Migraine all cleared up, and it's a lovely sunny day I think the triggers this time were a combination of hormonal cycle, w*rk-related stresses, and deciding to try one of a certain variety of chocolate truffle when drinking port. (Truffles were a Christmas gift from the parental Knotweeds, and Mum did warn me they're strong...). I'm usually OK with wines, but we don't have port very often, so I may have had a larger glass than I ought.
The normal Saturday market wasn't on, so the shopping for the parental Knotweeds has been got from the Queue-up instead. Couldn't get all of it, but the queue for Mr T Cohen's place was out the door and round to the carpark! Now I just have to deliver food, home-grown veg, and slices of Christmas Cake over there.
@Piglet the risi e bisi sounds good. May have to do something similar next time we have ham/gammon.
In recent years white wine has given me terrible insomnia and made me feel quite rough the next day but since I’ve had long covid I have also become intolerant of red wine, which increases my heart rate and causes headaches (there’s a well known phenomenon called ‘holiday heart syndrome’ which describes the effect of alcohol on heart rhythms).
I am, thankfully, tolerant of both red and white wine but lately Mr Nen has found that red wine sits very heavily with him and gives him a bad night's sleep. On the advice of a friend we tried sulphite-free red wine and that's fine for him. It's quite hard to come by, though - I've only found it in Tesco's and our local store only does one type, which went out of stock before Christmas. Fortunately I'd gathered a small supply, but we're running low now.
Vodka is the thing that gives me a stinker of a headache.
I've been for my walk and am glad I went when I did as it's grey and overcast again now.
As I received notification from the Greek delivery god that I’d be getting a parcel this afternoon, this morning I walked into town to deliver a couple of letters before exploring a part of this tiny place that I didn’t know about. When I got back there was another email saying the delivery would be this morning. Ho hum.
I went to Tesco as well (tescavi?) and bought VINUM, including a nice bottle of Languedoc-Roussillon for the kind neighbours who provided enormous dinners for me on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day.
Today shall see the consumption of various oddments in the fridge or bread-bin, as a piece of French CHEESE, some mince PIES, with some SOUP, or kippers (with oatcakes), for lunch.
Sn*w is forecast for Kentish hills (or hills of Kent) later this week, so peeps living down by the river may escape the threat...not being a fan of sn*w, I don't mind, but there is to be a horrible East Wind. You know, the sort of Wind that makes your Ears feel tight, so that you want to give them a half-turn.
It's a bright, sunny day here, although rather cold (BBC weather says it's 1°). I've done the square root of bugger all today, and am now having a lazy lunch of the leftover ham that didn't get frozen, along with the wee bit of red cabbage and carrot that was left, and washing it down with the little miniature rosé Prosecco I got from my boss for Christmas, because why not. 🍷
I'll possibly brave the Patches of Treachery™ later; I'm getting short of contact lens fluid, so a little amble to Boots might be an idea.
eta: @Firenze - loving the conjugations - if we all went, would it be tesceamus?
eta: @Firenze - loving the conjugations - if we all went, would it be tesceamus?
I'm loving them too - tesco, tescas, tescat, tescamus, tescatis, tescant perhaps? Although I confess I prefer tesceamus - it sounds more imposing!
We had a few brief moments of large-flake snow here but it's degenerated into fine rain now. I'm grateful to @Piglet for reminding me that I, too, have some wine miniatures in the cupboard and it would be a waste not to partake thereof before too long. I was also given for Christmas a bottle of gin and passion fruit liqueur which Mr Nen and I sampled last night. We are not sure whether we really like it so clearly need to keep testing it to find out.
It’s proper, pretty winter wonderland snow here. I’m into a new jigsaw my son bought me - of Heidelberg. Bread making will happen soon, followed by some painting - a new watercolour course I’ve enrolled on for painting birds. I was sucked in by an ad - but it’s turned out to be really good.
I’m feeling for my friend. She has been walking miles and miles to get her through each day - she doesn’t have any indoor interests. But now the snow and ice is keeping her in, she sounds very down.
eta: @Firenze - loving the conjugations - if we all went, would it be tesceamus?
