Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I find snobbery, and its brother inverse-snobbery, to be an almost uniquely Anglo-Saxon (if not British) phenomena. In Italy, for example, both Opera and “fine dining” are enjoyed by all classes. Certainly, a Milanese Taxi-Driver might not go to the Opera or eat in top restaurants as frequently as a Milanese Lawyer - but purely for financial reasons and not because of some sort of “not for the likes of us” internalised class warrior.

Often, in the posts on ER, food/restaurants are derided as being “cheffy”, (“poncy” “too posh”) which not only shows a complete lack of understanding of what dining at this level is all about, but also is bitterly ironic - as many of those Chefs charging £100 for a tasting menu at their restaurants are from poor backgrounds: Tom Kerridge and Gordon Ramsay being good examples of (as they used to say) “working class lads made good”.

 

I suspect a lot of this derision is due to the fact that there are far too many mediocre to barely average restaurants in the UK who jump on the latest trends highlighted in the Sunday Colour Supplements without having a clue about what they are doing (or not having the skill to do it), using flowery language (aka talking utter b0ll0cks) to mask mediocre cooking.

 

 

I do like value for money, but taste is my main reason for not going to a lot of restaurants, an example would be the obsession with adding butter and salt into food in industrial quantities, I know what butter and salt taste like, but I have been left wondering what was that I just ate? My pet hate is the liquid that is served up as mashed potato, it should not be the colour or consistency of something found in a new born babies nappy, it should be light and fluffy and taste, funnily enough, of potato. Nothing to do with snobbery, all to do with taste, most vegetables taste better raw, some of the finest fish I ate was raw(dined with the Japanese Ambassador to London) a trout caught and cooked on an open fire next to the river just on a stick tastes far nicer to me than any I have eaten in a restaurant.

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, BSW01 said:

Good morning everyone 

 

Up a lot earlier than usual as this morning, instead of completing the Sainsbury Grand Prix I’m taking Sheila to the eye hospital to pick up her eye drop prescription. It would be much easier if she could get this from our surgery, but unfortunately, for some unknown reason this particular drug can only be dispensed from a hospital! When we’ve been in the past, the hospitals pharmacy is usually quite first thing, hence to early visit. If we’re back early enough, I’ll do the shopping before dinner, if not, then it’ll get done this afternoon. 
 

Back later.
 

Brian

 

Good luck with the parking as I used to find it packed apart from the half hour spots which always seemed to have spaces.

[Winslow Boy]

31 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

My two (Lucy and Schotty) also watched Crufts with us, with - I suspect - an attitude of “poor bu99ers! But better them than us”.

 

Schotty - our Border Collie mix - seems to enjoy watching the sheepdog trials, but when I casually mention to Schotty “see! They’re working dogs, just like you are” he looks at me disdainfully as though to say “Yeah, So? You expect me to work? I should cocoa”

 

That'll be the non collie half speaking would it.

[iL Dottore]

1 minute ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

That'll be the non collie half speaking would it.

Quite possibly. We know he’s got quite a bit of Labrador in him (as in “if it smells OK and lies still long enough I’ll eat it” bit of Labrador) and probably a lot more besides.

We’ve thought about doing DNA testing on both Lucy and Schotty to find out what sort of mixes they are. Trouble is that most DNA testing on dogs is pretty inaccurate and you have to hunt around for an accurate test and analysis lab. Needless to say a reliable Doggy DNA test won’t be cheap. But we might do it as they get older (apart from clearing up the question of their parentage, the test might flag potential problems to look out for)

[Compound2632]

17 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I don’t remember seeing much plate in Polish restaurants either. 

 

Plates represent capital investment*. Visible plate is under-utilised investment. Therefore in a capital-starved economy, it's inevitable that the smallest plates that will do the job are used.

 

That might still mean that they are rather large plates...

 

*Except in Greece, where I understand they can be treated as consumable items.

[Tony_S]

20 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

and taste, funnily enough, of potato.

We don’t add salt to potato, it is quite horrifying seeing how much MiL adds. I do sprinkle a tiny amount on chips but otherwise salt use is very low here. 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a very windy rock that is basking in 10c, er, overcast.  Despite the wind the ferry appears to have sailed, there'll be some carrot inspection on that for sure.

 

Another lap of the sun completed today, well at 12.30hrs anyway.  It's the Beatles song year. Ugh.

 

Friends were at Crufts competing, as they have Collies I presume it would have been in some obedience or agility class, haven't seen how it went yet. 

