- "We've had reports of a tall, thin gentleman in a stripey green top hat shouting offers of drugs"
- baby chill out tent had man utd carpet
- Camper van next to giant letters spelling "GOAT SEX?". Inside van, legs could be seen disappearing into the roof area, "that's where they keep the goat" said Z
- Middle of the night in the family camping area, music had all stopped, very quiet then a parrot-like voice (female) struck up...
"Honesty is the best policy...fuck you!"
"it's all blah, blah, blah...fuck you!"
"Fuck you!"
"Just fuck you!"
"It's four, five times now...fuck you!"
etc
Then...
"WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP! IT'S HALF PAST THREE IN THE MORNING, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY CAMP SITE AND THERE'S KIDS IN HERE"
Silence
- 4 proper townies & one kid dressed as a pirate -
"Ey, Benjamin, we gan in the maze?"
"Nah, maze is shite!"
- Who decided that Peruvian clothes would be the default counter culture look?
- Pirate day, 10 am. Not much piratical activity as yet except one guy with skull and x-bones hat and a donkey jacket waving a couple of twigs. A sinister effect slightly spoilt by his Betty Boop pyjamas.
- On a day when the fancy dress theme was pirates or fairies, we were passed by one fella in pink leotard and crash helmet. Also saw a guy dressed as Mr Incredible and a couple of bad spidermen. I put on my pirate hat and was challenged to a fight by a small child in a gorilla outfit.
- B was followed round by a menacing 3 year old girl who kept trying to push him over. She had a blank stare and a fairy outfit.
- 9 am Sunday - Cumbria - farmer's field in a cold wind - a woman in pink, with pink hair and pink fairy wings walked towards the Mongolian yurt....
- Very few non-white people here
- Pirates wore the clothes of the people they robbed. I look like one who hijacked a car full of scruffy townies
- B in a red rain cape in his pushchair looked like a jelly monster. At one point he woke up, yawned, stretched and fell straight out of the pushchair onto his face, cos he wasn't strapped in.
- Food - Peacecake cafe - Camel's Arse (tagline something like "if it's good it came from the arse")
- Purple trousers, kilt, afghan goat herder hat, cat stevens beard - probably works in a bank back home
- An old wandering violinist singing a song called "I wish I was a taliban", which he seemed to make up as he went along, for 3 overexcited women in Morrocan pork pie hats.
- "Is that a little baby?"
"No, its a pig, they just dressed it up - dufus!"
- "Just go off and have fun. Stop shouting at each other"
- "Have yeww gort airnee veeegarn cayke?"
"No"
"Aaarl just have an arrple thern"
Friday, August 25, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Vegetarian Mince Pies
from here
"When I started vegetarian cooking, you couldn't buy mincemeat that didn't have meat suet in it; the same applied to bought mince pies. If vegetarians wanted mince pies, they had to make their own using vegetable suet. Recently, however, I've come to the conclusion that this extra fat isn't really necessary at all; it's just a hangover from when mincemeat actually contained meat. You can make a wonderfully juicy, spicy version without any added fat, or even sugar - the sweetness of the dried fruit alone provides enough.
The only disadvantage of this fresh, light mincemeat is that it doesn't keep for ages - it will last up to a week in the fridge, no longer. This amount of mincemeat is enough for 36 pies, though the pastry is only enough for 12, so you'll have plenty left over to make more.
"When I started vegetarian cooking, you couldn't buy mincemeat that didn't have meat suet in it; the same applied to bought mince pies. If vegetarians wanted mince pies, they had to make their own using vegetable suet. Recently, however, I've come to the conclusion that this extra fat isn't really necessary at all; it's just a hangover from when mincemeat actually contained meat. You can make a wonderfully juicy, spicy version without any added fat, or even sugar - the sweetness of the dried fruit alone provides enough.
The only disadvantage of this fresh, light mincemeat is that it doesn't keep for ages - it will last up to a week in the fridge, no longer. This amount of mincemeat is enough for 36 pies, though the pastry is only enough for 12, so you'll have plenty left over to make more.
125g currants
125g raisins
125g sultanas
50g unsweetened cooking dates, chopped
50g candied peel, chopped
50g natural glace cherries, sliced
50g flaked almonds
half a tsp each ground ginger, grated nutmeg and mixed spice
1 ripe banana, mashed
4 tbsp brandy, whisky or rum
375g shortcrust pastry (or pastry made from 250g flour and 125g fat)
Mix all the ingredients except the pastry in a large bowl. Thinly roll out the pastry, cut out rounds to fit your tartlet tins, fill each with a good spoonful of mincemeat, cover with a smaller pastry disc and prick. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7, then bake the pies for about 10 minutes."