I'm loving them too - tesco, tescas, tescat, tescamus, tescatis, tescant perhaps? Although I confess I prefer tesceamus - it sounds more imposing!
We had a few brief moments of large-flake snow here but it's degenerated into fine rain now. I'm grateful to @Piglet for reminding me that I, too, have some wine miniatures in the cupboard and it would be a waste not to partake thereof before too long. I was also given for Christmas a bottle of gin and passion fruit liqueur which Mr Nen and I sampled last night. We are not sure whether we really like it so clearly need to keep testing it to find out.
Do keep on with the testing - it is so important to Get These Things Right.
As regards conjugating the verb tescare, I think you are correct. If my very old recollection of Latin is correct, tesceamus would mean Let us go shopping at Tesco or something along those lines...
I can't offhand think of any other emporia which might lend their names to a Latin verb...apart from Costco, perhaps?
I used to be able to buy half-price Christmas pud at the end of December - no more! I wonder if supermarkets keep it for the following year?
Not just Asda: Tesco and Sainsbury's have been very lacking in post-Christmas reduced goodies (honourable partial exception for Sainsbury's having overbought Stilton, Red Leicester and sausage meat to keep in the freezer). Does it mean that every household bought in pud, cake and turkey rather than half the country going round to the other half for Christmas?
Our daughters have informed us that there is snow on the Twmp, as they went for a walk earlier (I did not join them!) No snow at ground level, though. While still off w*rk until Wednesday, I still have a service to take at 9.00am tomorrow as I did last Sunday. Its probably good practice for return to 'normal' later in the week!
Not just Asda: Tesco and Sainsbury's have been very lacking in post-Christmas reduced goodies (honourable partial exception for Sainsbury's having overbought Stilton, Red Leicester and sausage meat to keep in the freezer). Does it mean that every household bought in pud, cake and turkey rather than half the country going round to the other half for Christmas?
Yes, I think so. Especially when the change to regulations (absolutely necessary) was such a late call. I was planning to cook for 6 for two days over Christmas and was stocking up accordingly. As it turned out I didn't cook at all on the day, as we bubbled with Nenlet1, son in law and his parents, but had we not been doing that I'd have been doing a last minute dash for a small turkey crown and small Christmas pudding.
We had a few minutes of proper snow but it didn't settle. I'm feeling quite envious of @Boogie 's winter wonderland.
Gin and passion fruit liqueur doesn't go with cheese and biscuits, just for your information.
We have had s**w lying here for the past few days - roads were clear but pavements were very treacherous after a day or two. And now, big flakes of the stuff are falling (and, one presumes) settling.
It is most unusual - where we are in quite low-lying, surrounded by higher ground. So we don't, generally, get much of the white stuff and when we do it doesn't linger...
Fortunately neither of us have to leave the house for the next 48 hours...
(Oh, meant to say "Happy New Year" to fellow denizens of the deep...)
Now called Kwiksave, and not bearing a lot of resemblance to the original chain having been bought out and gone mammaries skyward a couple of times. Very handy when oi were a student - I have fond memories of Bangor Kwik-Save's 2lb bags of bacon misshapes!
Gin and passion fruit liqueur doesn't go with cheese and biscuits, just for your information.
O dear. Please don't give up your research, though - perhaps some form of sweet biscuit might be a better choice?
I must admit that GIN and passion fruit liqueur does sound rather tasty. I shall have to have a look next time tesco.
Research will continue, never fear. I frankly wouldn't purchase said liqueur myself, but it was a gift and it would therefore would be rude not to drink it.
We've had snow truly falling and truly settling here. Not much of it, but quite exciting all the same.
Forecast says a little snow for us on Tuesday, but I doubt it.
I used to love snow, and would wrap my little ones up and be out in it as soon as we saw the first few flakes. I have very fond memories of pushing the pram out in the late afternoon darkness, on some 'urgent' shopping trip to the Co-op.
Wouldn't dare go out in it these days, far too unsteady on my feet!
I wouldn't mind a few more frosty mornings, for the garden's sake.
