My Sparkfun SpeakJet Voice Box Shield is now working! Thanks to major help from Brock Craft and a very kind and swift response from Sukkin Pang at SK Pang Electronics, (http://www.skpang.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=140_142&products_id=670) who supplied it. THIS IS REALLY EXCITING, as I can make things really speak now, and use this in my Buddha Box to magically make the box talk to you when you open it and speak words of wisdom....
This is helpful:
http://letsmakerobots.com/node/13210