philmayfield

It might cure your cough! I remember the nurse saying ‘I’m supposed to be wiping the surgeon’s brow, not yours!

Yes, once perfection has been achieved where can you go from there? There are two little Mayfield’s though. - not so little now!

The last time, many years ago, when I went to the doctors’ for antibiotics for a sore throat I came out with an appointment for a vasectomy. I think he was getting kick back from the surgeon on all the patients he could forward to him!

There are at least 11 subjects that come under the classification of 'humanities' so it requires a collective name to summarise them.

.......... and being a true, adoptive, Scot he’s still watching that TV and using that recorder to this very day. It’s in colour now do you ken.

We got a hostess trolley from there. Never ever used it!

I think the X-ray radiation emitted from those was deemed to be seriously harmful.

A man who looks on glass on there may stay his eye or if he pleases through it pass and then the heaven espy. A bit of religion seeing as it’s Sunday.

I knew a Christopher Peter Cobb. Obviously he was known as Chris P Cobb!

I think he means when he was dining at Rick Stein's posh restaurant!

It’s always very satisfying when it gurgles and disappears though! Touch wood it’s not blocked for a few years!

Well yes I guess so. Thinking back to the good old days before we were on the mains drainage we had similar diameter pipes and even now we have a 6 inch, 150 yard run down to the mains drain on the lane. There are 4 inspection covers though and I do have a substantial set of drain rods.

I suppose if it’s cooked with appropriate sauces and spices where their flavour can be absorbed to ‘kill’ the tripe taste that might be ok, but is that really the point? We should be eating food for its own unique pleasing flavour - possibly enhanced by complementary accompaniments. I only speak as a gourmet eater, not as a gourmet cook!

No, it’s worse than that and yet my parents used to eulogise about eating it after going to the Hippodrome cinema pre war. Times must have been very bad!

Nonna mentions one favourite and one disgusting culinary preparation. Steak and Kidney and tripe. Can someone please explain the joys of tripe?

Funnily enough mention of the Empire Cafe reminds me that they were a client of my firm when I was in the accountancy profession back in the 60’s. Strangely it was owned by Armitages of Colwick, the pet food manufacturers. Heaven knows what they served up!

I think that the English way of eating is traditional ‘home cooking’ and that for many people eating out is a special event. When you eat at a restaurant you’re looking for something more exotic than you have or are able to prepare at home. Pub food tends to follow the home cooking principle but it usually consists of reheated ready meals. In general I don’t think we dine out as much as those on the Continent. There is also the rip off charges for indifferent wines and the drink driving laws that stop us country dwellers going out for a fancy meal. Why have an upmarket restaurant meal when you

Do people in China send out for an 'English Take Away'?

Just thinking back, there did used to be a traditional English restaurant on Mansfield Road, on the corner of Chatham St. where you turn up to go the Arboretum on Sherwood St. I think it's a bookies now. It was called the Old England and they served proper English Food. We went once and had something like steak and kidney pie. I don't know how long it survived.

I believe there was a large bus station underneath the Vic Centre on Milton St. originally but I'm not sure when that was built. The station I was referring to on York St. was much smaller and replaced the original which became extra shopping space for the Vic Centre. I live out of Nottingham and haven't been on a bus in 50 years. There will be others along who will know much more.

I bet you can't pop out to a proper 'English' restaurant like we can go to an 'Italian'. Do other countries have 'English' restaurants - you know - roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, Lancashire hot pot, battered fish and chips?

No, I think this one is contemporaneous with the Vic Centre building although it has seen some changes over its lifetime. The previous nearby bus station was on Huntingdon Street.

My wife and her two sisters all have the same initials VA but different names.

Yes there still is a bus station at the rear of the Victoria Centre behind York House.

I've been twice. Once for funeral purposes and once to eat. Very good fish and chips. Mr. Haddock also had a branch in The Ossington building on Beastmarket Hill in Newark opposite the castle. The funeral was to do with an uncle. As I recollect I was the first to turn up at his house (I was 21 at the time) and then the funeral director arrived alone and I had to act as his assistant. I helped carry the body out to the van. All very strange!