Further to my post about the eating of live shrimps, comes this lovely article.
For some reason, I would have much less problem with this. OK, if I’m being honest, I may have to close my eyes as I pop them in my mouth but I’m sure I would, at least, try them.
I must go and get something to eat now ……………..
For those of you who follow my blog, you may remember how pleased I was to find this flat.
It was on the street that I loved from the first time I saw it. It was, in fact, the perfect street. The flat was just right for me. It was, in fact, the perfect flat. And, so, this was the-perfect-flat-on-the-perfect-street – as far as I was concerned.
The street has many beautiful buildings. It is a joy to walk down (as I do every morning when I take the dogs out) and there are many small shops and restaurants. It gives a ‘village’ feel, even though we are no more than 10 minutes from one of the busiest and main shopping streets in Milan. It is a haven from the normal hustle and bustle of the city.
We have everything we need here and I would hardly need to go anywhere else. Our favourite pizza restaurant is just on the corner up the street. There’s an Indian too, although I haven’t been there for ages. There’s a small version of one of the supermarket chains, some cafés, a chemist, the place where I just had some pictures repaired, the vets are just off the street. Yes. All-in-all, it is the perfect street.
And the flat is wonderful. It is old (1920s or 30s) – a little Art Nouveau with very high ceilings (that I cannot reach, even with my step ladders), there are nooks and crannies, a built-in cupboard in the kitchen (that was, probably, an old larder) – the flat has been divided up from a bigger flat, making it more interesting. The rooms are large (for the city of Milan) and, even with my large English furniture, it is not too claustrophobic.
It took me a while to learn how to shut the windows properly. They have an ornate handle.
To close them properly, you must first pull the handle away from the door. It has a strange joint inside.
Then you close the door with the handle still out towards you. Then push the handle closed but at 90° to the down-frame.
Then you bring the handle down to make it flush with the frame.
At this point the window is secure.
The one problem with these windows are that, because they are old, they are a bit draughty. They are not really secure, either, to be honest. It wouldn’t really take much to break in.
Also, the front door is not one door but two. The left side (as you look at the picture) opens normally. The right side has a bar keeping it firm and closed and you take the bar out to open both of them (when you are taking stuff out or having stuff delivered).
But, soon, all this is to change. Some guys came in to measure all the windows and doors. Apparently, the building administrators (landlords) are replacing all of them.
I know what this means. We shall have modern double (or triple?) glazed windows. Probably ones that open outwards from the top as well as open fully as normal. They will be wonderfully good at keeping the noise out (when closed) and there won’t be any more draughts. They will be much more secure.
In addition, the front door is to be replaced. It will be replaced by a single door. This door will be much more secure and will probably have a spy hole to see people when they come before you have to open the door. The lock will be on of those that is securing not only the opening but also the top and bottom making it almost impossible to break in. And, again, there will be no draughts.
This is great, except for one thing. It will take a little away from the flat. It won’t really be ‘in keeping’ with the style. I am a little sad that they will be going even if I know that the result will be a warmer (and you know how I like it hot) and certainly more secure.
Hence the fact that I have taken photographs. I love the handles and the way that they work and for all that the new ones will be easier and more efficient, it seems a shame that these ingenious pieces of engineering and aesthetically attractive handles will be replaced by fairly boring white plastic handles.
Ah, well, it is progress, I suppose.
Oh, yes, and the shutters are being replaced too. You can see the style of shutters in the flats opposite mine in the following picture. Maybe we shall get ones that close from the top – a single shutter – rather than these that close together. Again, more secure – but it’s still a shame, in a way.
It’s back, in a way, to the way it was less than three years ago. Or, to be more accurate, about 15 years ago, I suppose.
He ‘lags’. He has more problem keeping up. Until the last couple of days, he had, for the last few months, been walking at my side – and not because I was getting him to walk to heel – just because he was doing it. He seems to feel the pull of the lead more. His sight is not so good any more. If he’s by my side, I suppose, then he feels safer. Maybe?
But these last few days, he has been lagging a bit. Walking behind me. And he’s a bit more wobbly.
Now, when you stroke his back, you feel the backbone. As if there were no flesh. As if he were already a skeleton. His hindquarters have lost all fat and, it seems, most flesh. Bless him. His pupils now seem completely black. It’s sad but it’s life.
