Islanddawn wrote:

That's creepy, rhubarb is abhorent anyway little on the thought that it groans in the growing as well as in the stomach. I'll probably have nightmares over that one..not unlike the Triffids. ugh.

What damnably heresy is this? Rhubarb is wondrous, ambrosial stuff. Slender, nacreous pink, forced rhubarb gently poached with stem ginger, a bit thicker in a crumble with proper custard, as a sauce with mackerel and the thick garden variety makes great chutney. Spiced rhubarb and date is particularly good. The only snag is it's become stupidly expensive - £3 for a small pack, extortionate.

Aye .. but ID, although she now lives in Greece, is still at heart an o'strayn ... she even recently admitted to a complete abhorrance of all things 'offaly', which in itself is very un-Grecian, no?

...and so ducks behind the bar to avoid a barrage of magritsa and kokoratsi.

I've had to google 'magiritsa', I though at first it was 'margaritas' and wondered why you would duck, and lo, it's haggis soup!

Ah! Rhubarb is obviously the epitome of "The Force"!

Did anyone else notice an extract from the Rhubarb Tart song from ISIRTA was used at the end of the piece on forcing rhubarb?

ferval wrote:

Islanddawn wrote:

That's creepy, rhubarb is abhorent anyway little on the thought that it groans in the growing as well as in the stomach. I'll probably have nightmares over that one..not unlike the Triffids. ugh.

What damnably heresy is this? Rhubarb is wondrous, ambrosial stuff. Slender, nacreous pink, forced rhubarb gently poached with stem ginger, a bit thicker in a crumble with proper custard, as a sauce with mackerel and the thick garden variety makes great chutney. Spiced rhubarb and date is particularly good. The only snag is it's become stupidly expensive - £3 for a small pack, extortionate.

My parents have always grown it in the vegie patch, and the thought of being forced to eat stewed rhubarb as a kid still brings on the dry reaching.  That and mushrooms (even just the smell ugh), the two absolute hates from childhood that I've never grown out of, most other things I've grown to like and enjoy but not those two for some reason. But we all have our different pet hates when it comes to food, my husband's is mangoes.

Meles meles wrote:

Aye .. but ID, although she now lives in Greece, is still at heart an o'strayn ... she even recently admitted to a complete abhorrance of all things 'offaly', which in itself is very un-Grecian, no?

...and so ducks behind the bar to avoid a barrage of magritsa and kokoratsi.

I'd never tasted offal until I was an adult and just can't come at it at all, just the texture and smell. although my mother claims she fed me lamb's brains as a baby but I don't believe her.

Magiritsa is a soup only served after midnight church on Easter morning to break the Lenten fast, it is supposed to soothe the stomach and prepare it for the feast of Kokoretsi (another traditional Easter dish), spitted lamb, cheese pies, eggs and everything else to come during the day. But no, I don't eat either, just the lamb and the rest of it. But it is not necessarily unGrecian, there are plenty of people who don't eat offal here, particularly the younger ones.

This made me smile (apologies if you've seen it already) ... the news story from the Vladivostok safari park, about Amur and Timur.

Amur is a Siberian tiger, while Timur, a goat, was intended to be Amur's dinner. But when he was put into the tiger's enclosure ... they became friends.





But now a Novosibirsk lawyer has complained to the Vladivostok Prosecutor General that the widely reported information that the two animals are living together could harm children, by provoking, "interest in non-traditional sexual relations". And his problem is not that a predator has struck up a friendship with its prey and both seem to be happily getting on together ... no, what has got his goat, as it were, is because they are both male! He continues: "I think I think the positive coverage of this topic is nothing less than interference in the personal lives of minors, which is what hidden propaganda is, and public, active imposition of homosexuality."

The Guardian - Russian lawyer accuses unlikely animal chums of 'gay propaganda'.

We laugh at this, but it is really very frightening. "Active imposition" indeed - that's an interesting phrase from a disgruntled Russian about anything.

Anyway, it's obvious the relationship is a Platonic one: a joyful meeting of two minds. In the clip you see that Timur and Amur are not sleeping together: the goat has turfed the tiger out of his bed and made him sleep on the top of their little shelter while he, Timur, enjoys the comfort of the straw inside it. Their bed is clearly not a nuptial couch.

It's a lovely story, but, sadly, I bet it will eventually end in a tearful meal. Head-butting a tiger, even if he's your best Platonic mate - er, not mate - is never a good idea.

It's a delightful story and I was sure it would appeal to you Temp. 'The tiger will lie down with the goat', that's an eerily familiar image. To be fair, lying down together is as you say something that they don't really do.

And talking of 'lying together', let's not attribute all that kind of nonsense to only those with snowy boots though, remember the great Tinky Winky is gay furore? That was down to an American nut-job who took exception to the purple one's handbag and who received some support on the wilder fringes of the POV boards.

