AS: Tea and biscuits and GIN, the British thread

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  • Curiosity killedCuriosity killed Shipmate
    edited April 2018
    Out to see The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff last night which may turn up on Radio 3 as I was chatting to someone who's hoping to organise it in the bar afterwards. It's the story of an amazing character - born in 1920, he walked to London aged 15 at the time of the Jarrow march - he came from Stockton-on-Tees, fought in the Spanish Civil War then WW2. Written and performed by The Young' Uns around the words of the man himself recorded for the IWM in 1986 and a backdrop of photographs and newspapers of the time.

    (That particular bar has singing, which is why I went down there.)
  • Indeed it does, and the pub of which I spoke makes sure that very tasty short-crust (?is that the term?) pastry adorns its PIES.
    :grin:

    I may have mentioned before that My Old Mum was famous for her blackberry-and-apple PIE, which she encased in a wonderful flaky pastry made with illegal amounts of BUTTER.
    :smiley:

    IJ
  • My Mum made a lovely pastry she called Rough Puff. When cooked it came in layers, and the juice/gravy soaked into the bottom layer (but not the rest). Absolute bliss!
  • O drool......yes, indeed - the Juicy Bottom Layer! They don't make 'em like that any more....

    IJ
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    If you want really good PIES, and you happen to be in London, head to Porter's English Restaurant in Covent Garden - they know what's what. I'm not a huge fan of pastry, so my usual choice there is the fisherman's PIE, which has scrumptious smoked haddock in a creamy sauce topped with mashed potatoes. **drool**

    In the unlikely event of your having room, the bread-and-butter pudding is just as it should be.
  • MMMMMM Shipmate
    Porter's is no longer, Piglet.

    MMM
  • Thus passes the glory of the world....
    :weary:

    IJ
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    edited April 2018
    You wrote that in English, not Latin? Is Outrage! We's prop'ly 'heducated on this 'ere thread, I'll 'ave you know.
  • @Baptist Trainfan but posting sic transit gloria mundi would require posting the translation, far quicker not ...

    Porter's isn't completely gone, just moved to Berkhamsted. I read Piglet's recommendation and thought I hadn't seen them recently, not sure they're still about, so bothered to check - they moved in early 2015.
  • How was Johnny Longstaff, CK? I have a huge soft spot for the Young ‘Uns and have seen them live a couple of times. They’re amazing musicians - very understated and unshowy, and also terrific entertainers - my sides genuinely ached from laughing.

    I also got to go to a recording of The Transports last summer because a friend requested tickets and then forgot that she had! It was great - the Young Uns, Faustus, Nancy Kerr et al all together. I love Faustus. Sigh. :smile:
  • You wrote that in English, not Latin? Is Outrage! We's prop'ly 'heducated on this 'ere thread, I'll 'ave you know.

    O - I thought the Latin version meant that Gloria was taken ill whilst riding in the van on Monday...

    IJ

  • Curiosity killedCuriosity killed Shipmate
    edited April 2018
    The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff[ was great - a bit like The Transports which I saw in January (and at Shrewsbury). Just the Young 'Uns in a packed Cecil Sharp House, plus a small sound and visuals team of 2 providing the screens for photographs behind of newspaper front pages or photos of Johnny with or without others, which was up while we were listening to the narrative sections. The story telling came either from Johnny Longstaff's own words recorded for the IWM, or Sean or David talking about him. David edited the narrative according to the newspaper programme notes. Mostly unaccompanied vocals in harmony, keyboards from either David or Michael for a few tracks, David on harmonica with Michael on keyboards, Michael on guitar for one track. Better than Sam Sweeney's Made in the Great War because most of the songs will stand alone - a couple are on Strangers. David did a couple of his naughty songs from the keyboards, briefly ...

    They were going to come down to the bar, but hadn't when I left as they were helping pack the vans - well Michael and Sean were - with the people on AV and sound. No album for this yet, but hoping to produce one, according to the merchandise/AV team.

    I love Faustus too - and had a ticket to see them last month, over-optimistically and couldn't go. I have seen them a couple of times and Belshazzar's Feast. I did smile last time I saw Faustus because John Kirkpatrick at Hartlepool was most rude throughout his set about stringed instrument players, like Benji.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Porter's isn't completely gone, just moved to Berkhamsted ...
    I'll have to look up Berkhamsted - is it on the Tube?
    ... posting sic transit gloria mundi would require posting the translation ...
    Many moons ago, when Peter Mandelson resigned from his Cabinet post because of some impropriety (can't remember now what it was), the following letter appeared in the Torygraph :
    Dear Sir,
    Sic transit gloria Mandy
    :mrgreen:

    ION, our weather's still having a laugh - we got a couple of inches of sn*w last night. :disappointed:

  • That does sound great, CK. I’m quite envious. I’ve only been to Cecil Sharp House once, to see Spiers and Boden. (Swoon.) It’s quite the oddest place, and I mean that as a huge compliment. I seem to remember a huge Lego tower around the central staircase? - this was a while ago. There were English country dancing classes taking place downstairs while we went to the gig upstairs. People were knitting in the audience.

