Food and Drink #20

[Into_the_tunnel]

@HotesTilaire I fear that I am on that Facebook group too. Its so funny. If someone asks why there are fireworks going off on a random Wednesday night they get really funny replies about it being for the reopening of Chris's Chippy. Someone posted that they seen a food delivery truck outside and people were driving past to see if it was true. I have just driven past and its closed so we went to Steves.

Spoiler: Me rail

The man I am seeing is working in America and was due to fly back on Monday to work in their Manchester office before he went home for Christmas. Now that everyone is home working again he is flying back to London instead. We had plans for me to collect him from the airport and for him to stay with me for a night and then I was going to stay with him in his hotel in Manchester and go to a FANCY restaurant., I don't know when I am going to see him again and its starting to feel pointless. I am torn as I really like him and while he has been away we have been on different time zones but still texted a lot and talked. He is lovely - what should I do? Can someone please insert the 'who fucking knows' thingie here for me?

I don’t know what you should do. I am so sorry Covid etc is still getting in the way of life.

Here are are my Stitch slippers (which I got in the charity shop today) to cheer you up .

 

[lilamay]

Most nostalgic pasta 'shape' for me is Alphabetti!

 

[emm]

Hello Frauen! It's been a long time since I've posted, so forgive me for jumping straight in to me-rail mode...

I was wondering if anyone would be able to share any advice with me? There's a chap at my workplace who is my age and I think I have grown to like him just a little more than a little bit (squee!) The only problem is I feel like I keep on getting mixed messages. A general example is that, when we are in a group, he's quite chatty with the others but always seems a bit awkward/shy or as if he's holding back around me (I've been at the company longer than him) but we have good banter when we are alone together. It was our work's Christmas party the other day and we left the venue at the same time. He walked a few paces with me, hugged me quite tightly, and then told me it was lovely to see me and asked me to text him when I was home. Despite all this, it seems like he doesn't want to make a move. What could this mean? Is it worth the effort? Now that Boris has ordered work from home again I don't quite know what to do.

I would take the initiative and make the first move. I was in a kind of similar situation and I ended up asking him out and he became a boyfriend (now ex but whatever) we spoke about it later, as in why he hadn't done anything, and he just said he wasn;t sure I liked him. I would just suggest going for a drink or coffee and see what he says, worst case scenario he says no

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

well, after the snow in the night, we've had a power cut and now the tv signal's gone and I'm gonna have to watch strictly on my phone, aren't I? fml

anyhoo, as I promised over on the mt - TREE! (see, I keep to my to do list. sometimes.) it may not have £3k of crap on it, but we like it

View attachment 891438

That tree is lovely….I spy a !

Sorry about your power cut and TV signal… we are OK but parents in law haven’t had power since 8pm yesterday . They are refusing to come over because of the snow forecast … (we don’t have a bed but at least it is warm).

Strictly on the phone will be better than Strictly last week on TV with Tom still in ! And you have the soft glow of the tree.

 

[EddieBeds]

Wowser. Look at those.

Are they all spicy and curranty and squidgy? Scrum.

Good luck with the train. When I used to live a bit further south than I do now, the Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport route had a really bad reputation for that. It was rowdy all hours of the day and night.

Yes to all as my Nanna’s recipe adds mixed spice to them - I find it hard to describe the texture, kind of squidgy and yes curranty. I have made a cranberry and cinnamon variant before which were lovely but I just love the original. My Nanna used to make me a big batch and send them to me at uni in an old ice cream container.

Train was ok in the end - managed to get off with a group of others and avoid the drunks. Like I said essentially harmless but when feeling a bit fraught due to my own anxiety it can be heightened by others I perceive as being unpredictable.

at the last part of this, how was it? Completely completely get the train thing, these things are to be expected after close on 2 years of varying degrees of isolation & we all need to be gentle on ourselves. It’s trauma what we’ve all been through and going back to things is going to feel odd.

Is anyone else more scared of the dark this year? Trigger warning brief reference to murder victims in this but I don’t know if it’s a result of covid & not having to go out in the dark anymore, very high profile stranger murders (regret reading the court’s closing & family impact statements for Sarah Everard’s murder tbh), or heightened anxiety from having a child but went out at 5pm by myself this week and was genuinely anxious and thought how ridiculous is this!

