White chocolate with blueberrys :-) Some of us know how to live well :-)

About to start my second tripple whisky. Do I need an excuse?

Right. Off out into the world. Bit of a cold snap today but it's refreshing.

The iTunes 12 Days of Xmas offerings reminds me of the unsold bargain basket sitting unloved in the record shop.

20 o'clock and time for a cherry chocolate bar from Eesti.

The problem with using leftovers is the new meal is often much larger than planned. What to do with a whole saucepan of byranni?

Watching an episode of the enhanced version of the original Star Trek. Facinating!

I wonder if Kazakhstan is a little far to comute to each day for work?

A bowl of chilli and tinned potatoes for breakfast! Too much? Who cares?! Nom Nom Nom!

Woke up unbelievably late. Perhaps I should start using new clock radio's alarm function?

Going to give Matrix Reloaded another try. Made little sense last time. But I have had beer this time so who knows?

Beans have been soaking all day, vegimince and fresh chillis at the ready.

Time for a very seasonal Christmas chilli con carne!

I'm thinking a giant statue of a crumpet in Trafalgar Square!

Whoever invented crumpets needs a retrospective award for excellence! As the locals would say, gert lush!

Just saw an ad for a salary advance firm. 2356% interest offered. I have never seen a figure so high before! Incredible!

So dark and gloomy today. Need to get some air. Another cup of tea to lube the joints and then off for a walk.

Well that was nice. Should I indulge in another slice?

Miserable day. Grey clouds, grey music, grey stare from cat.

A nice fresh cup of tea with a slice of Xmas Stollen. Very traditional and very tasty!

Today's free item from iTunes is JLS. Even though it's free, I still can't accept it as a gift. It's just wrong on so many levels.

Just thrown caution to the wind and had a fry-up for breakfast. A little treat before going to the gym later :-)

New clock radio sitting comfortably where once was another. Sad to let the other go. Sentimental present 25 years ago.

A lovely recording of Beethoven's 9th Symphony on the radio, a fresh hot cup of tea, and life seems good.

Habenero Chilli mustard with breakfast! Heaven in a jar ! :-)

Eaten too many Kalev sweeties tonight. Will return to beer for comfort.

Another sucessful pie emerges from the oven. Some tasty califlower, broccoli, potato and carrot to serve as companions on the plate.

I smell pie! Mmmmm..... Aromas are escpaing the oven.

And a lovely dark wheat beer going down well. Thank you my Bavarian friends :-).

Listening to some funky tunes on the Freak Show (Radio 6). Mellow vibes!

Time to make another lovely pie. Vegi-mince and onions sounds good in a rich groovy gravy.

Excellent TikiBar after-hours party! Never gets dull! Bunnies High!

Warm sunny day today. Fresh hot cup of tea in hand and watching the ice melt before me.

Too many sneezes. Need an early night. Cold possibly coming on. Wrong to take my beer with me? hmmm..

Think I'll open another bottle of ale. Xmas Box looks a good bet. Never tried it before.

Untypical Friday but TV still manages to put misserable people on the screen. Time to put the radio back on.

Time to make today's meal. Home made wild mushroom and cream pie just needs warming with some veggies.

Blimey! That was cool! Time for another whisky! :-)

Okay. New whisky poured. Best settle down before evening meal and watch it.

'ello 'ello. Just noticed Doctor Who is on. A little early in the evening, but then with misery scheduled later I guess it's alright.

Oh bloody 'el. Eastenders is on tonight to spread misery and anger on Xmas Day.

Mmm....lovely single malt to help ward off the impending cold that is creeping through my body..

Lovely fresh sponge cake rising in oven. Might want to consider dinner later. Wonder what it will be? Hmm...

I hate housework! Why will it never end?

Ruby Porter just poured.
Ruby Porter just drunk,

Count Arthur Strong was a good one today! Brilliant word play. :-)

Too much for me. Going to bed. Kiss you all on both cheeks. :-) Night!

Lisa Knapp sounds like she attended the Bjork school of vocal control.

