Today
A debate was sparked off on Facebook recently, when 2 bowls of chopped up veg were displayed. Both salad-type veg, one with the items in large chunks and separate, the other more finely chopped and mixed up. Were they both salads?
The answer seemed to be "yes" with much of the discussion centring on whether a salad needs to be mixed up or not.
In My Day
When I was a child, salads took two forms. In summer time plates of entirely separate items were arranged on the table and you took what you wanted. Included would be: round or cos lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, cooked, pickled beetroot. There might also be a potato salad. made with salad cream, or taken out of a Heinz tin. To accompany this would be ham or pork pie, tinned salmon or luncheon meat. In no way were these items mixed up until they reached your plate, but was always referred to a salad.
In winter Mamma would make "winter salad". This was most definitely mixed. The groundwork always included celery, onions, beetroot, grated carrot and white cabbage. To this Mamma would add a range of other veg and fruit. Sometimes apple or oranges, maybe nuts; she often would add a mystery ingredient which might be raisins or some other vegetable. Everything was strictly seasonal. The whole salad was put into the big mixing bowl, then thoroughly mixed with salad cream, making the whole thing slightly pink on account of the beetroot. This would be served with corned beef and, on occasion, a baked potato. I think we used to wolf this down,
It seems that the word salad has a variety of meanings, depending on your standpoint; the main criteria these days seeming to include raw vegetables of some kind.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Monday, July 23, 2018
Long Distance
Today
Today is my 47th Wedding anniversary. These days, long marriages don't just happen by virtue of simply living long enough. I think that it's a combination of love, knowing the rules and generally embracing the experience. And I think that it resembles a long journey; in fact, I wrote about this some years ago, and am reproducing it here.
In My Day
The Marriage Train
Getting married is like travelling on the Penzance-Aberdeen express
Preparation
You should buy your ticket in plenty of time and check the details carefully. Make sure that you have enough luggage packed. Don’t burden yourself with too much or you may not be able to get on. If you buy your ticket at the last minute you may not have time to pack and find yourself starting the journey with not enough to see you through. You might also find that you haven’t understood clearly the terms of your ticket.
The Ticket
These are the terms of your ticket:
Departure Times
Allow enough time to catch the train
If you allow too much time, you may be heartily bored by the time the train arrives and start your journey in the wrong frame of mind
If you rush onto the platform at the last minute you might have forgotten something or even jump on the wrong train.
The journey
You climb onto the train and settle into the best seat you can find. You wave good bye to your friends and family and see that your luggage is safely stowed. The view is lovely; you can see the moors and glimpses of the sea. It’s very exciting and you eagerly look out from one side to the other and can’t stop chattering to your companion about how lovely it all is.
Soon you get used to the motion of the train and you get out a book or listen to music on your personal stereo, occasionally talking to your companion or pointing out the more interesting views.
You stretch out your legs, only to find that they are doing the same. You may need to tuck your legs in from time to time and they will have to do the same for you.
Sometimes the train passes through tunnels. The lights in the compartment go dim and every noise is unpleasantly loud. You can hardly see your companion’s face. Before you know it the tunnel’s passed. Now, another one. You get used to these short tunnels and learn how to deal with them. When you go through the next one you are confident that you can cope. Just as you think the tunnel is going to end, it doesn’t. You begin to panic slightly, although you might not wish to show it. Eventually you flash out into the light again.
At Gloucester, the train stops. When it leaves again, to your horror, you realise that the train is going backwards! Should you ring the communication cord? Should you jump off the train? After a while you see that this has been necessary so that the train can get onto another set of rails in order to continue toward Aberdeen.
The motion of the train is very steady as it rushes on at 125mph. You fall asleep. Beware you don’t sleep for the rest of the journey or that you are always asleep when your companion is awake and vice versa. Your companion and fellow travellers may decide to leave the train, or you may reach your journey’s end without having noticed any of the exciting and beautiful things on the way.
Stations
The train will pass through stations. At many of these it won’t stop; you catch a glimpse of pretty, sleepy, wayside stations. All you will have time to say is, “How pretty, what was the name? I didn’t catch it?”
At others it will. It will be very tempting to get out at these stations and take a look around. After the steadiness of the journey, a change of pace may seem exciting. However, the terms of your ticket are that you may not break your journey at any point. If the temptation is very strong you may decide to get off anyway. You don’t mention it to the guard - they are likely to refuse. So you slip off, hoping that you can just nip back on again, unseen. What could go wrong? A good deal, believe me.
While you are having a refreshing cup of coffee the train may leave without you. All your luggage, your chosen travelling companion and fellow travellers are still on the train. You run after it, calling. But it’s gone, and when you return to your cup of coffee, it’s cold, or doesn’t taste so good, or the waitress has cleared it away.
