© Karelian Blonde

Deimos news

2010-01-06T06:15:00.001Z

Deimos loves the snow as much I hate it and he has been enjoying it in Finland with abandon. My Younger Brother send me this picture yesterday where Deimos is having a short break, as the snow is actually too deep to cavort in. What a handsome beast ;)

Looking forward to

2010-01-04T13:00:00.004Z

After the seriously cold start to this year it makes me feel extra warm and fuzzy inside to know that this summer I will spend 4 weeks in Greece!

But this years travels actually starts with my annual trip to Finland to see Heavy so that we can get on with planning the Greek holidays. We will also do a day trip to Tallinn Estonia with MS Viking XPRS and enjoy few beverages there.

Greek adventure starts with two weeks in Alykes Zante at the end of May.
There we are staying in Bruno Studios and the place looks gorgeous.

Then at mid August it is back to the place that I call home,
Arillas Corfu for a relaxing two weeks.
There (as always) we will reside in our home away from home, the gorgeous
Brouklis Rooms above the brilliant taverna.

The wait feels ever so long but I am sure it will be be totally worth it once I actually am boarding the plane's to the above mentioned destinations. Life will be good ;)

Start as you mean to go on

2010-01-03T08:15:00.001Z

What a blast last three days have been. There has been lots of beer, enough cider, gorgeous food, brilliant friends, odd mishaps and excellent weather. What more do you want for a quick new years holiday? This afternoon I will escort Heavy to Heathrow and then starts the mundane everyday existence once again to finance the forth coming holidays this year. Cheers friends, it has been fun once again :)

End of a decade

2009-12-31T12:00:00.003Z

Well, what can I say about last decade? In general it was sad to see Tony Bliar to break Britain, watch the stupid wars with unconvincing reasoning unfolding, religions trying to bulldoze their way to global domination and useless celebrity culture gathering pace. Tons of ugly stuff happened and lot of people got hurt or killed. I believe all this information overload cant be very good *shaking my head*

On personal note I grew a lot in circumsphere and as a person. I figured out what I don't want from life and thus making my life a lot easier. No major accidents or disasters to speak of and more holidays than ever meeting a lot of lovely people who are friends with me to this day and beyond.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY NEW DECADE!

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

Waiting for a friend to arrive

2009-12-30T13:15:00.000Z

Rain, rain, rain and then some. Mind you, I rather have the rain than the snow as this London town can't cope with the white stuff. Heavy is currently in the bar at the Helsinki airport waiting to board her plane to over here and I am filing and doing other interesting admin things at work until 16.00. Then it will be the pub once we get to SW19 and tomorrows short work day might not be so bright eyed. Never mind as life is good ;)

Looking back 2009

2009-12-28T10:30:00.001Z

I am really lucky to have few but most excellent friends in my life. This past year we have had fun and I made a compilation video of some of the drinking and chilling around Europe. I love you all and live long and prosper :)

Illusive power

2009-12-27T10:30:00.001Z

Three guys talk in a bar. Two discuss how they are king in their castles and how much their wives respect them. The third guy remains quiet.

Finally, one guy turns to the quiet guy and asks, "What about you? do you rule your roost?" The quiet guy says, "Well, just the other night, my wife came to me on her hands and knees."

"What happened then?" they ask."She said, 'Get out from under the bed and fight like a man.'"

Back to normal

2009-12-26T09:15:00.005Z

There has been beer, wine, ill fitting paper hats, tons of food and presents in the last couple of days, but I thank what ever that it is over for another year. Gluttony does not become me and my being good to myself has taken a bit of a proverbial beating.

Well, I can't get back to it quite yet because I have to get ready for Heavy's arrival next Wednesday and then there will be a few more "excesses". But hey, life is good :)

Twas the night before

2009-12-25T08:00:00.003Z

After work it was straight to the pub and after few beverages Min and I tottered home to wave Mr S off to work. Then it was the traditional(ish) Finnish x-mas dinner which Min had whipped up and good it was too. Rest of the evening went nicely relaxing next to my stomach with a beer in my hand. Same again tonight with the British x-mas dinner and Mr S is not working. Good times!

Seasonal Sushi

2009-12-23T06:30:00.003Z

Last night amongst these x-mas parties me and my sushi buddy SuMay went for a sushi dinner in Kulu Kulu in Brewer Street in Soho. Nice it was too, but as always in these restaurants where there is a conveyor belt with gorgeous dishes, gluttony becomes an issue. So food was good and there most definitely was enough of it. Thing called Ikura that is salmon roe on on rice bed rolled in a crispy seaweed turned out to be a new favorite.

I Got to give a mention to the Asashi beer that I washed my fish down with as it was very good and it has been a long time since I had some. Good food and good times!

Winter solstice blues

2009-12-22T07:15:00.005Z

Winter solstice passed quietly yesterday with all the unnecessary panic about about the ice and the snow and the incompetence to deal with it. Who wanted white x-mas? Well here it is and it does not seem to go so well. Be careful what you wish for...

