Dentist.

I can’t say that the last week was an exciting one because it wasn’t. Nothing really happed that’s worth mentioning the high light was the link on Saturday morning with my brother Nr 1 Broad Street. We had a good chat for about an hour, it’s always good to see him and I always enjoy the conversation with him. On Wednesday I had an appointment at the dentist for a new dental bridge because the one that I have at the moment has come into the years and has to be replaced. The dentist gave me an estimate and I had to take this to our local national health office to see how much they would contribute to the costs.
The full amount was 1372,60 € I receive 30 % from the national health, which left me with a bill for 955,10 € that was the down for the week.
Yesterday I was at work and one can tell by the mood the boss was in that the pinch has started to tell with the world wide financial crisis. Although they have a lot of work on, the prices so I was told have dropped tremendously in the last month or so. He is also worried about his plant in Hungary, if he can keep it going or not.
On Friday afternoon my wife and I are going into Düsseldorf to do a bit of shopping because the winter sales are on and perhaps we can pick up a bargain or two, we are going to have lunch in Düsseldorf (that we don’t do that often). That will be a high light of the week.
Oh! I went to the car wash this afternoon, there was so much salt on the car you would have thought I had driven through the salt lakes in the US instead of on the motorways here in Germany. The nights continue to be below freezing and the air is full with moisture so that the roads would be continuously frozen over if they did not daily spread salt on the roads.
I have just heard on the weather forecast that we are in for a very cold February. Up to now the winter has been very cold and it looks like it is going to stay that way for a while yet.

The photo is one from the series that I took at the beginning of this month. It looks like I may have the chance to take more.
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss


Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)

Of the many things one needs at the beginning, black boot polish and dusters are an absolute necessity to bull the two pair of boots that you get issued with; the second is Blanco for your webbing. These necessary items you acquire from the NAAFI. Oh! I forgot BRASSO to polish all the brass that you have and believe me we had a lot of brass to polish.
After requiring these items from the NAAFI, this was done collectively as a squad, marched there and back, we were told to change into denims with boots gaiters belt and berets and the regimental badge we were to carry in the right denim jacket pocket. Of course we wore an army shirt and under-ware, this under-ware being the laugh of the day. The under pants was a toss up between boxer shorts and something that women used to ware in the Victorian days. There was waist cord that you tied up in a bow at the front and if you didn’t tie a double bow you soon lost them (to the dismay of many) when you marched and did halts and about turns and so on. With the denim trousers we of course had wear braces (army one’s).
Outside in three ranks we couldn’t stop laughing (We were told to shut up (we sounded like a bunch of f----- giggling school girls) we looked so ridicules, every thing was either too large or too small for us, our berets looked like pancakes on our heads, gaiters straps were to long and must of us were cripples after ten minutes with the boots that we wore (the leather was so hard).
We were then shown what we had to do with our kit that we wore. Berets had to be shrunk and shaped this is done with hot and cold water and leaving the beret on your head till it dried. Blanco had to be applied to gaiters and belt (how to do this was shown to us later on) gaiters straps had to be shorted and stained black then polished also the buckles on them had to be highly polished. Inside of the belt on both ends was a brass fitting with hooks (for lengthening and shortening the belt) the rivets that held the brass fitting to the webbing had holes in them, they also had to be polished and the inside of the holes as well. Two loops made out of brass that held the doubling of the belt together had to be polished inside and out, also the two buckles on the back of the belt also had to be polished inside and outside. Shirt and denims had to be ironed (if you had the insight to bring a iron with you, you was a well sought man in the hour of need). We were shown how and were to put the regimental badge in our berets.
Boots was a topic for it’s self. First you had to remove all the, (I will call them small pimples) this is done with the handle of a spoon and a candle flame. You heat the spoon handle then in circular movement burn the pimples off taking care not to burn the leather. You always get the guy that knows it better, knows all the short cuts so to say. This one guy held his boots directly over the flame and burnt the leather that badly there was no way he could put a bull shine on them.
Once you have done that the next step is to soften the leather so that you can ware the bloody things. There are all sorts of remedies, you can pickle in them and let it soak into the leather, it works but your boots stink like a piss pot afterwards. You can put your boots on and stand in the bathtub for a while pulling the laces tighter and tighter till you think that there’s no blood getting to your feet, then keep the boots on till they are dry. That method I chose. Afterwards you spit and polish them till you can see your face in them. None of the NCOs are ever satisfied with the result.
To be continued.

