The Night Mail

[Winslow Boy]

8 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

You’re way off the mark, Winnie Dear Boy. The cakes were purchased at the behest of Mrs iD for one of her afternoon soirées with her (lady) friends.

 

Otherwise Schloss iD is a cake-free zone! 
 

Any excuse.

[polybear]

13 minutes ago, SM42 said:

Biscuits, you have to go a long way to beat at chocolate malted milk. 

 

 

As a fellow Connoisseur of fine cake I'm assuming these would be milk chocolate malted milk?

[SM42]

Just now, polybear said:

 

As a fellow Connoisseur of fine cake I'm assuming these would be milk chocolate malted milk?

 

It's the only sort. 

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear's Jam offering....

 

 

From, er, Morrisons.....

That looks like the stuff that leaches  out of our earthenware birdbath when we fill it with water.

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

I can't help but wonder if today's mass processed food industry goes some way to explaining the seemingly endless list of food allergies people have nowadays. 

 

I don't recall such things being that common 40 years ago and only seems to have developed in the 1990s in any significant number. 

 

We must be doing something wrong somewhere.

 

 

We are.
 

Well certainly the UK is. Of the average Brit’s diet 57% of the calories ingested is from Ultra Processed Food (and a whopping 66% in adolescents - see link below). 
 

Health problems related to poor diet, drinking and smoking are costing the NHS in England more than £11bn each year. Life expectancy is dropping, the UK has the worst outcomes for many diseases - many of which tied to diet (stroke, heart disease, diabetes) than comparable European countries.

 

Data is emerging on the role of UPF in the development of allergies in children. On top of a generally unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle plays a role and many authorities  believe that a sedentary, and mostly indoor lifestyle, amongst children denies them the exposure to a wide variety of biota that stimulates and keeps the immune system healthy.

 

The following makes for very sobering reading and should be a wake up call for those who live out of tins and packets: https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/blog/beyond-taste-and-nutrient-content-ultra-processed-foods-and-their-impact-on-adolescent-health-in-the-uk/#

[iL Dottore]

11 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Jeez! How drunk were ya!?

Well… I had drunk the best part of half a bottle of a very nice 12-year-old single malt, so my judgement must  have been impaired.

There is no other reason that could explain me going anywhere near cheap supermarket cake other than uncontrollable malt-whiskey fueled munchies*
 

A friend of Mrs ID, coming over for afternoon tea, brought with her the supermarket cake. Although, I did note that during the afternoon tea the supermarket cake remained untouched, whilst the home-made English Boiled Fruitcake and the Paris-Brest from the patisserie disappeared inordinately quickly.

 

Having debased myself so thoroughly, in order to remove this stain on my honour, I have no option but to enroll in the French Foreign Legion (the régiment de cuisiniers).

 

à plus tard mes amis

 

 

* traditionally treated with a deep fried Mars bar or failing that, with a piping hot scotch pie. neither of which – unfortunately – were at hand.

Edited June 2 by iL Dottore

[Erichill16]

8 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

Is that jam?
 

Looks suspiciously like a jam jar repurposed for less salubrious duties….

 

 

Looks like blood agar to me!

 

 

Blood agar plateedit

Blood agar plates (BAPs) contain mammalian blood (usually sheep or horse), typically at a concentration of 5–10%. BAPs are enriched, differential media used to isolate fastidious organisms and detect hemolytic activity. β-Hemolytic activity will show lysis and complete digestion of red blood cell contents surrounding a colony. Examples include Streptococcus haemolyticus. α-Hemolysis will only cause partial lysis of the red blood cells (the cell membrane is left intact) and will appear green or brown, due to the conversion of hemoglobin to methemoglobin. An example of this would be Streptococcus viridans. γ-Hemolysis (or nonhemolytic) is the term referring to a lack of hemolytic activity.[7] BAPs also contain meat extract or yeast extract, tryptone, sodium chloride, and agar.[8]

Edited June 2 by Erichill16
Make addition.

[Oldddudders]

Food evangelists can be just as tedious as other over-focussed people. Alison, in her perpetual search for weight-loss, has now dived headlong into research and findings from Tim Spector, who many in UK will recall from his Covid broadcasts on the Zoe Project. So after 10 years of sharing a lunch I had prepared while she works here on a Thursday, she now brings her own. I am a notoriously slow eater, but she now takes twice as long as me! Great big plate of salady-stuff, with protein added via various nut and veg concoctions, I'm sure it's healthy as can be. It is her only meal of the day. Today her friend Joël was round, and brought cakes. She declined to eat any, declaring them to be commercial crap, ingredients unknown. She knows - and cares not - how to win friends and influence people!

[Dave Hunt]

9 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear's Jam offering....

 

 

From, er, Morrisons.....

 

An examination of the labelling on Morrisons' Savers jam reveals that it contains 67% sugar. Several other, admittedly more expensive, ones contain as little as 38% sugar*. Hence I far prefer to spend a bit more and have a lot less sugar.

