Peter

I recently found out about the passing of my friend Peter. When I first arrived in Hamburg and had no friends, it was Peter who got me through it all. We didn't know each other for so long - only for four months - but Peter was as good a friend as a friend can be.

This is Peter (and me) in Germany, 2005:

Peter (full name Peter die Pflanze, 'Peter the Plant') was my buddy. We had our ups, we had our downs, we went on the underground together. He told the best jokes:

I'm afraid I can't repeat the joke here, because it was quite rude.

Peter and I met each other on my first day in Hamburg (he originally comes from Dammtor railway station). We were introduced by my friends Philipp and Grit. We would chat away most evenings while watching Friends. When I had to leave Hamburg, I was heartbroken - where would Peter go? This was a real worry. In the end, my good friends Lucy and Chris decided to foster him. They looked after him well, but recently I got the message that Peter had died. Passed away. Peter is survived by two little plantlings (but I haven't met them yet). None of us ever met Mrs Peter die Pflanze.

You may be wondering why we called him Peter die Pflanze, rather than just Peter. This is because we knew someone else called Peter (Peter der Mann, 'Peter the Man') and you would not believe how often we got them confused in conversation. So we had to give them surnames. Thinking about it, Peter der Mann probably had a surname already... but we never asked him.

R.I.P.

Peter die Pflanze

'He was a plant.'

I'm a Celebrity... I can't stop watching!

G'day! How's it going? Apologies for not having blogged in a little while. It's been manic recently! I'm now doing some teaching at the university, and what with studying and Salvation Army stuff, it's all been very busy! But I love it all and everything's going really well. Pukka. (And I was using that word long before Jamie Oliver came on the scene).

But, if I'm truly honest, the other reason for my lack of blogging is that... I'm totally addicted to I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! I reckon that's probably pretty sad, but I can't help it. If I'm not home I video it. I don't watch Big Brother, X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing or any of those other 'reality' shows, but I love Celebrity. And isn't it grand?

OK, we don't like Jan or Scott - Lauren and Phina had so won that chest. But the others are all pretty 'cool' - although Toby Anstis is a little odd... Not too keen with this whole 'divide the camp' thing that they've got going on right now, but we'll see how that develops. What do I know?

And one more thing - those people in my 'Friends Who Blog' and 'Friends Who Blog (Abroad)' lists had better start blogging soon (apart from Matt White and Glyn - well done you two) or their places on the lists will soon be up for grabs! Harsh but fair.

Better get back to marking work... That novelty wore off soon!

I kid you not!

Southend United 1 - 0 Manchester United

Roots Hall, Tuesday 7th November, 2006

Way to go Southend!!

And it's not like Manchester United fielded their second team - Rooney and Ronaldo were playing!

It's in and counted!

A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored me for my haircut!

The final total is:

£1045.50

Thank you everyone!!

That's €1,550.95 for all you Germans, 2,599 Australian Dollars or 139,037 Icelandic kronur - I like it in Icelandic kronur the best!

And with that money, we'll be buying:

2 water pumps,

28 chickens,

25 goats,

12 pigs and

2 caterpillar farms!

A huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me! Special thanks must go to Philipp Reutter, Alice Chimusaru and Banbury Postiche for their help :-D

When it started, I would have been really happy to get £100 - I never dreamed that this much money would be coming in - but it's all in and it's all sent off!

Thank you!

PS. Check out the photo in this week's Salvationist!