Negligent Blogger Gets Ass in Gear

...and writes. Things have been HAPPENING. Porto Alegre has been going through a relatively rigorous winter, relative to PoA standards that is, while we've not been having blizzards and minus 30 temperatures, it's been cold enough to justify my using three layer apparel when venturing out. Believe me, three layers is a lot for me; and, due to lack of an efficient heating system in my Groovy Little Hippy Pad, two-layer home apparel, including Cornish Chunky (not very fashionable for Outdoor wear), plus Guinness Bobble Hat (without the Bobble). Fact is, it's so cold in the GLHP that I can quite easily leave the fridge door open for hours with no defrosting effect. The butter on the table remains solid enough to rip up my slice of 7-grains wholemeal.
So what has been happening? Since my last post, the fun rugby afternoon at Applebee's, I've gone back to university, this time to study history, I've finished one relationship, always a sad affair, and began another, no details here, suffice to say I'm big happy; I've hoovered under my bed, now THAT'S an event; AND I've become Quiz Master at the Shamrock, quiz night on Wednesdays, Si the Boss bought a posh microphone and speaker set up, now I'm more famous than Silvio Santos and people flock from Miles Around.
One question I'm often asked here is what I miss most from the Land of My Fathers. I recently met one of Rio Grande do Sul's motorcycle brethren who proudly showed me is immense Honda something-unpronounceable-in-Spanish, V-twin. THAT is what I miss most, not only the bike itself, but the whole biker lifestyle, going to shows and festivals in the summer (yes, pissing-down rain an' all, I miss it!). Doesn't have the same feeling here, anything over 500cc is absurdly expensive (import tax of 60%). Here are the last 3 bikes I had.
These are digital photos of prints (I don't have a scanner) so the quality is not the best.
The black one (and that's me looking cool twenty years ago) was the last, Kawasaki ZL1000 Eliminator, went around Israel on that bike (ferry boat from Cyprus where I lived at the time), and from Wales to Madrid, excellent cruiser, very comfortable, could go for miles in the saddle without rest. The red one I had at the same time, BSA A10, 650 twin cylinder, Bertha was her name and a temperamental bitch too, couldn't go over 60mph without something falling off from the vibrations. The Mean Green Machine, Kawasaki Z1100 "Eddy Lawson" replica, also great for touring, went to a few show on that one.
Que saudades!