 

* and I'm not including the ones that substitute corn syrup and such.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

8 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

Another one which was very, very good was a friend of my wife gave us a champagne and truffle moon cake for Chinese new year. Usually I hate moon cake (there is more great food than you can shake a stick at in Chinese cuisine, personally I wouldn't include moon cake in that) but this one was superb. Again it wasn't cheap, she got it from the Raffles Hotel bakery but in fairness it had the decency to at least make quality commensurate with the price.

 

What exactly is moon cake? When I sent some anniversary cake to my son in Australia I had to get clearance from the Australian embassy and list all the ingredients and it was stated on the paperwork that under no circumstances would moon cake be allowed.

 

Dave

[polybear]

6 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

An examination of the labelling on Morrisons' Savers jam reveals that it contains 67% sugar. Several other, admittedly more expensive, ones contain as little as 38% sugar*. Hence I far prefer to spend a bit more and have a lot less sugar.

 

 

True, but as Bear will only have one slice with it on (and not every day) I suspect I'm not overdosing on it just yet 🤣

[Dave Hunt]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Out of interest Dave have you ever had to bang out?

Just wonderin',,,,,,

 

No. Got close to it a couple of times but did what the yellow press would term a crash landing instead.

 

Dave

[polybear]

25 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Alison, in her perpetual search for weight-loss, has now dived headlong into research and findings from Tim Spector, who many in UK will recall from his Covid broadcasts on the Zoe Project. So after 10 years of sharing a lunch I had prepared while she works here on a Thursday, she now brings her own. I am a notoriously slow eater, but she now takes twice as long as me! Great big plate of salady-stuff, with protein added via various nut and veg concoctions, I'm sure it's healthy as can be. It is her only meal of the day. Today her friend Joël was round, and brought cakes. She declined to eat any, declaring them to be commercial crap, ingredients unknown. She knows - and cares not - how to win friends and influence people!

 

Healthy it might be (assuming it's organic n' all that) but it sounds as boring** as hell.

 

**Other words are available

[Dave Hunt]

6 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Reading through some threads and status updates on RMWeb and surfing Youtube.

I seem to be one of the declining proportion of people who attends model railway exhibitions without any intention of filming the event for their own Tiktok/Youtube channel.

 

6 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

You are not alone as I never have any desire to take copious amounts of pictures or film stuff.

 

When I do it is usually for reference purposes, and layout owners are somewhat taken aback when I ask for permission to take a snap or two.

 

And I thank them afterwards.

 

When exhibiting it used to p!ss me off when people took photographs (often with flash in the operator's face) or filming without having the common decency to ask first. One scrote even had the nerve to wave me out of the way when he was taking a picture; I, of course moved further into view instead. Mind you, the only time I ever see things on Youtube is when they arelinked from RMW posts and I wouldn't know Tiktok if it bit me on the bum.

 

Dave 

[Northmoor]

13 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

True, but as Bear will only have one slice with it on (and not every day) I suspect I'm not overdosing on it just yet 🤣

I just checked the Bon Maman Strawberry jam in our fridge: 59g sugar  per 100g.  Oh well, it tastes delicious.

[Dave Hunt]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

As a fellow Connoisseur of fine cake I'm assuming these would be milk chocolate malted milk?

 

4 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

It's the only sort. 

 

Oh, dear. The standards of taste among TNMers is declining catastrophically.

 

Dave 

[Dave Hunt]

27 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

True, but as Bear will only have one slice with it on (and not every day) I suspect I'm not overdosing on it just yet 🤣

 

I was thinking about taste as well.

 

Dave

[Erichill16]

4 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

 

When exhibiting it used to p!ss me off when people took photographs (often with flash in the operator's face) or filming without having the common decency to ask first..

 

Dave 

A couple of years ago I was surprised to see a picture of my layout in the publicity material for a forthcoming exhibition. I attended the exhibition the previous year and wasn’t aware of any photos being taken and certainly wasn’t asked if they could be used in the publicity for the next show. What actually peeved me most was the fact that the picture focused on a member of the team dealing with a derailment! 
It was a commercial exhibition and there was probably something in the agreement that allowed them to take pictures and use them as they see fit.
 

[SM42]

It's so difficult to avoid UPF nowadays, it creeps up on you unawares. What you think isn't, is.

 

A classic example is fruit based cordials. Most contain a raft of chemical sweeteners, as if the fruit bit wasn't sweet enough, along with various other additives. 

 

I have a sedentary job. I try to stand up for a few minutes every hour at least. 

I get home and I'm shattered.

 

Exercise is the last thing on mind. 

 

It's normally eat, veg out for a couple of hours and off to bed for an early start the next day. 

 

Night shifts are worse.

 

Not only am I permanently tired, I also get incredible sugar cravings. 

