The iced coffee experience @ TimHortons

25/11/2011
The whole cold coffee thing has certainly moved on from the now cold cup that someone made you two hours ago. Sitting cold and unloved.

No now it's all iced that and frappe this. Some bring high expectations after you hand over the cash and most fail to deliver.

All the coffee chains and the small independents provide this beverage for you and I have largely been moved just a little by the experience.

However a new winner has emerged on my top ten list that of the chilled latte from the Canadian fast food and coffee chain - Tim Hortons.

This is just want I've looked for as it's basically a coffee slush puppy. Good coffee taste, not too sweet, chilled and it refreshes.

Along with a maple frosted doughnut it's pretty sound as a mid morning or mid anything num num.

There is however a problem, it's 3000 miles away!

This is not one but a poor example of the genre.

I'm out and about

The toughest job in the world?

22/11/2011

It was my decision I - unlike certain English Rugby Players in the 2011 World Cup - could have walked out of the bar.

No, my stomach decided otherwise it needed food and the bar diner was what it had in mind.

As I walked in, I saw the faux chalk board announcing that Karaoke was starting every Wednesday, and tonight was the night.

I ordered my food, checked out the X Factor wannabe location and picked a table in another room. Far away I hoped but not as far away as the speed of sound.

Now I don't know your views on the old 'Oke. I've thought about it as something that might be fun. In 1999 we considered stepping into a bar in Toronto to bash out a song. However as our relationship was at an early stage we made a mutual excuse not to. Perhaps a smart move as neither of us are song thrushes and we're still happily together.

In Tokyo the four of us considered booking a room in a Karaoke venue. Much more civilised, you buy your own space and submit your own group to the vocal torture, rather than the UK version of alienating your bar peers. However when you can torture your teen sons for free with your warbling at home why subject them to mortal embarrassment overseas?

So tonight we've had some really ropey renditions. I think though it's one table comprising of the Woman who likes Madonna who sounds as if many hours have been spent in front of the mirror with the hair brush. Sitting beside her we have the guy who thinks he's a rock god who must be bald as he has had no time with his hairbrush in front of the mirror. These two have even duetted - joy!

We've had various others signing up to do their bit to clear pigeons or loitering youth with their musical efforts. High pitched, low pitch and no pitch along with all types of deafness of the tone variety.

Some have quite clearly been taking advantage of the goods on offer with the beer and wine adding nothing at all to their performance, apart from making the song words harder to read perhaps.

It's getting worse I think three chums are singing now? "Think we're alone now" the song by Tiffany from the early1980's.
They really are with the bar emptying rapidly they really are S***. Forgive the French but it's true, honestly, they are!

The guy is charge, is there a noun? Is a great liar as he has clearly stated without faltering that there is "talent in tonight". He perhaps could be referring to the waiting staff and their waiting expertise. Perhaps he is referring the the little known Italian town of Tonight where retired Diva's live.

The strange thing about the KJ? Is that he is Australian and I would think he is either deranged or desperate. Why else would you travel from there to here to be in charge of a Karaoke?

It surely must be the worst job in the world?

I'm out and about but not singing.

Winter where are you?

21/11/2011

Since the return from my holidays I have decided that I need a better climate. Nothing wrong with the one I live in - well there is, but more of that later.

By better I mean seasons, proper seasons. 

I'm not picky I'm not looking for the traditional four, perhaps in these days of global warming four is a  distant, never to be seen again memory type thing. So two or three would be fine, thank you.

I want a summer that is a summer, I can deal with the heat just now at time age but not too hot thanks, wouldn't do the growing any good, just a right degree of hotness. Shorts, sandals and a hat, with some freckles on my arms and other exposed bits.

What I really want though is a winter not this guffy, damp, mild thing that's going about just now. I'm back into shorts and the heating has gone off again because the house is just too hot.

On our walks today the sun was out early this morning and in my fleece jacket I was heating up and this evening the dogs were having a reaction as if it was spring, all hot and panting. 

We have had midges buzzing around!, there are buds on some of the trees! I just want a cold and preferbaly crisp, bright day. Hovering about 1 degree centigrade would be fine. Wind, no you can keep that. Rain no, let the moisture fall as snow.

I'm not asking much and perhaps I might spend 6 months here and 6 months in a North American or Scandinavian winter, but perhaps I should try them for a week or two before signing up?

Abbey Road

20/11/2011

In a tribute today the Chickens decided to present their version of the famous cover from the Beatles album "Abbey Road".

This album from April 1969 was the Liverpudlians most popular release.

When asked if they were to take the homage further the Chickens said that an album would follow including such classics as "A Hard Lays Night"

"We Can Push It Out"

"Henny Lane"

"Egg Shell"

"And Your Hen Can Cluck"

When asked if they liked Beatles the unanimous reply from the Clucking Combo was that they preferred worms.

I'm out and about

Chains

19th October 2011

The chain lay against the quay side. One end connected to the anchor point on the harbour wall the other submerged.

The water was still, clear but you could sense chillingly cold. The ducks and fish were the only things moving in the water. The flotilla of small boats bobbed in the gentle swell. None occupied, all closed with hatches battened down for the winter. Hibernating and waiting for the sun to return with more warmth than the day of the photo. Was that the chain clinking against the stone quay side or my teeth?

I'm out and about

Telephone Line

18th October 2011

During our recent trip to North America we experienced the earliest snow falls to New England for forty years.

Being so early - relatively speaking - the snow caused more trouble than would be usual. The snow fell on the trees or more specifically the autumnal leaves still sitting on the trees. The increased weight caused the trees to be top heavy and many, many trees toppled over that night.

As some toppled they did so against the overhead power and telephone lines. Snapping lines as they fell.

It seemed strange that first of all in this corner of a world power they take so little care of their over head cabling. The second was that the lines look so flimsy, as the picture shows.
Finally why were the trees allowed to grow near the overhead lines anyway?

So 600,000 people experienced snapped lines that night and some several weeks later were still without power.

Seems strange all for the want of a chain saw.

Boston Canyon?

16th November 2011

Boston, Massachusetts is considered to be the cradle of the modern United States.

As you wander around the city or indeed if you chose to follow the "Freedom Trail", (the tourist path that passes by many historic sites), you see dates that mirror the early New England settlers.

A date that would be one in a millennia of Scottish history. Met there with muted interest when compared with the depth of history we have at home. In Boston though it is a different story the dates from the early 1600's are cherished, revered, unique in this lands history.

The contrast between old and new is striking one street has a graveyard with early patriots and pilgrims resting in peace. Around the next corner the stereotypical American landscape, a man made landscape of steel and stone. Accentuated by the narrow streets still there from yesteryear.

What would those early European inhabitants say about present day Boston and its modern day canyons?

HMS Sunset

I'm out and about