You may decide to catch another train. To begin with it seems just as exciting as the first. But you’ve left so much luggage behind on the other train. Your new companion has a good deal of their own, plus a number of fellow-travellers whom you don’t know. They take up a good deal of space and resent you having the best seat, and you have no idea whether you will like each other better as the journey progresses.
Or you may nip back onto the train. But not, alas, unseen. Your travelling companion sees you and calls the guard. The guard draws your attention to the terms of the ticket and advises you that your action has invalidated it. You may be thrown off the train. If your travelling companion is willing, the company may concessionally allow you to continue, but you will be under surveillance from now on.
You might find that your companion had seen you get off and decided to find another companion. So, when you get back to your seat it’s occupied.
You might be lucky and slip back into your seat while your companion is sleeping. But you have had an experience without them. You would like to share it with them, but, if you do, they may call the guard. Also the taste of that coffee is still with you. So you find ways of expressing yourself by criticising the amenities of the train, the quality of the coffee or the slowness of the journey. This puzzles your companion whose pleasure in the journey is now diminished and who hesitates to tell you about the view in case you criticise that, too. They may give more attention to your fellow-travellers so that you feel left out.
Delays, Points & Derailments
During the journey there may be delays. The train mysteriously grinds to a halt. There is not a station in sight and a heavy silence descends. No explanation for the delay is given. You discuss this with your companion, but they tell you to be patient; we’ll soon get going again. Their composure infuriates you. You threaten to get off the train and walk. This is never wise. The train will start again and soon be speeding northwards.
When approaching a big junction, you will go over points. They are noisy and uncomfortable. The train slows down and you wonder if the bumping will ever stop. In fact, this is one of the things that may tempt you to get off at the next stop to have a look around. But, of course, once you’re through Birmingham New Street or Sheffield, the train will pick up speed and you’ll be congratulating yourself on having stayed put.
Occasionally, the train breaks down completely. It is shunted into a siding and you are told that you will be bussed to the nearest station. If this happens you will just have to make the best of it. You will not improve your chances of getting to your journey’s end by making a fuss.
The worst disaster that can happen is a derailment. This happens when there is something on the track, if one train hits another or the track is not properly laid. You will almost certainly suffer an injury and will have to leave your travelling companion. Allow anyone who is able to help through this time; you’re going to need them.
Fellow Travellers
You may remember that your ticket allows you an unlimited number of fellow travellers. However, you have to share your seat and refreshments with them. At the beginning of the journey, you and your companion luxuriously stretched out your legs and spread your luggage about as you wished. As each fellow traveller joins you, you have to contract your space a bit more. They are noisy and inclined for conversation, especially, it seems when you want to have a bit of a doze or talk to your companion. They are bad at managing their luggage too, and are always asking you to help them add or discard some or move it to another place. When you take time to listen to their conversation, though, you find that it’s very interesting and that each fellow-traveller has a specific charm. You laugh a lot and feel thoroughly woken up. In fact, if you choose to take no fellow travellers, you may find it hard to stay awake.
Beware of giving too much attention to one fellow traveller - the others may take offence or the one may start to take up too much room. On the other hand, don’t ignore them. If you do, when you get to Aberdeen, you may find that they left the train while you were asleep and didn’t even say goodbye.
As the journey progresses these travellers will want to get out at each station. As you know that they are not coming all the way with you, you will have to allow this. At first, each excursion will be made with either you or your companion. Soon they will be nipping out briefly at little wayside stops and halts. At some point they will get off the train to commence their own journeys. If all has gone well they will wish you a loving farewell and make sure that you are kept informed of progress.
Now you and your companion can stretch out again. The seats feel twice as big as when you started your journey. If the journey is going according to plan, you will both enjoy this very much and take a renewed interest in the scenery. Be sympathetic, though, if your companion takes a little time to adjust to the extra space.
Travelling without a ticket
Some people try to make the journey without a ticket. This may seem like a good idea at the time. You are not bound by any terms and conditions and can leave the train whenever you like. What you haven’t bargained for is that your companion can do the same. It’s no good complaining to the guard; as you haven’t a ticket there’s nothing they can do. They may feel sorry for you but will explain that the train is not bound to carry you and will put you off at the next stop.
Journey’s end
Eventually you approach your journey’s end. For some time the train has been slowing down; each sight of the mountains seems more beautiful and precious than before.
