The Orly Stories: Furry Friends
From Karen
This little cutie belongs to my friend Mel – who is soon to be the proud owner of a 3rd little dacshund – Orly’s favourite little doggie.
It was a constant fight in Chez Tenzer- dog or no dog . I’m afraid that I won in the ‘no dog’ competition – and so we invested in 2 almost as good as’ s – namely Clive and King – her furry friends.
The Orly Stories: Philosophies, Elbow Patches & Twisted Fairytales
From Mandy
Having only two vintage-MHSG-pale-yellow-blouse-clad photographs of Orly, I can hear her in my ear telling me to omit (although I ♥ her schooldays cheeky-charm). Orly and I had our friendship timeline interrupted by typical life paths, that so thankfully realigned with our coincided return to MCR.
For a good while we remained tele-cyber-friends with long, facebook chatbox-chats and the occasional phonecall just to ensure neither of us were impostors. We met up a couple of times before she instigated a drink in TV21’s, with the intention of telling me the real reason she was back from NYC.
I’ll never forget the way she was unwaveringly positive and (protectively) honest. As we held hands across the table like lovers, sat underneath the towering alien-robot, I remember thinking, ‘you are indeed out-of-this-world, and I am so proud to be able to call you my friend once more’.
As I have only a small yet all-the-more-precious collection of ‘recent’ Orly memories, there is one particular conversation that always makes me smile…
Read more…
The Orly Stories: Shmorls
1st year juniors sat next to each other – proper geeks.
From Danielle Jacobs Solomon
In September 1988 my life was changed for the better. Twas then that I met Orly Tenzer, pre fashion queen extraordinaire. She wore a grey knee length skirt, buttoned up blue shirt, an elasticated tie, and had afro hair. And she was my best friend.
Read more…
The Orly Stories: Beautiful Bridesmaid and Birthing Buddy
From Rosy Thompson
The only drawback to having Orly as a bridesmaid was that she was so obviously the most beautiful girl in the room!!! I look back at that period of my life and realise how lucky I was to have her there to share it all with me. The pictures here show us at my amazing hen weekend in London (which Orly and Nat organised), the night before the wedding (out for dinner in Chorlton) and in the morning before the three of us left for the wedding itself. Despite Orly’s illness, she worked so hard to make this whole time for me so special. She celebrated with me every minute. She was trully the best friend anyone could ever have.
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The Orly Stories: Weasel Stilt Skins
I met Orly in Worcester where we worked together. She was such an amazing energy in the office and she made every day so much fun. We used to drive around town in her car singing our hearts out to the radio on mini missions to find the next exquisite “Biscuit de jour” a biscuit rating competition that had the whole team involved and enthralled. She was a conceptual designer, the only one I’ve ever worked with. Her designs were unique and original never just a version of something that already existed. I learnt alot from Orly, she made me look at things from a new perspective. She inspires me still today in my work and my outlook.
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The Orly Stories: Be quiet UIIIK
I don’t have a photo of the Manchester High years that Orly wouldn’t hate me for uploading. I had not yet discovered Frizz Ease and sick-yellow blouses were not flattering for Orly (or any of us). So I decided she would appreciate these tartan trousers – which only she would remember as we started designing individual Celtic trousers for anyone in UIIIK who had 5p and wanted a pair of trousers designed to ease the boredom of Latin lessons. Obviously Pauline was Head Designer.
I will always remember school with an image of Orly right at the centre of a group of girls causing trouble and giggling hysterically. Her Spielberg-style direction of the Chanukah play, Mrs McFarlane sending her out of Music when she put a spider on my desk, Orly fighting with Miss Welsby about who would have the final word in Latin lessons, being chased down the corridor into the Star block by the Head of 6th form for wearing hairy boots and string vests, the amazing sweet wrapper purses Orly and Emma made for our Young Enterprise company that were so labour intensive Amnesty International should have been called in for a campaign against child labour.
And so many more thoughts of Orly whenever I see something I know she would have found funny, when I discover new sweets, or go to a cool market, or see something super super tacky.
Lauren x x x x
The Orly Stories: Manchester Girls
From Georgina Harris
These are just a few pictures from traveling (digital cameras were new back then so the pictures aren’t great).
