Cake

Smoothies

Home cooking

Fresh bread. Mmm.

.What Katy (but actually Matt) Did

I've had a fantastic time on holiday. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's been fantastic.

The highlights, of course, you'll probably already know about. I went to Reading, and managed to continue watching Green Day despite being stood behind quite the tallest man in existence. I've been to France, idling around in a 16th century farmhouse, eating lots of cake, and generally being a slacker, but in France. I've also sat around in Bristol a lot, being arty and soaking up the hiphop vibes (or something).

So this isn't going to be any sort of chronological perspective - things being much more interesting when you tell them how they happened, not in the order they happened - and is, in fact, entirely likely to be incoherent. So I'll start from the end, and work backwards, sidewinder-like.

Just this Monday I was sat in the Boston Tea Party (not some crates in the middle of the ocean but a very pleasant and rather bohemian cafe in Bristol, pedantry fans) with some good friends of mine. We'd been having a lovely time - bit of shopping, bit of skateboarder-watching, bit of CD perusing - and now we were winding down with a cake and cup of pretentious coffee. It was all the things I love about life - good company, arty surroundings, chocolate-based beverage. And that's pretty much what my holiday's been about. Here are the best bits....

...Reading: For the possibly the first time in my sorry little life, I actually agree with the decision made by those glittering Mercury Music Prize judges: PJ Harvey is fantastic, and her live performance was subsequently amazing. Also good: Green Day (but you've heard about that already); Travis (I am now in love with Travis. Someone please stop me, with a spade). Not as good as the hype'll have you believe: The Strokes (grr); Ash (just because I think Tim Wheeler's arrogant, falling bits of paper or no falling bits of paper).

Dinner parties: I held a dinner party, to which I only invited the most distinguised guests, and Chris. Chris made up for the fact that he arrived late thinking it was actually taking place the day after (eejut) by flying to my house, wearing his Arty Rah! Cape of the night. It was fantastic fun, even though there was about a million lettuces.

Later, Jonny held an exciting Moroccan-themed dinner party, which was gorgeous. Also, we then played Risk, and I was purple. It was fantastic. I am writing like a child. I will stop. Now.

Sunday lunch: We also went for a Sunday lunch - me, Chris, Kathy, Alice and Alice's young gentleman friend Ian - and it was very nice. What was also nice was young gentleman Ian's lovely sports car, which had leather seats and was purple and everything. I want a nice car. But first I need to be able to drive. Curses.

Kim'n'Dale come to visit: From Swindon to the gorgoeous, sunny, bohemian city of Bristol. Except, it rained, and we all got rather wet. But it was still fantastic to see Kim and Dale, who are both lovely. I love them, but there again I love everyone today. Hurraaaaah.

The website gets updated! In a brief flurry of creativity, I decided to relaunch the website in an exciting array of new styles and colours. Although I haven't continued to do so as much as I would've liked, I do like it much better now. And the hit counter's haven't looked back, so I must have done /something/ right. And I love you all for that, too.

Working: If only for earning money, and showing that I can do something involving physical work, co-ordination, and shelves. Oh and, liver curry. (Euch).

Text messages: I have remained sane thanks to text messages from: Tony, Fin, Dan, Andy, Kim, Dale, Danny, Will, and Dom. Thankyou all. (I'm still not any more sane than I was before though, sadly. Mweeep).

.People I'd like to thank for being fantastic around the site

Ian - for being constantly amusing (in a good way, you understand) and for doing fantastic things for the site.

Andy - for posting, and visiting, more than I'd have thought humanly possible. Which can only suggest one thing... ;)

Dan - ditto. And also for sending me countless e-mails which I never replied to. Sorry!

Will H - for posting perhaps the most bizarre things ever. I've missed your wit, man.

Will A - for giving me new ideas for my site, and then taking back some of mine. It's idea recycling at it's best, kids.

Seldo - "your late-eighteenth-century-obsessed butt": we still laugh about it today.

Chris Levich - for being arty, dahling.

Gareth Rees - "Gloucestershire CCC": ho ho ho.

And to all these people who've also visited, you lovely darlings: Marc. Alice. Dom. Various others I'm bound to have forgotten. I, truly, love you all. Kiss.

Vespertine - Bjork

A Funk Odyessy - Jamiroquai

Kid A - Radiohead

Hotshots II - The Beta Band

Rings Around the World - Super Furry Animals

The Magnificent Tree - Hooverphonic

From the Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos

Let It Come Down - James Iha

Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five

Urban Hymns - The Verve

Ian: for being fantastic company, both in the real world, and France. And also for thinking of amusing things to "do" to people. Hurrah.

Emily, Kathy, Chris and Kryssy: for a brilliant time in Bristol this Monday. It was a fab way to end the holiday. (Fab? - Ed)

Alice: for putting up with me rambling, Dawson's Creek-stylee, for longer than anyone has any right to.

Graeme: for showing us the Normandy Landing Beaches. It all came true, Graeme! Everything you said in Yr10 physics finally came true.

Marc, Will, Gareth: for a most amusing time at the pub that Friday. (Yes, note, uni people: I go to pubs in the holidays. Gasp!)

Helen, Sam, Cathryn for that time in Heritage really early on. And a ride in Chris' banging motor.

Other Ian: for /his/ banging motor.

Jonny and Lydia: for their food, but in a Morocco-stylee. And that bizarre, illegal-fumes enhanced game of Risk.

Jonathan Nash and Mil Millington: for theweekly.co.uk. (Enough plugging already! - American-stylee Ed)

.Can It Really Be...

The end? Yes, it probably can. Not only is the end of the holidays (aw), but it also means that the end of regular site-updates has come to an end. Sniff. I'll still be trying to do it (fnarr) as much as possible, of course, but that's only likely to be at weekends. I'll keep in touch with Ian, and hopefully I can mail him stuff to upload as much as possible. But for now, it's goodbye - keep in touch!