I’ve been missing cycling to work recently. Too many meetings which means me wearing a suit. Today was no different, which is a shame since the weather was lovely this morning. First mist as the last of the rain from last night’s storms burned off. Then hazy sunshine and later deep blue sky dotted with harmless looking cumulus clouds. It was only a matter of time, though, until those clouds would mutate into hail-carrying thunderstorms. I had a lunch meeting with 2 people who also wished they weren’t wearing suits – I had hoped we would sit outside and enjoy the sun while it lasted.. Continue reading →

We are still in the grip of an immobile low-pressure system which has given the weather a tropical feel. Hot and muggy when the sun is out, but quickly turning to thunderstorms as the day rolls on. The thunderstorms die out during the night and the cycle continues again next day. And so, in these conditions, I set off with some trepidation to a small golf tournament yesterday. Continue reading →

As I wrote in my last post Stuck in the Mud we have had a very busy week. I am relieved to have reached the weekend in a reasonable state of mental and physical health. Ariane and I went to a party yesterday evening and, fortunately for me, I wasn’t the designated driver. “Who’s driving?” I asked with my hand on a cold bottle of “Wulle” beer from the self-service fridge and a pleading puppy expression on my face. So Ariane drove. We had a very pleasant evening, I drank a little more than I should and went to bed thinking of a nice lie in on Saturday morning. Continue reading →

The weather has been spectacular for the past week. It all started seven days ago on Friday evening. I had been following the weather reports and widespread thunderstorms and hailstorms had been forecast. This is of particular interest to me because my company works for insurance companies. When there are severe hailstorms, thousands of cars get damaged at the same time. And when that happens the insurance companies can’t cope and we get lots of work. So last Friday I was anxiously following events on various weather websites and online stormchaser forums. I wanted to know what sort of a week to expect… Continue reading →

My friend Rick has asked me how Germany would vote at the moment if there was a referendum on EU membership. The answer is easy. Germany would vote overwhelmingly to stay in. The answer is easy at the moment because we are not going to have a referendum. And this means that unlike Rick and the poor residents of Britain, we are not being subjected to a ridiculous media and political “bun-fight” (Rick’s words). Continue reading →

We are well and truly into the barbecue season now. Not a day goes by without catching a whiff of burning meat from one of the neighbours’ garden. Or our garden. Worse still not a day goes by without me hearing an immensely irritating radio advert for a particularly repulsive type of grill-sausage called “Bratmaxe”. Continue reading →

I am in Cologne today on business. The Germans call it Köln, but the locals call it Kölle. Like most German towns it was bombed heavily during the war, but they left the famous cathedral wih its impressive twin spires. It is said that the Allies left it standing because it was an excellent navigation aid. Turn left to bomb the industrial Ruhr valley, turn right to bomb the bridges and ports further down the Rhine. Continue reading →

My friend, Alan, pointed out to me that he thought the German football league promotion and relegation system is fairer than the English system. Let me explain – the bottom two teams in the German first division go down, and the top two teams in the second division go up. Then third from bottom in the first division plays against the third from the top in the second division. Whoever wins that game gets to go (or stay) into the first division. That’s it. So if you’re in the top 2 you are definitely going up, and if you are third you get a chance. Nice and simple, nice and fair.  Continue reading →

It is only a week since we were nearly freezing down in the Allgäu, but today the heat has well and truly arrived. The thermometer is nudging 30° C in Southern Germany – everyone is out in shorts and the unmistakeable whiff of barbecues fills the air. It’s also perfect “Freibad-Wetter”. (open-air-pool weather). As soon as the days get hot, thousands of Germans head off to the various pools in the area. Every town will have one – usually a couple of pools surrounded by a big grassy area. Some of them have long slides and all of them will have a kiosk serving sausages, chips and ice cream. Continue reading →

The more observant readers will notice that I always sign off with “Bis morgen!”, which means “until tomorrow”, and then sometimes I don’t write anything on the next day. I have been guilty of that this week – very, very busy at work and even though I had the time to write (you always have the time) my brain was too tired. Sorry about that. Yesterday evening, though I began the recharging process. Watched the new Star Wars film with the kids and this morning I got up at the crack of dawn to play a round of golf. I was finished before 8:00 so I swung by the baker’s and bought some fresh pretzels and rolls. Continue reading →