From the Office of Under Minister for Booze ......

[Dave]

As Under Minister for booze and Taverna Standards along with my close colleague ( too damned close when she's talking in her sleep ! ), the Minister for Sunbeds and Controller of Oil Slicks, I will send a report on the competition provided by that Symi of Northern England (a.k. Scarborough) on my return - I'm only going for the day, honest (well. there's no cricket festival !).
One day will be enough, I should think, given that I'll probably needed hospital treatment for hypothermia and exposure afterwards.
As a footnote for Samantha F ( Minister for Goats - I won't even ask !), it has got a tadge sterile, but given the vitriolic comment and conduct of previous times, perhaps that's no bad thing as a settling down procedure, especially as - during a meander through the web - I stumbled across a small selection of comment from elsewhere and the vitriol and non-acceptance of other opinions seems to be still to the fore.
Post your thoughts up and let's run with them - we could return it towards before but with moderation to remove persanal abuse ! let's see

[Adriana]

Nice to have you back, Dave.

Now that Mike's back at the work face the moderating should speed up.

The island's goats are doing alright judging by the monarch of the glen type I saw strutting his stuff on top of a dead car at the dump a few weeks back

[symivisitor]

I'm actually emailing photos to the Sunday Telegraph I'm going to Scarborough for the day on Friday as well Dave: will pack thermals etc. I only really posted this to get a gold star for my fiftieth post!

[Jan]

A gold star *and* a house on Symi? Some people really know how to irritate

Jan

[Dave]

Ah Mike ...... we are a difficult act to follow.
I will endeavour to restrain Gail - her appetite is as renowned throughout The Broadacres as much as her dislike of cooking - from decimating the already fast dwindling cod stocks any further during our Thursday visit to the Arctic wasteland. That should keep you from starving !
House on Symi, eh ? Don't let Will know where it is ...... the way things seem to be, he'll be up the Kalistrata disguised as Blind Pugh and before you know it, the Black Spot will be on the door jamb !

[symivisitor]

Don't worry: it's hard enough for me to find it, never mind anyone else!

[SamanthaF]

Thank you for the goat report.
Counting the days, weeks and months till next June.