I heard a helpful sermon at the beginning of this year about being slow to speak an quick to listen. Maybe that’s why there’s not much going on here.
So, officially, until further notice, no blogging. Haven’t blogged for a year anyway, so no change really. Will start again when / if I have something to say in this format. Thank you!
I hereby present Sainsbury’s with the award for best looking pie. Very dainty details. Good job everyone involved.
As for the taste? Not that memorable. But not as bad as Marks and Sparks. Obviously.
These Marks and Sparks mince pies are a bit of a let down to be honest. They say all-butter on them, but that isn’t very evident from the taste. The recommended time they have to put them in the oven is too long, so the mincemeat was too hot. They look alright, with a simple incision in the top to give that old-school look, but I think that’s what leads them to let all the heat in an burn my tongue. Sibyl said too much mincemeat too. Oh dear Marks and Sparks.
Slides in kids parks / playgrounds were a hit and miss affair. In the summer they were too hot to go down, burn the back of your bare thighs. Rainy days obviously make them off-limits, many a wet butt was experienced. But the right conditions could make them especially enjoyable.
Sometimes they took the risk factor a bit too far with those slides in yer Wacky Warehouse type zones where there was a literal vertical drop pre-slide, which added significant velocity, but the fear, oh the fear before making the plunge. Always worth it though, especially with the ball-pool ecstasy which it was followed by.
Good news first. I’ve found my favourite so far. Waitrose strikes back. These little all butter ones. Pack of twelve. Amazing pastry. My Mama-in-law bought me those.
Before those I was bought other really posh fully organic ones! They were great for a home-made taste.
Then there was the other end of the spectrum, the most commercially lucrative cake company out there… Mr. Kipling of course. Why he stopped writing the Jungle Books I don’t know, those ones aren’t really recommended, bog-standard, tasty, nice pictures on it them too, of two turtle doves too.
This…
Beatles songs. Mucus. Driving lesson this morning. Will I pass on the tenth? Lack of blog posts in recent weeks disappointing, must make up for it. Films. Snowmen. Wife still at work even though heavily pregnant; hard worker.
Even Kate’s Got One!
I saw a woman today as I was strolling my son to Sainsbury’s and she looked at me merrily and I wondered whether there was a particular reason and my question was answered by a badge she was wearing. Have you seen them? Expectant Mothers who may not be visibly pregnant are given these badges so that people will give up their seats for them. What do the badges say? ‘Baby On Board’ of course! Yes, Transport for London are clearly of the opinion that a woman carrying an unborn child — no matter how for along — is carrying a BABY. The badge does not say ‘foetus on board’ or ‘potential offspring on board’. What a lovely smile she gave me.
Pies of course!
I’ve tried three types so far. First of the year were the Sainsbury’s brand. They were a great opener. Crumbly pastry; sugar-covered; good raisin ratio etc. your classic mince pie.
Then I tried Aberystwyth Spar’s version, whilst on a visit back to the Motherland. They had more of a homemade feel. But I was outraged with my friends for not owning a microwave that I could quickly zap them in to get that required warmth. So that ruined things a little.
Most exciting were purchased this week. From Waitrose. They’re branded with a certain Blumenthal brand. They look like pork pies — and you wouldn’t put it past him to actually put pork in them. They’re very very heavily spiced. And I chucked ’em in the oven. And there’s orange flavoured dusting sugar to sprinkle on top. (See above picture). Tasted really Christmassy. Would be disappointed if these were the only mince pies in existence, but as an exciting alternative, yule have to agree they’re very nice.
Much more fun to be had this holiday season. I heard Iceland topped one poll as the best mince pie. What are your recommendations?
Anyone complaining about Christmas stuff being in the shops so early. It’s been happening for decades now, get used to it. It makes sense. Christmas is their busiest time of year, many want to shop early, or at least think about shopping early, the availability of Christmas stock a few months in advance is useful. Stop going on about it.
Just read this article about Seinfeld, if you’ve ever watched the show it’s worth a read.
I think it makes an important point, but one that should especially be taken into account regarding the show that owes it everything — Friends.
The difference between Seinfeld and Friends? If this article is to be taken as correct, the villainy and frankly anti-Christian behaviour in Seinfeld is to be read as satire. But by the time we get to Friends, all the characters have these same heathen attributes — they are all mean, all selfish, all promiscuous, all rich, all prejudiced — but it isn’t satire, we are made to empathise with them.
I remember my Dad saying that he thought the thing people like about Friends was that it had serious bits in it, but I think that’s the thing we should dislike about Friends. By inserting drama it becomes a show which can no longer be read as satire, I can’t watch Friends and think ‘is this what we’ve become?’ — which in theory I can with Seinfeld — I watch Friends and I think, ‘this is what we’re like and I love it’, which is awful and potentially dangerous.
I think my school-friend Zach summed it up well when one day he said, ‘I wouldn’t want to be friends with any character from Friends‘. He’s right. Rachel is a stuck-up, vein, mean-girl; Phoebe can often be homicidal; Ross is psychopathic; as is Monica; Chandler is emotionless and sarcastic to the point of death; and Joey is a greedy womaniser. All these are interesting characteristics in our society worth satirising, but the issue in Friends is that they are celebrated and encouraged.
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