We travelled from India to Hong Kong to Singapore to Oz to New Zealand to South America and then a chilled week in Spain to finish.
Shmorls, Vic and myself decided we wanted to travel the world together and set out in December 2003 for 7/8 months. It started just the 3 of us but that soon changed. We constantly met up with Gem wherever we crossed paths, then Shmorls sneaked around with Mand and surprised me and Vic by her turning up in Oz.
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The Orly Stories: Fashioneesta Seesta’s
From Jaquelyn Mowszowski-Lawrence
In my opinion my meeting Orly (or Piggy as I called her) was “Beshert” in Hebrew (I’m from Israel) the meaning of that word is “meant to be”. I met Orl the very first day of Uni in Design Class. The new class sat round the large square table all giddy and excited all brand spanking new. Just before the class began in walked this spritely, colourful person with a mop of black and pink curls, with homemade embellished clothes and open toe sandals (in October!! which to me was insanity).The last available seat in the class just happened to be right next to me so over she bounced and placed herself in it. I sat examining this interesting person, looking at all her interesting trinkets attached to her outfit and to her name tag which was plastered on everything just incase you dared to forget her name! “ORLY TENZER” I read and thought to myself “Orly” “Tenzer” Thats an Israeli name! (little did she know I had crossed the pond from Israel to study here too!).
I looked at her excitedly and asked her about her name,” Orly Tenzer…Thats a very Israeli name! are you from Israel?” I asked her excitedly. Then she opened her mouth and out came a very Manchunian accent “No, But my Dad is!” She replied. “I’m from Israel!, well born in South Africa, so Im not Israeli but my Dad is too!” I said to her, Only too happy to meet someone with something in common with me as I didn’t know a soul yet and luck should have it the one other Jewish girl with an Israeli father just happened to walk into this classroom and sit next to me! and with that, I made my very first friend friend in Uni.
Read more…
The Orly Stories: Loving Dad
From Pinchas
My darling daughter. I miss a lot your smile, kisses, fun and just having you around. The sparkle has gone. You have left a big void in my heart.
At least you are not suffering anymore.
Loving Dad
The Orly Stories: G-d I miss her…
From Rebecca Leon Feddy
Not a second goes by without me thinking of Orly.
We met and immediately bonded 20 years ago in class Upper 3K, Manchester High School for Girls, Grangethorpe Rd, Fallowfield.
So many memories from our school days; the giggles, the mischief, the close ties we formed and occasionally a little education! The picture above of Orls in a school blazer was taken at a mini- reunion 3 yrs ago, oh how we laughed that night…
A proud moment, Orly and I co-wrote “The Lion King Channukah play”, we spent a whole weekend lying on my bed writing the script. We thought it was good enough for the west end!
15 yrs later Orly knew every word to every song, she had such a knack of remembering song lyrics, something she teased me about regularly as I am hopeless at remembering words to songs.
The teachers were often at their wits-ends with Orly… I bet you all remember when she was being shouted at for having pink streaks at school and she asked our head of sixth form if “grey streaks were against the rules too!”
Read more…
The Orly Stories: We Are Family
From Ruth Snader
I know it’s not the best photo: no-one in focus, taken from behind us – but there is one face you can see – and she’s smiling…
My family, her family, they mean the world – they came, she came, around the world for me (for us!). The photo just shows us at ease, being together, candid, enjoying each other.
The Orly Stories: The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
From Karen
I am not sure where this picture came from – but someone – I think Orly’s Katy named it – ‘the most beautiful girl in the world’
I think all who see it will agree with the title.
The dress was designed and made by Uncle Avi many years ago – Orly never threw anything away – amazing how this was re invented and made to look even more stunning than thought possible.
And who else could wear exotic pretend flowers on their head and make them look like that !
Only our Orls….
The Orly Stories: Thank You
From Jessica Rose
Afraid I don’t have a picture, but many phone memories plus my ‘squiggy’ pink pillow that Orly sent me a few years ago.
I always knew who Orly was as we had a few mutual friends and she was secretly one of those people who i thought ‘she’s pretty cool I’d quite like to be friends with her’. We became friends as we unfortunately began to have the dreaded ‘C’ word in common when I was diagnosed with cancer in October 2008. Despite what I can only imagine she was going through, she was such an incredible friend to me, offering me constant words of advice always with a bit humour included.