So train there ok in the end as mentioned to Tunnels. But the full moon did a chaos and ALL the trains home were cancelled!!! I couldn’t even get close to home (as in the next nearest station) so Mr Beds came to get me, kids in tow bless him. What’s really bizarre is that Little Beds predicted it he said the trains were going to sleep and they would need to pick me up albeit Mr Beds wrote it off as kids saying weird shit.

I’ve always been a bit wary of the dark since a child but I know what you mean. I’ve found some of my anxieties have heightened/sharpened since having children but not sure if it’s simply the awareness of my own mortality (not meant in a morbid way)? As I waited for my ride home I was really conscious of making sure I was somewhere well lit/lots of people and didn’t even put my headphones on. And one of the reasons Mr Beds insisted he came to get me as opposed to me doing some weird cross country/south-north zig zag on trains to get vaguely close to home (where I’d still need picking up or a taxi) was because he didn’t want me travelling alone due it being dark etc.

But in a muddy Space NK puddle I found a lovely CC cream and cream blusher so I can look vaguely human when going out.

 

[MaineCoonMama]

@MaineCoonMama what a beautiful place for your mums memorial stone. It must be so comforting to be able to visit (when you can).

I have been thinking about you today. I had a lovely older male friend prop me up during the dark times of my divorce. Have you got anyone close who can support you? Its times like this I wish we could message one another.

I have you guys! Hehe. I have my best friend B, we've been friends since we were 16. We've been through most of our lives together and she's been my absolute rock the last few months. My other bestie lives in Sweden now but she's been great as well for advice and making me laugh. I'm also very close to my brother and his wife, even though they live way up in the top end of the Northern Territory they've always looked after me.
I can't forget Pooh and Susan, sometimes the best support comes from the ones who just offer a gentle paw on the arm and a giant butt in the face.

 

[MaineCoonMama]

Four in a bed, the natural progression of CDWM!!!

I watch that when it's on as well!

I’m the same, I’m so out of the loop with current tv! I know the UK and Australia are like “cousins” but it still blows my mind that random shows from here are known internationally. Mind you we went nuts for Neighbours and Home And Away!

Spoiler: 80s Neighbours

Putting this behind a spoiler because omg, I feel like saying this is up there with “what were your favourite sweets as a kid?”.
But I’ve just remembered that back in the day, Scott and Charlene’s wedding seemed like SUCH a big deal! I think it’s maybe because I was like 5 or 6 when it happened, but also because it was a decade of big weddings. I remember my family all gathered around the tv to watch it as if it was a royal wedding

Oh, man I remember that so well. Iirc I was living in my first flat with my bestie and we, being the big bad metal chicks we were, had a bit of a cry then chopped up an onion before our boyfriends came over so they wouldn't know we cried over Neighbours. Lol, I'm going to text my friend now and ask if she remembers.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Halfway pretzel cats look like prawns

 

[HotesTilaire]

I’m having a visitor (whoop) so I’m making that pumpkin pie I have been craving for weeks.

 

[EddieBeds]

I just went back on thevitamindproject’s stories as she shared a slide that made me think of you, apparently there’s funding available for these sorts of things - it can be anything that helps you maintain a good quality of life, to begin with it is stuff like personal care/cleaning/admin but the person who mailed in said once you’ve got the payroll set up you can change it about depending on what you need? So sorry I don’t have the legit source!

Agree though have found getting a cleaner invaluable for the house/my MH. Also feeling the winter slump, worsened by a snowballing amount of misc admin/life tasks I need to do for the household, getting to the point where I’m just going to take a day off to do them which feels ridiculous but hey ho. Meant to take to soft play this morning but she has continuous respiratory things from nursery & coughed so much she spit up recently drunk milk in our bed last night, I’m 99% sure she’ll be fine but can’t ignore the 1% chance of her coating the car in vomit. God help us.

We are in this too re: continuous yuck from nursery. It’s so exhausting and don’t blame you for dodging the potential car redecoration. I’ve been using the calpol plug in vapour things (ETA: other brands available) - which have helped the snuffly side of things but Baby Beds still has a really phelgmy cough at night and is sometimes resembling a 80/day smoker with his cough/hacking. The GP just says it’s the onslaught of winter viral stuff being worse this year . Which, while reassuring doesn’t enter my head when I’m lying on his bedroom floor in the wee hours trying to get him back to sleep (your white noise machine has helped with this task ). Though last night/this morning smug me thought BB was asleep, went to commando crawl out, turned back and he was just staring at me through the bars of the cot. Not gonna lie I nearly shat myself then had to stifle my giggles at nearly being scared to death by my one year old .

