Category Archives: V’s Specials

Post 200; Mongolian Barbeque and other food for the weekend; Clowny WILL be a real word!

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Well, first, this is the 200th (published) post!* Considering I have been doing this blog for a number of years, 200 doesn’t seem that much. But it is some sort of milestone, I guess.

My 2nd week back at work and, the weekend just gone was also back to normal, if not busier.

Friday we were supposed to go and see FfI, who had the really bad accident at the end of July. However, she was on new drugs and very groggy so it was rearranged for Saturday. Then, on Saturday morning, A texted to suggest the Mongolian Barbeque restaurant. We agreed. So it was, kind of, apero at FfI’s about 5, then 9.30 we were at the Mongolian Barbeque. What a great place.

We had starters, which were “pick your own”. I chose a few small meatballs with a gravy with some roast potatoes and, incredibly, they tasted just like faggots. Now I really love faggots – you know, Brains – and we can’t get them here, so I was delighted to taste these.

Then we went up, selected our raw meat and then gave it to the cooks to griddle. And it all tasted superb. All this for a fixed price of €18. Great value for money. Even better for Sunday Lunch where the fixed price is €12. It doesn’t include drink but it’s still not bad.

The only thing to remember is that, should you not eat everything on your plate that you have chosen, they make a surcharge of between €5-10! Can’t say I blame them really as it ensures that people don’t just pile their plate and leave a load of stuff to be thrown away. However, this is a bit of a struggle for V who, as normal with free food, takes much more than he needs – and then can’t eat it! So he spent a while trying to convince everyone else to take some. Luckily, there was A – who is more like a human dustbin!!

Anyway, the food was very, very good and the experience of queuing up and watching your food being cooked, is also good. Worth checking out. It’s on Via Monte Nero in Milan, should you choose to go. Do book as it’s very popular.

Sunday was a really nice brunch with N followed by a surprise visit by friends from the UK who were catching flights back today. For the price of a nice Indian meal they stayed with us. And it was great to see them.

V was explaining about Dino to them, with the usual, ‘I never wanted another dog’ and he actually said ‘he does many clowny things!’. Now, I’m not sure why he said it. Nobody picked up on it and I said nothing. Maybe he remembered the word when we played scrabble that time with S & P. The story is that, in order to get a decent score, I made up the word and, although P, in particular, was sure it was a made-up word, no-one challenged me officially for fear of losing a go.

I made a very good explanation of why it was a real word, even though I knew that it probably wasn’t.

Anyway, now that V has said it to others, I’m sure that, in a few years, it will enter the dictionary and become a real word. And, when it does, you will know that I invented it!

It seems a perfect end to my 200th post, don’t you think?

* Unfortunately, not any more. I have deleted some posts since the move here. This is probably somewhere around the 195th post now.

Drinking milk – a warning

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K: Can I drink the rest of this milk, please, Mum? (a small jug of previously warm milk used for Caffe Macchiato).

S: Sure.

V: You shouldn’t drink hot milk that has cooled. It will make you ill.

All (OK, probably just me): What?

V: Drinking milk that was heated and has gone cold makes you ill.

A: Did you make that up?

V: Hmm. Maybe, yes. When I was young.

Dino gets me free beer: Eat shit and (hopefully) don’t die!

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Yes, I know, most of the posts these days have something about Dino in them. Sorry. I guess it’s like having a new baby.

Last night, when I got home from work, I took Rufus and Dino out for a short walk as it is now incredibly hot here. As I type this (half seven at night) it says, on the thermometer on the balcony, that it is currently 37 degrees. This morning, going to work at 7.30, the temperature was about 29 degrees. I am not complaining but the dogs find it all a bit much. But a short walk was needed so I had to do it.

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Driving at stupid times

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It’s nearly midnight and I start the drive back to the Lakes. I had offered to go back just as we arrived in Milan and would have been back before 10, I reckoned, but was informed that although it would be difficult, it would be alright and that ‘one’ would manage.

Then, as I was finishing up my drink and closing my computer I hear an ‘Oh, no!’ wail from across the hallway. It seems that the tickets for the flight to Rome and to that very important meeting, the next day (but only just) were in the bag left behind. So, instead of going to bed to sleep for 6 hours (which is the very minimum I need to function like a human being of any sort), I get my shoes and coat on and head out the door. To return a few minutes later to collect the bag with the car documents which are essential here as it’s illegal to drive without all the documents, both for the car and for yourself.

In the car, I forget to take off my jacket first so I know it will get too hot, but I cannot be bothered to stop.

I start to drive and it’s foggy. In fact, it’s very foggy. I’m driving out of Milan, on the motorway, and I’m thinking that, at this speed, it will take me all night. Luckily, the fog stops not too far from Milan and the roads are clear so it makes for an easy journey. Me, of course, grumbling about the fact that I could have done this several hours earlier and be in bed by now.

Then, just off the motorway, I get flagged down by the police. Thank God that I went back for the bag containing the documents. After about 10 minutes they hand everything back to me and I continue.

I arrive back at the house to find the door bolted from inside. This means I have a choice. I can go sleep in the car until about 6 a.m. or I can raise them now. ‘Them’ being the relations that live in the same building (it’s owned by one family).

It’s about 1.20 a.m. I’m thinking of a warm bed against the (very soon to be) cold car. And, of course of the fact that it’s getting colder and that there may be more fog by morning.

So, I rang the bell. They were very understanding but I just wish, so much, that I had gone when I first thought of it and then I would not have had to wake them up at all. V owes them (and me) a present for this!

The drive back was uneventful. The fog stretched further from Milan but did not seem quite so thick. I made it home just before 3. That meant 3 hours sleep. However, so far, today, I haven’t felt so bad. I know that I only have to hang on for a couple more hours (well 4 to be precise) and then I can be in bed.

And the special prize this morning – the flight was cancelled. I presume they caught another as I have had no word from V, so I guess the meeting with all the important people, went ahead.

Jalapeno Pigs; Typical British Cuisine (Not); Puppies or Magnum

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The entry on this blog for 4th November has GOT to be the funniest I have read. In particular the conversation with the drunken customer about the pizzas (or, more correctly, pizze) and, more specifically, this bit:

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Can’t speak I am so angry/frustrated!

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Can't speak

I am speechless! Gobsmacked! Incredibly angry and not angry all at the same time depending on what bit I focus on.

So much so, that I just can’t talk about it. Maybe later when it’s all sorted (if it all gets sorted).

The subject being V, cars, money, not thinking ahead or being responsible, etc.

Of course, V says it’s for me – but really it’s for him as well. V shouldn’t be allowed to be spoken to by salespeople. I should have been there.

V’s Quote of the Day (a few days ago)

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After V had received a telephone call from friends we were on the way to visit. They had told him where to go and he was repeating some of it back (as you do). But I wasn’t really listening.

A – Where are we going?
V – What did I just say?
A – I don’t know. That’s what I’m asking, where are we going?
V – I don’t know that’s why I asked you if you heard what I just said.

It’s a surreal conversation and you just had to be there. I think that could almost be a Quarsan saying; although, to be honest, his are usually better. After that I just kept completely silent.