Okay..warming to it but I am on my second tripple single-malt :-)

Less groovy than first thought.

Boardering on beardy folk. May give it a miss.

Tis very odd and weird. Need more whisky to understand it.

Groovy music on BBC4 now.

Christmas Carol on Channel 5. A very decent version with Patrick Stewert save the unconvincing Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come at the end.

Enjoying some White Horse ale and a hot radiator :-)

Tonight's menu for those hungry people will be butternut squash with butter beans cooked with green pesto, fried halloumi and fresh salad.

Radio part of clock radio finally died. Been a nice friend for 20 years. Seems a shame to replace, but needs must. Time for a DAB one!

Too early for whisky? It seems to be calling me from it's bottle. Drink me...drink me... like some strange Alice in Wonderland affair.

What do people need with 3 weeks of food for 2 days?

Amazing how people stock up for the nuclear winter that is Xmas, know it's insane because the shops will open again, but still do it!

Still, it's a lovely warm day. Had to take off hat and gloves on walk.

Loose tea like loose washing powder seems to be getting the elbow at Tesco. Not fair to make us pay more for a product not required.

Tis zero degrees outside so warming up nicely.

In case anyone hasn't seen this yet: http://ping.fm/oEbNP Absolute class act!

Road has been turned into a bumpy ice rink this morning. Just awarded a pigeon 5.4 points for his attempt at landing.

Tonights menu will be : Beluga black lentils with green beans, Quorn peppered steak and a side salad of mixed leaves & chargrilled mushrooms

Dark Wheat Beer! What a fantastic invention! Delicious!

Just heard the voice behind Top Cat has just died. What a pity.

Time for cheese and biscuits :-) Yum!

Need to find a lot of money for new OU course. Damn and blast! :-(

Skins feels dryer than a camel's armpit.
Time to seek out the moisteriser.

Seem to lost weight. 70.6Kg from 70.9Kg. That's worrying as I have done little exercise recently so may have lost muscle as well as fat.

Two very large boiled eggs gone down very well. Now off for some morning exercises at the gym. Fitball at 09.00. Madness I know!

And on tonight's menu is pasta with avocardo salad and sun blush tomatoes with borletto onions and mixed leaves.

The new trailers for the Day of the Triffids remake look very good! http://ping.fm/bgwkL

Time for my walk and some air. No sign of the snow showers promised but one never knows.

Sausage, mushroom and egg this morning. Nom Nom Nom!

Not much snow this morning. Some but not enough.

Right! Time for bed and dreams.

Hard not to feel emotional at the music. Touches something deep inside.

OOoo...that warms the cockles! :-D

Decided to go with a tripple on the whisky. Why waste it in the bottle? :-)

Wonderful programme about Allegri's Miserere on BBC4. Stunning musicial history.

Well that went down well. Might take a wee dram of whisky for desert :-)

Insane fool ate a whole Dorset Naga RAW!!! What a hero!

Mmm...sweet potatoes for tea tonight! Yum!

Christmas lectures this year seem to be relegated to More 4. What gives? Time for the BBC to ask for them back!

Right. Time for the gym. Burn off some calories for a bit.

Not cold at all outside. Lovely and deep snow. Up to 10cm in places. Can't see it lasting but you never know...

Right. Fuming and angry, I head to the shops for some things at the supermarket. Wrong time to go, but needs must avoiding Xmas horders.

So much for the option "Please call us to discuss if you are unable to pay"... Oh how I hate British Gas!

Brirish Gas just charged me £14 extra for being unable to pay my bill due to redudency. And they wonder why I switched away from them!

Mmm....lovely bowl of hot oats and and a fresh cup of coffee before heading into the snow. It looks lovely.

Yeah! A couple of centimetres of snow! More more more!!

Haha...just noticed Father Ted Xmas episode is on! Got to be worth a watch before sleep.

Oh how I hate Christmas songs!

Still only 21.00 and I feel the day is over. Think I'll do a little reading and bed.

