Bloke

I'd definently recommend buying an Xbox 360, especially since the playstation 3 seems like a distant dream, April 2007? As far as the package, go for the premium system every time, saves a fortune on the long run. You also get a one month trial of live where you can download about 50 game demos. Some of the demos are so extensive i often wonder whether "upgrading" to the full game is worthwile. If you've got a media center PC you can also stream mp3s divx etc from your PC wirelessly. As far as games go you CANNOT go wrong with PGR3, simply stunning visuals (via component to HDTV), it's the consummate 360 driving sim. Call of Duty 2 is THE most intense FPS i have ever played, period, and if you ever needed a reason to buy the XBOX then check out the actual game footage of the upcoming Call of Duty 3 here: http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/callofduty3/video_player.html?id=ISFgn2Ct5bsPsjLd As for price, you'll pay about 260 odds for it, although at christmas rumour has it there will be various xbox 360 + game bundles available for 250. Whatever you do, get a wireless pad then hook the xbox up to a AV sender, then you can play it wirelessly in any room that has a TV in the whole hoose (handy when the wife chucks you oot to watch Eastenders!). Don't regret my purchase of this piece of kit at all, i have a top spec gaming PC running COD 2 and it doesn't even come close to the XBOX 360.

Plenty around about Gulberwick although nowhere near as many as the bleeding rabbits!

Here's a couple of suggestions for you from my own experience. I have 3 active boys myself and find Shetland a cracking place to entertain them, especially in Summer. Take a journey to Seafield (just by Somerfield) on a sunny day where you can feed the ducks at the end and also keep an eye out for the local seals sunning themselves on the rocks. Never ceases to amaze my boys. There's a wonderful beach at St Ninians Isle around Bigton and the playpark offers plenty for kids of all ages (but never go to this beach when it's windy!). It also has a scandalously tasty Coffee shop with limited opening hours. Spiggie beach is also an excellent place for a picnic and if you're lucky enough you can see the seals surfing onto the beach. Some fine exploring to be had in the sand dunes also. Clickiminn broch is a great place to take the kids, they'll love hiding in the various caves and rummaging around the ruins. The walk around the loch is fine also. There are some fine Shetland Ponies running wild in the fields around Asta, you can stop in one of the passing places and have a gander at them. Meal beach near Hamnavoe is an ideal place for a paddle on a bright day although it is a wee bit treacherous to get to with peerier kids (there's a steep hill to access it) although the older bairns will certainly appreciate this Clickiminn pool is excellent for older kids, especially on days when they have the huge inflatables out or the flippers and floats in lanes, phone ahead to find times. The baby pool is a wee bit cold in Clickiminn though, go to Scalloway instead for babies, it's much warmer. There is a fine play area for toddlers in Clickiminn if your wee one gets too cold. The food is a bit pricey here but the kids will like the boxes you get, Shetland's answer to Mickey D's. Sumburgh Head , near the airpiort, is an adventure to say the least, especially climbing the hill to the Observatory, you can usually spot plenty of birds in the nooks and crannies or even an Orca or 2 if you're really lucky. The settlement at Jarlshof is a very interested excursion for the whole family and lunch at the Sumburgh hotel is hearty, healthy and half as much as in Lerwick For cheap eats i would heartily recommend the Havly Cafe in Lerwick, very reasonable prices and a kid friendly environment which even has a sun patio on nicer days. Isleburgh community centre is certainly a fine place to leave the older kids, they have loads of activities this time of year, as well as pool tables, arcade machines, air hockey, a huge projector screen and delicious "McFlurry" type concoctions. If it's raining then a visit to Shetland Library is in order. They have a well stocked reading corner and the staff are very helpful and knowledgeable. I particularly like going to Lerwick Harbour this time of year. There are numerous vessels form all corners of the globe to see and if you're lucky you'll catch one of those gargantuan Cruise ships. Finally The Fort chippy next to Harry's has an organic Cod supper to die for and have couple of crab sticks they are sublime. I could go on for hours, Shetland is a great place for kids, so glad i moved here. Hope you have a fine time up here and if you need anymore suggestions then holler.

Just say you work for the council and you're conducting "weight tolerance" tests. Hehe.

Aye you're maybe right, just hope it ain't all vandalised a la Hayfield. Dunno why they persist with that high tech bouncy flooring stuff, it's already being lifted up around the edges from sheer exuberance. Grass was good enough for us as kids although some Shirt and Tie from the council probably carried out a risk assessment and found otherwise. Damn good stuff for bairns 5+ i would say though.

Maybe so but that boggin bus and delapidated hoose that used to be there did my head in. The boat and truck there now are geared towards 3 + i would say, any younger and they're eating the stones rather than playing on the equipment anyway.

Park is open and they've done a splendid job. The place was heavin' with kids today and the peerie ice cream man was cockahoop.

Soothmoother and proud of it. Least i'm no a Sassenach. It's a joke, a joke, only a joke. Sassenach is a word used chiefly by the Scots and to designate an Englishman or a Lowlands Scot. It derives from the Gaelic Sasunnach meaning, originally, "Saxon". The modern Scottish spelling is 'Sasannach'. As employed by Scottish English or Beurla-speakers today it is usually used in jest, as a (friendly) term of abuse.

I never really liked Smoked Salmon until i came to Shetland and tasted the Smokehouse brand, it was incomparable. Wish i'd known about this sooner and i could've squirreled away a couple of thousand packets in my cavernous chest freezer. Bloody shame really i'm always eulogising the produce from the Smokehouse to my folks and frends back in Glesga. Me old Dad will be disappointed that there'll be no Hamper of goodies this year.

Have indeed. New Slang is my favourite from it. Kinda like Simon and Garfunkel / James Taylor's illegitimate spawn.

Chutes too Narrow - The Shins Sublime, subliminal, surreal.

Been on to Community Development who have assured me that the Park will be ready Mid August. Just in time for the bairns going back to school. "Pea and ham soup, from a chicken, now thats clever!"