Delayed response to Windows Live Message

Problem is when sending a message or a nudge in Im window that it doesn't go
through. My contact was showing "away" at the time but in the past the
message always goes through. Even messages that are sent when off line
normally are readable when logging on. This is the problem that my friend
has when sending messages, and just now I received numerous messages all at
once but that where typed at least 30 minutes prior to coming into my
computer.....would the fault be on my end or his end? Till today we have
never had a problem in just straight typing, voice link or video/voice link.
Today for a short time we where able to have a conversation and video link,
but once my computer when to the "away" status (which I deliberately did) it
then reverted back to no response and then the delayed messages from my
contact. There was about 7 messages that all came in at the one time.