Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

@iL DottoreI'm pretty sure that the crimp should be on the side so that tin miners etc could hold them with their dirty hands and discard that bit.

 

Here we go:

https://www.cornishpastyco.com/history/#:~:text=Pasties were made with a,handle when they were done.

 

I've eaten lots of pasties in Cornwall and never found one with "mush" inside them.

Edited March 14, 2023 by grandadbob

[Gwiwer]

7 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

But these pasties have the crimp on the side. Shouldn't they have the crimp on the top?

Allow me to educate you, my dear Doctor, in the ways of Cornish pasties.  

 

The crimp is always on the side.  Not only because it ties all the ingredients in (whereas a top-crimp can open to allow them to spill) but acts as the handle.  For miners to safely eat "below grass" in an environment where arsenic and other toxins were always present, body fluids and other waste materials were disposed of in any handy crevice and where clean water for hygiene didn't exist you did not want to risk you health any more than going deep into the bowels of the earth already did.  

 

You cast the crimp aside - traditionally with a little bit of the filling - as a tribute to the Knockers, or Spriggans, the mine-spirits who kept you safe and led you to the better ground often by making knocking or tapping noises.  Upset them and woe betide.  

 

Side crimp is Cornish.  Top crimp is fake.  

[Ian Abel]

Chewsday...

 

Monday was nothing to write home about, or even report here! It DID stay sunny all day, a miracle perhaps.

 

Today, much of the same although we are having lunch with Trevor as he's got the week off, spring-break, otherwise known in other worldly parts as half-term.

 

If the weather could manage a modicum of WARMTH, the snow would begin to disappear.

-19c getting the newspaper, another bright sunny day, but high only supposed to manage ZERO. What use it THAT in starting the great spring thaw!!

 

Carry on.

[The Johnster]

10 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Oh, I don’t know. I reckon your sister was onto something there…

 

You're not helping, doctor...

[The Johnster]

9 hours ago, Hroth said:

@The Johnster   Its ok to eat rabbit poo, if you're a rabbit...  Their food makes two passes through the gut, the first time it's excreted it's only partially digested so they consume it again to complete the process.  I've no idea how they decide which dropping is suitable for eating...

 

By the bye,  Ronald Lockley wrote "The Private Life of the Rabbit", which was a major source of lapine lore and eating habits, for  "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. 

 

 

Mr Squeak, our late lamented guinea pig, also ate his own pellets.  Cavy pellets are basically made of timothy hay, are quite dry, and do not smell badly.  I had no problem picking them up when spot-cleaning, though I washed my hands afterwards.

 

He was a brilliant pet, funny, intelligent, affectionate, and feisty.  It always amazed me that such a small thing could make such a big noise (hence his English name, The Squeeze, being of a Polish persuasion and a rock chick, named him Tilluc, little Till, in honour of Till Lindemann, the singer from Rammstein) (Rammstein are LOUD!) whenever anybody went anywhere near the kitchen and he thought there might be a treat for him in it, then even louder if there wasn't! 

 

I would suggest cavies are very suitable for anyone with a limited amount of space, but they like company so you need more than one if you are out at work all day and to take on the role of the rest of the world of guinea pigs if you only have one, and react to them, and spend cuddling time.  Mr Squeak liked to come up to the cage bars for his nose to be stroked every time you passed the cage; another favourite was to nuzzle my ear during cuddle time and then sit on my shoulder thinking he was Long John Silver's parrot.  He would stay there for some time, maintaining his perch even if I got up to make a muggatea, and try to distract me from whatever I was doing for fun.  Probably not good for rumbusticous young children, they are a bit delicate as playthings, but otherwise well recommended.  We'll stick to the fishes for now, though, a continuous soap opera of aquatice drama.

Edited March 14, 2023 by The Johnster

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I have had stiff joints all day but not much pain, only the odd tweak. Its almost certainly down to the weather. My cousins in Chelmsford had a Guinea pig that was as big as a small dog. He was certainly king of the back garden, even the foxes gave 'his' garden a wide berth.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

We did have what we thought was the world’s noisiest  hamster. She used to put nuts in her wheel and run at night. 

 

If a certain Bear were to stick his nutz in a moving wheel I reckon I'd make a racket too....

[Coombe Barton]

... had a nightmare that Boris Johnson could run for the presidency of the USA - but fortunately he only passes two of the three criteria ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/03/14/up-again-across-most-regions/

[Barry O]

Oops.. the Russian Air force really are flaunting thier flying ability.badly.

 

Bas

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Mr Squeak, our late lamented guinea pig

My son was very fond of the Guinea Pig he had when young. It was quite endearing. It would shriek piercingly with great excitement whenever it heard the refrigerator vegetable crisper drawer (which it could not see) open. It had associated that sound with the imminent arrival of bits of lettuce or celery.

