The Night Mail

[polybear]

6 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Don't want to pour water on your celebrations but don't you think they could have at least got the colour of the cake decoration correct.

 

It looks as though mice have had a nibble at the 4 o'clock position; Bear was a little dismayed to note the sticky goo didn't extend down the sides as well....or would have been if it wasn't coffee flavour....🤢

[iL Dottore]

On 25/04/2024 at 23:04, figworthy said:

 

Rumour has it that hospitals think that cake is a Bad Thing.

 

Adrian

It depends upon the cake.
 

The cheap ones from the supermarket not only use the cheapest ingredients (e.g. synthetic vanilla flavour vs real vanilla extract) but are also full of all kinds of interesting (ahem) “stuff” to facilitate transportation and extend shelf-life*. Furthermore, far too many are (unnecessarily) sickly sweet. These are definitely Not Good For You.

 

At the other end of the scale are those cakes (homemade or from a patisserie) that are made from best quality ingredients and are sweet but not sickly so. These tend to have a very short shelf-life - in terms of edibility as well as availability (as in they get scoffed quickly). These aren’t terribly good for you, although a slice or two as part of a balanced diet will not go amiss.

 

I can’t remember the last time I ate a shop bought “industrial quality“ cake. The last slice of cake I had was from a variation on a boiled fruitcake that I made last weekend, where – instead of boiling the fruit– the raisins were left to soak overnight in an Irish whiskey liqueur. The result was more than scrumptious (as was the rhubarb crumble cake I made the weekend before that).

 

* an interesting bit of trivia: Mrs iD loves “sliced white” for her toast (we all have our little foibles), so one week I bought a loaf of “sliced white” for her and made my usual wholewheat loaf (just flour, water, salt, fresh yeast [and a little bit of sugar to keep the yeast happy]), as Mrs iD only ever eats a slice or two of toast, the “sliced white” hung around for a bit. By the end of the week the homemade bread had gone hard as a rock (but still edible and used for croutons) whilst the commercially made bread - full of preservatives - had gone mouldy!

[iL Dottore]

19 hours ago, polybear said:

 

.....and a Certain Bear was otherwise engaged in a Warehouse.

What a dastardly trick.....next time I think @Dave Hunt should submit a Birthday Form for Big H's and Bear's approval so we can make sure we're not otherwise engaged.

Don’t blame the Wing Commander. He was - as they say - following medical advice.

 

Having recently had surgery, our <boy in blue> is still recuperating, both physically and psychologically (any major surgery has a degree of psychological impact*). Therefore I advised him that the sight of pachydermal and ursine freeloaders wallowing in, and stuffing themselves with, CAKE would set his recovery back a couple of weeks.

 

Being a sensible chap, he heeded my advice and thus had an enjoyable and stress free birthday.

 

* this is actually true.

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, BR60103 said:

...Said "There's nowt for it but stummick pump."

 

They hadn't a stummick pump 'andy,

But Pa did the best that he could

With a bicycle pump as he'd borrowed,

But that weren't a ha'porth of good.

 

Marriott Edgar Jubilee Sov'rin

 

There was another version that had the goat destroying a U boat that surfaced just offshore. I might even be able to type the words out if my forgettery ©Chrisf allows. 

 

Jamie

Edited April 27 by jamie92208

[iL Dottore]

Regarding Champagne vs prosecco: it depends - I’ve drunk both Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, both were excellent (as you’d expect from a Champagne costing more that £170 a bottle); but most of the time “bog standard” Champagnes aren’t worth the price (although I find that the Heidsieck & C° Monopole Blue Top is a pretty decent “every day” Champagne).

 

The Prosecco exported to the UK is pretty much undrinkable, as is most of the Prosecco exported from Italy (the Italians keeping the best stuff for themselves). Export Prosecco tends to be far too sweet, presumably to cater to local (UK, DACH) tastes (remember Blue Nun anyone?). Hunt around and you can get some really good Prosecco - but the price of the really, really good stuff is heading towards Champagne territory.

 

Our current “go-to” fizzy is from Switzerland and is the Mauler Cuvée Tradition Rosé Brut (see https://www.mauler.ch/fr/catalogue-mauler-cuvees-classiques-cuvee-tradition-rose-75cl-c1-t2-p21.php) at SFr 25 or so a bottle (about £22) it’s worth every penny as it’s easily as good as any Rosé Champagne at three times the price.

 

Edited April 27 by iL Dottore
Missed words

[rockershovel]

10 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Ryobi are similar with their 18v battery fitting all tools.