 

I spend my time in bed, in the car or in a chair at work. 

 

Once I finish a run of nights I find it difficult to adjust to going to bed before 2am as I normally get a burst of energy around 2100hrs thus I'm tired during the day. 

 

They say shift work is bad for you and I can see why.

 

Alcohol intake, last week and special occasions excepted I try to limit to two beers a week. 

Having a zero limit and random testing at work helps keep the consumption down.

 

I was probably more active on holiday last week than I am normally. 

 

My lifestyle is not good and I'm slowly falling apart 

 

I drink more water now than I ever did, not because I am more thirsty  just that I have replaced other drinks with water.

Fizzy pop is an occasional drink, tea and coffee I don't touch at work , my bladder can't cope with 4 cups an hour.

 

I try to eat as healthily as a Polish  inspired carb heavy diet allows ( definitely exceed the 5 a day fruit and veg) but feel I am fighting a permanent rear guard action against beige food. 

 

There always seems to be cake about too.

 

I wonder if retiring will help.

 

Probably have no time to be more active, too busy sitting down.

 

Andy

Who's English sized 

[Dave Hunt]

3 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

A couple of years ago I was surprised to see a picture of my layout in the publicity material for a forthcoming exhibition. I attended the exhibition the previous year and wasn’t aware of any photos being taken and certainly wasn’t asked if they could be used in the publicity for the next show. What actually peeved me most was the fact that the picture focused on a member of the team dealing with a derailment! 
It was a commercial exhibition and there was probably something in the agreement that allowed them to take pictures and use them as they see fit.
 

 

Even so, I would consider it no more than common decency to at least inform you that they intended using the photograph.

 

Dave

[monkeysarefun]

34 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Healthy it might be (assuming it's organic n' all that) but it sounds as boring** as hell.

 

**Other words are available

 

 

The trick behind it is that you dont actually live any longer, it just seems like you do.

[polybear]

15 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

I was thinking about taste as well.

 

Dave

 

It certainly passes Bear's yumminess test - though searching for any lumpiness in the jam would prove fruitless (see what Bear did there?)

[Dave Hunt]

Today we spent a lovely few hours at the Dorothy Clive gardens. The weather was perfect - clear skies, 20 degrees with a slight breeze - and we just wandered around taking in the sights and revelling in nature’s bounty of birds, bees, flowers, trees, tuna fish sandwiches and chocolate ice cream .

 

Dave

[polybear]

20 minutes ago, SM42 said:

It's so difficult to avoid UPF nowadays, it creeps up on you unawares. What you think isn't, is.

 

It'd be a very good idea if all products had to have a "UPF" symbol on the front - and perhaps it could be expanded to green or red for good n' bad UPF's

 

20 minutes ago, SM42 said:

A classic example is fruit based cordials. Most contain a raft of chemical sweeteners, as if the fruit bit wasn't sweet enough, along with various other additives. 

 

I have a sedentary job. I try to stand up for a few minutes every hour at least. 

I get home and I'm shattered.

 

Exercise is the last thing on mind. 

 

It's normally eat, veg out for a couple of hours and off to bed for an early start the next day. 

 

Night shifts are worse.

 

Not only am I permanently tired, I also get incredible sugar cravings. 

 

I spend my time in bed, in the car or in a chair at work. 

 

Once I finish a run of nights I find it difficult to adjust to going to bed before 2am as I normally get a burst of energy around 2100hrs thus I'm tired during the day. 

 

They say shift work is bad for you and I can see why.

 

Alcohol intake, last week and special occasions excepted I try to limit to two beers a week. 

Having a zero limit and random testing at work helps keep the consumption down.

 

I was probably more active on holiday last week than I am normally. 

 

My lifestyle is not good and I'm slowly falling apart 

 

I drink more water now than I ever did, not because I am more thirsty  just that I have replaced other drinks with water.

Fizzy pop is an occasional drink, tea and coffee I don't touch at work , my bladder can't cope with 4 cups an hour.

 

I try to eat as healthily as a Polish  inspired carb heavy diet allows ( definitely exceed the 5 a day fruit and veg) but feel I am fighting a permanent rear guard action against beige food. 

 

There always seems to be cake about too.

 

It sounds to this Bear like a job change may be in order; one of the reasons Bear banged out early was because I'd seen far too many either not make retirement or not not get long afterwards.

 

20 minutes ago, SM42 said:

I wonder if retiring will help.

 

Probably have no time to be more active, too busy sitting down.

 

 

You'll be more busy than you imagine; Bear is definitely a lot heathier & fitter (and weighs a lot less too) than I ever was at the G.E.  And no T0ssers to tolerate either - even though I had this uncontrollable urge to choke the living sh1t out of them....

[Tony_S]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

I'm assuming that's in a washing machine?  What's the big crime?

I assumed it was in the wardrobe. 

Edited June 2 by Tony_S