Sometimes your companion has to leave the train before you. This may leave you feeling very lonely. Don’t be tempted to jump off the train after them. This only causes a great deal of trouble, both for the officials of the railway company and for your fellow travellers. Instead, if you can, help your companion’s descent from the train to be as smooth as possible. If they were forced to leave the train without saying goodbye, you might spend rather a lot of time looking for them out of the window. You might eventually find another travelling companion. Remember that your first companion’s luggage will still be on the train and their seat is still reserved.
If you are the first to leave the train, remember to say goodbye properly. Your fellow travellers should also be there; they will help you get off the train and see that you haven’t forgotten anything. You will want to feel secure that your luggage has passed into safe hands and that your companion will not be alone for the rest of the journey.
Bon Voyage!
Today is my 47th Wedding anniversary. These days, long marriages don't just happen by virtue of simply living long enough. I think that it's a combination of love, knowing the rules and generally embracing the experience. And I think that it resembles a long journey; in fact, I wrote about this some years ago, and am reproducing it here.
In My Day
The Marriage Train
Getting married is like travelling on the Penzance-Aberdeen express
Preparation
You should buy your ticket in plenty of time and check the details carefully. Make sure that you have enough luggage packed. Don’t burden yourself with too much or you may not be able to get on. If you buy your ticket at the last minute you may not have time to pack and find yourself starting the journey with not enough to see you through. You might also find that you haven’t understood clearly the terms of your ticket.
The Ticket
These are the terms of your ticket:
1. You must complete the journey
2. The ticket is one-way only
3. The ticket is joint with one other holder
4. You may not break your journey
5. You may share your space on the train with an unlimited number of fellow travellers, provided that:
a. No more than the agreed space is taken up
b. They share your refreshment allowanceDeparture Times
Allow enough time to catch the train
If you allow too much time, you may be heartily bored by the time the train arrives and start your journey in the wrong frame of mind
If you rush onto the platform at the last minute you might have forgotten something or even jump on the wrong train.
The journey
You climb onto the train and settle into the best seat you can find. You wave good bye to your friends and family and see that your luggage is safely stowed. The view is lovely; you can see the moors and glimpses of the sea. It’s very exciting and you eagerly look out from one side to the other and can’t stop chattering to your companion about how lovely it all is.
Soon you get used to the motion of the train and you get out a book or listen to music on your personal stereo, occasionally talking to your companion or pointing out the more interesting views.
You stretch out your legs, only to find that they are doing the same. You may need to tuck your legs in from time to time and they will have to do the same for you.
Sometimes the train passes through tunnels. The lights in the compartment go dim and every noise is unpleasantly loud. You can hardly see your companion’s face. Before you know it the tunnel’s passed. Now, another one. You get used to these short tunnels and learn how to deal with them. When you go through the next one you are confident that you can cope. Just as you think the tunnel is going to end, it doesn’t. You begin to panic slightly, although you might not wish to show it. Eventually you flash out into the light again.
At Gloucester, the train stops. When it leaves again, to your horror, you realise that the train is going backwards! Should you ring the communication cord? Should you jump off the train? After a while you see that this has been necessary so that the train can get onto another set of rails in order to continue toward Aberdeen.
The motion of the train is very steady as it rushes on at 125mph. You fall asleep. Beware you don’t sleep for the rest of the journey or that you are always asleep when your companion is awake and vice versa. Your companion and fellow travellers may decide to leave the train, or you may reach your journey’s end without having noticed any of the exciting and beautiful things on the way.
Stations
The train will pass through stations. At many of these it won’t stop; you catch a glimpse of pretty, sleepy, wayside stations. All you will have time to say is, “How pretty, what was the name? I didn’t catch it?”
At others it will. It will be very tempting to get out at these stations and take a look around. After the steadiness of the journey, a change of pace may seem exciting. However, the terms of your ticket are that you may not break your journey at any point. If the temptation is very strong you may decide to get off anyway. You don’t mention it to the guard - they are likely to refuse. So you slip off, hoping that you can just nip back on again, unseen. What could go wrong? A good deal, believe me.
While you are having a refreshing cup of coffee the train may leave without you. All your luggage, your chosen travelling companion and fellow travellers are still on the train. You run after it, calling. But it’s gone, and when you return to your cup of coffee, it’s cold, or doesn’t taste so good, or the waitress has cleared it away.
You may decide to catch another train. To begin with it seems just as exciting as the first. But you’ve left so much luggage behind on the other train. Your new companion has a good deal of their own, plus a number of fellow-travellers whom you don’t know. They take up a good deal of space and resent you having the best seat, and you have no idea whether you will like each other better as the journey progresses.
Or you may nip back onto the train. But not, alas, unseen. Your travelling companion sees you and calls the guard. The guard draws your attention to the terms of the ticket and advises you that your action has invalidated it. You may be thrown off the train. If your travelling companion is willing, the company may concessionally allow you to continue, but you will be under surveillance from now on.
