Sunday 31 August 2008

College Tomorrow!!!!

I start college tomorrow. Which is both scary and very exciting. I do, however, now know where I'm going. There was a load of stuff in a pack I got given at enrollment which I never looked through, oops. And now I have a form thing to fill in and need dad to sign something, but there you go. Better get on with it.

Assassin's Quest

This is a brilliant end to the Farseer trilogy. And what makes it even better is that I know there's a trilogy following on from this. I can't think of a single loose end I'd like tied off, only that I wish it had lasted longer. Again, this is a very long book, over 800 pages, so don't read it if you haven't time to finish it, else it will gnaw away at you and drive you insane. Anyway, it's a very, very good ending to the trilogy. It draws on that annoying circle thing that so many trilogies do, but it does it in a way which isn't OTT, like the third books in the trilogies by William Nicholson. Although it would probably make sense without the rest of the trilogy, you really should read them in order. Anyway, it's pretty amazing. So there you go. Read it.

Saturday 30 August 2008

St John in the Vale

So I'm sure you're all dying to know what I did while I was away. No? Well, I'll tell you anyway. Buster and Norma took me down on hte Saturday, and once we arrived and got settled into our rooms (I was in a six room), we went up to the top of the hill and played a netball/basketball/wrestling type game, which was great crazy fun. Then we had tea, and did the first part of the Search, and stayed up until about three in the morning in the end. On the Sunday, we had breakfast (I was on making duty) and then did a bit more of the Search and then went into Grasmere for a treasure hunt using cameras. Great fun, even if people may have thought us a wee bit crazy. Next thing we did was a pamper session, BBQ, talent evening and bonfire. Some people slept out on the hill all night, but I didn't want to climb back up again in the dark. Then Monday we went on a hike after cooked breakfast, which took ages to clear up from, and then we went on the hike and I got soaked because I kind of forgot to take waterproof trousers with me and it was throwing it down... But the next thing was go back and have a shower and do not much until we did the Search again in the evening. Tuesday we did a bit more of the Search, cleaned up, and came home. It was my birthday too, so we had birthday cake at lunch time, and I had a great time.

Cherub: The General

I love the cherub books. As far as realism goes, I think they have to be the best teenage spy books ever. It's incredible, because it could be true, it could so easily be true, and yet you'd never know. There wasn't quite as much spying and action as there ha been in other books, but one of the things I really love about the series is the way you can see the characters, especially James, starting to mature and change. James is a very, very realistic character, and it's the same with all the rest of them. They aren't stereotyped teenagers, they aren't basic, cardboard things, they're real, and you can see them interacting in such a true to life way. But besides that, you've got the spying, a handful of gadgets, though nothing particularly ludicrous, and they're just fab. The Sleepwalker (the previous one) was absolutely gripping from the first page, and made my heart pound so fast, but you can't have that all the time. I can't remember whether I've ever reviewed a Cherub book on here or not, don't think I have. I would recommend reading them in order, because you can watch them grow up, but it doesn't really, really, really matter. The first one, the Recruit is worth reading first as it gives good background to the rest of it, and after that it doesn't matter too much. I suppose if you read everything I recomend (ie about ninety percent of what I read...) you'd never get anywhere, but I think this goes high on the good teenage books list. But if spying or action really isn't your thing, I wouldn't bother, because it's a teenage spy book. Better than Alex Rider, and if it's something you're not fussed about then I would read them, because there is a lot of 'teenagey' stuff in there (cheating on boyfriend/girlfriend, friendship issues, etc) along with the rest of it, but if you hate spy stuff, then I wouldn't read them.

One Shot

A book in the Jack Reacher series, don't know what number, but it doesn't seem to matter all that much what order you read them in. I absolutely love these books, by Lee Child. They're a little difficult to find, but it's worth the effort of hunting them down without a shadow of a doubt. Mystery, plot twists, action, a main character you have to love, and a style of writing that puts you right there. Lots of detailed description, but in a way that you hardly realise you're reading it. Quite long, it has to be said, so not for you if you've not much time to read/don't want to stay up late reading, but it's very, very, very good.
Anyway, a man Jack Reacher once tracked down during his army days appears to have gone off the rails again and calls for him. Reacher is convinced he's come off the rails again, and determines to bring him down, but gradually it becomes clear all is not as it seemed. Things are complicated by the fact that the 'murderer' was attacked while being held in prison and has amnesia, covering the day of the murders. I don't want to say any more and spoil it for you, but if you've the time, this is a fantastic read.