Here, approx 80km north of Boogie and 60km west, we have no snow, but a biting northerly wind. Snow fell overnight on the 30th, I think, but disappeared in the dark hours of New Year’s Day.
Forecast here just cold with varying degrees of glum. We did have snow on New Year's Day when I got up - think socially-distanced icing sugar, though, nothing to write home or even get excited about.
Here, approx 80km north of Boogie and 60km west, we have no snow, but a biting northerly wind. Snow fell overnight on the 30th, I think, but disappeared in the dark hours of New Year’s Day.
Other things disappeared in the dark hours of New Year's Day, I fear.
Asda, Asdas,I love a glass
Of a cider or Prosecco
Of the wines of Thrace I nominate a case
That I will gladly neck-oh
Quotes file!
The amble to Boots was in vain: they were shut. I don't begrudge them though; retail staff get few enough holidays as it is, and it was a very pleasant amble.
I decided as I was leaving the house that I'd apply some road-salt* to the Patches of Treachery™ on the walkway, and one of my new neighbours happened by and introduced himself, which was nice.
* I thought I might have seen the last of that when I left Canada, but sadly not ...
I'm now grazing on mushroom pâté, CHEESE (Cheddar flavoured with Laphroaig whisky and Wensleydale with cranberries, since you ask), crackers and TOAST, along with a few grapes and a glass of WINE for supper, and I think I'll heat up a splat or two of Christmas pudding as well.
Spotted Creme Eggs, mini eggs and others in Tesco today, alongside a "seasonal" banner which had pastel coloured eggs in its background.
Our son had been hankering for a takeaway pizza throughout the Christmas period, so it came to pass this evening when we noticed the local independent place was back open again. The car took a bit of thawing before I went to collect it.
Gin and passion fruit liqueur doesn't go with cheese and biscuits, just for your information.
It might go with Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or mince pies though.
If I were drinking something of a postprandial nature with CHEESE, it would be port.
Indeed. We've run out of port chez Nen, however.
There's no leftover Christmas pudding here (see above) but I did have the liqueur with mince pies and brandy butter as a dessert. It was indeed most pleasant.
If I were drinking something of a postprandial nature with CHEESE, it would be port.
Especially if said dairy product was either a fine vintage Cheddar, or Stilton.
BTW I like my Port fairly dry, yet I'm not keen on tawny ... what about you? When we lived in Lisbon we used to like a Ferreira Port called "Dona Antonia" but I've only seen it once in Britain, at Selfridges.
I'm no connoisseur (I'm perfectly happy with Cockburn's Ruby), but I remember Warre's Nimrod being a family favourite.
I have fond memories of a Christmas back in the early 1980s when Mum and Dad were given presents of three bottles of port by various friends, and by New Year we'd drunk them all and had to get in some more. Our next-door neighbours, who didn't do late night Hogmanay, came over on New Year's morning, and when I put in an appearance, my dad said, "glass of port, Piglet?".
It’s a beautiful day today - crisp, cold and sunny. I saw some bulb shoots sticking out of the snow and thought ‘spring will come.’ A cheering thought. 🌸
All this talk of alcohol has made me lightly envious as we're doing dry January. We do it every year and usually I don't miss drinking until much later in the month. Maybe it's the cold and dark or the miserable political news, but I could really do with a glass or two of red wine in the evenings.
We've had a very lazy few days, and it looks to continue today. We may poke our noses outdoors for a walk, but on the other hand we might not.
It’s a beautiful day today - crisp, cold and sunny. I saw some bulb shoots sticking out of the snow and thought ‘spring will come.’ A cheering thought. 🌸
Reasonably bright here and, yes, lots of shoots coming up in the garden. I put a lot of crocuses in our little front lawn (well, patch of grass) and am hoping for a nice display. Also hellebores and primulas are in flower
Gin and passion fruit liqueur doesn't go with cheese and biscuits, just for your information.
I would try that with a high quality plain vanilla ice-cream, maybe in brandy snap baskets. It is the contrast with the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream not particularly the compliment with the brandy snap baskets that make it. My lactose intolerance has left me with a lack of knowledge of plain creamy desserts but I would try it with any that you fancy.
