I'm 57 and always had cats but 4 years ago I got a golden retriever. It is completely insane how man and dog tune in to each other minds. It's like having a wife who never complains, is happy with everything you do and only occasionally barks when you're being really really boring!
At school, we laughed at how Pavlov taught dogs to associate the sound of a bell with eating. Then the bell rang and we went to lunch.
And so we are. Just seen an episode of Monkey World. This male monkey hadn't had a female companion for 27 years. When one was introduced into his cage, he sat up and applauded....probably pleasure, but could have been sarcasm.
http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/us-awards-for-isle-of-wight-distillery-98208.aspx Ahoy, all you gin drinkers....an IOW gin has scooped 3 awards in the US. Apparently aged in casks containing wood from the Victory.....could build 3 ships if all the wood from the Victory was collected together.
We are British, so we would probably pretend it hadn't happened, politely say we have an appointment and rush off.
Which would in turn contain blood soaked from the men who fought and bled on her. Just a thought after remembering Avery's words from Master and Commander. I think it was "She contains so much of my blood that she's practically a relative"
Phew that's OK then, if Scotland goes independent we don't need to import their whisky as we have IOW gin.
Oh good. Gin was always the drink that people wrinkled their nose up at and proclaimed that it was "too oily". I kind of 'discovered' gin when, at a Xmas party many years ago, my niece decided she wanted to properly mix, everyone who was willing, as many Martinis as they fancied. After the first one she asked me how much vermouth I'd like in the next one. I used the old Dean Martin reply which was, "point the glass in the direction of Italy". I have to say that I do like gin. I only drink it once in a blue moon, and generally it's more of warmer months in the evening drink [except for Xmas parties] for me. It doesn't have to be that high class either and doesn't hugely require a mixer either. I pop in a couple of olives on a stick just to give it some company, and stand the glass close to a bottle of white vermouth. Very simple, very nice. I can sort of understand why the Victorian poor hit upon it so hard to relieve the drudgery of their lives. It was local and very cheap.
I like gin too, but I have been put off the stuff lately. My local, sadly revamped and tarted up to appeal to people who like to pay 50p a pint more than in the pub down the road, is very big on gin. They stock over 50 varieties, and each one has to be served with its own different type of mixer and frozen fruit. Average waiting time at the bar is around 15 minutes, even when the pub is empty. Most of the time I go to the other pub nowadays.
That's a shame. They've lost the important point of what it is to be a pub. Hopefully, the one down the road knows what it takes. On that subject, I recently went to the local Wetherspoon's pub in Shirley, Southampton, after my first evening Rambler's walk this year. It's called The Brightwater, and although it was a little bit too SKY Sports TV orientated for me I had to admit it was a good experience. The selection of beers was excellent, and the prices were extremely low. Plus the staff were friendly, helpful and quick. And that's the surprise thing about every Wetherspoon's pub I've been in [OK, just the three then]. They, rather cleverly I think, suit their presentation to the local area, and they remember the important things of what it is to be a pub. It means that one tends to overlook their minor failings. That's been my experience, anyway.
On a hot summers day one to make and enjoy at home in the garden is.....firstly put ice in a tall glad add Bombay sapphire gin, then a dash chase elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and top up with lemonade.....
The times I've been into a Wetherspoons for lunch I've always found it excellently priced, with pretty good food as well. If I've been dragged there to drink on a night out on the other hand then I've found it awful. I once did a round of pub golf that included a Wetherspoons; buying the pint (Carlsberg or Carling I think ), downing it in one and leaving was still too much time in there for my liking. It was full of Janners.