Feeling queezy watching RiverCottage. An offal to far. :-(

Up there with bagpipes and inca-pipes in my top 10 of disliked 'musical' creations.

I think it's the presence of the church organ which really makes me tired. It's just like an annoying itch you can't reach.

Lovely music on the radio all day. But I feel exhausted now. Going to watch Hugh and his RiverCottage pals for a bit.

I wonder who it is who buys Cowel's plastic pop anyway?

Second part of the Xmas Around Europe this year is simply stunning. Such beautiful voices.

Enjoyng wonderful European Xmas music on Radio 3 while preparing food and a bottle of Firsty Ferret.

So very tired eyes. Too bright weather. LIttle food. Need a quick nap.

Christmas around Europe now in Tallinn on Radio 3. Time to turn up the radio a bit.

Note to self: Never put a whole scotch bonnet in a byranni again.

Time to finish yesterdays byranni.

Eyes hurt. Bright sunny weather and lack of food = trouble for Marky. Just finished off half a packet of chocolate biscuits for sugar rush!

Icy this morning. Bit sun is shining so it ought to be as warm as yesterday again later.

It's not that cold really. Just a lot of people without appropriate winter clothes.

Ah....a lovely new bottle of whisky to enjoy. Ought to help keep the cold at bay! :-)

oooo...Blade Runner is on BBC2 later. I wonder if I have time to get to the off licence first?

Woo Hoo! The oven is fixed. Let the cake baking begin....

Just eaten the hotest Byranni I have ever made. My head is dripping with water. Bloody good though!

Right, time for a little something before the frys party. Now where did I put that gnome?

Time to get the penguin outfit on for the party later. Shop was out of black tie affairs. frys

@MrsStephenFry do you have any Figgy Pudding at the party? @marcusbrig has been on the look out for a while now.

Looking forward to the party at the frys soon. I hear @MrsStephenFry has covered the foyer with mistletoe. I use the servents door I think

Just heard @marcusbrig and his Dr. Suess piece. Top class stuff Marcus! Sadly no sign of any Figgy Pudding around here though.

Speaking with agencies re new work. Some promising options.

How to write a 'Christmas is under attack' scare story. http://tinyurl.com/yzdeh3g. Brilliant work!

And for those of you who understand Xmas starts next week, we'll catch up again then ;-)

... A happy secular non religious winter yuletide present given festival. A time for shops, arguments, disappointments and gift demands! :-)

As many of you have your parties before Xmas, put up decorations before Xmas and celebrate the anticipated arrival of Xmas, may I say.....

Sometimes the simpliest of meals makes ones appreciate how much is unnecessary.

Selection of cheese from cows, sheep and goats going down well with some salad and crackers for lunch. Nom Nom Nom!

Well it's cold here but nothing compared to what I experienced earlier in the week. Lovely hot coffee going down well.

now on later bus. very tired. want hot bath and food.

walked into warm shop and my eyes started watering. certain sign of impending cold. damn!

10 miles to be made in 5 minutes. Looks like I will miss my bus for sure. Not happy.

The Divine Comedy's 'National Express' now on iPod. Very apt. Driver is sighing. My connecting bus leaves in 10 mins.

sugar levels low. need over priced coach kitkat.

I bloody knew it! Nothing causing traffic jam. Just over braking scum!

sign says max speed 50. could walk faster than present speed.

i am fed up. been in this traffic jam for 25 miles now.

sometimes I hate this country. petrol goes up to encourage car sharing but instead of getting hint, prices go up to pay for cost-of-living rise. ggrrrrr.

i fear i will miss my bus home.

build more roads petrolheads say. add extra lanes to motorway. pah...if people learnt how t drive without using their brake lights to write morse messages we'd all move along better.

so what happens when the traffic is bunched? lane changers! blocking things up even more. aarrrgghhh!

tish and pish. a traffic jam for no reason other than bunching and over use of brake. grrrr...

another bus, another journey. late leaving as is usual for british bus drivers...grrr

too much cake....

Made it through unscathed. Chocolate cake and coffee while waiting coach.

