Dear Captain

Dear Reader,

On the morning of 21 October 1805 I do believe the following message was sent:

"HMS Ajax to HMS Victory - One of the small cannons on our lower decks has broken loose and is now firing at random. I have sent men down to secure but the cannon went off and peppered my men with burning wadding...now they won't go near it. Not sure who the gunner is either. Request you send a frigate alongside and grapple the bugger overboard before it does more damage"

I know how he felt!

Good Night.

Heaven and Helgar

beer

buns

boat

Dear reader, there are some places and moments in life which one can never forget. One of those unexpected little gems occured today. Having tired somewhat of the 59 city, (as opposed to the City and my City) I decided to take the advice of a colleague, and this morning at 09.30, I did mostly set foot on Cinderella to be whisked, and I do mean whisked, to the Southern end of the archipeligo on which I currently reside.

Any end up... much delightful scenery where, it seems, most of the inhabitants of 59 north City have also purchased a small island. There are, after all, 24000 islands to choose from and I do believe I whisked past at least half of them. Each island seems to have one or two red painted wooden houses, set amongst pine trees with a beach, a boat and a flag. After a thorough whisking we fetched up at Sandhamn. (Yes dear reader if in doubt with Swedish spelling, add a randomn "n" or two and ssprinklen every wordn with "ss" and thatsss aboutn it) Sandhamn is a lovely fishing village. Well, it was. Now it's a tourist trappen. However, if one wanders slightly away from the prom tiddly om, there is the most marvellous bakery ever. Bar none. Name your favourite, and I'll raise it!

It's small, rustic, and smells.....absolutely nothing like I've ever smelt before. I ordered a butty, a pastrinakken, and a pastrinakken. Well, I can't remember every little detail, but when I sat outside and ate them..... I did think the bakery at the end of the universe would be pretty much like this one. So there. I've discovered the Elysian bakery.

Plus, I've got a read red nose from sitting on Cinderella all day.

And, I want to get a little red house on an island where I shall dwell in peace and watch Cinderellas full of tourisstnen going past. Occasionally, to the sound of Wagner's Tannhauser, Helgar will drop by, dressed in a traditional frock, bedecked with flowers, loaves and pastrinakken and all harmony shall be temporarily moved to this life, before the Gods spot it and bring down floooden and pesstillencen and most likely (like the office) a spot of lightning.
Hey ho.

Home and Away

Yes dear readers this weekend I did manage to visit my little home at 54 North. There wasn't even a pot of yoghurt to do battle with in the fridge as Jyce had been and Jyced the fridge, which , unfortunately can't be said of the flight back on Thursday which was a flying cold germ. All the world, the kids, the mother-in-law and the dog had decided to take their cold germs on a flight to Manchester, and all my efforts to replicate the film Andromeda Strain (by making my body an unaccepatable host to the germs) have failed miserably. So, I sneezed my way back this morning amidst much tutting from fellow passengers. Well hard luck...I got it here..I'm giving it back.

Anyway the weekend was good and unusually featured all three little peeps and their peeps too so...result. Little fellow was on good form although less growling this time out. Big fellow and I nearly coincided this morning at his workplace but we missed each other by a few minutes. Pinga's Ant very kindly decided to teach me the basics of helicopter flying, although I must admit to being less than 100% on the Human Performance curve during the lesson so I feel I must repeat that section of the course!

All in all a good weekend then. for now though, night night dear reader, I must go and germinate.

Dangerous Evening Lightning

So Dear readers, I notice that when it gets to evening around 6 ish in our office at 59 North the lights go out. Not too much of a problem cos it's daylight until 11 now, but it's a bit dim to work sometimes. Anyway I found a notice by the coffee machine which says "The lights go out at 18.00 and you need working you will find a button marked (something) If you press this button the lightning will start!

Bugger that. I'd rather go home thanks.

The moral for today dear readers, is therefore "When lightning is needed to continue working it's is time to go and become a restaurant critic again"

Another Weekend is Stockholm

Hello Dear readers. Yes, once again this weekend was indeed spent in Stockholm. First a very long walk, partly joined by big fellow on the phone. All the way to Skansen with a stop off at the well recommended Vasa Museum. One thing about being in Stockholm is that one is never very far from the sea, so that Vasa museum seems very apt....and viewing nicely it is too. Thanks for the tip, dear reader!

