Return of the Delboy

Hi all, yes it has been a while since I last bothered to get my finger out and type some sentences onto the laptop to publish for all to see.

There are many possible reasons

a) Have been doing things that can't be published (e.g. top secret spy work)

b) Have been abducted by aliens returning with an anal probe

c) Too lazy to do it (same as couldn't be arsed!)

I'll let you all think of which one suits the bill best.

Meanwhile, after several months of hassle with Rover going bust, trying to get insurance with an Irish number plate & the beaurocracy of government agencies, I have finally got a UK license plate stuck to my car. Oh yes, after several hundred pounds & lots of phone calls, emails & trips to obscure vehicle testing agencies! It was that easy!!! All that to import a car made in the UK, exported to Ireland to be re-imported. If I'd known it was going to be such hassle I wouldn't have bothered. A warning to anyone coming from Europe to the UK. Ask how much it will cost & how long it will tak to go through the process. And remember, double both figures and you're getting to somehwere realistic.

Meanwhile, on a more serious note, it was very sad to see once again the poor and deprived people suffering. This time it was the people of New Orleans & Luoisiana who suffered, this time because of a natural disaster. The sad point of it is not whose fault it was but really (and I'm repeating what has been said by many others) that the response to help their own people was so incredibly slow. I'm sure that even with the large numbers of troops in Iraq there should still be plenty of opportunities to deliver food, water and clothing to those who need it. It's sad to see the large differences only coming to light in these situations exposing the American Ideal for what it really is - Grab as much cash as you can and f*^%&k anyone else. Margaret Thatcher tried to push that in the 80s and it didn't make us much happier people, just greedier!

On a lighter note, my Venezuelan wife Indira took great delight in the BBC announcing that the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez Frias had offered assistance to the US. I told her I thought it was just more political point scoring. She agreed but still stated that at least they can't be said to be above the imperialistic comments of the Americans.

We've done many other things, seen many movies, travelled around a bit in the UK & Wales (photos still to come) so life is certainly more adventurous & exciting than before. With trips planned to Barcelona this week & the folks coming down end of Sep it's really a fun packed life down here in Cardiff. On the movie side, check out Crash, once of the best movies I've seen for a long time

Oh, I do have to apologise to any Welsh folks, not being a native speaker, welcome should be croeso not creoso!!

TTFN.

Creoso to Cardiff

Hi all, we're now happily settled in Cardiff after a few months of change and moving around. It's been a month since we first arrived n Cardiff and things are going well jobwise & socially. Both of us are much happier than in Ireland.

I promis to get my finger out & keep the blog more up to date but you also have to do me a favour by actually reading it and posting comments! otherwise, there's no point.

Neil, I will put some music on soon. Now have my laptop hooked up to a mixer & then to a stereo soI can now skip the CD burn part to check out how it sounds ona proper system.

Work calls but thank crunchie it's Friday!

La Boda en Margarita

Finally, I've got some wedding photos from Margarita online. Click on this link to take you to the rest of the photos of myself & Indira's civil wedding in Isla Margarita 2 Apr 2005.


Derek conquering Indira's heart

Buenos dias

Up bright and early again on a Sunday (changed days that's for sure) after falling asleep (before 11pm on a Sat nigth!) watching a movie.

Friday, went (ever so reluctantly, as I was really dying to have a pin of Guinness) to the cinema. I was really glad I relented as we went to watch Million Dollar Baby. A heart wrenching and sometimes gritty film. Definitely recommended.

Beforehand we spent time having dinner in a South African-based steakhouse place where the food was great. But they did have an extreme lack of beer choice at which I was less than happy. Then spent time wandering round the shops trying to kill time. Ended up with a vase, toothbrush holder, soap dispenser and soap holder. What I really wanted was FIFA 2004 & DRIV3R - a bargain for 45 euros (sigh! I suppose that's what married life is like!)

Yesterday spent the afternoon, first of all looking for a Venezuelan couple's place in Dublin with only a vague tourist map of Dublin from my Rough Guide to Ireland to help us. Never mind, being over an hour late in Venezuela is quite normal! Had a couple of drinks, some food and good company. Met many more Venezuelans in the process which is beginning to make me think they're trying to take over the world as there always seem to be loads of them about in places you really don't expect. All positive though.

Sorry I still don't have the wedding pictures up and running but this is due to a software problem with Hello which I haven't been able to resolve. Not only that, apprently no-one can comment unless they have a Blogspot account!! SO you might see some changes in the near future.

Hasta luego mis amigos.

Pipes & Slippers

It's a bad sign when you're falling asleep watching TV and it's not even 10pm. Is that what happens when you get married? I hope not!!!!

Anyway, got my finger out (or more like someone forc....ouch...ok....persuaded me) and scanned some photos from the church wedding in Margarita.

Look, I scanned them, what do you expect in one night!! I promise I'll have a few uploaded before the week is out (could be Sat around midnight though ;-).

Please try the comments, looks like it might work. Saw Andrea's attempt so it seems stuff does get through but doesn't appear on the page. I'll have a little hack around to see what the problem is.

Chao (Derek & Indi)

Derek & Indira's Civil Wedding

Finally, I've managed to find a relatively easy way to share my photos online. Click on this link to take you to the rest of the photos of myself & Indira's civil wedding in San Cristobal 26 Dec 2004.


It's a serious business

A cold and wet Sunday in Ireland

As it's taken me a few hours to get this far (after trying the kodak share) to get some photos online, I may as well spend some time to write a brief hello.

Myself and my new wife, Indira (not the first she thinks!) have just recently returned to Ireland from our wedding and brief honeymoon in Isla Margarita off the coast of Venezuela. From a roasting hot 30 dgrees or more to a freezing 1 degree in Paris. What a welcome to Europe!! We spent a short time on the Island but managed to pack a lot o fun and activities into the time we had (and keep those thoughts to yourself!!!!!)

After 1 week in Ireland we're already planning a move, not to a much sunnier climate unfortunately but at least to somewhere with more life. NOt that Ireland ia quite that bad as we had been planning a move for some time. All will be revealed at a later date.

Oh, congrats to Kris on her achievements for the cycling event to raise money for MS. Watching the London marathon made me think of you and how sore you must be feeling now.

Well, I hope you enjoy the photos of our civil wedding in Dec and I promise to scan and upload the photos from Margarita as soon as possible.