What are you doing today?

Apple fanboy said:
Watching MOTD after just finishing work in bed. Soon be time to get up again for my morning run.
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Ah, MOTD.

To me, (and yes, tonight was good news - for me - and, moreover, I won't even dare to suggest that you "enjoy" MOTD), well, MOTD and Saturday are a magical and impossibly perfect pairing...like, perhaps, fish'n'chips..... and not something I can contemplate with pleasure at any other time, not during the Season.
 
Dashed - briefly, but swiftly - to the local store to pick up my organic milk (and organic cream) and they kindly asked whether I wanted a double order (they keep organic milk for me each week) next week to see me through Christmas. I answered in the affirmative.

Yes, I do; once supplies get disrupted,it can take until mid January before everything is fully restored. Besides, Covid notwithstanding, people may call in and it will be nice to be able to offer them tea of coffee - and, even if they don't - I will want to be able to prepare extra tea and coffee; Christmas is not the time to run out of milk.

Anyway, bought a few lemons, limes (limes! - I keep forgetting to buy limes!), grapefruit, capers (for caponata and other recipes that need capers - tartar sauce, for example), butter, avocados, crisps (chips) and wine.
 
Tomorrow (well, it is today, now) my cousin's funeral service shall take place.

In an alternative universe, my brothers and I would have been present, - my cousin was my brother's godfather, after all - but in this world's here and now, prudence dictates that we shall attend online.

It is difficult to describe our feelings; as Decent Brother remarked to me last night, there are cousins we aren't - or, weren't - all that close to - and while they are people whose deaths we would (of course) regret, it would not leave this awful feeling of emptiness.

This cousin was the god of our childhood, and I deeply regret that we cannot be physically present to say a final farewell, a heartfelt goodbye.
 
I attended my cousin's funeral service remotely.

Yes, I would have far preferred to have been present in person, but I am awed (and profoundly impressed) by the sort of tech that allows one to attend such a service remotely.

And I also made a few phone calls, including one to my doctor, (the pharmacist's system was extraordinarily complicated) and have an appointment to receive the booster jab next week.

Another phone call was to a restaurant (an award winning one, where the owner chef is as ethical as she is brilliant, - she gives classes, training and opportunities to refugees, and hosts themed food nights based on their respective culinary cultures, showcasing their culinary cultures, passionately supports local organic suppliers, and - as an avowed feminist - strongly supports women and minorities) where I know the owner/chef and her husband, who is also her business partner.

Yesterday, their Twitter page featured a positively pornographic tarte tatin, so seductively delicious did it appear; today, I phoned them with a request to bake/make/prepare one for me for Christmas - or even, for after Christmas, if they are too busy.

Although I have ordered a small (homemade) porter cake from the market, - Decent Brother loves a serious, homemade, porter cake (the fruit cake basis for a classic Christmas cake), and this is really for him, should he put in an unlikely appearance - but, the tarte tatin is my treat to myself, in lieu of a Christmas cake.

They cheerfully told me to come in and collect it on December 23.......yum; I adore a really good tarte tatin.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
I attended my cousin's funeral service remotely.

Yes, I would have far preferred to have been present in person, but I am awed (and profoundly impressed) by the sort of tech that allows one to attend such a service remotely.

And I also made a few phone calls, including one to my doctor, (the pharmacist's system was extraordinarily complicated) and have an appointment to receive the booster jab next week.

Another phone call was to a restaurant (an award winning one, where the owner chef is as ethical as she is brilliant, - she gives classes, training and opportunities to refugees, and hosts themed food nights based on their respective culinary cultures, showcasing their culinary cultures, passionately supports local organic suppliers, and - as an avowed feminist - strongly supports women and minorities) where I know the owner/chef and her husband, who is also her business partner.

Yesterday, their Twitter page featured a positively pornographic tarte tatin, so seductively delicious did it appear; today, I phoned them with a request to bake/make/prepare one for me for Christmas - or even, for after Christmas, if they are too busy.

Although I have ordered a small (homemade) porter cake from the market, - Decent Brother loves a serious, homemade, porter cake (the fruit cake basis for a classic Christmas cake), and this is really for him, should he put in an unlikely appearance - but, the tarte tatin is my treat to myself, in lieu of a Christmas cake.

They cheerfully told me to come in and collect it on December 23.......yum; I adore a really good tarte tatin.
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Enjoy. I had a lovely meal out last night. First one since October. My last for a while I’m sure.
Here I’ve been pottering about this afternoon as I’m off work.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Enjoy. I had a lovely meal out last night. First one since October. My last for a while I’m sure.
Here I’ve been pottering about this afternoon as I’m off work.
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Ah, I meant to ask about your meal out last night.

