLM, I can never remember her name,- plays a pole dancer! This is an old episode, so she must have been around for some time before she joined the television show.

Wow! That took some time to get through and, alas, I must admit I only skimmed. Happy anniversary, Loppies, thanks for the new home & the hospitality over the past year, Scott. I'm working on a little something for you, but I probably won't post it till tomorrow (a glass or two of vino has absolutely nothing to do with my ability to sentence a string!) Can't let our special time pass without a HUGE thank you to Carol & her friend who named us. Thanks for that, ladies! If it wasn't for you, we'd probably just be something stupid like Lee Fans and carry little red fans with us everywhere...

Karen2 dragged me to see Sex & the City. We were doing fine till one of the characters took a shower & K2 said the immortal words, 'soapy rivulets' and then much hilarity ensued. Can't imagine why...

Eva, you have to remember the Tudor reign lasted more than a century and by the time it was over no one wanted to give the past much thought. However, prime minister Horace Walpole did write a book in the 18th century titled Historical Doubts in which he disputes the Tudor line, and other writers even earlier (such as Buck) raised questions about the subject. But conspiracies tend to survive: can anyone say for certainty who shot JFK?

Before I left this morning I wrote a couple of pages of the story & I just need to finish it up & I'll post it. Chantale, your idea of a special chapter is a good one, but it will probably need to wait till tomorrow for me to get my head around it. (Definitely nothing to do with red, red wine...)

Lovely to see so many long-absent loppies come back and visit us again. Hang around, ladies. This is where all the real fun is!

HI Aunty Eva - yes I saw the news on Spain! Ah well I could come back slimmer than when I went! As long as there is incohol on the shelves I shall survive. Perhaps you can bring supplies across on the Tardis for us!! Oh Sue that's lovely for your old lady! Fi, there are a couple of sites for books one is i-tunes if you have an apple or one calle audiobooks (I think) but today I downloaded from audio books on cd that I had already bought but not listened to. Just sitting watching Frost at the moment. Diana, so next London Loppy meet will be in Macdonalds will it? OK signing off for the evening as need to get into the lazy holiday mode! Sweet Meads and I'll see you all in the morning!

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

He was surprised to find the sun high in the sky when he awoke. He yawned and stretched to his full length, lithe and supple as a cat, and rolled out of bed. He had a quick shower and dressed in a brown suede jerkin laced loosely over his otherwise bare chest and skin tight hose. He belted Cric on and went out to attend some urgent matters.

“Do you have any idea what time it is, Lee-my-love?” the sword sang. “Still, you needed the rest so I won’t scold.”

“Uh, thanks, Cric,” King Lee said, amused.

“But you are going out with damp hair – you’ll catch your death!”

“It’s a bright, sunny day, Cric. My hair will dry in no time. Now, be still a while; I need to think.”

The Kar’ns were standing sleepily at their post when he opened the door. “Poor darlings,” he said. “You must both be exhausted.”

“Lots of spiders,” they said, and shuddered. Together, naturally. “Oh, and Sir Boyz and Prince Charming were looking for you. We wouldn’t let them in, of course.”

“I shall see them later,” he said. “There are a couple of other things I must do first. Ladies, it’s a long walk to the loppies’ wing. Why don’t you both climb into my bed and get some sleep.”

“Ooh!” they said. “Don’t suppose you’d care to join us?”

He giggled, kissed them both and headed down the hallway. They stood and watched him, admiring the movement of the rear of the year, until he turned the corner out of sight, then they broke all speed records (easy, actually, since they hadn’t been invented yet) in getting into his bed. They snuggled down with deep sighs of satisfaction, inhaled the King’s unique, manly scent from the still warm bedclothes, and fell asleep to wonderful dreams.

King Lee wanted to talk to Trice, but he decided it was best to wait another hour or so, until the prime suspect was wide awake. Instead, he made his way outside to the fountain, where Lady Jane was sitting watching the waters with a very sad look on her face.

She was so engrossed, she didn’t even notice his approach and he had sat on the fountain wall beside her before she glanced up.

“Oh, sorry, King Lee,” she said. “I was miles away.”

“I could see,” he said.

She bit her lip and continued to stare at the waters. “I keep thinking if I just stare at the water long enough one of my visions will come. But it’s no use.”

He studied her in silence. She was so sad it hurt him and he longed to make things right for her and all the loppies. He shifted slightly and put his arms around her. She leaned against him and began to weep. He could feel her tears run down his chest and he was near to tears himself.

He rested his cheek upon her head and stroked her hair. Slowly she calmed and he waited till her tears completely stopped before kissing her forehead and handing her a crisp white handkerchief from the front pocket of his hose (they do too have pockets!)

“I haven’t returned your last handkerchief yet,” she said.

“That’s all right,” he told her. “You keep it. Feel better?”

“Much,” she said, smiling shyly at him.

“I suppose it’s difficult for the rest of us to understand what it’s like for you and Dot. We’ve never had your particular gift so we don’t know what it’s like to lose it.”

“I just feel so helpless,” she explained. “You’ve lost your coat and our magic is fading and I wanted so much to help you and I can’t. Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Lady Jane,” he said. “It’s the fault of the thief who stole the coat.”

“I meant sorry for using three ‘ands’ in one sentence,” she said. “But I am sorry about the coat too.”

“Tell me how you think Dot is feeling,” he asked. “Is he feeling as helpless as you?”

“Oh worse,” she said. “Much, much worse. After all, Dot doesn’t just have Oracle abilities, but he’s a magical master. And now he can’t even work the slightest bit of magic and he must be devastated. I feel so badly for him. And it will get worse before it gets better.”

He furrowed his brow and said, “Why do you say that?”

She gazed into his troubled grey eyes. “Because the magic is fading,” she said. “And the more it washes away, the less of the loppies will be left, the less magic, and we’ll all fade away.”

“Is that why Diva didn’t appear last night?” King Lee asked.

“Yes,” Lady Jane said. “It’s only the little magic that’s left that’s enabling her to appear at all. As the magic fades, so will her ability to appear to us. And like the prophesy says: the colours faded into darkness; I was left alone. That’s the future, King Lee. The colours of the loppies will fade away and you’ll be left alone.”

“We’ve lasted this long,” King Lee said. “A whole year, in fact. And I will never let us fade away.”

Sue1, just email me very nicely.

ooh an anniversary comment!! Thank you Geri!! Suspect the Graphics Department will enjoy this chapter! Was about to go to bed and popped back on to tell Sue1 that I liked Billy Boyd as Pippen too, and there was today's chapter!! Auds will you take this as a an email pretty please? OK really am off to bed now!!

Geri,- I know I want to fade a little, but there are limits!
A tight hose, eh? What a thought to take with us to bed! No mystery novel tonight, Geri? At least I couldn't see any.
Anne,- I've already sorted out Sue 1. Did I tell you I've played it at least 10 times?
Geri,- I'm too tired now to discuss RIII. My brain needs to rest after all that intellectual activity over the last couple of days, so I'll relax it with a Dick Francis.(One of the books I got from Barnardos this morning.)
So it's good night from me, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams (remember the tight hose!) and wake up happy.

Eva, yes, to Padstow, so shouldn't be too difficult to find an internet cafe, can't say I've ever used one before though, how easy is it? In words of one syllable please!

Anne, Eva has just emailed me, won't know for a couple of weeks if that works, if it doesn't I will email you, thank you.

Fi, try the library, I get all my talking books from there. Great when you're doing the ir****g.

Oh Geri, lovely, a still warm bed.

Jane, love the art work.

Hi just back from church concert - well Ok we went to pub afterwards. did anyone else have torrential (and I mean torrential - we thought church roof would collapse) rain tonight

Lovely to hear from you again lindsey as was just looking at pics of stratford on martin's album and wondering where you were -and then you appeared. Wonder if it works same way fro the GO?

had too much white wine to read story or look at pics and expect anything to make sense. Will save fow tomorrow (well a,most today)

Nite nite

Happy holidays all those off tomorrow.

Morning and Happy Anniversary everyone!! Up to start forcing, I mean putting everything in the suitcase! Sue1 have a lovely time in Padstow and AliB if you have gone before I get back, have a lovely time. I will do my best to make sure there is still some incohol left! Morning BHB, my usual coffee and I think a bacon and mushroom waffle with maple syrup please. Looks like a nice day at the moment, why don't you join me outside before the others arrive - after all I am going to be away for two weeks and I'm hoping you might miss me!!

Sorry, Carol, you have to learn to share. I know Eva is trying (very!) but I think you'll grasp the concept much more easily. Still, as you're going away for a little while, you can have the BHB sit beside you while I work on a little something special for Scott. I wouldn't mind some pancakes with maple syrup and some tea before I start work though, BHB -- aw, bless. The way he jumped up you'd think he didn't want to sit beside you, Carol. You weren't misbehaving, were you?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HAPPY LOPPYVERSARY GRATULERER MED DAGEN GRATULERER MED JUBLIEET
Morning all. Why aren't you making everything ready for the Tardis? I've been up half the night making lists! We don't want to starve when we get there, do we?
Hello sweetheart. They've sent you into the kitchen to make breakfast for them? OK, if you make me my usual leaded (although the way the petrol pricecs are going, we soon won't be able to afford neither leaded or unleaded! Yesterday I went to fill up Goldie and it cost £1 23p a litre !!!!! I'm glad the Tardis doesn't use conventional fuel, or we would be stuck here!) and some toast, I'll do the packing:
Jaffacakes
Tea
Coffee (leaded and unleaded
Diet Coke (for Jo4)
2 loaves for toast
Butter
Selection of cheese
Garlic and plum chutney (Geri and I bought it last week at the mearket in Rye)
Fruit
Crackers
Some nice M&S fishcakes
Peppered smoked mackerel (Lovely in salads)
Eggs (for omelettes)
That should set us up nicely for lunch. We'll trust the Lushes to see that sufficient incohol is provided.
Now, if we pack that in cases, we'll be ready when DT turns up. I'd better toodle off to have my shower and get dressed properly. We don't want to scare the natives, do we?
Geri,- I do try to share, but when I do, they aren't very grateful!

Didn't get back last night, laptop battery gave up. Just quickly dropped in to say will try to visit while I'm away, but if not see you in two weeks. I'll miss you all.

Just to say, some of the emails I've replied to lately have come back to me, don't want anyone to think I'm ignoring them. So just in case Carol, thank you for the card.
Really going now. xx

Geri - misbehaving?? Moi??? Are you sure you have the right person????? Aunty Eva if it is any consolation the BP garage near us is £1.31 per litre - cheapest is £1.27! Chutney sounds lovely!! OK back to the packing and Sue1 your email did arrive thank you!!

As you know I love my little lists, so I've made one for you, Carol, to make sure you get your priopities right when you get to Spain.
1. Land safely and go through passport control, get your
luggage and find a bar.
2. Fortify yourself with a nice bottle of Rioja.
3. Get yourself, Ploppy and Sloppy into town.
4. Find a bar,- have another Rioja.
5. Find an Internet cafe, do your posts.
6. If necessary find another bar, or go back to the first
one.
7. Go to hotel, check in, unpack.
8. See how many bars in hotel,- if necessary, check them
out one by one.
9. When you fall asleep, make sure you're in your hotel
room.
10. Dream about GO.

If you follow them, you are sure to get your priorities right. HAVE A LOVELY HOLIDAY!!!!!!

GREAT SCOTT

Within their natural habitat
The loppy likes to feed
Upon a diet of GO-news and
A supply of tasty Mead.

The loppy come in lots of types,
There are tame ones and there are lushes;
But all are tended by a kindly host
Who supplies their meals & hutches.

Now, you’ve no doubt heard of Randolph Scott
And perhaps Scott Bacula too;
And obviously Sir Walter Scott
But only one Scott will do.

The first, the best, the Greatest Scott
The loppies’ Muse and Mage,
Is the lovely Mr Matthewman
The Star of the loppies’ Stage!

Thanks for everything, Scott!

Brilliant Geri!! and a Hear! Hear! and three cheers for young Scott - landlord extraordinaire! Aunty Eva - thank you for your instructions......fine with me, except we are in a villa so will need to stock up on our own wines etc., but I think I can manage that!!!

Morning all, wow Geri how on earth am I supposed to follow that! All I can say is Happy Loppiversary all, a whole year, fantastic and here is to many more.

Sorry I didn't get back last night but I was quite late! The review you are all waiting for:

Tara was absolutely fantastic as the narrator, she belongs on the West End stage on that showing. She has a lovely and very powerful voice and her acting was good as well.

Anthony made an adequate Pharoah, but he really hasn't got the experience to get the fun out of it that Dean does, his voice was much stronger than on ADWD though. However it should be a real scene stealing part, and it really wasn't.

Plenty has been said about Craig, but for me it was like watching a pale shadow of the real thing! Nobody will be surprised that I didn't think he could match Lee, but the friend I was with, who has also seen Lee but is sadly not a Loppy (such a nice person too, shame), said that she was disappointed in his performance as she didn't think his voice as good as on ADWD and his acting a bit wooden. So a bit damning but the audience, which included lots of kids, loved it, and gave the whole thing a huge ovation. So I feel you really need to see this before the London show which apart from one or two minor things is a better production for me, even taking the restrictions of a touring version into account, and it's star is just that a real Star! Surprisingly Tara is the star of this, and I didn't like her on IDA!!!!!!

Right have bought lots of cases of champers to join Evas food, and all the ingredients to make a wicked Sangria, well it is Spain it would be rude not to.

Must just go and see Sloppy then will catch up on the blog! Real life huh!

Morning, happy Loppyversary - that is a lovely word. Great to "see" you Lindsey. I wish Fi!

"bare chest and skin tight hose", Geri, you do have a way with words. I'm green at the thought of the Kar'ns in King Lee's warm bed.

Sue, hope you too have a lovely holiday. Good luck with the internet cafe - I've not had problems, other than slow speed.

Geri, that really is brilliant. Hope you're going to do something with it.

When are we leaving? Have I got time for another Happy Meal? (only joking!!)

Morning All
Beautiful sunny day here, hoping to finally get my garden up to scratch. I've never been this late with it (hangs head in shame) do you think loppiness has anything to do with it???

Love the poem Geri, far from the red red wine affecting your ability to "sentence a string", I'm inclined to think you get more inspired! Well, its a perfect excuse to keep up the habit!

Scott - as has already been said, we really hope you enjoyed your pressie and we really do appreciate you!

Totally concur with Geri on the "soapy rivulets" moment in Sex & the City, it really was a loppy moment, very funny!

Just loving the Kar'ns curled up and sleeping peacefully in the King's bed mmmmmmmmmmm (maybe if we sleep long enough, because we are very tired you know, it will be bedtime again for him)

Happy Holidays all TFL's, (sorry Carol, was a bit early sending you off yesterday!)

Ok, I see we have food, champers and sangria mix. BHB and I will just spend a little time checking the storecupboards for suncream and other first aid necessities.
See you later.

Pauline, Tara is interviewed in the Stage Nancy podcast and explains her voice was poor in IDA because she was ill throughout.

Morning all

Geri - The Kar'ns LOVE YOU!! Is it any surprise I didn't want to get out of bed this morning - King Lee's warm bed, that is. Thank you Geri. I was laughing and having hot sweats at the same time!!

Loved the poem for Scott too - you're so clever.

Eva - love your lists too, especially the one for Spain. My kind of list.

Hope all holidaying Loppies have safe journeys and a wonderful time.

Pauline2 - thanks for the review. I agree about seeing the touring show before the London one. I didn't, I saw the London one first and, of course, you can't help comparing and there just is no comparison! As, you say, not just for the star attraction but the whole production.

Well, I knew I could rely on Pauline2 to bring plentiful supplies of incohol, see Carol you have trained the lushes well.

Carol, just emailed you. It wouldn't open so I'll have to wait until Monday in w**k, thanks anyway.
Bon Voyage!!

I see the Loppies are gathering around for the mornings outing.
DT,- you can open your doors and we'll do the loading up.(That is,- I'll tell everybody what to do, as per usual!)
Geri,- Scott dear's poem is inspired! Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap !!!

Pauline2,- thank you for the review. I think all future viewings of Joseph without GO will be second class to us. Interesting about Tara being so good. It's a pity about young Anthony. I think he wants too much too soon. He should have stuck with his training, because the potential is there. He has a very powerful voice, but it does need careful cultivating.
I'm off Up North (again not your kind of North JaneE and Karen), but South London. Going to stay with my Shirley where there is no Internet connection. Behave yourselves while I'm gone and I'll see you tomorrow evening.

Thanks for the review, Pauline2. I was, as you know, subjected to the delights (not!) of KMcT but fortunately I saw the show before the REAL one. Mind you, there are things in touring Joe that are better in terms of direction. The relationship between Joseph & Benjamin is emphasised and Joseph protects Ben from the bullying of the other brothers. It explains why it is Ben's sack he puts the cup into: he wants to see if the brothers are still bullies. It's really the one thing the West End version does poorly, making Ben just as culpable as the other brothers. Shame about Anthony; he has a pretty face and a nice voice, but he's a bit to self-absorbed to make a good actor. Well, in my opinion, anyway.

Glad you all liked that little homage to our landlord. Nice of him not to increase the rent (though I suspect we must be good for revenue). And Eva, I'm trying hard to restrain making comments about you giving me the clap...I did love your packing advice and lists, though.

Right, I have to do a little shopping and price a certain birthday item. Speaking of which: if anyone isn't aware of these plans & wants to participate, can you please e-mail me? Back later.

Good morning Ladies
There are more photos on the Loppie Ladies album from Carol and Maureen.

Back again! I must just add to my earlier review that Anthony played one of the brothers as well, not sure which, sorry! I thought he did that very well, goood dancing and fitted in very well. That is what he needs I think lots of practise, as he has chosen to leave the school. I agree Geri there are one or two things this version do better, I like the ragged loincloth...... sorry just had a vision of Lee in a ragged loincloth...... sorry. It really gives an idea of Joseph being in jail 20 years.

Loving the last chapter, has the Graphics Department fainted trying to draw that? The verse is so good, and I think all of us gave a cheer for you Scott on reading it.

Without wishing to prolong the Richard debate Eva, but I will, I think that most historians who have researched the story do at the very least throw up serious doubts about the Tudor version. I think that the WS play is so strong as a litery work that is firmly fixed in peoples minds as fact and so poor R3 is condemned to be the villian in the minds of the majority.

Sue have a lovely holiday and hope you get some reasonable weather.

Carol I know you'll get the weather, but hope you get some food as well!! We know you'll manage the incahol. Have a wonderful time.

Now I think the Tardis first trip should be at about lunch time is it Eva? We can then have a nice afternoon on the beach, where I believe they make fresh paella every day, and huge jugs of Sangria made to my own special recipe, you'll love it. Ok I suppose there will be a supply of freshly squeezed juices for those who would rather.

Byeee - see you in two weeks!

Staggered home with a new chair for when I'm on the PC. I've been using a dining room chair which is OK for short, occasional spells but my back gets very painful after long or frequent sessions. Hope it'll be a lot more comfortable with the new chair - once I've assembled it.

Thanks for the explanation of Joseph & Ben's relationship, Geri. Shame the London production doesn't cover that better. I've only seen that version and felt something didn't quite fit re Ben.

When I heard Anthony had left Mountview I thought he was making a mistake. I know experience counts for a lot but to have a long career, you need good training in the first place.

Thanks Martin.

Ploppy's out all day golfing and won't be home till 10.00 ish so got the house to myself. Think I might spend the evening watching DVDs, I mean there's nothing on telly now. In the meantime an afternoon on the beach, in the sun, with good company and a couple of glasses of sangria (no more as it sends me to sleep) sounds perfect.

Well, I just managed to negotiate my way through the Saturday mob and do my errands. I was pleasantly surprised in my scouting expedition: I'll e-mail you more details.

Pauline, yes the tattered loincloth is a fabulous touch and really adds to the pathos of Joseph standing 'Chained & bound, afraid, alone' before Pharaoh. I thought so at the time and I've been hoping the West End production would do likewise (I'm sure plenty of loppies would volunteer to give the loincloth a suitably worn and torn look. I was going to say soiled, but I know what minds you lot have!)

Oooh yes please Geri I voluteer for that job! Think it would be my sort of work.

So I think we have got the first Tardis to Nerja. A quick tour of the place. Nerja is famous for its Balcon de Europa, this is where an ancient Moorish castle was built and now is the site of many cafes retaurants and BARS (yaaay). It has sweeping panoramic views across the bay. There are 16k of beaches so plenty of room for us all! More information can be found here:

http://www.andalucia.com/nerja/

Right I now have my ipod and book Carol lent me about R3 so big jug of Sangria and I'm all set for the afternoon. BHB says he will have a look round and would we like a BBQ later? Sounds good to me!

Happy Loppyversary Everyone!! Carol - I think our planes will cross in the skies as I am going in exactly a fortnight!! Thats 10 working days and trust me i will be counting them down!! Completely changing the subject, hayfever is a funny thing - I sneezed non stop yesterday and today I haven't sneezed at all. Maybe I am allergic to the office!! (now theres a thought!!)

Happy loppyversary one and all.

A jug (sorry meant glass) of sangria in nerja sounds bliss pauline. Nerja looks gorgeous and could just do with a lie out in sun as have aching back after weeding (why oh why do weeds grow so much faster than flowers). As we are holidaying in scotland and northumberland and Uk forecast for late July Not good i will have to seize my opportunity for sun where I can get it. Tho of course always sunny dublin to look foward to.

I havent seen touring Joseph but agree geri that relationship betwen Ben and joseph not drawn at all in W E version. Scottish loppies including Lynn having a meet today to see Evita (with Seamus). Has had excellent reviews so wonder how they are getting on.

An afternoon on the beach with a jug of Sangria and I missed it!! You can't blame me though - I was still curled up in King Lee's bed having oh so sweet meads!

Better make up for it now though so off to get a large V&T.

Oh no why didn't sue1 say she was going to Padstow tis only half hour from us poohooo if she gets in touch tell her to email me maybe we could meet.
xxx Ok back to reading the blurb
HAPPY LOPPYVRESARY ALL xxxx

Karen, curled up in King Lee's bed having sweet meads? That's a sentence that shouldn't be examined too closely by anyone with gutter tendencies. That would be all the loppies, then...Oh, and what's this I hear about the Kar'ns peeking through the keyhole while he was slipping off those boxers?

I saw a lovely turquoise bag today & thought of a certain loppy friend. Shame it was too much on the pricey side for it to be a pressie...

Hoping to hear a review of Evita -- the Dublops are going in September. Woo-hoo!

