June was somehow the Month of France. It felt like I spent my whole time there! The nine days of choir tour to the southwest was an intense time. Six concerts in six evenings. Plus we had loads of excursions, and even found time to go out of an evening a few times too. Not to mention the extra night that Bernd, Martin & I had at the start and end in Toulouse, having opted to fly instead of endure the 16-hour bus haul.

So yes, our itinerary in a nutshell: Toulouse (funky!), Carcassonne (UNESCO World Heritage), Narbonne (our base), Minerve (ravine!), Nîmes (Roman), Leucate (delicious buffet), Perpignan (Catalan), and back to Toulouse (French rugby final). With, as I say, lots of pastis & cocktails & food & more food interspersed. Tasty! Oh, and we sang really rather well - especially by the end of the week, when we really knew our stuff and were almost getting blasé about just rocking up at a new venue and getting on with it.

I'd hardly had a full week's work back in Munich when it was already time to head back to France, this time by train, for Andy & Isa's big party (their 10th anniversary, the kids' 9th, 6th & 3rd birthdays). I had given my services as a present, and so it was with great pleasure that I spent most of Saturday stacking plates in an industrial dishwasher (they had hired the village hall, which was happily blessed with such a device - and lots of crockery).

And there was plenty of time for me to relax with them too: first over dinner in Saarbrücken on Friday night, then after the party over wine with Isa on Saturday night, and then again on Sunday, where breakfast was a leisurely affair followed by a big tidy-up followed by a leisurely lunch followed by a horrendously delayed train journey home. And the weather was cracking!

Then I definitely FAILED to have a whole week's work back in Munich before heading to Amsterdam for a Dutch weekend. It was Kim & Linda's wedding!!!! Such beautiful brides, such tasty booze, such windy weather, such a great time with Nath & Marcel, Mélo & Jonathan, Véro & Erik, Béné, and of course Kim & Linda too! The reception in the amusingly named Slot Assumburg was a truly joyous occasion. Well, the bits I can remember were anyway. Naughty Marcel made me drink beer with a genever chaser. Things got a bit blurry after that...

We had a little time for sightseeing on Saturday in Amsterdam, and I had another quick wander round town on Sunday too, before heading back to Schiphol for my flight home. Having of course made time to eat some fritjes, a wafel, and a few drinks.

And the last week of June - again with delicious weather - at last the summer had arrived! - was spent eating, drinking, making jam, catching up with friends, and hanging out with Michaela & the boys. June came to a glorious end with a day at Feringasee with Bénédicte & Marie (and LOTS of "refreshments") followed by an evening concert hearing Martin sing in his other choir. June was pretty damn good.

May. When was that? A while ago, methinks. Now, what was I up to back then? Ah yes...

I seem to remember drinking quite a lot. The weather was nice, I think. Oh, and I was overseas for my birthday. It's all coming back to me now!

For Frühlingsfest, which is like a miniature rehearsal for the Oktoberfest - but perfectly formed and with far fewer tourists - I had the pleasure of a double whammy of visitors: Claire & Jamie flew in from London, and Geert & Jennifer flew in from Belgium. We were joined in our alcoholic exploits by Jo as well as by Claire's French mates Bénédicte, Petra & Gregory.

Friday lunchtime was a bottle of Schilcher Frizzante, Friday afternoon was a few at the Hofbräuhaus, and Friday evening was quite a lot at the Frühlingsfest: rotating Weißbiers followed by sneaking a table from the New York singer who was entertaining for the US-Bavarian Friendship event in the Hippodrom tent.

Saturday lunchtime was several at Nockherberg, Saturday afternoon was a mad taxi dash to the Frühlingsfest to get there in time for our table booking, Saturday evening was fahaaar too much beer in the Augustiner tent, and Saturday night was swaying to dodgy music in a dodgy club. My bed rushed up to hug me at about four.

Sunday morning was brekkie at Edelweiß round the corner, Sunday lunchtime was a tour round the Andechs monastery (organised by my good friend Thomas), Sunday afternoon was several beers and a few schnapses in the monastery's brewery followed by a cheeky few extra schnapses and beers at the station, Sunday evening was dinner in the Augustiner in town, and Sunday night was drinking games in my house. Another four a.m. ending - yeesh! I had work the next day!

A few lunches with friends later, and it was the weekend again. My poor liver. The choir rehearsal & concert weekend was punctuated on the positive side by Béné's birthday party and on the negative side by me almost losing my voice. Bizarre coldy thing that I had.

There was just time for Bine's birthday dinner at La Fattoria down the hill from me, and then it was time for me to jump on a plane and head across the Pond to New York. For twelve whole days!! What luxury. I saw Rich & Paul, did some shopping, I saw Cincinnati Dan, did some walking, I saw Simon & Hester, did some eating, I saw Doctor Dan, did some moving house, and I spent my last weekend out at Fire Island with Rich & Paul again. Fabulous fabulous fabulous time!!!!

And I just got back to Munich in time to see some terrific thunderstorms. Hooray. But the month was on balance a bloody fantastic one!