 

Jamie

No 1 Son has Ryobi tools and there are at least 3 different batteries 

[Northmoor]

41 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

The Prosecco exported to the UK is pretty much undrinkable, as is most of the Prosecco exported from Italy (the Italians keeping the best stuff for themselves). Export Prosecco tends to be far too sweet, presumably to cater to local (UK, DACH) tastes

 

Well, it has be cheap for women on "hen-do's" to down it by the gallon.

[rockershovel]

50 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Regarding Champagne vs prosecco: it depends - I’ve drunk both Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, both were excellent (as you’d expect from a Champagne costing more that £170 a bottle); but most of the time they aren’t worth the price (although I find that Heidsieck & C° Monopole Blue Top is a pretty decent “every day” Champagne).

 

The Prosecco exported to the UK is pretty much undrinkable, as is most of the Prosecco exported from Italy (the Italians keeping the best stuff for themselves). Export Prosecco tends to be far too sweet, presumably to cater to local (UK, DACH) tastes (remember Blue Nun anyone?). Hunt around and you can get some really good Prosecco - but the price of the really, really good stuff is heading towards Champagne territory.

 

Our current “go-to” fizzy is from Switzerland and is the Mauler Cuvée Tradition Rosé Brut (see https://www.mauler.ch/fr/catalogue-mauler-cuvees-classiques-cuvee-tradition-rose-75cl-c1-t2-p21.php) at SFr 25 or so a bottle (about £22) it’s worth every penny as it’s easily as good as any Rosé Champagne at three times the price.

If you think the Prosecco sold in England is undrinkable, you don't know the English. 

 

The English may buy large quantities of wine these days, but still have no palate at all. They drink "supermarket red" (mostly Rioja) or "supermarket white" (Chardonnay) and regard £7 a bottle as expensive. 

 

Sparkling wine is basically ceremonial, like Brussels Sprouts at Xmas

 

This doesn't trouble them at all. Beer, of almost any description, is a PROPER drink. Cider is associated with West Country spud-snatchers, although it is widely drunk (any pub will have it bottled, most have it draught), especially in summer

Edited April 27 by rockershovel

[rockershovel]

Moving along through the gathering insanity of daily life, I find that rejecting modern thinking entirely solves a lot of problems.

 

My good wife's Egyptian crocodile act clearly causes her more problems than enough....

 

Sometimes she comes up trumps, though. She lately ordered milk from a door-to-door delivery and it's rather good; the simple fact of it not having been frozen, and being in a glass bottle not plastic makes all the difference. 

 

[SM42]

It appears that I have to wash the car before breakfast ☹️,  it having recently been the target in a rather successful bombing raid by the local gull infestation. 🤬

 

Luckily there is a car wash less than 500yds down the road so no need to get the hosepipe and buckets out this early. 

 

This is a good thing as the outside tap is still in winter isolated mode and the hose pipe is full of holes anyway. 

 

Later we will be going shopping as Mrs SM42 has a voucher to use. 

 

I will be mainly trying to get various ongoing household projects to progress in the mean time. 

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

9 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

The situation wasn't of my making - honestly. I actually got praise for coping with what could have been loss of an aircraft. It's too involved to go into in detail but it resulted from rapidly deteriorating weather that hadn't been forecast and multiple screwups by air traffic and operating authorities. The thing that saved me was that I got so p!ssed off with what was going on that I declared UDI and ignored what the above mentioned nerks wanted me to do, which would have resulted in us running out of fuel and jumping out.

 

Dave

The magic word....

 

'Unable'

 

I am told it's the equivalent of a laxative rush for ATC.

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Regarding Champagne vs prosecco: it depends - I’ve drunk both Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, both were excellent (as you’d expect from a Champagne costing more that £170 a bottle); but most of the time “bog standard” Champagnes aren’t worth the price (although I find that the Heidsieck & C° Monopole Blue Top is a pretty decent “every day” Champagne).

 

The Prosecco exported to the UK is pretty much undrinkable, as is most of the Prosecco exported from Italy (the Italians keeping the best stuff for themselves). Export Prosecco tends to be far too sweet, presumably to cater to local (UK, DACH) tastes (remember Blue Nun anyone?). Hunt around and you can get some really good Prosecco - but the price of the really, really good stuff is heading towards Champagne territory.

 

Our current “go-to” fizzy is from Switzerland and is the Mauler Cuvée Tradition Rosé Brut (see https://www.mauler.ch/fr/catalogue-mauler-cuvees-classiques-cuvee-tradition-rose-75cl-c1-t2-p21.php) at SFr 25 or so a bottle (about £22) it’s worth every penny as it’s easily as good as any Rosé Champagne at three times the price.

