Texas Fold 'em
First of all, I would like to bless the Belgian tax authorities, who after 20 months (!) of me turning in my tax forms have finally refunded me. Bless all of you.
Esp. because you've given me back 3 times as much as I was expecting. Where's the Veuve? :-)
Secondly, I'll be going back to Italy for the first time in 9 years. To drive a new scooter round Napoli. Lovely. And next week Paris for the first time in 3 years. That was a crap visit, this one will be better. I can smell the -8 euro a cup- coffee from here. Mmmmm.
Finally, I've played poker last weekend with some car mad blokes (or was that mad car blokes?) I know and it was fantastic fun. Completely unhindered with any knowledge and strategy of the game I bet and bet, folded and folded. And said the words "all in" a tad too much.....
Lost my shirt, then won somebody else's. And lost it again when the bar tab came. So I went home half naked. Same as one of the other guys who had his arse hanging out to greet us when his buddy fully used the 8000 rpms at his disposal.
It was a full moon that night.
Tit monday
Saw this on one of my forums and couldn't help laugh. It's coming close, I can feel it in the air :-)
It's not that far off now, that glorious day when, heading into work on the bus, or walking to the Tube, or sitting on the train, you find yourself suddenly chirpier than you have been in months.
You find yourself smiling at strangers again. There is a mild involuntary tumescence in your trousers that comes and goes throughout the morning with the comforting regularity of a heartbeat. And then you get a text around lunchtime from a mate which says: "At last, Tit Monday!" and you instantly understand why you are so happy.
For Tit Monday is that special day in the year when, for the first time, the temperature rises above that magical point which causes girls getting dressed in the morning to decide to show a bit of skin. After months of dull colours and chunky knit, the world's birds suddenly dive into last summer's wardrobe (they've not had chance to buy this season's stuff) and chuck it on without a thought. Your urban landscape is suddenly lightened with acres of naked arm and leg and, after many dark months of burrowing, breasts rising to the surface like moles at dusk. Big breasts in white work shirts straining at the buttons. Small breasts braless in vest tops, the nipples frotted by ribby fabrics. Breasts in summer dresses bouncing in the distance so that they catch your eye before you even notice there is someone wearing them. Breasts nudging out from the crowd at traffic islands, quivering to cross the road ... and you know it is nearly summer.
For previous generations, the arrival of spring was heralded by the sound of the first cuckoo. For us, it is Tit Monday. Not that it always falls on a Monday. Like Easter, Tit Monday is a moveable feast. Last year it fell on a Friday. Friday 29th April, to be precise. It last fell on a Monday in 2004. And then, of course, there is Tit Monday Night.
You see, in early summer, temperatures drop off very dramatically when night falls. But the dollies are not prepared. Slightly stunned by the morning heat, they drag out the summer clothes but forget to bring a cardie (a mistake they will not make again until next year), so that when they're all standing outside Bar Que Pasa after work celebrating the arrival of spring, their barely covered nipples have no protection from the cold. It's like a Bring-and-Buy sale where everyone has brought hat pegs. It's like a prog-rock gig where, instead of lighters, everyone is holding up nipples.
So when will Tit Monday fall this year? Will you be the first to text your mates with the announcement? Do not shoot your bolt too early. There will be false starts. You will smell fresh cut grass and see a couple of early starters and feel compelled to declare Tit Monday. But your more level-headed friends will tell you to hold your horses, keep your powder dry. Don't fire until you see the whites of their bra straps.
As a great poet once said: "One bold Northern slapper in a bikini doth not a summer make."
Busy busy busy
Highlights of lowlights of the week:
On the plus side:
- Seeing the Acropolis
- Real Greek food
- Greek wine
- Carneval in Cologne with an old buddy who was celebrating his B-day
- Buying a slippy diff for the E30
On the minus side
- Bending over for the Dutch costums. Imported my car you see. They should've at least used lubrication!
- Finding out that Hennesy does not make a good starter shot
- Forgetting to buy Luckies in Athens. Twat!
Coming up: Paris, Helsinki and Napoli. Cannot wait.
Happy Valentinesday!
The female view on this holiday:
The male one:
But being the helpless romantic that I am, I cannot help but choke up when I read this Shakespeare-like love poem.
Sniffing petrol is good for you
Africa
Is pretty cool. Finally manage to set foot on this continent. Mind you: the free wine, 20 degrees heat, well organized conference and lovely oranges helped.
Tunesia is a pretty safe choice, but it gave me an opportunity to polish up my rusty French at the same time.
Cool side fact: the resort I was staying at was founded just after the gulf war 1. By an old Iraqi General. With some money he nicked from Saddam's war chest. :-)
P.S. Bloody hell I missed a decent Belgian restaurant. Abba was right. Waterloo is where it's at. The Big Mac in Sauerland in Germany the next day was a shrill contrast.
