Big thick slices

I just called.....

2006-05-12T09:00:00.000Z

Well.. it's been too long since I wrote any jibberish. But fear not, I am back to write a few bits and pieces and add a few photos to make one smile again. So for this episode, here are a few snaps of recent life in AndyMeeWorld.... enjoy

Here you see meelan being a 5 yr old (again) and playing with her wee friend Amy. Amy is the granddaughter of our friends Tommy and May Thompson. If you are ever at Jordanstown train Station just ask for Tommy and he'll give you a free Translink spam sandwich.

My favourite image of Vietnamese people, tonnes of motor bikes (and 1 guy picking his snout). Bikes wall to wall and crazy drivers. Nice....

Christmas '05 at Aunty Dot's house in Cullybackey.
Nice to be together as a family.....

The 'Podium Three' at the race track in Ballymena http://www.raceviewindoorkarting.co.uk/
Totally recommended by me, this place is a great multi-level race track with a really efficient way of running grand prixs, get a group and go tomorrow!!

Sniffle Sniffle

2005-09-23T10:43:00.000Z

Well.
The end of a sniffling week spent at home instead of in work. Just one look at the television allows me the perspective to see that it aint THAT bad to have the flu when you see the 1m+ people heading out of Texas currently. Looks like in the same breath as Hurricane Katrina, Rita is going to batter the states to compound their misery. What can you write about something like that?

On a lighter note lets have a laugh at Jonathan Woodgate. He left Newcastle United for 13m pounds last year to join the 'galacticos' at Real Madrid. He had his first full debut for the Madrid last night. The result? Real won 3-1. Woodgate scored the own goal of the season and got sent off in the 2nd half. Oh dear Jonathan.

Well thats me for now. Apart from playing Northern Ireland through another series of tricky World Cup matches on the playstation I can't think what else to do!

If you're interested there is a reasonable Christian TV/Radio thingy called UCB www.ucb.co.uk
Check it out.

2005-09-14T09:24:00.000Z

c'mon!!!!

2005-09-14T09:18:00.001Z

meelan riots in the local subway....

2005-09-14T09:18:00.000Z

3 happy campers

2005-09-14T09:10:00.000Z

jimbo rainey starts another tune.... (Guess the air guitar classic???)

2005-09-14T09:09:00.000Z

even beckham wont scare us... aggghhh

2005-09-14T09:08:00.000Z

Green and White... excitement

2005-09-14T09:06:00.000Z

Northern Ireland vs England

What are they doing?

2005-09-12T10:43:00.000Z

C'mon dont try to tell me....

As a citizen of the United Kingdom and a resident of Northern Ireland I am appalled at what just happened. In two or three nights of alcohol fuelled 'strutting' the so called loyalists have been hijacking cars, terrorising loyalist neighbourhoods and generally behaving like idiots.

I just witnessed a bit of history on Wednesday when something good came out of our wee country. But this weekend has shown that there are still those who wont grow up. As soon as they aren't getting what they want or are being 'bullied' by the PSNI (I find that very hard to grasp) they kick off like this and reduce parts of our towns to complete trash. This is NOT the Northern Ireland I want live in... we are famous for scenery, hospitality, sense of humour. Why oh why oh why, do these people insist on making us famous for something else... rioting, violence, anarchy...

Sure the political status is a bit shaky, sure the government make weird decisions... but who the flip do these spoilt loyalist brats think they are?? There is currently a blame game going on for what has happened. How about trying this.....

The people to blame are ... *opens golden envelope* THE PEOPLE OUT RIPPING UP OUR STREETS FOR THE PAST FEW NIGHTS!!

Stop whinging, stop fighting, stop perpatuating crappy society and get with reality. Idiots, idiots and finally... IDIOTS!!!

