Bye bye at last 2013

Started month off with another trip to Edinburgh, the Christmas market there is bigger than previously but very expensive, still, I partook of a mulled wine or two and a £4 Bratwurst. Obviously I bought a couple of small presents, including a bottle of Glenfarclas (wonder who that was for..).

I had the first week of the month off actually but didn't travel anywhere, there had been a bug going around at work and it chose to get me just as I had free time, most of the week was spent on sofa watching numerous downloaded movies from the golden age of Hollywood - a lot of my 2TB harddrive is taken up by them- and playing hidden object PC games that are becoming quite an obsession.

The following two weeks were spent not doing much at work, it has been a quiet time but judging by yesterday things are starting to get busy again, going in today for what will probably be a short shift, then I can prepare for tonight's new year celebration, probably in the pub. Will be glad to see this year gone, even Christmas was the worst ever due to a variety of reasons, and petty "family" politics, still at least 3 hours of Christmas day were good- at the raffle in the Auld Hoose. Didn't win much, just 6 beers and a bottle of rose, was a good laugh though. Then I went down to mine and downed a bottle of champagne.

Adding to my non-festive feeling was a hospital appointment on the 29th and had to starve myself for a day and a half and drink the most god awful stuff I wouldn't wish on anyone. I got through it though, glad it's behind me.  So come on 2014, let's be having you! Here a couple of photos, one at Xmas market, the other with Davie specs in pub.

PS hope Schumacher survives his head injury, he made F1 watchable back then and I always wanted him to lose, not this time though. 

Capital Punishment

This month started off with a night in the capital Edinburgh, courtesy of my home insurance company, so off we went and a good time was had by all. Unfortunately the mussels and oysters had a wicked effect that lasted a few days..
  
A few days later and it was back to Edinburgh again, this time to see Dame Edna on her farewell tour, had tickets near the front but luckily I wasn't called up onto the stage like a couple near me were! About 3 days later it was off to Edinburgh for a third time, this time for a music concert in the HMV Picture House. Shame this was on a Sunday though, as I always had the worry of missing last train - it goes about 10.30 from the so-called world city, a tad too early in my opinion.

Rest of the month didn't feature Edinburgh, work is going ok but things are very quiet, it means the days drag on forever, especially if on backshift. These dark mornings and early evenings are also affecting my budgies, they are not too lively when there is no light so sometimes I don't see them flying about at all. They are loud as hell today though, driving me insane they are!

Just back from a night in Lundin Links, a wee treat as I have this coming week off. Had a few good ales in the Railway Inn and a meal in the Crusoe in Lower Largo. Hopefully I'll not waste the week completely like I did last time I had a week off, maybe I'll head to Edinburgh yet again to see what the Xmas market is like. Also have other  mundane things to sort out and maybe I'll look along to the new Morrisons that will open on Monday.  

Have no major Xmas plans, though I'll have to show face in the Auld Hoose to see if I've won anything in the raffle. Whether I'll see any of the family at that time remains to be seen. What does "family" mean now?

Photos show me looking into very dirty mirror on day of Hendy's funeral, a deadly but tasty dish of mussels, Bea outside the Railway Inn in Lower Largo, and my kids Robbie and Stasi.

Always your friend...

I know this month still has a week to run, plan doing a spooky walk at halloween, it's a tradition, but  have no other major plans. Am off this week and had planned a massive tidy-up, but I'm a lazy bastard and prefer the Australian Shiraz I've just bought in the local co-op, bloody good one too.

I really wish the weather had been typically Scottish this week, instead I've had the sun beating in through the windows, windows I can't open due to the budgies flying around, and they are loud as hell! Well, they're locked in their cage now, but their protest squaking is hardly even drowned out by blasting out loud heavy metal. They are a couple of spoiled prima donnas to be sure!

Had a nice wee trip over to France at start of month, a work-related trip with very little work involved, so can't complain. Was near to Paris but didn't have time to see the sites in the city itself, a place I've only been twice to before, and last time was over 20 years ago. There's always next time. Anyway, saw a couple of nice French towns and a thought-provoking  First World War graveyard that we suddenly discovered by the side of a road we were travelling. Each headstone a tragedy for those who were left behind.