As I say to people, if you can’t do this bit then you shouldn’t have a dog in the first place. Yes, this is not easy but I try to make his life as comfortable as I can. I need to take him out more often now, though, starting next week. It will make it all easier for him.
It’s like having a puppy again. You start off like this and end up like this.
But he’s still walking OK (most of the time). He does have a bit of a problem cocking his leg now and tends to ‘lean’ onto the thing he is pissing against. He really doesn’t have the strength any more.
But, he doesn’t seem in pain. He’s just like an old gentleman, really. Slower, weaker but with the same character. He’s been a good dog and trustworthy and well-behaved. He deserves my attention and love at this, probably his most difficult time. And he shall have it, for as long as he needs it.
I’m glad I’m busy ……….. really.
It’s when he’s not here that it becomes a problem although, this time, it’s been less since I’ve had less time. It’s in the quiet moments that it hits. A feeling of panic, of insecurity, of fear. Not of anything in particular – just a feeling for no real reason.
Not about us, for certain. About us, of that I am sure. It’s the rest of the world that makes me fearful and unsure. It will be better on Saturday evening, when he’s back. Then, from the moment he is there, I shall be fine and all these fears and worries will slip away as if they have never even existed – which is also annoying because I really would like to try and explain but, when he’s with me, they seem as smoke, drifting in the wind and becoming nothing within seconds.
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I don’t condone violence and never have, especially since I was about 13. However, the student protests are, if not condonable, at least understandable.
When I left school for further education it was a) free and b) I got a grant for my living expenses. I came out of it all with an overdraft of about £1000.
Over the years, the support for those in higher education has fallen and most students over the last few years have faced the debt of a ‘student loan’, which they pay off for years afterwards. Now, with tuition fees of £9000 per year (or maybe it’s per term?), it means that, forget about living expenses, just the cost of the education will be £27,000!
I can understand that they would be a bit angry. I can understand why they would want to march against this. And, to be honest, with a future where you need a degree to earn a pittance in McDonalds, with little hope of paying off the debt in anything other than a lifetime, I can understand why they feel that the only way they will be truly heard is to attack some building. I can empathise with their aims since I am grateful that I never had this additional ‘worry’ when I was in higher education.
And, to be honest, with the exception of Ghandi, most change has come about as a result of violence, so it wouldn’t be the first time. After all, The UK and the USA changed Iraq by violence and are trying to do the same with Afghanistan. They shouldn’t hold double standards on this.
And, as I read this morning, had it been a peaceful march, it would have caused no debate and no one would have taken any real notice. Now, people are talking about it – it is being discussed and criticised or lauded. Now the debate will continue.
At the end, it may not result in anything (much like the French protests against the pension reforms) but I don’t think it will end there. There is time yet.
Any government holds power only because of the consent of the majority of people it governs. If, however, the majority of people don’t want it or want some change, then it seems that violence is the only thing that will actually ensure the change is made.
I predict we are in for some troubling times in the next few years. I predict more violence and more unrest. It’s a shame really. The government of the time (in the UK) had the opportunity, a few years ago, to make some real change to an economic system that cannot continue in the way it is. They chose (or were bullied or were too scared) to prop up the existing system and, so, this is the result. It is times like this where there needs to be a bit of realism and someone who has charisma to explain to ‘the people’ what really needs to happen – to permit the change. To make a bright new world. To step off the edge of the cliff into the void with a parachute which has not been tried and tested is a scary thing. But, sooner or later, this will have to be done. Until then, I expect to see much more of this.
The first time I try to grab the ……… it twists and turns so much that it jumps out through my fingers. The second time I pinch a bit harder and quickly dip the translucent ………. in the accompanying emulsion of brown butter. When it lands on my tongue it does a little hop, skip and a jump before I decapitate it with my teeth and swallow the wonderful blend of crunchy shells, soft tail meat and creamy sweet butter.
I pride myself on the fact that I have never actually refused to eat anything put in front of me. I think, I could, almost eat anything, including grubs and insects (given the right circumstances – I am not, right at this moment hunting for a nice, big, juicy spider, for example. I’ve just had lunch!). There are things I might ‘struggle’ with like slugs (if they are even edible) or, in particular, dog (it’s OK, Korea is not high on the list of places I simply must visit).