Inauguration.

Yesterday was the inauguration of Barack Obama and from half past three in the afternoon till half past ten in the evening with small beaks in between I watched it on TV. An inauguration of a US president has never interested me so much but there is something about Obama that is fascinating, he reminds me of John F Kennedy. I found his speech very good and I must admit he is 100 % correct when he talks about going back to the fundamentals in life, respect for each other, honesty among ourselves, modesty instead of greed, manners then personally I think the world would be a better place.
The snow has all gone and we are having a spell of weather what I call “Shit weather”, nights just below freezing and during the day temperatures around nine degrees. This type of weather plays havoc with my bones and I shall be glad when we have it either warm or cold.
My wife is suffering with her back once more, one wrong movement this morning while putting on her shoes and the pain is there, it takes a few days to cure, mostly with warmth.
The photo is one out of the series that I took when the snow was there. Actually I like this one.

Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)

After roll call (there were still one or two that hadn’t showed up) we were marched to the QM stores to collect our army kit. If you thought you was going to be measured up for your uniform no such luck, the thumb did it all. The first thing we were issued with was a kit bag every thing after that had to go into the bag so that you could carry it back to your room.
We got issued with BD (battle dress) 2 sets of denims 2 pair of boots, “what size shoe?” that was the question asked, no more no less. Under ware, colour green, socks grey, 2 shirts, 1 pullover, 1 overcoat, web belt, gaiters, 2 towels, a steel helmet, a set of shoe brushes, a button stick cleaner, pouches with full fighting pack one large and one small a set of mess-tins a water bottle a poncho, gloves, gasmask, 2 berets 2 cap badges, collar dogs (I will tell you later on what those are) a pair of braces (must be worn at all times with trousers) 2 sets of pyjamas striped, knife fork and spoon a small pouch with needle and thread, 2 pairs of shorts and 2 PT shirts, colour red one pair of PT pumps. With all that kit we of course received our bedding too, to round all that off on the way out we were issued with a pot mug and we were told when we broke it a new one would cost us 2 shillings. The last thing we each received was a piece of paper with our army number wrote on it. My number was and still is 23798372. By the end of the week you had to know it of by heart, this number accompanies you all though you’re military life.
Getting all that in a kit-bag is nigh impossible for a new squaddi, so the steel helmet was put on the head the great coat was put on, boots were strung round your neck the rest some how you stuffed in the kit- bag the bedding of course you carried and the mug was hooked on a finger, of course two thirds dropped the mug before they got to the billet. That’s how the QM guy’s made their extra cash.
On the way back to our billet we must have looked like a bunch of refugees, one can’t describe it people were dropping things on the way the two corporals were shouting at us to move our body’s. If the situation hadn't been so serious it would have been a laugh number.
To be continued.

Wax.

Our living room furniture is made out of Oak (not veneered) but solid and needs now and then to be waxed to keep it from splitting or cracking. Now this is a very tidies job using hard bee wax, rubbing it in and then polishing it afterwards.
We have found a new wax, which up till now we had never heard of it, is called Carnauba wax and a local joiner introduced it to us. I have used it on nearly all the living room furniture and it is amazing, no hard work just applying it with a soft cloth then waiting till it dries and then polishing it off with a soft duster. (The result is amazing)
He also give us some Marseiller Soap for floors and tiles. (see information below)
The weather here is still cold but must of the snow has gone and the forecast is wet and windy for the next few days.
I had the chance to go to England on Saturday for a day (shopping trip) with my friend Colin and a friend of his. My boss gave me a ring on Wednesday morning asking me if I could come on Saturday morning and check out 25 new cutting dies that had been ordered for our company in Hungary. Now what could I say? This order is a very important one because of the world wide economic situation and our company in Hungary is suffering badly because of it.
Today Friday my boss called me again and told me that there had been a change of plans and I don’t have to appear on Saturday!!!
I have just rung Colin to tell him, he asked “ did that mean I was going with them” because they had also changed their plans and are setting off around two in the morning. I declined (smile) to early for me; there is always another time because they plan to go twice a year.
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

The photo, something that caught my eye, I call it, " winter break".