Tragedy also occured nearer to home two weeks ago when my friend from my schooldays Graeme "Hendy" Henderson suddenly died. Hendy and I had a lot of adventures over the years, including a never-to-be-repeated legendary drinking day/night in Edinburgh. We may have had a fall out, and didn't communicate for a while, but we had renewed our friendship with a couple of pub visits this year and I was looking forward to our next night out. He was perhaps one of the most interesting and gracious people I knew, taken much too young.

Photos show my lodge in France, a war cemetry, a curious french cat in Pierrefonds, and the late Hendy.

PS Hendy sent a couple of quite moving texts after the death of my mum (he was the only friend of mine who had the nerve to address her by her first name). The last three words of one of those texts is the title of this post.  I'll try to be more upbeat next time.

Jerry Derry Froggie

Another month almost gone and the last days of reasonably good weather are with us, it's sure to turn dreich and horrible before too long. Been on a couple of trips recently and there's another work-related one to come on Wednesday.

Was over in Germany for a few days at end of last month, hired a car and travelled to quite a few places including Heidelberg, Nuremberg, Potsdam and Berlin (yet again). As always with days off, the time went far too quickly and there was lots of places I'd like to have gone to, but didn't have time for, maybe next time, eh?  No Oktoberfest for me this year though, but did fit in a wee trip to Derry/Londonderry (a city with two names depending on your political position), went over there a couple of days ago and arrived back yesterday so the visit was brief but enjoyable. The weather was excellent too! Went to all the major sites, walked the historic city walls, and even had a couple of pints in the Bogside area, something I might not have done a few years ago.

Next trip is on Wednesday, going to France on a work-related trip, but I suspect serious amounts of eating and drinking will be involved, though I doubt I'll be able to keep up with my travel companions, am almost a pipe and slippers man now and am very rarely out in pubs at night and I can't remember the last time I went clubbing, lets face it the music they play there is crap anyway. Oohh, I am sounding middle-aged!

My budgies are doing fine, they are out of their cage more often than not, but are still a bit wary, only allowing themselves to be touched when tired.  Have today and tomorrow off, then it's France til Friday, so wont see much of the office this week.

Went to the gym for the first time in ages today and I struggled, but at least I didn't fall off the treadmill as I did on my last visit! See you in October!

Photos show me at the Luitpold war memorial, that played a starring role in a certain propaganda film of the distant past, the others are a peace monument, Free Derry Corner in the Bogside, and me guarding old Derry's walls.

Talisker Razor Terror

Buying a razor/clipper to keep what's left of my luxurious full head of hair neat and tidy was a mistake, tried a wee trim after a glass of Talisker or two, a total disaster! I luckily found a barber next day who covered the worst of the damage, though I'm looking a bit like Heinrich Himmler now!

Am writing just a few words today because I'm off on a wee trip tomorrow and, well I'll tell you about it later.

Went to my first gay wedding a couple of weeks ago- well the reception anyway and I didn't have far to go, just up the road to the local restaurant. Most of the pub high society were there so it went off well. Other than that I've been doing the usual stuff, looking after my "kids" and going to work on various day and back shifts. Had a bit of a cold at the time of the wedding, was walking around greeting people like a constipated dalek, but I'm more or less back to normal now.

Have to dash now, still load to sort out and not much time,  bis bald!

Here a photo of the happy couple and of the new Morrisons
supermarket along the coast that is being built (thought you'd be excited).

The cute, the mad, and the crusty

Twenty past ten at night, it's gone dark and I'm very tired. Only got in from work about an hour and a half ago, am doing the back shift and it doesn't suit my body clock at all.  I like to get up early and finish early, no saucy pun intended.

July has gone quite quick and it was certainly warm, too warm for me for sure. Been baking hot here at home but when you've free-range budgies flying about the windows can't be opened much. On the rare occassions they are in their cage I open the windows wide. The budgies are spoilt at bit,they have developed a taste for apples and they go mad if they don't get out the cage.