 

I don't know about the pellets but the whole cage does smell if not cleaned frequently. 

[polybear]

Bear here......

 

An afternoon of wielding the iron - four brake shoes are now where they belong.  Tick.

 

In other news......

 

Naughty.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64957792

 

And finally......

 

Our very own Grizz @Grizz gate-crashes the Oscars:

 

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

26 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Oops.. the Russian Air force really are flaunting thier flying ability.badly.

18 minutes ago, polybear said:

Naughty.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64957792

Hopefully this sort of behaviour does not lead to further escalation - which has been a plausible potential outcome of this whole sad conflict for a year now.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Sidecar Racer]

3 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

I've eaten lots of pasties in Cornwall and never found one with "mush" inside them.

 

 That's because all the mushy ones are wrapped and  exported , labeled Ginsters .

[grandadbob]

I have now been "pastied"  and a very enjoyable experience it was too.  Proper job!

 

 

 

[BoD]

4 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Warrens are perfectly ok.

… and some of us are even far superior.

[Dave Hunt]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

He/she must have been a slow Labrador - normally around a young Lab the lifespan of anything remotely edible is in the femtoseconds.

 

We must have been lucky. We used to have a black Labrador named Sam. We got him when he was twelve weeks old and he was really quick on the uptake and training him was a doddle. The first few times he ever tried to take any food that wasn't meant for him we just told him NO SAM quite sharply and put him out of the room. He took the hint and by the time he was only a few weeks older we could leave him in a room where there was a coffee table laden with food safe in the knowledge that he wouldn't touch any of it. He'd just sit gazing longingly and lovingly at it until either it was all gone or he was given some. Even with food in his own bowl he would just sit by it and wouldn't touch it until we said, "OK Sam, you can have it." Of course, he did drool quite a bit.

 

Contrast that with a golden Lab some friends of ours had who once stole a two pound block of Stilton from on top of the kitchen work surface. It had to be put out in the garden as its rear end had become an H2S production plant.

 

Dave 

[The Johnster]

33 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My son was very fond of the Guinea Pig he had when young. It was quite endearing. It would shriek piercingly with great excitement whenever it heard the refrigerator vegetable crisper drawer (which it could not see) open. It had associated that sound with the imminent arrival of bits of lettuce or celery.

 

I don't know about the pellets but the whole cage does smell if not cleaned frequently. 

 

Spot cleaning, and new wood chipping bedding (not sawdust, the dust gets on their lungs) about every fortnite did ok for ours.  You have to watch for the bedding getting damp from urine, fruit/veg treats, and spilled water.  They have very weak pulmonary systems, and must be kept out of damp conditions.  Damp results in mould, which releases spores that are very harmful to them as well.  A constant supply of Timothy Hay and fresh water is essential; they must graze continously to stop their teeth growing and their digestive systems have evolved to allow for that. 

 

The Squeeze, who has kept them for many years from childhood in Poland, is something of an expert, and will assert that each is a very individual personality.  Some are bad-tempered and can easily bite your finger through to the bone.  Most will give you a warning, firstly by tossing their head (leave me alone, monkey boy) or a gentle nip (seriously, leave me alone now, you simian 'stard).  One has to be sparing with the treats, irrespective of the squealing, because too much sugar, starch, and the acid in fruit is not good for them; they are prone to digestive issues and stomach ulcers.

 

In Polish they are swinka morska, sea pigs, and in German meerschwien, same thing.  This, and our guinea pig terminology dates from the times when we were all great seafaring nations, and engaged in the guano fertiliser trade from the western coast of South America with windjammers round the Horn, cheaper and able to remain at sea for longer periods than early steamships which had to put in to ports for coaling.  This was a long and tough voyage, and cavies were bought live in the food markets of Valpariso and other ports, to be bred on the ships as a supply of fresh meat.  Any that were left when you got home were then sold off as pets, 'sea pigs' in Germany or Poland, and in the UK traditionally for a guinea, £1 and 1 shilling (£1.05p), hence guinea pig!

 

They are certainly endearing, and know instinctively how to play the cute card.  Mr Squeak was orignally bought for The Squeeze, who wanted one, while I was ambivalent.  Until the first time she asked me to hold him for her while she spot cleaned the cage, when he promptly climbed up on ot my shoulder and nuzzled my ear; I fell in love on the spot, as I would for anything that nuzzles my ear...

[Dave Hunt]

22 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

In the course of my work. I found numerous bodies. However No 2 son managed to find one in the snow one afternoon when he was wagging school. Some poor alzheimers sufferer who'd been missing for a week. I was quite proud of him as he immediately went back to school and reported it to the deputy head who was a magistrate and neighbour.

