Let's the Wrapping Begin

We got the majority of stuff around black Friday, and after confirming allocation, we started wrapping. 

Wrist Watch

Most people just use mobile phone when they want to check the time.  Wrist watch is very much old fashion.  Not only is it old fashion, it is also 'expensive'.  I took the opportunity to buy a new watch in the sale, and I do like it.  I am sure my friends will call me cave man for wanting a watch.

Sony Xperia L1

I got my first smart phone that I purchased with my own money.  I had two Carol's hand me down, and one of my sister's hand me down.  The two Sony has lasted all these years, whereas my sister's Samsung was literally very fragile.


So to continue the Sony tradition, I got an Xperia L1.  It has a better rating and better specification than the J3, so I went for it.  Let's hope it is as sturdy as the other Xperia.

Competitive Shopping

A few times a year, the retailer are competing for the consumer, and the consumer tries to land the best deal.  It can get quite competitive, and I get quite crossed when I 'failed' to spot the best of the best deal.

Motorcycle Live 2017

After much persuading, I dragged Sarah to Motorcycle Live 2017 at NEC.   We bought the ticket online, so we went straight in.  I dragged Sarah around the show systematically, aisle by aisle.  There were a lot of people, a lot of bike, a bit of freebies.  I found a pair of boots at a good price, and chatted with the NGK spark plug guy.  We sat on a few bikes, played a bit of table football.  A decent day out.

Giant Mooli

Not knowing what to cook, I wandered around the market.  I came across a giant mooli, it was 10 cm in diameter and 1 meter long.  So I decided to cook beef brisket. 

When I chopped open the mooli, it had a 'flowery heart'; I did not expect that as it was very heavy, ie full of juice.  I always wonder if that affects tastes, but it does.  Sarah said they tasted good, I said it tasted like mooli!

Pre Black Friday Sale

The British does not celebrate Thanksgiving, so the idea of Black Friday never makes sense.  A few years ago, everyone hopped on the bandwagon, overwhelmed and paralysed the delivery network as a result, every since, the 'Black Friday' is getting earlier and earlier.  This year, the 'Black Friday sale' starts 1 weeks before the 'Black Friday'.  We should just consider British Black Friday being 1 weeks before the American Black Friday.  Could this be considered as cultural appropriation?

Dal Fatigue

I made a lot of tasty dal curry, but eating it many days in a row, it is bringing on dal fatigue!  I have more tolerant when I am eating Bolognese or bacon or chickpea stew, perhaps because they contain meat!

Sparse Leeds Christmas Market

This year's Leeds Christmas market is more 'spacious' than previous years.  Is it because there isn't enough stalls interested or they deliberately spaced the stalls out to reduce the jam and cluster?  I hadn't had any sausages yet, and the German food is definitely more expensive than the German food in Germany, I regret not eating more whilst we were there!

Reusing 'Sugar'

When I bought a bow ox honey roasted cashew, I did not expect to end up with half a box of sugar.  Since I am never precise with the constitution of my bakes goods, I thought I would reuse the 'sugar'.  The 'sugar' is not really sugar, it contained salt and other substances, I used it anyway.


I debated if I should bake brownie or cookies, and I decided on the brownie, hoping it would mask the flavour.  The brownie does taste a bit funny, in hind sight, I should have used them on the cookies.  If I end up in the same situation again, I will probable melt them and add back into nuts rather than putting in baked goods.

York Park and Ride

It was the first time we used any York Park and Ride.  We were shopping at Vanguard and hopped onto Monks Cross Park and Ride.  It was quite easy to use, it was not extortionate, we will probably use it again.

York Christmas Market

A few of us went to York St Nicolas Fair with the promise of a brass band.  We had a quick tour of York before browsing the fair.  The town was busy everywhere!


The brass band turned out to be a brass quartet in the middle.  There were people busking on all corners of the market, so it was filled with Christmas music.


The market had normal offerings, there was one noticeable gift idea was a sheep-skinned highland cow.  It is very cute.

It was a dry day and relatively warm.  We stopped at Shambles Food Court for lunch.  Sarah and Rachael had Indian food, Dave had a hotdog, and I was looking around, and spotted the arancini from Pizzoli, yummy.  Everyone was quite happy with their choices.


St Crux Church was having a yard sale and a tea stand.  We stopped in for a tea and cake.  They were very cheap!


That only took us to 3pm, we went onto National Railway Museum.  Neither Dave and Rachael had been, it was a good additional to our tour.

Homemade British Mac and Cheese

Sarah made the best ever Mac and Cheese, al dente pasta, cheese sauce, crunchy top, the whole nine yard.  Then when I analyse the difference between British Mac and Cheese and Kraft.  The difference is bacon!  There is no competition!

