Tumultuous Hard Hat Envy

Work on the new Tesco Express on Eric's school run is moving apace, making the return journey a little more interesting for the ever curious Eric.

 What will be the parking and delivery area is taking shape ........

...... with fascinating trenches, piles of bricks and outside portable toilet facilities!

However, it is in the building itself, where major renovations are occurring .......

..... that has caused the little fella's heart to flutter, as well as arousing a torrent of hard hat envy!

Just one look at the builders break time area and he was totally smitten.  All those rufty tufty  hard hats, fluorescent jackets, work boots and discarded daily newspapers, what tales of building sites of yore must be told there each day, over large, steaming mugs of impossibly strong builders tea?  

Such a scene, set before him is like heaven to young Eric, how he'd give his eye teeth to be sat sitting at that table, with all the comradery, surrounded by tall step ladders, indoor scaffolding, mixing buckets, hawks and trowels, ready for some of robust and manly plastering .......

Separated by only a pane of glass, it's an ambition that feels as if it's within touching distance, but at the same time, soooooooooooo very far away, an as of yet, unfulfilled yearning! What on earth are we going to do with him?

The Last Remaining Comestible Remnants From A Wonderful Holiday

Eric and the ever fragrant one are still "homesick" for their American Adventure last November, it really was a holiday of a lifetime. They hide it well, but both Darrell and I know that underneath it all they are still pining for palm trees, manatees, pizza, Dollar Tree and Goodwills!

That being said, most of the wonderful comestibles they bought back are long gone, but yesterday, while Darrell was spring cleaning his food cupboards, he happened upon three rogue Laffy Taffy sweets, goodness knows how they were "missed" as they were one of our most favourite sweets of an American type nature, as we always gravitate towards anything that is banana flavour ......

...... and these were truly banana-ery, we absolutely devoured them, so finding three more was very much a "Brucey Bonus".

The name Laffy Taffy comes from the jokes, the type that makes you groan, printed on the wrapper, jokes like - how does the beach greet you?  It waves!!!!

However, we did know we had a pack of snowman peeps in the cupboard .......

..... to be honest we were going to tuck into them too, but then decided to check the use by date ......

.... and low and behold, they are good until July 2027, so we are going to squirrel them away for this Christmas and then pop them into either Eric or Alice's stocking as a huge, memory filled, surprise.

And then there is the turkey stuffing mix, as triumphantly found and purchased from Dollar Tree for the princely sum of 2$! It was originally intended for our Christmas lunch but somehow escaped. Again, it has a very generous January 2027 use by date, but Darrell is thinking perhaps Easter, either as an accompaniment to our celebratory Sunday lunch or entirely separately, using any leftover chicken/turkey, we may have for the recipe on the back of the packet, which does look rather tempting. We shall see ......

This got us to wondering what other delights we'll bring back from any of our other holidays and weekends away, planned for the coming year ..... definitely there'll be  obligatory honey, olives and baclava from our Greek Oddity ...... but what pleasures might we find in Southport in May apart from seaside rock ...... ??????

Leone Rose Cone Ice Creams

Oh my, oh my, we have been soooooooo unbelievably remiss, it's been a month since Valentines Day and we've still not bought you a review of our Lidl, valentine, ice cream, roses, we hang our heads in communal shame! What on earth are we like, except for a little busy???? 

Anyway, while sorting out the freezer, Darrell came upon the box in the middle drawer and held them aloft for the ever fragrant one and Eric, saying that perhaps they ought to give them a crack, even though they've still got another fifteen months on the use by date, so technically, we could have saved them for Valentines Day 2027, with still time to spare!

On delving in the innermost sanctum of said package, they were very pleasantly surprised to find that the ice creams were exceedingly well packaged, with a shell on the top to protect the delicate petals of the rose, so even though they'd been squashed betwixt the fishcakes and cauliflower cheese, they were still perfectly preserved and intact. 

When unwrapped, the cone was green, which we had been a little dubious about, but again the presentation was above and beyond what we had expected, especially as sometimes, we've found that the illustrations on a box can bear little resemblance to the actual product once revealed!

BUT, how did they taste?  Absolutely, blooming marvellous and tres on point according to the dynamic duo!  The strawberries and cream ice cream with a hint of refreshing mint (in the cone?), they said, was exquisite, rich and creamy, soft and unbelievably smooth,  The cone crispy and the hint of chocolate along the edge,  just enough, in fact perfection.

They were gorgeous, a triumph, a wonderous fusion of delicate, frozen delight, wishing that we'd bought more, perhaps even in the other flavours they had in the same range. They were a true delight, best eaten meaningfully (??), slowly, in the glow of  candlelight, in complete silence, save for the odd, gentle mew! 