Spy Girl: Dead Man Walking (Carol Hedges)

Ok, so maybe the glitter on the cover and the obvious 'girliness' of the book would put you off. And maybe it isn't such a great book for boys to read. But if you brave the cover, inside you'll find a humourous, witty, engaging read, with a sprinkling of action, and more than a sprinkling of a fantastic teenage character.
Jaz Dawson wants nothing more than to be a super crime-fighting superstar, just like her mum. Two things get in her way though. The first: classes at the learning centre. The second: a mother and friend who insist that she's making something from nothing. Oh, and an addiction to cookies and lack of gadgets... But Jaz sticks with her instincts and is ultimately proved right. An amusing alternative to Alex Rider or Young Bond, but still with some good action scenes and mystery solving in, I'd recomend this book to anyone who's looking for something a bit different and a bit of light-hearted stress relief.

Saturday 23 August 2008

Royal Assassin

The second book in the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb. Kept me up until half two in the morning night before last, and I still hadn't finished it. Only finished it late in the afternoon. Hardly surprising, looking at it, it's 750 pages. It has firmly cemented Robin Hobb as one of my all time favourite authors, it's so amazing. You really have to read it. It carries on from the first (obviously...), and it's great to see how FitzChivalry is growing up and learning and taking command of himself. He's really growing up, and he's making mistakes. The book is riddled with court intrigue and all manner of incredible things, and I absolutely love it. Definitely one of the best books I've ever read. So, I just hope that the third book is as good, because to my mind, the third book of the trilogy is the one that really tests how good the writer is, because it's how they finish the thing off and wrap it up. I reckon trilogies are a different way of writing to series, even though they may seem similar. Because with a trilogy, the third book has to wrap the whole thing up in a satisfying way, leaving the reader with no pressing, annoying questions, and it has to be complete of itself, it can't just be long strings of explanation. With a series, it's easier. You have no set point for the book to finish, if you leave any unanswered questions, people just assume it's going to be revealed in the next book, and when you get asked about things, you can put them into the next book, you don't have the finality of a trilogy. That's just me though.

Mum...

She's in hospital still. They fried her intestines, because they moved into the space they were radiating, and so now she can't eat anything for about three weeks. She was a little better yesterday than she had been the day before, because she was all plugged in, so that she was getting predigested food and saline and anti-sickness drugs, but she's going to be in for at least a week, maybe more. I'm going away today, so I'm not going to see her again till Tuesday at the earliest. Will try to text her regularly though.

Friday 22 August 2008

Wild Child (warning, slight spoilers)

This film is absolutely brilliant. I would completely recommend it to just about anyone, although it is a bit of a chick flick. It's about an American girl who lives in California, and she's a bit of a brat. Her mother died, and her stepmother is moving in, and she pulls one stunt too many. Her father decides to send her to boarding school. Unknown to her, it's the same one her mother went to. At first she finds it hard to settle in, and determines to get herself expelled so she can go home. But she finds herself warming to it rather more than she thought she would, and becomes captain of the lacrosse team, leading them to more success than the school has had for a long time. And then she falls in love with the headteachers son. At first, she sees him as the best way of getting expelled--it's forbidden for him to fraternise with the students--but she finds herself falling for him, and becoming surprisingly close to her dorm mates. And then the evil Head Girl dupes both her friends and Freddy into hating her, and she sits playing with her lighter, accidentally touching it to some cloth hangings. She quickly puts it out, and, hearing footsteps, flees. Later on, she discovers the fire raging and rescues one of the girls, as well as alerting everyone to the danger. She is put before an honour court, and remarks that at first she fought to get out, but now she really, really wants to stay. It all ends happily though, don't worry, and I won't reveal how she manages to stay...

A levels...

So, I've finally decided which A levels I'm going to do. The day I need to do so. I'm doing: English Language, History, Maths, Biology and Sociology. I'll probably drop sociology at the end of the year, it's just for interest really, the other ones are my serious subjects.

Thursday 21 August 2008

Results!!!!!!!!

I got my results today!!!!!