Modern Chocolate Milk

I used to love chocolate milk as a child.  I grew out of it by my teens, and not really care for it since.  I saw some on marked down at M&S, I thought I would re-live the past.  Chocolate milk tastes a lot different now.  I am not sure if it was the modern recipe or just having bought it from an expensive shop.  This recipe has gum to make it thicker and the vanilla to make it smoother.  I remember those I had when I was growing up was very artificially chocolaty!  It is good to taste the difference.

Staycation Cambridge

We initially thought about going to Liverpool for the staycation.  I was not enthuse about it, as I have been to Liverpool quite a few times.  I was looking at the map and suggested Cambridge, I had two fly-by visit, but never properly saw the city.  Sarah agreed with my suggestion and we moved swiftly to the planning phase.  Excited.

Scottish Trip Planning

Amy shouted out for information about Scotland, since I have done a few comprehensive Scottish trips, I volunteered my experience and what I know, namely, Scotland is far and big, the Highlands is overrated, Stirling is quite a good base. 

Kayal

Sarah finally took me to Kayal.  We had South Indian food in different restaurants, but not this famous restaurant.


I chose a strange chicken curry with rice dumplings in coconut cream, Sarah had her usual fish.  The good was okay, but I never understood the big fuzz.  For the fish, I don't believe it was actually cook in the banana leave, it was just presented in them.  Also I suspect the fish was salted before marinated and cooked.


I am glad we ticked it off the list.

Sanding without Enclosed Local Extraction Ventilation

I tried to sort out the wonky wall with a sander.  With the best hoover on standby, it still left a lot of fine dust becoming airborne.  There is no easy way we could have done this, let's hope we don't have to go this very often...

"Japanese" Food at Wakaze

We went to a Japanese restaurant in Leicester featured in a BBC video.  When we got there, I worked out Wakaze is a Chinese-run "Japanese" restaurant.  So I know what I was going to order and what to expect, or not...  The tofu was not very soft.  The katsu was very fatty and the sauce was salty.  I was not very impressed.

Windy Flying

We went to a local airport to look at some planes.  The cafe was full of kids and was very noisy.  We weren't expecting to see much flying on a windy day, but we did.  The pilots must have death wish, they may call it advance landing training.  This plane just kept on landing and taking off.  The helicopter was getting battered around by the wind, I was waiting to see how half a million quid going up in smoke, but they managed to disappoint me.  I am glad I did not take up any of these flying hobbies.

English Heritage Preparation

Since we are planning to visit Stonehenge, I looked into English Heritage.  There are a few things we can see to get the money worth.  I am getting excited about the English Heritage year!

Luxuries from Harrogate

I got so many goodies from yellow labels from Weetons, yellow labels from Waitrose.  I had duck for dinner followed by dessert, luxury!

Flowchart Drawing

I drew some flowcharts using word processor, then Steve recommended a flowchart software.  I am now re-drawing.  I hope my instructions are straight-forward enough!

Winter in Here Early

Boiler is on, frost on the screen, salt on the road, I cannot believe this Winter moves in so swiftly! 

Twice Mowed Sunday

I finally got around to mow the lawn preparing for Winter.  Since it was so long, I had to mow twice to get it right.

The mower is also starting to fall to bits, the mower came to a hard bit and a chunk of plastic broke off.  I need to keep my eyes peel for a new mower.

Salmon Breakfast

On my venture to the supermarket, I got a piece of marked down Salmon, to be exact, it was 'half a side'.  Since it wouldn't last much longer, I just had to scoff the whole thing at one go, so I did that on a Saturday morning.  Luxury!

Hazelnut Review

I got some hazelnut for baking thinking I like hazelnut.  Then I baked with hazelnut, and I realised I don't really like hazelnut...

First Interest Rate Rise in a Decade

Bank of England announced the first interest rate hike the first time in 10 years, more yet to come.  I am in a good fixed rate, and I have been paying it down.  I must pay down as much as I can when I next renew my policy!

Renewal Seasons

The renewal seasons came along, insurance, saving scheme, compliance/testing, the car needs doing, the bank needs doing, the house needs doing, so much hassle.


I reminded myself, all the hassles came with being owner that,  "Just be grateful we don't live in a socialist society where there is no ownership!"

Heilemann Grenada 67%

I am just getting around to eat my German chocolate.  This 67% Grenada has a relatively high melting temperature, has a simple profile and slight sweet to hide a funny cacao flavour.  Not all Heilemann are made the same, I hope the next Heilemann would be as good as the first one I had before...