Welcome

This is a new blog intended to take over from my AOL Journal! I have copied the last entry from there
16:30:56 o'clock BST Feeling Frustrated Hearing Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross
Is this the end?
Seems like AOL dont like us anymore! First they closed AOL groups down, I was a member of a couple and yes it was a good way of chatting to a group of friends. Than all of a sudden AOL profiles disappeared although there is a way of getting round that(if you want to know e mail me). Today however is taking things to extreme however and to say I am frustrated to receive the following is a mild understatement.
Hi everybody,It pains me to write that in the next day or so, most of you will be receiving email informing you of AOL's decision to shutdown Journals. I thought as long standing supporters of JLand, I should personally let you know a little earlier.This has been an incredibly hard month and half for me as I am as much a part of JLand as any of you (I have been developing software for this product since day 1).The silver lining here, is that most likely, users will be offered the choice of migrating all their Journals to Blogger (John Panzer, former Journals Engg Manager is now at Blogger in a similar capacity). We have been working on a migration plan for the better part of a month and things are coming together nicely. The challenge for us (you, the community and me) is to find a way to keep this community together on Blogger. I have some ideas and wanted to sound you out for some more. I am planning to migratethe Magic Smoke blog over to Blogger and we could have it be the community hub over there. Again, I hope people still want this kind of a hub over there.
Although, it is incredibly sad that JLand as we know it, is going away, I think this is the best thing to happen for JLanders.In fact, the advantages of moving to Blogger are many..- users can monetize their blogs by putting ads in their blog- users can permanently save their blogs as books or other files.- we can grow the community over there.- you can get better themes and so on...
So, in the coming days and weeks Ilook to your support and ideas to make sure we keep the community together while we move to Blogger..
Thanks and Peace,

I think its absolutely disgusting of AOL to do this with no prior consultation but as I have always said that the past is to be respected and the future to be looked forward to I have copied my last entry into Bebo and will continue to do so until AOL Journals finally goes. Have not fathomed out how to transfer picture yet but feel free to have a look at http://www.bebo.com/Blog.jsp?MemberId=2701183907


Over the months and years I have made many good friends on here and I hope they can continue. If you decide to transfer to Bebo (or any other site) please keep in contact.
Andy

Wedding Pictures
As promised a couple of pictures from my Mother and Fathers wedding in 1947

Sadly they were only to enjoy 14 years together as my father died of cancer in 1961 when I was 9 years old. My mother than had the unenviable task of bringing up two boys on her own and there certainly was not the support than that there is now. Money was never plentiful but she made certain we never went hungry or without essentials.
She eventually remarried in 1972 and had 25 years of happiness with my step father Ken until she passed away due to heart failure in 1997. Like my fathers mother who never knew how ill he was before she died a year before him, my Mother never knew how ill I was to become in 1998 with cancer.
I have been told by many people that I have inherited many of my Fathers ways, he would do anything for anybody and not even expect any thanks for it. In fact I honestly believe he was the most caring person I have ever met.
RIP
Geoffery Friend 1914-1961
Monica Friend 1924- 1997

Andy