jonab
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Posts posted by jonab
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Another mushroom often neglected is the horn of plenty (Fr. trompette de la mort. It. trombetti dei morti - trumpet of the dead). They are fairly common (very common here) but being black or dark grey in colour, are often overlooked and/or thought to be toxic (due to one of their popular names).
In fact, they are quite delicious. Serve lightly fried with bacon/pancetta on toast for a simple, very enjoyable snack or breakfast or hors-d'oeuvre.
One thing to watch for is that the trumpet shape tends to harbour creepy-crawlies. Have a good look inside them before using.
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Talking of roads being churned up, does anyone remember the state of the roads around Chilwell when the Royal Ordnance was there - together with their tanks which seemed to need daily exercise (like dogs, I suppose) outside the depot on the local highway? One of my lab assistants lived there and her father was a (civilian) tank driver who said they enjoyed churning the road up just to cause consternation in the locals. 1960's (ish).
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Porcini are delicious
sliced and lightly fried in butter and olive oil together with a sliced tomato and
Quotea splash of pernod or fennel seeds.
Served with a good quality spaghetti and a sprinkle of Pecorino.
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1 hour ago, philmayfield said:
I've often been tempted to grow a beard but I don't think I could face the derision!
I've had a beard since I was nineteen (now 73). The time wasted shaving hair off my face up until age nineteen made me realise that there was a lot more to life than that.
As for dyeing my beard (or head hair) - that's a total anathema for me. There's nothing wrong with growing old - and allowing others to be able to that you are rather than hiding behind a mask of artificial brown or black wisps of hair and making it obvious you are searching for lost youth.
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https://www.google.com/maps/place/Le+Bar-sur-Loup,+France/@43.701483,6.989375,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipO_zY3659QmyjkXQrijrqSKOMmFWQm5QhUd6U-Y!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO_zY3659QmyjkXQrijrqSKOMmFWQm5QhUd6U-Y%3Dw203-h152-k-no!7i4032!8i3024!4m5!3m4!1s0x12cc2e53bd1ec8f5:0x40819a5fd979f50!8m2!3d43.701483!4d6.989375
The Gooooooogle of my area. Note the pics on the left include Grasse as well.
(It won't let me post a picture directly)
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Just been thinking that it's not long since the boiler was serviced/cleaned so the thermocouple shouldn't have failed that quickly. That led me on to think that it wasn't properly fitted after the service (it is a bit of a finicky thing and has to be done up really tightly to be reliable - hand tight and half a turn is how the fitting is described). So, I managed to persuade Thierry to get the spanners out and tighten the nut holding the thermocouple in place. He announced that the whole thing was loose and could easily be tightened further - even without a spanner.
So duly tightened and the pilot relighted we're back in business.
Hope yours is as easy, nonnaB.
N.B Thierry is my carer/'chauffeur'/'manservant'.
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I've also been having boiler problems. I know what the problem is and, if I were still mobile, it would be possible to fix it myself. As it is, I can't persuade anyone in the house to replace the pilot light controller thermocouple. It's an awkward job, I'll admit (very poor design of the control unit not allowing easy access for maintenance) but I used to be able to do it so others should be likewise - it doesn't require any exposure to gas or mains electricity and the gas is propane (and easily shut off at the cylinder).
I'm thinking that it might be time to get a modern CH system but I'm far from impressed with these newfangled computerised systems which appear to need replacing every couple of years or so. My current boiler was here when I moved in and must be thirty or so years old. It still works, though, apart from needing an annual clean and an occasional thermocouple replacement.
It's good there is an almost infinite supply of logs available. Nothing quite like sitting by a log fire on a cool evening.
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That thing about deliberately wearing odd socks was a fashion statement a few years ago, wasn't it? Perhaps Benjamin's friend was the one who started it.
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There was a whole Simpson's episode devoted to the direction of water down the plughole.
If this directional thing is true, what happens at the equator? Does the water go straight down or just stay where it is?
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This was made as a protest after the programme had been axed.
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Why do cats only throw up on rugs and carpets?
Dogs do the same.
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When the Bridgford hotel first opened their advertising caused a huge amount of consternation as it showed a picture of one of the rooms and a couple (man and woman) holding hands very affectionately (obviously intent on hanky-panky) but it could be seen that the woman was not wearing a wedding ring. How times have changed!
Another ad for a hotel at about the same time (I thought it was the Bridgford but maybe not) again raising complaints showed a couple, again intent on a 'good night in' but the man was of, let's say, a dark complexion and the woman was white. How times have changed!
That grotty nightclub that was there is the only place I've ever been actually thrown out of - chucked down the stairs, in fact. There was a group of us and I was wearing a quite smart black leather jacket. We were allowed entrance ok but one of the bouncers decided that black leather didn't comply with their dress code and I was told to leave. My mistake was to question why there was no notice anywhere about this dress code and if it was real, why was I allowed in the club in the first place? That was where I learned that you NEVER argue with a nightclub bouncer. I was kicked down a whole flight of stairs and shoved out of the door by a 'woman' bouncer who made the warders in Cell Block H look like the sugar plum fairy.
