THE MISSING PICTURE

CHRISTMAS AND NEWS

THIS IS ONE OF MANY PICTURES FROM OUR TRIP TO BERLIN HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

WATCH OUT FOR MORE PICTURES OF OUR TRIP TO BERLIN

Open day and party

I have been playing with a new toy or extension of Google Picasa and found that I could make up a collage of the 2 days at Neurosupport so if you can recognize yourself or anyone else you have passed the new eye test that all volunteers have to take next year ( only joking of course ) one of the pictures on the left I have entitled "Too Many Cooks" see how many people you can see?

Open Day at Neurosupport

This is 3 of the many pictures that were taken on a very successful Open Day 09/12/08

The day didn't get off to a good start when Mick Ord of "Radio Merseyside" phoned to say that he could not make the opening but none of that mattered as as soon as 9.30 came people were coming through the doors so without much ado as they say Maureen welcomed everyone to the centre and declared us open to the public for all to see. Pictured also is a picture of Stan Ambrose of Radio Merseyside who did manage to make the day and kept us entertained on his harp.

Visitor numbers for the day were higher than expected and I would like to thank everyone involved in putting the display together, I myself really enjoyed the day maybe we could do it again next year? Check out a website www.liverpoolfh.org.uk Paul Miller who attended the day for the website which is involving the people of Liverpool to display their own works of art in the workplace " Face of the City" read more at the website.

More to come of our christmas party

The Man Himself "Zucchero"

Yes this is Zucchero for those who don't know him and what a great concert aging rockers and blues men were all united with one thing in mind to have a GOOD TIME and did he provide the music for a good time yes he did in spade loads.

What a voice, he has been seen in this country usually at charity concerts and in his own beloved Italy of course, but this was the first time I noticed that he was touring the country so Sally and myself decided to go and see this singer who we had only seen singing with Andrea Bocelli at a live concert in Verona, we only saw this on a DVd but he had a voice a bit like Joe Cocker for those of us who are old enough to remember and we both said we would like to see him if we got the chance and York was that chance.

Would we go and see him again? YES is the only answer
I might annoy some of you with a CD to listen to so you have been warned

Holidays and comings and goings

Hope everyone is well as they read this, but a certain person pictured is far from well.

Ameena Roberts pictured looking very studious is still in hospital as I write this blog. Last time I saw Ameena she was hoping to come out of hospital on Monday 24th November when I saw her on Thursday the week before after my stint in The Walton Centre, she was about to come off the oxygen and see how that went over the next few days and discharged on Monday. I called in for a few minutes before lunch(It arrived as I was there)so I didn't stay too long and dropped off some magazines that Sally had been saving to pass on as well as all the wishes of everyone at Neurosupport.
I have been off this last week travelling to York to see a singer that no one has heard of Zucchero, but more of that later and off this week to Germany,Berlin to enjoy a pre Christmas break taking in the sights and of course the real reason for the visit Christmas Markets (Sally loves to shop) and yes I will put up some photo's when we get back, but back to Ammena. I phoned the house to see how she was getting on and left a message, I was surprised she was out but then when Phil phoned later that night I found out what i was thinking when no one phoned back earlier Phil was at the hospital. Ameena is still in and still having problems and scans and drips and all the things that go with being in hospital.

So I would like to say along with everyone else, get well soon as we all miss your smiling face on a Tuesday.

Also sad to report that a certain Mr John Bailey who works on reception will be leaving us this week, he will sadly missed by all and I would like to wish him well in his new job along with the rest of the volunteers from Neurosupport.

