BoftheBang: Update – 31/07/2024
Another month gone – and the baby still not washed!
(no idea where that came from – my best guess is – a memory bite from my youth -circa? Late 1950s?
Totally unplanned – but I can’t resist …… two of my favourite ‘sound bites over the years:
Radio phone in, for prizes. – ‘What your grandad said when he farted?’ (Not the BBC of course – actually – ‘Talk Sport’.)
Some entries -not very imaginative – e.g.
Better out, than in’ and
‘Good Arse’
Others –probably – should not have been broadcast –
e.g.
‘That’ll itch when it dries’. I’ll ignore the rest of those.
But the clear winner-
‘Catch that and sew a button on it’.
No – I can’t explain it either – but, it’s bloody funny.
Ernie cracks. don’t worry, I’ve moved on to a different topic – which I can’t resist
Ernie, my, late, Father in Law – had a pithy phrase for any and every situation – collected over his many years.
His best – in my opinion – ended up in the eulogy I wrote for his funeral – which the Vicar agreed to include.
Some years after we had met – Ernie and I, were sat in their lounge, watching England play football on the TV.
I have no recollection as to, who they were playing or when – but I clearly remember that, after about twenty minutes. Ernie leans back in his chair – and says –
‘Well – if our lot are professional footballers – my cock’s a bloater!’
Got a laugh at the funeral and a tenner from me for the church collection – and, I think, the vicar liked saying it.
For the uninitiated – a ‘bloater’ is/was something of a delicacy in the south of England – originating in Great Yarmouth in the 19th Century and is a whole cold smoked herring -not gutted or filleted,
Apparently very popular then –but – maybe, not surprising – not so much now – and production now ceased in Yarmouth.
There you go – I feel better for that – and now –
the Update for July …… not as exciting as bloaters.
Highlights -ish.
23/6 Sunday Lunch in the local Italian – the Casa Lingo – with Kath and Steve from next door –
Because – Steve and his brother in Law spent some hours replacing and repairing the garden fence between my place – No. 3; and theirs – No. 5 – following some heavy winds.
I regarded it as communal so offered to go half – but they wouldn’t tell me how much!
Hence my invite to the Casa Lingo – where we had a neighbour’s gathering – earlier in the year – nine diners including my son and his partner to meet them for the first time.
This time – Kath and Steve’s choice – Sunday lunch on 23/7 – good choice – I haven’t had a real Italian roast lunch for years.
Their choice – what I didn’t tell them – was that my birthday (74th) was on the 24th. – principally because – I have eaten in many Italian restaurants all over the world – including Italy – and including – one Sunday lunch in the front room of a terraced house in Naples – cooked by the grandmother and served by the mother – best Lamb Shank & Veg – I have ever had – before or since – for the equivalent of about £3- and …
I know that in a real Italian restaurant – a client’s birthday – even if, tomorrow, is never ignored!
I just didn’t fancy the parade of the birthday cake full of sparklers – followed by the waiters doing a Three Tenor’s version of ‘Happy Birthday’.
Unfortunately – they were coming round to my place – while we waited for the taxi – and maybe an aperitif – and I got distracted and didn’t take down the birthday cards displayed on the front window sill – which is the first thing that anybody coming in through the front door sees.
I persuaded them to keep it to themselves – on the basis that I wouldn’t pay for lunch – if they ‘squealed’ – and I got away with it.
My lunch – Lamb shank not on the menu – but –
Rack of Lamb and Veg. – gave the Naples’s Lamb Shank – a good run for the money.
Excellent all round – bottle of wine or two and a taxi for the five-ish minutes home and an early night.
29/06 Lunch time Visit to Eve & Roy’s
Eve – long term friend and college colleague for the bes part of twenty years –
Roy – her husband- born and bred in Kirkby – not the best district of Liverpool –we have similar backgrounds – getting out to higher education and doing OK for ourselves – so get on fine – though we don’t talk much, nowadays – about him retiring from Fujitsu!
They spend a lot of time in their place in Portugal – but Summers and Xmas in the UK and still have a home in south Manchester almost opposite me in north Manchester.
They have often visited me – this time got to visit them – just a few days after our joint birthdays – hers on 24/06 as well.
Last time I visited there – I am pretty sure that Jean – my late wife – was with me – so that is at least ten years.
Longish taxi ride but worth it for a lovely visit – excellent home cooked lunch – main – a lovely lasagne – and a few drinks – including birthday champagne, of course.
Can’t remember much of the Taxi ride home – but did get there fine -and find my key and get back in the house. Mission accomplished.
4-7 July – Let’s forget it eh?
Some justice done and hopefully more to come.
A Final Thought
I probably read a lot of rubbish – but do come across some amazing facts e.g.
Do you know why the piece of Gym / aerobics equipment known as ‘Dumbbells’ – is so called?
9For those not sure – they are two circular weights, attached to the ends of central shaft which is gripped by the hands and exercises / strengthens arm muscles.
Alternative arms lift one weight up to shoulder height and then down to hip height – then the other arm.
The motion is very like ringing hand bells – but no noise – hence the name – dumb bells
which is better than ‘no clangers’.