Carnauba wax
Carnauba is a wax derived from the leaves of the carnauba palm, Copernicia prunifera, a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian states of Piauí, Ceará, and Rio Grande do Norte.] It is known as "queen of waxes" and usually comes in the form of hard yellow-brown flakes. It is obtained from the leaves of the carnauba palm by collecting them, beating them to loosen the wax, then refining and bleaching the wax.
Marseille soap
Marseille soap or Savon de Marseille is a traditional soap made from vegetable oils that has been made around Marseille, France, for about 700 years, the first recorded soapmaker in the area in about 1370. By 1688, Louis XIV introduced regulations (Edict of Colbert) limiting the use of the name savon de Marseille to soaps made in and around the Marseille area, and only from olive oil. Today this law still stands (although the regulations now allow other vegetable oils to be used).
By 1913 production had reached 180,000 tons and in 1924 there were 132 soapmaking companies in the Marseille and Salon areas combined, but by 2000 only 5 remained[citation needed].
Traditionally, the soap is made by mixing sea water from the Mediterranean Sea, olive oil, and the alkaline chemicals soda ash (sodium carbonate) and lye (sodium hydroxide) together in a large cauldron (usually making about 8 tons). This mixture is then heated for several days, stirred constantly. The mixture is then allowed to sit, and once ready, it is poured into the mould, and allowed to set slightly. Whilst still soft, it is cut into bars and stamped, and left to completely harden. The whole process can take up to a month from the start before the soap is ready to use.
Today, there are two main varieties of this soap, both are made in the same process, but one is made with olive oil and the second is made with palm oil or a palm and copra oil mixture. The olive oil variety is green and the palm oil variety is white in colour. The bars usually come in sizes between 300g and 1 kg; however, larger sizes are often available, some up to 40kg (originally, they only came in 5 kg and 20 kg blocks).
The soap is also widely used in Italy, where it is known as sapone di Marsiglia.

Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)

Having been so nicely woken up by the duty sergeant my first worry was were do I go for a wash!! Lucky for me I met some guys in the hallway (they had been in the army a week and knew the ropes so to say).
After having a wash with twenty to thirty other fellows, (which is weird at first) I got my bedding together and returned it to the QM stores. This guy in the stores wasn’t the same guy who issued me with the bedding, his first question was “last four” I didn’t have clue what he meant and I told him so, he explained my last four were the last four numbers of my army number which I would get to know when we got issued with our army kit.
This guy was kind enough to lend me a mug and knife fork and spoon so that I could go for breakfast. Now that is a experience, that one does not forget. I reckon there must have been over one hundred squaddis in the cookhouse and I think I was the only one in civvies and of course I stood out like a sore thumb.
After breakfast I returned to the room were I had spent the night, a corporal came in asked me my name ticked it off on a list which he had with him then told me to stay were I was because during the morning the rest of the squad would turn up.
By midday the most of the new guy’s had arrived and for us all it was a very unusual situation, everybody was asking each other different questions A corporal came into the room and told us to get out side and form three ranks and to keep our mouth shut in doing so, that’s were we was introduced to our Sergeant and the two corporals who would be training us for the next ten weeks. Their names were Sgt. Thomson. Corporal Hinten and Hipwood.

To be continued.

Frosty nights.