Right, I've been goofing off watching ADWD (who said again?) so I've got a bit more of today's chapter to finish up. Should be ready to post it shortly.

HELLO a TFL is back. Needless to say, not caught up at all.
(Left magic key to laptop at home so couldn't log in while away, except at w**k. doh, idiot. That's what you get when packing at 3am.)
I would put a link here to MSN site, where dvo has some quotes, but I can't get to it.

Well, Scott dear, I see we have a lovelee new home, with our name on it!! Glad you got the pressies. The least that could be done for you after all the time you have given us over the year.

While I was away I read a book which made me cry about 4 times, smile lots, made me sad, made me happy, made me go ahhh at the end. I was so wrapped up in it I left the dinner (and the wine/beer/icecream) early so I could finish it. I think at least one Loppy has also read it. I'm no writer, Geri, but a clue. mmmm, not too obvious. 'woooooshhh bang.'

Geri that was a lovely poem thank you . Me too Karen missed the beach can always sneak in to have a sangria i used to make a mean one when parents had restaurant in Fuengirola in the mid 60's, golly very different from now.
Met my ploppy there he was my english teacher in the Berlitz school I attended oh that was so so lonfg ago and still only 27 ahhhhhh.( got certificat signed by him as well...)
Have to go down mother has done supper. see you all later.
xxxxxxxx

Just noticed your post from yesterday evening, Vicki S. Interloper?

Evening Ladies

Welcome home Jo4, the book sounds good, would love to read it but not getting the clue.

Geri.........you told!!! Sorry Karen, I thought she wouldn't tell about our peeking and now everyone knows..........oh I don't care, I'm sure you'd all do the same if you could!

By the way, just a warning to any poor unfortunates sitting next to lepry in the theatre in future - watch out, she has a mean left hook!
In the cinema last night I was left bruised and battered after a series of movie trailers featuring certain attractive actors which caused Geri, in her excitement to thump me each time a face she "approved of" appeared, I can't imagine what she's like at Joseph. I suppose the red red wine might have had something to do with it, good job I'd had some vodka to numb the pain.

Oh, and I stopped off at the library earlier and got Josephine Tey's book so looking forward to starting that tonight and getting up to speed on RIII

Ok, dinner to be sorted out, see you all later.

Oh oh, so we got grassed up K2. It was worth it though wasn't it!! What a sight to behold!

Geri - how did I know you would let my innocent(!!!) remark lead us into the gutter!

Hello, just a quick Hi Bye, have been asleep all day and now off to work, off Monday and Tuesday will catch up with the Tardis and Loppies then, in the meantime, don't get sunburnt on the spanish trips.
Happy Loppyversary

Hi Jo4 welcome back to our shiny new home! Haven't a clue about your book so either I haven't read it or you are waaaay to cryptic for me!

Had a lovely quiet afternoon on the beach with all the sangria to myself, hic! Very nice it was too.

Naughty Ka'rns peeking at King Lee, now I would never... ow my nose is growing, why?

Hoping to see Evita myself in late Sept I think and apparently Carousel is coming to our 'localish' theatre with Lesley Garret so fingers crossed for that too.

Karen2 goody another possible convert to R3! We're taking people one at a time but will get there in the end!

Right, just one easy novel in today's chapter -- and I still haven't got yours, Jo4. Is there a book called 'Superman Spontaneously Combusts'?

Afraid King Lee insisted on staying dressed for this chapter. I told you, he has a mind of his own!

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

He left Lady Jane an hour later (Lady Jane, you can fill in the blank any way you like) and made his way up the almost forty steps to Trice’s room. He had let the older man dictate terms for long enough. Today he wasn’t leaving until he had some answers.

To his surprise, Lynx opened the door. “My sister Sioux and I are keeping an eye on him,” she whispered. “But he hardly speaks so we haven’t learned anything yet. Except—“ she dropped her voice still further. “We’ve managed to search most of the room and haven’t found any sign of the coat. Sorry.”

“Who is it?” Came Trice’s voice. He came to the door and, seeing King Lee, said, dismissively, “Oh, it’s you.”

“I need to talk to you, Trice,” King Lee said. Without waiting for an invitation he walked into the room. “Ladies, would you mind excusing us?” he asked the loppies. They both nodded, gave an unreadable look at Trice, and left.

“This isn’t a good time,” Trice began.

“It never is,” King Lee said. “I’m afraid I must insist.”

The older man glanced at the King with surprise. “Can I get you some coffee?” he said.

“That would be great, thanks,” King Lee said, suddenly aware of the fact that he hadn’t eaten.

A few minutes later the two men sat facing each other. They each held a coffee cup and studied each other openly.

“So you want to know if I stole that coat,” Trice said at last.

“Did you?”

“No.”

A long silence followed. “I believe you,” King Lee said at last. “But I think there’s more you can tell me.”

Trice seemed to be considering. “You’re right,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it and I talked it over with Dot and we decided you deserved to know the truth.”

King Lee steeled himself. He set the perfect line of his jaw tight (not looking at all Brucie) and waited.

“Dot and I are best friends,” Trice said. “We go back years and have always supported one another. Back then, Aus – the Evil Aus – was a friend of ours. We both liked him, trusted him. He seemed to be kind and talented and he was always telling Dot and me how wonderful we were. We believed his flattery was sincere; we were very young, after all.”

“I understand he was always rather plausible,” King Lee said.

“Yes. Yes, he was. Not that it’s an excuse, but—anyway, we both trusted him. He’d learned about the Kingdom of Adelphi and King DonnO’s abdication. He knew Dot had the power to give him that crown and he – well, let’s just say he succeeded.”

“How long was it till you and Dot discovered his true nature?”

“Not long. Almost the minute the crown was placed on his head, he began to suck the colour out of the land. It was subtle at first and for a while we didn’t realise it was because of him. Then Dot cast a spell that revealed a person’s true nature by their odour. The more evil a person becomes, the more foul they smell. That spell still exists although, like all magic here in the kingdom, it’s been weakened by the loss of the coat.”

“So whoever stole the coat should smell nasty?” King Lee asked, trying to discreetly sniff the air.

“Well, not necessarily,” Trice said. “Only Dot, Diva and Maid Marryme have the ability to detect the odour, and they learned that some people just have a natural immunity to the spell. I am told that you, by the way, smell like the most intoxicatingly beautify perfume ever made. It’s one of the reasons people are drawn to you, although they don’t realise it.”

“People are drawn to me because of the way I smell?” King Lee said, a little crestfallen. He had hoped to be appreciated for something more substantial.

“Don’t worry,” Trice said, suddenly sounding like Chief Inspector Terse. “The smell is just the olfactory evidence of your innate goodness. Just as Aus’s smell is so obnoxious it reveals him to be a vile, sorry excuse for a human being.”

“But I can smell Aus,” King Lee said, thinking about it. “We all can.”

“Because his evil is so overwhelming, it can’t be hidden. Just as your goodness is so obvious even people without Dot’s talent can sense it.”

“If I’m so good,” King Lee said. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

Trice stood up. He was very tall and made King Lee feel small by contrast. “Because it’s very hard work not to become as gaga about you as the loppies. You have this effect on people – men as well as women – and anyone who spends even a short time in your presence succumbs to your, uh, charm. Well, look at Sergeant Boo-hiss, for instance. Poor man leaves drool marks every time he sees you. It’s embarrassing – and I don’t like being embarrassed.”

“I see,” King Lee said. He finished the coffee and rose. “But I still don’t really understand why you didn’t tell me all this earlier.”

Trice studied the floor for a moment, then said, “Dot feels it’s all his fault for giving the crown to Aus all those years ago. He’s angry with himself, embarrassed, humiliated—“

“But it’s not his fault!” King Lee protested. “Surely you’ve told him that!”

“Of course I have,” Trice said. “He thinks I’m just being a good friend.”

“Can I help? I hate to think of him being so upset; he’s always been so good to me.”

Trice took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And there it is,” he said.

“Sorry? There what is? Are you ill?”

Trice smiled. “No. I’ve just discovered my inner loppy.” His smile broadened. “I suppose it’s not so bad as all that.”

The King smiled too and suddenly both men were laughing. “Aw, now I’m going to leave drool marks on the furniture every time you walk by,” Trice said. “Just like Boo-hiss.”

“The loppies don’t do that,” King Lee pointed out. “Most of them are calm and, ok, slightly bonkers -- but in a nice way. Anyway, one good thing has come out of all this.”

“What’s that?”

“At least I know you didn’t steal the coat – which drops the list of suspects down a little.” He turned suddenly. "Did you hear something?" he asked.

"Probably one of the loppies listening at the door -- they're just watching out for you, you know."

"I know."

King Lee left a few minutes later and made his way down to the banqueting hall. The coffee had been good and hot, but he really wanted something to eat. He reflected that the castle wasn’t the same without the smell of Diva’s smelly fish.

“King Lee?” Dutch said, smiling as he walked in. “You’re late today. You must be starved.”

“Famished, Dutch,” he said. “Do you think I might still be able to get something to eat?”

“Of course,” she said. “What would you like? Scrambled eggs, pancakes, muffins, smoked salmon?”

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble – some smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel would be nice.”

“You’re missing Diva,” she observed. “That’s her favourite breakfast, too.”

“I do miss her,” he said. “It’s just not the same without her.”

“The loppies miss her too,” Dutch said. She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed the rock hard muscles beneath the jerkin. He patted her hand gently.

“I hope she gets written back into the story soon,” he said.

Geri is the novel the 39 steps?

Sorry forgot to give the author in my haste to post.
THirty -nine steps by John Buchan?

ooohhh DrWho is really scary

Well done, Kathleen!

Jo4 -- is the novel sci fi?

Welcome back Jo. Hope you had a good trip.

Two pigeons on the patio are either having a fight or trying to mate and one of them's playing hard to get.

Enjoyed that chapter very much, Geri. I can savour it better at home than at the office.

I took the pieces of the chair out the box but there's no instructions and one piece looks like it might be broken. Might wait till tomorrow when Ploppy should be around.

About time I had dinner.

Oooh, rock hard muscles beneath the jerkin, scrumptious! Thankyou Geri and I am glad theat Trice looks as though he is a good guy! Well done Kathleen, very quick off the mark there.

Diana, I hate things like your chairs they always look broken to me! Hope the pigeons have ..ermm.... sorted themselves out now!

Jo4 we need more clues I think!

Oh dear! I got over excited there.
Scollop is watching the football. (He knows I like to eatch Casualty)
It's not been a bad day here, but I could do with some sunshine and sea so if I'm awake early tomorrow I'll be able to come to the beach.
Glad you arrived home safely Jo4 and hope you had a lovely time.
Hope your new chair is comfy Diana.
Well might see you in the morning, night all.

I've just sent the Loppy stats to Martin. 28388 posts total to end of last 'home', includes Forum and Carys, when big black box thingy was broke.

Book- another clue, non fiction, recent.

Geri/Jane not caught up with story yet, don't want to read it out of sequence. Sounds exciting from the comments.

Thanks for the greetings on my return. It was a lovely place in the mountains, beautiful. As long as I didn't have to climb the mountains. Shame about the w**k stuff!!

Non fiction? Was it something about 9/11? And were those hills alive (hopefully with the sound of music and not little furry creatures of the rodent variety).

Rock hard Muscles, indeed. Sigh…Sigh…. Sigh!!
Thank you for that Geri. It will be difficult to get to sleep tonight with that in my mind.

This afternoon I went to a reinactment of the battle of Vlaardingen in 1018.
That is the battle, which was the start of Holland. Cutting us lose from the Germans.
Yep I live in a very historical town. Who knew!!
There were actors/fighters from Holland, Germany and England. It was all very exciting. Lots of sheepskins, leather and swords.
It reminded me of King Lee and the Loppy army. We would have kicked ass there.

It was quite funny that when the battle was won they shout, “ dead arise” and all the fallen men will get up again.
My sister and me both saw immediately the beginning of a British detective.
When all the players got up one stayed down. Dead!!

I'm sitting on my new chair; feels a bit weird and might need a bit of adjustment but certainly supporting my back better. The broken bit turned out not to a part - the box had been opened and I guess someone must have chucked it in as rubbish along with a pair of scissors and a pen!

I'm going to see if there's anything worth watching on telly so night night.

Jo4 - thing we can safely say your clue not too obvious. have forgotten where you were - Switz?

Turquoise bag _ geri. Wonder who the loppy was? Going to an 18th birthday tomorrow and got new top today - I am sure no-one can guess what colour. Stocking up this year as prob another 20 yrs before my colour in fashion again. I was feeling really good about my purchase until got to the till and shop assitant (who was about 2yrs) said "Thats pretty - our clothes suit all ages"!!! Glad to know they suit 27 yr old ladies.

Then at next shop overheard young man and woman discussing buying a relative a birthday card. Him "she's going to be 60 isnt she" Her (aghast)"no she's 51" Him "But Ive bought her a card that says 60 - do you think she will mind" Not sure he is long for this world.

OK off to bed. Starting new book Half of a Yellow sun - fro book club. Tho I havent started it yet feel sure it doesnt match the whoosh bang clue Jo.

Nite nite

Funny that, I immediately thought 9/11.

So you got extras with the chair Diana, nice!

Love the battle Anne, especially the thought of the loppy army. We definitely would have won.

Last (honest) quick post tonight.

Gillian has posted link to her video of Lee on dutch TV on LMAS. Hope link works - dont do this very often.

www.gilliangvideo.co.uk/LM/LeeMeadonDutchTV.wmv

Yes Fi, the land of Toblerone. That young man will be dead soon, did he know?
Geri-The only music I heard was not of the SOM variety, might have been a certain Sir and a rather younger man though. No furries seen there. I have bought 2 humane traps for my friend today. I've checked once and not caught yet.

Book: Non fiction, recent, someone else on the blog has read it (I think), whooosh bang, sad/happy/sad/happy ending ahhh. New clue: one of the three.

Claire's Elvis vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0HnU6pDB5g

http://entertainment.uk.msn.com/celebrity/PhotoGalleries/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=8589343&imageindex=10

Got it, at last.
Nightlee night

Still haven't gone to bed. Found a couple of pages I don't recall seeing before
http://www.livebusiness.co.uk/news11.html
http://www.whitehallcollege.co.uk/cms/content/view/14/28/

Thanks for the previous link, Jo - that's what led me to these!

And another pic http://www.jamsheedmaster.com/images/photos/gallery/1820626.jpg

I did my bit for loppydom today and wore my new T shirt all round the village with the GO smiling out from my chest! Great chapter Geri - glad that Trice is innocent. Waiting for pics from the Graphics Department and will upload the latest 2 chapters to the holiday home tomorrow. Now then BHB do you like your new T shirt? The pic on the front does look rather like you I admit. I will stand close up so we can compare. Yes the pictures look exactly the same size now just put your arms round so we can check....

Diana-thanks for the links. Re the Whitehall col link. Checked official site to see if I could see the disclaimer there about the college using his name. Can't find it, so he's made up with the college?
Must dash.

Good morning, all. I had the same thought about Whitehall, Jo4 -- wonder if they've decided to give him his degree. He should get something out of his support, don't you think?

Still no clue about the book. You said one of THE three and there were two towers, so probably not 9/11; three naturally leads me to Richard3, but I can't imagine a non-fiction book about him having a happy ending. Can you at least let us know if it's a biography or another non-fiction category? I'm afraid I tend more towards fiction and poetry, so this isn't my area. Oh, another 'three' would be the Lord of the Rings trilogy, films as well as books. I think we need more hints.

Hi BHB, what she told you the solution but you promised not to tell. You won't even give me a hint? Aww, BHB...Yes, I'll settle for a neck rub and special waffles with fresh fruit and cream followed by an Irish Coffee...grumble...

Good morning all. I was browsing the forum just noe and found this which i thought was very sweet and what a well trained child!
My 5 year old was at my mums a couple of days ago and my mum heard her singing as she was on the toilet (my 5 year old - not my mum!)
She recorded it on her phone as she thought it was so funny, Imagine my suprise when she played me my daughter singing 'you've got a friend' (in an american accent!- no idea why!)
when asked by her nana what she had been singing, she looked at her with distain and said 'its lee of course!'
p.s and we now have tickets for 28th june matinee (our 3rd time!)
Sweet isn't it the future looks bright.
not like this morning started my walk in sunshine then about one km in I had to phone ploppy to come and collect us reason.... heaven had opened and had a torential downpoor and we were dixie and I completely soaked through that will teach me to forget our macs.!
got to go bye for now .
Enlightenment please who is BHB.? xxxx

Chantale, BHB = 'Bumpy Haired Boy', AKA the GO.

Morning all

Thanks for those links from last night. It's so lovely to wake up to pictures of him, especially ones I haven't seen before. Where it says DVO tells why Lee Mead is her ideal man - where would you start and how long could you go on for!!?

My laptop is playing up today - mouse pad keeps sticking and as I type, no letters appear until a minute (well probably seconds) later, it's just taken me ages to type this and it's very frustrating. Grrr!

It's really hot and humid here today - I can't decide whether the sun's going to come out and it's going to be a scorcher or whether it's going to pour down. Perhaps BHB you could bring both suncream and umbrella just in case - yes of course I'll sit under the umbrella with you and put some sun cream on for you - you're right it is best to be prepared, I was a boy scout too you know!!

Morning all, sorry I left abruptly last night, just in case anyone noticed, but my internet connection kept cutting off,grrr. Gave up and went to bed! Then kept thinking about your book Jo4, I have a feeling I won't know it when I get the answer!

Hot Karen? It's sunny here but not exactly hot, but at least we don't have rain at the moment I suppose.

Chantale glad to see your daughter is developing an excellent taste in music!

Thanks for the links ladies, a little touch of Lee in the morning is just what is needed.

So morning BHB of course I have my blanket, but as it is beautiful here in Spain, warm sunny and not a cloud in the sky, I think it will be better if we just sit on it on the beach. So what shall we do today, oh you think you'll make a cold buffet for lunch? Very nice, shall I mix some Sangria again? ok will do and there is plenty of wine and of course dc!

Good morning. Jo, I was surprised when I saw the Whitehall page and wasn't sure if it was an old page I'd picked up. I almost didn't post the link.

I can't remember what the original hint about the book was but trilogy and two towers immediately says LOTR to me.

I thought the forecast wasn't too good for today but it's lovely - at the moment anyway - so I'm going to retire to the garden.

Just a flying visit - just time to grab a cup of coffee please BHB.. You sometimes you just take my breath away - you look so like an IBY that I know and adore... sigh.
Geri Geri Geri...
"She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed the rock hard muscles beneath the jerkin."
Gulp. Am SO glad Trice is innocent, and that he shares our passion for Mead.
Welcome back from the SoM Jo4.. Thought of you as I was watching all though beautiful creatures on parade yesterday - the horses of course at Trooping the Colour.
Lovely to see you all, sorry it's short (hopefully it's sweet enough) but off out socialising again today - gotta make the most of the sunshine.. this could be summer.
Byeeeee..

Glad you liked it, Auds. Keep that fan handy, though...Oh, and several possible novels in this chapter.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

He felt confined after so many days indoors, apart from the occasional foray into the rose garden. He headed down to the stables and found Jodhpur hard at work grooming a magnificent black stallion. King Lee smiled and patted the horse.

“How are you today, Potiphar?” he said. He horse nuzzled against him and Jodhpur laughed.

“I think he’s happy to see you, King Lee. Were you thinking of taking a ride?”

“Yes, I just need to get some fresh air and exercise,” he said.

“I think Potiphar would love a good gallop across the fields. I’ll get him ready.”

Ten minutes later he was astride the horse, heading out of the stables. “He has a lovely seat,” Jodhpur said, with a sigh.

“The rest of him’s not bad either,” K’Leen said, joining her.

The wind in his face felt wonderful and he rode very fast. Lovely as it was to be surrounded by so many kind and caring people who wanted only good things for him, it was a relief to be alone for once.

He rode for miles over rolling green countryside, the lovely land of Adelphi that was entirely his. It did fleetingly cross his mind that the loppies would be horrified to see the abandonment with which he rode, and yet he knew himself to be perfectly safe. He was a good rider and knew his horse was utterly reliable.

At last he stopped by a clear lake (come on, you know where this is going. Fans at the ready…) Then, hot from the ride, he stripped off the jerkin and dove into the icy waters.

Every part of his body tingled with the shock of the cold, but it felt delicious. He swam under the water until his lungs burned, then surfaced and took a long gulp of air.

He swam the length of the lake, his powerful muscles cutting easily through the water. He reached the far side of the lake, then turned and returned to the bank where the horse stood patiently waiting.

He climbed out of the water and shook his head sending sparkles of drops flying. It was, he thought, a good thing he was far from the castle; if the loppies could see him now, skin glistening, muscles rippling, hose almost transparent from the water, the THUD would be heard all the way to Broadway.

He mounted his horse and rode back more sedately to the castle. The scarlet thread from his lost coat which he’d wrapped around the moonstone worn around his neck felt warm against his skin. He wished he knew if that was a good sign or not.

“What do you think, Cric?” he asked his sword. “Is it significant that the threat feels warm?”

Cric yawned. “You’re expecting me to think after such an active day? Well, since you ask, I think it probably is significant, Lee-my-love. But whether it’s significant good or significant bad is beyond me.”

It was beyond King Lee too, but he tried to think it was positive. If nothing else, at least it suggested there was still a connection between him and his coat. He hummed a nursery rhyme to himself, feeling the need of some silly amusement to comfort him, and was soon riding up the road to Castle Adelphi.

Fortunately, he was dry by the time he returned because there was a cluster of loppies waiting for him, undoubtedly anxious about his long absence.

It wasn’t until he walked into their midst that he realised something was very wrong.

Dame Endora was being supported by the Dublops (who did not look happy about it). The Dame’s purple hair was standing on end and contrasted oddly with the orange tint to her face (a remnant of trifle she’d apparently been unable to remove). She sobbed loudly and kept waving a heavily scented handkerchief in front of her face. “Murder!” she cried. “We’re doomed! We’re all doomed!”

“What is it, Dame?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Maid Marryme,” she said. “She’s unconscious!” and she began to sob again.

Hi and Bye. Will catch up on pics, story and links later. Why did my link not go blue (esp when blue my(second) fav colour - pouts)

getting ready fro 18th birthday party this afternoon. presents to wrap, card to write, outfit to decide, scollop to drag back from golf...

Jo4 - is it the new book by richard Hammond. Did think of Jermey Clarkson when you mentioned orig but as i hate top gear (sorry all fans) I try to think of JM as little as poss.

