Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

…Bear does recall being presented with his very first "authentic" Spag. Carbonara with a little surprise; after eating it I did recall thinking "OK, but would've been soooo much better with cream...."

I guess "authentic" doesn't always mean "better".

 

Hat, Duffle Coat, Sarnie, sorry, cake.....gone.......

It certainly doesn’t mean worse. I’d take an authentic Bolognese Tagliatelle al Ragú any day over a spag-bol (and if done properly an authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara will be very creamy indeed - just from the eggs)

 

Perhaps I shouldn’t be too critical about spag-bol: it is - after all - a Uni staple (and many a Uni student fed on watery mince and tinned tomato spag-bol has gone on to appreciate the finer things in life…) My Uni “don’t have any money” staple was Mac and Cheese - made with curry powder and (if flush with cash) a few “red hots” (spicy sausage) thrown in for good measure.
 

I remember a number of things that sustained me whilst in graduate school in the US, but strangely enough nothing involving vegetables (I must have eaten enough veg as I’ve never had any nutritional deficiencies). Grad school staples (which were a bit more ambitious than the average cos I could eat at the hospital canteen) included:

• Southern Fried Chicken
• Pork BBQ and coleslaw
• Mac and Cheese
• Chicken Fried steak breakfast biscuits (a bit of a treat)
• Spaghetti alla Carbonara (only semi-authentic as you couldn’t  get Guanciale in the US back then)

Strangely enough, I have few memories of going out drinking as a Grad Student (because of cost? The punitive drink-driving laws in a place where the only way to get around is by car? Don’t know). I recall avoiding cake in the US (far too sickly sweet) although the occasional Krispy Kreme donut was appreciated, especially if donated by a grateful patient relative.

So what foodstuffs sustained my fellow ERs during their student/apprentice days? (let’s take it as a “given” that - as British students/apprentices - considerable excess alcohol was also involved)

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by iL Dottore

[Barry O]

Looks like we have very few Early Risers today.. well it is Saturday 

Bas

[iL Dottore]

18 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Some of us may not get chance to have in depths conversations with people apart from ER s or TNM.

 

16 hours ago, polybear said:

Seconded - I can go for days (and often do) without seeing anybody to talk to, though not thru' choice.  If I'm lucky I might get to see Postie walking up the garden path....

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Thirded. 

Apart from my regular teleconferences for work, I rarely interact with people when Mrs iD is in the holiday hovel with the Wolfpack - just the occasional shop assistant. 
 

But I must be an anomaly - unlike many I am quite happy to be by myself, often in silence without television, radio or music to distract (either modelling or reading). Nonetheless, I do enjoy being able to be part of the ER community.
 

My view on the posts made on ER is that they can vary between (at worst) the banal and tedious to (at best) amusing/informative/thought provoking. We certainly have some great on-line “characters” on ER and the kindness and support offered by many (even if only a “friendly/supportive” tick) is certainly appreciated, never more so than when I was worried about Lucy earlier this year. 

 

I suppose it could be claimed that ER is a bit of a clique - but if so it is a very accessible and open clique. A few days of reading ER posts will soon acquaint a “newbie” with the joys of LDC, the Supervillain mindset, how very talented indeed are our “snappers” of celestial and terrestrial images, how dogs (and cats) “rool”! and with the highways and byways of music….

[Gwiwer]

23 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

So what foodstuffs sustained my fellow ERs during their student/apprentice days (let’s take it as a “given” that - as British students/apprentices - considerable excess alcohol was also involved)

Alcohol?  I may have related a few tales here over the years.  They may have involved excessive consumption of various alcoholic beverages which may or may not have been available at discounted Student Union bar prices.  

 

We weren't a campus university; there were multiple locations across the City and immediate east end of London.  Some of us were located substantially in one building while others were obliged to transit between according to the location and subject of the next lecture or practical session.  There were refectories in all buildings offering cheap eats which mostly consisted of fried eggs, baked beans, tinned tomatoes and toast as I recall.  If you had a little more money (folding rather than coinage, bearing in mind that we had a £1 note in those days) you could even enjoy a steak pie with chips and de-frozen peas.  