 

New mattress delivery tomorrow PM confirmed, so I now have to take my life into my hands clearing out underneath the bed.  Donk is nowhere to be seen, unsurprisingly.

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Friends were at Crufts competing, as they have Collies I presume it would have been in some obedience or agility class, haven't seen how it went yet. 

I must ask my brother if he went. He helps out with his friend’s Malamute at dog shows. He doesn’t really like dogs, very much a cat person, but the dog likes him for some reason. 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

I like dogs but I am not really interested in dog shows like Crufts.

 

Bear isn't into watching Crufts - but if I did then about the only bit that would interest me would be when the doggies are bombin' over the assault course with the owner running beside them.  Why?  Cos' it looks like woofums is having a lot of fun.

[polybear]

Just had an email from the ONS Covid Survey Team - they're pausing (maybe stopping?) the Surveillance Programme this month.  Turdycurses.  Might just squeeze in one more test this month, then it's no more vouchers for this Bear 😢

[Tony_S]

11 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Another lap of the sun completed today,

Happy Birthday @New Haven Neil. 

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

Dark. Raining. 8.8C.*

 

@New Haven NeilHappy Birthday. Have a brilliant day.

 

Toot on the flute and maybe some muddling or, rather, some more grubbying up on the agenda.

I shall have to make it more exciting than it sounds!

 

Take care. Be good. Enjoy the day.

Polly

 

* Oh! And windy...!

 

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by southern42

[TheQ]

Ben definitely doesn't like sheep dog trials, he runs and hides in his safe place at the sound of the whistle...

He probably would have liked the assault course, but both he and us are not capable now..

As for fly ball, he would have liked that, but he wouldn't have given the ball back...

 

Currently blowing 55 mph out there and they've put up the forecast to 60....

Taking Ben on his long walk after this muggacoffee, could be hard work walking into the wind...

Edited March 13, 2023 by TheQ

[DaveF]

Very windy this morning with spots of rain now and then.

 

The first part of yesterday went as usual - e mails, phone calls and church.  At church I was told there are a few bits left from the things I gave them from Mum's to give to those in need, I was asked if they could be sold at the Spring Fayre, that's fine by me.  They are just a few ornaments I didn't want and which happened to get in the same boxes as stuff for church during the big clear out of her flat.  I'll just have to make sure I don't buy them by mistake!

 

I had my usual walk along the promenade, it was mild but windy so it was not as busy as usual on a Sunday morning.  

 

In the afternoon I sorted out more modelmaking stuff, it should be finished in a day or so.

 

In the evening I watched Endeavour which I enjoyed, I decided to "save" David Attenborough for today - in other words I forgot all about it.  Every time I watch his programmes I  remember that Mum knew him and his brother Richard when they were what we now call teenagers.

 

David

 

 

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

51 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Another lap of the sun completed today, well at 12.30hrs anyway.  It's the Beatles song year. Ugh.

 

Happy Birthday Neil!      

 

In Other News

 

It's VERY WINDY!    Just watched the neighbours trampoline fly 50' along their garden towards their house.     Warnings have been provided and remedial action taken - let's hope it's enough!

 

It's OFFICIAL!           Shuttleworth are reverting to the previous access and charging arrangements it has been announced by the Trust.     Fantastic news, sanity returns (IMVHO).

 

Perhaps it was really all just a Bob Ewing dream ..........

 

"The PUPPERS"    are both feeling much better today, hopefully we are well on the way to evicting "That Ruddy Virius" *  - might even consider doing a test soon.

 

   * Trade Mark and fond memories of  Chrisf

 

TTFNQ

 

 

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

11 hours ago, southern42 said:

On the way there, and back, I was forced several times off the pavement and onto the road by people refusing to walk a short distance in single file. It was not as though it was difficult for any of these couples, as two other couples did exactly that - and they got thanked for their consideration. 

If only more people paid attention to the lyrics of Half man Half Biscuit, in particular the song "L’Enfer C’Est Les Autres":

 

Some people don’t know how to walk on the pavement these days

Well it’s not that difficult, there’s hardly a whole host of ways

 

Here they come, love’s young dream, arm in arm, 

Now, I’m not looking for your smile

I’m just asking for some single file

But it’s not forthcoming so I have to assume

That this narrow path belongs to you

And therefore you must be

The Duke of Westminster and his good lady wife

So, I tell you what, I’ll just walk in the road

How about I just walk in the road?