A fan, Geri??!! I need a long cold shower after that .... Phew!!!!

As soon as I went outside, the clouds appeared and now it's almost completely clouded over. Oh well, plenty to do.

I've just got out of the shower, settled down to read the next chapter and now I have to go for a shower again - a cold one!! You do know how to please us Geri. Now, will the Graphics Dept choose that scene to draw, I wonder!! Will she be able to with a steady hand!!

Wowee... Fan where is it pleeeease? That is just a gorgeous image, thud, thud and pass that bucket over as well!

First book that leaps out at me is Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Afraid I might need to reread several times befroe I can see anything else, it's a hard life!

Mm, you can't go wrong with a classic! Pauline, I was thinking more mystery novel -- or perhaps a classical romance (but TV version rather than the actual book). Do you think you can force yourself to read it again? Such dedication!

Karen, I sincerely hope the Graphics Dept will be willing to do some work on this chapter. I need a nice long cold shower myself, in fact!

Pride and Predjudice? Now what made me think of that I wonder!! I also wonder if the nursery rhyme is significant? Hickory Dickory Dock by AC maybe?

Good job, Pauline2! Yes, I was thinking of P&P; and AC wrote several books with nursery rhyme titles, so I'd have accepted any of them.

No Pauline2 not my daughter that is wishful thinking it was a tread on forum, got 2 scollops one 36 and one 39.... ah do draw back the clock but then we can here cos we are only 27 yeh....

Oh Geri, I have no doubt the Graphics Dept will be more thsn willing!! I'm impressed that you were able to put those words down with that image in your mind - I'm not surprised you need a cold shower - and all the fans we can provide for you!

Hi didn't manage to get on blog yesterday but think I've just about caught up.

Welcome back Jo, when I read your first description of the book I thought it might be one called 'Crash of Drums'.

We read 'Half a Yellow Sun' at my book club Fi, pretty grim but very good, it got quite a few votes when we were choosing our best book of the year.

Loved the gallop upon the black stallion Geri, good to have The King being more active, can't have him lolling about in bed all the time,(Oh I don't know, perhaps we can!)

Thanks for the links, haven't checked them all out yet.

pheww geris oh yes we are at the ready waiting ofr jane E rendering !!!!
Hair still wet from this morning.how irritating it has been perfectly dry since and sun is shining, waving madly at sue1 in padstow hey Sue there is a beautiful Castle here in Tintagel you know it is a bit mangled to say the least but views are amazing. If you get this and you come this way to St.Necta's glen you will pass our house!!!!.
enjoy the 18th birthday party fi, rather you then me.!!!!

Woo hoo I got them, it helped not having Eva or carol for competition today I think! Also can't wait for the picture, maybe the Graphics Department should sit in the fridge while doing it!

Sorry Chantale but as we are all 27 thought it quite possible! The child still has great taste in music though.

I know tis great that they are starting so young what got me was the of course!!!! so so wise at 5

Maeve - my first thought was that Jo's book was Crash of Drums too.

Just having a look for the book (didn't know it off hand) and found this, now I don't remember seeing it before, but even if you have I think you might enjoy another look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEIpSlmZ0t0&feature=related

Although the ad for Whitehall College Agency is dated today the quote from Lee must be old as it says he's appearing as Pharoah in Joseph.

I'm trying to fill in a few gaps in Lee's bio. Found a theatre listings site with dates for productions in UK since 1995 http://www.arts-archive.com/index.php
Listings of 2004 Joe tour http://www.arts-archive.com/index.php?pg=12&action=work&genre=M&gname=Musical&wid=S1566

Miss Saigon review http://www.reviewsgate.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2819

Thanks Pauline, that was lovely, never seen it.

Not quite finished catching up on thee blog yet - but just had to popp on to say -

Jo4 - On the Edge - Richard Hammond? By any chance?

OK off to read the story!

Hi Ladies- Geri has sent me a picture for chapter 30 of COD, and it is now online

Off to see Leonard Cohen in concert. Have a lovely evening, all.

OK - I think I've caught up!

And Fi beat me to Jo's book, but didn't know the title. I do coz it's sitting on my bookshelf.

Pauline2 - great review! Thank you!

Anne - ah - memories of battle re-enactments I have known and loved. Calling upon 'The Dead to Rise' used to be my job!

Geri, Geri, Geri! Thank you thank you thank you - for King Lee's tender concern about Lady J and for that P&P moment! Ding Dong.

now Loppies - I'm not quite sure - which bit did you want the graphic dept to illustrate?

Jane - do you mean which "bit" specifically or do you mean which scene!!!!!???

Scene Karen - naughty Loppy!

Great review Pauline2. I declined to see Touring Joe and I didn't like Tara at all on IDA but then if she was ill throughout that explains things, so interesting to know she's the star of the show now. Bill K obviously saw things in her. Geri fantastic ode to our Landlord. I've booked to see Evita in July and Carousel later in the year too.

Martin I can only see pic.s up to 28, should I be able to see 29 and 30?

Thanks for reminding me Shirley2 - I agree Geri - lovely ode to our landlord!

Naughty good Jane, not naughty bad!!? You know I'm never far from the gutter and that was a mere step!

Right off to the pub so have a good evening all.

Martin I'm the same, can only see up to 28 is it my computer?

Jane I don't think there is much doubt as to which 'bit', oops sorry scene, you will want to illustrate! Phew we're alright though as Geri and Karen are out, so unless Karen2 turns up I may be safe from the gutter!

Hello Ladies, My apologies, I didn't check and something went wrong, but now the picture is online, there were a few chapters with no pictures and when I get sorted the picture numbers will relate to the chapters that they represent.

Ah now I see it, thankyou Martin. JaneE it is lovely. Nice tribute to our landlord (well deserved) and is one of the Weepys waving a white flag! Great! Those pesky fish are still there as well I see.

Thank you Martin!

Well Pauline2 - I feel that seeing as Karen and Geri aren't around tonight, it's almost our duty to keep the gutter warm for them!

I don't think there is a picture for Chapter 29 - real life getting in the way. I've just finished one for chapter 33, but sorry - the author has to approve it before it can be sent to Martin.

I'm going to see if I can get another one done tonight for 31 or 32

Fi well done, and Jane. Yes, it was the hamster. I'm a careful person with money, except for vets, horses, cats, dog and GO requirements, so had to wait until it came out in paperback. I didn't think I'd like it, but I did. Whoever wrote it has an easy, readable style. Not high literature, but moving.
Thanks for the links above, I'll go and check them.
And get the drawing for the episode, phew.

Hi all. I got home a few hours ago, but it took me some time to answer e-mails and catch up on the blog. My, you have been busy while I've been away.
Welome home, Jo4. Glad to hear you had a good time. No idea what the book is, but then I hardly read anything but fiction.
Pauline2,- congrats on getting the books. I had a rather confused image of Colin Firth wading out of the water gradually merging in to King Lee doing the same, and then a photo from Thailand popped in. At that point, the cooling system was on full blast! Other AC books based on a nursery rhyme are A Pocketful Of Rye and One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.
I've had a very nice' lazy weekend. Lots of good chatting, nice food and good TV. Yes, good TV, because we used the DVD player last night. None of us were the slightest interested in f**tb**l (to me that's a swearword!), so we decided to watch Lee and his Joseph Journey (yes, again), The Winner's Story (yes, again) and Anne's lovely DVD from Dutch TV. Shirley and her sister are just as soppy about GO as I am, so it was no hardship, I can assure you. We sighed, clapped (!) and sang and had a lovely evening.
This morning with the sun playing silly b*ggers half of the time, it was the Sunday papers and more chatting that got us through the day. As I said : a lovely, lazy day.
Thank for all the links, ladies and the photos, Martin. You've all worked hard.

I echo what Eva said-you have been busy! It's taken me ages to catch up and the new home only opened it's doors to us on Friday afternoon.
Had a storm here earlier which resulted in parts of the main road flooding, sloppy phoned to make sure I got home from work ok, nice to know she cares, my lot just said "you're wet!" as if I hadn't noticed, and that was just getting from the car to the door.
I'm shattered now, it's been a really busy weekend, so I probably won't hang around for long tonight. Just got enough energy to check out the pics (thanks again Martin)
Happy holidays or welcome home, whichever applies, see you tomorrow.

Ooo Jo! I got something right! That's a first!

Geri - I hope you are having a good time at your concert.

And now I'm going to join Ploppy watching TV.

See you later Loppies!

Thanks Martin can see 30 fine now.

I'm having an early night. I don't know why, but I feel a headache coming on. It's not as if I've used my brain much today! Maybe it is because of underuse? Whatever it is, I think I'll be better off in my bed.
geri,- I hope you've enjoyed your concert tonight.
To all of you good night, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams and wake up happy.

Eva I like that image you have conjured up, not surprised you needed the cooling system, I feel a bit of a melting moment myself.

Have had an entertaining evening looking at one or two dvds, do you really need me to tell which ones? May watch a teensy bit more and then bed I think.

Hope Leonard was good Geri, and you had a good evening.

So night night people sleep tight.

hello and ninite dear loppies . dragged ploppy to long walk this eveing was fed up with my morning attempt.!
going to see the drawings now Jane E just before bed!!!!.
hope you all had a good weekend.
xxxxx loads of swwet dreams all

I'm just home from a cold, wet and FABULOUS Leonard Cohen concert. I know I'm just a wee slip of a girl, but I've been waiting thirty years to see him & he didn't disappoint. Even dollop, who likes her creature comforts, didn't mind sitting in the pouring rain with a leaky umbrella listening to him. Mind you, his standing ovation was nothing to the one the GO got on Saturday night...Oh, and his graphic design looks suspiciously like our Jane's work! I'll send it to the photographic department tomorrow for posting so you can see what I mean. And speaking of Jane's pictures -- I just sent the most recent two to Martin. Fans at the ready, ladies. I know I needed one!

Glad to see you've all kept the gutter busy in my absence. It makes me so proud!

Right, off to bed. Sweet meads and wake up happy, as Eva would say.

Martin-trying to get photos from 7th to you, need to give them a bit of a tweek before sending. At least they are out of camera and in pc now, so part of the way there.
Nightlee night all

oooo Geri - how was the lovely Lenny? Can't wait for my turn - July 17.
Once I'd regathered myself from the puddle I'd become, I tried to think of book titles - - came up with Black Beauty and P&P - and the almost see through hose [gulp splutter gasp] but how about "Little Miss Muffitt" for the nursery rhyme(my version has her squash the spider with her spoon - I like it better that way). I see though that the Kar'ns are being very brave and humane in their 'spider protection racket'.
OK, I'm creamed now - fab day out with friends, and it didn't rain on my parade once..
Sleep tight everyone and sweetest of meady dreams...
Will have to check out the links later - Diana, you're a star with your research making sure we don't miss thing.
Nite nite - again.

Chapter Thirty One complete with illustration is ready for viewing at the holiday home.

Good morning, all. It took me ages to get to sleep last night. I was so cold I ended up getting dressed and wrapping up in tonnes of blankets - and this is with the heater on, mind. My leather jacket is still soaked -- did I mention it was a tad cold & wet at the concert? Mind you, I don't really care because I had a fabulous time. Ooh, BHB, of course I'll tell you all about it, but softly; I don't want to spoil any surprises for Auds. Of course we can go into the kitchen & I can tell you there -- perhaps you can find a way to help me warm up?

Good morning all!

Glad you enjoyed the concert Geri - but what a shame about the weather.

I see the BHB has borrowed one of Pauline2's blankets for you - isn't that sweet of him!

Thank you Carys - I'll have to check out the holiday home later!

Morning all. Sun shining brightly today and the birds holding their usual, noisy morning concert. I bet LC sounded better than that last night, Lepry!
Hello sweetheart. You can come out of the kitchen now,- Geri is gone! She told you all about Lenny? No, there is no need to be jealous. He is a rather old man, not really suitable for a 27 year old, but you know how it is, some ladies have a fascination for men much older that them! I must say I rather prefer the toy-boy type! Don't look so alarmed! I didn't mean you.(Yes, I did, but he doesn't have to know that, does he? He has enough to contend with, what with Pauline2 and her blankets and all that.)
Since we are in Spain, maybe we should try a Spaninsh type of breakfast? Strong coffee? Yes, I like that. A Danish? I don't think so! This going native doesn't always do it for me. I think I'll stick to the walnut rolls, some smoked salmon (my favourite, you know, and Diva's!) and scrambled eggs. That will do me nicely, thank you.
Afterwards? I thought I might have a swim. Have I packed my bikini ???? Now BHB, let's get one thing clear: Bikinis and I are not mentioned in the same sentence. I know you are squinting sometimes,- does it mean you should really use glasses? On second thoughts, don't do that. Then you wouldn't pay me the compliment of thinking I should wear a bikini!

Good morning. Glad you enjoyed your visit, Eva, and that you enjoyed the concert, Geri. Hope you don't get a cold.

I've had the Concert for Diana DVD for months and finally got it out last night. Only watched the ALW section (Ploppy came in from mowing the lawn and wanted the golf) so haven't checked the extras but will do so in the next few days (he's out Wednesday evening). I have to say Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman's version of All I Ask of You isn't a patch on Lee & Connie's. I like JG but Lee's voice has so much more emotion and warmth in it.

Good Morning Ladies
I have received 2 more pictures for COD chapters 32 and 33, 33 needs some editing and as I can't do that at work, I will do it tonight.

Sorry forgot to mention they are online.

Lynx (Lin, I assume?),- what is that black spot on your left breast? (I didn't know how else to indicate where it is .) You mean you haven't looked at the album yet? It's your debut there, and very beautiful you look too.
Martin,- who thought up the caption to pic 33? Very naughty!

Sorry Eva, I couldn't resist (slap on wrist duly noted)

Good morning. Are we in sunny Spain? BHB I'll need some help putting the factor 30 onto my back please. I'll have a strong coffee first though.

You've all been very busy over the weekend. When I left on Friday evening there were only around 20 comments and now its 173!

Geri I know I'm late saying it but the verses for Scott were excellent.

Oh dear, very very quick hi and bye until a bit later.
Laptop at home appears to have died (not surprisingly as it has been ailing for quite awhile now) so will only be able to keep in touch while in work and this morning is absolutely hectic.

Sorry for not being around to pull you into the gutter last night Pauline, I know it's really where you feel most at home!! I suspect, however, that when I get to catch up on the recent chapters and Jane's illustrations I'll be back in there very fast!

Got exam results online this morning (B and B- ) very pleased with that, roll on next year! More study & stress, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Ok, gotta go, see you later.

Morning all, absolutely beautiful here at the moment, be nice if it lasts! Sorry you got so wet last night Geri, amazing what we'll put up within a good cause.

Love the pictures JaneE, you did have fun with the lake didn't you! Have a feeling there might be a story in Lynx picture? See how cagey I am these days, having made a bit of an idiot of my self once I step carefully now!

Well Karen2 I see you've got me sussed! I missed the gutter a bit but never fear I know we will return to it! Sorry about your laptop dying, may it RIP.

Hello BHB, why I see you have one of my blankets ready. Oh I see it was to keep Lepry warm, hummm, mind no of course I don't mind we don't want our Laureate getting cold now do we. (Just wondering exactly how cold she was!) So shall we on to the beach and I think a nice beach picnic later will go down very nicely, but for now we can just sit and I'll rub sun cream on your back. It doesn't matter if it's been done already you must keep reapplying.....regularly!

Heck I forgot, congratulations Karen2. That sounds great, though I don't have a clue! Well done on your results, but had a feeling they would be ok.

Well done, Karen2, though shame about the laptop.

Karen2,- congrats on good exam results! See, we told you it would be all right! Sorry about your laptop,- hope you can get a new one soon. What will we do without you when you're not at work? The gutter never is the same without you!
Martin,- never fear,- we do like naughty, naughty but nice, mind!
I'm back from my weekly outing to Tesco, so now the fridge and larder are filled again. (Not that I have an oldfashioned larder, but you know what I mean.)

Martin! You naughty man! That was NOT the caption I used (very funny though I'm giggling!)

Karen2 - Well done! Sorry about your lap-top though. How annoying that is!

Hmm Eva - you are right about Lynx- she seems to have a stain on (I think the word you wanted was) bodice.

Well how lovely to be sitting on a Spainish beach - after you've finished with Pauline2, would you mind doing my back please, BHB?

Well done Karen2 now you've got a nice long summer before you have to think about next year.

Pass the sangria Jane and the BHB when you've finished with him.

JaneE,- trust you to come up with a ladylike word for breast!
Maeve,- you don't ask for much, do you? Sangria AND BHB?

Not too sure one ever finishes with BHB, but one can't be greedy.

So that is a stain is it JaneE, now that rings a bell somehow, will have to think about it. Have to go to Sloppy in a minute as the optician is coming to see her. So will ponder, but someone will prbably get it before I get back!

JaneE,- if it's the stain that's significant, all I can come up with is a vague memory of a leaking pen in a breast pocket, but I can't for the life of me remember which book it is.

Oh 'eck, what are you two like Pauline2 and Eva! No the stain isn't significant - it must have been a mark on the paper!

I don't suppose I could have a refill on the sangria, could I Maeve?

Now I had a bit of trouble getting out of the house this morning - a bit of a problem with the key. So if you don't hear from me again tonight, I'm probably sat on the doorstep waiting for a locksmith!

Coming over Jane, those two just think too much!

Hope you're not on the doorstep.

JaneE,- you saw what happened yesterday: When I don't excercise my brain, I get a headace. OK, just a blot on the paper, then. Now, wait a minute.........Pauline2, is there a book about blotting your copybook?

At home safe and sound - but there's deffinately something wrong with my key!

Hey do you think, 'Sorry boss, I couldn't come into w*rk because I'm locked in the house' makes a good excuse?

Hi all, I'm home after a grueling day at the w-place. The fun just continues. Can't any of you lovely loppies adopt me? I don't take up much room and will keep you very entertained with all sorts of stories...Anyone?

Congrats on the grades, Karen2, and commisserations on the computer. Think you'll have to bite the bullet and get a new one -- I'm sure Page Boru is highly distressed. Not!

Right, off to have a quick dinner, and work on the next chapter. Back later.

PS: I forgot to mention Irish actor Jim Norton won the Tony award for best actor. Woo-hoo!

Well done Karen2, sorry to hear your laptop has given up.didn't you tell it it was 27 too and everlasting!!!?
Hope you are all enjoying your sangria and are careful with the sun.....don't forget the tapas.
going to view Jane Es'art work. will be back no doubt you will all be sloshed by then hehehe. xxxx

Evening all, hummmm I think you are right Eva, now if I could just think of the title...ow JaneE did you just throw the book at me? In my defence there was a book called The Dark Stain I'm sure of it!

Did someone mention sloshed? I'm there glass at the ready, maybe some nice Rioja would go down very well in deference to our Spanish sojurn.

Well now, Lepry wants to be adopted! I can testify to her not taking up much room. Any Moses basket or doggy bed will do! She's clean, tidy and as long as you give her a computer to play with, quite good company! I would propose we send her on a trial round to the Loppies, like they used to do with spinster aunties in the olden days. What we'll do when we run out of Loppies, is another matter. Maybe we can send her to Scott dear to keep his paperclips in order!

Good evening Ladies.
Eva you will be glad to hear that King Lee is no longer playing with his ducks, you'll have excuse my touch of humour.

Geri has sent me a picture from the Leonard Cohen's concert, and I have put it online in the Miscellaneous album.

Keep paperclips in order? How rude!

Martin, I loved your title. Why did you change it?

Loppies, the picture Martin is referring to is the graphic image that I think looks very Jane. Though I have a few nice shots of the Great Man, too. Sorry, I mean LC this time...

Evening all

Jane - I love the picture of the Kar'ns (well I would wouldn't I!!). I see that Kar'n2 and Kar'nC are, as Auds said, being humane - whereas I'm just bashing them with the Daily Mail!!

I had a LOL moment at Pauline and Eva looking for some significance in the stain - sorry ladies but it did make me laugh!!

K2 - congrats on the exam results. Well done you.

Jane - I see nothing wrong with your excuse not to go into work. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Talking of excuses not to go into work reminds me of once when one of my staff rang in sick with a headache caused by a book falling on her head whilst she was in the pub (I kid you not!). Never heard that one before (or since for that matter!!).

Right, I'm ready to join in this getting sloshed business. Mine's a large one (if you'll pardon the expression!!).

Geri I've just checked the Tony's, when you said Jim Norton had won I wondered whether it was for 'The Seafarer' and it was!
I saw that at The National last year and it was fantastic, the funniest play I've seen for years, everyone stood at the end (very unusual at The Nat.) and the man behind us kept shouting "Bloody Brilliant"!

Karen - I didn't think you'd want to be humane to weepies!

I once saw a sick-note saying 'plumbum gryratus' There was a doctor with a sense of humour!

Speaking of which - I liked your new title Martin! You didn't need to change it!

Well if Eva says she's house trained, I have room for a Lephry...

Humph, that's the second time you have got me JaneE, oh well as long as people laugh I don't mind.

Oh yes am sure I can find room for a little one round here somewhere! So you can go on the Grand Tour of Loppydom then Geri!

Ooh JaneE you weren't posing for that picture were you?Must have been chilly.

This glass must be very small as it keeps emptying, must be evaporation.

Mm, I like the loppy version of the Grand Tour. Very 1900s with a better soundtrack! So I should start in London: who's there?

One rather obscure American mystery novel today.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Despite his muscular physique, it was a strain for King Lee to carry the Dame to her room. She howled and sobbed the whole way and if the King had not been such a gentleman he’d have told her to put a sock in it. As it was, he gritted his teeth and carried her step after painful step up to her tower room. A group of anxious loppies followed close behind more intent on observing the broadness of his shoulders and the tightness of his, uh, hose…than the condition of the howling muse.

With considerable gentleness (and no small relief) the King set Dame Endora down upon the bed and covered her with a bright red blanket that Praline had been persuaded – reluctantly – to part with.

“I think someone ought to stay with her,” he said to the loppies. They all looked at each other, hoping someone would volunteer. Missing sleep because of guard duty, or maintaining spider control were onerous tasks, but ones they performed without complaint. Sitting with the annoying, over-made up, over perfumed, over-coiffed Dame was very close to a step too far.

“I’ll do it,” Fifi said.

He stood and took both her hands in his. “Really, Fifi?” he asked. “You know you don’t have to.”

She looked on the verge of tears. “It’s all my fault that the Dame’s upset; and it’s my fault Maid Marryme is unconscious.”

“Come with me, Fifi,” he said.