What was on the menu? I assume that the repast was washed down with a few beers?

Hope you had a great time.
 
And - aside from private sorrow (my cousin's warm funeral service) - I must admit there is also a source of serious - almost sadistic - glee; namely, the results of the Shropshire North by-election; the Tories were (rightly) hammered (by the Lib Dems), and have lost a seat that they have held for almost two hundred years.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Ah, I meant to ask about your meal out last night.

What was on the menu? I assume that the repast was washed down with a few beers?

Hope you had a great time.
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As per usual I was driving, so just a couple of shandy’s. A nice medium rare steak and chips with a loverly sauce (can’t remember the name). The some sticky toffee pudding with custard.
Then we went for nice coffee.
 
Apple fanboy said:
As per usual I was driving, so just a couple of shandy’s. A nice medium rare steak and chips with a loverly sauce (can’t remember the name). The some sticky toffee pudding with custard.
Then we went for nice coffee.
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Sounds delicious, and delighted that you had such a lovely evening out.

Mushroom, or blue cheese sauce, or a sort of dark wine/brandy sauce are some of the sauces that are usually served with steak.
 
Apple fanboy said:
It was a dark sauce. It featured garlic as Mrs AFB has been complaining this morning!
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Sounds delicious.

I haven't had steak in an absolute age, - in fact, I haven't had any meat - and now, you are making me not just hungry, but craving (a rare) steak and chips (and indeed, a warm pub, and congenial company).
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Sounds delicious.

I haven't had steak in an absolute age, - in fact, I haven't had any meat - and now, you are making me not just hungry, but craving (a rare) steak and chips (and indeed, a warm pub, and congenial company).
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It was. We only eat chicken at home, so I nearly always select a steak if it’s on the menu.
We have fish about once a week as well. So basically when I’m at one of my rare restaurant visits I discount all the chicken or fish meals.
 
Apple fanboy said:
It was. We only eat chicken at home, so I nearly always select a steak if it’s on the menu.
We have fish about once a week as well. So basically when I’m at one of my rare restaurant visits I discount all the chicken or fish meals.
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Yes, for the very same reason, - precisely because I eat it so rarely - steak is something that I fairly frequently eat - especially if the venue in question has a good reputation for steak - when dining out.

In fact, the last time I saw (met, chatted with) the cousin whose funeral service was today, - he had come to see us after my mother's funeral - Decent Brother and I (and my cousin) all thoroughly enjoyed a gourmet burger and chips and beer and wine in the bar of a very good hotel where he stayed.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Yes, for the very same reason, - precisely because I eat it so rarely - steak is something that I fairly frequently eat - especially if the venue in question has a good reputation for steak - when dining out.

In fact, the last time I saw (met, chatted with) the cousin whose funeral service was today, - he had come to see us after my mother's funeral - Decent Brother and I (and my cousin) all thoroughly enjoyed a gourmet burger and chips and beer and wine in the bar of a very good hotel where he stayed.
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I’ve eaten at this particular pub a few times. It’s always busy and has a nice atmosphere as well as good food. The choice of the coffee house afterwards was a random Google, but was a good one. Just down the road in Bromsgrove.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I’ve eaten at this particular pub a few times. It’s always busy and has a nice atmosphere as well as good food. The choice of the coffee house afterwards was a random Google, but was a good one. Just down the road in Bromsgrove.
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Sounds lovely; I'm really glad that you had such a pleasant evening and enjoyable time.
 
Preparing for tomorrow. Our active duty kid told my wife he won’t be home for Christmas, which of course led to a few crying sessions. I am actually picking him up at the airport tomorrow for the surprise.

She will be very happy.
I assume I will be in serious trouble.
 
yaxomoxay said:
Preparing for tomorrow. Our active duty kid told my wife he won’t be home for Christmas, which of course led to a few crying sessions. I am actually picking him up at the airport tomorrow for the surprise.

She will be very happy.
I assume I will be in serious trouble.
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I highly approve :D

Umm, but in case she's reading this ...

OH YOU BASTARD!!
 
yaxomoxay said:
Preparing for tomorrow. Our active duty kid told my wife he won’t be home for Christmas, which of course led to a few crying sessions. I am actually picking him up at the airport tomorrow for the surprise.

She will be very happy.
I assume I will be in serious trouble.
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That will be a wonderful (and welcome) surprise for her; she will be delighted and will treasure the time (and the memories it will give rise to) she will be able to spend with 'active duty kid'.

Lovely story, and do enjoy the time you are able to spend together.
 
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