 

I have always "done" breakfast before leaving home no matter what the hour.  That is how I was brought up.  So normally cereal, toast and a muggertea.  Cereal has usually been Corn Flakes or Weetabix though occasionally with something far more sugary; I do love Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes and the nutty bits didn't lodge between teeth as they do now.  

 

A refectory lunch often meant a cooked evening meal could be done without in favour of a takeaway of hungry or what ever the fridge offered up by way of a "tv snack" which was typically taken alongside the evening's essay-writing.  Longhand in the 1970s.  Wet ink was always a hazard!  

In my year in halls the cost included meals so I took what was offered.  Basic mass catering at its less-than-finest.  Mash or chips with a substance which might or might not have originated as part of an animal.  And a Sunday lunchtime roast which was both less than generous and less than good but hey - we were impoverished students.

 

On those evenings where takeaway was required it way usually a burger or a curry.  Anything I actually cooked had to involve maximum gain for minimal cost; a supermarket quiche did four meals when cut into quarters.  A jacket potato (because spuds were always cheap) and maybe a carrot or a little cabbage alongside.  I also learned to invest in whole chickens.  A medium chicken would provide six meals for one; the four quarters, wings plus shavings and a soup from the carcass.  Pulses to boost the soup were also cheap and being students meant we also had a number of flag-waving vegans / vegetarians amongst us who knew where to shop and what to do with dried mung beans!  

 

I survived.  I learned.  I have managed more or less robust good health with a couple of significant exceptions.  And a chicken still does six meals though nowadays that is three each for the two of us.  

 

We have students in our block.  St. Mary's is not a cheap university and tends to attract the wealthier end of the Roman Catholic community and a few others.  Those among us Upon the Hill of Strawberries, which is one of the most expensive areas of Greater London in which to live, mostly seem quite well-to-do and if appearances are anything to go by they have no difficulty in living off the new-style weekly food-box deliveries which were not available in my day and are not the cheapest way to eat now.  The likes of Deliverude and Just Eat also do very well here with multiple deliveries appearing every day.  Some flats seem to enjoy three delivered meals a day!  

 

I did have to question the logic of Former Neighbour (Upstairs) who once ordered beans on toast for delivery; apparently she simply could not be bothered opening a tin in her kitchen!!!

[Gwiwer]

12 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

and with the highways and byways of music….

Not to mention the finer points of cuisine.

 

Ask any ER what should (and what should not) go onto the plate for a "Full English" breakfast for example.  And I offer as further evidence the Hon. Gentleman's recent posts discussing the qualities of Italian foods.  

[dcordingley]

14 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I am a little anxious for @brian usa who has not visited any part of RMweb since August 9.

I wonder if this might be the same Brian who was a resident of Gig Harbour? If so (and I hope I'm wrong) his passing was announced a few weeks ago in the Hornby Railway Collectors' Association forum.  

 

David C.  

[Gwiwer]

6 minutes ago, dcordingley said:

I wonder if this might be the same Brian who was a resident of Gig Harbour? If so (and I hope I'm wrong) his passing was announced a few weeks ago in the Hornby Railway Collectors' Association forum.  

 

David C.  

I fear you may be correct though hope not.  His account seems to have been wiped clean with no trace of posts or anything else.  I recall there was a "Location : Gig Harbor" beneath either his name or, possibly, another.  

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

It was bright when I first got out of bed an hour or so ago, but it’s looking rather cloudy now! I will shortly be heading off to Vickie’s to collect Ava, who once again will be spending the day here with us. There are no firm plans as to what we will be doing, but I’m sure Sheila will have a few ideas in mind. 

 

I’m also a person who doesn’t leave the house without having eaten breakfast, even if I’m late for something, I just have to eat something before leaving home. 

 

Time to go, back later. 

 

Brian

Edited September 24, 2022 by BSW01

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

It's early for me @Barry O! 🤣  

 

Mind you I never was an early riser.    Looks like I will have to be in November though ....

 

You may recall I finally got the referral to one of the major London hospitals for a consultation / Cardio MRI a while back.   You might also recall it took close on a year for the referral letter to actually leave the local hospital (although as far as I'm aware it has never turned up in London, well St Evenage is such a long way from London isn't it) and that I had to Email  my copy of it to said London establishment in order to start the ball rolling.   I was given a date in November (one in September or October would have been better and not unwarranted I would have thought) for the first consultation with a note saying further appointment details to follow.