He took her arm and led her out to the balcony. From here there was a stunning view and the midday sun cast a golden haze across the landscape. Again he was aware of the scarlet thread tingle against his chest. If he’d been alone, he’d have drawn Cric’s attention to it, but the sword was snoring loudly. Well, to King Lee; obviously no one else could hear it.

He sat on the big bench loaded with lots of soft cushions and looked at Fifi. She still seemed upset.

“I think you’re being awfully hard on yourself, Fifi,” he said. “Tell me what happened.”

“Well,” she said. “It was the shower, you see…” she bit her lip. “You were in Maid Marryme’s room, using her shower—I was curious…”

“Of course you were, darling,” he said. He hugged her. “So you decided to ask Maid Marryme what was going on.”

She nodded. “The Muse was a bit upset with me. She scolded me for barging in on you – you’d think I did it deliberately, and I didn’t, honest!”

“I believe you.”

“I mean, all the loppies know you’re gorgeous, and I’m not saying I MINDED seeing you in the shower, what with the soapy rivulets and all…” (Pause for Karen2 to have a moment. Any other loppies want to join her? Didn’t think so…) “But none of us would walk in on you deliberately. Well, maybe Rave; she has a think about water running down muscular chests and abs…What was I saying? Oh, yes, Maid Marryme was upset with me, and she was cross that I asked her what you were doing in her shower. She said it was none of my business.”

He stared across the fields at the uncomplicated landscape. What should he say. The scarlet thread was almost scalding him and made it very difficult to concentrate.

“You don’t have to say it, you know,” Fifi said. “I know it’s none of my business what you do in your private life. I was out of line to ask.”

“You can’t help being curious, Fifi,” he said, gently. “But if it helps any, I had a couple of loppies in my bed and just needed somewhere to shower without disturbing them.”

“You do seem to have a lot of loppies stay in your bed,” Fifi said.

He blushed. “Well, I can’t help it,” he said. “Lepry keeps writing the story that way! Anyway,” he continued. “How does Dame Endora come into this encounter with Maid Marryme?”

“Oh, well, it was getting a bit heated, to tell you the truth. Marryme was shouting at me and I suppose I might have shouted back. Then Dame Endora came by and tried to get us both calmed down. And we were still all talking together and then Maid Marryme said, ‘What’s that smell?’ And Dame Endora took a sniff and said she couldn’t smell anything, and Maid Marryme said she wasn’t surprised with all the cheap perfume the Dame wears, and the Dame said it was very expensive French perfume and – well they were still arguing then Maid Marryme just sort of gasped, ‘Aus!’, and passed out. The Dame and I tried to catch her, and the three of us ended in a heap on the floor. Then some of the loppies came by and took Maid Marryme to her room. Gray’mm and Dot are with her now. And then the Dame started to pass out – and that’s when you arrived.”

She took a deep breath, for that had been a very long speech, and King Lee sat quietly and said nothing for a long time after she’d finished.

“And you didn’t notice anything suspicious, or see anyone else around while you were talking to Maid Marryme and Dame Endora?” he asked.

Fifi mused a moment. “There was someone there, or something, I felt it. But I didn’t see anything.”

“All right,” he said. He rose and stretched. His neck was sore from the strain of carrying the large muse up several flights of steps round and round to the top. He was dizzy just thinking about it.

“Right,” he said. “I don’t know what any of that means, but I’m sure it means something. Are you sure you don’t mind looking after the Dame?”

“I feel I have to, King Lee,” Fifi said. “After all, if I hadn’t distracted her, she wouldn’t have been there – none of us would – and whatever or whoever it was that had such a bad effect on the muses wouldn’t have been able to hurt them.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “But I’m not sure that’s so. Fifi, I’m not going to ask you to keep this to yourself; I’m sure you’ll talk to the other loppies, at least. But don’t let it go any further than that, if you don’t mind.”

“Anything you say, King Lee.”

She left him and went back to see to the dozing muse. King Lee stood thinking dark thoughts. Just a few hours ago Trice had told him only three people had the ability to smell the evil in a person. Diva, Maid Marryme and Dot. And now two of them had been incapacitated. Someone, he decided, was eliminating everyone who could expose their evil. There was no doubt about it: Aus had an ally working in the castle.

You can start the Grand Tour at mine, Geri. Very convenient for the Adelphi! I'm afraid there would be a small charge - fancy doing the h**sew**k???

Martin, please change the title back. It was so funny.

Who is Aus' ally! Thank you yet again, Geri.

The plot thickens!!!

Ooo Geri - it's getting exciting now!

Er no Pauline - I can safetly say there is no way I can stand in for King Lee!

Sorry it took some time to react. I was taking several moments with Karen2 and the thoughts of soapy rivulets.....gulp.....I'm having another moment.

Once again ovely chapter Geri but alas I am hopeless with books I read a lot but obiously not like you lot..... May I join you all with a large rioja have brought a bottle or two with me. Oh oh oh you have caught the sun .mmmmmmmmmm I cannot see the bikine straps naughty girls HBH is very shy you know.
Another long journey to dorset tomorrow hope we can find fuel! or Donna might have guests she did not intend to have!.
xxxxxx

Muscles, abs , soapy rivulets and we're supposed to concentrate enough to find a story after that??? Much more research needed I think.

No Jane, I meant the picture Geri says looks like you on Miscellaneous!

oohhh eerrr, what is happening in the story. Bit scary. Not seen drawings yet. I'll have to pop there next.

Sorry bit late tonight, had to do a bit a home office work, bills to pay, emails to non Loppies to write.

Non-loppies, Jo4? Does not compute. Please explain.

Pauline2, you are naughty! I meant the style of the picture looked like Jane's style of drawing -- not that she posed for it! Although, now you mention it...

Oh Pauline - gone are those days! Erm of course I'm 27 - I forgot!

Ooooh Geri, I admit I might have a think about soapy rivulets and muscular chests occasionly but Rave is a lady and would never walk in deliberately, only accidently on purpose!

Well, of course, I know that, Maeve, but that Fifi obviously has other ideas!

I'm still paused for the soapy rivulets moment!!!!!! Sorry Karen2 - just had to share that moment with you!

Drawings excellent, so fitting for the story.

mmmm non Loppies, a strange type of person who has no understanding of GO and no wish to find out.
Actually one of them is a chap I've known since (before I was born) the early 70's. His partner died suddenly at Christmas and then 3 weeks later he was diagnosed with cancer. So really sad and aweful time over the last 6 months.

Ok time for moi to retire ! no I am not sloshed but wish I was. leave you with the vintage rioja I took from scollop.... ninite all sweet mead

I have no idea what the book is. The only note I made was "A step too far". Is it connected to this? Otherwise I'm still in thrall of King Lee's muscles. I never wanted to be Dame Endora, but if King Lee will carry me to my bed......oh dear, yes, yes, yes!!!!!

Oh Jo4 that's sad! Hope things get a bit better for him.

Right - I'm following Chantale to bed...erm that didn't quite come out right, did it?

Good night

OOoooooh - A chapter to myself (almost) with King lee and he hugs me . Swoon swoon.

You have obviously sussed my Calvinist Presbyterian guilty nature Geri ie - everything is my fault and all sins must be atoned for - mind you sitting with Dame Endora is some atonement - and was marching in on King lee in the shower and taking in the "ahem" view really such a sin.

Ok just going to reread my "balcony scene" with King lee. BTW is the book "Romeo and Juliet"? Swoon swoon....

Hm, trying to think of a clue. The author was an American woman who specialised in the genre known as, 'If I'd known then what I know now' type of mystery. She has three names (like Arthur Conan Doyle) and you could imagine a very over the top Bette Davis appearing in a film version of one of her stories. The books are quite popular in America, but not well known this side of the Atlantic (though this book often shows up on 100 best mystery novels lists -- there are a few such on the web...)

Jo4, sorry to hear about your friend. Some people seem to have all their bad luck hit them at the same time, don't they? Lots of ohms for them, and for you.

I'm following Jane & Chantale to bed.

Thanks Geri-life is not fair sometimes. Both not overweight, never smoked, exercised due to active life.
Anyway, no new YTs except a couple from some mad woman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-_BznTAWDk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPCk1pkSi_w
Nightlee night

Geri,- it's going to be rather cramped in that bed! Still have no idea about the book.
Jo4,- now we know who you're looking at when you're not droolong over GO!
Good night all, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams (I don't have to tell you, Fi, do I?) and wake up happy.

Whoa at last I'm back! Lost internet connection and it wouldn't reconnect. Major panic set in arghhhhh. Rang AOL pushed a hundred and one buttons (ok I exaggerate but you get the idea) to be told the whole server was down! You'd think they'd have a message like that on immediately the phone rings wouldn't you? GRRRRRRRRRRR.

Anyway Jo4 yours was a timely reminder that there are far worse things in life. So sorry for your friend that is a really horrible thing to happen.

Anyway obviously haven't had time to think about the book, did find time to think about the rivulets though, and now it's bed time! If inspiration strikes I'll let you know.....providing AOL doesn't go walkabout again!

Night night people sleep tight.

Just a though, is the book The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart?

Right really going now, night night.

Wow, you're on a roll, Pauline2! Well done -- you got it!

I'm up early because it was, as Eva said, cramped in that bed and some people -- won't name names -- snore! Or it could be I'm having a rotten time at that w-place & have to be there at the crack of dawn!

Ah, BHB, you're always there with a smile on your face when I need you. Yes, a little stressed -- as song? Well, if you can sing...Oh, yes, I love Miss You Nights. (This should be intersting. Oh my!)

Good Morning all,

I'm glad we decided to decamp to Spain because the weather in Yorkshire isn't appealing this morning!

But that isn't stopping Ploppy who has taken to walking to w*rk (which takes him 50 mins).

I'd rather lie on the beach, Pauline2 won't mind if I borrow a blanket. Hello BHB - yes you're quite right I do need some sunblock - Ooo thank you! How nice of you to do my back for me!

Good morning loppies.
I am not guilty me don't snore Kingsize bed!!!!!
Jo4 sorry to hear about you friend. it must be the year because Friday our friend of 43 died in a car crash leaving an 8 year old daughter behind, how the hell do you explain that to a child , yes Jo4 life can be a s.. !
Now BHB please cover your eyes if some bare chest no good for your disposition. Well girls think of me on the 3 hour journey. Oh very sad got to part with the GO painting for a while. sniff sniff he is going to be so so lonely on the wall in that gallery hope there are no weepy there.
see you all later, got to take Dixie for a walk as she cannot fit in the car and has to stay behind with parents!.
xxxxxx

Morning all. The sun is shining here and the birds started their usual racket early. I know, I know, they have a right to live, but why do they have to start yelling at 5 am? Couldn't they just give us another hour of sleeping bliss?
Hello sweetheart. They have you do backs again? They do have tender skins, those Loppies, don't they? They must keep the sunblock cream factories going non-stop! You sung for Geri this morning? Miss-you-nights???? Bless you, that is such a lovely song. I think that's my Cliffy number 1 song. You'll do it for me too? All right, why don't we enter the Tardis, and you can sing it while we wing our way to Spain? I'll wait with my breakfast until we get there.
(Here I should have made Tardis-sounds, but as I don't know how it sounds, I'll have to improvise.) WHOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (Is that a good Tardis- sound?)
Ah, here we are, BHB. I must say, you do a beautiful rendering of Miss-you-nights. Have you ever considered making a career as a singer? Why are you stomping off in a temper? I think he is a bit touchy in the morning. I'd better make my own coffee, and let him cool off.

Good morning Ladies
There is another picture for chapter 33 of COD, and it is now online.
By popular demand, King Lee is once again playing with his duck.

Martin,- thank you for giving King Lee his duck back. He was quite miserable without it!
JaneE,- are you trying to create a mystery tour with those signs over the door? I saw a creature at Jodhpur's feet. Is it her furry friend?
Right,- I'm off for my massage and acupuncture treatment. Looking forward to it. See you later.

Yay the sun is out and King Lee is playing with his duck so all is right in the world.

Over here with the sun cream BHB.

It's so early in the day and already I've dug myself into a hole at w**k. The boss has seen numerous emails about the Dublinfest because all emails go to her as well! She asked when I was going and then commented there was alot of activity when it's not until September. She wasn't having a go and was ok about it. She then went all dreamy herself and said LC had just done a concert in Dublin. I immediately said I know as one of the Dublops had been to it and she gave me a very strange look indeed. I assured her it was excellent and am now trying to encourage her to try and see him at the O2.

Morning All

Oh this is just awful, really missed you all last night, so badly wanted to check in and keep up with the chatter, withdrawal symptoms were horrible.
Unfortunately will not be able to replace laptop for a few weeks, (cashflow issues) can't imagine what I'm going to do at the weekend - cold turkey for 2 whole days!!

Going back for a quick scan of what's been going on and hope to find a new chapter there?

Apologies Alison - as I was the source of yesterdays Dublinfest emails (or some of them at least) hope all is ok with your boss. Good to get your text messages anyway.

Morning all, thankgoodness all seems well here at the moment and my server is behaving. Karen2 you have all my sympathy, it was bad enough being cut off for one evening let alone a weekend!

Goody I got the book right! Sorry I know crowing is very unattractive.

Like the Tardis sound Eva, very original! So another beautiful day here on the beach. Humm I see Jane has pinched a blanket and BHB. Well alright but it is my turn now please. Hello BHB you have been busy haven't you. I think you deserve a break so I think we can just sit down and have coffee, what do you mean of course I drink coffee...sometimes! The Sangria comes later!

Morning, sorry I haven't been around much over the last few days. After my hectic weekend I ended up with a dodgy ankle (old ligament injury which flares up evry now and then) and I had a very bad night on Sunday and was then unable to walk properly on Monday. Sloppy came to the rescue and ferried scollps and I about and took me out for coffee, and home for lunch etc. WHen ploppy arrived home I kindly suggested we take scollops out for a McDonalds!!! I tried (and failed) to persuade youngest one to have the musicals stickers instead of the football ones, so ended up buying them myself. Ploppy realised why and asked "isn't it about time you grew up?" to which I replied "loppies don't age we stay 27 forever!" I'm surprised he hasn't had me committed!!
Scollop has now decided he'd like the musical sticker book after all, do you think he'll notice if a certain one is missing?
Lots to catch up on today as I was incapacitated yesterday, but I WILL be back at some point.

oooooooohhhhhhhh a soapy rivulets moment -thankyou Geri, the fans are aflutter! Very naughty of me, but the shower moment in the movie has given me the perfect mental image, just change the face and I'm there, swoon.....

Jane - still loving the pictures especially the one of "the King & his Kar'ns"............ I know, I know, thats changing the title but I like the way that sounds!

And for the record I'll take spider duty any time if it means getting that UC & P with the King, I'm just happily imagining where his right arm is!

Ok, all this dreaminess means no w**k is getting done, must drag myself back to RL. Will check in later.

Forgot my manners, oohhmms to Jo's friend, congrats to Karen2 for results, but commiserations for laptop, hope your lock is working Jane, and apologies if I've left anyone out

Morning. Bit belated due to w**k. One of my team's on jury service for 2 weeks - not terribly convenient!

Sorry about your friend, Jo.

I'm glad my emails don't go to my boss!! Nice to know you'll be joining us, Alison. Karen2, do you have a public library with PCs near you that you could visit on Saturday?

Back to RL.

Thanks Ali, my results are about the one uplifting thing in an otherwise horrible week. Lots of serious family illnesses happening at the moment, you know the saying, it never rains but it pours........

Sorry Jo, missed what you said about your friend, (blame the speed reading) oohhhmmms for him and also for Chantal's friend's family,

And Lady Jane - "lock problems?" sorry, have skimmed up and down but couldn't find that post, what kind of lock was it........ yes, my imagination has me back in the gutter! (slap on the wrist to myself)
Didn't realise your costume dramas involved such attention to detail!

Karen2 - you are a naughty Loppy! It was the lock on my front door (and it's still causing trouble). Anyway Ohhhmmms for your family. Hope you manage to find a PC this weekend.

- and Ohhhmmms for Chantale's friend and Jo's friend and for Ali's ankle (sounds painful Ali - ouch!).

Very pleased your coming to Dublinfest Alison. Odd that your boss thought that 'Dub-lop' is a strange word. Next she'll be saying she doesn't know what a Ploppy is!

Thank you Martin - and King Lee would no doubt thank you for the return of his duck!

Eva - well spotted - that is indeed Jo4's little furry friend Jodphur's feet. And yes - those arrows are a clue (NOT to a book), so all you have to do is figure out what they mean! (Cue evil laugh from the Graphic's Dept)

I'm back after being kneaded and needled. Feeling much better for it.
Alison,- as long as your boss doesn't question your excellent use of w**k time, she is welcome to reading the e-mails.
JaneE,- don't you think we have anything else to do than trying to desipher your codes? Well, I don't, you are right, but still all I can see is white/black arrows and white/black triangles. Are we going around in a circle?
And what is that big heap on the floor with the big hayfork sticking up? Is it Diva in a heap and the fork symbolizing her horns? You see, you've got me in a complete muddle now. I think I'll have a banana, a cup of herbal tea and read my paper. Maybe that will bring some order to my mind.(No comments, please!)
Ali,- hope your ankle gets better soon. Can't you sneak off to McDonalds when the scollops are at school?
Karen2,- go and find a library. As I said yesterday: The gutter isn't the same without you!

Ugh I have just been chased round the room by Weepy, and a huge Weepy at that! I have a humane trap and was trying my best to catch it, being extremly brave, but the darn thing wouldn't co-operate and getting away headed straight for me with revenge on it's mind, so I'm sorry but baser instincts took over and it is now an ex Weepy, but I did try, honestly!

Think we need lots of ohhhhhhhhhmmmmmms by the sound of it for all the poor friends and relatives that are having problems, so ohhhhhhhhhmmmmmmms for them all.

All those arrows JaneE, I have seen the signs before and am racking my brains to think where, maybe if we don't crack it by this evening we may get an eensie weensie clue please?

Btw locks....snigger!

Hello Everyone! Got abit of good news today that the strike in Spain has finished so I am rather relieved about that (so must Carol be!!) Also good news for Hamster fans as Top Gear (one of my favourite shows) is back on Sunday night, 8.00 BBC2!!

Pauline2,- a good Weepy is a dead Weepy! That's my opinion. I'm not as nice as you!
As we were talking about young Anthony the other day, have a look at this:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/antsmate/AntasPharoah1.jpg

Jane - Wingdings3 gives me this.... AhcAus wes leref - I'm still working on it, but I guess it's on the lines of "evil aus woz 'ere"
That pile of hay, not the DID (Diva in Disguise) - that pitchfork looks awfully familiar.
And the King with his duck - mallard at that, which THREE chicks.. have they taken over from the 3 fish thingy then? I was a bit concerend that he'd lost the thread whilst swimming, but I see that it's there in the story. Have just finished catching up with that... so I'm glad it's lunch time now, I might just pop over to the gym for a cold shower. The opening sentence quite floored me.
Pauline - you're on the ball with the book clues. How you can even begin to think of a title whilst reading that chapter is beyond me. I bow down to your skill.
K2 [belated]congrats on your results (I'm glad we were all proved right) but then sorry about the laptop. Just pretend you're on holiday..
Geri - thanks for the LC pic.. my own that its, not the Loppy version, which I agree is very Miss E-AW, in style. Oh, and I have a spare room with a bed for when you start your Loppy Tour - at least I think there's a bed in there, it seems to have become my wardrobe recently.
Alison, very glad you're joining the DublinFest..
I'm very glad my boss doesn't get to read my emails - thankful that I can access my private address at work.
ooo Ali - you and me both with ankle problems. An old injury just flared up yesterday evening - I don't think mine is a bad as yours, but I have had to put on a support today, just to remind me that I mustn't rush around (yeah, right! like I do that all the time - but you know what I mean.
Right, Boss is gone now (could you guess) and I'm off for a bite to eat. CUL8R

Been very good this morning and caught up on lots of mending. Even had the sewing machine out to repair younger scollop's baseball cap which got torn at school. All this despite the lovely sunshine outside! But I have been listening to ALW's Gold album - very good until "All I Ask of You" came on. I'm sorry Geri, Karen et al, but Cliff and Sarah Brightman don't do it for me in the same way as the GO's duet with Connie. Cliff just doesn't have the same depth and passion to his voice!

Now even worse, Weepy has just started to sing ADWD as I type! Hope this is not a bad omen....

Ouch Jackie, turn him off please.....it's hurting my ears!

Auds - I know what you mean but I haven't even got the enjoyment of being on holiday.
Thanks for the suggestion of the library, they do indeed have computers I could use and I will try to get over there but Saturday is going to be a busy day as PB goes away for THREE WEEKS on Sunday and I imagine I'll be helping him pack. Needless to say, he's hopping up and down with excitement.

Jane - sorry - couldn't resist!

I wonder if the costume Antony's wearing is identical to the one Lee had. I've only seen a B&W of Lee as Pharoah. Must go the newspaper library again soon and see if I can find a pic.

Ooohmmms to those in need - gotta go

Karen2,- start the packing today, and then you can go to the library on Saturday! On the other hand, since PB is going away the next day, we'll forgive you for wanting to spending time with him. I hope he has a brilliant time in The US of A.

Thank you Ali B! Another Hamster fan here! Jo4 and I were worried we'd missed the first show on Sunday.

Jackie - shame you can't you just swat that weepy like Pauline did.

Yes - sorry - in the excitment of drawing ducks I did miss the thread! Oops!

Auds - how do you do it?! I thought it would take ages for someone to suss what I'd used! You are so close - make allowances for shoddy drawing and you'll get it!

Good deciphering Auds, wouldn't have got close in a month of sundays myself! I read each chapter and savour it then re-read and try to pick out the clue, but never get it, so a pat on the back to those who do!
Took my ankle support off today, big mistake as it's starting to throb again now, will be wearing it again tonight for Brownies and take some more painkillers. We're cooking so I should be able to rest it a bit. Hope it improves by the weekend though or I'm going to struggle to walk the carnival route, may have to hitch a lift on the float instead.
Forgot to say Alison that I'm glad you're coming to Dublin too, and does your boss read ALL your emails at work? I'm surprised she gets anything else done with all the messages bouncing about at the moment!
Anyone heard from Carol?

Hi again,

Jane - a question, who is the figure on the hill in the background while King Lee plays with his duck?

Well done Auds on the wingdings! Would never have thought of that!

Thanks AliB, great to hear that Top Gear is coming back. While I'm not big on cars, I absolutely adore the Hamster, and I watch it just for the banter between the 3 of them. PB and I have just cracked up at some of the episodes, one that springs to mind was the conversion of cars to boats and the attempt to cross the channel - absolutely hilarious, Also the trek across Africa in the bangers.