Apart from Merton Council's sad inability to keep the pavements clean, this weather has not really bothered me too much, but my bad leg takes a bit of a battering what with trying to balance on the icy pavements and desperately trying to cross the road and stay upright, but I'll live (I hope!).

After today there is only one more full day to work and on x-mas eve we do a shorter day after which it is straight to the pub. Plus the days are technically getting longer now which has to be a good thing :)

F**k you, I won't do what you tell me!

2009-12-20T19:30:00.003Z

The race for the x-mas no 1 single has triumphed with Killing In The Name by RATM winning as
confirmed by the BBC. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

No hangover!

2009-12-19T07:30:00.000Z

Wintry -3 degrees here in London town this morning but I am happy to report that there is no hangover. Last night was good and we didn't stay out too late and definitely no mixing of the drinks. It was nice seeing Caroline and her enormous bump which should be popping sometime in the beginning of January. Good times!

My ex boss lady and I having a quiet civilized drink

Friday afternoon

2009-12-18T13:45:00.003Z

Businesses are wrapping up their business and most people in my building are breaking off for their holidays. Well, this is all good and I can chill out after a year of tons of work, deadlines and conferencing. One of the customers took this picture of me the other day and it quite well shows off the beginnings of seasonal relaxation.

Tonight I am off to The Slug and Lettuce in the City where I will meet some old colleagues and we will drink for the health and prosperity of my French friend/ex colleague Caroline who is leaving for a maternity leave. I hope the hangover won't be as bad as couple of weeks ago ;) Good times!

Rage against...what have you got?

2009-12-17T10:45:00.005Z

I have happily jumped into this Rage Against x-factor x-mas no 1 bandwagon. So I went ahead and joined the Facebook group and then proceeded to download Killing In the Name by Rage Against The Machine. I have been popping my head in the tube along with the song now for a couple of days and it is a nice way to have a little "middle aged arm chair anarchy" against the rather dated "talent" competitions and reality shows that dominate the TV.

The song also reminds me of many a happy occasion in the past years with friends in various parties, pubs and festivals when this song with a serious political message has been belted out in various stages of alcohol fuelled merriment. Good times!

Celebrity crushes

2009-12-15T07:15:00.007Z

I am notorious for falling in lurve with emotionally unavailable men. This week alone I have had a crush on three different, unavailable and unobtainable men. And who is more unavailable than a actor/movie star type, who can only be lurved from a far...?

Richard Shelton comes to my building every now and then and always chats with me in the reception. He will be starring in a panto this x-mas in Northampton in Snow White playing a no doubt delish villain. What a lovely guy *deep sigh*

Robert Downey Jr is in town and premiered his new film Sherlock Holmes last night which Min and I will most definitely be drooling over in the cinema when it comes out after Boxing Day. Troubled handsome and totally unavailable *deep sigh*

Jude Law also appears in the Sherlock Holmes film as Dr Watson. This guy has always been on my fancy list as he loves THFC and is not so shabby to look at. Allegedly he is back with Sienna Miller so that is my competition *deep sigh*

Yet another lazy weekend

2009-12-13T08:49:00.004Z

Nothing worth of reporting has happened in the past few days and this weekend has been blissfully quiet. Weather is getting colder and my bad knee has started to ache a little bit with it. But other than that life is good.

However...the disappointment was palpable last night when my favorite couple were voted of Strictly Come Dancing semifinal by the "great British public " after scoring yet another perfect score with their gorgeous American Smooth. So once again the result won't matter at all and the final will be a non event.Thank you for all the beautiful dances Ali and Brian!

The x-mas kerfuffle is gathering pace and at work the x-mas tree is up and in my eye line all day. There is also one more drinks event next Friday as my French friend/ex colleague Caroline is leaving for a maternity leave. She won't be drinking but I am sure the rest of us will do her proud. Should be good ;)

In the news

2009-12-08T09:00:00.007Z

Crisp Tuesday morning in London town and the sun is trying to make an appearance, which is nice. Talking about weather, in the news yesterday was that we have had the wettest November since 1914 and that the past decade has been the warmest ever.
Surprised…? Unfortunately not.

Tiger Woods has been very busy with the ladies and suddenly he has realised like so many men before him; you always get caught. Like Bill Clinton and many many many others before him could have told him that you can’t have your cake and eat it too, at least not in private. Surprised…? Unfortunately not.

British forces in Afganistan are fighting a war that was made up by Tony Bliar and his cronies here and abroad. Somehow I have never been convinced about the necessity of this war and the powers that be just waste time trying to convince me otherwise. Now the death toll stands at 100 men this year at this precise moment but it might and WILL change any moment. Surprised…? Unfortunately not.

Somebody somewhere sometime was convinced that Pete Docherty is worth the infamy he seems to generate. Seriously? This bloke has done all the drugs in the world, alledgedly made something resembling music, painted “art” with his blood, dated Kate Moss and has offended Germans twice just to mention some facts. I happily admit to being middle aged and boring if he represents the anarchy today. Surprised...? Really not.