Spent the month watching sport- tennis and golf being the traditional ones for me in July, but that's all past now and August is nearly upon us. Was in Edinburgh at Real Mary King's Close under the Royal Mile in Edinburgh at weekend, was quite good. Then, of course, I sampled a few brews as tradition dictates!

Last Thursday I thought I'd go to the gym as I'd been a lazy sod for a month or so, my reunion with the treadmill did not go well however, I managed to fall off the damned thing and suffered burns to wrist and leg! Old crusty wrist will have to be more careful in future, maybe lifting pints in the Auld Hoose is a better idea..

Looked in at Kath's place a couple of times recently, they now have a cute little doggie! At least I'll not have to get up during the night to take my budgies a walk :-)

Here are photos of the cute dog, the mad birds and me with a scowl on my pus (my usual inane grin being frowned upon by the passport authorities..)

Broken toothed poisoned budgie fan

Almost the end of June, so time for an update. Been at new job for 5 weeks now, things are going ok but I start backshift next week, working until 8pm and I'm not looking forward to it as I'm more of a morning person, still at least I should get more sleep.

Month started off with one of my teeth breaking off when I bit on something hard, went to dentist and I be going back there next week, so I'm not as stunning as I usually am, though it's not a tooth at the very front. The second week of June I felt like hell as I had food poisoning, really I wouldn't wish it on anyone, I won't go into details. I'm sure I get it from a dodgy chicken burger at Wetherspoons in Kirkcaldy so I'll not be rushing back there! I wasn't off work though as I was in training, didn't venture too far from a toilet though! It took about 9 days until I was back to normal, couldn't even enjoy a drink with my ex-colleague Linda who was back in town after 5 years on a brief visit from Australia, next time maybe.

On the same day I was poisoned I bought two Budgies - Robbie (named after a guy from the pub) and Stasi (after Eva Braun's dog..or the East German secret police, take your pick). They are lively wee fellows and demand to fly around the living room at least once a day. The smaller bird simply hates going back into his cage though, or is probably too think to find his way back, unlike the clever Robbie.

Had an eye test done the other day, eyes are fine but my distance sight could be better so have a prescription that I'm hoping Ron from the pub can get me a cheap pair with, we'll see. Plans are afoot for a massive walk on Saturday, probably the Tay Bridge to Newburgh stretch will be attempted, but I don't think there are any pubs before the end of the 17 mile stretch. Guess a wee carry-oot will have to be taken along!

Goodbye Hello

This year has certainly been one of change, my morph era came to an end last Friday and my new job in Dunfermline started yesterday, as with all new jobs it will take a lot of getting used to but I'm glad that I don't have too far to travel, have done the Edinburgh commute for many years and had no enthusiasm to start that again!

Had a nice wee trip to Berlin, which included a trip to the Baltic Sea last week. Four folk from the local pub were coincidently on same flight, though we resisted the urge to booze together in the big city, we do that all the time at home afterall! I never tire of Berlin, it's too big to discover in a few trips, though I will admit that this trip, like the last one in November was too short and too centred on Alexander Platz. Did have time to visit one of my Morphsuit accounts on the Scharnweber Strasse, it was a case of hello and goodbye really but was interesting to meet  someone I previously only had telephone contact with.

Would have been my mum's 75th today, she was most certainly the glue that kept the family together, things just aren't the same. It's amazing how quickly this year has gone, a year that has been just a tad stressful so far. Thanks to BePo for being there for me when many simply weren't. Here is she before a gate-like structure in Berlin, a photo of Potsdam and a spa health seeker during a very brief visit to Zingst. 



 

Stressed sun-seeker

 April almost over and the sun is shining, it seems winter is over for another year. Things are slowly beginning to normalise after the recent stressful few weeks, though it saw another funeral, this time of my Uncle Jim. I hadn't seen my cousins on that side of the family for a long time, then I see them twice within a few weeks, though both occasions were tinged with sadness. 