Eva - sorry, don't know what I must have said to give the impression that PB was heading to the states.
He is actually going to university, it's a summer programme that is run by the Centre for Talented Youth of Ireland. This will be his 3rd and final year to go and he just loves it. They attend classes and have to produce written work and make a final presentation but they also have a great time socially. He has made such good friends there.

Anyway, wish I had time to get him packed this early, I'm afraid I'm just not that organised and you wouldn't believe all the stuff a teenage boy needs. I thought girls were bad!!

Interesting to see that picture of Antony, he looks so different.

W**k day nearly over, heading home shortly, obviously won't be online tonight but will be going to my parents anyway as Mum has her 70th birthday today. Not in form for celebrations but will want to see us all for a visit.

Well, behave yourselves tonight, do try to keep out of the gutter, oh who am I kidding? Might as well try to tell birds not to fly!
Talk to you all tomorrow.

I'm off home in a minute too. It can't come soon enough. I've had a really slow day. I much prefer being busy. Still I suppose I should make the most of it.

Ali I don't think my boss reads all my emails. She just sees a batch on one subject and shows an interest. It just means I have to be a bit restrained in my responses.

Karen2 if you go to the library at the weekend be warned it is a very frustrating experience-well mine is anyway. I have been forced to catch up on the library's computers a few times and at my local library it is so busy they have you on a timer which counts down in the top corner so if you are trying to do a long post invariably it runs out of time on you. Very annoying.

"The Aus was 'ere!"

Just quick as I am off home soon but one of my fave episodes of Top Gear was when they went on the caravanning holiday with Top Gear dog!! Just genius! Its the funniest show on the TV.

Nothing shoddy about the drawing Jane..
I must have been an egyptian or maybe even an archiologist in a last life I guess.. I have an eye for hieroglyphics and the like, so play quite a bit with the web- and wingdings. Also good at writing backwards.. one day I'm sure it will come in very useful. I was fairly useful to have around when a bunch of us went to Greece for our hols once. Taught myself to read a bit of greek - the basics of course, so became the tour guide - of sorts!! And yes, some of the tours were quite adventurous.. who know where we ended up, but be got safely home. Oh yes, and in Japan I could read the names of the tube stations. Ya see. very useful.

Auds,- who's a clever clogs, then? In fact, you're so clever I haven't a clue what you're talking about! What on earth is wingdings?????????
I finally cottoned on to the pitchfork.(I know I called it a hayfork, but you have to allow for some poetic lisence. It's directly translated from the Norwegian "høygaffel"=hayfork=pitchfork. Sometimes it just takes me a bit longer to get there!) I found the other pitchfork in picture 19 where King Lee nurses Loppy Strawberry. One Evil Aus can be seen through the window out in the field with Diva floating as per usual.

I am so impressed Auds! Correct even down to the punctuation! Did you have a job at Bletchly Park in a previous life?

Eva - If you go into 'word' and muck about changing fonts, you'll come accross three sets called 'Wingdings' Type 'the Aus was 'ere!' using wingdings3 and you get something that approximates to the arrows.

Ali B & Karen2 I loved those Top Gear bits - and James flying his plane SO SLOWLY!

Karen2 - it's a Maria on the hillside (well done for looking at the background). Hope you have a nice evening with your mum

Oh dear Alison - I hope your boss hasn't seen the Loppies playing in the gutter!

Even

Hi all, and even to you too Karen! Or even Odds, getting complicated now.

Well done Auds on the wingdings. New I'd seen the things somewhere but would of taken an age to get there! I don't think I use the computer toit's full capacity somehow! On how I can concentrate on getting books, I just keep re-reading! Quite pleasurable actually, and amazingly sometimes I do see things other than the rivulets....... oops srry nearly went again there!.

Ali yes I had a text from Carol to say they had arrived safely albeit having to find the villa in the dark! They weren't starving I don't think!

What a lot of typos, sorry! Must check before I post!

All hale Karen - Queen of the Enigmatic Post

Well done, Auds! I think we must have been seperated at birth: I do mirror writing, reading upside down & so on too, and I taught myself to read Greek, Hebrew & Russian because I thought the alphabets were pretty!

Sad about the computer, K2 -- if it gets really bad, you can always come here & use mine on Sunday.

Right, haven't actually had a chance to do more than skim so far, plus I have a chapter to finish (almost done). Back soon...

JaneE and Auds,- I thought I would get one over you, but Scott dear's server won't play ball. I wrote this long message in code and copied it, but would the server let me paste it? NO NO NO
Scott dear,- can you upgrade your server, please?

Oops sorry about my previous post. I had just started to type (as you can see) when the phone rang and I accidentally hit submit. Do people not realise I don't want to be disturbed whilst I'm loppying!!. Then Ploppy came home and wanted to talk to me - why??

So, sorry about that. Here we go again....

Evening all

Jo4 - how awful for your friend and yours too Chantale. Lots of ohms to all of you.

Another great picture Jane.

Auds - I am very impressed with your Wingdings (if you see what I mean!!). How clever of you.

Ali - sorry to hear about your ankle and you have my sympathy with your Ploppy's comment. I was telling a colleague at work the other week about tearfest and, obviously, was getting very excited and I may have mentioned the loincloth a couple (or more) times and she said "and how old are you?". Er, 27 but what's that got to do with anything!!

Karen2 - "the King and his Kar'ns" - I like it, I like it very much!!

Glad to see King Lee's playing with his duck again!

Jackie - I agree with you totally, in fact, does Cliffy and Sarah Brightman do it for anybody?? Shouldn't be allowed!!

Karen2 - I am very impressed that PB is one of the Talented Youth of Ireland. I bet he'll have a ball. I know your Mum's not much in the mood for celebrations but I hope she enjoys seeing you all tonight.

OK, lets try this again!

Hm, I was cruising along nicely with this chapter when some siren song called me back to the blog, and what do I see? His Cliffyness being dissed by two loppies. I have a feeling this chapter is about to veer off in a whole new direction with one of the Kar'ns coming to a sudden, unpleasant pass...Jackie, playing fast and loose with the Cliffmeister, will you? Mwwwahhahhahahaha (evil laugh!)

PS: The King and his Kar'ns sounds like a bad Elvis impersonator with his backing singers.

Eva, I was going to write a bit in code for Auds, too, but if the server won't pass it (sounds like Wimbeldon!) there's no point.

Have to say skimming todays posts i think i have entered a paarallel universe with windings (never heard of them either Eva), spiders singing and karen2,s short but enigmatic posts. Where is DT and his tardis when you need them as think need to come back to comparitive ssanity of the "normal" loppy world.

Congratulations (and Lots of celebrations I hope) Karen2 on your exam results.

Alison - great you are joining us for Dublinfest. have you warned your poor boss that will be lots of emaisl btwn now and sep!

Jo4 and chantale - so sorry about your friends. Jo4 - hope your friend is recovering.

OK ploppya nd I off for walk and can hear ploppy clinking away - sound of empty bottles being gathered up for weekly trip to bottle bank - sure next door neighbours must slip theirs in too.

Oh 'eck Karen & Jackie you've done it now! Better say something rally nice about RichardIII and see if you can get back in the Lephry's good books!

What Fi! You expect sanity on this blog?

Oh dear, does this mean that my debut in Geri's wonderful yarn is likely to be an unpleasant one... Well, I'm sorry to all you Cliff fans, but just listen to the two versions of "All I ask of You" and you'll see what Karen and I mean! Promise - you just can't beat the GO singing Raoul.

Thanks Karen - think I'm going to need all the support I can get. (Runs to hide behind shelter dodging attacks from all those Loppy Cliffites)

A short chapter tonight and no mystery novel (though Jane has one in her newest picture).

Jackie, I agree that Lee & Connie do a fabulous version of All I Ask Of You, but Cliff's version isn't bad. Is it? Read this chapter before you answer...

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

He found Dot, Terse and Gray’mm with Maid Marryme. The pretty muse lay still upon the bed; a casual glance would have made one think she was only sleeping. As he drew closer, though, King Lee could see a worrying bluish tinge to her mouth and fingertips and her skin was cool to the touch.

“How is she?” he asked.

The three men looked up at him with worried eyes. “Not good,” Dot said.

King Lee approached the wizard bravely. He was aware that the old man had been behaving rather strangely of late, but Dot seemed himself now. King Lee put his hand on the wizard’s shoulder. “And you, Dot?” he asked. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, Lee,” Dot said. “I’m frightfully sorry about—before.”

“Forget it!” King Lee said, smiling. “Good friends sometimes quarrel; it’s what happens afterwards that counts. Any idea what’s wrong with Maid Marryme?”

“Probably she’s had an unhealthy dose of Aus,” Gray’mm said. The Fairy Godfather looked like he was about to cry. “This is very troubling.”

“How’s Dame Endora?” Trice asked.

King Lee frowned. “Hysterical,” he said. “She keeps crying that the castle is under a curse and she wants to leave.”

“Perhaps we all should,” Gray’mm said.

“We can’t,” Trice pointed out. “Not till the coat is found. No one’s been allowed to leave by Terse so we know the coat is still here somewhere. Once people start going back to their own kingdoms the coat will be lost forever.”

“Quite right,” Dot said. “We have to stay here and try to find it. It’s the only way we’ll all be safe. As it is, I’m surprised Aus hasn’t swept in here yet and tried to take over the place.”

“Perhaps he has,” King Lee said. He related what Fi had told him. “That Dame Endora couldn’t detect the smell suggests it was one of Aus’s minions who caused Maid Marryme to collapse, rather than Aus himself. But if he has minions, he must be getting ready to move in, don’t you think?”

Dot nodded. “I’m very much afraid that you’re right, King Lee. Mind you, Endora’s sense of smell has never been good. Rather surprising given the size of her nose, but there you are! I think that’s why she wears such strong perfume, but, then, she’s never been one for subtlety.”

“But Fifi didn’t notice a smell either,” King Lee pointed out.

“Ah,” said Trice. “Well that’s definite then. Someone here in the castle has succumbed to Aus’s evil and is in league with him. We’re all in grave danger.”

“Especially you, Dot,” King Lee said. “You’re the only other person who can identify the culprit by their scent – that makes you dangerous to the villain.”

“We won’t let anything happen to you,” Trice said, patting his friend on the shoulder.

Dot’s eyes became suspiciously moist. “I’m lucky to have such good friends looking after me. It’s quite overwhelming. And that loppy, Praline, has been a real treasure.”

“I think loppy means treasure in some ancient language,” King Lee said. “I’ll ask Odds – she’s an expert on these things.”

“The Kar’ns are pretty good at that, too. And J’Kee,”

“True,” King Lee said. “But Kar’n1 and J’Kee have come down with sudden deafness – some sort of anticliff virus. Such a shame – I was hoping to sing to them in a couple of chapters.”

“Oh no!” Gray’mm said. “It’s not permanent, I hope?”

“No, there’s a cure – they have to apply a healthy dose of cliff-love on the blog and they’ll be fine.”

“It’s all happening in Castle Adelphi,” Gray’mm said. “I don’t think anyone’s safe!”

“All the more reason to take good care of you, Dot. You’re the only one left who can identify this evil genius. But don’t worry, we won’t let anything happen to you.”

Ok Geri, you know how to get to a Loppy's heart (smacks of blackmail though!). I never actually said that His Cliffness's version was bad, just expressed a slight preference for a newer one. Is that sufficient or do you need the full grovel, cringe, bow, stoop ,crawl!!

See! I warned you two!

Loving it Geri! OK must grab my pen...

Blackmail is such an ugly word, Jackie; I prefer negative reinforcement. On the plus side, though, your 'slight preference' comment has won you a lovely reward so I think the pain will soon pass!

Eva & Fi, Wingdings are on your word processing programme, just check the fonts and scroll down to the bottom -- you'll find all kinds of weird and wonderful images there, like the ones Jane used

Whose's been playing with the new big black box thingy today? I've had to sign in again.
Thanks for the thoughts for my friend, he is having monthly checks and so far OK.
Chantele, life is not fair.
Who has been dissing the Sir? (whispers, I don't like him and SB singing together either. She is a show off.)
At work we write signs in Wingdings saying things like 'If you use the last pack of paper f***ing tell us'. That was stuck up by the photcopier for about 2 weeks. There was one in the kitchen for a month 'You're all dirty s**ts clean up after yourself'. It made us feel better.
Got to check drawing. btw my furry friend is still there, doesn't seem to like peanut butter.

OK, one slightly chastened negatively re-inforced Loppy here. Have to agree with you Jo, I really don't like the way SB does such showy vibrato in the duet with the Loppy mentor, Sir Cliffiness. (Realised he has to be a mentor at his age as we Loppies are all of such a tender age, 27, when compared to him!)

Loved the rest of the story Geri and looking forward to the promised reward.... (imagination going into overdrive, hope the air-conditioning unit still working ok)

good evening Ladies
The picture for Chapter 34 of COD is now online.

Awwwww Geri I'm blushing, a real treasure! Only time that's been said before was followed by 'you should be buried'...sigh. Loved the story Geri, memo to self, always be nice about Sircliffy!

Well, Jackie, I think you & your cohort will like tomorrow's chapter -- assuming she's had some of your cure, of course. Otherwise it could be very sad...

Agree with you that SB is a show off, Jo4. And I admit I love King Lee's version of All I Ask better (ssh, don't tell Eva!)

Oo Geri, you have a cruel streak. And you know how to hit where it hurts!!

Now, I think you will find that what I actually said was does Cliffy and Sarah Brightman do it for anyone!! I meant them together - I was, of course, dissing SB not Sir Cliffy!! As if I would ever do such a thing! Moi?

That had me howling though Geri - very clever!

Just back and got to go again, another drawing. Mr T**co has just delivered, tried to substitute Sheba terrine, with chunks in gravy. Tut, I don't think so. Told him substitute human food if you like, not for the cats!! Yep, looked at me as if I was totally bonkers.

What's the poison bottle doing on the shelf, has the wine from Christmas been poisoned?

Quick Jo4 you've nearly got the Murder Mystry novel in the picture!

All right, Karen, you've convinced me (right!) -- you'll both have a suitably tender moment with the King (the real one) tomorrow...

The only one I can think of is Sparkling Cyanide

Oh Jane, is it Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers?

Well Done Jackie!

though I think 'Sparkling Cyanide' was a pretty good guess Jo4! It fitted!

Ah, thank you Geri - a suitably tender moment with the King - my imagination is going into overdrive and I am having very pleasant (gutter type) thoughts right now!!

Love the picture Jane (and the caption - is that yours or Martin's?). I see Weepy is heading Maid Marryme's way - I better go get my Daily Mail to bash him with (or I'll just send him in Pauline2's direction - seems to have the same end result!!).

First things first. Oooohhhmmmsss to all Loppies, and their families and friends in need.
Congratulations to Karen2 on her results.
Loving the story Geri, the pics JaneE and the captions Martin. Scollop wants to know what's so funny. He's watching the flippin' football!
Jo4 my Dad often put soap or Galaxy chocolate out for furry things once.Our cat used to bring them in and drop them at Mum's feet. She felt about them like I do about Weepies.

Dash it, well I tried. I'm rubbish at remembering book titles.
I've just sent some pics to Martin, got confused half way through so he may have got 2 copies of one, nevermind.
I'll try some chocolate tomorrow. I'll bring some Toblerone back from work. There is still some left.

That is a lovely picture Jane, and I just love the caption. Martin are you getting frisky again.... with the captions of course?! Too slow off the mark tonight to get the novel, but then maybe I should let someone else have a go. My trouble is I love puzzles!

I have been experimenting with dishes for the weekend. I am helping to cater a garden party on Sunday (so expect rain!) and thought I would try out one or two different things. All turned out really well, so very pleased.

Yep I can easily commit Weepicide Karen, but please don't send them all here!

Phew! Finally caught up, although I have had to skim most of the last few weeks.

Lots of Ohhhmmmss for those that need them, and some extra ones for the bank.

Loving the story so far, but I’m rubbish at spotting the hidden books. I did suss that the secret message in the picture was written in wingdings, but I’d only managed to decipher the word “was” before Auds got it. Jane, your pictures are great, and Martin your captions are naughty (but very funny).

I’ve finally managed to get in to the holiday home. Thanks Carys, the linky thing works brilliantly. Haven’t had a proper look around yet, but very impressed with what I’ve seen so far.

Jo4, I’ve had good results catching furry visitors with bits of Snickers bars. They seem to like the combination of chocolate & nuts.

Back from Dorset mission accomplished while we were delivering paintings client came in and so Lee portrait she said to her ploppy oh look Lee oh that was such a good show she said, talked to them a bit asked if she was a loppy and she said no but obviously heard about us.
anyway thank you for all your ohhhhhmms for friend.
So nice to know that my loppy family is also a cliffy fan, and I agree with you I far prefer the Go version to the one with SB but love cliffy in it though.
Love drawing 34 Jane Love the little details on shelve. Is the weepy near Maryme of any significance?
Golly K2 that is a bummer as my grand scollops would say. Any free laptop going with mobiles or AOL that could be useful to you?. Hope you get it sorted out soon.
I was looking at the photos from 7th you all look so friendly cannot wait to meet you all and those fans are so so scrumptious so if there is ever a new order please please can I have one. ninite dear loppies lots of loppy love.xxx

Lindsey, Toblerone may do the trick then. Milk, white, dark or fruit&nut?

Oh I say Pauline2 - a garden party - that sounds rather posh - what time do you want us all there??

Another great chapter and drawing G. and J.
Well done Jackie you were speedy getting the book and Auds the hieroglyphics.

Must rememmber no rude remarks about Cliffy while the tale's in progress. No Geri I mean never! Please no negative reinforcement.

My thoughts go to your friends, Jo and Chantelle.

And again I'm following Chantale to bed - people will start to talk!

Lindsey - I was amazed that Auds got it so fast - well done on partly working it out. And thank you Jo4 for giving me an extra idea for using wingdings!

See Martin! Everyone loves your captions!

OK so good night Loppies - Sweet Meads!

Jo4, I'd have to say white but that's only coz I don't like white chocolate. I'd begrudge sharing any other type of Toblerone with a furry friend.

Hi again Ladies
Jo has sent in some picture from the Tearfest, and they are online now.

Martin, another speedy service. Thanks.
I'm off, not feeling 100%. Why is it I always get ill when I've been away for work?
No new YTs tonight (not even mine, I'll have to get some cats loaded up soon. Also one of my old boy before he pegs it!)
Nightlee night

I fell asleep on the sofa -- sorry. I had a bad night, a rough day and even 27 year olds have a limit. So sweet meads, all. But I must say before I go, Maeve, I'm loving the G&J -- sounds like an exotic drink. Oh, and ask Lady Jane about the bluetit!

Hi all. Soryy I haven't been around tonight, but was more or less kidnapped by friends to go out to dinner. Had a very nice meal at The Royal Hotel at the seafront, windowseat, good food, good wine (I wasn't driving!) and good company. Took me some time to catch up, and tonight the book was Strong Poison by DLS. I just read the book, for heavens sake, and of course I was beaten to it again! Stamping my foot at myself!
Geri,- good chapter again, but I'm not so sure you should forgive Jacki and Karen so easily! They should be given a trial periode, like 6 months with daily playing of Sir Cliffy records! When they have been converted to the good cause of Cliffy worship, then they can have a chapter with some cosy CU&P with King Lee. You are too kind to them!
JaneE,- lovely picture. Thank you.
I'll go to the album again and have a look at Jo4's photos, then I'm off to bed, so good night all, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams and wake up happy.

Karen, yes I know it sounds posh, but really don't think it is. All it really means is food and wine partaken in the garden, or more likely the kitchen if it rains or is freezing cold!

Bluetit? Que??

Ohhhhms to all those who need them. Looks to me like everyone is having an early night , so I will too.

Sleep tight people night night.

I was bored today and went surfing.....http://www.lee-mead.net//gallery/index.php?cat=11 and found a forgotten album - but some very nice pics and if you keep clicking on them some are very nice big ones. If have a couple of Cliff videos ...anyone need to borrow them? I am just off to Spain now - belated holiday so if the Tardis is missing in the morning and the BHB also.......come and find us!

Good morning, all. I have another hideously early day so just have time for a quicky, BHB (what do you mean, ooh-er? And why do we need to go into the back room? Why am I wasting time asking..?) Back later, byeee!

Morning Loppies!

What's this? Carys took the BHB for a joy ride in the Tardis! Then Geri dragged him into the back room! (Yes Geri! I saw, no pretending it was his idea!) Now let the young lad go, He'll be needed for sun-block duty soon!

I am going to a meeting today in my home town. At least I'll be able to look in on my Mum!

Oh and I only said blue-bird, Pauline but you'll have to wait and see! It'll be tonight before the picture gets sent!

Just popped in for a quick bit of breakfast. I won't be needing any sunblock (shame) as I have to dash. Hi BHB, surprised to see me during the week?

Carys-thanks for the reminder. Nice way to start the day.

Morning all. Very windy here today, so I think maybe indoors breakfast is on the cards. I didn't hear the birds this morning, so maybe they read this blog and decided to let me sleep in for once!
Hello sweetheart. Why are you carrying round a bottle of suncream? I don't want it, I've told you I never sit in the sun. Ready for the rest of the Giggle, are you? Oh well, you can put it doen for now and get me my usual, please. Toast will do fine today. Then, if you still want to use your hands on me (Did I really write that?), you can give me a neck massage.
I spoke to my parents yesterday. They returned to Norway on Sunday and had a good flight. They then met their new grandson-in-law for the first time, and my Mum is already besotted! She told me she had been speaking Spanish to him and he Norwegian to her, both equally bad, and they had been laughing all the time?
More good news from the land of the Vikings. My nephew who just spent 3 months as an exchange nursing student at a hospital in Tanzania, has passed his last exam with honour and had his thesis passed as well. He is now a fully fledged nurse, and was offered a job at the University hospital the same day the exam results were in! He is going to work at the burns unit which is the only burns unit in the country, and they work closely with the plastic surgery unit. It was his mother who told me this yesterday, almost bursting with pride! A nice congratulation card with something in it is already on it's way from his proud aunt. Isn't it lovely when the young obtain what they strive after, after years of hard work?

Morning all. Love the negative reinforcement Geri - very clever. Pic for ch34 great Jane even if I do have to shafre it with Marry-me and King Lee is covering his face. Martin - you obv missed your vocation in adverising as your captions v funy.

