The Flipping Price Of Lamb!

With the summer holidays now seeming like a life time away, Darrell thought he might revive a few Greek memories by preparing a traditional lamb kleftiko to warm our hearts and fill our bellies for this weeks Sunday lunch .......

....... however, after a bit of a giddy swoon on seeing the price of two, small lamb shanks, he decided that perhaps he ought to find a less expensive cut of meat other than lamb for our delectation that he could possibly adapt.

He was, it has to be said, genuinely crestfallen upon his return ....... even if he had been looking in Waitrose!

He's also made a very serious note, in red ink and circled, on our calendar, to remind him that there's a "plant based market" next weekend, in town, that he now fully intends to explore, trying a few samples, should they be proffered, if only to research our gastronomic options in the future .......

........seriously contemplating the idea of a full and varied nut rissole combo replacing our beloved Sunday roast before the year is out!  What is he like?

A Flavoured Candle Too Far

This has to be a joke yes?  Even for Eric with all his avant-garde tastes and ever open mind, this was one candle whiff/flavour too far ....... although, he did say, after a very robust inhale, it didn't really smell all that ketchupy! 

Needless to say, however, on this occasion, no considered purchase was made by Eric in B & M today.

Now, if they bought out a Marmite candle we might be talking, if only as a conversation piece!

We've Scored Again ......

Soooooo, we've scored again of a charity shop "perfect buy" type nature ...... let's just say there were squeals when our eyes alighted upon it .......

....... only a totally unused, festive memorial candle, perfect for our Christmas Eve tradition of remembering all our loved who are no longer with us to share our most favourite time of the year .....

..... for the princely sum of just £1!  Well, it had to be done!

We might still hang a lantern on a tree, but this will almost certainly stand resplendent on our window sill over the holiday.

However, we still have one Christmas quarry, Eric and Alice swear they saw them in Dollar Tree when they were over in Florida last year and that's a Dolly candle, to go with all the other Dolly stuff they bought back with them for our seasonal celebrations.  

Who could have known that our beloved Dolly wouldn't be with us this year. I dare say Darrell and Alice will share at least one, extra long squirt of the ever fragrant ones favourite Dolly perfume to remember her by this Christmas morning, what are they like?

Putting On A Brave Seasonal Face!

Following yesterdays post and Eric and Derek's natural exuberance and excitement, it being Derek's first actual, real life October with us ...........

....... The Towers just wouldn't be the The Towers without just the merest soupcon of Darrell's usual seasonal elevation.

Our beloved niece and nephew might not be spending their traditional sleepover with us this year ..........

........ but it would look churlish not to do a little something .........

...... if only to help lift Eric and Derek's disappointed spirits!!! 

Well that's our story and Darrell, Alice and I are sticking to it, what are we like? 

A Different Sort Of Halloween This Year?

Sooooooo, I don't know how its happened, but we're already five days into October, the celebrated month of ghosts, ghoulies and all things of a spooky type nature and I have to admit, a perfect excuse for us all to don some seasonal, gay apparel!  

It's also the season of robust and almost constant pester power when it comes to visiting some of our local shops up town, especially with Derek now on board, it's comes in duplicate!

However, I've told them that they might need to repress their effervescent, exuberance just a tad because, this year, our usual Halloween Sleepover is not to be, as our beloved niece and nephew will be celebrating the holiday dans foreign climes, to wit, en Francais!

Naturally, they were a little downcast at first, but with what's now beginning to appear in the aisles of various emporiums ......... 

.......I fear think they are still planning a few bits and bobs of their own ..........

........ heaven (or hell) help us all!!!!!

On this outing, however, the only considered purchase made was of a rather lovely and fragrant Spooky Vanilla candle for Darrell. Not wishing to cast any nasturtiums, I've still gently warned him to be on his guard, as goodness only knows what they plan to roped him in to!  

Ho Ho Home For A Hedgehog ........

Why am I not surprised that even in Malvern, for Eric .........

....... there's a hedgehog connection, on this occasion a festive show based on the a young hedgehog's quest to find the perfect home to settle down in for Christmas, and adventure fraught with trials and tribulations but hopefully a happy ending. Let's just say Eric is still currently deciding whether or not it's a show for him!!!!!!

Gilbert O'Sullivan In Malvern ......... And Welcome Back Arnold!

And why, as per yesterdays post, were Derek and Eric in Malvern you may ask? 

Well, always up for a full bodied, robust and rousing chorus, they thought they were there to see a celebration of Gilbert and Sullivan at the Festival Theatre ........

...... however, it was only when they double checked their tickets and flyer when they got there, that they saw that they had actually booked for Gilbert O'Sullivan's autumn tour, celebrating sixty years of music!  

But, not ones to ever look a gift horse in the mouth, they embraced Mr O'Sullivan with all the love they would have poured upon Messer's Gilbert and Sullivan. It was, they said, also an unexpected, emotional experience, hearing songs that they hadn't heard for a while, unleashing memories that came tumbling over each other with almost every song he sang, despite neither of them "actually" being around when the likes of Alone Again Naturally were first released. ..........

What are they like, if not always ready, willing and able to fully immerse themselves even when things go a little awry!