    It remains one of my favourite gigs ever - it was the due date for the pregnancy that miscarried, so was always going to be a bit emotional. I had a pint and said hello to Jon Boden, which helped the heartache no end.
  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    edited April 2018
    Love Faustus. Belshazzar gets to sound a bit morose after a while. I haven't heard S&B together. Bellowhead were magnificent but far too loud!
  • They did tend to the loud, it’s true. The ringing ears in bed after every time I saw them reminded me happily of the rock gigs of my youth, though.

    Another sigh. I really, really miss them. We used to see Bellowhead every autumn, and Spiers & Boden every spring.
  • Two of the other things I missed last month, March having been pretty much a write off, were Spiers and Knight at Cecil Sharp House (1 March) and Jon Boden performing Afterglow as an acoustic set at a campfire (8 March) - one of the Campfire Club dates from the Nest Collective. I'm not that happy I missed either of these.

    Belshazzar's Feast are hilarious live. I didn't buy any of their albums for ages because I didn't think that the albums would stand up to the live shows, where anything segues into something that takes their fancy - Swan Lake? They do a consequences thing from the country dance tunes books - which has been different every time I've seen them. At Cambridge they had Jon Boden playing triangle for a note on one of the pieces. I hadn't expected that the albums to be played straight, but we love their Christmas album, Stocking Fillers.
  • Meanwhile, returning you to our Culinary Channel, I partook yesterday, in our community centre café, of Mushroom and Thyme SOUP. A most delicious combination.

    If it had been a minute portion, I should have had to order seconds, but it was a large bowl's-worth. Congratulations to the new young chef!
    :mrgreen:

    IJ
  • Cecil Sharp House remains eccentrically delightful. I am back there a couple of times next month. The country dances still happen downstairs in one of the rooms there, along with the bar and café. And they host the London Folk Festival - a one day event that spreads across the building and out into the gardens. This year will be the 5th. I discovered it a couple of years ago looking out for Faustus gigs.
  • Back in the days when my knees and legs were rather more flexible, the then Mrs. BF and I used to go to quite a few folk/country/barn dance functions (especially those organised by the local Wine Circle).

    Alas, all I can manage now is a bit of toe-tapping, but I still enjoy a drop of folk music now and then!

    Most of the bands (?) you guys mention above are rather beyond my ken. Perhaps they post-date my Yoof?

    IJ
  • We went to see the Weeping Window installation at Hereford Cathedral today. I've seen pictures of the original, and knew that this was only part of the original, but it is still spectacular and very moving.
    Apparently, they get between 5-7000 people going to see it each day.
  • Indeed it is.

    Link

    IJ
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Bellowhead were magnificent but far too loud!

    Surely the clue's in the name? :sunglasses:
  • LOL! Not rocket science, exactly, eh?

    Actually, having checked out some of their videos on Mr. YouTube's useful channel, I reckon they're rather good (or perhaps were, given that they seem to have split up a couple of years ago).

    IJ
  • We went to Bellowhead's final tour concert in Cardiff - as has already been said, there were far too loud - brilliant, but too loud. In some ways, the DVD was better than the live concert for that reason!
  • Ooer - perhaps I didn't have the sound on YouTube up to 100%!
    :grimace:

    IJ
  • Curiosity killedCuriosity killed Shipmate
    edited April 2018
    I have ear plugs. And I saw Bellowhead in London on their final tour, among other times. Regret not gambling I could get tickets to the final night in Oxford and booking a night in the hostel, because when the tickets were released there were no beds.

    I also need the ear plugs for Oysterband, Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, Skipinnish, Skerryvore and Eliza Carthy and the Wayward Band to name a few more loud folk bands.
  • Hmm.....do all these bands perhaps have shares in Earplug Making Companies??
    :naughty:

    IJ
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Priscilla wrote: »
    We went to see the Weeping Window installation at Hereford Cathedral today. I've seen pictures of the original, and knew that this was only part of the original, but it is still spectacular and very moving.
    Apparently, they get between 5-7000 people going to see it each day.
    I love the Weeping Window installations - the first one after the Tower of London was at St. Magnus Cathedral, and they also looked pretty damn good at the Ulster Museum.

    Nice service this morning - Cranmer's matchless prose and Darke in F communion setting - happy piglet.

    :smile:
  • Used as I am now to the contemporary-language Common Worship Order One with added Carflick bits, I do still hanker occasionally after Cranmer's matchless prose - but (shield your eyes, O piglet) in the form of the 1549BCP!

    The disjointed and over-cross-centred 1662 BCP Communion Service just doesn't do it for me...(though a simple congregational Matins or Evensong is OK).

    IJ
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    I was a reprobate and skived church altogether. I did however spend the morning giving baby en rouge an extended cuddle.