9 A*s and an A. I got the A in Textiles, which I'm not really surprised about, even though I was predicted another A* in that. I don't think anyone in Textiles got an A*, you have to be really, really good.

The calling in early meant we got our photos taken and we were given bacon butties as a bribe... :D

Wednesday 20 August 2008

Update on mum

So, she's in hospital. She's dehydrated, she does not look well, she's dozy. Didn't have a good night, keeps being sick. I'm kind of worried about her, but I am not going to go look at symptoms for radiation treatment etc, because I don't actually want to know for certain sure. She's having a CAT scan, or has had one, I don't know which, and it's just a bit argh, because she was getting better in a way. Still, she has now finished radiotherapy, so once she's over this dehydration and that, she'll be fine. We're having the cleaners in again I think, because James and I will be back at school, I have no idea how much time I'm going to have, what with doing five A-levels and there being half a dozen or so clubs I want to join. Having said that, I will have a much shorter journey time now. As in, about ten minutes to get home max, depending on whether the lights go red or not, as opposed to about forty-five. Much improved. Plus, I'll be cycling or walking, dependent on weather, which is much better for the environment than even public transport.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Results day tomorrow. *Hides under bed, taking computer and supply of chocolate*. I'm no longer here. Don't want to go. Mr Walker called me and said he wants me in at 9 instead of at 10, for some reason. Thankfully, Naomi's going to be there too, so it won't be like this maths day, when only three pupils were actually there, and the other two were both boys I didn't really know that well, other than that they were in my maths class and vaguely what they were like. If that makes sense.
Anyway, I'll just try and forget all about the results, and just focus on the fact that I'll be going out with a bunch of people (don't know exactly who yet) afterwards, so I'll get to catch up with them. Can't wait for that bit. It's just the getting results bit that's got me nervous.

Tuesday 19 August 2008

Driving!!!!

I drove today. In a car. And it's really fun, but also really, really hard work, trying to remember everything. In case you're wondering, it was on private land, run by my friend's dad who's a fireman who's part of the road safety team, and so it was all legal and that, seeing as I'm only 15 and therefore much too young to learn to drive on the roads.
Anyway. I managed to start the car up, turn it, stall it, start it up again, do figure of eights, nearly run over cones, get very muddled up with clutches, brakes and accelerators, demuddle myself with the help of the instructor, get back sorted, change gear, and I did do a little reversing, but I found that really, really confusing as the car doesn't do what you expect it to do. Had a good time though, and got to see Hazel and Hannah again after not seeing them for ages. Pretty much since school finished, although Hazle came to my party.
Being interupted by brother. Hang on.
James shut up. I'm trying to type and you're interupting me.
Oops. That's why I can't drive so good yet, I ain't too brill at focussing on two different things at once. I'm being threatened. Maybe I should've done this in my room rather than down here. He's gone from over my shoulder, horray! And now he's being sent off to bed. Think I'll go soon too. I know it's not that late yet, but I'll read a bit and I'm shattered now. Hard day. Well, not really, I just didn't sleep so good. Woke up at quarter to seven this morning. No reason, I only needed to be up at seven. And yesterday, I woke up at the same time, and didn't actually need to get up at all. Think it's my body telling me it's time I went back to school. Oh well. Results on Thursday, AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.
Enough of that. It will be fine, I'm sure.
James is starting to complain, because my bed time's later than his. Not by much though.
Good night, bonne nuit, gutten nacht. Don't know any more good nights, sorry.
Au revoir!
l'ange Nutmeg (don't know how to say Nutmeg in French, sorry, and my dictionary's upstairs)

Monday 18 August 2008

Meh.

Mum's not been feeling well, cos of the radiotherapy, so she's going into hospital probably. James and I are going to Aunty Lynne's for a bit. Probably for tea. Gotta go now.