However, after reading this piece, I’m almost certain I can now add ‘live things’ to the list of the unlikely things!
And you? Would you? (Italians are excluded form this as they’re almost certain to dislike the idea ;-). Sorry Lola, Pietro, etc.)
I seem to be picking up more teaching work. It’s recommendations from people already having lessons. I prefer the book writing corrections and the other correction work I do but such is life *sigh*.
So, the guy who works in the tobacconists below my flat is due to start on Thursday. He wants to do the TOEFL test (and I’m really not sure he’s anywhere near that level but let’s see on Thursday).
I teach a colleague on Tuesday, after work. She’s a sweet girl of about 20. She is at a low level but she tries really hard and her pronunciation (once you correct her) is quite good, really. I’m impressed. According to another colleague, she really enjoys the lessons, which is good.
I go to teach her at her house. She lives with her parents in what I first assumed was a very large detached house. In fact, although it looks like that, it is two flats. They have the ground floor and her sister (who is married with two kids) has the top floor. Still, they make big flats.
Last night, as we were finishing the lesson, her sister arrived and sat down in the lounge (it’s an open plan ground floor) and was working on her laptop. As I was packing up, my colleague’s nephew came in. I said ‘Hello’ as I do. He was a bit confused because it wasn’t Italian. Then her sister asked me if I would teach her two kids and some other kid, English.
I said that I would think about it. I would need to think of a price and what I could do. I explained that, normally (in fact, always), I teach adults and I teach business English. Teaching English to kids is a bit different. There will be two six-year-old girls and the eleven-year-old boy.
Hmmm. But, now, it leaves me with a bit of a dilemma. What to do? My colleague (MT) has obviously told her sister (family?) about the lessons and how much she is enjoying them and is probably saying I am a good teacher – hence the question.
But ……… I have never taught children. Let’s be honest here, I don’t, generally, even like children! Have you ever noticed blog posts detailing the joys of children on my blog? No, I didn’t think so! I would have to write brand new lessons – it would have to include games and stuff. To keep them interested and occupied would be a task in it’s own right, let alone trying to actually teach them something of English!
On the other hand, it could be quite interesting. I mean, teaching kids means more money, for certain. I mean, for an hour I could charge more than for an adult student. Also, they are not poor people. Plus, I would end up with a load of lessons for kids. How difficult could it all be?
Actually, it could be very, very difficult. But I won’t actually know that until I try, will I?
So, what to do, what to do?
Things are not going well, it would seem. There’s the to-do about the illegal immigrant who was released from jail (but she WAS pretty and young), there’s the homophobic comment from the other day making headline news and then some prostitute has suggested that Mr B (Buzz Lightyear) paid her for sex which, I learnt, yesterday, is actually an illegal act (the paying for sex, that is).
The other problem is that Gianfranco Fini, one-time best mate of Buzz and, until recently, by his side in almost everything, a reformed neo-fascist, so it is said, keeps sniping at Buzz. He’s formed another group (soon to be party?) but they aren’t quite ready for an election yet. Instead of bringing the current government down, he is suggesting that Buzz should resign. Buzz, on the other hand is suggesting that if Fini is any sort of ‘man’ he would force a new election (Buzz isn’t actually stupid, I guess, in spite of his antics and outpourings that point to the contrary).
But, what of the current global financial crisis and Italy, I hear you ask ………..
……………wait………….
WHAT CRISIS?
the government of pretending everything is going well
I just LOVE this quote from Fini, talking (yesterday or the day before) about the current government in Italy (ignoring the fact that, until very recently, he was actually part of it). I only hope it is a faithful translation!
As I said to my colleague yesterday, the real problem here is who is to replace him? There’s simply no one strong enough to do that, at least, not from my outside view. Names are mentioned but it has to be someone who can bring a number of parties together and, unfortunately, there don’t seem many people able to do that here.
“It tastes a bit like custard”, I say.
There are some important words there. ‘Bit’. ‘Like’. They mean it’s not exactly the same but it reminds me of custard. After all, custard is made with beaten egg yolks, caster sugar mixed with milk and a touch of vanilla.
