Jim Bywater

Nowthen! 13th June, Zoe gives birth at 1.46pm to a 7lb 3oz girl (un-named as yet). She went the whole way but not the direction she had planned. She had the birth pool, the check-ups, everything was on track but she ended up with the epidural and cesaerian procedure. However, she's got herself a little stonker, (looks like me); she'll probably end up calling her something like Perambulator or Ig! Ideas on a s.a.e. to........
Then, on the 15th Clarence and Deborah gave birth to Tao Nina Ruby Dee, (how come they got four names and Zoe can't get one???). She was born at 7.15 am. All are doing well.
On the 21st Phill Straker was 50 and his wife threw a party at a pub and presented him with a Porsche Boxster - poser! Great party.

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Congratulations Neil and Louise. Neil Gore is now Mr. ands Mrs. Gore and Alexander Gore. They did it on Sunday 16th April at the Limpley Stoke Hotel near Bath. Me and my wife, Jeni, drove down Saturday morning - a very pleasant journey. We found the hotel very easily, booked in, had a walk about then went off to Hinton Charterhouse to The Stag Inn, a splendid hostlery owned and run by the family of Wendy Parkin, a friend of mine. The meal was cooked by Christopher, Wendy's brother, (an enormous and delicious - lamb shank for me, halibut for Jeni) . Wine, snuff, cigars, coffee and good conversation rounded off the occasion. So if you're ever in the area you'd better book - it was heaving.
The aforementioned Wendy was present in The Stag with Jane, alias, Pellican. Another Jane arrived with Neil Carter, her husband. He had been at Rose Bruford's with my eldest daughter, Hanna. From there it became a torrent of past aquaintences, bizarre coincidences, new associations and new discovered common ground.
But first I had to race back to Our house so that I could cook Easter Sunday lunch, along with Brian Turner, on Great Food Live, which, though I say it myself, was absolutely delicious. Then I had to dash back to Limpley Stoke for the wedding.

Continue reading "Spliced!" »

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Well done, Sasha! She's now a mother of a little, 7lb baby girl called Edie. Presents and money to be sent to the home address. If you don't know it, I'm not telling you. Papa Jamie will be smiling all over his face, I reckon. We're waiting, now, for Zoe and Deborah to produce their's and then breeding season will be over. God, it's like being a shepherd. Apparently, you can tell when a sheep is going to give birth 'cos it starts licking it's lips with anxiety. Not many people know that. So, if your woman is pregnant and her time is due, watch her lips!

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We went to Venice. It was extremely pleasant - extremely. We had a list of eateries to visit. We managed three of them and had two synchronicitous experiences. Experience 1: At the end of an evening in 'alle Teniere' Jeni noticed a diner at another table who she thought she knew. It turned out to be Valentino Montecello who's written a book about food and wine in opera. She had interviewed him about his book. Experience 2: We last saw a friend of ours called 'Hovis' 18yrs ago at a party, our wedding, actually. On day three we were walking to our hotel when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Hovis. He was taking a group of art enthusiasts on a tour of Venetian art spots. He recommended two more eateries - which were very good - then came back to Blighty. Weird or what?! Good points:- coffee, grappa, pasta and scenery - bad points:- can't think of any at the moment. We walked for miles. The best moment was when Jeni suddenly realised that there were no cars! We spent three days listing the consequences of this fact, the most exciting one being that everybody drank at a party 'cos no-one was driving home.
Anyway, when WE got home nobody had given birth but Sasha's waters have broken.

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CONGRATULATIONS!! It's my missis' birthday. I bought a card and a present and all that and everything so I'm not in the dog-house. Out for a nosh tonight with James, son of Clarence, Beth, daughter of me and the wiff and, Annie - tall, blonde, glamour-puss who knocks up a mean champagne cocktail and cordon bleu supper table.

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Congratulations are in order, yet again. Beth has just learned that she has got a place on the B Mus popular music course at Goldsmith's University. Three glorious years of alcohol, laughter and sex, probably. What a waste of tax payers' money. She would say that I sounded a tad bitter and not a little envious. Bloody students!

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Bethany's birthday, today. Happy Birthday, Beff! Yipee! She's in the last year of her teenage. YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!

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Hello Mandy. Mandy lives with Chad in Devon. She's a literary editor and mother of two. She's got a cold, bless her. Get well soon, Quackers.

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BJORN ENJOYING A SAUSAGE.

This is that friend of mine in Sweden. I'm waiting for a phone call. Whilst I'm waiting -
Björn is a genius. He's an engineer/rock musician/inventor/bon viveur. He speaks better english than me. We agree that peolple are strange, I mean, we are the only normal people we know, and, as you can no doubt tell, even he's a bit funny.

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I've just told Barbel Kirschbaum (Cherrytree) that I would mention her name. She is an extraordinary accupuncturist and chinese herbalist, at the moment residing in Hamburg. She is also an expert windsurfing fanatic - or was. There, I've done what I said I'd do! Love you, Babs. xxx

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I got my first comment today on 'First Day of Rehearsals' post, from my friend Phill Straker, no doubt encouraged by his wife, Chrissie. A tad sarcastic I thought but I know they only wanted me to mention them on my blog site. Underneath it all they are both decent chaps and our dog, Jackson, loves their dog, Florence, a Spinone (Italian for Floozie). If you're into saxaphones it's worth a visit to Phill's website and check out the Maui Xaphoon bamboo saxophones..

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Born 1987, Beth (real name Bethany) is the youngest of the three girls. She plays piano, cello, sax and bass guitar. Went to the local comp and then to BIMM for two years. She is going for an interview for Goldsmiths College to start in September. I hope to God she get's in - I want her out of the house :-) No, but she's lovely.

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Born 1972, Zoe, (real name, Zoe) is the middle daughter, actress, director, mother-to-be, living with Corin in Brighton - not a million miles from her sister, Hanna. Is a clown, professionally and in her private life. I once directed her and her friend Tim Kane in a show for the Edinburgh fringe five or six years ago - 'The Jeffrey ( with a 'J') Cobb Stress Management Roadshow'. I thought they were very funny. Bald and short, but funny. No, but, she's lovely.

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Born 1970, Hanna (real name, Johanna) is the eldest. A qualified actress - unemployed - lives in Hove, not a million miles from her sister, Zoe. She's very musical and has a good voice. When the three girls sing Bulgarian folk songs together you could be in, erm, erm, Bulgaria somewhere. I'd love her to do something with it. No doubt she will when she's ready. No, but, she's lovely.

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I have a friend in Malmö - Björn Engström. But möre of that later.
I also have friends called Kesselofski and Fiske.

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On the 22nd May my middle daughter, Zoe, is due to make me a grandfather for the first time. I hope she makes a good job of it. I mean, I don't want to be a sub-standard grandfather; I want to be at the peak of grandfatherhood from day one. My wife, Jeni, has so far been referred to as WSM (Wicked Step-Mother - pronounced 'Wuzzum'), and, I suppose, will now have to be referred to as WSGM (Wuzzugum).

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We're getting there. I'll have a go at embedding some pictures and stick a link in for Nobby Clarke and then I think it's simply a case of "publish and be damned."

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Mr Fenn has just spent an hour, face to face with me, and taken me through the posting process for this weblog. So - this is my first complete attempt. He has a chinese food website talking about - guess what - chinese food! He also designs and administers web sites - obviously.

Continue reading "Ian Fenn" »

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