Pauline2 - like you hoping for good weather on sat as also have garden party. Luckily not doing catering tho have to make some fairy cakes (midsummer night dream party) and have yet to make my costume, Plopy has spent many a happy hour in garage making his - he is going as wall (thank you for that suggestion - was it Carol, Jane - both). Dont think he has actually made a wall but with ploppy one never knows.

Have morning off so catching up round house, then off to gym, then to meet Jules from LMAS for lunch to exchange stories of 7th June and then work . C u Later

Good morning loppies.
Congratulations to nephew Eva what a satisfiying result and to do such good work.
Hi fi do you feel obliged to go to gym or do you enjoy it.?
i weathert I like it or not have to go 2x a week. well did not go yesterday as i was else where.
Weather cant decide what to do here.
Lwast onslaught on accounts today.then better get on with some chres no doubt listening to ADWD.
Thank you for the link Carys.
Enjoy your day girls.xxxx

I'm off out to take advantage of the weather, which has turned out to be rather nice. The sun is shining and the wind has calmed down a bit. Ofteen on A Wednesday there is a Farmers market in town, not the same stalls as at the Saturday market, so I thought I'd go and have a look. Sometimes there is a stall that sells the most gorgeous homebaked bread, and I can't resist good bread. You can pass a good red, wine in front of me and I won't blink, but let me smell the aroma of freshly baked bread, and I'm putty in your hands. (I knoe, I know, I'll never make a Lush!)

Morning all, absolutely foul here so I think I will lose no time in decamping to Spain! If this is what it is like on Sunday, yuk! Typical on a day when I am off to have my hair cut.

Morning BHB, you look a bit tired, what? You've been cornered in the kitchen, whisked off to Spain and back, rubbed in sun block and got Eva her breakfast. No wonder you feel a bit weary! I think it is time for us to just sit quietly on the beach in Spain, and I will rub your back for you, oh yes I can give quite a good massage, I don't mind at all I promise. Now you just relax.....

I see Pauline2 is up to her old tricks again! Or new ones,- where are your blankets?
I had a nice time in town. It started with a man giving me his parking stub. It still had 57 minutes to run, so that was £1 saved! The farmers market was there, so how does sun-dried tomato bread with a nice piece of mature cheddar and garlic/plum cutney strike you all for lunch? You like? Well, come and join me then in a couple of hours.

Morning, had a gentle stroll into town, it's market day here too Eva but sadly no bread stall, although we do have 2 bakeries open every day! Got back just in time by the looks of things as it's now raining, typical as I wanted to put some washing out, now the house will look like a chinese laundry instead!
Ooh Karen2 what a clever young man you have there, bet you're a proud mummy? I get a mummy moment tomorrow night when middle scollop will be presented with his Baden Powell Award at Cubs. He's had to do a lot to get it, but keeps it very quiet and I only know how special it is because his Akela has told me. He's more excited about the fact that he is going shooting beforehand!
Right off to do some more Cl***ing now, I do a job then reward myself with time on the blog, it's bathrooms today, what joy?

I forgot to mention what's for afters: Best of British strawberries and cherries!

Morning all. It's pretty grey and windy here. So think I'll be joining you Pauline and BHB on the beach so move over a bit.

My mission today, with no option about accepting it, is to find a printer who'll put Ronaldo and number 7 on the back of a Portugal football shirt for grandson's birthday, he'll be 8 next Saturday.

Perhaps one day I'll be congratulating him on some fantastic achievement (hard to imagine at present!) like your nephew Eva, you must feel proud.

Maeve,- I am very proud of my nephews and niece. Their Mums say I spoil them rotten, but that's what aunts are for, isn't it?
Text message received from our Chief Lush:" Weather very hot, but stiff breeze. Only food shortage is milk! Plenty of incohol. Missing blog and story. Have you been found yet? Love Carol". I replied that I was still floating about, and asked her to have a glass for us. I don't really think she needs asking!

Afternoon All
(grrr, just lost a HUGE post, had loads to say, so if it turns up, apologies for repeating myself)

Eva – would love to join you for lunch, sounds yummy. Well done to your nephew and great to hear your Mum is doing so well

Crazy start to my day, normally get up at 6.15am to be in w**k for 8.30, however woke to the clock radio playing “Fame” from the movie, remember it? And it was 9.05am!!! Didn’t get in here until nearly 11am, feel I should stay on for a while this evening to make up for it but my very nice manager said it was ok.

Ali – congrats to scallop on his award, (make sure you remember to bring the camera) and please send a picture, would love to see him getting it. Speaking as a former cub scout leader, I got fairly familiar with the badges and I know what a big deal it is, not one of the “little darlings” in our troop would never have gotten anywhere near a BP award, including my own little darling (without the sarcastic inverted commas, ‘cos I am a proud mammy really) although he’s not exactly little anymore. Geri will tell you, after we went to the cinema last Friday, PB and his friends were at another movie and waited outside for me afterwards, so I had an escort home from five strapping young men. I do chat to them a fair bit but I was, however, discreet enough on the journey to put in my earphones and listen to Lee rather than try to join in their conversation.

Oooh, Karen & Jackie – you did get yourselves in hot water last night didn’t you?
Hope that the deafness soon passes, don’t worry though, I’ll keep you up to date with all that’s going on. {cups hands around mouth} YOU HAVE TO BE VERY NICE TO THE LAUREATE ABOUT CLIFFY!

Jane – say hi to your Mum from the loppies!
Fi – enjoy your loppy lunch.

Great to hear from Carol – glad to see she has enough of the important stuff – who needs milk, never mind osteoporosis, there’s plenty of incohol, all’s right with the world!

Got a very excited text this morning from Alison – flights booked and accommodation sorted for Dublinfest – yaay!! Another one on my list!

Congrats to your scollop too Ali. Know my younger one got the bronze badge at Beavers a few years ago and he was very pleased.

Yup Karen2, Karen and I sure got it last night from the Lepry Laureate. Guess I'll just have to follow Jane's advice and start talking about that nice chap Richard III who loved his little nephews and was very upset when they were locked in the Tower!!

Felt a bit rubbish this morning with sore throat, cough and cold. Can't decide whether it's still hayfever, as my eyes are a bit sore, or whether I've caught something else. Hope not, but there is something doing the rounds I think.

Enjoy your dublinfest Karen and Alison.
Glad that Carol seems to be having a good time in Spain.
quite chilly here.
Hope you are thinking of the missing loppies Fi.
enjoy your mummy moment Ali.
xxx

How many lists do you have so far then Karen?

Jackie there seem to be a few summer (what summer?) colds going around. Hardly surprising really, one minute we're in shorts the next in jeans and jumpers again!
Ploppy is hoping for some sun with a slight breeze so he can start harvesting, then I become a harvest widow as he will be out at dawn and home way after dusk.

Just have to share this - don't usually pass stuff on from emails but this is astonishing! http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2008/02/steve_spangler_do_not_try_this.php

Ali - how many lists? how did you know I'm a real "list" person - always find it helps to organise my mind, otherwise I can be a real scatterbrain!
If you meant how many SLs on the list, 16 confirmed plus 4 DLs, should make for a fun time!

Just spoke to PB & he tells me he has made a chocolate cake to take to his friends' end of exams party - a Jamie Oliver in the making??
Just as long as he's cleared up the kitchen afterwards I certainly don't mind

Karen & Jackie - KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE! {could you hear that loud enough?} Geri has promised you a suitably tender moment with the King and as the Kar'ns are always in unison I was hoping to be included?? Pretty please dear lepry?

Ok, heading home now in the rain, yeuk. See you all tomorrow, will probably console myself tonight for the lack of scintillating loppy company with a couple of episodes of ADWD.

Carys,- thank you for that link. It was very funny and interesting.
Karen2,- lists? Did anyone mention lists? You are a Loppy after my own heart. Maybe I'll start a list:
1. Karen2
2. ?
Who is the next list person on my list?

Hello all, not long home and haven't even started dinner yet. I have, instead, been working hard at the next chapter -- I anticipated you, K2! And Christmas -- let's just say it came early this year...Jackie & Karen, 'I rather like the way you're talking, astute & sincere' (sort of).

That was an amazing link, Carys, wow! I do like Ellen, but that story was really fun.

Oh, AUNTIE Eva -- will you spoil me rotten too?

Eva, Karen2 - hands up, yes I'm a list person too! Do I get to be the next person on the list then Eva?

Oh, Geri, glad you noticed the absolute sincerity in my posts. (Phew, glad the sincerity filter is turned off!) Reminds me, must do some more research on Richard III- not convinced that Wikipedia is terribly helpful.....

Evening all, back after a long day out! Now suitably coiffured again, but why does it always rain on the day I go to the hairdressers!

Glad to hear the Chief Lush is enjoying herself and managing to find suitable liquid refreshment, never doubted that she would mind!

Loved the link Carys, amazing stuff science! Also like Ellen very much.

Oh yes Eva, of course my blanket was there this morning, we were sitting on it! Can I be on your list please? I don't know what it's for but don't like being left out!

Evening all

What a day!! Boy am I glad to be home!

Now Eva, what are you doing stirring up trouble for Jackie and myself. Making us listen to Cliffy indeed. You obviously have a cruel streak too!! I'll have you know I've been listening to Cliffy all day (said Pinocchio!).

Ah but Eva, is your list a good list or a bad list?? If it's a good list then I should be at No1 with Karen2 - you wouldn't want to split the Kar'ns up would you!!

Oh and Eva (again - it's all about you tonight isn't it!) congrats to your nephew. It's always good when hard work and dedication is rewarded.

Oh and Eva (teehee) - wish I could have joined you for lunch. It sounded delightful, and as I had nothing for lunch today (no time) I am now starving!

K2 - did you say something, I seem to have gone deaf!!

Good to hear the Chief Lush is not too concerned about the milk shortage and has other beverages she can imbibe!

Btw, if I may take some ohms from the bank for my office flirt pal please as he's in hospital - he has sicklecell anaemia (sp?) and has episodes, which I believe he calls a "crisis" in which he has to be taken into hospital, pumped full of morphine and given a blood transfusion. He's already lost two brothers to it and has this hanging over his head. Obviously it gets him down but he never, ever lets it show and he always has a smile on his face and a cheery (or naughty) word for everybody. Just kind of puts things in perspective a bit when I'm whinging about having a headache!! So, I'll send him some ohms and if I tell him they are from the loppies it will, I'm sure, bring a smile to his face (and make him tell me I'm completely bonkers!!).

I'm looking forward to the next chapter (I think!! - wonder if Geri's forgiven us yet Jackie!).

Oh Fi! How can you confuse Dame Endora for King Lee???!! Is my drawing that bad?

Eva well done for your nephew - Ali well done for your scollop! Enjoy your mummy moment.

Karen OOOOHHMMMM - for your office flirt OOHHMM OHHMM!

So sorry Eva, I forgot to say congrats to your nephew, very remiss, please don't put me on the bad list.

Karen lots of ohhhhhmmmmmms to your colleague. As you say, puts things in perspective. Horrible illness.

Geri,- I DID spoil you when you were here, didn't I? But you can stop calling me auntie. It makes me feel old.(Shut up!)
If Jacki gets included in a chapter for talking nicely about Cliffy and promising to read up on RIII,- what about me? I ALWAYS talk nicely about Sir Cliff Richard (I'm curtseying here!), play his records in between GO's, and read a whole book about Richard III and his innocense! I think I deserve a whole book to myself!
List:
1. Karen2 + Karen
2. Jacki
3. Pauline2, although she doesn't know what the list is for!

karen,- please give your colleague as many ohms as he needs. It's a horrible disease. I hope he is back with you soon and being his cheeky self.

Hello everyone. RL took over today so only had time for a couple of quick skims during the day.

Lots of ooohhmmms to your colleague, Karen.

I'm also a lists person - can't cope without them.

Watched some more of the Concert for Diana DVD and there is a little bit of Lee in the Documentary - this wasn't part of the broadcast last summer - goodness, it's almost a year. Lee is rehearsing with Jason and you can hear him singing. Sadly only Donny was interviewed. There are also a couple of clips of Connie.

Mission accomplished, shirt is now with a very nice printer to be collected on Friday, he asked me what colour the letters should be,
I said "does it matter?"
"OOOOh yes" he said and very kindly looked it up on his PC.

Liked the video Carys, it makes me think of how the cornflour in custard powder feels, just like that, though I've never tried walking on it!

Maeve,- it did say in the video: Don't try this at home!
I'm sure your grandson will be thrilled with his T-shirt. I remember many years back when my nephew (the one mentioned earlier today) was 8-9 years old. He was an avid Tottenham fan, and one year when I was on my usual holiday in England, I had decided to buy him a genuine Tottenham shirt. I'll never forget his face when he unwrapped it. He went quite pale, and then I got the biggest hug of a lifetime. This was mid-winter, but he insisted to wear it to school the next day.(In Norway we don't use school uniforms.) It was freezing cold, but he put on his winter coat with the Tottenham shirt on top!

Right, next chapter. This one contains one rather obscure mystery novel (you should have no problem, Eva!).

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Much later, King Lee, the two policemen, Dot, Trice, Gray’mm, the two male muses and the loppies all sat in Dot’s room. King Lee thought there was safety in numbers and thought it would help to lift the mood to have a concert for his beloved loppies.

Kar’n1 and J’Kee sat on the sofa on either side of the King, snuggled up against him. They were both wearing three friendly badges, one of which said, ‘Stageloppy’, the second ‘Cliff Fan Forever’, and the third, ‘Richard the Third was Framed.’

“Well, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better, ladies,” King Lee said. “I’m a big Richard the Third fan, too, as are many of the loppies. But I didn’t know you both liked Cliff.”

“We’re big fans, King Lee,” J’Kee said. “Big, big fans. And we’ll be wearing our lovely Cliff (and Richard) badges for the rest of the story.”

Kar’n1 said, through gritted teeth, “Absolutely. Love him!”

“Well, I quite like Cliff too,” King Lee said. “And I really like singing one of his songs – Christmas, would you duet with me?”

She was at his side in a heartbeat. “You betcha, your King-Lee-ness!” she said, not even noticing she’d spilled some wine in her rush. Well, OK, she noticed. But she didn’t mind. Too much.

There was a whispered huddle between them, then Dot played the piano and the loppy and the King performed a breath-taking rendition of ‘All I Ask Of You’, complete with kiss at the end.

“Oy!” J’Kee said, “I thought we were the ones to get a tender moment?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” King Lee said, and he kissed both of them (behaving as the author wished for a change).

Kar’n2 said, “Wait – the Kar’ns share everything; where’s my kiss?”

“Fine,” King Lee said. “But this is the last kiss of the chapter, or the story won’t advance!” and he gave Kar’n2 a kiss as well.

The other loppies folded their arms and did not look happy, until King Lee reminded them they would each get a kiss before the story ended.

Lady Jane and Dot sat together in the corner engaged in some serious discussion. King Lee was pleased; no one could fully understand the very specific sense of loss they both felt but them. Praline looked relieved to have been relieved. She, too, had received a kiss from the grateful king earlier for her kind treatment of Dot. Her fingers glided over the cheek that his lips had touched and she sighed happily.

Fifi sat back enjoying the music, looking very happy to have been relieved of her onerous duty of tending the still wailing Dame Endora. The lurker loppies had volunteered to tend the muses and give the others a break. King Lee had greeted her, too, with the greatest pleasure and had hugged her and told her she was a lovely loppy.

And so the lovely loppies sat in delight as King Lee sang song after song. Terse expressed his amazement to his sergeant. “I didn’t know this man had a voice,” he said, laughing with pure enjoyment. “I’m beginning to understand what these loppies see in him, Boo-hiss.”

Boo-hiss was too enraptured to answer. He sat, squeezed in the middle of the Alley-cats, listening in utter ecstasy to the golden voiced King.

King Lee sang for a full hour in response to all the songs the loppies requested. For Carry-s he sang ‘Only A Fool’, and for Lepry he sang, ‘The Impossible Dream’. Finally he said he could only sing one more song and it was one he’d selected himself. For his beloved missing Diva he sang, ‘Miss You Nights’.

He’d just reached the line, ‘It’s only me who’s killing time’ when the temperature in the room plummeted and the ghostly Diva floated towards him. He met her sad eyes and continued to sing. As he reached the last line, ‘But these miss you nights are the longest’ the phantom loppy faded away with the tune and King Lee swallowed the lump in his throat.

“We’ll get you back, Diva!” he vowed. “I swear it!”

Great chapter again geri - i do love the tongue (very firmly) in cheek element of it. Grovel grovel jane E. What can i say. I could say that i was wearing my old prescription sunglasses (indoors on a cloudy day) and that I didnt download pic and so was looking at small,less distinct version - and both those true but also I so wanted to be in pic with King lee i just imagined I was.

Re sunglasses - lost my real glasses yesterday and was chairing meeting first thing and then attending another meeting had to have glasses I could read with. Only ones to hand old sunglasses - dont know what our director whom I met for first time yesterday made of me - "slightly bonkers" i should think.

No chanatale I dont love the gym but as paid arm and leg to join my parsimonious nature means I need to ensure I get my money's worth - tho still dont think I do. I swim a lot as well which i prefer. I try to keep fit(ish)

Eva -congrats to nephew and Ali congrats to the Cub in the family.

Well done Eva's nephew and Ali's scollop.
Ditto Geri's chapter (although too much kissing going on for my liking, you know how little boys go uurrgh when they see it in a film, that's me too.)
Got some Loppy duty to do tonight so I'll be away for a while. Big Ginger is ready to help at my right elbow, so should be 'fun'.
Carys-thnaks for the link.

Well Done Geri another great chapter!

He! he! Fi - you gave me a laugh!

AAARRGGHH! I've lost my pencil!! Not that pencil Karen - the real one I draw with!!!

I laughed at the badge bit - needed that, thanks Geri. Is Terse going to fall under King Lee's spell too?

Doesn't everyone, Diana?

Jo4, your comment reminded me of the little boy in The Princess Bride saying to his grandfather, 'Are you trying to trick me? Is this a kissing book?'

Hasn't anyone guessed the mystery novel yet?

'Scuse me, whilst I "do an Auds".....snuggled up against him!!!!!!!! snuggled up against him!! Sigh! And a kiss too. Deep sigh!! Geri, thank you - for that, I will proudly wear those badges (they had me LOL!!). And I had a lump in my throat at the last sentence. Loving it.

Jane - eek - find that pencil now - we need more drawings!!!!

%$%***&^&***%$$£**£$%%!!!!!!!!! THUD. Fingers glided over....arggggghhhh! Thankyou Geri, this one might be a while before I can think books....cheek his lips touched, sigh, puddle need bucket please.

Hello Ladies, seems very quiet tonight.
Maggie has been playing catchup today with the blog and COD, then had to go to work.
She is sleeping a lot lately, I think the pressure of the last few months and lack of sleep and travelling has cought up with her, but I'm sure she will be back up to speed soon, then she will be about a bit more for a chat with you all (she hasn't forsaken the Stage Loppies)
This novel wouldn't be "Killing Time" by Caleb Carr would it?

Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh! He sang Miss-you-nights for me only! I love him! He really misses me!
Geri,- you have to let me come back soon. HE MISSES ME !!!!!
Mystery novel? The only one I can think of is the one you left here and which I gave to Barnardos! I think it was called Different Worlds or something like that. I can't remember the author.
Jacki and the Kar'ens,- I like your badges!

I'm of to bed! Good night Loppies!

Martin, aren't you a treasure for making a guess! I'd love to tell you you're right, but -- on the other hand, Eva's wrong too. And, Eva, we talked about this book...Think Scandinavian.

Martin, love to Maggie. I don't doubt she's exhausted after everything. Any chance you can sweep her away to a lovely holiday or at least a nice weekend?

Hi Martin nice to 'see' you. We did tell Maggie, the other weekend, that you seemed to keep tight tabs on us.

Trial one completed. Need to sort the 'silk' hanging thread out. Then have to send it to QC dept. I'll keep you all informed.

Hi Loppies, missed you. I've been mega busy over the past week so I'm skipping back for a catch up with CoD and everything else in betweeen! Well ok, I'll be realistic and skim. Anyone care to take the challenge of telling me what's been happening in the style of The Reduced Shakespere Company?

Eva - I'm a good Loppy and I like to share my things so you can have my badges!! No, no, don't thank me. Yes, I know it's a big sacrifice but for you, I'll survive! Look after them and wear them with pride! And if you want to tell King Lee how kind and thoughtful I've been to his beloved Diva and he wants to show me his gratitude..........!!!!!!!!!

Gosh Karen you are all heart! Actually not too sure you're playing with fire giving your badges away.

Still haven't got a clue about the book Geri, but if it is a Scandinavian book I might not know it, shameful I know, sorry Eva.

Karen, I'm beginning to suspect you're about to have a relapse -- and it could be much more serious. Like getting mumps as an adult. Just thought I'd mention it.

Hi Suex, we missed you, where have you been keeping? Never mind, you're back now.

A week or so ago I mentioned a new Talking Programme CD RUG have recently produced. I bought one - after several phone calls with no-one knowing anything about it - and am listening for the first time. I'm talking back at it and had to laugh at this bit: "where mist is used this is harmless and carefully controlled". I can remember on Children in Need night there was far too much, it made me cough and felt very sorry for the children and Lee. The CD lasts 55 mins.

I'm retiring soon so night night.

Lots of ohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmssssss to your collegue Karen.
Oh a lot of kissing in this chapter but alas none for little moi as I am not in the story as i am a newbe!.
Ninite all my turn to follow Jane E....
sweete meads all.

Geri,- we talked about it? A Scandinavian mystery novel? I think I'm having a senior moment here. When you say "mystery novel" are we talking crime?
Martin,- go on guessing, please. Take the pressure off me! Tell Maggie to sleep all she can. She will eventually catch up with herself. We look forward to having her back on the blog.

I'm late tonight. Been sorting my Lee photos as I seem to have so many in one folder.
Well done to your nephew Eva, Well done to your Scollop, Ali
Oooohhhhmmmmsssss for you office pal Karen. You might be needing some Ohms yourself if you keep dissing Sir Cliffy. Loved the badges Geri.
pleased that Carol is enjoying herself and managing without milk.
Only 7 more sleeps!
Goodnight all.

No, no, no, I'm not having a relapse - I'm sharing. Sharing's good isn't it!!!??????

hello again, there is now another picture for chapter 34 of COD online.

Sorry Eva, my knowledge of novels is very limited I'm afraid, so won't be of much help.

