More Prattle from Povey

Curiosity I received a letter today, sent from Malta.  I suspected a scam.   But no.   It was from the U.K. Department for Work and Pensions telling me that my U.K. "Social Security" ( which I'd paid into when I was a working man) would receive an increase.   That's nice, even though it is not a huge sum (paid quarterly for ex-pats).   But Why Oh Why does the U.K. Govt.  outsource this work to a "Public Limited Company" (PLC) in Malta? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Delight Alpine Blossom soft cheese from Austria. Made from Cows' Raw Milk, with wildflowers.  GUT   GOOD.  

  The regime is of various combinations of daily eye drops from March 30th until the end of May. This is for  the before and the after my Cataract surgeries:  Left eye on April 6th, right eye on April 20th. Eye Associates (the surgeons) have provided me with various detailed  charts re the eye drop regime. All I have to do is to pay attention every day. A friend has promised to send me an early morning text message on  30th April  to get me off to a good start.

   via Bruce L

  This is not about the fabulous choral and orchestral music at Fairfield Grammar School under W.J. "Dickie" Richards.   I will write about that at length in due course. Today I write about the great choir music at Eastville Junior Mixed School under another Richards (Sydney). Here we are at the local Eastville Park in 1954.  I am third from the left in the second row. Bright eyed Fairfieldians will spot Clive Hargett, third from left in the third row. Two from me is the Headmaster Mr. Lews? who in his spare time was an amateur boxing referee, Next to him is Syd Richard's wife, our choir pianist. There there is Syd himself. We were good.  So good that we recorded for the BBC at the old Empire Theatre in Old Market (torn down in that blight called urban renewal). We were prepped about the Green Room etc.  I encountered a Men's Urinal for the first time -  Dad explained it to me when I got home. I can't remember what we sang.   I do remember that in school we learne

  Fairfield Grammar School (my school 1955-60) held an annual event to raise money for UNICEF.  I think that it was spear headed by Mr, Hunneman and/or Mr. Gilkes.   The event helped we students to understand more about the big wide world and the desperate straights of  many children.  (It's worse than ever now, but we did our best then.) It was a good time for parents and family members to see the inside of the school and to meet our teachers in an informal setting. ------------------------------------------------ School life was more than sweetness and light.   I remember the infamous slap in the face.   Mr. Maggs was doing duty as the school lunch monitor; saying grace and keeping order. On day he was having an altercation with a rebellious boy - a Sixth Former I think. The stood facing each other. Their argument was boisterous.  It ended when Mr. Maggs (red hot with anger) slapped the boy across the face.  A hush of wonderment filled the room! We never heard whether or not M

  The day I adopted Penne.  I think that she and Zion would like each other. I cried for three days when dear Penne died.

We were at Bayfront Park on Tuesday morning 23rd March when Z spotted his friend M., a City Worker in charge of sprinkler systems.  They have a mutual love affair. I dropped the leash and Z loped over to M.  There he got a good back rub.    M remembered that his dog treats were in his truck.  He walked back to the truck,  Z followed, not for once looking back at me!  First they, and then I passed three Amish folks out for their morning Constitutional  walk.  They thought that Z was chasing M. I set them straight and they smiled from ear to ear. Smiling Amish eh?  Mr. Z does not discriminate as he spreads his joy! Once I got back to M's Truck and to my Car , Zion remembered that I am his best pal. I wouldn't have it any other way.  Z and I have more than enough love to share.      

  I am reliably informed that in the Autumn and Spring terms the Girls wore berets (adorned with the Sch ool  Motto). Panama Hats were an option in the Summer Term for those girls whose family could afford them.  