 

Guess what?     

 

Not a Dicky Bird, Zilch, Sweet Fxnny Adams .....  so I sent a gentle reminder yesterday to the named individual dealing with it.

 

Guess what?

 

"I'm sorry but there are no appointments available on that day <Insert unbelievable made up excuse here> and there's only one available later in the month.  Oh, by the way, it's at 9-15am".

 

Looks like I'll be a real Early Riser that day then!

 

It's enough to make a grown Puppers weep.   I'm getting truly fed up with the relentless rounds of excuses and incompetence to which I have been subjected in this sorry saga.   It seems to pervade the whole mess that they call the "NHS".    I note I'm up to (A4) Page 29 in my type written record of the goings on since it started going pear shaped at the beginning of last year.      Well, it might come in useful to the family if there's ever an inquest.

 

Not so much a rant, just a big dollop of despondency and a word of advice to those ERs lucky enough to be healthy;

 

           Don't get ill!

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[simontaylor484]

I was going to cut the grass but its raining so that job has gone out the window.

I am sure I will find something else to keep me occupied

[Tony_S]

Morning all. 
We are heading across the border into Norfolk later this morning. We will try to avoid the fish. 
It is quite sunny here at the moment. Rather damp though. 
Tony

[polybear]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

So what foodstuffs sustained my fellow ERs during their student/apprentice days? (let’s take it as a “given” that - as British students/apprentices - considerable excess alcohol was also involved)

 

 

Apprentice Bear, Company Canteen (before it went downhill after becoming a "Restaurant"):

A somewhat fussy eating Bear would regularly have "Chips, Peas, Beans and a Roll" for my 25p din dins ticket.  The staff got to know me, surprisingly....

 

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

I did have to question the logic of Former Neighbour (Upstairs) who once ordered beans on toast for delivery; apparently she simply could not be bothered opening a tin in her kitchen!!!

 

A work buddy purchased "Meat Pie, Chips and Beans" off the 'bay as a joke bid - apparently it turned up, looked ok and smelt ok but he didn't risk eating it.  IIRC that was the best part of four quid in the bin.....

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

I fear you may be correct though hope not.  His account seems to have been wiped clean with no trace of posts or anything else.  I recall there was a "Location : Gig Harbor" beneath either his name or, possibly, another.  

 

Yes, sadly:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/profile/21098-brianusa/

RIP Buddy.

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

mostly seem quite well-to-do and if appearances are anything to go by they have no difficulty in living off the new-style weekly food-box deliveries which were not available in my day and are not the cheapest way to eat now.  

I put my weekly shopping from the trade supermarket in a box.

 

Does that count?

[simontaylor484]

Rip Brian 

[southern42]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

Looks like we have very few Early Risers today.. well it is Saturday 

Bas

 

Quick ' afternoon , all - catching up over lunch...

More catching up over a mugadecaf to follow...

 

Polly

 

Transfers concocted, printed and varnished, yesterday. Another coat to apply, after lunch.

[Barry O]

RIP Brian.

 

He can now have a long chat with other ERs including one of the founders  Gordon.

 

Baz

[The Lurker]

Student eating;

 

in my first year I was in Bodington Hall - now demolished- and we were provided with a cooked breakfast and a stodgy dinner every day except Sunday when it was a packed breakfast and a stodgy lunch. The Sunday evening treat was occasionally chips, huge onion bhajis and curry sauce for 99p from North Farm Fisheries in Headingley.

 

after I moved out into stereotypically gritty rented accommodation, I had to cook for myself and sometimes shared duties with a housemate. My Mum had given me some recipes of things I liked - eg chilli con carne - and book called the Basic Basic Cookbook which gave timings for pretty much. all the staples - boiling carrots etc. I also was given a slow cooker which proved too quick to be out all day and too slow to use after lectures.

 

I learned as I went along. The 60p meal for three using packet tomato soup, pasta,and some kind of meat in the slow cooker was a triumph. The use of 39p a lb mince from the market was probably a step too far. 
 