Just been to LMAS and see that the new director has changed things. Apparently Joseph no longer rubs his thumb over Jacobs hand when they meet again.

http://pub29.bravenet.com/forum/2462310622/show/865041

Scroll down to 8:23pm. And other things are different.
Thanks for the link Carys. Funny stuff, that cornflour.

Karen,- I've tried this sharing business too, but wasn't overly popular because of it! I think you'd better keep the badges, at least until the story is over.
Sue,- a short compilation of CoD:
King Lee's coat is stolen. Diva is a ghost. King Lee is kissing all the other Loppies again and again, but his real love is Diva, but she is only floating about and proving very elusive. The Evil Aus smells! King Lee sings to them all, and Terse is already a closet Loppy!
How is that for short and sweet?

Karen, Karen, Karen -- I try to give you the carrot after the stick, but you really like to live close to the edge, don't you? I'm shaking my head more in sadness than anger, but auntie Eva may have more to say on the subject. And Jackie is suspiciously quiet tonight. Did we frighten her away?

Chantale, you've already been mentioned in the story and I've no doubt you'll show up again.

Eva, you told me this book was written by a writing team from Sweden (I think).

Oh, now I know : THE LAUGHING POLICEMAN by Sjøwall and Wahllø.

Yeay, Diva! It's such a great title -- like a book written by Franz Hals!

Who is Franz Hals? I'll google him!
Good night all, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams and wake up happy.

Found him! Blessed Wikipedia. I love his paintings. All those happy faces. I'm afraid the laughing policeman in the novel wasn't laughing for long, because he was just about to be killed on a bus!

Ah, now I know why I didn't get the book!

Love the picture JaneE. I see that Jo4's furry friend is still there and the bluebird! The caption is great again Martin, you missed your vocation.

Hi Suex waving, nice to see you again.

memories are made of this
http://f1roro.co.uk/leemead/fanvids.html

Aw Geri, I'm sorry - don't shake your head at me (in sadness? Is Kar'n1 about to come to some terrible end??).

Kathleen-thanks for the link, no thumb aaahhhhh shame

Funny thing Jo4 must be great minds and all that cos I've been looking at roros' site tonight as well! Lovely vids and memories.

Right my bed time too now so sleep tight all, night night.

Lovely drawing again Jane. At least you've caught my furry friend.
btw feeling much better tonight after a day of antibiotics.
I've spent ages rewatching the fanvids. So....
Nightlee night all

So glad King Lee appreciates the talented EW and HK. What great taste in songs he has:-) Hope the graphics department will cope with adding badges to all the pictures....lol Can someone check that all the pictures are in the right places? I am trying to fit them into the story as we go along. I am a very well dressed loppy now - my second T shirt arrived today with the image of Lee singing Maria on the front. Not T shirt weather though been chucking down nearly all day and I got soaked taking the dogs out.

Good morning! Carys, I knew you'd be the only one to recognise the EW song; glad you liked it.

Good morning, BHB, yes I'm back to my regular schedule, thank goodness! So time for a croissant and an Irish Coffee and of course we can snuggle up together. That Karen doesn't deserve snuggle time, what with that rude attitude about The Cliff & The Richard. I should just save the snuggling for myself, should I? You might be on to something there!

Morning all

Oh Chantale! I've drawn you twice in the story! Loppy Chanteuse! And I'm pretty sure King Lee gave you and Jodphur a kiss when you took on first watch! (Mind you keep grovelling to Geri and you might get UC&P with him!)

Hi Suex! We've missed you! Glad to see you back!

Martin, lots of love to Maggie and thanks for putting up the picture.

Jo4 - I didn't catch your fuury friend - she just seems to keep wandering into the pictures.

Kathleen? 7 sleeps till what?

Carys - thank you again - If I get chance I'll have a look tonight.

Now Geri, let the BHB go -the lad has other Loppies to attend to - like me!

(Oh by that I mean getting breakfast - gutter woman!)

Morning all. It's not a day for a walk on the beach. Very grey and drizzling rain. It's chilly too, so maybe one of Pauline2's blankets will come in handy?
Hello sweetheart. Are you busy snuggling today, you say? What a hard life you lead! How about getting me my usual leaded and a croissant,- the we can do some snuggling too?
You artists! In Geri's story people behave as THEY want and now mice wander into JaneE's drawings without any help from her!
I think I have a summer cold coming. My throat is getting itchy. It's Syd's shopping to do today, but I think I'll be careful with the hugs. I don't want him to catch anything.

No Geri, not frightened away, just RL interfering by means of a governors meeting at school. I'm wearing my badges with pride, well two of them at least, and re-living my tender moment over and over and over...

In fact BHB, seeing as it's so quiet this morning, we could practice some more tender moments. Just come over here next to me ....

BHB come out from under that blanket. The sun is out now and there is suncream to be applied.

Really the sun is out here. Don't know how long it will last but I had a nice drive in. My Tearfest glitterball was creating a lovely disco effect in the car!

Belated congratulations to Ali for your scollop and Eva for your nephew. Was he the nephew you got the Tottenham shirt for years ago? A man of taste as well if it was.

Ohhhms Karen for your office flirt and ohhhms to anyone else in need.

Maggie hope to see you here again soon.

Morning all. I'm sitting at another desk this am so not logged in.

For MB fans and includes reference to reality shows. I must get into the habit of listening to his radio show http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/shenton/2008/06/understudying-elaine-paige/index.html

The sun is also shining here but it was damp and chilly when I left home. Plenty of clouds about so don't expect it will be sunny for long. I got home last night to find the heating on and the house like a furnace but no-one was in. Will be having words with Ploppy tonight - he'd also left the light on in the bathroom. Think I'll make him pay the next power bill.

Morning all, well sunny here this morning, but summer? It doesn't feel like it to me.

Thanks for the link Diana, I usually listen to MBs' show and can recommend it . He has great guests and the chat is interesting.

Eva sorry you think you are getting a summer cold, lookat it this way at least it is something summery! Seriously, ohhhhhmmmmms for you, and hope that Syd is well.

Ohhhhhhhhmmmmmms for your office flirt as well Karen.

Now what is all this BHB, my blankets being used by others!!!! Cheek, anyway I'm here now and as it is definitely a bit chilly I think we'll make good use of the time. I'd like to test all my blankets to make sure they are nice and clean and in good order, so if you'd help me test their snuggle factor? Thankyou you are such a helpful person.

Morning All
Playing catch up again with a quick skim of last night’s activities -

Geri - thankyou!! And as Jo4 isn’t a fan of the kissing, I’ll be a good loppy friend and volunteer to receive any that are heading her way, can’t have you upset Jo4, it’s a tough job but I’m up for the challenge!

Jo4 – thanks for the memories link, was watching adwd episodes last night with a box of tissues on the couch beside me!

Eva - glad to know I'm no. 1 on somebody's list, that doesn't happen too often!

Karen – major oohmms for your flirty pal, that is a very nasty condition and how awful that he has already lost two brothers to it, but isn’t it amazing……….it’s the people who have most cause to grumble and give in to life’s hardships who are generally the ones who go about with the most cheerful and optimistic attitude!

Jane – hope you found your pencil? We can’t have you stuck for supplies, we rely on your pictures too much !

Suex – glad to see you back, thanks for the email(s)!!

Martin – love to Maggie and Maureen too, tell her we know she hasn’t forsaken the SL’s and we certainly haven’t forsaken her, I’m sure that she needs all the rest she can get.

Alison – so glad to hear that your Tearfest glitterball has been put to good use, that was a really good idea, I have mine hanging in my car too.

Alison,- yes, it's the same nephew. Good taste? Of course, he chose me for his aunt!
Diana,- MB is on Radio 2 every Sunday morning at 11 am, and I really enjoy his show. He usually has interesting guests, but what is the best is his infectuous laughter! It always brings a smile to my face, and seems to put his guests into a good mood too!
Pauline2,- that was a new one! Snuggle factor ??????? You should have been on I'D Do Anything. You would have won on sheer persistence!
Right, I'm off to do the shopping. The sun is shining here at the moment, so I might be able to fit in a walk along the seafront when the shopping is done. See ya later.

Well karen2 - I found the pencil, but CRISIS!! Lost my purple pen!! Just when I was trying to draw the Kar'ns!!!

Ooo Eva - summer colds are horrible - ohhms for you!

Now then Pauline 2, I've heard of some excuses for you and your blankets - but 'testing the snuggle factor'! Really!

I need to know that the snuggle factor is ok, after all who wants a blanket that isn't snuggly? (Trying to look full of virtuous indignation here)

Persistent, moi??

Yohoo, I'm back, and the beach was lovely this morning, even if the wind was so strong at times that I might have been blown to France!
Syd was fine too, and was waving a happy goodbye after the usual cup of tea and a hug. (Yes, he insisted he would risk it!) My throat is still a bit sore, but I'm inclined to think it's the hayfever making it's present felt. I know I'm allergic to house dust too, so maybe it's my body hinting that I should do a bit of d*****g and c*****g tomorrow!
Jo4,- if you don't like all the kissing going on in the story, we won't let you suffer. I'll be quite happy to have a sno.....ehem, kissing and cuddling session with King Lee instead of you. Karen2,- you've had your fair deal, so move over!
Geri,- DID YOU HEAR THAT ????

Oh Eva - and I thought I was No 1 on your list - I'm so hurt..........anyway it was my idea to be the stand-in for Jo4!
And sure aren't you going to be the heroine of the whole story (maybe?)

First time I've had chance to pop in at lunchtime for ages and what do I find?? Geri being cruel to me AGAIN!! Not deserve snuggle time? That's like saying I don't deserve incohol!! Cruel!!

Thanks for all the ohms guys. I'm sending him a card today and I'm putting a note at the bottom to say that the loppies send lots of ohms - as I said before, I know that will bring a smile to his face!

Thanks for the link Diana, very interesting.

Hope the cold doesn't develop Eva and hope you're feeling better Jo.

Anyone else noticed how many of "Lee's" songs are being used in adverts at the moment? PiB, Bad Day, Alright now and Pressure, whenever I hear them on the TV my heart gives a lurch and then feel very disappointed.

Think I need to go and have a quick listen to the Real Thing!

Mission accomplished! My flying visit to Spain with the BHB has resulted in a special delivery today. I haven't shown him what it is of course as it is a surprise..but the rest of you will know what it is. I think I will leave it in the tardis with DT so you can all have a look at it.

Saw your special delivery Carys, lovely!
Maeve I heard Bad Day on th tv and spun round expecting to see the Go only to be disappointed, similar thing happened in a shop when PiB was playing and I realised it wasn't his voice.
I should be typing an agenda for a meeting right now as I promised to email by tonight but I couldn't resist playing catch up first, and that was about an hour ago?? Really must go and do it so I can come back and play later, byee!

how tedios... typed out a quick post to say hi etc., and got kicked off the page.. I forgot to make sure I'd saved it all before hitting that submit bloomin button.
Was saying that I feel a bit like a lurker (anyone got any for me?) this past week. That's the last time I brag about anticipating more time on the blog because the boss is away.. the proverbial s**t hit the fan and it's been heads down for all of those left behind.
Maeve, know just what you mean - at least for the 'bad day' ad they have a dark curly haired youth starring... but whilst I 'lurch' I always then have to smile, reminiscing of the real deal.
Pauline - going to have to call you Billie Jo Spears, you with all your blankets on the ground...
Geri - a few chapters ago.. at last, recognition of my talent for being an expert in funny writing. The sqwiggly kind, not the humorous kind of course. Now, did I tell you.. even though I'm only 27, I was a closet CR fan - my sister wouldn't allow me to be a fan because she 'saw' him first.. so I would secretly listen to all his singles and any albums my sister had (when she wasn't there of course) and then naturally I've seen all his movies - and weren't they just wonderful?? He is such a handsome man and sings so beautifully (not quite as intoxicatinglly as a certain youth I know). And I don't mind that he has orange hair now, not in the least. Oh, and did I tell you that he is godfather to my 2nd counsin's daughter? I kid you not.
[yes, I know!! I've had a good innings already in COD, but I'm overwhelmed with all this kissing that's taking place..]
OK, gotta go now. Ooooommmms to all in need (oh especially to your office flirt Karen) and plenty more for those who just want them.
Hope to see y'all later.

After lengthy consideration (0.00001 of a second), think I'll pass on this http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821213887949&title=Reality+TV's+Keith+%26+Niamh+Head+Brave+New+Musical

Another w**k day nearly over and the weekend's getting close.

Know what you mean, Maeve. Heard PiB earlier in the week on TV and looked up in anticipation, only for it to be another version.

Carys - loved your special delivery! Brilliant!

Diana - thanks for that link -

And Auds - would that be a little bit of grovelling for King lee time?

Well, I was going to say, 'Auds who?' in deference to your deliquent status in the world of the lop, but have to be kind in view of your very good Cliff-taste. Speaking of which: Karen, you're not dealing with amateurs, you know. There are some shall we say staunch (I nearly said 'rabid') Cliff fans around and you're playing with fire when you show less than the proper reverence and awe. I'm just saying...

Do you think these TV advertisers are deliberately toying with us, teasing with the Lee-allusions only to withhold the real thing?

Karen2, pardon me while I have a gutter moment: what exactly were the tissues for when you watched ADWD? Hmmm??

Right, only skimmed because I'm starving & need to get dinner, so I'll read the rest later. And then start a new chapter. Note to self: no drawings that require purple, no kissing of Jo4, LOTS of Cliffyness for Karen and Jackie, and Eva is thrilled to remain a ghost for ever. (Actually, Eva, a ghost can wander into King Lee's chamber any time of the day. Or night. If you get my drift.)

Geri,- thank you for the tip. I'm off !!WHOOOOOSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! (That's the sound of a ghost hurrying to the king's bedchamber!)

Eva, why do your ghost and the tardis sound identical?

Oh 'eck! They'll be no stopping the ghost of Diva now!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c2SJ6ngRBWQ

who was that wooshing by? Diva!
I was a good girl and did my typing, fed the family (except middle scollop who is out dining with a friend for the 2nd day in a row!) and given little cat some TLC, we couldn't find her last night and no-one recalled seeing her the night before either, we found her in the shed, she'd been locked in for nearly 24 hours!! Scollops have now been told to check before locking up but I somehow doubt she'll make the same mistake again, she's a bit jumpy now and wants a lot of attention.
Can't stop for long as I have to go and do my proud mummy bit in a few minutes, see you later.

Geri,- very simple... we're both driven by supernatural powers! And I thought you knew all about this sci-fiction stuff!
Btw. Anyone on the lookout for a good book? I'm halfway through "The Rosary Girls" by American writer Richard Montanari. Very, very good and very, very chilling.

I've just had a look at the TV program for tonight, and waddayaknow ????? The bl**dy f**tb**l is on again, and no THE BILL this week at all. (Stamping her foot in rage.)
JaneE,- you didn't seriously think that Diva was stoppable?

Evening all, hope your cold turns out to be hayfever Eva. I suffered badly until about 8 or 9 years ago, now touch wood am reasonably ok. However these dry very windy days like today do still make me sneeze. I always still get the odd false alarm about colds, having a scratchy throat etc at least once a year. This is all a huge improvement on what I used to suffer I don't mind too much!

What a lot of grovelling, when I have tried so hard to not, but as you all insist. Sir Cliff is patron of the Dreamflight charity I did book sales for, and is a very good friend of the founder of the charity and she is a friend of mine. He is a lovely guy and does terrific work for them and yet doesn't make a song and dance about it in the press. I was also at Wimbledon THAT year on centre court for the full impromptu performance, we stayed throughout and it really was a great moment on a very wet soggy expensive day. (They didn't do refunds then)

So Eva are you the Tardis in disguise then?

Fab special delivery Carys.

Me BJS? Nah can't see it myself!

Karen,- that's a beauty! You're really working hard now, aren't you?
What about this one:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aYsvloolGP8&feature=related

I'm trying (yes, I know, very trying!!).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DrLgdmrFaeU

And finally, especially for Pauline.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JcwA3VK9C1s

Phew, I'm exhausted. Now, if that's not showing enough reverance I give up (although I could spoil it all now by saying, whilst I was trawling through YouTube I came across one entitled "Cliff Richard - Why"!! I assume it's a song but it made me laugh! Anyway, I won't say that out loud as I've worked too hard this evening to spoil it all now!!).

Awww thanks Karen, that brought back memories! We were waiting for Tim Henman to play Pete Sampras, and it didn't happen until the next day, sigh.

I remember it well Pauline - I was sat at home watching and waiting for Tim. Would have loved to have been there. I love Wimbledon - have only been once, for my 40th birthday, and I just loved it. I really want to go again one day.

Oh, all right, Karen, you convinced me!

One rather easy mystery novel tonight, and an even easier musical.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

“It’s very decent of you to stay here and look after me,” Dot said later. “But Trice will be just next door, Lady Jane has insisted on staying with me, and there are loppies on patrol all over the castle. I really think you should go to your room and get some sleep.”

“It’s all right, Dot,” King Lee said. “I’m going to play chess here with Trice and if I get tired I’ll lie down on the sofa. And you know, I’m probably safer near you than in my own room. At least you’ll be able to tell if the Evil Aus is coming.”

“Do you really think you are in any real danger with that giggle of loppies protecting you?” Trice said, smiling. “I’d rather face a rabid hoard of critics!” All three men shuddered at the thought.

“I think the man’s mind is made up, Dot,” Trice said.

King Lee bid goodnight to his loppies giving each of them a goodnight kiss (an especially long one for Jodhpur!). Odds also got a big hug and was told she looked lovely in her new purple gown, Kar’n1 got a hug too for being such a devoted Cliff fan, then she and Kar’n2 and J’Kee left arm in arm singing ‘Summer Holiday’ and proudly polishing their Cliff badges.

Once all the loppies had gone (except Lady Jane who remained quietly in the armchair covered with one of Praline’s purple blankets and sketching King Lee), the King and Trice sat down in front of the fire and began to play chess. Dot watched for a while then got bored and went to bed. Just the sound of the log fire crackling and the occasional hushed, ‘Check,’ could be heard.

Lady Jane fell asleep and the night curled around the castle while the two men moved their pieces around the chessboard.

“You’re a decent player, King Lee,” Trice said, seeing the King’s slender fingers remove a black bishop from the board.

“Thanks,” King Lee said. “It relaxes me, but I don’t get much time for playing any more, what with a castle to keep, a kingdom to run, and the loppies to keep happy.”

“You make it look easy,” Trice said as he moved his king into a defensive position behind a rook.

“Thank you,” King Lee said, giving his opponent a dazzling smile. “Actually, the loppies make it easy. They’re lovely, kind and utterly devoted. That makes it really important that I do my best for them. I can’t bear to see any of them hurt.”

Trice glanced up from the board. “You’re troubled, Lee. What is it?”

“Diva,” the King said. “It’s odd that I didn’t see her yesterday, but tonight she came back.”

“Well, that’s some voice you’ve got. I’m not surprised even ghosts want to come and listen to you. I noticed that even Terse was enraptured.”

King Lee leaned back in his chair and stretched. The night just seemed to go on forever and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were waiting for something. Trice rose and poured a large glass of Mead for each of them then sat back down again.

“Mate in five moves,” he said.

“Really?” King Lee said, smiling. “I’ve got mate in three.”

Nodding at the sleeping Lady Jane and Dot, Trice said, “I don’t see those guys rating the kind of mate I’m contemplating…” He sipped his Mead and smiled. “I’ve been thinking about Diva,” he said. “You know, tonight we were all together here and there was all that loppy energy flowing with your singing – I think that’s what gave her the power to come back.”

King Lee sipped his Mead. “That’s possible,” he said. “At least that suggests that there is enough magic when we’re all together. That might be very helpful if we find ourselves under attack.”

As if on cue (anyone would think this was a work of fiction), the door burst open and Chanteuse came rushing in. “King Lee!” she cried. “It’s Weepy – he’s back!”

Oh Geri - thank you. Another great chapter and Lady Jane got to snuggle up under a purple blanket!

DID I MENTION I'VE LOST MY PURPLE PEN!!!!!

So I'll be drawing Chanteuse then!

Another great chapter Geri - I just love how you weave in the days events in Loppyland!!

Another great chapter Geri. The musical couldn't be Chess could it? The novel I will have another read or three!

Btw, I forgot to say (I was so busy earlier this evening!!) I had an email at work today asking me for some information, from a lady called Jo. I sent her reply and it was only when she replied back to say thank you that I noticed I had started my reply to her with "Hi Jo4"!!! As she didn't comment, I can only assume she thought it was a typo - either that or it really was you Jo4??

It's been that kind of day though - I spent about half an hour looking for a file for a Mr Forester only to discover that his name was actually Mr Dolby and his job title was Forester!! Doh!

Ooh, look what I just found on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlIu8I7hflI

Geri, thank you twice over!! BTW There's also vid of JB taking a class with the Canadian Marias.

Half watching the dining prog on Channel 4.

That was lovely Geri, thanks. Didn't he look scrumptious? Shame they wasted time on the Marias! Actually they looked pretty good.

Oh Karen Thank you,white suit,lovely. Glad to see you are taking your new Cliffy responsibilities seriously,tee hee
Back to blog to carry on catching up

OH geri me is a bit thick... now i get it.xxxI am honoured to be part of you all. oh thank you Jane did not reealise it was me hey got kissed too wow wow and drawn too ohhh. ta ta ta.( chartreuse = Chantale)
Carys got the badges pinky ones to day thank you so much ,dont forget when you reorder them again when you havw enough takers I would love ared one, but it was so nice of you, bless you.
Oh Auds CR godfather to someone in your family a tiny bit jalous here!
Eva hope your cold gets better soon lots of ohmmmmmmmsss for you. Summer colds and heyfevers are yuk. have scollop at home as he has a summer cold too hope he is back to work tomorrow. Enjoyed the canadian Maria's program he did look a bit lonely in the background...but how delicious is he.
Oh forgot to say if you live near Wareham in Dorset, the Go protrait can be viewed at the Peter Hedley Gallery from the 23rd of June to July the 5th.Thanks to Geri's help it is called Lee Mead 'The people Joseph, a perfect star.'Donna will say what will happen with it in due course.
Ploppy needs the comp. so will vacate reluctantly this chair to him. see you all later. xxxx

Oh I'm loving the Cliffy videos ping pong. And one of the only time I've wished I'd gone to Wimbledon,brill. What a star.

I've been looking at the Canadian HDYSAPLM website. It has a photo gallery - could that be Lee & Denise behind John in pic 61? http://www.cbc.ca/maria/photoGallery.html

Wish I could see the portrait Chantale.

