Take on Me

This A-ha song from 1985 is an all-round perfectly crafted, and produced, piece of music. The accompanying video was also 'groundbreaking'. I believe it's one of the most viewed videos of all time.

Norwegian band A-ha were fronted by 'heartthrob' singer Morten Harket. Both the song and the video are as good today as they were 40 years ago. I'm sure you'll enjoy both.

65 year old Harket has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's. I send him my very best wishes.

Swimming

I really miss my daily swims. This last Summer there was hardly a day when we didn't swim two or three times. The weather was very kind to us, and daytime temperatures were high; staying near 40 C for several weeks.

I often used to find myself concentrating on how I felt whilst swimming; trying to fix the sensation in my mind to recall later. It does work to an extent, and I can still remember exact occasions when life seemed just about perfect. The combination of hot sunshine, swimming, and perfectly tranquil countryside, is my idea of heaven.

Our little 300 year old home has all mod-cons, but it sits amidst the age-old peace of French wilderness; a landscape that can hardly have changed for centuries. The contrast between ancient and modern couldn't be more pronounced.

France is in Turmoil at the moment, but our little bolt-hole remains calm. The pool is beneath its Winter coat, and our gardener makes sure that the lawns are as English-looking as possible. The cottage is at rest, awaiting pre-Christmas visits from family members; but not by us. We shall return with the warmer weather next May/June, when we will open the pool, light the BBQ, and enjoy, once again, all that rural France can offer.

However, it's the swimming that I really look forward to.

 

Genuine Alien Sighting.

 

The 21st C is slowly becoming an age of great discoveries. 

Scientists are now certain that they have found the genuine Noah's Ark, there are a plethora of US TV shows claiming to have found PROOF of genuine ghosts in old houses (where they forgot to put the lights on), and a genuine UFO was even spotted right outside my very own back door (below).

This totally genuine, and untouched, photo shows the very moment that one of the genuine UFO's occupants came down to Earth, impregnated several women, and performed several genuine medical experiments on unsuspecting humans, before returning to his genuine craft, and disappearing. He left no trace.

Several genuinely world famous scientists have claimed this to be the first genuine record of such genuine sightings. They are presently talking to those who actually met the genuine 'alien'. Their report will be published as soon as possible, somewhere between 2031 and 2038. 

True Heroes.

Imagine that you are a tourist in Thailand, and you come across some road workers who have a slight problem with their digger.

These Australian men came to the rescue, and mended the machine in no time. In my book, they are real heroes. We need more like them! Well done guys!

 

Kimchi

As far as food fads go, Kimchi was quite short lived. We even had a dedicated shop here in Brighton, but it soon closed.

We were assured (by the Koreans) that Kimchi was good for our guts, along with other fermented foods (Choucroute, etc). The Koreans did a good publicity campaign, but they didn't keep it up. Kimchi quickly fell out of favour, although I believe that the Koreans themselves still eat it EVERY DAY.

I occasionally buy a jar of Korean Kimchi, but it isn't as good as the small tins I used to buy. Those small tins (bottom) have disappeared in the shops, but are still available online at very high prices. Even so I am tempted to buy a 12 multi-pack (which I have now ordered).

I recently came across this packet of Kimchi (above), which is pleasant, but far too spicey; almost too hot. The pack above was the second I'd bought. I needed to know if I'd made a mistake about the spiciness; I hadn't.

So, I'm really looking forward to receiving my multi-pack. I've deprived myself for far too long; my little treats will soon be back on the menu. 

If you've never tried Kimchi, look out for these little white tins, they have small red flowers around the base of the tin. I'm not promising that you'll like it, but it won't kill you.

A man called Brand

 

I've written before about Brand, mostly concerning his continuing love-affair with himself.

Brand has always been an unpleasant and arrogant character who grasps at any bandwagon for what advantage it might bring. As with so many 'of his ilk', just when he's in trouble he has suddenly claimed to be a Christian; he thinks it might impress. No Mr Brand; no-one is fooled.

He is at present in court for having allegedly violently raped several girls and women leaving them traumatised. He seemed to think he could go around behaving as he wished, and get away with it. Well, things catch-up with you!

With all the evidence coming from his victims, I fear his run of luck has come to an end. If he doesn't end-up at 'His Majesty's Pleasure' I will be amazed; yet he still poses for photographs for his admirers as he enters court.

After his, and Jonathan Ross's, disgraceful behaviour on BBC Radio 2, where he made very nasty remarks about Andrew Sachs's granddaughter, I had imagined that we'd never hear his name again, but he's a pushy character, and has managed to wheedle his way back into the limelight.

Well I think that limelight is about to fade in exchange for the darkness of a prison cell. And from what I've heard, it'll be well deserved.

He's probably thinking that his puerile 'Christ-like persona' will be his salvation, but he can think again. 

You'd better look-out Russell; they're a tough/rough bunch in prison, and just as viciously randy as you were.

Choices, choices.

 

I recently noticed that the contents of my Bovril jar were becoming dangerously low. So onto my shopping list it went.

At the store I couldn't find it anywhere, but another product was shouting 'Buy me, Buy me!' so loudly that I was compelled to pop a jar into my trolly.

I have only once before bought a jar of Vegemite, and I didn't like it. It tasted like a poor imitation of Marmite mixed with mud, and I found its texture more suited to furniture DIY than the breakfast table.

However, this time I rather liked it. The muddiness seems to have mostly gone, and I now quite like the thick, wood-filler, paste-like texture.

Like most people of my age (and younger) I was brought-up on Marmite and Bovril, they were the stand-by toppings for toast at any time of day. 

Just in case you are unaware, both are very salty; Marmite being a Yeast bi-product (from the brewing industry), and Bovril being 'allegedly' made from Beef. Both are strong tasting and are very much an acquired taste; preferably from a very young age.

Marmite is a 'must' in most UK households; there's always a jar somewhere even if its sell-by date was 1987. Bovril is a lot less popular than it used to be, probably on account of the BSE (Mad Cow Disease) outbreak back in the late 1980's. This probably accounts for its absence on the shelves at Sainsbury's (unless it was hidden somewhere).

Vegemite is, like Marmite, a Yeast product, and is also a bi-product of the brewing industry. Marmite is English, and Vegemite is Australian. Marmite dates from 1902, and Vegemite from 1923. They have been global rivals ever since. Most Brits would only ever eat Marmite, whereas the Aussies would only eat Vegemite.

So, how do they compare? Bovril is runny, like runny Honey, and tastes a bit like burned salty Beef. Marmite is firmer and tastes mostly of salt. And Vegemite has the texture of Peanut Butter, and DOES still taste a little bit muddy.

Verdict. Bovril 5/10. Vegemite 6/10. Marmite 8/10.