Giving them a score on our world famous, Richter Scale of Noms would have been an insult to such flawless excellence and sublimity they sighed. 

Goodness me, high praise indeed! I guess they like them!!!!!  

Eric Has Plans

With spring in the air, Eric has a renewed vigour about him and as such, has made a considered online purchase that he's been absolutely desperate to arrive .....

..... our poor postman Rob has been pounced upon almost every morning since said purchase was secured, but finally, today was the day! 

Yes, you've seen right, he's gone and bought himself a small, one man tent .........

...... which he then insisted on erecting without a single iota of help because, he reasoned, if he were on a truly solo adventure, he wouldn't be able to rely on anyone else being around to help him, so goodness only knows where he's planning to go!

Anyway, with only two flexible poles, how hard could it be? To be honest it didn't take him that long to get it up, "But practice," he said "would make perfect" ......

....... so he's had it up and down at least six times this morning already.

I have to say it seems quite snug, but Eric insists that all he needs room for is a sleeping bag, a blow up pillow, a torch, his back pack and "provisions"......

..... then he'll be as snug as a bug in a rug ...... 

...... and wherever he lays his head, that's his, all be it temporary, canvas "home",  heaven help us all!  He says he's going to start small and close to home with a night in our communal garden .........  

...... but first, he needs saving up for a cocoon like, all weather sleeping bag, as I said ......... heaven help us all!

Alice Gets All Artistic

Our lovely neighbour Kata's little boy Krisztian has been very busy learning about London, including The Great Fire Of London, in school and as such, had been given a crafty assignment to complete at home, for which there was a certificate and points at stake.

Well, it was a no brainer that the ever fragrant Alice offer to help the little man while, in turn, giving the forever busy Kata a chance to catch her breath.  

It has to be said that Alice, at times, is apt to hide her light under a bushel as far being creative is concerned, but trust me, she really is the Queen of the PVA bottle and all manner of other crafty materials, being particularly adept, I would say, in the art of scrunched up tissue paper ..........

...... a skill just perfect for making a facsimile bonfire, using a tealight under a clear, plastic cup, covered with said paper, to give the illusion of flickering flames, along with a string of tiny, battery operated lights in amongst the logs to represent sparks spitting from the fire and gold tinsel for extra effect.

It was a absolute triumph and dare I say an emotional one to boot, worthy of A*++++, a PhD. and maximum pointage for the little fella and trust me I'm in no way biased!!!!

Then, as if that wasn't enough, they moved onto the most magnificent and most anatomically correct Union Flag, ever to be created on blue card with red crepe paper and strips of white A4, again, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, when they'd finished!

Young Krisztian and Alice dun gud, bring on the next school project as Alice's is ready, willing and able .......... !!!!

A Most Unexpected Treat

Eric and Alice popped into Costa yesterday afternoon after a spot of mooching, using the gift card they'd been given for Christmas (yes, they are really trying to make the joy last!) ........

 ...... enjoying a pot of tea for one and a small cappuccino.

Then, after they had finished and while the ever fragrant one had gone to powder her nose, the gentleman, who they thought was the manager, came round to each of the tables proffering a rather large mug of individually wrapped chocolate orange segments (probably left over from some sort of promotion or something) asking if anyone would like one.

Well, for the little fella, as you might imagine, it was an absolute no brainer, who doesn't not look a gift horse (or, in this case, manager bearing gifts) in the face mouth he said afterwards, especially when you are rather partial to said chocolate treat ......

...... and, as ever thinking of Alice, proceeded to ask, very politely, if he could possibly take another one for his companion who was currently absent from the table polishing her nose, it was a done deal. It's not every day you get something so totally unexpected for free when your out for a coffee, so as you can imagine, it was emotional!!!!!  What on earth are they like? 

Eins Zwie Drie - UK Eurovision Entry 2026, Dix or Null Points???

Oh dear, we're not convinced, Mr. Look Mum No Computer seems like a very lovely young man ..... and yes, we'll fly the flag, it would be rude not to ....... 

.... but whether this year the UK will manage to move from the lowly depths of the right hand side of the Eurovision scoreboard to a more positive and uplifting left hand side, we're not so sure.  

To be honest, one listening was more than enough to form our opinion, to quote Mary Poppins, "Enough is as good as a feast", and so, without much debate whatsoever, for 2026 at least,  we've elected to wait until the "Big Night" before we listen to it properly again, without prejudice and through almost (if you'll pardon the expression) virgin ears ......... 

...... then, what will, be will be .......... but we're no holding our breath!