Unlike the cream used in tiramisù. Instead, this is made with beaten egg yolks (check), caster sugar (check), mixed with mascarpone (a light cream/yoghurt-like cheese made from, erm …… milk) (sort of check) and the beaten egg whites.
OK so one is missing vanilla and is not cooked and the other is missing egg whites. Overall, almost the same ingredients. It not only tastes a ‘bit like’ custard but is, in fact, a ‘bit like’ custard!
However, the look on the face says everything. Apparently, even if it wasn’t said, the cream for tiramisù IS NOT, IN ANY WAY, ‘like’ custard, even if, of course, it is, actually, quite a lot like custard.
Hmmmmph! Bloody Italians and their ‘our food only tastes like our food and has no similarities’!
These spam comments just get funnier and more weird! I am posting the whole comment each time and exactly as it appears (without any links, of course):
i choked on amarble when i was like 4 on my bed while lying down. it was not a normal sized marble. it was big.
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im not sure what the exact average shoulder with is but it varies depending on your body frame. Im not sure the names I know there are 3 types of body frames and yes all 3 frames that everyone has 1 of will let your shoulder width get wider if you build muscle.
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Do not delete, please: (link removed, obviously)
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The best way that worked for me was to do chair push ups for the upper body. And the way chair push ups work is you get three chairs, then you make it where the two of them are the ones your going to put each hand on one. Then the last one is going to be the one you put your feet on. and if you want to make your waste get a work out too, then when you do the chair push ups, put one foot over the other and balance your wait on that. by doing that you will balance your wait and have to keep your waist up and work those muscles. Be sure to breath in and out when your doing the chair push ups! And drink lots of water.
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Calf Brains – yuck!!
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All you need to know is that the poor could only afford bread. All the other foods are all wonderful things that only the rich could afford. Oh, and crepes are not french, they are Canadian.
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Ain’t the 1st commenter speaking the real truth or what??
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Red and green, take a very small amount of the frosting in a bowl and experiment.
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You’ve gotten a lot of good answers about the sugar/water mix, but I thought that I’d add that I have several pots of nasturtiums near my hummingbird feeder, and the nasturtiums get visited just about as often as the feeder does! Nasturtiums are super easy to grow from seed (you pretty much just poke them into the dirt, water, and watch!) and will generally self-seed, meaning you won’t have to plant them again next year. And they’re edible! Amazing things. Anyway, good luck!
Please note that, although many of them seem to be about food, they are being ‘posted’ as comments to old posts and, so, have no relevance to that post. Just plain weird!
The men arrived at 5. By 5.30 they had already left! I was expecting it to take longer.
It’s brand, spanking new! It shines. All stainless steel and glass. Out of place, in a way but that’s not why I bought it anyway. It won’t last (the super shiny bit) – or maybe I’ll try to keep it like that. Well, I will try.
I thought, for a horrible moment, after the man had gone (of course) that there had been some mistake. The numbers I was expecting were from 1 to 6 – not 150 to 275. But, no, it’s OK after all.
It’s a little wider than the last one. But that’s all to the good. More room and I like room, especially for cooking. See this is turning into a food blog or cooking blog or something similar. For I am talking about my brand new cooker.
So, let’s see what makes it better.
I now have proper temperature control on the oven. I have missed that so much. Now I can cook things at the correct temperature instead of guessing.
It is both bigger on the hob and in the oven. A baking tray I had bought some time ago but would never fit in the last oven fits easily in this. Now I can use all four burners on the hob without having to have half the pans halfway off the cooker.
I do not have to use one of those hand-held electronic ignition lighters. It lights automatically. The oven also has a light.
It has a grill (as an integral part of the oven), something I kept missing with the old one.
It has some special ventilation fan that keeps the outside much cooler than the inside and, so, won’t ruin everything next to it. However, it is still gas, which I love and, for me, is the only way to cook both on the hob and in the oven.
It is beautiful. It makes me want to do things. But that is for tomorrow.
It also happens to be a Smeg – which, of course, is the last name in kitchen appliances.
Now, all I need is a decent fridge and a proper fitted kitchen and I will be done. But those things can wait and are not so important as the oven.
I am a very, very happy person.
I expect to have fun with this object.