    He's doing very well. They're going to try a breathing system that isn't pressurised and if he tolerates it well for extended periods he'll be able to leave intensive care <crosses all fingers and toes>
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Oh yes - everything crossed for baby en rouge xx
  • Indeed. I think that, under the circs, LVER has her priorities right!

    IJ
  • Priscilla wrote: »
    We went to Bellowhead's final tour concert in Cardiff - as has already been said, there were far too loud - brilliant, but too loud. In some ways, the DVD was better than the live concert for that reason!
    Agreed. We deliberately missed their final tour.

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Hurrah for baby en rouge - here's to lots more cuddles!

    BF, the version of the BCP we use is Canada 1962, which suits me very well. :)
  • LothlorienLothlorien Glory
    edited April 2018
    Indeed. I think that, under the circs, LVER has her priorities right!

    IJ
    Very much so and such good news to hear of baby

  • Brilliant news that he's doing so much better la vie en rouge.

    Another Sunday, another A&E - this time we were directed to go in by 111 under our own steam, hence choosing the hospital in the opposite direction as it has better public transport links, particularly on a Sunday evening. There's a noticeable difference between how well hospitals with different care ratings work. The local one is just out of the equivalent of special measures, the A&E being one of the departments that was failing, and it shows. Yesterday's hospital is rated much better.
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    Sorry that the Kitten keeps on ending up in A&E. Having been in quite a few hospitals with my mum recently there seems to be differences not only bewteen hospitals, but between departments. The eye department that my mum goes to looks really run down, but I popped to the loo in the building opposite and it was really flash.
    Great news about baby en rouge. Cuddles sound like a very good thing.
    While out walking at Easter we came across what looked like a promising Indian restaurant. We went for another walk this weekend, and stopped to have dinner there on our way home. It lived up to expectations and we'll be back. We've lived here five and a half years, but that is the first good Indian restaurant we've come across. We were surrounded by loads where we lived before, maybe something to do with posh and not so posh parts of London?
  • (Just read up on baby en rouge’s arrival).
    Wonderful news about cuddles and trialling a new breathing system. Crossing everything that all goes really well.

    So sorry about another trip to A&E, CK.
  • :heart: for mothers everywhere, including CK, maman en rouge, and all the old dears who drive us crazy over on the Aging Parents thread :heart:

    Mrs.S, wondering how she'll end up!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    CK, sorry to hear the Kitten's been unwell again - prayers ascending for her swift recovery (and hopefully no more trips to A&E, good or otherwise).

    It's another bonny but cool day here again - although the temperature hasn't made it above 0°, the sun is shining and the view from the château is very pretty indeed.
  • What is this thing called View of which you speak?

    Any such view which might exist around here has been obscured for most of the day by Fog.

    And Rain.

    And Mist.
    :cry:

    IJ
  • Any such view which might exist around here has been obscured for most of the day by Fog.

    And Rain.

    And Mist.
    I suggest keeping the curtains closed, and looking at Warming Travel Brochures.

  • Or a glass of GIN.
    :smirk:

    IJ
  • Why not travel brochures accompanied by a glass of GIN?
    :wink:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Very sensible suggestions. Our View is sometimes rendered absent by Ill-natured Weather - in fact it was, just the other day - but not today, and we had a pretty damn good sunset too.

    We like living here. :smile:
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Get well soon Kitten xx

    I’m starting Pilates classes on Friday and the puppy is coming with me. He has perfect posture and balance so he doesn’t need to take part, he will be lying on his blanket with a chew watching proceedings. I’m taking him today to practice settling with just me in the room.

    :)
  • The Pilates plus puppy sounds fun.

    We ended up in A&E again yesterday because her breathing wasn't great. Taken in by ambulance but released soon afterwards - basically their nebuliser plus upping one of the steroids seems to have worked. It's just that it's the steroid she's trying to stop taking (Prednisolone) and this is the second time she's had to go back up to original 40mg a day to stabilise again. First time coming off it in 5mg reductions she got to 15mg a day, this time it was 20mg, before she completely destabilised. Apparently this is normal according to the A&E specialists we've seen. (This is on top of very high level anti-histamines and another steroid.) This is why she moved back home to write up, not safe to live alone any more.

    I'm enjoying the cloudy grey weather, even if everyone else is not. There's less risk of sunburn going out the greyer it is, although I have a new and different SPF 50 sun cream to use.
  • O dear.

    <candle> for poor Kitten, and CK.

    Yes, the grey weather may be either welcome or depressing, but all I hope for is that it will just get a bit warmer.

    Also, that the grass at Our Place will dry out sufficiently for me to use the official lawnmower - apart from keeping the church grounds looking neat and tidy (important for someone with CDO*), it's good exercise for the Episcopal Legs and Knees.

    (*CDO is the same as OCD, but with the letters in the correct alphabetical order. Let the reader understand).

    IJ

  • Just to lighten the tone a little, a clip from BBC news that shows that Our Dear Queen has a sense of humour...
    bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-43714489/her-majesty-and-the-naturalist-took-a-stroll-around-the-palace-grounds

    :wink:

    IJ
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