Writing update

So, it's just over midway through the month. I'm on 36411 words, and I'm working on about four stories at the moment. I'm trying to finish my fanfic, which I was originally just going to abandon, but there are people reading it so that wouldn't be fair. I'm also working on editing Nutmeg Angel, but I'm now up to Chapter 29, and after deleting a scene it's now back to more like the original length. May still hit 50000 though, because I'm kind of adding most of that scene back in again now. I've started working on the next Angel book, which is the sixth chronologically, but the eighth to be written. Once I finish this, I can go back to the end of the series and start writing from that side. I'm also hoping to do a little more work on Insiders and Outsiders, the story I thought was dead but isn't, and I'm working on Two For Joy in a notebook and typing it up as well. That's about it for now. :D

Bookcase Order

So, I figured it would be a good idea to go through all of my books and reorganise them and get rid of some of my older ones which I'm never going to read again. So I have. I have a stack of books on the landing, which looks like it would equate to about two/three shelves worth and have just managed to get all of my books onto my three bookcases and a couple of other shelves without them stacking up too much. Provided you ignore the fact that I have massive piles on top of the bookcases. Anyway, I'm quite proud of myself now. I think I deserve to buy myself a couple of books as a reward. But then where would I put them?!

Saturday 16 August 2008

Assassin's Apprentice

The first book in the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb, and it's absolutely fantastic. I now have to find the rest of the series, and read them, because the first one is captivating enough, and then there's the first bit of the next book stuck in at the end, just to make good and sure you want to read it.
Don't know really what genre to class it in. To be honest, a big part of me things it should be in the teen section, because it's about a boy growing up and trying to find his place in the world. As he's a royal bastard (as in illegitimately conceived, not as in the other meaning... :D ), that's pretty difficult. And so he's trained as an apprentice. A web of lies and betrayal form, nearly trapping and killing him, and it's absolutely incredible. I have a sneaking suspicion that this may latch on to my list of books you absolutely have to read and which comprise my all time favourites. And I don't say that lightly.
So, an intriguing read. Classed as fantasy by the library, and I suppose it is. But it's definitely more of a character driven fantasy than what I would class as a true fantasy. There are no fantastical creatures, horses and dogs and other such common place animals abound though. Think a mideaval kind of setting in a land created by the author but with little truly different to our own at that time. Apart from the Skill, which is a kind of magic I suppose. And there are a few other similar such 'magic' things too. A surprisingly high number of illegitimate children of the royal family. Oh, and the Red Raiders, which leave people 'Forged', in that they strip them of all human decency, so that they become a terrible blight upon the land. People would rather die than be Forged and cause terror. The kingdom is starting to split up, as the costal people want more protection from the sea-borne raiders, while those who live inland do not want to pay increased taxes to protect their brethren. Nobody knows what the Red Raiders want.
And all this is told by Fitz, looking back on the events of his youth whilst writing a history of the land. There are interspersions of the history, mingled in with his telling of events, and subtle hints as to what is to come in further books. It's an absolutely incredble book at any rate, and one which I would highly recomend for anyone with a bit of time--it's a fairly long one, as it needs to be to contain such a magnificent and well thought through plot, though it still feels spontaneous, rather than forced.
As you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed that book. I'll stop raving about it now though.

Friday 15 August 2008

Writing update

Right, well. I've done a fair bit of work on Nutmeg Angel today. It's nearly done with the final edit. I just have the last two 'scenes' to do. A humongous battle, which I think is ok apart from maybe a couple of typos, and then one more big, important scene, which does need a fair bit of stuff adding in, because I cut a scene from earlier on and it needs to go back in there. Oh, and I nearly forgot. I still have the very ending. But I like the very end of the story, and I'm not changing that apart from typos.
I've done a little work on my Artemis Fowl fan fiction. It's fun. I have a love triangle planned--Artemis, Holly and Minerva. And a betrayal (Minerva is working for Opal. And she hasn't been forced into it, she chose to do it to remove Holly, so that Artemis was hers and hers alone). And hopefully plenty of action. And Holly should kiss Artemis. Or vice versa.

Fanfiction.net

This site is very dangerous. Very, very dangerous. You could easily lose a large portion of your life to it. I've started reading fan fiction very recently, and a lot of it is really good. Ok, there's some not so good stuff too, mixed in with it, but the good stuff makes it worth trawling through the rest of it. I am now working on my own fan fiction. Which is good fun, because I can pretend Holly is my character. I'm in the middle of writing a love triangle and a betrayal, and I'd like to get it finished fairly quickly, so I can go back to working on 'proper' stories. I would abandon it, but I've had a couple of reviews and requests for more and people subscribing to it, so that wouldn't be fair. So I need to finish it ASAP and then I can get to work on the next angel story. And I really, really need to finish editing Nutmeg Angel, seeing as I sent it off to an agent and it's not exactly ready... Shall go do some work instead of procrastinating here. Au revoir.