Karen,no it wasn't me.
Oh so cute. GO in clip,of course

Just catching up again.
Geri,- is the book Endless Night by AC? As Pauline2 says, the musical must be Chess.(Btw. wathced a YouTubevideo today of Elaine P. and barbara D. singing I Know Him So Well.)
My faith in Terse has been worth it,- even he has noticed how much King Lee loves and misses Diva!( I've had a very nice time in the King's chamber tonight. You didn't know that's where I've been all evening!)

Just watched a great programme about St. Kilda. Such a beautiful wild place. It is one of a series and next week they are going to try and establish if the Vikings ever lived there! Gosh they got about a bit didn't they Eva!

I think that is Lee and DVO Diana. Even a teensy glimpse is better than nothing!

Not doing well with the book Geri. Keep thinking the Black Tower and can't get past it at the moment!

Oh Diva - you naughty ghost nun!

Geri thanks for the link, but my computer has fallen out with You-Tube again! WWWAAAAHHH!

Oh Karen, you made me laugh with your typo!

He! He! Chantale! Don't worry - In AKWD Loppy Odds took an age to work out (didn't she Auds!) Loppy Sherbet didn't suss till after the story finished!

Dear Martin could you please pretty please tell me how to send you a small photo oh the go painting to go on your loppy albums so that stage loppies can see it.
Thank you xxxx

Hi Diva, well, it's nice to see you again. I had a nap (another long day in the real world) and then a natter with the lovely Lady Jane, so I've been missing the shenanigans in loppyland.

Eva, you're right about Endless Night & Pauline2, you got Chess. We're heading towards the denoument fairly soon I think, so I'll probably take a couple of days off to work on the plotting of the last few chapters. It'll also give the aforementioned Lady Jane time to find a new purple pen (do you think she's implying my prose is that colour?)

I loved all the Cliff stuff tonight, especially Miss You Nights. Eva, you and I both have that as our favourite of his songs. If you're curious, check out Art Garfunkle's version. I love Art, but he doesn't hold a candle to Cliff at least as far as MYN goes.

Diana, Chantale did post the link to her husband's web page with Lee's portrait. I'm sure I saved it somewhere; I'll look for it and post it for you. It's really wonderful.

Pauline2,- and we're still invading! Did you know that the Vikings found America long before Colombus was even a wicked glint in his father's eye? Oh, yes, and they called it Vinland (Wineland.)

Diana, here's the link to the portrait: http://www.nstjohnrosse.com/100_3514%20(7).jpg

Since we're doing links again tonight, try this one for the Vikings finding America:
http://www.athenapub.com/vinland1.htm
I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT As usual I'm very subdued in my winner's cry!
Oh yes, ladies,- if Geri and I had it our way, Go would include Miss-you-nights on his next album.

Chantale,I knew I was Jodphur, bit obvious, but took me days and days to see the play on words 'Jofour'.

I've just sent a pic of the first fan off the production line. There is a smudge on the left, due to me being too keen to get the threads onto the fan. I promise I'll let the others dry properly. The Procurement dept will be sending the blanks soon, so fullscale production will start soon. Arrangements for despatch will be detailed soon as there is a small stock. As I know Loppies will want delivery asap, so Finishing dept doesn't want to disappoint. Please note each one will be slightly different as stencils are not used.

I saw the St Kilda programme. Very interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Kilda%2C_Scotland

Thanks for the link, Geri. I have seen the portrait before, I meant I'd like to see the actual portrait.

Thank you Geri - you know how much I miss my purple pen (she reckons Weepy stole it!)

Eva - I think you'll find 'Voyage to Vinland' is one of the books on Diva's bookshelf!

Oh Jo4! You are being so industrious again!

Well it's time for me to go to bed

Sweet Meads all!

Wineland? Oh yes my sort of land!

I read the stories of Thor Heyerdahl years ago Eva, they were fascinating. So I knew your lot got about a bit!

Well done on getting the book. Definitely got a bit stuck tonight!

I'm heading to bed. Sleep well all

Diana, I'd like to see the actual sitter for the actual portrait...What do you mean, again?

Eva, do you think we could organise a letter-writing campaign to persuade the GO to do MYN on his next album? I'm a little weak at the knees just thinking about it. Or maybe that's the wine...

The graphics department is obviously on a go-slow because there's no picture yet for tonight's chapter. You don't think it's because I mentioned purple, do you?

Right, bedtime for me. Goodnight, loppies, sweet Meads, and, as Eva would say, wake up happy!

JaneE,- I know the book was there, but the question is; does Pauline2 knows? You see, I'm all set to educate her tonight on all things Vikings!
Pauline2,- Thor Heyerdahl was an exeptionell explorer and adventurer. I remember the first time I saw the film about his voyage to the Easter Island in the Pacific. It opened up a new world.
Geri,- I know we can get some very powerful and influential signatures for that letter from the Loppies: You, Jo4, myself, Karen (!), Debbie?? (No, somehow I don't think so.), Jacki........ Anybody else wants to sign up?
With that question pending, I'll wish you all good night, sleep tight, have wonderful dreams and........wait a minute, Geri,- that is my line!!!!!!

Nightlee night all

Hey, that's one Cliffy thing we do agree on ladies - the GO singing MYN - yes I could go for that!! Glad you've all had a good Cliffy night and I hope I'm finally forgiven!

Night all. Sleep well.

A different upload of the Canadian show and there are loads of connected clips now for anyone who wants to see more of the show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cCOo_cQAI

Actually I wouldn't mind signing that petition as I think the GO would sing that so well, yes I get a bit wobbly thinking about it too Geri!

Thankyou for the oppotunity to re-visit the travels of the Vikings Eva, fascinating stuff.

Thanks for all the links tonight, ohhhhhmmmmms for all needing them.

Bedtime, so night night all and sleep tight.

Been out all evening at a very boring AGM.
Just catching up, love the idea of King Lee playing Chess with Trice.

Clever thing Geri, finding the clip of the Canadian Marias, shame GO didn't get a mention by name.

Wasn't Thor Heyerdahl the Kon Tiki Expedition chap? Very famous.

Good morning, all. I'm having a very sniffly, hay-fever morning and just managed to slosh tea all over myself & my (formerly) nice clean shirt. Sorry, BHB, I'd love to sit with you and have a nice leisurely breakfast, but now I have to go get changed. Aw, nice of you to offer to keep me company while I do that, but trust me, that wouldn't be good for either of us! You could make me some fresh tea (in a to-go cup, I'm afraid) and warm up a croissant. Oh of course you can walk me to the bus. How lovely you are to offer. He's really so kind & thoughtful.

Good morning!

Yawn, yawn - I had a late night last night, and I really wanted a lie in this morning - but I have pennies to earn.

Yes, even I would like to hear the GO sing MYN!

Hello BHB, you've just been seeing off Geri to the bus? Oh good - you'll have time to join me for breakfast then!

Good morning Ladies
Jo has sent in a photo of the prototype fan and it is now on the Miscellaneous album.

Luckymoilee- if you have photos to send in, you can do so by sending to this address, ipswich-blue@hotmail.co.uk

Hopefully everyone is well? and if not then get well soon and here are a few Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmssssssssssss for the bank.

Photos to ipswich-blue@hotmail.co.uk

Morning all. Still sunshine here, but I think it will be rain later, so if you want a walk on the beach, you'd better have it now.
Hello sweetheart. You look a bit sleepy. You were up early to walk Geri to the bus? Doesn't she know the way? No, I don't have a bus to walk to, but I do need a strong coffee to wake me up. I've had one of my bad nights, so I just want to crawl back to bed, but that would never do, would it?
Martin,- good morning. How are you these days? We all ask after Maggie and Maureen, but forget to ask after you. Is that heart of yours working all right?
Jo4,- the fan looks beautiful. You are working hard on them. Good for you.
Geri,- it seems your idea of collecting signatures for GO to sing MYN is a popular one. Maybe I should start one of my lists?
Maeve,- that's right. Thor Heyerdahl did the Kon Tiki journey to prove that it was possible to sail from South America to the Easter Island in the Pacific on one of the floats made of straw. The reason he did this was to prove that the strange stone statues found on Easter Island originated from South American indians. People said it was impossible, because the only mode of transport at that time, was the straw floats. Some people are like that: If you say something is impossible, they are hell bent to do it to prove it is possible. So he did and it was!
Dear me,- school started early today! I'll get out of my teacher mode and revert to my usual one,- the witty, scintillating Loppy you all know and love!

Morning - it's Friday which means tomorrow I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn! Can't stop yawning this morning. Sorry you had a bad night, Eva.

Jo, the fan looks great.

Personally I'd be happy to hear the GO sing anything.

Good morning Eva
Some would say that I don't have a heart, but thank you for asking, I'm ok at the moment just waiting for consultant to decide how to fix me, assuming that it's possible of course, perhaps I should join Dorothy on the yellow brick road, and go to see the Wizard, or perhaps all the wonderful ladies in Loppyland, to give my heart a lift.

Hi again Luckymoilee (Chantale) has sent me a photo of the Lee painting, and it is now in the GO album.

Good morning girls.
thank you dear Martin for your email photo duly sent.
Jo4 the fan is beautiful cannot wait to own one.
Oh geri ohmmmsss for you heyfever.
Well Jo I did think it might be me be than I thought don't be silly you are too new but bless the writer and drawerer!!!!!! i am in the family yeh!!!!!.
And if I remember right Chartreuse is a Belgian liquor created by monks there, or is it elixir de Spa. ooppppsssss senoir moment!!!!.
BHB look after all my little friends wont you, please some of them seem delicate today so they will need your extra care.
ok , got to get ready it is father's first day at the respite centre Hope it all works out for mum and him too.
Oh Martin did not know your ticker was misbeheaving hope your doc can find the right plug for it, meanwhile hope you are not stressing too much.No Martin not the yellow brick road loppy land has got dot! he is a much better Wizard
Dear Geri you might be able to see the portrait live yet.
see you all alter. have alovely day. here it ain't brilliant.

Morning all, not to bad here at the moment, a bit warmer would be nice though!

Eva, sorry you had a bad night, hope the day improves for you. On the subject of Thor Heyerdahl, I also loved the Ra expeditions. They did a tv programme of them and they were so interesting. Great man.

Talking of great men, Martin the ohhhhmmmmms are always here for you. Hope you get the consultants views soon, waiting to hear can be the worst part....well almost.

Jo4 I just love the fan, it is beautiful and I would love one, pretty please. Great idea as they have a very practical use in the theatre when it is hot, as demonstrated to me by Eva!

Chantale, thanks for posting that picture of the picture. It really is lovely and would love to see it 'live'. Must have been hard to part with.

Tum ti tum tum tum....morning BHB, yes it is a nice song isn't it, think it would be great to hear it sung by a certain person. You will sing it for me? I didn't know you could sing.......wow can you sing! I think the blanket is called for here (no surprise there) and we can sit on it and you can sing to me again maybe? Please?

Google alerts warning - the alert sent approx 15 mins ago contains a virus so delete without opening it

Very late good morning Ladies –
I’m hating this having to catch up hours after the conversation has moved on, will have to do something soon about replacing computer. Maybe we can manage with beans on toast for a while??

Diana – god bless your eyesight on the picture 61 comment! And I think you’re right because you can see in Geri’s fantastic youtube link (8.39pm), thanks for that Geri, got glimpses of the GO at - 1.51 (even the back of the head will do) - 2.08 (love that one!) and again at 5.46

Isn’t it just great to see current shots of him in RL, he’s looking very relaxed and happy.

Loving the idea of MYN sung by him on the next album, that’s one of my all time favourites. Another set of weak and wobbly knees at the thought!

You can certainly have my signature (typically again, the “Siamese twins” as Martin called, us will both sign up!)

I think I'm just in time to say "Good Morning"? Decided to do the i***ing and some sewing first or it will still be waiting this time next week!!
Hazy sunshine at the moment but rain forecast so I may as well settle myself in for an afternoon on the laptop while I have the chance. Another busy weekend coming up so won't have much chance to catch up till next week, seems to be the story of my life right now!
ok off to check out the pics (thanks Martin) back later

Just been on This Morning that DVO is on next Friday. You never know she may have company! They are talking about her new show, and running a karioke competition which she will judge. You have to send a tape in, anyone fancy having a go? Certainly not me!!!

Thanks Diana I normally get the alerts about 5 or 6 hours later, so will have to be very careful.

Hi all. No, I didn't go back to bed, even though I wanted to. I decided to do some h******k, d*****g and h******g, and in the midst of that, a friend rang and wanted to know if I wanted to go shopping. Now, I'm not normally the world's happiest shopper, but given the choice between that and the h******g, I said yes! I'd seen in the paper that there was a sale on at Laura Ashley, and as I want new bedroom curtains, I thought this was a good way to spend the day. Alas, the old curtains are still in place, but I found a beautiful wall clock which I intend to give as a birthday present to a friend.
The fact that Waterstone now have to restock, is neither here nor there, but I am in desperate need of a new bookcase. I can see an Ikea trip coming up next week! It's a hard loife!

Oh well, the forecasters were right, it's now raining! I was hoping it might stay away a bit longer so ploppy could cut the grass, the cats love it as they can stalk each other but it's far too long!
Thanks for the heads up re:DVO, may have to record that. I remember she tried to talk about Lee on AL Murray's show but he kept trying to steer the conversation to a lower level, at least Philip and Ruth ( I think she takes over from Fern on Fridays?) should let her talk about him or even ask about him.

Eva I forgot to say we have a very good charity shop in town which has a separate bookshop, it is packed to the rafters, you'd love it! I get books, read them and take them back, like a library but you pay a very reasonable amount and it goes to 2 very good causes (the local Air Ambulance and a local Children's Hospice)

Ali,- I'm the local Barnardos' favourite customer! They have a very good "book lady",- she even shelfs the books alphabetically,- and the books I don't want to keep, I give to them. I buy a lot there too. My trouble is: There are soooooo many books I want to keep.

For those interested, Thor Heyerdahl and his expeditions:
http://www.greatdreams.com/thor.htm

Oh yes Pauline2 it was but hopefully will get it back until it is eventually won then I shall be in morning!!!!.
dreary here too by the way.
Heard that dad is doing ok so far, we will collect him at about 4 PM.
Oh that takes me back the Ra expeditions loved the programs, but funnily enough I cannot remember for the life of me if it was successful ? Good excuse to look at link. Taaaa.

Afternoon - hope you all had a nice lunch, went for a walk down by the river and then met a friend for a chat, turns out we both had a lot of moaning to do so quite a good therapy session!

Ali - how did the presentation go? Did you get pics?

Eva/Geri - I'm really getting into "The Daughter of Time" - it's a good read.

Oh Eva, I have exactly the same problem about books I want to keep. When we moved into this house four years ago, we had two large bookcases made for the landing. We filled one straightaway, but only started the second. Now, both are full and I am having to double up on shelves, which I hate doing! Whenever I try to sort any to get rid of, I end up with such a small pile it's hardly worth it!!

BTW Geri, I do love the song "Summer Holiday", brings back happy childhood memories, so can join in with alacrity. See, I'm nowhere near as obvious as that Karen with all her YouTubes! I'm now having a vague memory that that song figured quite strongly in "The Young Ones" - didn't Cliffy appear in it?

Jacki,- childhood memories? We're having teenage/early adulthood memories of Summer Holiday! Oh, happy days!
Karen2,- keep reading. You have so much reading time now you can't join us after work!

I am just as bad with boos . When I was doing the book sales the first one I had a really good trn out of my book shelves and took loads of books to the stall. It was a real wrench but I felt very virtuous. Trouble was I came home with nearly as many as I took!

Karen2, yaaay another convert in the making methinks! One at a time, one at a time. Am really enjoying We Speak No Treason at the moment, which Carol recommended. Same theme but a different angle.

I remember the Cliffy films so well! As I am 27 I must have been minus when I saw them I think!

That would be books of course, haven't started booing anybody!

I've had a few Google Alerts about West End Live this weekend. Guess who's the only named star http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/21057/mead-to-star-in-west-end-live-this-weekend

Lost my pencil as had to sign in again and couldn't remember my Live Journal log in but the other one worked.

Oh Diana - you had me confused then! Thanks for the link.

Pauline2 I mis-read your post as 'bad with booze', which just shows you where my mind is at!

I also remember the Ra expedition, fascinating - it was sucessful wasn't it?

And of course we 27 year olds have all seen Summer Holiday - on re-runs of course!

Oops sorry! Forgot to give Martin some Ohhmmmms!

And Chantale - that portrait is stunning! Bravo to your Ploppy!

Karen2 presentation was good, pics look a bit dark on the camera but I'm hoping they'll be ok on the laptop, if so I'll email one to Martin for you. Scollop was very proud but more excited at the chance to do air-rifle shooting beforehand!
I remember the Cliff films, they used to put them on during the school holidays and the Elvis films too. My friends and I used to watch them all. I remember Summer Holiday and one set in the desert (I think?) where Cliff and the Shadows dressed as French Legionnaires. Jackie I think CLiff and The Young Ones did Living Doll?

Sorry Jackie, ploppy has just come in and he says they did SH too, he remembers something about a pet hamster and a double decker bus?? I did watch the series but the only one that sticks in my mind is the University Challenge one, and thats because they show clips on other programmes! Oh dear now I've started something, he's now reminiscing (sp?) about other things he watched (Blackadder etc.) I think this could take a while...

Just been catching up.
Oooooh! I'll sign a letter to ask GO sing MYN. It's one of my favourite Cliff songs. Have fond memories of Cliff's films. Loved the Shadows too. They had a hit with Kon Tiki, after Thor Heyerdahls voyage. Been loving all the Cliff vids, thanks all.
Friday is my morning off so I'll be able to watch Philip and Ruth with DVO.
There was a small clip of Joseph on the BBC London news at lunchtime, advertising this weekend.
Have to admit to watching a little bit of Ascot. There's a horse running this pm called Lush Lashes. If I were a betting girl I'd have 50p on that, it reminds me of GO.
Might see you later.

Ali, I'm sure your Ploppy's right. I do remember the hamster and I think it came to a sticky end, probably at Vivian or Rik's hands. I think they did do Living Doll aswell. And I remember the university challenge episode -very funny! We liked Blackadder too, especially Percy! And Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie (or Huge Lorry as my friend used to call him!) were brilliant as WWI army officers.

West End live sounds fantastic Diana – are you going to go to it? Will any of it be televised?

Jackie – have a great mental picture of the 3 of us arm in arm singing we’re all going on a Summer Holiday, just wish we were!

Geri – having had a better chance to read last night’s chapter, I love the use of Chess lyrics, excellent!

Jane – “bad with booze” trust you to see that, Carol’d be so proud of you, and that’d be a good description of 2am Tearfest night, wouldn’t it??

Looking forward to the picture Ali. Boys and their guns eh? I decided when PB was only about 6 months old that in the nature/nurture debate, nature definitely won out in our case! Zero male influence but still a typical boy!

Re the Young Ones – that was never permitted in our house, very little of that type of show ever was. Managed to sneak a peek at Blackadder now and again but didn’t properly see it until re-runs years later and I loved it, thought RA was excellent in that but cannot see him as Fagin.

Lush Lashes – mmmmmmmm……………….. thanks Kathleen for a little daydreaming moment.

Jackie & Ali - The Hamster was called SPG (Special Patrol Group) if I remember rightly and got squished in the last episode when it was being the maskot on the front of the double decker bus. (Why do I remember this stuff?)

Carys - I've just checked your site for the story & pictures - well done lass! Superb work! I'm going to e-mail you!

And now for a 'lush lashes' moment....

He! he! Karen2 - I wasn't thinking of we sober individuals of course...

You're right Jane, though how you remembered SPG I don't know! My memory is clearly not as well ordered as yours, or perhaps it needs some incohol to get the recollections flowing!

Disappearing for my own "lush lashes" moment, may be a while...

Karen2, glad you're enjoying Daughter of Time -- starting to get the Richard 3 thing now, are you? Good lass! And I'm glad SOMEONE noticed the Chess lyrics -- thank you!

As I said last night, there'll be no story for a couple of days because I'm coming to the end and I want to make sure I've got all the loose threads tied up or the plotting will be a bit rubbish, and we can't have that. I reckon there'll be two more chapters posted here, and the rest (including the unmasking of the villain) will be on Carys' site. And may I add my thanks and approval, Carys, to the work you've done on the story so far? It's stunning.

So we're talking books (or boos, as the case may be). JaneE will tell you I suffer from an advanced case of bibliophilia. I've overtaken the bookcases and have large stacks on the stairs, on tables, on the floor...Give them away? Are you mad?! I suppose you'd give away a puppy once you'd housebroken it, too. Strange behaviour -- not understanding.

Ah, Cliff in the Young Ones and the final episode where they robbed a bank and escaped in a red double-decker bus -- and crashed into a big Cliff poster and...went over the edge of a cliff! Ben Elton's not into subtlety is he?

On a more serious note, there seem to have been rather a lot of very distressed men around today & I couldn't help thinking of DVO's comment that it's very hard when boys (or men) are upset. Started on the bus when the young lad beside me spent the entire journey staring tearfully at a picture of a Lewis B lookalike, obviously an ex. I felt so sorry for him. Then in work, one of my staff who suffers badly from depression came to see me and sobbed on my shoulder for half an hour. There were some other things too, but I'm going to get ready for dinner with my sister and think about having a drink that even Carol would approve of.

I'll pop back before I go out & see what mischief you've been up to.

Had a horrid fright earlier on, went to my e-mails read all the Google alerts, then came on blog and saw Diana's warning, shortly after, none of my open windows would respond, all said 'can't connect to server', and I thought virus had ruined my pooter for ever. I closed down and now fingers csrossed here I am again!

Loved the fan Jo4.

Being too lazy to look back on blog, which song is MYN?
Whatever it is I'd certainly like to hear GO sing it!

Jackie - the problem is my memory is full of useless bits of info and can't retain anything important!

Maeve - it's Miss You Nights (you've gotta admit that would be brilliant for the GO!)

Geri have a lovely evening.

Maeve,- since it's you, I'll forgive you. It's Miss-You-Nights!
Diana,- thank you for the link. Did you see the Amazon advert underneath the article. A certain Lee Mead has an album out!

You're very welcome Geri, does that earn me any brownie points?

Poor Maeve - have a Lush Lashes moment, you'll feel much better.
MYN is "Miss You Nights" by Cliffy

Well, Ladies I'm staying a little late in work, ostensibly to finish up on a particular spreadsheet (employee of the month, don't you know!) but with the added advantage that I can check in with you all a little bit later than normal.
On a typical Friday I'd be long gone by now but PB's social life means I'm surplus to requirements this evening.