How I spent my summer holidays

Despite rumours to the contrary, I am still alive and living in Scotland. I would like to excuse my several month absence with the following lines stolen from my favourite band, The Weakerthans:

'I have a headache. I have a sore back. I have a letter I can't send. I have desire, it falters and falls down, it calls you up drunk at three or four a.m. to wonder when...'

Well, I wasn't drunk, but I did have a sore back and was off work (with doctor's note and everything) for a couple of months. If I appeared to be drunk, it was just the painkillers. That's been all sorted though, since about June.

What's my excuse since then? Well...

I was away for about 6 weeks, 4 to Canada and the 2 prior to various places around Scotland with my friends Daniel and Ben, brothers to Theresa of http://fenomenalarecept.blogspot.com/ fame.

So, here are photos for your pure enjoyment - Steve and Sandy's Cross-Canada Tour 2009:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=285824&id=608190647&l=e9f54f65aa

For those people interested - tour t-shirts will be available at a modest cost.

I promise to get right back to everyone with more important food and salutogensis-type stuff right as soon as I: finish compiling all the data from the spring field trials, writing a journal paper and catching up on all my fun APEGM stuff.

Cheerio!

Trip to Sweden

Despite the general fun-ness of life in Dundee, things did get rather dull and boring around here over the holidays. Everyone had things to do and family to visit, so I was suck sitting around doing nothing. I even tried to go to school, but actually got locked in the DCA! My key fits all the doors except the upper dead bolts. I was pretty sad really, so I decided that was an omen, to not go in to school for the rest of the week.

I was fortunate to have a standing invitation to go to Sweden to visit my friend Theresa and he family. It turned out to be the best holiday I've had in years. She has a marvellous family and cool friends.

Anyways here are some photos of the trip:

New Years in Sweden

Here is a list of things I did in Sweden that were great:
-Ate some pickled herring (in a sweet mustrd sauce no less)
-Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant
-Gothenburg City Museum
-Gothenburg New Years Fireworks
-Ate some yummy Swedish cheese
-Heard "Take a Chance on Me" performed live (thanks Eva and Sophia)
-Volvo Museum
-Learned about Swedish music (other than ABBA)
-Went to the grocery store
-Went to church
-Met new friends
-Read some Kalle Anka and Bamse
-Ate awful candies
-Travelled on the commuter train
-Walked around downtown Gothenburg
-Julmust, lots of Julmust