Lent - starts today

This blip is dedicated to 3 people I like to think of as really good friends; I can't explain the friendship but I treasure it. We are all ex-colleagues, Nigel, Phil & Paul, living in various parts of the UK. They have all helped me out personally at one time or another. This year is the 30th anniversary of my first meeting with Phil, the others followed a year or two later. I haven't seen Paul & Phil for many years but Nigel keeps us connected. Nigel & I worked together in Germany (1990) until he returned to the UK for the birth of his 1st child, Jemma who made her visit to Munich with Dad in 2009. We managed to spend a day doing the Neuschwanstein, Oberammergau, Linderhof, Reutte tour & a quick supper at our place. Great day if somewhat hectic, costing Nigel a few grey hairs as we "flew" down the autobahn; co-driver was never his prefered seat in a car.  

On Monday, I visited the local cooperative farm store to get wheat for the chickens and at the till I could not resist this case of beer. It's "Starkbier" brewed especially for "Lent" which starts today. I immediately thought of "Last of the Summer Wine", P+P+N sitting at some idyllic cricket ground sipping a pint of beer.

Lent is often called the "5th Season" of the Year - Starkbierzeit - and another reason to brew a special strong beer. Wiki has an explanation of Bockbier which these 3 beers are. The "Allgaeu Brewery" from Kempten not far from where I live, has the name "Cambonator" and this is what triggered the Summer Wine link, "Compo". There is no suggestion that N+P+P have any resemblance to the character Compo; Paul & Nigel come from the dales but on the other side and their figures resemble more the Chippendales than Compo's!

So to Nigel, Phil & Paul - cheers lads and I hope you eventually get yourselves sorted for the meeting to take place here. No cricket but it would be a veritable feast to hear the three of you observing & "commenting" on the things going on around you, a talent the three of you share and which I miss.