Armless fun

Hi Blog people!

Well, that's January almost done and dusted then, not the greatest month ever but ok. Worst part was having a knackered arm for about 10 days, no cause (and you can stop thinking that right now..), just woke up one morning and could hardly move right arm. Was painful so went to Doc, had x-ray etc. Just took a call from Doctor's surgery, he wants to see me about x-ray, appointment in 4 weeks! Oh how wonderful our health service is. Other than that I've just been going to my morphsuit heaven during the week and chilling in the local pubs from time to time. Was my birthday on Sunday so had a couple of meals out over the weekend. Sorry about lack of bodice-ripping excitement but now the arm is getting slightly better I can start having some swashbuckling adventures.

Happy New Year!

It is getting seriously scary that the year goes so quick! At least there is no ice and snow this time, not yet anyway. Have these days off, was at work last Thursday when they told us just to take time off until 4 January, not bad. First time I've had every day off between Christmas and new year for as long as I can remember. Not that I've been doing much, the wind and rain has curtailed my walking, though did spend Xmas day at younger sisters and Boxing Day at my older sisters - both great meals too!

Walked to Leven, a four hour walk about 3 weeks ago, also had a nice festive meal at the Hawes Inn in South Queensferry - directly under the Forth Bridge. Had an interview at Fife Council but, being public sector, the odds were against me as I had no relations already working for them, no big deal anyway.

No big plans for new year, though I'll not venture far from home due to the lack of public transport. Plan a trip to Edinburgh on Friday, found a wee shop selling the rarest German beer, a must for a connoisseur like me :-) Have a good one people!!

Her a couple of recent pics, one featuring me in an East German top! Oh the controversy!

All change

November is usually a pretty mundane month, you just want it over so the Christmas festivities can begin, though it was a busy month for me to be sure. Had a couple of interviews and landed myself a job at Morphsuits, those all body Lycra suits that are seemingly becoming popular, though I haven't tried one on yet! Was also at another interview on Friday, and there may be another in the pipeline. I'm sure I'll have more info in the next update.

New car is running fine now that the problem with the wheels deflating has been solved, makes a change driving about 4 miles to work, was a 50 mile round trip before. What else have I been up to? Well, went to bonfire night in Burntisland on 5 November and have done a couple of long walks along the coast recently. Plan another on Wednesday as I have another day off then. Also went to Edinburgh by train a couple of times, the last visit was on Saturday and included a visit to the German Market there, the warm mulled beer was tasty but expensive..though not as expensive as the couple of malt whiskies I bought..and of course, mulled wine is a must. It keeps the cold away in these long winter nights. Here are a couple of photos.

Wendepunkt

I hate it when I forget to update every month, even if I've nothing to say, which can't be said of October! I went up north for a week of relaxation in Gardenstown near Banff, was good to be in an area I had hardly seen before. The majority may be strictly religious but that didn't spoil my fun - unless you count the only pub in town being closed on a Tuesday, for god knows what reason. Visited the Glenfarclas distillery and various coastal towns, was nice.

After my trip I spent the last 3 weeks at my workplace in Edinburgh, most magnificently, my erstwhile employers grudgingly agreed to pay to those of us being made redundant, the legal minimum - a most marvelous "thank you" for 13 years service, but I guess that's how American-owned companies operate.

What else? Well, I went on a spooky walk here in Kinghorn in aid of the local lifeboat station - was very well done, I almost crapped myself when a ghoul got out of a "grave" in the churchyard!

Been to gym today, must keep active or this job interlude could make me a slob!

Germanic induced amnesia?

Hello people! Bet you'd thought I'd forgotten this month's thrilling update? No! Though It wouldn't have been a surprise after the very recent visit of Clemens. Yes, just a few weeks after Oliver, Clemens arrived, armed with a litre bottle of Glenlivet 15 year old malt whisky. Of course, the bottle was on death row with us-and Tavis- about! But at least it didn't have to wait long to go. Apart from that bottle, several pints were downed in Kirkcaldy, Kinghorn, Burntisland, Aberdour....you get the picture. Still, what are holidays for apart from enjoying yourself? Going for a few days up the highlands tomorrow actually - fresh air, walking, thinking, chilling, yeah ok, drinking. Will take my mind off the upcoming turmoil in my working life. We have been given an end date at the firm of 28 October, so only a few weeks until my 13 year service at America's finest (note the sarcasm) company comes to the end!!

Here a couple of photos - of Clemens and Tavis in top drinking form, of a group of lovely seals here in the Firth of Forth, and of Arja my colleague, who has already left the sinking ship and had her last day last week, with yours truly (was mucking about with the effects on that one, couldn't make myself pretty though..). Bis zum nächsten Mal!!

Teutonic visitation

I had written a long entry only for it to disappear forever for no reason, my patience is running thin with this thing, as this has happened before. In a nutshell: Have been told I'm being made redundant by our most admirable director, have had German visitors - Oliver and Joe - and have been up the highlands to Glencoe and Kinlochleven with them. Did a lot of walking! Here a few photos of the last few weeks..one shows Oliver lost in his own thoughts as he walks the sands of Fife, then another of him under the Forth rail bridge after successfully buying the round. The other photos show BP walking the same stretch a week or so before while tide was in, also a view of Loch Leven in the highlands by Kinlochleven.

Bye bye July

Have been off work these last couple of days- ironically getting fever and man flu just as the weather turned gorgeous. Even now, as I write this, the sun is beating down, surely it cannot last! Last weekend I ended up in St Andrews, perhaps the most famous town in my glorious kingdom of Fife - no sign of William and Kate this time though.

Two of my nephews had birthdays recently, a couple of days ago I was invaded by three of them, they proceeded to delve into every nook and cranny of my most stunning dwelling - one of them shrieking "Uncle Alan is a Nazi!" after finding a book about the Gestapo in my wide-ranging library of English and German literature. I'm just glad he didn't find my "Virgins of Sherwood" DVD (..that Tavis lent me..), never has there been such an inappropriately named film. I mean there weren't any..

Here a couple of St Andrews photos, and one of the nephews.