 

I've found dead bodies twice. The first was a climber who had fallen down a 100 foot drop in the Pennines and really wasn't a pretty sight and the other was a guy who had committed suicide by putting a vacuum cleaner hose from his car's exhaust through a back window; he wasn't very pretty to look at either but not as bl00dy as the climber. I also once helped get a chap out of a crashed car who died as I was holding him but the worst was seeing my wingman hit the ground in a fireball.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

Just noticed that during my absence from ERs I missed NHN's birthday. Hence grovelling apologies and a belated Happy Birthday Neil with hopes for an improvement in the foot department.

 

Dave

[pH]

9 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Salt was in a small bowl with a spoon. 

 

9 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

And these haven't even got the spoons!

 

https://www.loveantiques.com/items/listings/antique-victorian-sterling-silver-gilt-salts-LA427752

 

But this one does:

 

[Ozexpatriate]

At 1:59pm on 3/14 - Happy Pi Day everyone. 😉

 

(I presume that people in the UK would have to observe this on July 22nd.)

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 That's because all the mushy ones are wrapped and  exported , labeled Ginsters .

 

Many moons ago Ginsters used to sell one called "Pasty Italiano" and it was a certain Bear's favourite (it was basically a veggy-ish jobbie); sadly they discontinued it many. many years ago.  TC's

 

46 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Contrast that with a golden Lab some friends of ours had who once stole a two pound block of Stilton from on top of the kitchen work surface. It had to be put out in the garden as its rear end had become an H2S production plant.

 

Dave 

 

When Bear was a very young Cub he used to help the local Milkie at the weekends & Hols; one Chrimbo we were trying to deliver a fresh turkey, ham, double cream etc. etc. to an old couple down one of the country lanes.  They had a German Shepherd that was a real grade A 'steward to anyone but them - even the Milkie was extremely wary of it.  On the Chrimbo Eve they were out when we tried to deliver, so we went back again right at the end of the day to find they were still out so had no choice but to leave it on the doorstep but protected as best we could with empty milk crates.  We heard after Chrimbo that the couple got home to discover the remnants of the lot all round the garden; "Never mind", she said - "at least the dog had a good Chrimbo".

 

46 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Until the first time she asked me to hold him for her while she spot cleaned the cage, when he promptly climbed up on ot my shoulder and nuzzled my ear; I fell in love on the spot, as I would for anything that nuzzles my ear...

 

Bear'll give it a miss, but thanks for the offer.....

 

6 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Just noticed that during my absence from ERs I missed NHN's birthday.

 

It's been noted by Donk.....

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Not much fuss from arthritis and sciatica today but the stiff joints make moving about a chore. Now to tackle Farcebook, be back later.

[Ozexpatriate]

50 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

We must have been lucky. We used to have a black Labrador named Sam. We got him when he was twelve weeks old and he was really quick on the uptake and training him was a doddle.

Our Lab had a very sweet temperament but she was the dunce of her obedience class.

 

We did train her not to try to steal food from dining tables and counter tops. A slice of bread was connected to a precarious tower of empty soft drink cans with a piece of cotton thread. Grabbing the bread resulted in a clamour of falling cans - totally harmless to a big dog but frightening enough to teach a lesson.

56 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

... by the time he was only a few weeks older we could leave him in a room where there was a coffee table laden with food safe in the knowledge that he wouldn't touch any of it.

Not so much with our Lab - which the boys (who knew better) (re)learned to their chagrin when she (many years old at this point) stole their pizza from a coffee table while they were playing video games.

 

There was an upside to her food obsession. Occasionally she would slip out determined to do a runner. She could be tempted in with a banana. Her indecision was clear - she would look down the front stairs at the prospect of adventure and a chase, and back at the banana. She would look back and forth but usually chose the banana.

 

My cousin's dog ate a slab of butter (500g?) stolen from the kitchen counter top. It has digestive issues anyway but the effluent was apparently extra nasty for a while.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 That's because all the mushy ones are wrapped and  exported , labeled Ginsters .

Which are, most embarrassingly, made in Cornwall.  Only by dint of an historical accident though - the factory is in Callington which is very close to the English border.  Maybe they couldn't get permission on the other side.  

 

What ever the truth if they aren't made in Cornwall now (nor since 2011) they cannot be called Cornish Pasties under protected food names legislation (PGI).  They can be called pasties or Cornish-style pasties.  Beware of imitations.  

https://www.gov.uk/protected-food-drink-names/cornish-pasty

Edited March 14, 2023 by Gwiwer