The anxiety of baggage reclaim has begun...

watching human behavior patterns of queuing people. One can almost predict some.

Pancakes and strawberry jam went down very well. Nom, nom, nom!

I was dreaming of typewriters and strange evil twins. Can't quite put my finger on the cause...

I have this weird feeling I am the only guest in this hotel. Very strange feeling.

acknowledge ones limitations. never sing in any language when drunk and eating.

Hard to sing at the best of times with a mouthful of spicy tofu but in Russian..hmmmm

we've moved onto Russian karaoke. Now we're singing. I think.

blimey! when they say ostry sauce they meant it. wow...good stuff.

ooo...ooo....I know this one....

sharing a mic with drunk russians drinking estonian beer and trying chinese karaoke. how cosmopolitan and cultured is that?

I sit corrected on earlier tweet. The universal constant of a mountain of chips covered in ketchup followed by a couple of children just walked past.

Music has switched to Hawaiian tiki. Quite apt when sitting in a fairytale restaurant surrounded by snow and bitterly cold temperatures.

Amazing cultural difference with children's taste habits. All spending money on big dinner with veggies and meat rather than evil burgers.

I am wondering why James Last was ever popular. Perhaps too much Angel Delight in the 70s?

Pickled cucumber has about as much taste as a tractor tyre. First disappointing food so far.

James Last's finest being pumped into subconscious by hidden speakers.

lovely dark beer, bread and pickled salad now. Nom, nom, nom.

just realised the lounge music rendition of 'Top of the World' has been filtering into subconscious for half an hour from hidden speakers. Very James Last!

potatoe slices baked in cream with pea and carrot casserole also in cream going down very nicely!

Half past three and night has arrived in this cold place.

My hand has been forced! Time to brave the cold once more. Tut Tut!

Coffee machine non functioning due to fuse. Noooooooo!!!!!

fuse blown in cafe. lights gone. staff in no hurry to fix. customers in no hurry to leave.

This cozy cafe is hard to leave. A trip to Solaris and lunch bekons but this fire keeps me here in the warm.

Crisp and even my arse! -16 degrees is one too many. Even for me!

This roaring fire, expresso and granny's cheese cake is making this cozy cafe a worthy retreat!

can't feel my fingers! Too cold!

Another freezing cold day. Breakfast cold also but a lovely hot coffee helped.

Stocked up on chocolates it's time to head back to the town centre for a little food and coffee to warm through.

and yet weirdly with a dolls house fork! Still I soldier on!

Eating one of the deepest Apple tarts I have ever seen. A very decent 6cm high at least

a light breakfast before heading back into the cold. coffee is nutty and lovely.

this may be expensive. already cost me two bear skins and a barrel of lubeck beer. hmmm.

just realised my phone isn't very mediaeval. future tweets will be by horse messenger to nearest hansa port.

About to try a dark beer with herbs. Mmmmm...

melted cheeses and herb bread from the oven going down well. those mediaeval peeps lived well!

enjoying a cinammon beer in mediaeval surroundings. -15 outside! brrr

Black coffee and sandwich at 0300. I miss my bed.

Cleaning, washing, vacumming, washing up, polishing, pah!
Did I ever mention I hate housework?

Watching Aliens on Film4. All the cliche characters are present and boy does it look dated.

Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meep Meeeeeeeep Meep-Meep http://ping.fm/ChQ8v

Firsty Ferret going down well however much housework left to do sadly.

I hate housework!

Need more tea and oh look....some Cadbury's chocolate cookies too! Yum!

This made me smile this morning: http://ping.fm/Psw4p

Bloody brilliant! Xmas Muppet Joy! http://ping.fm/yjpsN

Off to the gym in the freezing weather....brrrr

I appear to have reached Plurk Nivarna. Enlightenment is within my reach.

Whoo Hooo...no longer officially overweight. 70.9Kg! Just .9 away from target but so pleased!

And a new episode of TikiBar TV. Bring it on!

Home now after last day at work. Now need to find a new one very soon.