Tuesday 12 August 2008

Lethal Intent and Dead and Buried

So, these were both in the same series, which means I figure I can review them together. This is probably one of my all time favourite crimes serieses, even though I've only just discovered it recently, and even though I haven't read anywhere near all of the books in it. I got one of them in a pack from WH Smiths of seven or eight crime books, which I mostly got because it was cheaper than buying the one out of the pack that I wanted. Crazy, isn't it? Anyway, the series is really good, I'd recomend it to anyone who wants a good read about a police officer. He isn't always so conventional, he isn't completely without fault, but that makes him all the more realistic.

Leeds

So, we went to Leeds on holiday over the weekend. The hotel was really nice, four stars, right in the centre, with a swimming pool (which my brother used, but I didn't).
On the way there, on the Friday, we called in at the White Rose Shopping Centre, and I discovered that I really have grown out of Build-a-Bear with regard to choosing new clothes for my teddies that came from there (I have two: Blondey and Samkin), and I wouldn't really want to make a new one, I have enough teddies to fill a room...
We went to the hotel then, and then mum was shattered, even though she'd just been travelling in the wheelchair, so Dad, James and I went to explore Leeds city centre. We went to a Chinese for tea, and I had this seafood platter thing, which was huge, and full of different fishy things, and I hadn't a clue what most of it was. Tasted good though.
Then Saturday, Mum was really feeling grim, so Dad dropped James and I off at the Royal Armouries Museum and took her home. The museum was absolutely fantastic, I loved it. James wasn't as interested, but he liked the drama things they were doing throughout the day, as did I. They had a team of actors who brought the stuff to live, and they were really, really good. It was just a shame that the rain meant the jousting was cancelled. Dad came back and picked us up and we went back to the hotel, then to Pizza Express for dinner. Just about James' favourite restaurant ever. It's all right, better than Pizza Hut in my opinion, but it's not really, really fantastic. It's nice, don't get me wrong, I just preferred the other two meals we had.
Sunday, we went to Tropical World, which was really good. They had all sorts of creatures roaming free, and you could feed the fish. If you ever get a chance to do that, go for it. It's hilariously funny. Immaging feeding really big birds that can't move around properly, and then immagine feeding birds with smaller beaks than the piece of food as well... Twas amusing. Then, TGI Friday's for tea. Burgars and fries, yum! Maybe not healthy, but certainly tasty.
Breakfasts were good too. The hotel had a really nice buffet selection for breakfast, so we were eating two main meals a day, and pretty much skipping out lunch...
Anyway, that was my holiday to Leeds in brief.

Wednesday 6 August 2008

Mamma Mia!

Went to see Mamma Mia yesterday with Hil. It was really, really good. Just a nice, feel good chick flick sort of film. Very funny. It's definitely worth watching. Not for boys though. The cinema was the fullest I've ever seen it, it was heaving with people watching that film. Have a long list of things I want to see now, based on the trailors of that and Batman. Think the next one will be Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer. Have to see.

Stay of Execution

This is in the Bob Skinner series by Quentin Jardine, the second one I've read. It has the right balance between action and the cop at work and family problems/home life. Sometimes James Patterson's books focus way too much on the romance side of things. I really like Bob Skinner, he's one of the characters I wish was mine. Same with Jack Reacher from the other series I've been reading recently. It's incredible how hard it is to read a series in something resembling the proper order when relying entirely on libraries. And also incredible just how hard it is to get hold of all the books in a series... Think I shall have to be paying the market a couple of visits, or maybe I can find them in Leeds.

Whoo!! I finished To Steal Faith!!

So, last night, I finally finished To Steal Faith. That means I've written eleven stories (I think). I'm quite chuffed with the ending, even if it took me a while to figure it out. Because I always like to finish with a bit of romance, but the trouble was, I kind of abandoned Terry's potential girlfriend in Libinion, and so I was a bit stuck then. But I found a nice couple, even if it was a little earlier than I expected things to happen.

Whoo! Off to Leeds!

So, we're actually going on holiday this year, to Leeds. Maybe it's not the greatest place in the world, but it sounds quite fun and we're staying in a posh hotel and using up loads of dad's hotel points. He's a platinum customer with the hotel chain. Having a travelling dad has its perks.