The last time I saw Orly was at a friends engagement party. We had our usual amusing banter about constipation, hot flushes and inappropriate comments when people don’t know what to say to you. However I will never forget thinking to myself ‘thank you Orly’. I never said it to her that night, and I don’t think I ever said thank you, but Orly gave me perspective and strength and made me want to fight and its partly because of her that I am still fighting!
So Orly if you can hear me THANK YOU! xxxxx
The Orly Stories: “We Said Pouts”
From Susannah Kintish
Orls was a part of my life since day dot. On the first day of infant school, she strolled over to me in the KD dining room and said, “hi I’m Orly my mum knows your mum”. From then on, we did rotas to school, our families had dinner together most Friday nights (until Katy Last came on the scene and stole her from me) and she always had my back. She was everything I’m not; musical (she would sing at the piano while I played the right hand only of jingle bells and pinged the triangle), mathematical and above all, a creative genius. Whenever posed with the question “what shall we play?” I would always want to play “improvisations” (precocious) or “making up a dance”. Orly however would always want to play “fashion designers”, “dressing up”, “painting” or “fimo” (as you can see from the photos). She usually won and our day’s play would end with an exhibition before our parents of our wares. Auntie K and my mum would kvell over Orly’s creations, whilst I got a pat on the head and a “ah bless- at least you tried”.
Read more…
The Orly Stories: Family Ties
From Ethy Tenzer
Orly and moi, (her aunt), at Jaffa beach during her last visit to Israel.
Orly with her late Gram and us, at her last visit to Israel, her gram was sick at that time,and was in her PIDJAMA (nightgown).
The Orly Stories: Custom Made Tees
From Michelle Taube
Barrie found this photo stored on an old computer of ours. Orly will hate me for sending it in, but it’s how I remember her before she got ill.
It’s the night of our artboo launch party 4 or 5 years ago. The venue was the Late Rooms in Manchester and we listened to Gideon Con and Ben Ballon play live music. Orly’s wearing one of her custom-made tee-shirts, which I remember complementing her on.
I don’t have many photos of the two of us together and now I wish I’d taken more.
The Orly Stories: Snapshot of a MothKiller
From Sam Edwards
No story, more of a “just because”. This necklace cracked me up EVERYTIME I saw her wearing it. I took about a million pictures of her that day when we were at an Adidas’s “Football Fanatics BBQ” in NYC. These were the only two I think she approved of.
The Orly Stories: Paper Doll + 1970′s Person
From Jon Titley
This picture of Orly and me is from Halloween 2007. It was taken in the living room of the NYC apartment she shared with Rebecca. I had been somewhat lazy, as is my wont on Halloween, and dressed as a “1970′s Person” with clothes (embarrassingly) I already owned. Orly, on the other hand, had made herself this magnificent dress from newspaper cuttings. When I asked her what she was, she declared herself “A Paper Doll”. It was, without doubt, the most creative costume at the party.
I recall that in the moments leading up to the photo being taken we were having a most enjoyable discussion about sweets, specifically Swedish Fish. I remember this because we were sitting next to a giant chicken.
The best part about this photo, however, was the comment that Orly left below it on my Facebook page:
“Boo, that’s when I still owned a camera….. Who’s the Jane Fonda picking her hot pants out of her bum in the background?”
I miss you Orly. x
The Orly Stories: Pretend Sisters
From Dahlia Shilco
My life with Orly began almost the day she was born! We lived next door to each other and fed, bathed and slept together! We were Sisters! She was even given all my hand-me-downs! I like to think that this is where she began her love for ‘Vintage!’
My earliest memories are of the two of us running around the tree in her garden, making ‘Rose Water’ Perfume and playing in the bath with an inflatable Frisbee!
As we grew up and went to different high schools (Orly was the clever one going to Manchester High) we never stopped calling each other Sister – In fact so many people have asked me over the years ‘Are you Orly Tenzer’s sister??” To which I would reply the same way she would “Yes Pretend Sisters!”
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The Orly Stories: A London Weekend
From Stephanie Perlin
This beautiful picture of Orly was taken in our garden in London last August. It was a sunny day and Orly and her Mum and Dad had come down to London for the weekend to meet up with her Uncle Avi, who had flown in that weekend. I remember especially the bright orange nail-polish on her hands and toes, very cool as ever!