  My Fairfield Grammar School  (Bristol U.K.) School Cap.  The crown is a bit flattened since the cap has been buried in my treasure box for lo so many years. Girls also had a School Hat -  I seem to remember that they were brimmed, and also bore the School Motto. QUANTI EST SAPERE.      HOW VALUABLE IS WISDOM. We were obliged to wear the hat on our journeys to and from school: whether walking, cycling or taking the 'bus.  I suspect that this rule was designed to remind us to behave, and thereby not bring the School into disrepute.  Here is the kicker.  Certain pupils in the lower and upper sixth forms were designated as "Prefects".   They had the authority  to "write us up" should they see us hatless on our journeys to and from school.  (The Prisoners became the Gaolers/Jailers.) We also had school ties.   Here is mine as it adorns the neck of OSCAR one of the two table sized Pink Flamingos which my friend Prof. Ann Albritton sent me as a gag gift, Old Fairfiel

  For American readers.  In the English usage of my day a Grammar School was a High School for those who had passed an exam. called the 11+    I passed and was University bound. Except for those circumstances which got into my way, some of my making, others outside of my Pale. When it came to the Ordinary level exams (after five years) I performed miserably. I passed only two -  hardly PhD material! I could have returned for another term and re-taken the exams. My Dad had a good conversation with me saying "you don't want to do that do you?" "No", I replied "I'll do no better the next time". So it was that I sought a letter of reference for employment from the Fairfield Grammar School Head Master.  He was kind!  The reference to Music was on the ball.  But Radio? Somehow he knew that I'd rigged up an old radio and created a long antenna/aerial so that I could listen to short wave programmes from across the world.  I felt very daring as I listen

  Jean 1939  In very poor health these days Maureen 1937   A bright and shining light to her extended family John 1944  Looking up  (as is the case is most of his childhood photo's)    Per ardua ad  ineptias Elizabeth (Liz) 1944 May she rest in peace.

  Photo' by my friend Judy B  at the ? Museum in St. Petersburg, FL

  ADVERTISING Yesterday I painted my splendid eyebrows green in honour of St. Patrick. Today they  are blue.   So painted in support of the Democratic Party before it becomes against the law to be a a Democrat in Florida. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRICOTS At last a jam/preserve/spread worthy of the name.  It tastes of apricot and  is not dominated by sugar!  Little chunks of apricot in every bite! Available in Sarasota at Artisan Cheese on Central Ave.; north of Fruitville Rd. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- AMBITION When I grow up I want to drive one of these . (Picture from the "near  to my home" Bobby Jones Golf Complex which is being rebuilt and renewed.

 ....    we often get together at the Fort DeSoto County Park in Pinellas County, an hour or so north of my home. Mary Caulfield and I have hooked up there a couple of times. More recently it was with Laurie Rofinot and Patrick Michaels. Today with Judy S Beers (and Zion). Not forgetting my dears Ron and Charlotte Thompson who moved from Sarasota to St. Petersburg. And  of course  Mr. Z, the bringer of joy. 

 It's all about my wild and bushy eyebrows which under normal circumstances still display the red hair which once adorned my pate and my beard/ I will not allow my Barber to trim them. Never to be trimmed, but can be decorated for special occasions. (Thank goodness for washable paint!)

 

  Cannellini Beans and Potatoes cooked to softness and then mashed.  (Psst.  I use canned and sliced spuds). Broiled in the oven with cut bacon slices on top. Although the spuds are a bit toasty they are still moist. Served with pork medallions and home made apple sauce. Eat your heart out James Beard  (or not!)  

 

......... ......... Corned Beef  This version  comes from a can; or occasionally sliced at the butchers or a deli. It's used in a sandwich; or on a plate with egg and chips; or as a good accompaniment on a salad platter.  ***  All well and good, e xcept that School lunches sometimes served  it fried in batter. I gag at the very memory, NOTES 1 .  The Market Basket store in Somerville, MA offered it sliced - just like as in the olden days. 2.  I keep a couple of cans in my pantry in  preparation for the apocalypse. *** In my formative years a salad platter was often featured as the main course on summer Saturday or Sunday evenings. There would be a bed of lettuce ( usually butter lettuce, similar to boston lettuce) adorned  with quartered tomatoes, sliced (skin on) cucumber, and spring onions. Never so much as a salad dressing, though the lettuce might be anointed with malt vinegar. The protein could be sliced ham, or hard boiled eggs (halved), or sliced corned beef, or maybe some