I had indeed forgotten the outrageous Tinky Winky.




But the Teletubbies have made the Rev Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, hot under the collar. He decided to "out" Tinky Winky in the February edition of his National Liberty Journal.

In an article called Parents Alert: Tinky Winky Comes Out of the Closet, he says: "He is purple - the gay-pride colour; and his antenna is shaped like a triangle - the gay-pride symbol."

He said the "subtle depictions" of gay sexuality are intentional and later issued a statement that read: "As a Christian I feel that role modelling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children."



I won't say what "as a Christian" I feel about the Reverend Fallwell. Do you see why I despair, ferval?

What about Barney, the singing dinosaur? He was purple too. One dreads to think what he got up to in between songs.

ferval wrote:

It's a delightful story and I was sure it would appeal to you Temp. 'The tiger will lie down with the goat', that's an eerily familiar image. To be fair, lying down together is as you say something that they don't really do.

And talking of 'lying together', let's not attribute all that kind of nonsense to only those with snowy boots though, remember the great Tinky Winky is gay furore? That was down to an American nut-job who took exception to the purple one's handbag and who received some support on the wilder fringes of the POV boards.

Yes, and where did the furore over Noddy and Bigears living together and therefore must be gay and not suitable for children originate? The UK if I remember correctly. Stupidity isn't ethnic.

And of course going back to the tiger and goat story ... one should never anthropomorphise. The rangers at the Russian safari park have said that Amur and Timur were never really "friends". The goat had almost certainly never encountered a large predator before, and so when released into the enclosure it simply tried to assert itself and claim its territory, as male goats do. The tiger, confused by an animal that didn't seem to be behaving in a prey-like way (he was used to being regularly fed live rabbits, sheep or goats), just sort-of accepted it.

But I see that the goat has since tried to butt the tiger, again to try and assert itself ... and that rough behaviour was immediately dealt with by the tiger in a similarly rough manner, in much the same way as if the tiger was dealing with an over-boistrous sibling (adult tigers are of course usually solitary animals), the tiger grabbed the goat by the nape of the neck, gave it good shake and let it go ...

But the next time it might well have gone for the throat ... and so apparently the animals are now back in separate enclosures.

Meles meles wrote:

And of course going back to the tiger and goat story ... one should never anthropomorphise. The rangers at the Russian safari park have said that Amur and Timur were never really "friends".

Ah, you've just ruined my day, MM. And you've upset Bosworth.


Here is an original Noddy in bed with Big Ears picture:




Here is the PC version:

Cocoa and a chocolate biscuit - dear, dear, no wonder they look a bit chubby. The obesity police will descend any minute. And did they clean their teeth?

It's clearly a set up anyway, poor Noddy has been stuck in a chair until the prying eyes have gone.

Either that  or, as the Daily Mail would report: he's an immigrant, just couch-surfing for a couple of weeks until he can get his benefits sorted and while he gets a legal-aid lawyer arranged to claim that he's a refugee from the LGBT-oppressive regime of Gnomeland, perhaps by implying that he's hoping for a civil-partnership with Big-Ears ... all just to make sure he can't be deported, at least not until he can get his current wife (Dinah Doll) and all her ISIS-supporting family over...



NB: I am being satirical.

Temperance wrote:

Meles meles wrote:

And of course going back to the tiger and goat story ... one should never anthropomorphise. The rangers at the Russian safari park have said that Amur and Timur were never really "friends".

Ah, you've just ruined my day, MM. And you've upset Bosworth.


Here is an original Noddy in bed with Big Ears picture:

I note that Bigears has only got one hand visible, surely he must be up to no good under the blankets with the other. Noddy does look a little startled! 

It wasn't all that long ago that it was quite common for people to sleep in the same bed, small houses and large families made it a necessity and nothing untoward was thought of it. How times have changed.

Indeed ID ... but actually as someone that runs a b&b it is still not that uncommon, although usually it's fairly obvious what the relationship is if two adults have booked a room with a double bed. If it's two women it's more than likely that they are just good friends, or close family, benefitting from a lower room price. If it's two men, which is a much, much rarer occurrence, then it's almost 100% certain they are a gay couple. The couples that throw me are the older woman with a much younger male companion ... are they a couple or are they mother and son? (conversely an older man with younger woman is never likely to be a father with his adult daughter). Then again I did once have four guys all in one room (a double bed plus just one extra single bed, so I'm guessing there were at least three in the big bed that night), ... but I think they were just a group of chums cycling across Europe and trying to save the pennies.

Gosh, according to the BBC was are being "lashed" by Storm Imogen.