So on to the last item before I have my breakfast and try and work out how to listen to songs on my very new MP3 player my nephews will help later are we all ready for the the "Open Day"09/12/08 and our Christmas Party on 10/12/08 I did hear a rumour that Santa himself was going to put in an appearance so have your lists ready along with sherry and mince pies on both days see you all there

News of trips will follow and "How we got Lost on the Underground in Berlin" it's a given

Quantum of Solace review by Michael Ord

While waiting for my holiday to start a gift has been dropped in my lap, a reveiw of "Quantum of Solace" written by my nephew Michael Ord, it was his homework. I never remember getting homework that involved me going to thre pictures although I do remember going to see "El Cid" starring Charlton Heston and Sophie Loren, I think it was part of history but I can't remember now after all those years that have gone by. So to the review
Quantum Of Solace (2008)

James Bond: Daniel Craig
Director: Marc Foster
Producer: Michael G. Wilson
Story: Ian Flemming (characters), Michael G. Wilson (plot).
After a long and anxious wait Daniel Craig is back in his second outing as everyone’s favourite agent, 007. Craig has brought a much more physical appearance to 007 as emphasised in the amount of enemies Bond kills in this new version of Bond. As usual this thriller has not failed to impress with an intriguing storyline which has various links to Casino Royale which also was a fantastic watch but was originally a spoof bond film written by Ian Flemming but adapted by Wolf Mankowitz in 1967 starring Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress.
The opening scene in itself is a great opener to this exhilarating film. This includes fantastic cars crashing, bashing, flipping and burning due to James Bonds crazy driving skills, even after losing a door. After this breathtaking opening Mr White is revealed to be in the boot of Bond’s car, surprisingly still alive. When taken back to the headquarters Mr White is interrogated by James and M, acted out as brilliantly as always by Judi Dench. Bond wants information to reveal the truth about the death of his ex-girlfriend in Casino Royale, Vesper. Mr White manages to escape without revealing any information about who he is working for. This leads to a jaw-dropping chase on rooftops, through houses and includes life threatening jumps from building to building. When Bond intrudes into one of the ‘bad guys’ hotel rooms he picks up his briefcase which reveals he is supposed to shoot the young Camille, who is played by the beautiful Olga Kurylenko. Camille reads his move like a book while she seems to know more about the next move than Bond.This leads to Bond escaping out of the car without either of them getting hurt even though that wasn’t James’ plan anyway as he wasn’t who Camille thought he was.
Dominic Greene acted by Mathieu Amalric, and General Medrano are the men James is after as they are the men behind James’ ex-girlfriends death but also Camille seeks revenge for Medrano due to her father’s death. James begins to spy on Greene when he talks to General Medrano, Joaquin Cosio, in a plan to take over one of the world’s major resources, oil.
He plans to do this by manipulating people into agreeing with his plans. In order to serve justice to the people behind the death of Vesper in ‘Casino Royale’ Bond allies with old friends to uncover the truth about Dominic Greene. This involves Bond staying ahead of the enemies, the CIA and even his boss M. Together Bond and Camille reveal that the resource Dominic Greene is actually offering in the deal with the General is not oil but it is water by a crash landing off a plane into underground caves.
James and Camille eventually get the chance they had been waiting for in the middle of a desert when Dominic Greene and General Medrano meet to sign the deal for the oil which in fact is water. The whole building ends up in flames even though it is Bond and Camille against henchmen and the two taking part in the deal, Greene and Medrano. Camille takes her opportunity without hesitation to kill the man involved in the death of her father, Medrano, immediately she kills him. However Greene does not manage to get away that easy as Bond wants to make him suffer with body blows, punches to the face and even an axe to the toes. That is not too mention the actual death, he is left in the middle of the desert with nothing to drink but oil. So no surprise when the next day he is found dead in the desert with lungs filled with petrol. Finally, the last of Bonds enormous list of kills is when he enters a small village and finds the man who was sent to kill.
So this really is an action packed thriller worth seeing but certainly not the typical Roger Moore type of Bond. However as we all know from previous 007 experiences, James Bond will never seize to amaze his viewers. The villains in this new epic film are also very believable due to the exciting action performed by Mathieu Amalric and Joaquin Cosio. This storyline in general is nothing similar too any previous films or books written by Ian Flemming. Now the fans of Bond are just looking forward to the next Bond acted by the new physical and distinguished 007, Daniel Craig.

I couldn't have done better myself, thanks Michael our very junior reporter