  Corned beef is a salted, cured cut of brisket — a tough cut of beef. It’s made tender by slow curing of the beef in a pickling brine that gives it a deep pink hue and distinct flavor. The corned beef you purchase in the grocery store is already brined and seasoned. You can brine your own brisket for a fantastic flavor. My mother would often buy brisket on weekends, but not the corned variety.  It is one of the cheaper cuts of beef, from the animal's belly. It needs to be braised to tenderness.  I doubt that Mum did so. There again I grew up in the British way: "TOUGH BEEF!   Our Corned Beef came from a can; or sliced at the Butchers. We ate it in a sandwich; or on a plate with egg and chips; or as good company on  a salad platter.  All well and good, Except that School lunches sometimes offered it fried in batter. I gag at the very memory, NOTES 1 .  The Market Basket store in Somerville, MA offered it sliced - just like as in the olden days. 2. I keep a couple of cans in m

  Persian Fava Bean Stew Inspired by Half Baked Harvest's Persian Chickpea Herb Stew - this recipe swaps the much-used chickpeas for fava beans, offering a creamy & tender alternative!   Prep Time   10   minutes   Cook Time   20   minutes   Total Time   30   minutes   Servings   4   servings Ingredients 2   tbsp   olive oil 1   onion, chopped   (I use sweet onions) 1   can   cooked fava beans   (drained of the liquid*  *** ) salt and pepper 2   cloves   garlic   minced or grated 1   teaspoon   ground turmeric 1/2   teaspoon   crushed red pepper flakes   ** 2   teaspoons   lemon zest 2   cups   vegetable broth 2   tablespoons   lemon juice   (about half a lemon) 1/2   cup   fresh cilantro   roughly chopped 1/2   cup   fresh parsley   roughly chopped 1/4   cup   fresh dill   roughly chopped After I had taken the photo' (above) I added Yellow Rice to give the dish more body. ***  Frequent readers of this blog will know that I am a great fan of Fava (broad) beans.  I grew up wi

  1 2 Corned Beef (Brisket) and Cabbage has never been a traditional meal in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Never! It's roots are Irish American .  In the great cities such as Boston and New York   (late 19th Century and on)  Irish immigrants met and intermingled with Jewish immigrants.  )The poor with the poor).  'Twas then that the Irish discovered Brisket from the eastern European Jews. (The Irish who stayed in their homeland were hard pressed to eat meat of any kind . The best of  pork, beef and lamb were forcefully exported by the British to England, Scotland and Wales.) A modern and quite fancy corn beef and cabbage platter; with spuds, carrots and mustard. 3 If you want a traditionally Irish meal on the Saint's Day go for Colcannon. https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/colcannon/ Sometimes bite sized pieces of crispy bacon are added. Erin go Bragh with Colcannon.

  In Colin Butcher and Joanne Lake's  Molly: The True Story of the Dog Who Rescues Lost Cats , a rescue dog meets a retired police detective and they help find lost or stolen animals in this nonfiction middle grade adaptation. As a veteran of the Royal Navy and longtime police officer, Colin Butcher was no stranger to dangerous situations and challenges. Colin left the force to start his own private detective agency, specializing in helping reunite people with their lost pets. He soon knew he needed a partner. When Colin first met Molly, his friends doubted that she would be up for the job. Where Colin was battle-tested after a long and varied career, Molly was young and inexperienced. Not only that, she had a reputation for bad behavior. But Colin could tell that Molly was unusually charismatic and intelligent. Today, Molly has overcome all the odds to become Colin’s invaluable deputy. Together, they are unstoppable―even if Molly still occasionally steals food from people’s plates

Fortunately I have a service and maintenance contract for my a/c unit. My service company engineer arrived today.  He discovered that one of the two motors, (the one which pumps the air into my home) is dead and must be buried. For practical  and fiscal  reasons most service companies (including car/auto repair garages) do not keep huge stocks of spare parts.  My A/C company will order the new motor, but it will be three to five days before that order is fulfilled. The good news for me is that the motor is under warranty. I'll be patient.  I have no other choice! And a de-humidifier in my bedroom will help. I have another source of comfort. Thank you fans!.. Ceiling fans that is.