Monday 4 August 2008

The Hard Way

Another book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Really, really good, plenty of twists, lots of action. I loved it. Read it if you're into action/adventure/crime/thrillers. There should be a genre that encompasses all of that, like you get spec fic to cover sci fi and fantasy... Anyway, I love Jack Reacher, he's one of my favourite characters ever.

New story idea

So, I had an idea for a story, which kind of draws on other ideas a bit, and is kind of new. The other ideas never really got all that far, and though I hope this one will, there's no guarantee. At the moment, it seems to be a bit hit and miss whether I actually continue a story or not. I will finish The Desert Rat at some point though, because I like the characters in it, and I like the idea, it's just that I keep getting bogged down with other ideas.
Anyway...
I had this idea of a civilisation that lives below ours, a little like the fairies in Artemis Fowl. However, this civilisation is at threat because of rising sea levels beginning to flood some areas of Inside. Three years ago, a were-centaur by the name of Tatharn was sent out. His goal? Study Outside and see if it is habitable once again. At that time, Inside was not under threat by flooding. Since he left, the flooding started, but not only that, an extremist group of 'politicians' called the Elva took over control of Inside. They want him to report that Outside is habitable, which, as we all know (seeing as we live Outside) it is, and then they want to launch a war, in collaberation with the USSR. It'll be set in the 80s (I think, because I need a communist nation, although maybe I could use China... worth a thought I guess, it might be easier for me to set it now), who they've already told about their existence. The Elva is basically based on Communists, and emobdies that kind of totalitarian society.
However, the Elva don't know exactly when or where Tatharn is due to return--only two people know that. These two were once his commanders, although they have now been stripped of their rank and are ordinary workers. They meet Tatharn, and tell him about what's happened. He reports that since they went Inside, several thousand years ago, the earth has once more become inhabitable, and that a race of creatures has taken it over. Tatharn persuades his two friends to leave with him, and to go find help from Outside, to deal not only with the flooding, possibly by integrating those who live Inside (elves, centaurs, possibly others too, I haven't yet decided) with those who live Outside. Inside has a lot to offer Outside--they have developed technology for harnessing the power of the earth, which they call Mayjiche, or, the human equivilant: magic. Their weapon technology is surprisingly primitive in comparrison though. They still use swords and bow and arrows, although as both elves and centaurs can use Mayjiche personally, they are able to use these arrows with astonishing acuracy and power over huge distances. If it came to a war, who knows who'd win? But Tatharn and co are hoping to persuade the US, or perhaps Europe, to lend a hand and defeat the Elva, preferably without even having to embark on the path to war, though this seems unlikely. The Elva, on the other hand, are determined to embark on war, along with China, to subdue the rest of the world. After all, they have the might of previously unseen species, and previously unheard of Mayjiche on their side.
So, that's my idea. Before I get really stuck into it though, I'd like to finish To Steal Faith, which is nearly, nearly finished now...

Friday 1 August 2008

Heartland

I read the five Heartland books I got yesterday today. I like them, even if they aren't exactly a challenging read. Nice though. About a horse farm, where they deal with problem horses, and they're more mature books than you usually get about horses and stuff like that. Nice books. Worth reading if you like horses and feel like something 'gentle' to read. If you don't particularly like horses, don't bother. Despite the fact that they're very nice reads, they are horse-orientated, so don't try reading them if you're not interested in horses.

Bad Luck and Trouble

This was the 11th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child. I haven't read any of the others. I would've found an earlier one, but they didn't have any in at the library. Anyway, I've read it now, and it is fantastic. I loved it, and if I don't manage to find another one in the series when I go to the library again tonight, I may very well have to read it over again. In fact, I think I might do that anyway. It's about an ex-Military Policeman, who travels around doing nothing, and is just about untraceable. However, a member of his old unit finds a way to get in touch with him, because members of the unit are being killed. The uncover a plot to sell sensitive hardware to terrorists. The action is great, the plot is brilliant, with plenty of twists, and I absolutely love the main character.

For James...

Happy Birthday to you,
You live at the zoo,
With the monkeys and the elephants...
And you smell like one too!

Only kidding.

Happy Birthday little bro. 13 today. How's it feel to be a big bad teenager at last?

Hope you have a good time in York at the train museum.

Joey ;D