Comments
The normal Saturday market wasn't on, so the shopping for the parental Knotweeds has been got from the Queue-up instead. Couldn't get all of it, but the queue for Mr T Cohen's place was out the door and round to the carpark! Now I just have to deliver food, home-grown veg, and slices of Christmas Cake over there.
@Piglet the risi e bisi sounds good. May have to do something similar next time we have ham/gammon.
I am, thankfully, tolerant of both red and white wine but lately Mr Nen has found that red wine sits very heavily with him and gives him a bad night's sleep. On the advice of a friend we tried sulphite-free red wine and that's fine for him. It's quite hard to come by, though - I've only found it in Tesco's and our local store only does one type, which went out of stock before Christmas. Fortunately I'd gathered a small supply, but we're running low now.
Vodka is the thing that gives me a stinker of a headache.
I've been for my walk and am glad I went when I did as it's grey and overcast again now.
Plodded through the white up to Tesco (Tescare, Tescavi, Tescatum) and Vino (Vini, Vinum, Vinis).
Today shall see the consumption of various oddments in the fridge or bread-bin, as a piece of French CHEESE, some mince PIES, with some SOUP, or kippers (with oatcakes), for lunch.
Sn*w is forecast for Kentish hills (or hills of Kent) later this week, so peeps living down by the river may escape the threat...not being a fan of sn*w, I don't mind, but there is to be a horrible East Wind. You know, the sort of Wind that makes your Ears feel tight, so that you want to give them a half-turn.
Only, of course, you can't.
I'll possibly brave the Patches of Treachery™ later; I'm getting short of contact lens fluid, so a little amble to Boots might be an idea.
eta: @Firenze - loving the conjugations - if we all went, would it be tesceamus?
I'm loving them too - tesco, tescas, tescat, tescamus, tescatis, tescant perhaps? Although I confess I prefer tesceamus - it sounds more imposing!
We had a few brief moments of large-flake snow here but it's degenerated into fine rain now. I'm grateful to @Piglet for reminding me that I, too, have some wine miniatures in the cupboard and it would be a waste not to partake thereof before too long. I was also given for Christmas a bottle of gin and passion fruit liqueur which Mr Nen and I sampled last night. We are not sure whether we really like it so clearly need to keep testing it to find out.
I’m feeling for my friend. She has been walking miles and miles to get her through each day - she doesn’t have any indoor interests. But now the snow and ice is keeping her in, she sounds very down.
Do keep on with the testing - it is so important to Get These Things Right.
As regards conjugating the verb tescare, I think you are correct. If my very old recollection of Latin is correct, tesceamus would mean Let us go shopping at Tesco or something along those lines...
I can't offhand think of any other emporia which might lend their names to a Latin verb...apart from Costco, perhaps?
Bright and cheery here, no snow (yay) and a lunch of fried things and fishcake - which was very tasty indeed!
I used to be able to buy half-price Christmas pud at the end of December - no more! I wonder if supermarkets keep it for the following year?
As regards Christmas puds, you may be right. I have one in stock, bought (IIRC) back in November, and its *Best Before* date is March 2022...
Not just Asda: Tesco and Sainsbury's have been very lacking in post-Christmas reduced goodies (honourable partial exception for Sainsbury's having overbought Stilton, Red Leicester and sausage meat to keep in the freezer). Does it mean that every household bought in pud, cake and turkey rather than half the country going round to the other half for Christmas?
Asda, Asdas, Asdat?
Asda, Asdas,I love a glass
Of a cider or Prosecco
Of the wines of Thrace I nominate a case
That I will gladly neck-oh
Asda (surely singular? - plural Asdae) did have some mincemeat left, while Lidl was positively surfeited with mince pies earlier this week ...
Aldi, OTOH, is clearly the plural of Aldus.
Lidl, however, belongs to no language known on earth, and is probably something to do with Cthulhu and his minions.
Yes, I think so. Especially when the change to regulations (absolutely necessary) was such a late call. I was planning to cook for 6 for two days over Christmas and was stocking up accordingly. As it turned out I didn't cook at all on the day, as we bubbled with Nenlet1, son in law and his parents, but had we not been doing that I'd have been doing a last minute dash for a small turkey crown and small Christmas pudding.
