Our Current Chocolate Of Choice

Not so much a review, more of a recommendation ........

Sooooooooo, Eric (formally known as Nigel) brought this white chocolate and caramelised biscuit bar home from Lldl ......

...... after spotting it amidst the sweet aisle, after the school run, thinking that it might be something a little bit different, as well as ticking some of our sweet treat boxes! 

Let's just say it certainly ticked an awful lot of those aforementioned boxes, we absolutely LOVE it, so much so that Eric is currently bringing one (sometimes two) back every time he nips into Lldl. 

The white chocolate isn't at all cloying as some are want to be and the rich, caramel biscuit pieces add a perfect, subtle type crunch along with the unmistakable, comforting flavour of a biscuit so often proffered free with a coffee at the hairdressers!  

We're determined to make the very most of it as some of the more unusual chocolate bars have a habit of disappearing after a while, leaving you very much wanting, a bit like the Aldi coconut crunch, which we oft still dream, neigh swoon about!   

Anyway, it's very much our current chocolate bar of choice at the moment. Could we also just add that Eric buys it with his or our own money and that we are in no way affiliated with Lldl and therefore will not receive any commission should this post go viral ........ just in case anyone wonders!

Eric And Darrell Miss Out

Yesterday afternoon there was a certain amount of curtain twitching going on chez Towers, which Eric (formally known as Nigel) was very cross about missing as he was otherwise engaged on the school run.

But anyway, we had a visit from the rufty tufty Network Rail men, to clear, we presume, something on the railway bank, without Darrell even having to report anything of an over hanging or invading type nature to our communal garden or carpark which has to be a first!

However, we were able to assure young Eric, who is always greatly drawn to any activity where the wearing a protective helmet, fluorescent overalls and the wielding of noisy equipment is required ........

...... that said suitably apparelled gentleman actually seemed to spend more time opening up a gap in the metal fence ..........

...... than doing what they had been charged to attend to, a couple of buzzes and it was all over, without even the time for Darrell to go out and proffer the usual cup of tea, Hob Nob biscuit and a natter, as is usually his want, so, on this occasion we were left total strangers to what had been done. 

Oh well ......  perhaps next time ..........

Nul Points ...... The End Of An Era?

As you know, we found ourselves well and truly otherwise engaged on Saturday night, re: Eurovision ........

....... discovering that we were double booked after Chris McCausland rescheduled his shows, due to him accepting and subsequently winning Strictly 2024.

Let's just say he did not disappoint in any way, shape or form, he was brilliant  .....

...... however, I don't think the same can be said for the goings on in Basle!

We got home having missed every single song and trust us, we missed nowt, sitting ourselves down on the very cusp of the voting.

The only saving grace, which we caught and believe was the highlight of the four hour show for almost everyone, was the absolutely fantastic interval "Song Battle" between Kaarija (2023) and Baby Lasgana (2024) which was tres emotional, as both acts were grotesquely robbed of their right to hold the crystal Eurovision trophy aloft, because of, in our opinion, some very biased voting in their relevant years! 

In fact it was Kaarija being denied his deserved moment of triumph by a most unsavoury looking Loreen singing Tatoo in 2023 that prompted our Eurovision malaise. Even the audience was beside themselves in disbelief, were still chanting "Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha!" as the eventual unsavoury one took to the stage! 

And, it happened yet again this year for Estonia who ended up in third place, behind the "political" voting .......  

..... with Austria pipping Israel on the very last vote but by this time we'd all totally lost all interest and were in bed or brushing our teeth before the winner hit his first note! 

Yes, JJ could certainly hit the high notes, but with a song that no one else will ever be able to sing, let alone chant (or dance) to in years to come, whereas all three of the above will be remembered very fondly and make guest appearances in the competition for many years to come.  

At the moment it truly feels like the end of a televisual era for us, not helped by another nul points for the UK from the televoters?  "What The Hell Just Happened", seems a very poignant song with which to end said era. 

I think, we'll just park it here until next year and see if the mood happens to take us again!

One Or Three Ticks?

Please forgive us, we'd hoped to bring you a post pertaining to our Eurovision reaction today, but yesterday our t'interent was being a real pain when we tried to download anything, so sadly, we've had to put out a totally unrelated post that we'd prepared earlier, but hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll be able to bring you our post Eurovision insight tomorrow, internet provided ........

