Dubliners

Hey All,

Here's some more goofy photos of me at the internet cafe. I took them with the webcam on the terminals here. That's the Halfpenny Bridge over the River Liffey, just outside my window here. We had a good night last night, saw a bit of Dublin nightlife. We started out at a random pub full of older folks with a guy playing his acoustic guitar along to a drum machine and computerized bass. It was great. I had a BIG sleep last night, and now I feel much better. Anyway, we're off to the bus station, but I just wanted to post some photos to reassure you guys that I'm not in that rough of shape!

Ok, off to Ballinasmelly,

Luke

Dubling

Helllo!

Today we are in Dublin, and I'm TIRED. We were out reasonably late last night after a hell of a ditch digging week, and then we (Nicole, Anita, Simon, a french guy named Paul, and I) got up at 7 and caught the 8:30 bus. We're enjoying ourselves, having shopped a bit, checked into a hostel, and gone to some museums. Our hostel is a stone's throw from the Guinness factory. The factory smells. Haha. We'll take the famous tour tomorrow morning. Apparently you get a free pint, so we'll be hitting the beer pretty early! I just wanted to say hello to everyone, and to say that I'm really glad to have learned that our myspace is still up, and that it was just a heatwave in the US that made it not work (I don't understand EITHER).

Anyway, off we go!

Later, Luker

Rainy Fri.

Hey guys,

It rained all day, we got wet.

I found our Fjords myspace account has been deleted or something... not sure what happened, but at the same time, I don't exactly care. I never checked the damn thing anyway. For that matter, most of my hotmail accounts have fallen into disuse as well (I think I had 3 or 4) so sorry if you can't get stuff to me! They always say "Congratulations! we've reserved an account for you!". Haha. I feel so honoured. Yeah right. I guess its better than writing "our automated system is programmed not to delete your account until its been inactive for [blank] days, so instead we've just deleted all of your semi-precious emails". Don't you just love it when you buy stuff, and the label says "Congratulations!" somewhere for buying their product? What's that all about?! I think it said something like that on my sports drink bottle yesterday. I think instead of saying "hi" when I meet new people, I'm going to say, "congratulations!"

Thank you Jeff and Dave for holding a Fjords beer night. That is awesome. I believe that it is intended to help pay for the rescue of our 3/4 complete album from dave's computer,and probably for its production. And a tour van. We should only need about 3000 people to come.... EVERYONE, buy tickets!!!! For tickets, email dave (david@thefjords.ca) or jeff, (pedersonjeff@hotmail.com). Great! Thanks.

I think even my friends who aren't in Saskatoon should buy tickets to show their solidarity. C'mon, guys, I need some free money, and Rawlco just isn't dishing out!

I have to go to the bank to see if I got paid today. I sent of my visa app. again, and hopefully this time all is well. I've found an ad for a job in Yorkshire on a pipeline that is paying about 600 pounds a week due to lots of overtime. May be cool, but will I ever see Cardiff? Hmmm..

Fjords Myspace: Rest In Peace.
Thanks to all of our myspace friends, especially Illiah Kuryaukin (Screw you, Napoleon Solo!)

Later,

Luke

Parades Against Parades. Literally!

Well the past few nights have been very fun. We've just come from watching our second parade in 2 days in Galway. Galway is a very interesting town-it always seems like a festival is going on, even on random summer nights. Where else do the pubs pile up stacks of plastic cups so you can leave your glass and go drinking in the street?

The parade yesterday was my favorite: low(er)-budget, but highly entertaining. It was "low" budget, but still an hour long, and jam packed. We've been told that there are two parades here because the main one started to lose touch with the local artists. They just went and organized their own. It was great, totally full of life and great performers doing crazy stuff. It started out with a huge inflatable sun that took up the ENTIRE street. It was dragging along the buildings on both sides, and had to be pulled down below the power lines! There were some great flame jugglers too, (and flame hoola-hoopers) who threw their sticks up with some extra big amount of gas, and they made HUGE fireballs in the air. We could feel the heat on our faces. There was also a big white plywood fishing boat on wheels ("The Maid of Ply") with people inside wearing foul weather fishing gear, and the kids along the sides were given big pails of water to go and drench them with. It was awesome. The "main" one today: it was more of a high budget costume show than a parade, lots of sad looking kids on stilts dressed up in fabulously elaborate costumes. Still impressive, but shorter and less lively. More gaps in that one, too.

Anyway, that was fun. What else to report? Hmmm. I didn't get to see Garth Hudson's band, because we were to busy wandering around. I probably wouldn't have gotten tickets anyway.

Well, I hope eveyone is well, and that you're enjoying your July.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Luke

Last day of the site

Hello,

Well, today was the last day of work on the new site. It was a good time. We made a good go at it, and I ended up dirty and sweaty. I'll miss working with a bunch of those folks. Off to an even bigger one next week to help finish it up until the 4th. Well, not until Tuesday, because we're taking monday off! YES. Maybe my body will recover a bit.

No luck on the UK job front so far. A couple of leads turned out to be duds. Alas.

We're going to Galway tomorrow to check out the Arts festival there, it should be entertaining, I hope. There are lots of decent people playing music, including Garth Hudson (not sure what night) from The Band. I already saw Levon Helm's current band with Dave in London (Ontario) a few years back, so maybe I'll catch all of the surviving members one at a time.