When Orly was about 2 she came to New York where I was living at the time. Karen and Pinchas left her with me for a few hours, whilst they went off sightseeing. She was in her buggy and me being a young 20 something, I had little idea of what to do with her. I took her round the department stores. It was early evening and I thought she would nod off. Not Orls, she was entranced by the big shiny department stores, the fashion, the handbags, the shoes and when K and P returned home I said she clearly liked the city life.
So glad she got to enjoy it when she did.
The Orly Stories: Daily Hugs
From June Shonda (aka Amanda Lewis)
This is one of my favourite pics of Orls and myself. It’s hard to believe you can go from lying around on couches, watching stupid TV programmes, laughing, joking, crying, talking, and doing the usual day to day stuff with your best friend to then suddenly not have any of it.
Everytime I look at this picture it reminds me of the millions of times we just were together doing these things – watching Ricki Lake, Montell Jordan, Neighbours, fab films: Cool Runnings,Toy Story , Coming to America, Annie, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Masterchef etc etc.
Every second I spent with my beautiful incredible bestie was one to cherish and how lucky I was to be able to share QT with her so many times. I wish we still could.
This picture really depicts our friendship, we lived so close to each other for so many years, we grew so close as best friends for so many years we did so many things practically joined at the hip for so many years – the hug we are giving each other here just makes me smile.The best bit is that even when we were not physically close to each other: Orls in London, me in Spain, Orls in Worcester, me at home, Orls in NYC me at home we still gave each other a daily hug like this.
Orls is my right hand gal, a true inspirational gem who taught me so much and enjoyed everything she did.
There are so many pics I could post from our man high days, our travelling, our daily lives but I just think this one depicts us and everytime i look at it, I hear her laughing calling me June Shonda Kinley Belly and I hear our giggles, our laughter, our bickers, our chats, but most of all our incredible friendship that I miss so much.
So pretty so proud xxx
The Orly Stories: Wicked
From Georgina Harris
This picture is from the summer of 2009. I was home for the summer due to visa issues and my aim was to spend as much time as possible with Shmorls. I decided I wanted to do something just the two of us and something we would always remember. We had always talked about how I thought she would love Wicked the musical so I decided that I would take her to London for the weekend, stay in a hotel, and go see the show – we called it our romantic getaway! I even came equipped with various types of sweets for the journey and a whole cornflake cake that we demolished quite happily!!
The picture is one she took just before the show started and obviously she loved the show! We had a great time the rest of the weekend catching up with people and just doing what we do best – spending quality time together!
Read more…
The Orly Stories: Home Sweet Home
From Sam Edwards
May 28th 2009, New York City
Orly was on her visit back to New York after being diagnosed.
She was staying with me and wanted to have a good night out, so we arranged to meet everyone at Home Sweet Home on the LES. The bar was a bit of a divey one, complete with taxidermy and graffiti’d toilets. But I figured it would be the perfect place for a good catch up.
Little did we know that there was a gay porn-formance art event scheduled at the bar that evening. We walked in and the crowd was pretty normal – the only thing odd were all the explicit photocopies of bums posted up everywhere. Weird…but not unusual – this is New York!
The “play” started and was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. Long monologues, followed by simulated sex, followed by the insertion of objects into orifices that will not be mentioned here and an old man with a beard running up on stage and taking part in it all. I wanted to leave pretty much immediately and in true Orly fashion – she wanted to stay. “C’mon! It’s fun and true New York!” Classic Orly. Seeing the best in everything.
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The Orly Stories: Gorgeous Gals
From Deborah
This picture of Orls and Tash was taken when we all drove out to Hebden Bridge for George’s birthday lunch. It was such a gorgeous day….we had a yummy lunch and went for a wander round the shops in the village…a fab and typical Orls excursion.
As Jonathan commented at the time…”one gorgeous gal holding another gorgeous gal”.
The Orly Stories: The Michelin Star Resaturant
From Karen
Orls decided at day 1 of diagnosis that this was just a blip in her life – for this reason Tenzer Inc plus friends supported her energy for life and indulged in a high brand lifestyle.