I had my Covid booster yesterday lunchtime and feel awful today. I was really lucky that neither of my first two vaccinations caused me any issues but this one has just made me feel yuck. Like a headache but no headache, feel like I have a temperature but no temperature and zapped of all energy. Hoping it passes quickly and better than Covid itself.

Mr Beds is making broccoli and beef stir fry for dinner - using a recipe card we picked up in Waitrose (fancy!).

 

[DuckDuck]

I've just had a cheese and tomato toastie
For dinner tonight it's going to be simple , a prepackaged fish , gastropub one I think it's called, battered fish I will do a flavored rice , I might do lemon and garlic rice . I think I'll cook the rice now , let it cool then later on do it in a pan with some oil , add garlic and lemon , a fried rice .
Yes that's what I'll do
I have covid and can't taste a thing so I'll have a tomato cup a soup
I did a nice pasta sauce yesterday , couldn't taste if it needed more garlic , more pepper , any chilli , Mr Duck Is chief taster at the moment
I'll get him to try the fried rice with lemon and garlic combo
I chop loads of garlic and smoosh it in with butter and freeze it in ice cube tray portions and take it put as and when I need them .
I'll use one of those

 

[Universal]

I watched Succession and had a M&S ready meal last night. Its great TV but just soooo intense at times.

Sidey I hope the the PCR is negative for you. I am hearing more and more cases now. We can all work from home in December so that if there is a case in the office then no ones Christmas is ruined through isolation etc. I am having my sister over for Christmas so this is great news for me as she has other health issues. However the new variant has had two cases in the local schools which is worrying and I have a date with the man just before Christmas, right after he gets back from working abroad and I know I will worry about contamination on the plane.

How are you @MaineCoonMama? Hope you have moved on with your plans and are now in a good place and feel emotionally stronger.

Spoiler: TW Arthur

I too have cried for the poor boy. In my early career I did some support work with families and the social workers were great but could only help the most desperate of cases as there were so few of them with huge case loads. I was emotionally ill equipped to deal with the fall out and 20+ years on I STILL think about those children. It never leaves you. Its an area where we really to invest in as a country. I think that people studying to go into this profession should not have to pay tuition fees. I admire anyone who can do the job of a social worker or works in this field. Love to everyone who needs it today

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

birthday wishes and hugs if you want them sidey t!

I completely understand the overwhelmed feeling. I get it every time I have to go outside on my own these days.

you, slopbot and sideboard cat are true highlights of these threads. hope you have a better day today. much love

If only one of us could remotely make slopbot sing a happy birthday to you. Tunnel dog wishes you a better day today too.

She is not meant to be in the bed, but it was decided that to send you the best birthday boops (), the bedroom had the best light.

 

[Sideboard Bob]

thank you. I know I slagged xmas off earlier, but the way it falls this year and having had my annual leave approved for 29th-31st means I get a good break. just need to get these last few days out of the way and then I can chill

That‘s good that you get a good break. I feel like I always say this, but grief is exhausting, and it’s easy to forget that when you’re going through it x

 

[emm]

Our power went off on Friday and we abandoned the house for a hotel, so have been eating pub grub all weekend. I’m looking forward to getting home and having a few vegetables! I know I could have ordered something “healthy” but it’s kind of the law that you don’t in these situations

Hope everyone is well

It is the law in a hotel (as it is a holiday) to just go mad with food. I hope you had room service club sandwich and chips

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Apologies for the incoming rant/whinge but feel so demoralised. Just had a call at work and someone in our team is leaving (bit unexpected) and I was informally asked if I’d think about upping my hours - have just sat and done the calculations and the nursery fees negate the extra take home pay . I just feel so shafted and fed up. I work across two teams and have been largely forgotten by one of the teams (read ignored) so kind of already felt a bit meh so this just feels like another kick against me for not working full time/being a working parent. Add to that my wage doesn’t increase year on year (does anybody’s though?) as we don’t receive cost of living increases etc (kind of a given in the field I work in but still frustrating) and had a restructure last year so can’t see my wages will improve unless I get a new job. I do realise this is a privileged position to be in as many people struggle to find a job or are forced out due to personal circumstances.

