The Euro-Condon Web Log

0508 (4)

Originally uploaded by condonj.

guess it’s time to catch back up …

In case you are wondering, I’m using this site to test how the Google Adsense program works. If you see something interesting, check it out. If not, please ignore it. Thanks, Jim

I had the best Single Malt Whisky of my life last Friday night. It was a Balvenie Vintage Cask 1971.

“This Rare Whisky was specially selected by The Balvenie Malt Masters from our limited stock of Ancient Reserve Whiskies, and hand-bottled at the Balvenie Distillery on 11 May 2005. Bottled from a Single Vintage Cask No. 8921 which lay undisturbed since 29 June 1971. This bottle No. 105 is one of a limited edition of 189 bottles.”

The bolded text was hand-written. The whisky is a year younger than my wife. The description on the label pretty much says it all …

Jim

We’ve kept our spirits up despite two months of someone in the family being fairly sick. So our holidays were ok but not the best ever. And a last minute project for work took some holiday time away also. I just got back from a quick trip to the States, during which, you guessed it, I got sick. The shivery, achey, feel like hell kind of sick. No fun traveling and alone when that happens. No one to whine to.December was pretty usual. Work, travel, family, work, travel, family … We got a good bit of Esslingen Medieval Christmas Fest in but could always have taken more. We were able to spend Christmas and New Years with Migle’s parents in Vilnius.

Tom, Stephanie, Migle and I had already bought my Mom a ticket to come visit all of us for May, but yesterday I bought her another ticket to come visit us in Stuttgart in March. She was pleasantly suprised.

Nothing else exciting in January yet … more to come …

(the title of the post is a reference to all the various illnesses we have all had over the last few months)

Jim

Migle wanted to try something new and cut her hair short. What do you think?

Happy Holidays, Jim

Thanks Lubo for this picture of me and Kostas at the Esslingen Besen.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Jim

It’s been one month since my last post … and not a lot of blog worthy things have happened.

We are still trying to finish buying a new apartment. We signed the loan and we’re finalizing the contract with the lawyer.

The Besen has opened in Esslingen, in fact, we had lunch there today with Glen and Celine.

More importantly, the Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market and Festival is now going on. This is one of our favorite, perhaps most favorite, festivals in Germany - and its 500 meters from our house.

I posted a few photo’s just now, but nothing major.

We had one of the best Thanksgivings I have had in a while. I have been in a major cooking mood lately and Migle cooked the bird and I cooked everything else. We had two friends over and that made for a enjoyable, relaxing, and fun meal.

Last week was a big week at work. I had a lot of business guests in town.

Next week I’m headed to DC for a few days.

And the week after, we might be going to Garmisch, also for a few days.

And we’ll spend Christmas in Lithuania, like we do each year.

Happy Holidays!

J, M, & K

This year, I began to enjoy a good single malt scotch whisky. Here are the ones I now have in my collection:

• Macallan 18
• Springbank 15
• Highland Park 18
• Macallan 12
• Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserve
• Glenlivet 18
• Glenfarclas 21
• Macallan Twenties
• Craggenmore 12
• Talisker 10
• Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish
• Glenmorandie Sherry Wood Finish
• Glen morangie Maidera Wood Finish
• Aberlour 15

So far, the Macallan, Sprinkbank, and Highland Park are my favorites.

I also have a single malt Irish Whiskey’s - Bushmills 21 Rare and a bunch of other good Irish Whiskey’s including Middleton and Bushmills 16.

Here’s to you …

Jim