However  in the meantime .......I'm not sure if this counts as one or three ticks on our 2025 Bucket List Calendar .........

....... but Darrell, Alice and I, not wishing to be found wanting .......

...... have all bought a new pair of sunglasses each in readiness for the start of, hopefully, a very glorious summer.

 Darrell has gone all mahooooooooosive.........

...... as has the ever fragrant Alice, if not a shade more mahooooooosive than Darrell perhaps?  I think she rocks a very Sophia Loren/Audrey Hepburn vibe!

I, on the other hand have veered to the more conservative side with my prescription tortoiseshells.  And Eric? Well, he is holding back for just the right pair, taking into consideration his diminutive size, he has to be careful he doesn't get swamped and disappears behind them. 

So, bring on the summer ......... it can't come fast enough now! 

Another Mystery To Ponder

I quite like it when a few of the charity emporiums of Evesham put a choice selection of treasure outside the actual shop, as it usually means there are bargains to be had.

However, although yesterday I made no considered purchases, I was very taken, if not little bemused, as well as amused by an amply filled box of books .........

...... all pertaining to the same subject, to wit the boxer dog.

I don't think I've ever seen quite sooooooo many books on the same niche theme before.

It was obviously someone's carefully curated collection, but what caused them to donate it all  (save for the obvious, RIP).  

Had they simply gone off the breed or moved on to something else entirely, like a pug, labrador or spaniel or perhaps even, gone for a mongrel, for the more exotic, unknown or contrast instead? I guess we'll never know, as it's not really a matter of such great import that questions need to be asked in Parliament, just something to muse and ponder upon as Nigel would put it ! 

We Try Pringles Mystery Flavour

When Pringles bring out a new flavour Pringle, well, it would be both remiss and rude of us not to give them a try .......

...... so a tube of said limited edition crisps was duly purchased (£1.95, a little out of our savoury snack comfort zone) and we were away!

On opening we first noticed that they appeared to have an everso slight tinge of red  ......

........ and then, upon smelling, thought they had a whiff of tomato about them ......

....... so with that in mind, we all took our first bite.

Alice said that after she got a taste of tomato, she was sure she detected a meaty flavour too, so her guess was spaghetti bolognaise.

Darrell, our culinary expert, felt there was the very distinct heat of chilli in there too, that he could certainly feel on his lips and throat as his Pringle went down. On taking another very deep sniff, the aroma, he said, was very familiar, but he just couldn't place it. In the end his guess was hot, spicy salsa.

Eric (formally known as Nigel) decided to lick his crisp to get the full experience of the Pringles coating, which we all agreed was a most excellent idea, (but not in company of exulted strangers perhaps). He too got tomato, and yes, the chilli was quite evident with its burn and lingering aftertaste, but there was definitely something else trying to poke through too, which he couldn't decipher, As Alice had suggested that it could be meat,  he was inclined to agree with her, so his guess was a fruity chicken curry. 

Then, there was me, I didn't really like the chilli and it's after effects, but again, like the others, couldn't put my finger on the third underlying flavour, Could it possibly be of a bean type nature? In the end, clutching straws, I plumped for hot Chilli.

So, to be honest, we're none the wiser and not too sure how we can find out the definitive answer to put us out of our misery. We're hoping that after a while Pringles will reveal all.  Would we buy them again? Probably not, as we weren't that keen on the smell and the chilli, if it is chilli, is just too present, strong and lingery for our "delicate" taste!

Part Of Eric's DNA

Before heading back home from his little sojourn in Worcester, it would have been rude for Eric (formally known as Nigel) not to embrace a few of its choice shops .......

...... and I suppose, these days, it's safe to say that no mooch for Eric, would be a proper mooch, without the little fella stumbling upon the odd hedgehog or two or three  .......

...... all of which he now takes in good grace ........

........ accepting that, for whatever reason, hedgehogs have just become a part of his perusing DNA.

However, as of yet, none have actually managed to come home with him. I'm not sure what it would take for him to make a considered purchase, but no doubt, one day we will find out.  To be honest, I think he may have missed a trick with the very first one, which appears to be an unusual, multifunctioning hedgehog in the guise of a letter rack/pen holder, a little different from the more obvious drinking vessels!