I was looking through my emails and realised how many Neil and I had shared in such a short time. Then, upon reading these, I decided to extract some quotes from Neil and hope you don't mind me sharing these with you. Obviously they are not in context as such, but I'm sure you can picture him as he composed much of this.

On fishing :

 "This is the year ('02) I am finally going to get that double!!!!!!!! I wish."

 "Just becoming irritating that I have yet to have one. Probably spent more on tickets this season than ever before, but really want to give myself that chance"

 "Come on then what's the crack at Rainsford???? Mr Callan tells me it's easy!!!!!!"

 "It really started after I had been mixing up a nice messy mix, including various pellets. Having washed my hands with anti-bactericidal soap and fairy liquid, probably 3 or 4 times, I could still smell the pong on my hands. More importantly the missus could smell it from the other side of the room( a ...slight exaggeration, but she has got a keen sense of smell)"

 "Told the wife that I really need to get out more!!!! Too easy getting home feet up, meal, beer and veg in front of the telly. So plan to disappear a few times after 7 pm for short 3 hour sessions on Kennet, Loddon or Pats."

 "I have both pt 1 & 2 CSL. Just need decent size syringes to measure. Got the bloody third degree in Boots when I asked for some. Got asked what I wanted them for so after I said I wanted to shoot some horse round the back of Boots, she gave me 2, but only 1 ml"

 "Hope you are well. Was going out for a bike ride with Ed and Ian last night. Really looking forward to it and then the damn rain came!!!!"

 "My TAA came back yesterday........................stupid twit had not signed the cheque..................age!!!!"

 "So I am a tackle AND a ticket tart, before you say it."

 "If you fancy an evening with some of the lads we are having a walk of Colnebrook and then lasagne and beer back at my place in Egham. You are welcome if you fancy it. It's on Saturday 5th June. Jon and Nick C have threatened to turn up. Others are mainly what we call the Colne mafia."

 "My first night out Monday night. Started out as a bit of a mare, because I decided not to take my brolly. I was soaked before I even started then my ledger clip was broken. I need new glasses and they were steaming up!!!! Nearly went home. Anyway eventually chucked in at 9:15 and after 5 mins rod whacked off the rest, fish took line, until I clamped down. It then did an about turn and basically it got me. I couldn't get an angle on it quick enough and the hook pulled out. Damn I thought......................."

 "Planned a trip last night as the thunder and lightning put me off my planned session on Sunday night. Didn't help when Sandra said 'it's not safe sitting under an umbrella with a rod of carbon in your hand'. Bless. Lawman had said he couldn't get out and Burkemeister was lost en France. So got down there at about 7 to find a silver mondeo estate with a BS sticker in the window and thought that's strange someone has got a car just like the Lawman!!! Turns out he was there..........I decided to fish the upper section as it was very low and clear, but I had a nice overhanging bush which I fed some pellets to. Then the Burke appeared for a chat after saying 'only chub in this swim mate'!! He left to walk down for a chat with Ian. Thought to myself hope I can prove him wrong. Anyway rod had lots of knocks and pulls then a wrencher and a real scrap brought a fish just shy of 5 lbs. Thought it was a 7!!! My neighbour went and Ed came by on his way home as I got a baby of 3.8. Then had one knocking and tapping for over 20 minutes. Guessed it was a bigger fish. Finally got a real good pull and connected with full side strain, but hook came out. Damn!! After that had two more. Best 7.4 and then still getting bites at 12:30 so hung on and got a gorgeous chub of 5.4. A great evening. Best I have had on the Colne."

 "Well I kid you not I dropped in quietly at about 20:00 and straight away had a tug followed by a wrencher. I was holding the rod so straight away I felt in control. I knew it was a decent fish as it was lunging constantly for the sanctuary under the reeds opposite. My 1.75 Harrison and 15 lb braid had its measure though and after a few minutes she was mine. Left her to rest and ran to my other swim for the scales and weigh sling. At this point I had not fully lifted the fish out of the water, but when I did!!!!!!!!! I had thought maybe 9 lb, but then realised probably bigger. Zeroed the scales which zoomed around passed 10 lb and settled at 10 lb 14 oz. Cor I was chuffed. A new Colne PB and my first double of the season. Took a quick picture and put her back"

 "Then I tried upstream and around the bend to the right of a tree and chucked out mid river. Only been out there five minutes, looked away and when I looked back the rod was heading for the depths!!!! And the rest is history."

 "Putting it in perspective I have had 10 trips for 18 Barbel and quite a few Chub. Ed is almost the reverse at 18 trips for 9 fish. Ian is only on 25 fish, but for a few more trips."

 "Eventually started at 8 and then realised I had left my food in the car!!! Damn again. After a few lightning pulls. Probably Chub I move up to the top section about 9:30 and get my food after putting some pellets in a real "banker" swim. After half an hour rod slams around suddenly and I am into a nice feeling fish. After a few minutes I have her within a few feet of the net, but she dives again and wraps some weed around the line and then the hook pulls and the safety clip breaks again!!!! Oh dear I say."

 "At least I made the effort to try a new swim and not sit it out in the bankers.......................Callan nagged me into it. Reckon I had a big fish around, because I kid you not this fish messed around with my bait for an hour plus. I will get it next time!!!"

Other :

 "I love body boarding, but with my weight, without flippers, don't catch enough waves."

 "Yes, mine was great as well. With 32 of us including kids it was one big party almost every night. Almost like jet lag trying to get the body used to getting up early!!!! Always see seals on Islay, but this year we had 10 or 12 swim over from the sand bank they were resting on to swim right up to us. The kids thought it was brilliant. While they were doing that I picked a bucket load of mussels which 6 of us had as a starter that evening. Buzzards, Hen Harriers, but alas no Golden Eagles this year."

 "Wish I could get out Thursday, but Sandra has given me a long list of stuff to do around the house before her Mum arrives on Sunday from Hull"

 "Yes Ian Law has become a buddy. Again through BFW. Turned out we both had a Feltham ticket for the Kennet. So we met up back at the beginning of the season and have become friends since"

 "I WILL be out again. Had an invite to fish the Colne Saturday afternoon, but will be busy eating frogs legs!!!!!"

 "You need to understand the mind of Mr Coulthurst????!!! I have come to follow it some times. Basically think he means that Graham lending Mike his aftershave meant the fish thought he was Graham!!!!"

 "Forget my mobile as I lost it sometime on Friday!!!! Doh.............."

 "Shame can't do this Saturday as Sandra is working plus we have friends for dinner in the evening. So I'll be shopping and cooking!!!!"

On squash :

 "Just come back from squash, phew.................should not play guys that are 20 years younger than me!!!!!"

 "14degC here. Just pulled up on the squash court. Calf muscle tear. Damn was 5-0 up as well. Had a couple of hours round robin with three of us yesterday. Too much for the old git!!!!




The mailbox is closed for now Neil, feel free to send whatever technology has for you "up there". Goodbye for now, old friend.