Did you get lashed by Henry, ferval?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35516741

The sea state could reach "phenomenal" - the highest level on the World Meteorological Scale - at times around western coasts, with waves of more than 14m (46ft) forecast.


I wonder what the next storm will be called. It will be a boy: Jake, John, Joe, Jeremiah...?

Must it be a boy? Jemimah Puddleduck is therefore quite a missed opportunity.

nordmann wrote:

Must it be a boy? Jemimah Puddleduck is therefore quite a missed opportunity.

Yes, it alternates boy/girl/boy/girl. They all used to be female, but certain people objected.

Yes Temp, old Henrty Vlll gave us a proper going-over, roads, rail, ferries and flights were all disrupted, and yesterday the gales and torrential rain were back but it seems not sufficiently badly to merit a name. Today has been dry for a few hours and we even had a blink of a funny yellow thing way up high.

'I hope Imogen - that sounds like the nasty girl from Mallory Towers or such like - doesn't do too much damage. I hope Bosworth is not being as bloody annoying as my brat has been for weeks; constantly demanding that the door be opened and then sitting inside the doorway as the rain blows in and heat rushes out.

It's been very windy indeed, but the rain has stopped. Sunday's weather was far worse actually - that's what caused the flood alarm. But it's not really been that bad this time.

We are very lucky here: the Environment Agency chaps are very protective of us, and bring a pump at the first hint of trouble. The problem earlier was the new one they had put in the field  last week was "automatic", but it hadn't managed to switch itself on properly, so the water built up overnight - hence our lagoon developed. But they came and sorted it out this morning  - it's amazing how fast the water disappears once the pump gets going.

They've sacked me as Pump Monitor - or made me redundant rather. I liked having control of the old pump - made me feel important. And I always switched it on in time. But the "automatic" one is here for the rest of the winter, it seems.


This was last time - about three years ago now. That's my house - you can see the lagoon starting to build up and the Agency people arriving. The water creeps nearer and nearer the house. But the flood defences keep the river at bay, thank God. That's the real worry. We thought we would have to be evacuated last time, but the flood banks held - just. If they ever fail we will be in big trouble here - and a pump will be of no earthly use. Don't buy a house near a river, especially a tidal one!

Dear Lord, Temp, that looks perilously close. Henceforth I will cease complaining about my wee puddle.

He can't call himself a Barbarian..... that's what my Greek opponent used to call me because I could not speak Greek. Our old dictator used to be able to speak everything...... and I bet at sometime in his life he got paid by the word when published and the habit stayed. I am looking for the 'Begrudged Hat.' I' m not sure what I did to deserve it but I suspect I might need to make  my own Does temp get one too? 

I am not sure how one deals with Barbarians - self styled ones. And we now have one in the cellar. We need build a Barbican to keep them out.

I went to see this at the weekend. Based on the real life story of Hugh Glass who was part of a fur hunting expedition which went disastrously wrong in 1823;

Priscilla wrote:

I am looking for the 'Begrudged Hat.' I' m not sure what I did to deserve it but I suspect I might need to make  my own. Does temp get one too?

"Let the begrudgers behold us! On, on, on."

That was such a good line.

I don't want no Begrudger's Hat, and I'm not going anywhere near that virulent thread again - you could catch something nasty over there, all that talk of body parts floating about in the flood waters below.  I shall look at Trike's nice Tudor pancake recipe instead - much more salubrious.

The last Barbarian was Catigern and we all know what that led to. Catty was later, appropriately enough (if I remember correctly), put in charge of the lions and he was given a very grand title that no one could understand. I think he threatened to feed me to one of the lions - or was that Minette? Could have been us both.

Nordmann should be Augustus or Caesar. Making himself a barbarian is just too silly for words - sort of thing Nero would do when he was having a bad hair day.

Or a bad heir day, is what you really meant in't it?

Just for that I am about to become Barbarius Maximus. Once I check the spelling ...

Seriously. Any heirs out there? I'm getting so fed up with the sniping at the above parapet guy.

Isn't it the above parakeet guy?

Barbarius Maximus sounds really dreadful - sort of like Ken after an operation that's not quite worked.

Augustus Caesar is much more you - really, sir.

Here, have a Tudor pancake and no more of this snipey nonsense - from any of you.

Right, it's you then.

You  can begin by ensuring the trapdoor is well and truly locked (in these viral days we don't want any stray bile seeping thanks).

Then you can see how well you get on under sniper fire for every little thing you express (breast pumps provided), while naturally still checking the cellar (door, floods and other sundry nasties).

Then you can graciously apologise for having an opinion.

There, is that enough? Right. I'm back to reunion with my uncle's body parts. They never looked more inviting ...

Sorry Trike. You're right. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. Thanks for the reminder here.

(I think it was the Thatcherism "Gotcha" that got me ...)