This treat being one – a Michelin star restaurant in Edinburgh – taster menu par excellence…
It was a fantastic evening,accompanied by her most handsome bro – difficult to take ones eyes of the both of ‘em.
Like to think we offered the best – we definitely received the best – as parents couldn’t ask for more
-
2 amazing young peeps.
The Orly Stories
Dear Friends and Furballs
Orly Tenzer was the quintessential social butterfly — whether it was cocktails at a chi-chi bar, picnics in the park, fancy dress at a house party or chilling on the sofa reading magazines and eating sweets. No matter the occasion, she brought the sparkle and would always have something ridiculously witty to say. When she wasn’t making you laugh, she’d be giving Oprah worthy advice and a hug if you needed it.
There’s no doubt that there are HUNDREDS of photographs of the aforementioned Social Butterfly, floating around on hard drives, collecting mothballs in photo albums and of course the plethora of images on Facebook. In addition to this, we know that there are many stories about Orly, that people would love to share.
Which is why we’ve created The Orly Stories. By creating a place for you to share photos and stories we can keep her blog fresh and colorful and her memory alive.
We’re asking you to;
1. Submit a photo of you and Orly, or just Orly alone, at a moment and time that was special/memorable to you. (If the photos aren’t flattering you know she’ll be tutting at you).
2. Tell us the story behind the photo — it can be as long or as short as you want.
3. We’ll publish them all here on the blog for everyone to read.
Easy Peasy!
Email your submissions to orly@orlytenzer.com
Ode to Opossum
For Orly…
Opossums are not generally renowned for their dietary indiscretion – fat doesn’t as a rule cause cross eyed ness in other creatures (so I am told). However perhaps little Heidi will be a lesson to those indulging in gluttony-
Maybe this could create a new flurry of old wives tales??
Read more…
Cordon Bleaurrrrgh
I’ve learnt a few things since being ill: One of which is that no one actually tells you that u look like crap until the day after you look liked crap when suddenly doctors, nurses, family, friends and hospital cleaning staff all say ‘Oh u look so much better; yesterday you looked like crap.’ Then the day after that they’ll say the same thing, even though they’d told u yesterday that u looked good. I guess they don’t wanna kick a girl when she’s down (just the day after).
Love at First Bite
It’s been a while since my last blog but in that time I seemed to have amassed a fair few thousand fans, many of whom are trying to sell me ‘online penis enlargers’ or offer me ‘hot Russian Ass’ but fans nonetheless. My gorgeous Sam is getting to work on Spam blockers so I expect my online fan base to slightly diminish. Therefore I’d like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to ‘Nude Nadia’, ‘College Kelly’ and ‘Nympho Nanny’…
Sweet Dictator
Ok, so I don’t often want teenagers to die but I’ve found an exception to this rule and it involves the precocious monsters that inhabit the programme ‘My Super Sweet 16’. When I started chemotherapy the doctors warned me of some common side effects of the treatment but none of them included ‘the uncontrollable tendency to watch shit TV for several hours a day’ Having spoken to other patients this seems to be a common symptom and despite wanting to put all our spare time to good use, it seems that our bodies are unable to do anything else except succumb to what the box has to offer. One of the shows that lured me in recently made me develop a hatred of these pre-pubescent pigs. For those of you less privileged than me, (who spend their days actually doing things other than being lounge lizards) the programme tracks spoilt 15yr olds as they organize their 16th birthday party’s (with their parent’s money).
Mad Hatters ‘C’ Party
How annoying is it when you lose the soap in the bath? So u spend ages creeping up on the soap and pounce on it while it’s not looking but it still squirms out of your grasp and heads over to near your foot and the soap stalking continues. Equally annoying is when someone gives u a blow by blow account of their road rage experience involving ‘some guy indicating left but turning right as you wanted to go straight over the roundabout.’ I’m sure this was annoying at the time but hearing the story version doesn’t make me sympathise, it just conjures up a niggling desire for me to gag u. Allllso, I’m sure that dream you had last night was great but, again, u relaying it to me is shit.