Sunday afternoon, and a trip to Bromma airfield to establish the difficulties of letting one loose with a machine to slip the surly bonds. As ever in GA there was much joint ground and many an aviating fellow to meet. It doesn't seem too difficult although the lack of one's licence (at home on the desk) was an expected hindrance. Suffice to say I was treated to a trip with Anders, who is going through the heady procedures of MEP...and I now have very fond memories of Anders trying to get a Diamond twin to climb with only one donk, with some language I best never repeat, whilst the delightful Miss Anders kept asking "everything good?" in a very brave way! Go, Anders, learn that touch drill!

Later, I visited a beer hall. I think the only way to do this is with a German?...and Christophe, the "Dusseldorf Bear" was kind enough to accompany me and demonstrate the procedure for drinking a German Boot...keep the boot horizontal, and then one won't finish up wearing too much beer. As I retire having watched Anders and Christophe both grappling with the horizontalness of their procedures. I feel a horizontalness of my own coming on.

The moral for today dear readers is therefore: Keep it Horizontal.

Boat Day

Today I have mostly been visiting the Vasa Museum as recommended by one of my dear readers and I have to say it was visiting very nicely. It's a very well preserved galleon from 1627 but unfortunately it sank before ever getting out of the harbour. It was not stable you see being 46m. high a the stern but with too little keel. So dear readers if you are going to war in a wooden ship...make sure it's got a big bottom!

Other than that it was sunny and fresh so many a cup of coffee was taken at splendid waterside cafes. Good way to waste a day I thought.

The NYLON Diode

Yes dear readers I have just discovered this phenomenon. You see many of my tempoarary colleagues here are from the US, and excellent people they are too. Polite, erudite, and professional. However, as we begin to discuss stuff I find that, for example, in the US the Bank of England is generally held responsible for the decision to go to war in Iraq! The NYLON therefore represents New York -London...the diode performs it's usual task of allowing alternating current (in this case the news and it's underlying truth) to pass only one way. How fascinating.



Meanwhile I am mostly living here in Slussen on the island of Soderalm in Stockholm. Stockholm is growing on me. It's warm and sunny today with pavement cafes aplenty. The food is still tending towards fatty and high protein. I'll send more reports soon but in the meantime you will forgive the lack of detail due slaving over a warm laptop all weekend to get the thing in shape.

Berns, Stockholm

This evening, dear readers Berns Restaurant Stockholm http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/stockholm/berns-stockholm.htm

This is a fabulous venue with charisma, charm and history. The red room features highly in Swedish Literature, (It's sort of a Swedish Moulin Rouge) and yes, dear readers that is where we dined. Fusion of Swedish / Asian / Nouveau. Well prepared - good service etc. It was eating at 5/10.

I would like though, to reserve judgement. I was right in the middle of a week of intense corporate stuff and I did notice that it was filled with jaded corporate ones seeking upliftage...and when that happens we can all sit around being jaded and not uplifterated at all.

I will revisit soon but staying at a 5 for now. G'night.

Restaurant critic again

Yes, dear reader, it is time for a new restaurant review. First up, the resoundingly excellent Akkurat. http://www.akkurat.se/ This must rank amongst Stockholm's finest. When I arrived I was very surprised to see Hartley's beer on draught. Now Hartleys comes from Ulverston and whilst it might travel well, nobody has ever tested that theory because the supply is almost used up by the time it gets to Kendal. Much further afield and it's dried up. So, one can imagine my surprise at seeing a Hartleys label on the pump. Drinking nicely it is too and a fine reminder of small fells, cloudy days, thousands of small streams and sheep.

Onto the menu and the Moules Frites with chevre. Yes! Mussel hot pot with goats cheese? Dear Pinga, it's true! (For Pinga...being world travelled... won't trifle with any of that goats cheese nonsense)

Best of all, on Sunday evenings there is a live band. Mussels with attitude, Hartleys, and a very eclectic collection of music. All in all a good 8/10... so there's a result from a country with limited cullinary pickings.