As a wise man once said, "Naughty naughty, very naughty!" - a fair description of my blatant non-up-to-date-ness in cyberspace. So let's try to do something about it, seeing as it's a cold rainy afternoon in central Munich and I've got a minute between important meetings...

Let's see now, what have I done since last I wrote on these lovely pages? Ah, yes, I've been all over the place! A sample:

- My sister's house (to babysit the boys and to do chores like change lightbulbs and other fascinating things)

- Harry's new flat in Neuperlach (Munich's earliest satellite city, which is a bit like America only a lot lot smaller and more European, sort of)

- The Arabella Grand Hotel with Bénédicte (for loads of yummy food - free!)

- The EPO 30th anniversary party (for loads of yummy food - free!!)

- Walter's house on the Attersee in Austria with Christian, Tom & Walter (where we went to some lovely Christmas markets and also saw a CRAZY procession of super scary looking Krampus, who are St Nicholas' helpers and banishers of evil winter spirits)

- The Buena Vista Cuban bar & restaurant in Munich with my English Stammtisch mates (devilishly tasty cocktails!)

- My very first art exhibition opening party in Haidhausen (Christian's mate Anja is a fine sculptress)

- A top-banana 5-star hotel on Spitzingsee (where I attended the first day of a three-day event I was responsible for organising for EPO top brass)

- The Afrika! Afrika! show with my mate Jean-François (think Cirque du Soleil in leopard-print leotards - it was fantastic)

- Many many many Christmas markets with Simon, Hester & Poppy (who were over for a week and stayed at mine, so we had lots of time together which was GREAT!)

That'll do for a list of activities. So you can see it's not been a boring time...

The weather has been very so-so though recently. It seems that where November was icy cold and snowy December is being just wet and miserable. Kind of the wrong way round, the two, wouldn't you agree?

And I'm ALREADY spherical - even before Christmas! But I am finally trying to do something about my horrendous weight gain since my accident in September. Because, to be fair to myself a little bit, the aftermath of my bike fall - namely a huge wobbly lump on my arse - has been the only reason I've not done any exercise in months; it really hurts when I move at any more than a walking pace (but at least I can ride a bike).

It is mighty hard to say no to all the yummy Christmas treats that are on offer everywhere though. But I really must. I'm getting to the point where I'm just not enjoying any food at all - but still compulsively eating it. Stop!!

Okay, got to dash - figuratively at least. I have mulled wines to drink with Lorna & Phil at the Mediaeval Market in town...