Val’s Comments (group member since Aug 28, 2019)

Val’s comments from the Beyond Zon group.

I never watched any of Peaky Blinders because it looked too violent for my tastes. And if they want my advice, keep Brad Pitt out of it! He would be another reason to put me off.

Six years ago, Nick Cave's song was used for a tourism commercial for South Australia. Pretty creepy as befits the song but I wouldn't be surprised if tourist numbers increased as a result:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtFqM...

The first site I quoted above has a thread called Seasoned Advice. Some of the questions on it:

Can I still travel on the Troika Card even if it goes into a negative balance?

Is a new blessing required when taking off and putting back on your tallit?

Why does Bane's stock exchange robbery actually work to bankrupt Bruce Wayne?

What happens to a Bladesinger reincarnated as a Human?

In Cura, can I make my top and bottom layer be all perimiters?

My bike's adjustable stem keeps falling down

Is it normal for raw farm onions to smell like manure?

A Google search gave me this:

The USDA, generally on the very safe but a bit paranoid end of the spectrum, says:

After eggs are refrigerated, they need to stay that way. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg and increasing the growth of bacteria. Refrigerated eggs should not be left out more than 2 hours.

https://cooking.stackexchange.com/que...

However, one poster says : "This is a North American issue. In most countries of the world eggs are not washed, or if they are, they are not washed at a hot temperature, so their exterior membrane is intact and they do not need to be chilled." which leads to a warm exchange of views.

Another page:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaaru...

says "EU law actually stipulates that eggs “ should in general not be refrigerated before sale to the final consumer.” The regulations explain how “cold eggs left out at room temperature may become covered in condensation facilitating the growth of bacteria on the shell and probably their ingression into the egg.” Hence if a consumer picked up a carton of chilled eggs then transported them home in the car, the change in temperature would cause the eggs to sweat."

There's heaps more info in both articles so go for your life! Might be best to keep this particular carton in the fridge.

That is a terrible story Grizzly - both for you and Mrs G! I trust you are both feeling a bit calmer and more optimistic today. Things like that must leave you both fuming, exasperated, deflated, exhausted and a heap of other emotions. I am a great admirer of truck drivers - the bigger the truck the better in my mind. I can't understand the obsession with overtaking. Apart from being a bit slow in pulling away from a stop (because of the weight carried), they generally maintain the correct speed, signal clearly and generally obey all the road rules. I am quite happy to tuck in behind having first made sure the driver knows I'm there.

I'm on episode 3 of 4. So far, the priest has been shorn - all over!

In 1981 this song made it to No. 1 on the Australian charts. It's a dinki-di Aussie classic. I don't know why it's taken me so long to realise it's tailor made as a theme song for our virtual pub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOML9...

Or worse.

"Three Catholic nuns, Sisters Iphigenia, Margarita and Carla, are the last remaining members of the enclosed order of St Agnes living on a remote island with a flock of sheep which they believe are the reincarnations of their departed sisters."

Baa! Baa!

I'm halfway through the 4 part series Lambs of God which is an Australian production but the three lead actors are Australian, American and English. I think it's based on a book and I don't know where the setting is - England? Scotland? Ireland? The town scenes look British as does the island but I think the island scenes were filmed in Tasmania. It's quite dark and gothic - three nuns fighting to save their monastery when the Catholic church sends a young priest to assess it for a projected sale as a luxury tourist retreat. You don't want to be that priest!

Dinner at my daughter's : grilled salmon with dukkah, coconut rice, green beans and roasted tomatoes. Anything someone else cooks is tops with me but this was delicious.

Got up bright and early this morning because I had a doctor's appointment first thing. Then I got a phone call - the doctor is sick! Appointment now transferred to Thursday which means another early start (I'm a night owl so early starts don't suit me). It did mean I got a lot done this morning - sprinklers on various bits of the garden (it was 25 today) and lots of weeding (not that you'd notice - our "lawn" is just conjoined weeds).

P wrote: "My operatic tastes are usually based around the performer as opposed to the composer Val, like listening to Pavarotti and, for lighter works Andrea Bocelli...."

I'm a bit like that myself P. Love Pavarotti! I've been clearing out a shedload of cassettes and I played Pavarotti's Greatest Hits (recorded to cassette from vinyl nearly 40 years ago and has been sitting in a box on the floor of a cold in winter/hot in summer room) and it was perfection! I have some Bocelli but find him a bit lighter in voice. Jussi Bjorling and Nicolai Gedda are tenors who could sing anything and sound fabulous. With the women, I like Inessa Galante and Renata Tebaldi, not a great fan of Renée Fleming or Dame Kiri.