Also trying to sort out retraining as I want to become a counsellor but trying to weigh up face to face learning with online courses - or if doing online Covid proofs the training for now? Looking at evening courses so I don’t incur childcare costs.

Sorry hadn’t caught up before I posted but working mummy solidarity - it’s tough for so many never ending reasons isn’t it.

100% the only way to ever get pay rises ime is to leave and start somewhere new. I’m not a rigger man ergo delusional but I’ve had jumps between 30-50% between roles, although admittedly early in my career (hence the 50% jump) and especially in my last role I was disgracefully underpaid for the level of responsibility I ended up having. I know not every market is as active so this may not be as relevant to every single industry or NICHE.

The work place is ridiculous really and defs a market inefficiency as I’ve gone into jobs earning more than someone who’s been there 6,7 years therefore significantly more effective than me with a larger set of responsibilities that they have accrued over time, a go to for key senior stakeholders, and yet companies rarely invest anything in employee rentention to keep these brilliant people on or engaged in their role yet will spend £££ on talent attraction departments and new starter salaries. It’s a chronic case of emperor’s new clothes.

ETA - is there anyone you can speak to about wanting to do more hours but you need these numbers to make it work?

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

@Universal thank you, it's quite uncomfortable at my house at the moment! It's been ok but my husband can be quite the dick and he's chosen tonight to be an arsehole. The border with South Australia opens on the 23rd of this month so I'm going to take the first plane I can to my step dad's and stay there for a few weeks while I sort myself out. I just keep thinking 'this time next year will be so much better'.

Sorry it has been shitty. Can you take the furrballs? It will be better in time, I think though given the last 18 months everyone has had, it is more difficult for us to imagine the future.

@Universal no advice sorry… but when I read your post, I first thought you needed advice because the Economist app wouldn’t leave your phone and you kept seeing it. Honestly . Hope you don’t get hurt, but as a relationship one-and-done I really cannot say anything to help.

Odd that everyone is feeling the same, all I see on SM and in my old acquaintances on SM is that they are loving the festive season approaching and going out loads. I have been a misery and removed loads of people because I can’t see that crap.

 

[bowiethesdmn]

I forgot to say that you could also use cabbage to make a coleslaw. Chopped cabbage is also good on tacos instead of lettuce. First had it on fish tacos.

Could really go for coleslaw on toast now for some reason.

It's the simple things.

Much love to the Fraus having a hard time, do love how supportive you lot are.

 

[veryfondoftea]

Apologies for the incoming rant/whinge but feel so demoralised. Just had a call at work and someone in our team is leaving (bit unexpected) and I was informally asked if I’d think about upping my hours - have just sat and done the calculations and the nursery fees negate the extra take home pay . I just feel so shafted and fed up. I work across two teams and have been largely forgotten by one of the teams (read ignored) so kind of already felt a bit meh so this just feels like another kick against me for not working full time/being a working parent. Add to that my wage doesn’t increase year on year (does anybody’s though?) as we don’t receive cost of living increases etc (kind of a given in the field I work in but still frustrating) and had a restructure last year so can’t see my wages will improve unless I get a new job. I do realise this is a privileged position to be in as many people struggle to find a job or are forced out due to personal circumstances.

Also trying to sort out retraining as I want to become a counsellor but trying to weigh up face to face learning with online courses - or if doing online Covid proofs the training for now? Looking at evening courses so I don’t incur childcare costs.

I trained as a counsellor 10 years ago now and would say the most important part of the training is the relationship you have with people - your tutors, fellow students, supervisors, clients when you are a trainee and with your own counsellor. Not sure how training works these days but I had lots of my own personal therapy as a mandatory part of the course and lots of practical work in the form of role plays in class and then when on placement. Not sure you would get the same experience doing online learning, just my opinion though.

 

[Captainmouse]

Iceland Foods

@IcelandFoods
You ok M&S? You’ve hardly touched your tiny beans on toast.



5:00 PM · Dec 1, 2021
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1466089794992324611%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=&tweet_id=1466089794992324611