Perhaps 'Rank Hotel' had even more significance. I remember that sign being there and that bloke with the gong (Bombardier Billy Wells) at the side of it.
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All my socks are plain black. This overcomes a large part of the problem of pairing them up. Even if they aren't actually a pair the casual observer is unlikely to notice that.
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I've built several desktop computers - mainly because it was not possible at the time to buy a ready-made one that had the features I wanted plus the fact that most, if not all, computers until recently were preloaded with rubbish software and games which were of absolutely no use or interest to me.
Building your own computer is not so much a technical exercise in electronics, more assembling a kit of parts. As long as you know which bits are needed and what goes where goes the construction is easy.
You do get a huge sense of achievement when the thing is built - and you know it will do what you need it to do at a fraction of the cost of a pre-made commercial machine and without a load of junk software that you need to delete - although that aspect is not so common now, I believe.
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The first 'proper' computer I owned was a Sharp MZ80 which I bought (after queueing for many hours) from the sale at Lasky's on Tottenham Court Road in 1978. It was a great machine for its time and I learned computer programming (Basic) on that machine.
It is described in the link but I'm sure they have the dates wrong. It cost me £100 more or less (quite a lot of money in those days and that was the sale price).
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According to Robert Robinson on the BBC Weekending programme some years ago, wearing a hat inside a care is a characteristic of Volvo drivers.
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Clive Sinclair was one of the pocket calculator pioneers and, in association with Wireless World magazine (I think it was that), they did a construct-it-yourself calculator. 1972 or 3, I think. I built one. Certainly tested one's soldering skills.
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I’m sure Brew will change that, if you let him. But be very careful, he’s one of those kids who will never want to leave home.
I have enough domestic responsibilities with two dogs, a carer and an elderly couple who look after the property, cook and clean for me.
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do you prefer dad, daddy or papa?
Not being a parent none of the above applies.
Anyway, off to the airport soon to collect the first of my visitors. They can stay at my place rather than scooting off to Monte Carlo multiple times a day, as per last week. Should only be here a day or so, I hope. I don't fancy paying lawyers fees and hotel bills for any longer than that, even though it's only my lawyer that I'm paying for.
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I’ve just been watching the American president spouting his “wisdom” on TV concerning the new American – Mexican – Canadian trade agreement. I now realise why my Canadian licensees were so keen to renegotiate my business terms with them.
I am paid my royalties in US dollars and there is, or will be, debate on just how this new ‘deal’ of Trump will play out by way of a Canadian company using US currency to pay for their goods and services.
The new rules are expected to come into operation at the end of November so, considering how slowly financial rearrangements often take place, it was thought wise to get the ball rolling ASAP and buy me out.
I am more than happy with the new arrangement and I’m expecting their Canadian lawyer and my IP attorney to be here tomorrow to finalise the legal parts.
So, another busy few days!
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None of those quite fit with my memory. I only went to the place once when I was about 9 or 10 but even then I thought the place had delusions of grandeur (not in that terminology at that age though!). They considered it more of a wine and spirits shop rather than an offie.
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Does anyone have any recollection of an off License on Pasture Road, Stapleford run by a George Johnson and his wife, Kath? I've looked on GSV but been unable to locate anything that might be the place. It's a very long time ago when they were there, I'm sure. They had two children boy and a girl. I can't remember their names. They would be in their 60's by now.
Kath Johnson was my cousin and the sister of John Griffin, the fashion designer, already mentioned on these pages. I've already mentioned George Johnson in another thread. Johnson Avenue in Hucknall was named after him.
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I don't know the details about the tank maintenance other than what I have already passed on - not my department! What I do know is that the tanks were above ground (they could be seen from Wilkinson St.) and had manholes top and bottom where maintenance men could gain entry - as you say suited and booted. Not a pleasant job as the tanks were heated (to keep the fat molten) and the fat itself smelled something dreadful. Added to that, there was always a layer of water at the bottom which was particularly foul smelling.
The spillage incident I mentioned takes a lot of imagining the scale of the spill. If the tank was full it contained 500 tonnes of fat which is equal in volume to 25 normal petrol road tankers!
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I agree. There are some much lighter things about working at Gerard's than that!
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Household Items From The Past
in Owt' Abaaht Nowt !
Posted
The only one I have personal experience of is the Goblin Teasmade.
I used it once.
I didn't like the experience of having this machine at my bedside and being woken up by the gurgling noise while it heated the water (20 minutes before the alarm clock was due to wake me) and then having it spurt boiling water in my face as it supposedly filled the teapot - which it failed to do as there was a piece of packing material hidden in the spout where the filling was supposed to take place.
The end as far as I was concerned - off to the jumble sale.