Anyone have any interesting stuff? Sorry these blogs have been boring. I'll fix them soon with some more energetic and clever writing!

Take care.

Luker

I couldn't even win a "Being Luke Ryalls" Contest.

Well, that's 3 for 3. Call me a sore loser if you like, but I just found the Star Phoenix article that definitively informed me of our lack of $10000 dollars in prize money. I read the list of winners, and am a bit sad to say that I wasn't surprised. Short of a few strong exceptions, it did not accurately represent the local Saskatoon music community very well. Lame.

Oh well, gotta do it ourselves I guess! What a novel idea!

Luke

Various Good News on a Friday

Hello,

Good stuff to tell today. Nicole's cousin Desmond has reportedly been so nice as to offer us his empty house in Cardiff to live in for August. That will take a WHOLE lot of weight off our shoulders. Thank you, Desmond. I heard his voice on a telephone message, and he sounds like quite the smooth operator. He's a retired electrical engineering professor. Secondly, apparently Rawlco radio has announced that they've decided to fund 29 bands in their money giveaway contest, as so many were worthy. Now, I don't want to blow my own horn here, but I think the Fjords could be listed in the top 29 bands who applied. C'mon, that's a lot of bands!!!

We've decided to postpone our Belgium vacation for a few days, probably until the 4th of August or so. Hopefully we can still get good rates. Mom and Dad, any word on that stuff?

So...Italy won the world cup. I sure would have liked to have been next to the either of the Paolo Fenus when that went down! I admit, however, that I was a bit sad to see France lose due to that stupid head butt. I think they would have had the game. What do you say to a guy to make him do that in such a big game? It must have been pretty sick. My favorite french player was Ribery, the little guy with the scary mauled up caveman face. He was awesome, and gave everything he had. I really wanted to see him win.

Well, other than that, I don't have much left to say. It was a hot day today. I worked without my shirt in an attempt to end up with some sort of tan other than a bad farmer-style one for a change. I think its a matter of toughing out a burn, unfortunately. We'll see...I'll let you know how it works out?

Regards,

Luke Delaney Ryalls
Senior Site Assistant

Shmaturday

I got my first haircut today since the passing of my trusted hair guy Paul Pain. These Irish hair people have nothing on you, Paul. Its not too bad. She gave me a mullet at first, because she was unsure of how I wanted the back...she had the clippers out before long!

Going to Athenry today. Athenry has Ireland's best upstanding medieval wall around it, and a little castle. I'm pumped.

Does anybody know where Robin Hood Prince of Thieves was filmed? I'm going to try to go to THAT castle...best on-screen castle ever.

Bloggity Blog

Hey Everyone,

What is new with all of you? Beth and Chad, do you read this blog? I've been wondering how things are going out in Victoria. Davey, its nice to hear that you're enjoying some downtime with Eli.

This week has gone quite well, but no luck on the job front yet. I've been applying for jobs in Cardiff (or trying to find ones to apply for). The most recent plan is to try to make it out there by the end of August, and to stay until November 1st. Nicole will probably head out before then, and try to set up a place and make some pounds before school starts.

I miss my band. Jeff? Dave? What about you guys? I sure wish I could be making some ground on the Fjords front. I suppose its a bad time at the moment, what with babies, and Education classes, yada yada yada. Not to mention thousands of miles of ocean.

Oh well, I'll try to write some songs and think about overdubs I want to do...

Take Care!

Luker

Choo Choo Trains and Wedding Arrangements.

Hello Ladies and Gents,

We took the train today from Ballinasloe to Galway. The aging beast was a real time machine, and I swear they hadn't changed it since 1962. The stations were old stone ruins, and the bathroom...well, you get it. Anyway, it was a good time, and I'm looking forward to the journey back.

Yesterday was a soccer day. We watched two world cup games, England v.s. Portugal and Brazil v.s. France. It was great. Watching England get beat by anybody else in a pub in Ireland is almost as fun as watching Ireland winning. The crowd was going absolutely nuts throughout the penalty kicks, and when Portugal put the nail in the coffin, it was like the Ballinasloe team had won a game. Great fun. Brazil sucked out, and therefore France beat them. They just seemed to play like they were 3 points up all the time, when in truth France were kicking their asses. Alas, I had wanted it to be an exciting, high scoring game.

Enough about that... I've been thinking a lot about Jesse's upcoming wedding- for those of you in the dark, I'm the best man/entertainment at my brother's wedding in early December. Should be a blast. Mom and Dad, do you know when tuxedo fittings are, etc? And Davey, do you think we'll have enough time to learn some songs in November before the big night? I plan to be home on Nov. 1st or so. Mom and Dad, could you have Jesse email me a list of songs he'd like to have us play, so I can forward those to Dave and Jeff for learning? Thanks. Also, are the invitations out? I'm starting to get excited for the big night.

We've booked flights to Brussels for July 24th. About 3 weeks from now! I can't wait to see some of continental Europe. We hope to hit Brussels, Bruges, maybe a French beach, and hopefully Berlin, which is close by as well. We have 11 days, so I think we should be able to get it all in without feeling stressed and hurried. We'll play it by ear, though. Hopefully I can see some of my family's hometowns in Belgium while we're there. I think it is small enough...

Chris, way to go with the Atch. You should put Personal Park Ambassador to the Mayor on your resume.

Anyway,
I hope you are all well and good. I miss you all!

Luke