And so the life plods on in little Britain...

YLE Areena Live - equals no broadcast

2009-12-06T17:26:00.002Z

The patriot that I am every year I prepare a couple of hours of my time to spend watching the goings on in the motherland. This year once again I was getting ready to watch the Finland's Independence Day celebrations from YLE Areena Live, as they promised (like previous years) it will be an international broadcast over the internet tonight from 16.48 GMT onwards. Well, in real life nothing actually happens like in the movies....

Well, bollocks to YLE Areena Live as precisely nothing has happened for just over 40 minutes that I have actually bothered to wait around for the Independence Day party broadcast to kick off in the President's Castle in Helsinki.

Seriously sloppy work YLE and I can promise to you that there was nothing wrong with my internet connection tonight as I am perfectly able to post this as we speak *blowing a raspberry*

My Independence Day greetings to the YLE

X-Mas party time

2009-12-06T08:30:00.003Z

Sunday morning and I can finally say I am alive and coherent. On Friday we had our work x-mas do and everything was done to excess as usual. Our company has down sized our lavish partying from the previous years and all the Business Center's got to choose what to do amongst themselves instead a huge corporate do we have had in the years gone by.

Well, we had a civilized (?) dinner in the Le Garrick and then headed to The Long Acre for a few more drinks. Crackers were cracked, paper hats worn, bad jokes polite laughed at and few noisy poppers popped. So fun was had and I got home ok, but boy did I suffer all day yesterday. That must of been hands down the worst hangover of 2009. So don't mix your drinks boys and girls as that is the killer the next day. Trust me, I am a profesnial *hic*

Prague November 2009

2009-12-04T06:00:00.001Z

Top 10%

2009-12-01T07:00:00.000Z

Remember how I went for my cholesterol test just over a week ago? Well, yesterday after work I had an appointment with Dr W for the results. I was feeling somewhat apprehensive as I didn't know what to expect but I really shouldn't have.

She started by saying that I deserve a gold start as my cholesterol levels are in the top 10% of the whole population and that the good cholesterol rules. She then continued giving me the good news as they had also tested my liver functions. She advised that my liver is functioning perfectly and I can carry on with my alcohol consumption without a worry. I now have officially the license to drink!!!

She finished off by saying that it is most unlikely that I will ever die of heart disease or a liver failure. Good stuff!

Pissup in a brewery and other Prague adventures

2009-11-29T09:00:00.006Z

What can I say? Prague was truly fun and then some and we behaved like true Bohemians that we are at heart. Czech Airlines flew us there and I experienced the smoothest landing ever to the Prague airport. Quickly to our hotel and then we hit the town.

Rammstein were also in town and we shared few drinks with a bunch of Norwegian fans who were dressed in lederhosen in the Hardrock Cafe before making their way to the O2 arena. Then we met some Danish guys couple of days after who were also in town to see the German metal masters. Alas, we did not have tickets. Round the corner from our lovely Hotel Tchaikovsky we did stumble on the Banditos Bar and that became our local for the duration of the trip.

Food was good and there was plenty of it and the beers did not disappoint. I did take a lot of film during the trip so there will be a video. But before that here a some of Min's pictures to give you and idea what we saw, ate and drank. Good times!

Žižkov Television Tower

From there we had uninterrupted views all over Prague

Gothic charm

Apple Strudel extraordinaire

Beer beer beer beer beer

New friends from left to right: Miro, Drasco and Jan (Ronni is behind the camera)

With old friend Heidi K from Kent in the divine Restaurant Emy Destinnove

Prague calling

2009-11-24T09:15:00.001Z

Last day at work and I have a big grin on my face. Tomorrow morning Min and I will fly to the beautiful city of Prague and I am seriously looking forward to it. Not only is there a lot to see but then there are all the different beers to sample.

Czech Republic is renown for it's brewing tradition and all the different varieties available. I have heard the importance of not mixing light beer and dark beer to avoid massive and unnecessary hangovers. Czechs like their beer cellar temperature with a creamy, tall head and one has remember that when ordering draught beer ask for "male pivo" (0.3l) or "pivo" (0.5l). The Czech Republic is the No. 1 beer drinking nation on the planet, with an annual per capita consummation of some 156 litres. Beer is served almost everywhere in Prague, even in breakfast cafés so I am sure I will enjoy the experience.

I will not take my little blonde laptop with me so there won't be any updates unless we stumble into a internet cafe that serves cold beverages ;)

Saturday night in Camden town

2009-11-22T13:00:00.002Z

Yesterday afternoon I met up with the Ladyeez in Camden town for our "Little Yule" gathering and we finished the evening in the Intrepid Fox. I am sure I drank my own body weight in beer once again and today I am predictably feeling rather fragile but we did have a very funny evening. Good times!