Today Saturday and the cold weather is continuing with the nightly frosts contently being around 12 below. Today was the first time in a week were during the day they were around Zero. On average the daily temperature have been around 5 to 6 below.
This afternoon I drove to the Unterbachersee (a lake) a local nature reserve were there is a large lake (I have shown photo’s of the lake in my early posts) I was interested to see if it was frozen over and if people were allowed to go on the ice.
On arriving the car parks were full and a descent sized crowd were on the ice. I had my camera with me and took one or two photo’s.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and I decided to return later on for the sunset. Sorry to say I left it a bit to late in setting off from home and I missed the sunset by a quarter of an hour.
I may have an other attempt tomorrow evening.
Oh!! I had to throw two bottles of beer away because they had gone bad on me (to old) now that has never happed to me in my life. For me that’s a warning I have to drink my beer faster in the future.
The photo’s are from the lake the foot prints are of some animal or more.
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)

You just can’t walk around a training barracks in civilian cloths and not get stopped and asked who you are! And why the hell you are slouching around instead of marching and of course not swinging your arms shoulder high.
Trying to find my room were my bed was I was stopped a least twice by some NCO’s and was told to swing my arms shoulder height when going from A to B and of course the same old line, “your in the army now”.
After at least, what I thought was age’s I found the room were my stuff and my bed was. Later on I found out how lucky I was that my personal belongings hadn’t been nicked while I was being shown were the cookhouse was.
I decided that I wasn’t going to go for tea because I hadn’t got a clue how the procedure went. It was a good thing that I didn’t go because I hadn’t been issued with a mug and knife fork and spoon, which of course one needs for a meal.
So I made my bed and I must admit I was feeling very sorry for myself and wishing that I was at home were I belonged.
I went to bed early because there wasn’t anything else to do I heard different bugle calls and people shouting during the evening then I fell asleep. The next thing I knew I was on the floor with the bed on top of me and a sergeant standing over me yelling what the hell was I doing in bed when reveille had sounded ten minuets ago. (In the army you have to have both feet on the ground 3 minuets after reveille has been blown)
To be continued

Snow and bitter cold.

During the early hours of Monday morning it snowed heavily. I was up and out at half past five clearing the footpaths from the snow, (the footpaths have to be cleared from snow and ice before six on a working day) it took me a good hour to do the job then I went with the dog for a walk. The snow was about 15-to18 cm deep and Toby was half buried but he loved it and pranced around in the snow, I could hardly get him to go into the house.
I was out again after breakfast clearing snow again because it had snowed while we were having our breakfast.
Midday my wife and I went for a walk with the dog through the near by woods and took some photo’s the sun had just started to show and the scenery was fantastic.
We had minus 15 degrees in the night and today the temperature never rose above minus 6 degrees. I went for a long walk this morning with the camera, the weather perfect blue sky’s I froze my butt off but what the heck.
They say that tonight is going to be colder than last night at the moment it’s 12 below.
The photo’s are from this mornings walk.
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss

Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)

At the side entrance I had to wait till a private soldier came to escort me to my sleeping accommodations for the night (in plain English a barrack room) I went with him to the QM stores and received my bedding for the night. This guy explained to me that the rest of the intake was scheduled for the following day, in fact he thought I was a day to early (which he could not understand) I think he said, “ You must be fu… barmy to come a day to soon”. It didn’t take me all that to long to find out what he meant.
Referring to the bedding I was issued with 3 blankets two sheets and one pillow, which of course I had to sign for, followed by the remark “ I had to return them before breakfast next morning”.
I was then led to a large room in which two long rows of empty beds and lockers stood, this guy said “dump your stuff here, you can make your bed later on” He then took me to were the cook house was and give me the mealtimes. Breakfast from 06:15 hours till 07:00 hours, dinner from 12:30 hours till 01: 30 hours and teatime from 16:30 hours till 17:30 hours.
I had no idea what this bloke was talking about to me then 06:15 hours was a quarter past six. He then turned and spoke with some other soldiers that had turned up on the scene, turned and said “ see you” and went off with them leaving me alone with no idea how to find my way back to the room were my bed was and my personal belongings.
To be continued.

The first days of the New Year.