Me? What have I done?

I was a Magic Bean in the pantomime, not a Bile Bean.

You're really pissed off, aren't you? Don't know what to say, so I'll say nothing. Bit out of my depth with this.

Read my last sentence above again, especially the last bit of the last sentence -  OK?

ok, and no offence intended (to you).

I'm now breaststroking off to the nethers. see you all when I've sobered up or Frobisher finally gets surgical clearance.

BM

That's much better!

Black coffees all round folks ...

If that includes me, then thank you. Pass the milk. And sugar. And smile for the Board please. Temp reminds me that it is Ash Wednesday. I forgot to ask if this means that reformed smokers might have a sneaky cig.- among friends.

I am told these were specifically designed to be enjoyed with a coffee (as used to be obvious from the picture on the cover), and in times past I have tested this theory enough thousand times to vouch for its probability as accurate.



Pull up a cheroot and enjoy ...

Edit: Ah - here's one of the older non-PC packets:

Are these awful things still going? I suppose Smoking Kills emblazoned underneath the Russian Imperial Eagle rather spoils the appeal of the packet. I nearly choked on one when I was seventeen. Then I was sick.




As Virgo Vestalis Maxima I want to pull rank and make respectful supplication to the Dictator. You were made Dictator for life, sir, so you can't just go off and be a barbarian willy-nilly. Please revert to your former status as soon as possible.

I have tried to find a suitable prayer by Cato or Horace or even Catullus (too rude), but they all seem to include references to pig sacrifices, especially suckling pigs, which surprised me. I didn't know the Romans sacrificed pigs. Rather an unsuitable animal for a sophisticated religious ritual I should have thought: they do squeal in such an alarming manner when they get upset.

Yes, Ash Wednesday today. Wonder if MM will do a dish of the day? I could burn something for you all, I suppose - I'm good at that.

I became a barbarian in a pit of drunken fique so I am not quite sure about the rules for abdication of the role. However I have discovered a nice Taciterean compromise which might get me off the hook ...

Ah, Black Sobranne - the only presents I ever bought my grandmother - apart from Pink Clouds - perhaps they were by the same outfit. They don't make grandmothers like they used to.
I agree about this Barbarian thing. Makes you really want to hold your ground and disagree...... do you reckon they  cured the furs they are supposed to have worn day and night?

So it was only a "Wrath of Malt' mood swing - doesn't count in law surely. Get back on yer rostrum. Then Temps can have high intellectual discourse and I can argue at a somewhat lower levell

Even us drunken barbariæ nobilia know an unfair accusation of being dictatorial when we hear one. In light of such events, and knowing in reality I can only ever really aspire to be Princeps Civitatis, and then only in the basement, I respectfully submit that you acknowledge the noble savage in your midst and get used to it.

I tried to find a Roman Barbie Doll and to my amazement there is one - from the Classical Goddesses collection. I had no idea. Here is the Barbie version of the Goddess of Wisdom   . I like the Barbie owl. Not very Roman though. I suppose she's meant to be Greek.

Oh honestly, you are all snobs. Personally I'd prefer a roomful of barbarians than a dictator on a big chair anyday. Barbarians are far more fun, but then I'm from the colonies.....

Have you been reading again?
Inne Juste 7 Dayes I wille makeYou a Barbearian Hero! (Cohen) I suspect.

You should be aware that the evidence, sparse though it is, strongly suggests that this was at least ghost written by C.M.O.T Dibbler, and Throat's plans always seem to fail at the critical point.

All hail to our Bar-nob the first in his newly named role. (According to the BBC may of the younger generation think that Hitler's first name is Hail.) Meade all round and don't spare the bees!

A newspaper reaches the end of the road;

Independent to cease printing



and it's the end of the line for Parliamentary vellum;

Vellum

This could work here, a special lounge for treatment and recovery possibly?

Would this be a good time for someone of my nationality to keep my totally shtum?

Triceratops wrote:

A newspaper reaches the end of the road;

Independent to cease printing



and it's the end of the line for Parliamentary vellum;

Vellum

Apparently, vellum is to continue in use for the forseeable future.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35577458

Gil, that can only happen in Britain?

Paul from the European peninsula.

Nielsen wrote:

Would this be a good time for someone of my nationality to keep my totally shtum?

Nielsen glad to see you once again.

Nielsen is that the German "stumm" with the typical aspirated "s" in the beginning?
You can't believe it but I learned this evening that the English "stum" is
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/stum ...

And the German "stumm" is our Dutch "stom": dumb, silent. I wonder if our Dutch "stom" has something to do with wine ...

Your southern friend Paul.

Shtum - appears to have been borrowed (more likely stolen considering that it happened in the East End) from Yiddish-speaking immigrants a century or so ago and spread from there.