  One I am dealing with a Rat infestation.  The Condo Assoc. will most likely take action to mitigate it. BUT THIS! I checked my guest bathroom this morning.  There was rat scat on the floor.  And one of these wily creatures had feasted on some hand soap. No idea how it got into the bathroom.  Maybe via the toilet bowl?  But there was no trail of water. One friend suggested that the rat had been on a cleansing mission, in prep for a colonoscopy. Another friend ventured that a junior rat had used foul language whereupon its mother had said "wash your mouth with soap". Helpful suggestions eh!? Two I have been without central air conditioning for 24 hours. I have a contract with a service and repair Company. They are "snowed" with emergency work but had hoped to get to me today. Faint hope! It'll be 2:00  p.m. on Wednesday before I get to the top of their list. I won't sweat it for I have no other choice. Some st anding and overhead fans make it bearable.   In

  Red Tide has its toll  (and the stench is dreadful)

  I I often think: "Whatever has happened to them" "Them" are the people I used to see at Arlington or Bayfront Parks before COVID.  Now they are nowhere to be seen. This morning (5th March 2023)  I decided to take Mr. Z to Arlington Park, a little bit later that our usual Bayfront Park walks. It was a good walk. Then we were on our way to my Church, ( Trader Joe's ) , for their 8:00 a.m. service!  For reasons I don't understand I decided to take a short cut of Tuttle Ave, via Datura St. Such providence. Some may remember the family  I used to see every week day at Arlington Park.  Mom and Dad with their daughter Alex and their dog Axel as they took an early walk at Arlington Park before Alex went to school. There they were. We'd met again for the first time in three years.  Mutual  HOORAYS. WHOOP DEE DOOS. HAPPINESSES ! To quote from a hymn by Charles Wesley "And are we yet alive, and see each others' face?"  Thank goodness YES! ----------

  Our wonderful un-manicured park. A few acres of old Florida within the City.

 Old Sol wakes up at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota. 4th Mar 2023

 

                                                                        FRUIT    Rats in my home again.   Overnight nibbling                                                            VEGETABLES The local Amish/Mennonite fruit and vegetable store had them in stock today. De-podded and ready to cook. 

HYFRODOL  widely used in the U.S.A. https://youtu.be/Ij7R_qgeBj0 BLAENWERN    the favourite tune in the U.K  (and Australia). Here sung, as is fitting, by a Welsh Male Voice Choir. https://youtu.be/Y6UZF8_BQLg My preference is Blaenwern.  That's probably because I grew up with it. THE ODDITY    We sing "let us see Thy great salvation, perfectly restored in Thee".   What in the world of hymnody does that mean? How is God's salvation restored in God? Some Hymnologists assert that Charles Wesley wrote  "let us see Thy great salvation, perfectly restored in me ".  That makes sense when we know that the Wesley Brothers taught that Christians could be "perfected i.e. "completed" in love.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ P.S.  There is another tune, by Stainer, in which the hymn is sung with four line verses. It's a pretty enough tune - beloved by English Men and Boys/Girls choirs.  But it doesn't hav

  Do you remember when containers of hair shampoo would bear a note to the effect that we should wash our hair with their product once, rinse it, and then wash it again with a second application.  What a con job!  The manufactures liked it 'cause we would use more of their product.  They fooled us into believing that two applications   were better than one,  inadvertently suggesting that their product was not that good! The conning continues. Who in the heck believes that "fresh greens" enhances the quality of a shampoo? It gets worse We are led to believe that our hair also needs "conditioner" as well as shampoo. The silly thing is that after applying "conditioner" we immediately rinse it off!  Amazing -  the "magic" works in thirty to forty seconds   The truth is that nothing we apply to our hair conditions it.    Conditioner may add a temporary lustre - that's all. But it does not make our hair more healthy. As I rant  (with a grin on