A couple of weeks ago I escaped to the sun for a few days, was good to recharge the batteries and relax a bit. I normally go abroad about this time and it was a welcome break from what has been an annus horribilis so far. 

The job situation seems clearer, the parent company want to do their own thing without the experience our office provides. Already they can't cope, a disaster looms, and to paraphrase Rhett Butler "frankly I don't give a damn". Have applied for a couple of things and will do more after my next trip, am off to Berlin in a few days, will be good to see the city I remember from my youth, a full 6 months ago! 

Helped out with the Kinghorn beach clean on Sunday and had our picture taken by a press photographer, have scanned the paper these last couple of days but, alas, the picture has not been in it.

Here a couple of photos taken this month, not in Scotland in case you were wondering.. Have been adding photos to blogs for years but I'm finding aligning them more and more difficult. Am becoming less technical in my old age but I'm sure something has been changed..

Beware the Ides of March

March turned out to be a less than happy month for Julius Caesar, I know how he feels.

Month was dominated by the passing of my mum Laura, whose life journey ended on 19th March.  Even though you might suspect the end is drawing near, it's still a shock when it actually happens, she is at peace now and free of the cruel illness that affected her in her final months.

Auf Wiedersehen Mutti, you won't be forgotten by your family and friends. The funeral was well attended with family and friends, many of whom I hadn't seen for decades.

Other minor incidents this month? Well, after visiting my mum for last time some woman reversed into my car in Lidl carpark, so am going through an insurance claim right now, will probably cost me a whack unless she admits liability- there were no independent witnesses.  Got a courtesy car today while the minor damage to mine is repaired.

Also, at work things have been far from easy, with a major fallout with two members of the co-owners family, however I am in the right and have received support from colleagues. Hardly a stress-free existance this month though! Oh, and we are likely all to lose our jobs due to the parent company of Morphsuits internalising their operation, it will go pear-shaped for them for sure, but such is life.

To clear my head a bit, I spent a couple of nights in Lundin Links, walked Elie to Anstruther in the howling wind and snow, good for the mind so it is.

Anyway, I hope things get a bit better from April onwards, months like this one I really don't want to experience again in a hurry.

crashed again

Spent about an hour writing this update then suddenly a crash when adding a photo or two! No draft, nothing. Well I can' t be fashed writing the whole month again, here a couple of photos..not happy! One shows how much my colleagues love me, another a lovely sunny day here, the other one a whisky challenge that I lost last weekend.

No dooking loony

 

How does the song go again "January, sick and tired, you've been hanging on me ,  You make me sad with your eyes ,  You're telling me lies,  Don't go, don't go".  Well it is going to go and tomorrow it will be gone.


Mouth started off in usual fashion, down the beach looking at brave people doing the loony dook  - walking into the icy cold sea wearing silly clothing, most still nursing hangovers from the night before no doubt. I maybe should have put the morphsuit on and joined in, oh well there's always next year!

The month went by quite quickly if truth be told, I very much have a routine, one week mirroring the next. No massive long walks were done but I did manage Inverkeithing to Aberdour if that counts. Should be walking on Saturday however and no doubt a couple of drinkies will be had along at the Railway Inn or similar.

Birthday was on Tuesday, the folk at work got me a Thomas the Tank Engine cake, a beer and a new Foul Fashion shirt. After work I was in the Auld Hoose for a couple of beers and a wee dram, then it was back to the pipe and slippers at home. It is quite incredible to think how quickly time goes, still I'll never be as young as I am today.

Think I should maybe book a trip somewhere as these cold winter nights seem to drag on forever, was speaking to my barber on Monday ( a guy who I've known since I was a boy) and he was telling me about all the places he has visited- and he's been almost everywhere and he has 3 trips booked for this year already, including Monaco for the Grand Prix. Yeah, I need to see a bit more of the world, guess I'll have to get a new passport then.

Anyway, here a couple of photos, one of me on my birthday, the loony dookers, and Tavis havering on about Marxism or similar, see you in February.