Late bunny

Yes, I've been a lazy sod and haven't updated for a while, my apologies to my legions of readers!

Alas, news reached me that the stunning bunny Fritz has departed to the great rabbit hutch in the sky, flowers everywhere can rest easy now that the long-eared stunner is instead pushing up the daisies instead of munching them. The photo captures him in top flower-destroying form. RIP.

Been trying to keep fit for the West Highland Way that I'm doing in October so have done a couple of long walks recently. Last Saturday I caught bus to Crail and walked the glorious and lonely 15 miles or so to St Andrews. Today I was in Edinburgh filming, and also taking part in, a body pump class. It's a long story that has dragged on for months. Hopefully this time we got it right!

Not long now until I head to Germany (yes, sooo predictable) and Hungary. Bis zum nächsten Mal!

PS Jochen left work to head to Munich, he was devastated to leave after 10 happy years working next to me. The photo shows him with tears in his eyes, wondering how he will cope without my wisdom and guidance.

Regina and Deadly

Hello again blog fans! What has happened since last time? Well, Regina and "deadly" Dieter (named because of his legendary drinking prowess) came to Scotland for the first time and demanded I show them the pubs of Edinburgh- and buy most of the rounds...it's a hard life but someones got to do it! We had a good time on two consecutive Saturdays- they toured the country between our Edinburgh pub tours. Here are two photos of them on both nights. The deadly one had a lucky escape from an irate lady demanding he stop urinating on her plants but otherwise things went swimmingly. The other photo is me at work, looking stunningly blue and happy...happy at work? Who says the camera never lies?

So predictable..

July is probably my favourite month but really I've just not been feeling 100% since my return from Germany on Tuesday, yes! I've been over to Heidelberg and Stuttgart again and the weather was perfect. Even had the honour of witnessing Germany lose a Euro final while on German soil- the first time this happened was 1992 when the Danes won and I celebrated in someone's Heidelberg living room surrounded by depressed members of the teutonic fanclub. It's like an endless groundhog day.

Anyway, am back in the work routine and at least it's Friday. Not got many plans other than sleeping lots this weekend, with whom has yet to be decided..oh the wit.. here a couple of photos, of what I don't know, not decided yet. Well one is of me, the other is of elite members of the Heidelberg Betrunkenheit Abteilung (Olli and Clemens).

Auf Wiedersehen schon wieder!

Am off from work for a few days now and am doing the usual, yes am off to Germany for a long weekend in Heidelberg and Stuttgart. I'm just so predictable am I not?

Walked the coast from Crail to Elie with Tavis in Saturday, here are a couple of photos..including one of Tavis standing on a street named in honour of him!!

PS The harbour behind me is in Cellardyke, where a dead swan was found a while back with deadly bird flu- confirming the disease had reached Britain..yeah, I knew you'd be interested..

Three score and ten

June already, obviously you're now expecting me to say every year goes quicker blah blah, but I won't because I'm still stunning and young..my mother isn't though! She celebrated her 70th birthday during the week (yes, she had me when she was 45!!) and we all went out for a meal to celebrate. What else have I been up to? Well, I was starring in a video yesterday, stop it!.. a fitness video for someone wanting to be a body pump instructor, not too good at walking today..

Deutschland yet again!!

Got back from my third visit of the year to Germany on Monday- this time I didn't miss my flight back!

All went well, went to Leipzig, where I lived from 1994-96, and things have changed a lot. I also went to a wedding up near Rostock near the baltic sea in former East Germany. I was the only foreigner at the event and it went quite well, there was a free bar and even my request for the DJ to play TNT and Highway to hell was granted. Luckily no videos were made of my terrible dancing but photos do exist of the riotous wedding reception.

Here are a couple of photos from my visit..one shows me leaning against a tree outside the "Killywilly" pub in Leipzig that used to be a place I visited regularly during my years there, the other is from the wedding - not the happy couple you understand, you know who you are...

Note: Due to complaints received I have removed the photo of Sebastian and Janet. Not a surprise really as they both looked appalling!

Another Note 03/07/08 : Have added another photo of the wedding festivities. This one shows Uncle Friedhelm and his wife (in the middle) trying heroically-but ultimately failing- to stop the binge drinking Maggie (on the left obviously!) getting drunk again!! Haaaaaa

C'est la Vie

It's been a while since I last updated this ever-so interesting blog, so what has happened? Well, a week or so ago I was in Germany yet again to visit Heidelberg, then Stuttgart, then back to Heidelberg for the last night because my very early bus to Hahn airport left from there..at least that was the plan, I mean it almost worked out, apart from the last bit about getting an early bus! Oliver excelled himself by switching the alarm off so I awoke after the bus had departed, result? An expected extra day in glorious Heidelberg and an extra 150 Euros for flight. C'est la Vie. Here is a photo or two from my visit.

Gorgeous pussy

Well, Linda's extended going-away to Australia festivities finally came to an end, but not before we all met up in Kirkcaldy for a few beers. I love the expression of the blonde at the bar, the sheer horror of us!

Before Linda left she informed me that the person who was supposed to take her cat Pepsi had let her down, could I look after the stunning moggie for a while? Well, I could hardly turn down this gorgeous cat so for the last few days she has been my guest in bonnie Kinghorn.

