Ramblings, odd thoughts..

Dawn and I are both pretty sick. We're coughing, wheezing, sweating and sneezing and there's no indication that it's getting any better. We held together long enough to finish work (day off today, half day yesterday) and to help our friends put their apartment together.

Today has largely not happened though. Between Deutsche Bank taking three weeks to get a new bank card to me and my not getting to the branch in time to take money out before everything closed, we've pretty much not done anything this year except put up a tree. Dawn bought a nice piece of pork for our dinner but we're too sick to either appreciate it or to want to go to the effort of doing it properly so we had chilli for Christmas dinner instead.

We'll have presents and all of that around Dawn's birthday instead, by then we should be able to enjoy it more. Until then we're going to hibernate in a warm, dark room until this evil lurgi has finished with us.

Long distance, non-infectious hugs to you all, hope you had a great day and wishing a happy new year for all.

/Iain

It's been a while since the last update. We're both still alive despite the best efforts of the German climate. It's been bitterly cold here for the past week dropping to -25º or so at night and barely breaking -5º during the day. We're forecast a 'warm snap' over Christmas where temperatures may go as high as -1º!

As well as the freezing temperatures we've also had snow. A lot of it. The first proper snowfall of the winter came down about two weeks ago, we had another to test our defenses last week but the main event happened this weekend. We got about 5 inches of snow in 3 hours or so and, while the white-out conditions of last night have abated, the snow fall has been steady and consistent since with no sign of stopping in the next few days.

( pictures of the snowfall )

Work is pretty relaxed at the moment. Between holidays, seasonal flu bugs and people unable to get to work due to the weather the office is quiet and there's very little to do.

We'll mostly be spending Christmas helping our friends (and new neighbours) Adam and Caz put their entire flat together in time for relatives to descend upon them. They're moving into an apartment about three doors down on the same street as us and it's completely bare - no kitchen, no lights, no furniture. They get the keys to move in on the 23rd and said relatives are arriving on the 24th so Wednesday evening will be a busy one I'm thinking.

Hope all of our friends scattered around various continents are gearing up for a good time at Christmas. All of our best wishes to you especially those who are about to celebrate their first Christmas with children.

/Iain

So where have I been this year?

List the towns or cities where you spent at least a night away from home during 2009. Mark with a star if you had multiple non-consecutive stays.

St. Andrews (New Year, summer)*
Liverpool (parental home)*
Alvechurch, nr. Birmingham (visiting P)
Reykjavík (passing through)*
Coventry (Redemption)
Bradford (Eastercon)
Almondsbury, Gloucestershire (Rent-A-Don)
Egilsstaðir (driving around the Rock)
Keflavík (passing through)
Eyrarbakki (driving around the Rock)
Carnforth (caravan)*
Norwich (Battle of Brothers)
Glasgow (Satellite 2)
Bristol (Ffair Rhaglen)

No 'international' travel this year - Iceland and the UK don't count as international travel, just as normal travel. It's all conventions and SCA events.

I'm sitting here making a new jerkin, listening to two of the Icelandic members of the Shire systematically tearing apart the Compleat Anachronist issue on Skyr and Mysa.

I've suggested that they write a rebuttal for Baelfyr, although I'm afraid that it wouldn't have the amusement value of listening to them exclaiming in shock, horror and disbelief. :)


Sent með Blackberry frá Vodafone