Dolfin 85% Belgium

Sarah got me a taster chocolate bar.  It smells like Valrhona.  It tastes better than Valrhona, deeper flavour.  But it is not worth the money.

Emergency Boiler Programming

The boiler has been running a lot lately, and we were roasted at night.  I am convinced it was not the thermostat's problem, so I attended the boiler.  I found a few reference on the internet about idle time, etc, so I reprogrammed the boiler as such.  I also found out about adjusting the maximum temperature allowed for the dial, so I turned down the temperature even without the turn dial, as it has snapped.  Let's hope I have optimized the setting for my needs.

Flooding Dangerously Close

Yan jokingly asked if I was flooded.  Aire has also burst its bank.  Kirkstall and city centre was flooded.  York has also flooded.  Let's hope the water don't get any closer.

ISP Move

The introductory offer has come to an end, I signed up with another ISP.  The migration was scheduled just before Christmas, and I was away the few days before hand.  When I got home, I had a delivery slip about the new router, and we went straight there to pick it up.  When I got home, the old ISP already terminated the service, and luckily we got the router and all was working.  If I had missed the delivery, and the post office shut over long weekend over Christmas, it would be nightmare to find any entertainment.  What a close shave.

Cookies

I thought I will mop up some junks in the computer, I went to delete some history and cookies.  Initially I was deleting cookies one by one, then I realised there were tons of them, and even some of those had not been used for years, were yet to be removed.  I just deleted all my cookies.  I will just have to endure putting in password everywhere.  Also, I should try to do this regularly.

Christmas Service

We were thinking about going to midnight mass, then we ended up going to the Christmas Evening sung service.  As I put it, the most painless.  We went to York Minster.  I was skeptical about the parking situation, although I was assured, "Surely, they will not ticket you on Christmas." 

I was sure York would be completely dead, but there were a few shops, mostly souvenirs shops and pubs open for the tourists, Chinese tourists.

We arrived at the minster just in time for the start of the service.  And there were tons of people arrived late, which was quite impolite.  I wanted to see the restored East Window, but it still wasn't done.  When they passed the basket, I did put some money in.


When we got back to the car, we did pay, but it didn't ask for my paid ticket.  Maybe next time I will try before I pay.

Sarah has an idea that we have to go to different church to have services each Christmas, we shall see about that.

Carol

I have been wanting to watch Carol since it came out.  By now there were only a few Vue showing Carol.  We went into town Christmas Eve.  The town was empty and it was so easy to park.

I have the book, the Price of Salt.  I found it too boring and abandoned it.  The movie was well made, good story.  I may pick up the book again.

Bury Market

Although someone from Bury said she was not impressed with the market, we visited anyway.  Bury Market is quite big, quite busy.  It maybe busier than normal being few days before Christmas.  It is probably bigger than Leeds Market, but it is not easily navigable.  We ate at a Greek deli and Sarah really liked the Meze.  We could visit the market again when we next visit the area.

Solar Powered Little Rome

I had this solar charging pad for years but I never made use of it.  This year I finally hooked it up to little Rome's battery.  The winter sun is low, so I am expecting a very slow charge over winter.  With the sun being out today, I wanted to check the solar panel works, and got my meter out.  It does work, and it will probably only charge on sunny days, but nevertheless it is free power!

Sugar Removal

I thought I would make some sugar coated pecan, and played around with melting sugar.  I did not have any thermometer, so I was not sure what properties the end product would have.  In the process, sugar stuck on everywhere.  I had a hard time scraping it off the surface.  Then I discover they just dissolve into cold water easily.  So I just put wet paper tower on the affected surfaces.  I must be more careful with sugar works.

Internet Content in a Duffel Bag

It sounds about right. I am glad I won't die if internet dies. I will just have to continue this journal in a notebook.

Community Solidarity Belonging

Community building, community service and outreach are the most energy and time consuming aspect of a community. In the internet age, people have no time for that, everyone is pulling quick stunts in the name of visibility and activism. If they are not done with the heart of the community, it is rather pointless. Community, solidity and belonging. Put the graft in, build the community.

Aquaculture

At the first instance, I thought he was anti-fish farming. I do remember when I was small, there were many more seafood that was more easily available. We need to farm more fish, so we can eat more fish.

Moka Pot

After using a cafetiere for a few years, I am thinking about getting a Moka pot like David's.  I looked online everywhere and everyone seem to think the Bialetti is original and perhaps the best.  In my mind I am set to get a stainless steel pot, but I just double checked online, I still think stainless is better.  Let see if any good one comes up in January sale.

Petition

Like the ad man say, interface is everything.  Making communication and interaction easier and people will use it more mindlessly.  Good interface already made life much easier, such as shopping, price comparison, trolling, etc. 

Online petition is harvesting harnessing the political power of the laziness and naivety of people.  There are people who will click on a petition without thinking through the cause, or they may think their little signature does not make a huge impact hence careless about the details of the cause.  They will coerce their friends to do the same, to click on a cause they don't fully understand.  If you have no time to study the issue or the cause, don't click. 

The petition is being abused by attention-seekers to broadcast their issues and thought online.  They are also abused by easily using false identity on their signatures.

Think before you click!

Extra Fibre

I have bought chorizo from Tesco deli before, and they has been good value.  I managed to ask them to chop the end off when I bough it, but I forgot to peel the paper when I cook it.  So this batch of chickpea stew is going to have extra fibre!