Perfect Apple Pie
From http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6239.0
Perfect Apple Pie
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
6 cups of thinly sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 pie crusts
9 pie pan
Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F, in large bowl combine all filling ingredients; mix lightly. Prepare pie pan by placing one crust into the bottom on the pan. Fill pie pan with apples and place pie crust on top. press edges of crust together and cut 3-4 slits in the top.
Bake in oven at 425°F for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20 min to prepare, 40 min to cook.
Perfect Apple Pie
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
6 cups of thinly sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 pie crusts
9 pie pan
Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F, in large bowl combine all filling ingredients; mix lightly. Prepare pie pan by placing one crust into the bottom on the pan. Fill pie pan with apples and place pie crust on top. press edges of crust together and cut 3-4 slits in the top.
Bake in oven at 425°F for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20 min to prepare, 40 min to cook.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Liverpool Lullaby
My mum used to sing this to me!
Liverpool Lullaby
by Stan Kelly
Oh you are a mucky kid,
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your da
Oh you have your father's nose
So crimson in the dark, it glows
If you're not asleep when the boozers close
You'll get a belt from your da
You look so scruffy lying there
Strawberry jam tats in your hair
Though in the world you haven't a care
And I have got so many
It's quite a struggle everyday
Living on your father's pay
The bugger drinks it all away
And leaves me without any
Although we have no silver spoon
Better days are coming soon
Now Nellie's working at the loom
And she gets paid on Friday
Perhaps one day we'll have a splash
When Littlewoods provides the cash
We'll get a house in Knotty Ash
And buy your dad a brewery
Oh you are a mucky kid,
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your da
Oh you have your father's face
You're growing up a real hard case
But there's no one can take your place
Go fast asleep for Mammy
Saturday, June 10, 2006
World Cup Recipes - Day 2 - Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago v Sweden
Tweaked from a recipe at Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean Child-cooking
The method is slightly vague here, but I'm hoping it becomes obvious as you go along.
Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
* 1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut up in strips (veggies can use Quorn chicken-style fillets etc)
* 1 oz margarine or butter
* 1 small onion, chopped finely
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
* 1 cup mushroom slices
* white sauce - skip the instructions for making this from scratch and just buy a packet of white sauce mix from your local shop
* 1 - 2 teasps of Trini rum (any old miniature of rum will do here, I reckon)
* 1 chicken bouillon cube (that's a stock cube - probably can use a veg stock cube instead, veggies). I'm assuming you need to add this in stock form, not just crumble it into the dish at the end!?
* a little curry powder
* salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1) Melt butter in heavy sauce pan
2) Add onion, garlic, mushroom slices and chicken pieces and saute until chicken is cooked , about 15-20 mins
3) Add remaining ingredients (careful with the white sauce, you might not need a full packetworth of the stuff - just add till it looks/tastes right).
Serve with rice
Friday, June 09, 2006
World Cup Recipes - day 1 - Ecuador
Poland v Ecuador
From 'Galapagos and Ecuador Guide'...
Llapingachos: Little smashed potatoes pancakes with achiote (a natural red color seed) stuffed with cheese, served with thick red sausages, eggs, lettuce, avocado.
LLAPINGACHOS (Potato Cakes) Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 cups Munster cheese, shredded lard, butter, or oil
- salt
HOW TO PREPARE:
Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain and mash. Heat the butter in a skillet and saute the onions until they are very soft. Add the onions to the mashed potatoes, mixing well. Shape the potatoes into 12 balls.
Divide the cheese into 12 parts and stuff each of the potato balls with the cheese, flattening them as you do so into cakes or patties about 1 inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
In enough lard, butter, or oil (with or without annatto as you please) to cover the bottom of a skillet, saute the potato cakes until they are golden brown on both sides.
Serve with peanut sauce.
Monday, May 29, 2006
World Cup Recipes
If you'll be watching most of the world cup games at home, why not add a bit of flavour by having snacks/drinks from one of the countries involved? We did this for the last European championships and it was pretty cool. Even my girlfriend got into it (a bit).
Anyway, I'll post a few suggestions on the blog, to get you started. Nothing too hard chaps.
ps. In-Ger-Laaand, In-Ger-Laaand, In-Ger-Laaand!!