Work night out

Yeeees, yet another photo in a pub situation! Oh come on, it was a going-away party for Linda who is heading off to Australia forever very soon, where else were we supposed to go? Church? Anyway, here are some of my work colleagues with Linda taking centre stage.

Newbridge-St Andrews

Saturday, Tavis and I managed to complete the only stretch of the Fife Coastal Path that was still to be conquered. After a 7 or so hours slog through Newport, Tayport, Tentsmuir Forest, Leuchars and Guardbridge, we entered St Andrews to a fanatical welcome from our army of scantily-clad female student admirers.. well, a man can have dreams..the photos show me at start of walk (with Tay Bridge in background) and as fresh as a daisy at the end. Tavis on the other hand was totally knackered as the photo on bus proves! Oh well, he is getting on a bit!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, another year older.. but who cares? If I feel I'm becoming too old I'll lie about my age, unfortunately Clemens the German forgot to do so and invited many people to his 40th birthday bash in Heidelberg last week. I hastily scrambled into a Messerschmitt 109 and flew over to Germany, enemy flak punctured my fuel tank but I successfully parachutted into the riotous party. Photo shows Matthias, Felicia and myself. Well, I'm not showing Clemens two posts in a row, people might talk!

Happy New Year!

Have felt really ill for a couple of days now, not that it stopped me going to work today. Luckily we got away earlier than usual and I could stock up with anti-flu products at the local shop . I always find beer and whisky are the best medicine, or maybe you just forget you're ill after a while? Am a bit sad that I'm at the same point this year-in every aspect of my life-as I was last year..but, at least I know how to improve things in 2008! The photo? Well, the Likely Lads remind me of a friend or two..i'd be the Terry character, charismatic and usually in the pub..Bob? Well, there are a few out there..those too young won't remember them at all.. :-(

Why is it that many of these updates/photos are taken in drinking situations? It is a mystery that I've been thinking about for a while. Perhaps this isn't the day to change things.

Another year gone..

It gets quicker every year too, aye I might not look it but I'm getting auld so I am! Not updated for a while because I really couldn't be bothered, I went to Germany a week or so ago, hung around the christmas markets drinking mulled wine and hot mead, was lovely. I'm not much into Christmas day but I do like the candles, the food, the drink..and the more drink! Don't have much time off work though, it's back to work on Boxing day, yippee! What do you call a blind reindeer by the way? No idea(r).......

It certainly has been an interesting year, finished by German course, managed to get a distinction too, am now thinking of all the lovely places I could visit next year, it's time to to seek out new life and new civilisations; to boldly go where no man has gone before..

Photo shows Clemens and I in brilliant drinking form in Kirkcaldy during his recent visit to bonnie Fife. Tavis -who took the photo- apologised profusely to Clemens for the hideous war crimes committed by his family during the war. Not that he gave Clemens any of the stolen items to take back home with him.

Bloody hell..

I knew it had been a while since I updated this but so long?? I can only apologise to my devoted reader. What has happened since last time? Well, too much to write here right now. Let's just say that Hollywood beckons and my...oh, ok..everything is much the same. Was in Germany last week at the Stuttgart Volksfest. The photos show me in magnificent drinking form. During my trip I didn't bump into ex-Luftwaffe ace Adolf Galland, perhaps because he died more than a decade ago (one of my readers will appreciate the photo though!).

Dr No-Verybonniefeet

Hi

Dropped in at the old folks in bonnie Burntisland after work, the tidal wave of excitement this engendered can be seen in this photo of Ronald Mitchell Smith Esq. He even had the audacity to allege he was a better table tennis player than me, ha ha, bring out the bats Dr Mengele-Smyth..

A year in the life..

..of me, and it makes me feel bloody old, looking at what I've written over the last year I also have done myself no favours. My year long experiment is now over (or is it? time will tell), in the meantime, here is a stunning doggie.

A rare sight indeed.

Miracles do happen you know, this picture shows Tavis actually up buying a round in the Cellar Bar in St Andrews on Saturday! The bar promised a wide range of European beers on it's website but unfortunately the Bamberg smoked beer was not available. To get to St Andrews, Tav and I walked for hours from Crail, the other photo shows Tavis being charismatic on a big rock, the ancient old git celebrates his 40th (Forty!) tomorrow! Ha haaaaa. As if to prove his senility he missed the bus back home that I was on. You have to make allowances for age I suppose..

Blog is a year old now, amazing how quick time flies when you're young and stunning like me..

Toilets

Just finished doing some homework for my German Open University course, it's pretty rarely I do that so I thought I'd let you all know. As for photos, I think toilets are today's theme, have a look at what Portugal and a bar in Stuttgart have to offer..

Oh dearie me

This is a cautionary tale for every country and every generation, the story of what happens when an otherwise civilised and cultured drinking establishment surrenders it's credibility by serving, not only lager, but 12 year old single Islay malt whisky to an amateur from Kirkcaldy by the name of Tavis.

Note his inability to even look in the general direction of the camera as he ogles the talent of Lower Largo disappearing into the distance. Hardly surprising judging by the stain on his trousers! Oh the glory of it all!

Some recent photos

Some lovely photos of Kirkcaldy, my youngest nephew and my back garden- before I cut the grass earlier on. Stunning eh?