Amazon exiles discussion
Don't Kill Snails with Salt ... Creme Eggs & Toasted Teacakes ... Biscuits & Bench Stories, Life, the Universe, & Everything!
Ohhh? - thanks for the recommendation, Lez Lee ... x ;o>
ducking (or 'dooking') for apples,have you tried dooking for chips?
I’ve just watched a crow chasing off a buzzard and several worried woodpigeons flew off a nearby tree. This led me to wonder whether birds can vary their flight speed. They seem to fly faster when they’re in danger. I’ve been birdwatching since my teens and should really know this but I don’t.
Autumn has officially arrived here! ... I've got lots of jobs done around the House already today - but I'm just SO cold, and shivery, and achey now that I've had to give up and come back to Bed and put my Heat Pad on as well to try to warm myself up again.M&D are off out trying to track me down a Lidl Special Offer ;o> ...
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Of...
Lez wrote: "I’ve just watched a crow chasing off a buzzard and several worried woodpigeons flew off a nearby tree. This led me to wonder whether birds can vary their flight speed. They seem to fly faster when ..."Yes, Lez Lee, apparently they can ...
https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfo...
;o>
Thanks suzy. I hadn’t got round to checking, just thought I’d float it here first. I’ll have to take you on as my researcher! Have you ever seen a peregrine ‘stooping’? I have, a couple of times: an amazing sight, almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.
I have indeed, Lez Lee - amazing as you say ;o>M&D were once very keen Birdwatchers, a couple of decades ago, and they used to go away on special breaks all around the country with a local Birdwatchers Group.
suzysunshine7 wrote: "I have indeed, Lez Lee - amazing as you say ;o>M&D were once very keen Birdwatchers, a couple of decades ago, and they used to go away on special breaks all around the country with a local Birdwa..."
There are often local RSPB events, but they always involve walking which I can no longer do. I’ve always fancied going to the Grant Arms Hotel in the Cairngorms, but again, lots of walking.
They’ve had the first snow on Cairngorm 20th Sept.
Several years ago, I was in a flat on a riverbank when I noticed something odd going on in the water. Several crows and gulls were harassing a dark shape swimming slowly across the river. Through the binoculars we could see that it was a crow, making heavy weather of something that slightly resembled butterfly stroke. After a huge effort, it landed on a floating log but was harried back into the water by the other birds. By this time, it was nearly behind the trees downstream and we lost sight of it. We found it quite distressing to see but, equally, fascinating, as neither of us had a clue that birds might have the ability to swim.
We did find a clip on U tube of a crow swimming, Something like "Charlie the crow...", where another bird had somehow got into the water but we've never met anyone else who's seen such a thing. I'm not sure we've always been believed!
Yeah, unfortunately the Walking was why M&D had to call it a day in their 50's when my Dad had his first Heart Attack and everything started going downhill health-wise for him from there.Still, when I look back and realise how just long it has been now and how he wasn't expected to survive that first Heart Attack and the six that followed on over the years, plus the massive Stroke back in 2013 and three that have happened since then ... ! ;oO
WoW?!! - we really have been incredibly lucky and extremely blessed ;o>
Awww, I'm sat here crying now ;o>I wish that I had someone special in my life that cared for me as much as that - what a loved and a lucky little hairy woofer sweet little Schoep was ;o>
It's been an expensive week;
Having stopped wearing my glasses 25 years ago, I decided it was about time to get an eye test and as Vision Express were offering tests for £10, I booked us both in for Monday as neither of us was at work.
I fared OK, which to be honest has surprised me, but do need glasses now for reading. Mrs Grizzly also needs glasses, but hers will be varifocals. Then we get round to choosing glasses - Mrs Grizzly has only ever seen pictures of me in glasses as a child and burst out laughing at every pair I tried on, even though she was choosing them! Mrs Grizzly chose her glasses while I was having my eyes tested so I won't get to see what she has chosen until she collects them.
Total cost of that visit?
Two eye tests plus two pairs of glasses each comes to £330!
Even worse - though Vision Express are based within the Tesco store in Peterborough, there is no link so no Clubcard points or staff discount.
Having stopped wearing my glasses 25 years ago, I decided it was about time to get an eye test and as Vision Express were offering tests for £10, I booked us both in for Monday as neither of us was at work.
I fared OK, which to be honest has surprised me, but do need glasses now for reading. Mrs Grizzly also needs glasses, but hers will be varifocals. Then we get round to choosing glasses - Mrs Grizzly has only ever seen pictures of me in glasses as a child and burst out laughing at every pair I tried on, even though she was choosing them! Mrs Grizzly chose her glasses while I was having my eyes tested so I won't get to see what she has chosen until she collects them.
Total cost of that visit?
Two eye tests plus two pairs of glasses each comes to £330!
Even worse - though Vision Express are based within the Tesco store in Peterborough, there is no link so no Clubcard points or staff discount.
Grizzlygrump wrote: "Mrs Grizzly has only ever seen pictures of me in glasses as a child and burst out laughing at every pair I tried on, even though she was choosing them!"Hmmm? - I bet you will look absolutely beautiful in your new Fuchsia Pink Pointed Cats Eye Frames with their Diamante Nose Bridge ... (*sniggers*) ... nice choice, Mrs Grizzly!
