Important news PLUS

[fujicolt]

I would like to be able to say it was planned as happened but it wasn't. longterm members here will know that i have had some physical problems leading to recent surgery.

Dod Watt and his family and Karate CLub invited me to come to Abredeen as kind of a week of convalescing.

literally as i was 'in transit' from one end of the country to the other - George (DOD) got the news to Take kim (Missmykarate) to the Cancer ward at the hospital and then got the bad news told of elsewhere here.

it created a complicated situation but they rallied around and after one night and realising George and Kim needed space to work the bad news out - i went to Stay with Stevie Duncan (stevie) and his wife Pam (Karatewidow) to allow this -

they have all in the midst of all the bad news - been fantasic and have made me feel very confident about believing that Karateka are generally very good people. Stevie and Pam have been absolutely fantastic and their son Brandon a Star.

we have worked together all week to support Dod and KIm and it has resulted in Dod and Kim (today) indicating that they, despite a f*ck*ng awful week (they even had to have there old dog put to sleep this week) can see a light at the end of the tunnel, so lets move forward.

I have learnt a great deal this week about Karate friendships - OLD AND NEW!

i return home humbled and invigorated by the experience

[tomobrien]

More important than performing the perfect yoko geri. Best of luck in the future to all of you.

Thanks,
Tom

[karatewidow]

Hey, we were just glad that we could step up to the plate and help eachother. It was as you say a great time even though a sad time.

[fujicolt]

During my week of convalescing Stevie, Pam and young Brandon were relentless (an unusual word in this context but totally descriptive) in their efforts to look after me and make their home feel like 'home' for me.

Pam especially was insistent that she would not let me do anything (even scolding me for washing some dishes i had used).

Every time i tried to help out, or ask could i help, she would place her hands on her hips, give me one of those disapproving looks (that only a woman in her own home/territory can give ) and in that lovely Aberdonian 'Dorric' accent say 'Nay'

so i have given her a new nickname -

'Nay' Pam

Read it is descriptive of what she did but hear it is descriptive of the undoubted explosive response I would have been submitted to if I had not done as told!
but I did giggle when i agreed with Stevie that it would be wholly inappropriate to use the famous line from the Film and say

'I love the smell of 'Nay'Pam in the morning!'

they did let me cook them a little meal before i left but even then 'Nay'Pam hovered in the Banana to keep an eye on me

As i said earlier I learnt a great deal thru the week about people in crisis, about friendships long held and newly formed (and what that really means) and about the fact that Karate does seem to develop positive characters that show compassion, helpfulness and that despite thier ability to do you physical damage if needed they are simply really nice people -

I even saw this in abundance in a young boy (himself a karateka) who realised that Kim and George were going thru a bad situation and thus he didn't flicker about his home being invaded for a week by a man whom he had only previously known as a Senior Instructor but who showed that he could also be 'a clumsy guy on crutches'. He was so helpful and kind to me and at first appeared to be a little overawed to have SENSEI staying in his home. We worked on that together as i tried to show him that all Sensei are simply 'just people'. It seemed to work because we came to the point that if i did something daft or clumsy I would say 'Okay Brandon you can have one' and he would say 'Steve yer an Idiot!' and then we would both laugh like heck. However, he never stopped looking after me and making sure i was OK

for this i nicknamed him 'Bat Man' (not in the sense of the Caped Guy from Comic books and films but in the sense of the Bat Man that would be appointed to look after Senior Officers in the 2nd World War.)

I did, of course come up with a nice nickname for Stevie but it is not printable on an open family forum such as this!

[karatewidow]

Awwwwww Steve. Your post has had me in fits of laughter like you would not believe. I am glad you felt the way you did in our home. We were so pleased that you stayed with us. Only wished as I said earlier circumstances were different. I would like to say however our postman now thinks we are mental ha ha ha ha
Hope to do this again sometime, and by the way I was not hovering, I was trying to learn lol. You must email me the recipies for the gorgeous food you cooked for us. Brandon misses you loads and is showing anyone who will listen your card trick. Thank you for your kind words about him, he is a great kid with a warm caring side that you and Kim have seen. He will be so thrilled to read your post.

[kickchick]

It is great that, despite horrible news and situation, there are friendships such as this. Also, perhaps it is all for the better that I didn't manage to come along... Kim and Dod, I really hope you'll be alright very soon, be brave, don't give up and take care!
Love,
me

[fujicolt]

Anna

I tried to find you on facebook but all that came up was a near naked polish girl eating a banana very seductively - is that your site (nice photos.

now watch everyone who visits here look for you on facebook

How's Life for you anyway - have you fathomed leeds out yet?