Anyway, I'll post a few suggestions on the blog, to get you started. Nothing too hard chaps.
ps. In-Ger-Laaand, In-Ger-Laaand, In-Ger-Laaand!!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tamworth (Waveney) to St Annes
1. Turn right onto Birds Bush Road.
2. After 292 yards take the 3rd Exit off the roundabout into B5440 (Marlborough Way).
( Tamworth )
3. After 0.7 miles take the 1st Exit off the BIG roundabout into the A5.
4. Follow the A5 straight to the M6. Take M6 North.
5. Follow M6 for 90-odd miles.
6. Leave the M6, and join the M55 at the M6 J32
7. This feeds straight onto the roundabout with the helter skelter sculpture - approach in left lane for shortcut road to the left
8. At next roundabout, go straight on
2. After 292 yards take the 3rd Exit off the roundabout into B5440 (Marlborough Way).
( Tamworth )
3. After 0.7 miles take the 1st Exit off the BIG roundabout into the A5.
4. Follow the A5 straight to the M6. Take M6 North.
5. Follow M6 for 90-odd miles.
6. Leave the M6, and join the M55 at the M6 J32
7. This feeds straight onto the roundabout with the helter skelter sculpture - approach in left lane for shortcut road to the left
8. At next roundabout, go straight on
St Annes to Tamworth (Waveney)
1. Up Queensway
2. Turn right onto Progress Way
3. At 1st roundabout, straight on to Preston M55
4. At 2nd roundabout, take a right for M55 Preston
5. After Preston, hang right for M6 South (junc 32)
6. Carry on M6 for 90-odd miles, try not to fall asleep.
7. Take junc 12 turn off signed "Cannock, Wolverhampton, A5"
8. Follow A5 towards Tamworth.
9. After crossing river, ignore next junction but turn off at the following junction.
10. Take 3rd turn off from the BIG roundabout, signed "Glascote & Wilncote"
11. Follow Marlborough Way down to roundabout.
12. Take 1st left.
2. Turn right onto Progress Way
3. At 1st roundabout, straight on to Preston M55
4. At 2nd roundabout, take a right for M55 Preston
5. After Preston, hang right for M6 South (junc 32)
6. Carry on M6 for 90-odd miles, try not to fall asleep.
7. Take junc 12 turn off signed "Cannock, Wolverhampton, A5"
8. Follow A5 towards Tamworth.
9. After crossing river, ignore next junction but turn off at the following junction.
10. Take 3rd turn off from the BIG roundabout, signed "Glascote & Wilncote"
11. Follow Marlborough Way down to roundabout.
12. Take 1st left.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Hazleton Laboratories (now Covance)
I applied to be on a drug trial at Hazleton Laboratories (now Covance) sometime late 80s. I think I would have had to be in there 2 weeks and got about £900 for my trouble. They took a blood test, then called me back to say I was perfectly healthy but didn't fall within the exact parameters they wanted for the trial. I could've applied for other trials but it actually felt like a lucky escape! Even with a history of other forms of test beforehand, human trials are used because there may still be nasty side effects.
Looks like they also have an animal testing lab in Harrogate
"Amongst the animals Covance Laboratories Inc. supply are its own breed of dog, the trademarked "Mini-Mongrelä" (the mind boggles), the registered Elite New Zealand WhiteÒ rabbit and the "MutaäMouse", as well as other purpose-bred canines, guinea pigs and non-human primates. Covance is also known to be involved in importing wild-caught primates"
Looks like they also have an animal testing lab in Harrogate
"Amongst the animals Covance Laboratories Inc. supply are its own breed of dog, the trademarked "Mini-Mongrelä" (the mind boggles), the registered Elite New Zealand WhiteÒ rabbit and the "MutaäMouse", as well as other purpose-bred canines, guinea pigs and non-human primates. Covance is also known to be involved in importing wild-caught primates"
Sunday, March 05, 2006
History Machine
"The Rock and Roll Years" TV programme linked famous songs of the past with the current events of the time, to put them in some kind of social context. Very popular programme.
How about an online tool that links your family photos with lots of different information about the day each was taken? This could include weather conditions, news stories, tv listings, pop chart, bestselling book chart etc. This might be a Flickr mash-up?
One problem lies in finding archives of some of these features. No TV listings archive exists, for UK programmes at any rate. Someone would have to manually trawl through old listings magazines and newspapers in public libraries to create some of these archives.
I'm going to email the BBC and see what they think about the idea. They may well keep old weather data for one thing.
How about an online tool that links your family photos with lots of different information about the day each was taken? This could include weather conditions, news stories, tv listings, pop chart, bestselling book chart etc. This might be a Flickr mash-up?
One problem lies in finding archives of some of these features. No TV listings archive exists, for UK programmes at any rate. Someone would have to manually trawl through old listings magazines and newspapers in public libraries to create some of these archives.