! ... ;o>
You pair in cahoots? :)
Anyway, talking of discounts, I decided to go and have a nose around the Tesco owned Jack's supermarket which has just opened in Chatteris. At the entrance to the store a member of staff was advising everyone that given the length of the queues at the tills, it was taking up to an hour to get through!
I put this down to the fact that interest is high at the moment as people see how it compares to Aldi and Lidl, the stores this one is competing with and numbers will drop off in a couple of weeks.
I decided to struggle round, not with the intention of buying anything today, just seeing what is on offer there. Everything that I saw was sold under the 'Jack's' brand name and appeared to be slightly cheaper than in Tesco and there is also a non-grocery 'middle aisle' as with the other discounters. The quality of the food looked to be quite good as well. There was an instore bakery situated just inside the store entrance - do Aldi and Lidl have instore bakeries? (haven 't been in either for years)
However, due to the queues for the tills and volume of people shuffling around the store, it wasn't possible to have a proper look around so I only got halfway around the store before giving up and going to Tesco instead.
I'll go back again at some point but get the impression that it won't really be worth my while, especially as I get staff discount now of 10%, but won't be able to get that at these new stores, but can't say that for definite until I can do a proper comparison.
Typing these posts is proving difficult with Phoebe curled up three feet away and snoring her head off! :)
Anyway, talking of discounts, I decided to go and have a nose around the Tesco owned Jack's supermarket which has just opened in Chatteris. At the entrance to the store a member of staff was advising everyone that given the length of the queues at the tills, it was taking up to an hour to get through!
I put this down to the fact that interest is high at the moment as people see how it compares to Aldi and Lidl, the stores this one is competing with and numbers will drop off in a couple of weeks.
I decided to struggle round, not with the intention of buying anything today, just seeing what is on offer there. Everything that I saw was sold under the 'Jack's' brand name and appeared to be slightly cheaper than in Tesco and there is also a non-grocery 'middle aisle' as with the other discounters. The quality of the food looked to be quite good as well. There was an instore bakery situated just inside the store entrance - do Aldi and Lidl have instore bakeries? (haven 't been in either for years)
However, due to the queues for the tills and volume of people shuffling around the store, it wasn't possible to have a proper look around so I only got halfway around the store before giving up and going to Tesco instead.
I'll go back again at some point but get the impression that it won't really be worth my while, especially as I get staff discount now of 10%, but won't be able to get that at these new stores, but can't say that for definite until I can do a proper comparison.
Typing these posts is proving difficult with Phoebe curled up three feet away and snoring her head off! :)
ERRR? - excuse me! ... Cats don't snore?!! ;oOPhoebe is just practising and perfecting her purring technique while asleep! ;o>
I think most of the Aldi and Lidl stores have a small Bakery instore now ;o>
Grizzlygrump wrote: "You pair in cahoots? :)Anyway, talking of discounts, I decided to go and have a nose around the Tesco owned Jack's supermarket which has just opened in Chatteris. At the entrance to the store a m..."
Good article in the Guardian about Jack’s
https://www.theguardian.com/business/...
Lidl has an excellent bakery section. It's the main reason why I go to Lidl, as I wouldn't generally do a full-scale shop there.
My friends love Lidl’s cooked meats and Aldi’s wine. I’ve never been to Lidl but I went to Aldi once and was very disappointed to see so much plastic. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see individually wrapped mushrooms.
Talking of mushrooms, good harvest of wild mushrooms this autumn. Some of them already cooked, the rest put in jars in the shed for the winter enjoyment. Picked much more though than shown in these pictures,
http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/pos...
mmm delicious, no chemicals involved, just rain, sun & forest soil.
Lidl's bakery has some good products and is popular. Their donuts are well priced, double stuffed with jam and yet seem less sweet than those from elsewhere. They have a selection of savouries as well. Their store baked bread is available in small or large sizes.Am surprised that Jacks have taken 'the middle of Lidl' idea for themselves rather than trying to be innovative. But, then, if it is proven to be a successful idea...
As someone who wouldn't know the difference between a mushroom or toadstool growing in the wild, I wouldn't dare try harvesting them. I consider myself brave in plucking juicy blackberries from the bramble and munching them!
P wrote: "Their donuts are well priced, double stuffed with jam and yet seem less sweet than those from elsewhere..."Does anyone know why all the supermarket chains stopped selling apple doughnuts at the same time? I don't like jam doughnuts; I'm not mad about custard ones, either. I did like the apple ones but they no longer exist.
I used to see Apple Doughnuts everywhere - and often bought them for a Doughnut-obsessed friend that I once used to know. I've just had a look around online and, you're right Gordon, I can't see them on sale anywhere?Weird?! ... I mean it's Apple Season ... and there appears to be no shortage of them in the Shops? You've got me wondering now as to why everyone stopped selling their Apple Filled Doughnuts and apparently all around the same time too?