 

Meths is much cheaper, and in the right conditions can really light your taste buds up.

Edited April 27 by Happy Hippo

[polybear]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

* an interesting bit of trivia: Mrs iD loves “sliced white” for her toast (we all have our little foibles), so one week I bought a loaf of “sliced white” for her and made my usual wholewheat loaf (just flour, water, salt, fresh yeast [and a little bit of sugar to keep the yeast happy]), as Mrs iD only ever eats a slice or two of toast, the “sliced white” hung around for a bit. By the end of the week the homemade bread had gone hard as a rock (but still edible and used for croutons) whilst the commercially made bread - full of preservatives - had gone mouldy!

 

Bear keeps his commercial quality Bread in the fridge - it takes a while to use a loaf and I never have issues with mould.

[SM42]

That took longer than I thought. 

 

Had to try  4 car washes before I found one that worked.

 

As usual had to finish the job off at home as not all the gull concrete came off, bit a least the majority did and the rest was softened up to be easily removed. 

 

Time for breakfast

 

Andy

Edited April 27 by SM42

[Oldddudders]

14 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear keeps his commercial quality Bread in the fridge

Unusual. A few decades ago, I recall a London Underground car-card ad campaign by a firm offering office air-con kit. They had a cartoon character called Mr Cool or similar. One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!" Perhaps we should have a fridge-content confessional on here?

[skipepsi]

Just now, Oldddudders said:

Unusual. A few decades ago, I recall a London Underground car-card ad campaign by a firm offering office air-con kit. They had a cartoon character called Mr Cool or similar. One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!" Perhaps we should have a fridge-content confessional on here?

Er NO!

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, skipepsi said:

Er NO!

Now come on Mick - is there something you have been frightened to tell us?

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27 by Oldddudders

[Dave Hunt]

5 hours ago, polybear said:

 

It looks as though mice have had a nibble at the 4 o'clock position; Bear was a little dismayed to note the sticky goo didn't extend down the sides as well....or would have been if it wasn't coffee flavour....🤢

For mice read DH’s forefinger (which nearly got chopped off as a result).

 

Dave

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, SM42 said:

As usual had to finish the job off at hone as not all the gull concrete came off, bit a least the majority did and the rest was softened up to be easily removed. 

 

Time for breakfast

 

Andy

 

Cover the cr@p with a piece of nicely wet kitchen roll for a few minutes - then it'll wipe off.  Saves having to wash the car.  Ask a Bear how he knows.....

[SM42]

10 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Unusual. A few decades ago, I recall a London Underground car-card ad campaign by a firm offering office air-con kit. They had a cartoon character called Mr Cool or similar. One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!" Perhaps we should have a fridge-content confessional on here?

 

The vacuum cleaner attachments. 

 

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Cover the cr@p with a piece of nicely wet kitchen roll for a few minutes - then it'll wipe off.  Saves having to wash the car.  Ask a Bear how he knows.....

 

This is my usual method, but Mrs SM42 insisted the whole car got washed before she went out. 

 

It won't win any concourse awards but at least it looks a bit like the colour it came out of the factory now.

 

Andy

Edited April 27 by SM42

[Hroth]

7 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!"

 

Only in the equivalent of a tupperware* box please!  Wouldn't want the sockiness to spread to edible items...

 

* Other storage box systems are available.

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

It appears that I have to wash the car before breakfast ☹️,  it having recently been the target in a rather successful bombing raid by the local gull infestation. 🤬

We have recently had the same happen to our conservatory roof but judging by the amount of splatter it must have been a South American Condor on its holidays. Unfortunately I can’t take the conservatory to the car wash and since at present I can’t ascend ladders we’ll just have to pray for heavy rain.

 

Dave

 

 

Edited April 27 by Dave Hunt

[Oldddudders]

3 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Only in the equivalent of a tupperware* box please!  Wouldn't want the sockiness to spread to edible items...

Indistinguishable from certain cheeses, however....

[Dave Hunt]

14 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Unusual. A few decades ago, I recall a London Underground car-card ad campaign by a firm offering office air-con kit. They had a cartoon character called Mr Cool or similar. One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!" Perhaps we should have a fridge-content confessional on here?

When we lived in Singapore our house didn’t have air conditioning, just ceiling fans, so Jill used to keep her makeup in the fridge. Like many other RAF wives she also kept freshly laundered knickers there as, “There’s nothing quite like having a shower then stepping into an ice cold pair of panties.”

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

7 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Indistinguishable from certain cheeses, however....

When Jill was a girl her brother would sometimes put a well-worn sock in her pillow case 😖

 

Dave