Just bought a CD of adagios from iTunes. Boy I must be depressed! Will certainly be by the end! Smelly candle and vodka at the ready.

Too exhausted to go to the gym tonight. I know it's an excuse! I will aim to go tomorrow.

Damn. OpenOffice can be so awkward sometimes!

Britain could get its own Space Agency so the news says. Why not play a more active part in ESA and save money? Some decisions baffle me!

Then comes the traditional grumbling about the lack of originality in the schedules and the biro circling the must sees...

Followed by the days either side before zipping to the front for the films guide. Tis a patern repeated every year.

Ah..the traditional browsing of the end of year Radio Times. Flip to 25th December first always avoiding the holiday section in the middle.

Only just finished! Not bad given so little proper food today.

Going to feel it in the morning. Already feel it now!

Overdid the gym a little. An hour of fitball class and my regular programme.

Right time for bed. Love you all! Kiss you on both cheeks! Night!

That was tasty! Odd to be eating so early in the evening.

haha...'shorts aren't try'...LOL! Dry! You dyslektic muppet!

Shorts aren't try. No gym tonight. Damn! Oh well, I get to finish the borsch earlier than planned.

I hate job searching. So soul destroying :-(

Right off to work for the last week. Still no sign of new work, but hey ho!

Okay not bad at all. Miss Gene Wilder's madness bahind his eyes, but a good film none-the-less.

No beer! No chocolate. No cake. No sweets. No crisps. Not even any jelly and ice cream. Something wrong here.

Time for some tasty borsch. Forgot to buy some soured cream. No matter. Still will be delicious!

Oompa Loompa, Doompa-Dee-Do......

Just noticed Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is on the telly. Not sure it'll be as good as the original. Or is it? Hmmmm..

Tucking into autumn fruits cheese and rye crackers. Nom, Nom, Nom!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!
Who's going to buy me a beer?

Mmm....tofu and soya bean salad. Yum Yum!

Wind blowing through gaps in the house I didn't know were there. Am I blessed to learn this?

Completely stuffed now by beans and salad. Need a lie down and a fresh bottle of ale.

Isn't it wonderful that nature has provided the avacado a suitable place to sit a pickled egg?

Mmmm.....Speckled Hen...mmmmmmm....gently savour....mmmmm

Challenge anyone else not to cry at the end of E.T.! Pah to the suspicious looks from Koshka!

ooo....a smelly apple candle found in the cupboard. Bring it on!

I'm not that domesticated! Why do today what you can do tomorrow?

Right. Bedclothes washed and reapplied. Italian beans now cooked. Time to make some salad. Will leave living room until tomorrow.

Force 10 From Navarone may be a bleeding terrible film but quite addictive.

Feel the need for beer. Tis rising in the heart and demanding quenchng :-)

Right. Off to the gym in the rain. I hate rain.

Just downing a delicious cup of hot chocolate! Nom Nom Nom!

Won't be switching to Google DNS soon. No advantage over openDNS and the later has more filtering functions. Happy where I am for now.

Just discovered the whole series 1 of Highlander on Youtube. Brilliant! Bring on the quickening! :-)

Well time to start the job hunting. I hate this phase. Done it all too often.

Right. Time to go. At least it's not raining. Probably home early today.

Late to wake on last day. Ho Hum.

Time for a bath.....

Listening to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on the iPlayer. :-)

"We need answers" on BBC4 is simply brilliant. Glad they're back for a second series. Reminds me a lot of early Vic Reeves Big Night Out.

Seems my final day at work will be tomorrow. Expecting the worst. Still need to keep cheerful else the alternative may not be good.

Fighting with a Zenoss install. Used to work. Very odd.

Just heard Docherty sang the old German anthem to a festival crowd there. Muppet! Expect BNP bookings anyday :-O

Behind door one on my advent calendar, I discovered a little door! I wonder what's behind it?

Damn! My watch is missing. I suspect it may have fallen from my bag at the gym. Quite upset about that. Was a present 20 years ago.

Had to boil the key to the bike this morning. Steering lock was frozen. Brrrrr...