Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

maman

candlelight_2013 wrote: »

(very often a Berni, do you remember those?)
Candlelightx

I was lurking and called in to say thanks for the memories. There were three Berni Inns in the city I lived in as a teenager. It was the height of sophistication to be taken to one on a Saturday evening.


Best of all was the one located in an old GWR hotel. I'd have a schooner of sherry to start and then prawn cocktail, steak and finish with cheese and biscuits (I'm not a pudding person). Then we'd be shown up to the lounge (really traditional with squishy leather armchairs). They'd serve that brilliant Irish coffee where you pour the cream over the back of a spoon and it floats. Magic! I'd never seen that before.


Happy Days!!:)


ETA: I forgot the Blue Nun and the Black Tower and we used to drink Sauternes in those days when it wasn't an expensive pudding wine.

THIRZAH

The cheese board always seemed to consist of Cheddar, Edam and Danish blue!

DH used to spend ages trying to get cream to float on his coffee at home.

meritaten

Thank you all for your kind words. they are much appreciated.
mum was 83 and passed peacefully in her sleep. she wasn't ill and her last day was such a happy one. she had her grand and great grandkids all visit at once! she was as happy as larry. I find this such a great comfort after nursing both FIL and MIL with terminal cancer.
and yes, I am focused and practical right now because somebody HAS to be! my sis is not good at times like this. my brother lives about half hour away so isn't really a shoulder to cry on.


I took roots and cuttings from the in-laws house before it was sold and although some sadly didn't take (it was during a very hot summer), some did and they give us a lot of pleasure and the kids have had cuttings etc from the plants. so if the house goes to strangers I will do the same.

charlies-aunt

maman wrote: »

ETA: I forgot the Blue Nun and the Black Tower and we used to drink Sauternes in those days when it wasn't an expensive pudding wine.

Still like Blue Nun and Black Tower ...and do you remember the glasses that German white wine used to be served in? A clear glass bowl with a very long green glass stem and base - I still have a couple left from a set that we received as a wedding present in 1981 we thought we were very sophisticated!

maman

charlies-aunt wrote: »

Still like Blue Nun and Black Tower ...and do you remember the glasses that German white wine used to be served in? A clear glass bowl with a very long green glass stem and base - I still have a couple left from a set that we received as a wedding present in 1981 we thought we were very sophisticated!

Yes I do, they're called hock glasses. Hock and Riesling seemed to be the only dryish white wines available back then. Then there was Mateus Rose!!

vhalla1478

Hi again, Folks,

I remember the Berni inns too. Doesn't it make you giggle when you think what you thought was 'sophisticated'? Ladies (of a certain age!) do you remember when long dresses came into vogue for daytime as well as evening wear (1970's?). I remember thinking I looked like the bees knees as I had this long blue cotton dress with quilting on the neckline and sleeve bottoms, and, wait for it, it had embossed carrots all over it. Another time when I thought I looked the business, I posed heavily at the top of a sweeping staircase at a countryhouse that had been turned into a club/casino, hotel/restaurant, caught my foot in the hem of my dress and tumbled from top to bottom of the stairs - I hadn't even had a drink - pride most definitely goes before a fall!

I've had a good bit of news today - I've been battling with Scottish Power for almost a year now - usual problems - no bill, no response to numerous emails, phone calls etc. Anyway, they are reimbursing me all my direct debit payments for the last year and reducing my monthly payments; I'm very pleased but haven't yet received the money in my hot little hand, although it's supposed to be in my bank in 3-5 working days. What does concern me is I'm persistent and bloody minded, what about all their customers who can't stand up for themselves? It's far cheaper to shut me up rather than ensuring everyone gets a fair deal. Right, I'll get off my soap box - have a pleasant evening , Folks.

Viv xx

Ps I love all of Alan Bennet's writings, Candlelight. x

candlelight_2013

Oh Vhalla, I had several long dresses, one of which was blue with a flower pattern on. I was a lot slimmer in those days and my, I thought I looked good, and yes very sophisticated.

I used to wear a long dress for any gathering and also do you rmember the long velvet skirt. My Mum had one and always took it away with her. They used to stay in a "posh" hotel, where you were expected to dress for dinner.

Very good news about Scottish Power, I hope it is in your bank soon.

Candlelightx

vhalla1478

Oh yes, Candlelight, I do remember the velvet skirts and also I seem to remember one year that we had velvet jackets as well with an artificial flower on the lapel - I still have a long dress, one shouldered and extremely flattering - I'm hanging onto it like a limpet! xx:rotfl:

Lynplatinum

Evening All

Well getting the gripe out of the way first - I cannot get onto my e-mail!! I pay a fortune for top BT service as it is also my business e-mail where people from years ago get back in touch and offer me work!! So I need it - each month I get shut out with 'we do not recognise your details' BUT I KNOW I put in the right passwords - i use specific rotating algorithms to do so (kinda like a formula which you can apply to any site - like you can apply a formula to any set of numbers!) Anyone think its worth going through the Ombudsman - really feel I am paying for a service I am not receiving! ??????

Anyhoo the good - seen two houses today - one far too 'old folks bungalow' for me. The other is a distinct possibility but about 10 K too much. Prices are rising in the area otherwise I would say she is asking too much but talking it over with my son he had a refinancing suggestion I had not considered!!! Clever lad!! I will be looking into it when I get home and have all the paperwork to hand!!
Had tea on my way home at the Bowgie Inn at Crantock.. Look it up - a brilliant view - one of the best in the world - also food is good pub grub - beer about 3.5/5 (CAMRA scores out of 5!) and one bar does not have children in it. Sounds mean but it is very peaceful - no one crying/moaning/running around nearly tripping the waiters up/yelling. I am well aware that some kids (and certainly mine) are still bought up to sit quietly and eat properly using knives and forks :A (the once they didnt they were taken outside and not allowed back in - me and my ex ate in shifts and they got bread and butter when we got home! They NEVER played up when eating out again!) but so many children are not bought up to behave in a restaurant situation! So a quiet bar is lovely.

Little fury trainer going crazy to see me when I got home and so pleased to go for another walkies in a day!!

Vallahla - wow you are so good and busy - can I borrow a tenth of your energy please? For when I get home so I can get on with sorting meself out to move!! Yep Holiday is ideal - I dont wanna go home! (am I allowed to squeal and kick when they make me get in the car??? :rotfl:)
Nurse Maggie - I remember Terry's my auntie took me there and told me how common Betty's was!! such rivalry!! nothing like it :rotfl:
I also remember 1970s cuisine! Oooooh Black Forest gateaux!!! Angel Delight anyone?? Especially the butterscotch one!!
Nite all (dreaming of Night Fever )

mcculloch29

"Embossed carrots" made me laugh out loud. I adore Alan Bennett. His Diaries will still be read in two hundred years time, I think. Writing of that quality will never age.
I'm trialling a new Bluetooth keyboard that I've been sent to review. First discovery was that the @ and " are transposed from the standard keyboard.
Which made typing the first sentence interesting.
How could I have forgotten Berni prawn cocktail? Pink shrimps and scraps of torn Webbs' Wonder lettuce with a sauce that was 95% salad cream.