You might find that your companion had seen you get off and decided to find another companion. So, when you get back to your seat it’s occupied.
You might be lucky and slip back into your seat while your companion is sleeping. But you have had an experience without them. You would like to share it with them, but, if you do, they may call the guard. Also the taste of that coffee is still with you. So you find ways of expressing yourself by criticising the amenities of the train, the quality of the coffee or the slowness of the journey. This puzzles your companion whose pleasure in the journey is now diminished and who hesitates to tell you about the view in case you criticise that, too. They may give more attention to your fellow-travellers so that you feel left out.
Delays, Points & Derailments
During the journey there may be delays. The train mysteriously grinds to a halt. There is not a station in sight and a heavy silence descends. No explanation for the delay is given. You discuss this with your companion, but they tell you to be patient; we’ll soon get going again. Their composure infuriates you. You threaten to get off the train and walk. This is never wise. The train will start again and soon be speeding northwards.
When approaching a big junction, you will go over points. They are noisy and uncomfortable. The train slows down and you wonder if the bumping will ever stop. In fact, this is one of the things that may tempt you to get off at the next stop to have a look around. But, of course, once you’re through Birmingham New Street or Sheffield, the train will pick up speed and you’ll be congratulating yourself on having stayed put.
Occasionally, the train breaks down completely. It is shunted into a siding and you are told that you will be bussed to the nearest station. If this happens you will just have to make the best of it. You will not improve your chances of getting to your journey’s end by making a fuss.
The worst disaster that can happen is a derailment. This happens when there is something on the track, if one train hits another or the track is not properly laid. You will almost certainly suffer an injury and will have to leave your travelling companion. Allow anyone who is able to help through this time; you’re going to need them.
Fellow Travellers
You may remember that your ticket allows you an unlimited number of fellow travellers. However, you have to share your seat and refreshments with them. At the beginning of the journey, you and your companion luxuriously stretched out your legs and spread your luggage about as you wished. As each fellow traveller joins you, you have to contract your space a bit more. They are noisy and inclined for conversation, especially, it seems when you want to have a bit of a doze or talk to your companion. They are bad at managing their luggage too, and are always asking you to help them add or discard some or move it to another place. When you take time to listen to their conversation, though, you find that it’s very interesting and that each fellow-traveller has a specific charm. You laugh a lot and feel thoroughly woken up. In fact, if you choose to take no fellow travellers, you may find it hard to stay awake.
Beware of giving too much attention to one fellow traveller - the others may take offence or the one may start to take up too much room. On the other hand, don’t ignore them. If you do, when you get to Aberdeen, you may find that they left the train while you were asleep and didn’t even say goodbye.
As the journey progresses these travellers will want to get out at each station. As you know that they are not coming all the way with you, you will have to allow this. At first, each excursion will be made with either you or your companion. Soon they will be nipping out briefly at little wayside stops and halts. At some point they will get off the train to commence their own journeys. If all has gone well they will wish you a loving farewell and make sure that you are kept informed of progress.
Now you and your companion can stretch out again. The seats feel twice as big as when you started your journey. If the journey is going according to plan, you will both enjoy this very much and take a renewed interest in the scenery. Be sympathetic, though, if your companion takes a little time to adjust to the extra space.
Travelling without a ticket
Some people try to make the journey without a ticket. This may seem like a good idea at the time. You are not bound by any terms and conditions and can leave the train whenever you like. What you haven’t bargained for is that your companion can do the same. It’s no good complaining to the guard; as you haven’t a ticket there’s nothing they can do. They may feel sorry for you but will explain that the train is not bound to carry you and will put you off at the next stop.
Journey’s end
Eventually you approach your journey’s end. For some time the train has been slowing down; each sight of the mountains seems more beautiful and precious than before.
Sometimes your companion has to leave the train before you. This may leave you feeling very lonely. Don’t be tempted to jump off the train after them. This only causes a great deal of trouble, both for the officials of the railway company and for your fellow travellers. Instead, if you can, help your companion’s descent from the train to be as smooth as possible. If they were forced to leave the train without saying goodbye, you might spend rather a lot of time looking for them out of the window. You might eventually find another travelling companion. Remember that your first companion’s luggage will still be on the train and their seat is still reserved.
If you are the first to leave the train, remember to say goodbye properly. Your fellow travellers should also be there; they will help you get off the train and see that you haven’t forgotten anything. You will want to feel secure that your luggage has passed into safe hands and that your companion will not be alone for the rest of the journey.
Bon Voyage!
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