Hello Gaelyne

 GG>> Mind, these won't show the gangs, burnt out houses and other
 GG>> war-zone sights but they should be kinda fun anyway.
 VC>
 VC> Pardon?

 GG>  The bits that never make the press.  :-(

 GG>  The house next door to me has gang-writing on it (here, graffiti
 GG> is  mostly gang related, not just kids having fun like it is in
 GG> Oz). 

If you are taking photos make sure you take one of the house next door.

 GG>  Here, if a kid where's the wrong coloured shirt or jacket, they
 GG> can  get shot if they walk into a gangs territory, and in one area,
 GG> drive  by shootings are so bad, people have bought cast iron tubs
 GG> to use as  beds for their kids so they won't get shot in the night
 GG> by stray  drive-by bullets.

I'd say "you're kidding" except I know you don't kid so it must
be true. Shit!
Can I ask if this is black neighbourhoods or white, and if white are they
non-american whites (Mexican springs to mind)?

 GG>  A house in this city got riddled with machine gun fire in a gun
 GG> fight  between police and a guy held up.. the cops finally came in
 GG> with a  bulldozer (the operator wearing a bullet proof vest) and
 GG> took care of  they guy by buldozing his house in.  I thought it
 GG> very clever.  Pity  it took 3 days to make this decision.

Knowing that USA is litigation mad I would say that the 3 days was so that
the "officials" covered their backs so that they weren't going to
be sued.

 GG>> The wedding is cancelled.  :-(
 VC>
 VC> No no no. You can't get out of it that easily.

 GG>  OH???

Oh! You and Rod have been promising us a wedding, so a wedding is what we
are going to have!

 VC> I have booked the Hilton Hotel for the reception. There is a forfeit
 VC> fee if we cancel the ballroom for the reception. Then there is the

 GG>  I didn't book it, so it's not my worry.   ;-)

'Tis in Rod and your names. As official matron of honour I was meanly
acting in your best interests.

 VC> big society coverage for the press. The

 GG>  ROFL!  ROFL!

What you don't like coverage by Australian Post?

 VC> brides-maids/flower-girls/page-boys outfits are nearly complete. My

 GG>  Eh... the bride will arrive naked, I guess, huh??   

Of course, you said that's what you were going to wear so that's what I
have designed around. You will love the accessories though that you will
have. I have made beautiful lace garters for your leg and hearts for around
your wrist and the head/veil arrangement has to be seen to be believed.
That's why Oz Post are doing the coverage for the press.

 VC> matron-of-honour dress is close to being complete as well (you will
 VC> love it, I look so good!).

 GG> Uh, huh, but the bride will be totally in the nick.

Hope for warm weather.

 VC> Catering have already started to import the
 VC> special delicacies from Europe for the dinner.

 GG>  But we wanted good Aussie food like CRUMPETS with cheese!  ;-) 

 GG>  I miss my crumpets and cheese.

Crumpets are English. Seeing it will be the middle of summer here crumpets
disappear from the shops because they go mouldy extremely quickly in summer
so they will be difficult to find so we have to import them from UK.

 VC> The wedding cake has been made and is being iced with marzipan and 
 VC> royal icing. (Did I tell you about the cake? 5 tiers high and has 
 VC> the most exquisite lace work and flowers around the edges and 
 VC> topped with a bride and groom).

 GG>  5 tiers!!!  How many people did you invite????

All your and Rod's friends and family as well as all from AVTECH. We have
organised a special plane to pick up the Avtecher's from around Australia
at the major airports and those that live away from the capital cities are
being picked up by light plane. I have verbal replies back from about 500
so far. Won't know the final figure until the official invites are posted
out.

 VC> was just about to send out the wedding invites (the printer did a
 VC> beautiful job printing the cards).

 GG>  Oh, and what day IS the wedding, or is that a secret kept from the
 GG> bride and groom till the last possible minute??

That part has been left blank on the cards for the date to be inserted. You
know we can't set a date until your divorce becomes final and you are
pysically here in Oz.

 GG> As my defacto spouse would put so elequently,
 GG> "Good, they can pay for it then."

You forgot the Oz tradition and we also have already talked about this. It
will be a BYO.


Vicki


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