We had a few minutes of proper snow but it didn't settle. I'm feeling quite envious of @Boogie 's winter wonderland.
Gin and passion fruit liqueur doesn't go with cheese and biscuits, just for your information.
My Greek delivery good parcel arrived early this afternoon - well done to their hard working drivers with their tight schedules.
O dear. Please don't give up your research, though - perhaps some form of sweet biscuit might be a better choice?
I must admit that GIN and passion fruit liqueur does sound rather tasty. I shall have to have a look next time tesco.
Do you remember Kwik-Save? - very much a name of its time.
It is most unusual - where we are in quite low-lying, surrounded by higher ground. So we don't, generally, get much of the white stuff and when we do it doesn't linger...
Fortunately neither of us have to leave the house for the next 48 hours...
(Oh, meant to say "Happy New Year" to fellow denizens of the deep...)
Research will continue, never fear. I frankly wouldn't purchase said liqueur myself, but it was a gift and it would therefore would be rude not to drink it.
We've had snow truly falling and truly settling here. Not much of it, but quite exciting all the same.
I used to love snow, and would wrap my little ones up and be out in it as soon as we saw the first few flakes. I have very fond memories of pushing the pram out in the late afternoon darkness, on some 'urgent' shopping trip to the Co-op.
Wouldn't dare go out in it these days, far too unsteady on my feet!
I wouldn't mind a few more frosty mornings, for the garden's sake.
Other things disappeared in the dark hours of New Year's Day, I fear.
Quotes file!
The amble to Boots was in vain: they were shut. I don't begrudge them though; retail staff get few enough holidays as it is, and it was a very pleasant amble.
I decided as I was leaving the house that I'd apply some road-salt* to the Patches of Treachery™ on the walkway, and one of my new neighbours happened by and introduced himself, which was nice.
* I thought I might have seen the last of that when I left Canada, but sadly not ...
I'm now grazing on mushroom pâté, CHEESE (Cheddar flavoured with Laphroaig whisky and Wensleydale with cranberries, since you ask), crackers and TOAST, along with a few grapes and a glass of WINE for supper, and I think I'll heat up a splat or two of Christmas pudding as well.
It might go with Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or mince pies though.
If I were drinking something of a postprandial nature with CHEESE, it would be port.
Our son had been hankering for a takeaway pizza throughout the Christmas period, so it came to pass this evening when we noticed the local independent place was back open again. The car took a bit of thawing before I went to collect it.
Or has Slushtide been cancelled, as Yuletide was?
Yes - round about half-past March...
I do hope the display was in the correct liturgical colours (shades of pink).
There's no leftover Christmas pudding here (see above) but I did have the liqueur with mince pies and brandy butter as a dessert. It was indeed most pleasant.
BTW I like my Port fairly dry, yet I'm not keen on tawny ... what about you? When we lived in Lisbon we used to like a Ferreira Port called "Dona Antonia" but I've only seen it once in Britain, at Selfridges.
I have fond memories of a Christmas back in the early 1980s when Mum and Dad were given presents of three bottles of port by various friends, and by New Year we'd drunk them all and had to get in some more. Our next-door neighbours, who didn't do late night Hogmanay, came over on New Year's morning, and when I put in an appearance, my dad said, "glass of port, Piglet?".
Port for breakfast ...
Just had a fun evening of Taskmaster at home, over zoom.
eta: cross-post - I was replying to BT.
Mr. S, grimly - 'I see that excessive alcohol intake has been linked to dementia'
Me, ever optimistic - 'I shouldn't worry about it. If the radon and covid haven't got us by then, the woodburning stove will have done!'
We've had a very lazy few days, and it looks to continue today. We may poke our noses outdoors for a walk, but on the other hand we might not.
I would try that with a high quality plain vanilla ice-cream, maybe in brandy snap baskets. It is the contrast with the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream not particularly the compliment with the brandy snap baskets that make it. My lactose intolerance has left me with a lack of knowledge of plain creamy desserts but I would try it with any that you fancy.