Car Wash Bottle

I checked my oil on Saturday, but I did not check the wash bottle.  So on Monday, the wash bottle was empty.  How annoying.  I must remember to top up the bottle every time I open up the bonnet.

Christmas Gifts

There are some bog standard handy snacks we made for Christmas.  The Waitrose chocolate peanut butter cup turned out okay.  Aldi cheap chocolate is quite good as an ingredient.  Paul's shortbread recipe is a great, great in every aspect.

Winter Maintenance

It is the time of the year when I have to do some winter maintenance on my vehicles.  I lifted little Rome onto the paddock, started to charge the battery with the limited solar power.  The car has been checked by Halford, but I checked the oil, it is black but full.  I charged up the battery pack during my long drive.  Got my hands dirty.

Cattlegrid

We had out Christmas do in Cattlegrid.  I had been meaning to go, but never got a chance.  It is a bit wrong to use a cute cow on their website.  I tried the ribs, and they were a little disappointing, it was a little dry and unexpectedly spicy.  I should have had the cow.

Wood Fire Wetherspoon

The Crown in Knaresborough has a wood fire.  It is very lovely.  One of our favourite Wetherspoons.

Reformed food

When we complain about the reformed meat, processed juice, everyone keeps forgetting the first reformed food, bread and pasta.  On the same note, maybe I should think about tofu products.

Wetherspoons List

I thought I would count them up, and Sarah said I should jot them down, so here we go.  I think I had been to more but some of them must have changed hands and no longer listed as Wetherspoons.


The Regal Moon Rochdale
Penderel’s Oak London
The Moon Under Water Manchester
The North Western Liverpool *
The Crown Inn Knaresborough *


The Winter Gardens Harrogate *
The Punch Bowl York *
The Joseph Else Nottingham *
The Bankers Draft Sheffield *
The Queens Hotel Maltby *


The Square Peg Birmingham *
The Atrium NEC Birmingham
Becketts Bank Leeds
Stick or Twist Leeds
Wetherspoons Leeds Rail Station


The Cuthbert Brodrick Leeds *
The Hedley Verity (Lloyds) Leeds
The Three Hulats Leeds *
The Percy Shaw Halifax *
The White Hart Todmorden


The Bright Helm Brighton
The Red Lion Doncaster *
Load Keeper of the Great Seal Oadby *
The William Wygston Wigston *
The Glass Blower Castleford

The White House Scraptoft *
The Water House Durham*
The Paramount Manchester *
The Waterhouse Manchester *
The Broken Bridge Pontefract

The Regal Cambridge *
Swan and Angel St Ives
The Liberty Bounds London *
The Horseshoe Wombwell *
The Briggate Garforth

Monkey Walk Coalville
Cornfield Garage Eastbourne

That's all I got for now.

Creams British Luxury

Creams has a shiny shop front.  Only when we sat down, we realise what the catch was.  The price is not extortionate, but there is no table service.  The ice-cream is very mediocre, but it was not extortionate.  It is a nice place to sit around and try a few other dishes.

Overpriced Bratwurst

We have got to have a sausage in the German Christmas market.  It is totally overpriced but we are paying for the charcoal more than anything else.

Liverpool Park and Ride

It can be very stressful driving in a city you are not familiar with.  I felt a bit hairy when I drive into the bit of Leeds I am unfamiliar with.  So I avoided driving into Liverpool in a car at all cost.  On the other hand, I have enough motorcycle experience to go anywhere I want.


I found Board Green park and ride.  It turned out okay.  I did get lost on the edge of the city but for future reference, it is very easy to get to via M62, I will be using it should I need to go to Liverpool in a car.

Driving Situations

It was rainy and windy on the road, and with a road full of car, and reduced visibility, I want to avoid to be in anyone's blind spots.  It takes a lot of focus to maneuver in and out.  The middle lane drivers really make the situation more difficult.  If I were on a bike, it would be easier to get in and out.

Shit Stirrer

Life is sufficiently annoying, why do we need shit stirrers to make it more miserable!

Aerial and Signals

I am trying to work out the complex cable network in my house, and I cannot get any signals.  How can an aerial stop working?  It is just a piece of metal picking up the waves and a piece of copper taking it into the room.  Everyone said even if I point at the wrong direction, I should still get some signal.


I thought I would ask the telephone man Rob.  He asked if the cable is incorrectly terminated, ie signal earthed.  Which I checked and should not be the case.  He reminded me how the signal went digital, and the analogue booster probably does not have 3/4G filter, which severely interfere with the signal.  Rob kindly volunteer to bring in his digital booster for me to try.  Let see if I can get to the bottom of this.

Gelatine

I have some out of date gelatine I have no idea how to use up.  I really need to find recipes to use them up sooner rather than later.

Ocean and Floodplain Dwelling

From a coastal city, we understand how rough the sea and the wave can be, especially the typhoon season.  I don't understand why would anyone want to live right on the coast and the river.  Especially the sea, the salty moisture is heavy and sticky and bad for everything that stands in its way, including buildings, cars, railings.


Regardless of climate change and rising sea level, why are we 'surprise' that water are unforgiving and will reclaim the land and take everything with it?  Why are we 'surprise' when the land erodes away by the flowing water, waves and currents?


Australia and New Zealand should just open the doors to all the South Pacific neighbours.  In turns, maybe the Australian government can invest in their concentration refugee camp in these remote islands rather than Cambodia.