I'm going to email the BBC and see what they think about the idea. They may well keep old weather data for one thing.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Quality Ales - Beer and Brewery Guide
http://www.qualityales.com
Don't agree with the crap mark for Spitfire though - it's not too bad.
Don't agree with the crap mark for Spitfire though - it's not too bad.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Saverstrip
from a forum thread...
"Way back the bus companies here tried out an idea to speed up boarding, they sold a piece of card called a saverstrip and when you got on the bus you pushed it into a machine that went Ker-Ching so that everyone knew you'd paid. The TV ads for it had the most f*ck irritating jingle ever:
Ker-Ching a work
Ker-Ching a shops
Ker-Ching a cheaper
Ker-Ching a saverstrip
The joke was that after a while the bit of the machines that made the Ching gave up, so they all went Ker-click."
"Way back the bus companies here tried out an idea to speed up boarding, they sold a piece of card called a saverstrip and when you got on the bus you pushed it into a machine that went Ker-Ching so that everyone knew you'd paid. The TV ads for it had the most f*ck irritating jingle ever:
Ker-Ching a work
Ker-Ching a shops
Ker-Ching a cheaper
Ker-Ching a saverstrip
The joke was that after a while the bit of the machines that made the Ching gave up, so they all went Ker-click."
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Dog agility
Years ago my auntie had a mongrel dog called Laddie. He was the smartest dog I've known. One time he was taken along to some dog agility sessions where my auntie's alsation and a load of other alsations were supposed to be trained to run through tubes, climb up and down frames, that kind of thing. It was for alsations only, so Laddie wasn't allowed to join in. He had to sit and watch these dumb alsations dicking around, running off in wrong directions or just refusing to co-operate.
At the end of the final session he got off the lead, ran onto the course and completed all the obstacles without stopping. After this performance, he ran back to his starting spot and sat down as if nothing had happened. It was like he was saying "I'll show you how it's done!"
They tried to get him to do it again but he'd lost interest.
At the end of the final session he got off the lead, ran onto the course and completed all the obstacles without stopping. After this performance, he ran back to his starting spot and sat down as if nothing had happened. It was like he was saying "I'll show you how it's done!"
They tried to get him to do it again but he'd lost interest.
Little Man
Aparently my grandad used to sing this to me (can't remember it though)...
LITTLE MAN, YOU'VE HAD A BUSY DAY
(Mabel Wayne / Al Hoffman / Maurice Sigler)
Evenin' breezes sighin', moon is in the sky
Little man, it's time for bed
Daddy's little hero is tired and wants to cry
Now, come along and rest your weary head
Little man, you're cryin', I know why you're blue
Someone took your kiddy-car away
You better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day
Johnny won your marbles, tell you what we'll do
Dad'll get you new ones right away
Better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day
You've been playin' soldier, the battle has been won
The enemy is out of sight
Come along there soldier, put away your gun
The war is over for tonight
Time to stop your schemin', time your day was through
Can't you hear the bugle softly say
Time you should be dreamin'
Little man, you've had a busy day
- recorded by various artists inc:
Emil Coleman - 1934
Perry Como - 1958
Sarah Vaughan & Count Basie - 1961
Bing Crosby - ?
My bet is my grandad was singing Bing's version
LITTLE MAN, YOU'VE HAD A BUSY DAY
(Mabel Wayne / Al Hoffman / Maurice Sigler)
Evenin' breezes sighin', moon is in the sky
Little man, it's time for bed
Daddy's little hero is tired and wants to cry
Now, come along and rest your weary head
Little man, you're cryin', I know why you're blue
Someone took your kiddy-car away
You better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day
Johnny won your marbles, tell you what we'll do
Dad'll get you new ones right away
Better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day
You've been playin' soldier, the battle has been won
The enemy is out of sight
Come along there soldier, put away your gun
The war is over for tonight
Time to stop your schemin', time your day was through
Can't you hear the bugle softly say
Time you should be dreamin'
Little man, you've had a busy day
- recorded by various artists inc:
Emil Coleman - 1934
Perry Como - 1958
Sarah Vaughan & Count Basie - 1961
Bing Crosby - ?
My bet is my grandad was singing Bing's version
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Frank said,
What baffles me is why journalists always include a list of famous people that use the latest miracle cure. Am I supposed to be swayed because a famous actor uses these bandages?
JohnD said,
Yes!
Be honest. If a friend you trust recommends something, you are going to be well disposed towards it.
The whole PA business promotes celebrities as ‘friends’, who you call by a personal or nickname, whose slightest personal detail and life history you know, or at least you know one that they want you to know. How many people do you work with who you ‘know’ that well?