You stay as you are, and I’ll just walk in the road

[Gwiwer]

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

the  v set fleet has been  refurbished

The V-sets have long been the best of the fleet and very able to do the job they were designed for.  Comfortable double-deckers (with toilets plus a small number of seats around the doorways not requiring steps to access them) and at the time I was travelling upholstered in a relaxing pale green leathercloth.  Even on stonking hot days the air-con was good enough to keep a full load cool on the three-hour runs to Newcastle, Lithgow or Kiama.  And you got to see the views.  

 

Their so-called replacements have been found to be too wide and I believe also have fixed rather than flip-over seating meaning you  can no longer have the entire car facing forwards if you so wished.  The V-sets, or those which remain, are soldiering on to at least the Blue Mountains (Lithgow) for now.  

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, DaveF said:

In the afternoon I sorted out more modelmaking stuff, it should be finished in a day or so.

 

 

Now if you just happen to have an Accurascale Deltic/Metalsmith Turntable Kit/Metalsmith Rivet Press/ADM Turntable going in the bin then I just happen to know of a very friendly Bear that's happy to do his bit for the environment.....😂

 

Bear here.....

No wielding of any hot implements carried out as yet - where did the morning go?  It wasn't wasted - which is A Good Thing, but just taken up by routine "needed doing" dross stuff.  Wielding is firmly programmed for this afternoon, however.

 

In other news....

I see that a certain overpaid person is to return to work.  I do hope that as a minimum the Beeb deduct a week's wages (£25K) from his £1.35M a year.  It's possible there may be yet another Rant there....

[PhilH]

Afternoon, still very windy down at the bottom (oo er missus) which I originally put down to my high fibre diet but apparently has something to do with the weather.

 

The day has whizzed by, not particularly good when you get old but to be fair I didn’t get up very early…sucked into yet another Netflix rabbit hole which lasted until the early hours of today. Once again 3d printing all sorts of stuff ranging from 1/35 manual workers (for a diorama depicting the construction of the Atlantic Wall) through 1/72 German railway G10 wagon ( for a 1/72 dio depicting a Schwerer Gustav gun being unloaded from its cradle) to the Army training project.

 

Phew, busy times. Slice of cake and a cuppa now methinks with 5 minutes watching a couple of YouTube videos of my new favourite band (Rival Sons). 

 

Enjoy the rest of your day .

[Tony_S]

Gary L’s annual fee is about 2 weeks wages for some Premier League footballers. The whole professional sport industry involves sums of money that are rather incredible. At least with all the tax they hopefully pay they must be keeping a few hospitals and schools open. 
I have personally only known one retired professional footballer. Ex QPR. When I knew him he was working as a stoker/cleaner at the local gas works in Canterbury. North Sea Gas finished that career off. He was my landlady’s father. I serviced his Moblyette moped for him. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Tony_S

[iL Dottore]

Happy Birthday @New Haven Neil

[jjb1970]

Happy birthday to Neil, have a good one!!

 

On salt, I stopped adding salt a few years ago. Initially food tasted very bland as salt is such a strong flavour. Once you get used to not adding salt ( though I still use it in recipes, in small amounts) you notice all sorts of flavours and salty food just tastes of salt.

 

The problem flavours in SE Asian cooking are ginger and lemongrass. They are essential to so much cooking. If not used then it is clear something is missing and dishes don't taste right, but the tiniest (and I mean tiniest) excess ruins the dish as it just tastes of lemongrass or ginger. They are such strong flavours. My wife can use them with aplomb but I always seem to end up overdoing it.

[Tony_S]

31 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

and salty food just tastes of salt.

We have found that significantly reducing sugar in some dessert recipes lets the dessert taste of the actual fruit used rather than the sugar. 

[TheQ]

We've got the new Attenborough series on now, I'll be navigating by radar station.

Episode 1 start Muckle Flugga that'll be RAF Saxa Vord then.

 

Sadly most of these so called stars will have all sorts of dodges organised to avoid paying tax...

 

The picture frame cleaned up nicely with some white spirit. The rest has been assembled to it.

 

Jib club has two eye loops riveted to it, it took a long time to do though because the lazy tongue riveter jammed. I had to strip down the head to component pieces, , to find two rivet pins jammed in the gripper. It took a lot of effort to get them out.

 

Two doorway floors finished, except for trim which has been ordered, one to go.

 

Decided I need to make some wedges, to tighten up some stair joints which are loose after 117 years of hanging around 

 

[tigerburnie]

4 hours ago, Tony_S said:

We don’t add salt to potato, it is quite horrifying seeing how much MiL adds. I do sprinkle a tiny amount on chips but otherwise salt use is very low here. 

I do add condiments if my taste buds desire it, what I don't want is someone else doing it for me.