Ahhh well, only just a quick bob-in from me today as I'm off to Bed now ;o>x Nighty-Night x Sleepy-Tight x and very Sweet Dreams to you all x
Dreaming of rainbows, butterflies and unicorns... and snailies, of course.Are you back in the land of the living?
Was up before the crack of dawn as had an early morning ct colonography procedure. Mighty strange experience...
P wrote: "Dreaming of rainbows, butterflies and unicorns... and snailies, of course.Are you back in the land of the living?
Was up before the crack of dawn as had an early morning ct colonography procedure..."
Almost! Well, I like Butterflies and I love Rainbows - but I'm afraid that Unicorns really are just too much of a 'pink, fluffy, girly' kind of a thing for someone like me to be dreaming of ;o>
YIKES! ... Colonoscopies are no fun at all - I hope you feel better soon, P ... x ;oO
What do you call a Shepherds Pie if you use turkey mince instead of beef?
Delicious! :)
It was officially cool last night - I actually had to turn off the aircon in the truck until about 9 o' clock this morning, but I'm not yet considering swapping shorts for trousers. The clear skies from last night have continued, giving us a nice bright and warm day here - warm enough to dry two loads of laundry.
I'm just about to bring in the last of the laundry and top up the bird bath for the third time today - the Sparrows and Starlings have been merrily splashing away and the Doves have barely got enough left to cover their feet :)
Once that's done it will be time for bed.
P: - hope whatever you needed the colonoscopy for is nothing serious :)
Delicious! :)
It was officially cool last night - I actually had to turn off the aircon in the truck until about 9 o' clock this morning, but I'm not yet considering swapping shorts for trousers. The clear skies from last night have continued, giving us a nice bright and warm day here - warm enough to dry two loads of laundry.
I'm just about to bring in the last of the laundry and top up the bird bath for the third time today - the Sparrows and Starlings have been merrily splashing away and the Doves have barely got enough left to cover their feet :)
Once that's done it will be time for bed.
P: - hope whatever you needed the colonoscopy for is nothing serious :)
"What do you call a Shepherds Pie if you use turkey mince instead of beef?"shight!
but, then again i don't like shepherd's pie, which traditionally is made from lamb! you had a cottage pie with turkey instead of beef! :)
Ohhh Squirrels! - all we need now is someone coming along and insisting that they believe it is the style of Potato topping that decides it's real name! - LOL!!! ;o>Turkey instead of Lamb in a Shepherd's Pie? ... I'd call that a Gobble Pie ;o>
And now I'm back off to Bed myself ... x NN x ST x SD x ... ;o>
Ooops ..... sorry;
Not trying to start a food fight! :)
Not trying to start a food fight! :)
"Grizzlygrump:P: - hope whatever you needed the colonoscopy for is nothing serious :)"
CT colonography today; colonoscopy next only if I am summoned, which is more invasive. Pumped full of CO2 - bloated still and everything's churning. Got to await results.
Basically precautionary investigation - I hope.
Gobble Pie sounds good name. How about if using pork mince? Oink Pie?
Pork mince: better name, to rival 'Cottage', might be -Sty Pie.
;0)
Could taste offally good...
Hmm. Those Scotch pies of questionable provenance - delicious though they may be - could possibly be renamed eye pies.
.....or even better, jap's eyes pies! :)note this post is obscure, innapropriate and racist! (no bad for six words!)
23 degrees, bright sunshine and not a cloud in the sky - Autumn seems to be pretty much the same as Summer :)
Tech wrote: ".....or even better, jap's eyes pies! :)note this post is obscure, innapropriate and racist! (no bad for six words!)"
Isn't that a dish over there, Tech?! Those oriental folks do eat some odd things, so some travel documentaries & articles, would often have us believe!
A big current trend in Japan, is vending machines selling just about anything (although maybe not cars and houses, & such like!), apparently. According to that much acclaimed BBC comedy/factual quiz show, QI; one can find in the main streets of Japan's big cities, vending machines selling used ladies underwear...eewww!
And I thought the Europeans were a perverted bunch! :)
Back in 1962 on the way to Austria, I spent a night in Cologne where the main shopping street was full of large vending machines selling chocolate, umbrellas, toiletries, shoes, tights and ladies’ knickers (unused!)
BBC News channel has a programme called Click which is dedicated to all things tech. Some months ago they ran an article on this subject in America, some of the things on offer included guns, ammunition and pot. Just pop in your credit card and away you go!
"BBC News channel has a programme....... which is dedicated to all things tech"about time! :)
Yeah!..... but there's nae reggae, philistines!
"vending machines selling used ladies underwear"mmmmm, crusty or fresh? what to go for!
So we are into Autumn again already, the leaves are still green which isn't unusual for these parts. Usually the first signs of the changing season is the appearance of the humble conker littering the floor in parks and woods through September.
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Ten Poems about Snow (other topics)And So This is Christmas: 51 Seasonally Adjusted Poems (other topics)
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (other topics)
The Quangle Wangle's Hat (other topics)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Christina Rossetti (other topics)John Keats (other topics)
Joan Aiken (other topics)
Suzy, do you know the John Keats biography ‘You Might As Well Live’ ? It’s really good.
You Might as Well Live: The Life and Times of Dorothy Parker