And as for the lentil curry where I burned the onions and the lentils…that was the end of sharing cooking. My housemate did himself a pizza and chips while I stuck brown sauce on it and ate it bravely; the rice was done perfectly.

 

things improved and by the third year I was cooking cloud ears in hoisin sauce, a beef bulgogi, hot and sour fish , various lasagnes and stroganoffs as well as classic spaghetti Bol and chilli!

 

that year one of the girls I shared with had a massive Asian cookbook with recipes from many countries, some of which are above. She was heavily into her cooking and I remember her making kulfi from scratch, standing over and stirring a vast cauldron of milk as it slowly evaporated. It tasted good when she was done! I adapted recipes from that book and came up with my own hybrids; 5 spice chicken and cashew nuts, chilli lasagne….

[The Lurker]

RIP Brian 

[southern42]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Snip...

So what foodstuffs sustained my fellow ERs during their student/apprentice days? (let’s take it as a “given” that - as British students/apprentices - considerable excess alcohol was also involved)

 

 

My college of education provided (included within student fees):

• Breakfast  - for those up early enough, so rarely in my case!
• Morning hot drinks - between lectures
• Dinner plus pudding (desert may not be the right word in this context!) - very good to excellent. Traditional English/British, I would say, on the whole. 
• Afternoon hot drinks (and cake on Sundays :) - between lectures
• Supper - lighter meal than at lunchtime though always enough.

Also, if in Halls, we had a basic kitchen for making tea and preparing food/snacks. I used to keep condensed milk in the cupboard for coffee in the lack of a fridge.

 

If living with an official Landlady, breakfast was provide at the digs, the other meals were taken at college.

 

As I was not among the drinkers, alcohol only arose at the end of the Course when lecturers gave farewell sherry parties, going along to be polite, if that is the right word..  

 

[southern42]

RIP Brian

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Most of my training days were in the RAF, in which meals were extremely variable..

RAF Swinderby varied from carp to xxxxxxx awful, and you weren't allowed out, so couldn't buy alternatives.

RAF Locking varied from carp to passable, get to any meal as early as possible, while most choices were still available.. This was supplemented, by a weekly visit to a take away. No cooking, catering, or kettles allowed in barrack blocks, officially no booze either... In fact no booze was allowed in any accomodation I was in in the RAF..

 

Ben the I'm knackered Collie is asleep in his safe place, it's the first time he's been out in town since before covid..

 

We stopped at our favourite cafe for tea and cake ... Only to find it's in new hands and doesn't do cake anymore 😪. SWMBO had a scone instead, which I thought was expensive till it turned up... It was 5 inches across!!!

 

 6 second hand books, only two on an unmentionable subject,  plus one small thing for being towed on parallel bits of metal from Smith's in Sheringham, for me. Sadly Buoys Toys in Cromer were on Holiday.

 

8 books bought for a good discount, for SWMBO, including two new at half price which were on her "I want" list. A very happy SWMBO.

 

£19+ spent on a box from the market, the box contained a large amount of selected veg , SWMBO has just headed for the kitchen to prepare and freeze, or prepare, cook and freeze the contents of the box.

Two fresh corn on the cob for part of tonights meal...

 

Something eNguaging to read was waiting in the post box on return, but that will have to wait till after eyelid inspection..

 

Time too Zzzzzzzzz

 

 

[simontaylor484]

I have managed to fill the day with a bit of tidying sorting shredding and a trip to the tip. I even managed to break in to my old locked deed box her ladyship put the key safe and she can't remember where.

It only took a couple of large screwdrivers to persuade the hook of the lock out of its keep. It was full of out of date paperwork that was duly shredded.

On the way to the tip I was asked to get some Brillo pads 2 shops and I couldn't get any

[BoD]

18 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

. (A good example of this was the inside-joke references to Telford all over prior incarnations of RMweb.)

 

Strangely enough I am at Carlisle watching Tangmere on a Norther Belle excursion going back to ... er ... Telford.

 

No jokes please 

[TheQ]

Err that reminds me one discounted book I didn't buy today... Railways In Telf land Telford..

[J. S. Bach]

Rest in Peace, Brian.