Last night was sliced smoked salmon with avocado.

Had the house to myself for most of today so put on some opera. I do love opera but don't claim to be an expert. My tastes are mostly plebeian - Verdi and Puccini. But I've always liked Gounod's Faust and Opera Australia are doing it in December (I'm a subscriber). So today it was a live performance of Faust performed at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in December 1959. Performers are my dear Mum's favourite tenor, Jussi Bjorling, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Robert Merrill and Cesare Siepi. Absolutely gorgeous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvvKP...

When I see the name T Bone Burnett attached to any project (he was music supervisor on all three series of True Detective) I know I'm going to like it. His music tastes align very closely with mine - I guess you'd call it Americana. And it usually has a hint of menace too!

One of my favourite albums of his - "Tooth of Crime"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njyq7...

Creepy stuff!!!!

Grizzlygrump wrote: ""I'm amazed the England hasn't caught up with Wales and Scotland yet..with prescription fees. They free in Wales..and have been for at least a decade now."

At £9 a pop for each individual medicati..."

Just for comparison, here in Oz most prescribed medications come under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) whereby the government subsidises the cost. Current costs for a script are approx £20.00 or £3.00 if you are on any sort of government assistance. But there is also an annual (calendar year) safety-net cut-off point. In 2019 the threshold is approx £770.00 for general patients and £190 for concession card holders. Mr H and I both receive a part-pension so we pay the lesser price. Between us we get 6 scripts per month and we hit the safety net in early September so all scripts will be free until 31 December.

theDuke wrote: "Odd that your bank has the deads, Val. Maybe the rules are differnt down under. My mum has a mortage for her house, but as i understand it, the deeds are kept with an agreed independant silicitor firm...."

There's no outstanding mortgage so the deeds belong to us and we can choose what we want to do with them - keep them in the house, whatever. We could use a solicitor but they often retire, relocate, or sometimes just disappear. We thought the bank was the safest option.

I've been listening (via YouTube) to a new album "Purple Sky" in which some well-known Australian singer-songwriters cover Hank Williams. It's produced by Lucky Oceans (from Asleep At The Wheel) and features singers like Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly, Tex Perkins, Vika & Linda Bull, Don Walker and others. I'll probably wind up buying the CD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJG6I...

This afternoon I went to see a play - "Black Is The New White" - very, very funny with some excellent swipes at race relations/racism in Australia. It featured two songs. The first was Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" which had the whole audience on their feel singing and dancing! The second was Peter Andre's "Mysterious Girl". As I said to my three friends, I can't believe I'm leaving a theatre humming THAT song!

I loved the first one (Woody Harrelson/Matthew McConaughey). It was so atmospheric and the cinematography was definitely up to major movie standard. The second series (Colin Farrell/Rachel McAdams/Vince Vaughn) didn't live up to the first (IMO). Series 3 (Mahershala Ali) was better and I enjoyed that. I would definitely recommend Season 1.

(I use subtitles for everything other than live shows)

My gripe : banks! So what's new? Our house is paid for and the deeds reside in a safety deposit envelope in one of the "Big 4" banks here. As far as I know, the CBA are the only bank that offer this service and they charge us approx £27 a year for it by direct debit. It's the only reason we have an account with the CBA and the account is not used for anything else. They send out a statement twice a year. When the Apr-Oct statement arrived on Wednesday, I immediately noted that the annual fee had not been debited in May. I checked the website in case that fee was no longer charged (silly me!) but no, there it was displayed, same amount. So I rang the number and went through at least six menus before I could actually speak to a real live person. "Yes," she said, "I can see that the fee hasn't been levied in 2019". And "I see you've been with us for 40 years." Me : "Is this my reward for 40 years' loyalty? You've waived the fee?" "No," she says. "Do you know at which branch the envelope is held?" she says. Me : "Don't you know? It was lodged at the H...... branch but you closed that. Then it was sent to the M..... branch but you closed that. Then it was sent to the O..... branch where they assured me it had been received but it would cost me for them to put their hands on it." "Well, you'll have to ring the O.... branch" she says and gives me their number. I ring O. Answering machine says they are busy but leave my details and they will ring me back before the close of business. That was Wednesday. I'm still waiting ........

I'm busy sharpening my claws and drawing up a list of rules and standards to maintain! Be warned - posters must adhere to a strict dress code (cravats for gents, stockings for ladies). Pipes and cigars are tolerated, cigarettes are out! All grammatical errors will be censured and public shaming will take place. Three spelling errors and a month's suspension will ensue ........