Green and White Army 1 - 0 Eng-er-land

2005-09-08T09:49:00.000Z

Northern Ireland 1 - 0 England

I can't write much today. Such an outpouring of emotion, cheering, jumping, clapping, taunting, celebrating.... 11 wee men stood up to England's superstars and became superstars themselves. Northern Ireland has some great players. Finally people can see that. I think back to when we went to Wales earlier in the campaign.... we'd been beaten 3-0 by Poland (the team above England in the Group) the previous week and we were in Cardiff to face off against the Welsh. 'Dont like the look of your defence boyo' was about the summary of the sentiment we faced from the Welsh. Ofcourse we went on to draw 2-2 against Wales and gave them a shock!

Last night was more than a shock for England. For them it was humiliating to be defeated by us. The numbers are approximately;

75 years since we beat them in Belfast
20+ years since we scored against them
100+ UEFA world ranking points between them
1 David Healy strike made it all insignificant!

From where I stood he slapped that ball into the far corner of Paul Robinson's net, and the noise was unbelievable. I still dont think it quite sunk in, event his morning. A victory like Northern Ireland achieved last night, comes along once in a lifetime (hopefully more than once) and being there to witness it was amazing.

I'm so proud of our wee team, our supporters (not one single arrest) and our management. I looked round to see people of different ages, different sizes, different lives... all jumping up and down and hugging each other - singing as one. Truly amazing.

Green and White Army!!

2005-09-07T13:04:00.000Z

where am I going?

2005-09-07T09:57:00.000Z

WOBBLE

2005-09-07T09:01:00.000Z

Tis Me

Aint got no... heart?

2005-09-07T08:17:00.000Z

You know what tonight is don't you?

This is the night where... for the first time since 1927, Northern Ireland can make history and beat England in Belfast. Beckham and co are currently turning down the silk sheets at the Culloden hotel (so our groundsman spy-friend tells us). Little do they know what awaits them this evening.

If you've ever supported a team who doesn't win that much and slumps to a draw against lowly opposition, then you'll know what supporting Northern Ireland feels like. If you can't imagine that, check out www.ourweecountry.co.uk under the fan's forum and you'll see what I mean.

It's not that we are crap, well it kind of is. If you count up the England teams money and resources, they have players (Rooney, Ferdinand, Owen, Gerard...) who are singularly worth more than Northern Ireland's whole team put together. Unfortunately we rely on a small pool of people, and when normal football things happen like Manager and players fall out, then we wind up with an even smaller pool.

Ahead of this little group of home qualifiers, Mulryne and Whitley (Cardiff City boys) decided to flaunt the rules of the camp and go out on the piss till goodness knows what hour. The boss had to send them back to Cardiff. Michael Hughes (reliable for YEARS) retired, McCartney refuses to play under Sanchez and there are reports that Tommy Doherty is the same. Last but not least, Neil Lennon who would love to play, but the UVF/idiots in South Belfast/general bigots think he shouldn't.

So here's little me - getting all excited. For the first time in 20 years, superstars England will be in Belfast. The KOP will be celebrating like nothing real, applauding every miscued England pass, ever throw in we win - and dare I dream...? Every one of the three goals we are going to score!!!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4221772.stm

I'll try to post pictures from my phone, I left my b****ing camera at home! This will be a wee night to remember. I know a lot of people think Northern Irish football is crap and the supporters are a load of bigots.... but I've witnessed the opposite. I've seen something that seems to matter to people more than their background, their ethnicity, their days woes... Seeing that team take the pitch, be it Nationwide League and SPL players mainly, and the fervor with which the majority support them... it's something you can't bottle...GREEN AND WHITE ARMY!! GREEN AND WHITE ARMY!!

Remember folks "We're not BRAZIL we're Northern Ireland"

Adios - Here we go!
"Laurie Sanchez Green and White Noisy Army"
"Laurie Sanchez Green and White Noisy Army"
"Laurie Sanchez Green and White Noisy Army"
"Havin a laugh, havin a laugh, having a laugh"