Once Upon a Dilemma
So are the latest headlines true and could ‘Mouthwash really be the cause for Cancer?’. If that’s the case, all these years of ensuring I had good breath have clearly backfired. Maybe someone should have told me a few yrs ago that I should have had Organic beetroot skin smoothies for breakfast, never used a mobile phone and neglected my oral hygiene. Since getting ill, it’s been like when get told to be careful after you trip over. Too little too late…Why all this advice now!?! All of a sudden everyone has answers like they were all at ‘Cancer Prevention Club’ while I was obliviously gargling Listerine!!!
Same Old Brand New
Imagine diamond encrusting a dustbin: Yesterday I went to an exhibition of the show costumes worn by the Supremes…. in the unusual setting of Blackpool (should be called GreyPuddle). For those of you who don’t know Blackpool it’s one of those places that you went to when you were young, and have painted a neon picture of it in your head filled with rollercoaster’s, candy floss, illuminations and Fish ‘n Chips. In reality, on a cold, December day with the lights switched off and the creaking rides covered with a metaphorical dust cover, it fills u with that depressing feeling you get in an Old people’s home on Sunday evening.
I Have a Dream
When Obama promised his girls a puppy once he won the election, it got me thinking: if ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’… is a ‘dog for election victory’ acceptable…? Since being ill, there have been murmurs around the house: maybe we’ll get a dog; Ooh, if we had a dog; Suchabody’s just got a new dog; Apparently they’ve crossed a Pug with a Labrador (who’s ‘they’ by the way?).
Credit Munch
Today I’m taking you to Radcliffe (only the best for you, my distinguished readers). Radcliffe is one of those places that have really good charity shops because every weekend an old lady dies so Oxfam is replenished with new stock by Monday. There’s sweet shops that stock all the good sweets and jewelers that sell those giant clown medallions with moving arms and legs that cost about 500 pounds …
Brighter Shade of Beige
Do you ever get so mesmarised by a stranger that u find yourself close to a beating due to prolonged staring? Well, my most recent experience of this was at the Notting Hill Arts Club where I went to see DJ Derek and whilst most were fixated on the pensioner on the decks (….he didn’t go unnoticed) me and my lot were trying to figure out if the bargirl’s monobrow was genuine. I’ve never seen such a perfectly plucked, specimen before. Like a really posh Italian cartoon characters moustache, but in this case it was used as a young real life girls eye framing device. So the bets were on (49p): Real or Fake?
Pomegranate Pig
Call me old fashioned but I prefer cats keep it within the breed
Does anyone else hate sexual cat food adverts or is that just me? A moody Persian cat seductively emerges from the bedroom to be greeted by his sexy ‘human’ girlfriend who relishes in feeding him brown, gelatinous chunks of crap (probably cat) and then we’re led to believe that they ride off into the sunset and have catman babies. Why is the very fact that cat’s need to eat food not the basis of cat food adverts? I understand there’s branding ‘n all but what is this strangle angle that the advertisers insist upon?
Would Like To Meet: Dwarf with Key
This is the virtual version of writing the 1st piece of homework in your book at the beginning of a school year. Fortunately the trauma of what pen to use and how neat my handwriting is won’t come into the equation. I am a blog virgin but plan to change all that thanks to my techno-wizzkid friend Sam.
The other day I was having a rant to her about a few things, one of which being that I have the not-ideal situation of having cancer at 27. Most friends would get me some flowers, chocolates or an addition to my teddy bear commune that’s spilling out of my bed, but not Sam. I woke up the next day with an email from her. She had bought me this – my website – my virtual house that I plan to start painting and decorating and I invite you all to my party. Thanks Sam!
Everyday since being diagnosed with Cancer I wake up to another ridiculous headline in the paper: ‘Do Dwarfs Hold the Key to a Cure for Cancer’; ‘Reheated Spaghetti Bolognese Could Prevent Cancer’ and other such Cryptic Headlines that would make amazing tshirt designs! So tonight I’m going on a date with a dwarf to an Italian restaurant… mabes I’ll wear one of the tshirts…. Hopefully I’ll be cured by dawn?…One day we’re told to eat only Organic Food; the next Organic could kill us. One thing I do know is that me, and many others, have been struck down with this thing and we refuse to hand in our party clothes for a grim reaper cloak.
Testing!
Helllloooo! This is a test post for my brand spanking new blog/website. Welcome ladies, gentlehounds, dudes, dudettes and furballs.