The first four days of the New Year and I can’t say anything has changed all that much, all I can say “I am glad that we are back to normal”. I have nothing against the festivities of Christmas and New Year but all in all it’s a bit tedious and the older I get the more I am glad when it’s all over.
On Monday most of the people go back to work. This year they have had along break, 16 days from the 20th of December till the 5th of January the reason is mostly to do with the finance situation. Some of the car manufactures don’t go back till the middle of this month.
One of my main goals this year is to buy a digital reflex camera, not the top model, which I can’t afford anyway. I was thinking of the Canon 450D with a lens 18-55 mm to start with and later on a 55-250 mm tele.
So I am now saving my pennies and my wife said that she would put something towards it for my birthday.
The weather here is very cold and we have had snow, according to the meteorologist we are in for a lot of snow tonight and then a very cold spell with temperatures reaching 20 degrees below freezing, so it looks like I will have to put my long John’s on.
First run of the year this morning and a good run it was as well over a distance of 10 km, I thoroughly enjoy myself, for some that must be hard to believe!
I said “I would be probably making something different in my Blog this year” Well here is the first instalment of. Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)
Hope you enjoy reading them?
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss
The photo today is what you would call home sweet home. Taken when I was out walking with the dog.

This is my Regiment

The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
On 1st July 1958 the East Lancashire and South Lancashire Regiments amalgamated to form The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers).
In its short life the Regiment served in Hong Kong, Germany, Swaziland, Cyprus, and Malta. However it is justifiably best remembered for the distinguished role it played in 1967, during the final months of the bitter anti-terrorist campaign in Aden, where its officers and men received more operational and gallantry awards than any other unit.
On 25th March 1970 the Regiment amalgamated with The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire), to form The Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

Short story’s of past incidents in my army life (funny and sometimes sad)
My fist encounter with the British Army was in June 1960. I had to report to the recruiting barracks in Full-wood Preston Lancashire, (funny enough I was actually born there in Full-wood infirmary)
Seeing that I lived in Leyland and that is only about five to six miles from Preston I didn’t have far to travel. I arrived in the middle of the morning carrying my personal things in a bag including shaving tackle, which I had never used in my life up to this point (I had no beard)
I reported in at the main gate, which for me was the normal thing to do. A corporal came out of the guardhouse and asked me very politely if he could help me. I showed him my reporting documents and before I could blink this stupid sod bawled me out, “who the fu…. hell did I think I was the fu… commanding officer” he told me to get my body to the side entrance and at the double, and he meant what he said. It’s then that I realised I was in the army.
To be continued.

PROST! NEU JAHR.

Things sometimes never work out the way you thought they would. The last few hours of 2008 my wife and I celebrated alone.
Taking the dog a walk before settling down for the evening, well to tell the truth it was one of the fastest walks we have had together. We had only been outside for a minute or two when the first fire works (who were set off by some kids) startled him.
On our way, (we always go the same way in the evening in winter) there were more fireworks set off and not knowing what the hell was happening he bolted for home in record time.
On New Years Eve we never put the TV on, we sit and talk really about everything and nothing. This year there was a nice change in the routine, we had a link with my brother who had gone through the New Years Eve procedure 12 hours earlier, we talked for about one hour.
At midnight all hell breaks lose here in Germany everybody, well nearly everybody dashes outside to let their fireworks off and with doing so they let the New Year in.
My wife and I went outside to watch the show and our neighbours afterwards invited us in for a drink. They had invited friends around for the evening and all in all with my wife and myself we were 8 persons. We only intended to stay for a half an hour!!! We got to bed at four in the morning. That’s what I mean when I said, “ Things sometimes never work out the way you thought they would.“
This morning I was up at half past seven (to take the dog out) I intended to go for a run this morning but I must admit I am na…...!! My wife got up at quarter to ten, had a cup of tea a slice of toast, so that she could take her medicine and then went back to bed. She is still there and it is now two in the afternoon.
Well this is the start of the second year with my Blog I intend and I hope to keep it going, probability is that I shall make a few changes this year to try and make it more interesting.
The photo, PROST! NEU JAHR.
Take care out there were ever you are. Tshüss