Marks and Spencer

This roll-on deodorant has been living in my travel backpack since I returned from our family vacation last year in the UK.  

I purchased at an M&S Simply Foods grocery within walking distance of our digs at the Royal Horseguards Hotel.  As a near lifetime user of Old Spice (original stick formula) deodorant this was a pleasant change of pace.  Not the roll-on feature - the scent.  A very pleasing scent.

Anyway, it's all used-up from traveling since then and I got to wondering if it was available for sale anywhere locally.  Nada.  Not Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Pick & Save or Tadych's.  I didn't find it online at Costco either. 

I did find it for sale (and denominated in USD) at Amazon UK.  Unfortunately, the UK website in typical polite British form regrets to inform me: This item cannot be dispatched to your selected delivery location.  Please choose a different delivery location.

Obviously, somewhere on their side of the pond.

I did find something similar to the UK product available via our Prime account at Amazon.

But I'll give it a rest for the present and return to the comfort of my familiar Old Spice.

Besides, you never know when a travel opportunity might pop-up that results in a return to the UK. 

I can scratch that itch then. 

Meanwhile, if you're traveling to the UK and surrounding environs keep your eye peeled for Marks and Spencer and their smaller M&S Simply Foods.  You have my personal assurance you will find everything thing you need at regular pricing - even in midtown London.  Same for Monoprix in France.

Happy traveling.... 

Let There Be Soup

If you’re looking for a hearty wintertime soup this is a winner.  

 

This recipe brings just enough heat from the smoked Spanish paprika and chili powder tempered by heavy cream at the finish. I exercised restraint at a single cup of dairy; I added more to leftovers the next day.  The truth of the matter is next time I'll add the entire pint of cream with the first round.  Seeing as about half of the soup is pureed with an immersion stick blender that cream simply disappears into the rich goodness of it all.

 

Top with shredded sharp cheddar, bacon bits from the front-end prep and diced scallion tops. Toasted, salad croutons work too.

 

Recipe from the NYT Cooking section. Link is below and there's no paywall because if you’re reading this you’re a friend who appreciates homemade soup. 

 

Serve with crusty sourdough bread or sliced baguette for sopping-up and dipping.  Go ahead.  Do it!

 

Pretty good chow if you can get it…..

 

Recipe link here:  Potato Soup by Naz Deravian 

 

Between you and me I wouldn't mess with this recipe by much; if at all.  If you want to amp this-up with some added protein I'd consider something neutral like shrimp or chicken.  If you're inclined to incorporate smoked sausage like a kielbasa, andouille, or something similar you may want to ditch the smoked paprika and chili powder.  

 

For what it's worth I am told that Aldi carries Alabama Conecuh smoked sausage on a seasonal basis.  Hubba Hubba!  I'll have to check next time I'm in Green Bay.

Gentlemen - Start Your Ovens

When the going gets tough;

The tough bake stuff.

During the recent cold snap we had the wood stove operating most of the day every day.  It actually does a reasonably good job of heating the west half of the house and sending heat up the stairwell to take the chill out of the second floor.  Nevertheless, as a consequence of thermostat placement the east side of the house (laundry, powder room and kitchen) remains moderately cooler.

When that happens more often than not we wear fleece and ignore it.  Otherwise, a partial solution is either to do laundry on that day and/or come-up with an excuse to use the kitchen gas range as the operation of the appliances serve to impart some additional heat to the space they occupy.

It's not a huge deal and even though in its 22nd year the house is becoming slightly more "leaky" in keeping the cold out and the heat in; the natural passive solar advantages of old-school farmhouse architecture including lots of tall windows to capture sunny winter daylight when Old Sol is low on the horizon really does work.  Don't let anybody tell you that settlers hundreds of years ago were witless about maximizing solar power in the winter and shade in the summer.  But I digress.

About the baking, I located the last of the Irish soda bread mix (imported from the land of my forebears) in the pantry and decided to bake a loaf.  Mainly for breakfast with a steaming cuppa joe on a cold winter morning.  I amped-it-up with some added cane sugar and a double fistful of dried cranberries (reconstituted).  This was the last of the Irish bread mixes and the last of the cranberries from the pantry imparting a satisfying feeling of inventory turnover.

Anyway,  a good use of a cold and sunny winter day.  And the results were pretty tasty.

Didn't last to the end of the week....

 

   

Time Out

Mr. Trump’s willingness to make a near-immediate conclusion about the deadly shooting appeared to be at odds with one of his senior advisers. Tom Homan, Mr. Trump’s border czar, told CBS News that he would not make a judgment call on video of the shooting circulating on social media.

“Let the investigation play out,” Mr. Homan said, “and hold people accountable based on the investigation.”

Homeland Security Secretary Noem commented on the fatal ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis and claimed that the woman killed had engaged in an "act of domestic terrorism" by trying to target officers with her car. 

Ever since this happened is seems I cannot swing a dead cat without hitting someone someone falling over themselves to get into their respective echo chamber of righteous hyper-partisan outrage.  

 

Keyboard warriors out for blood.  

 

I got no interest in turning-up the volume on this as it is way too early in the process.

I'm willing to wait for investigators to do their job, allow the process to play-out and the conclusions released to the public.  

 

It is abundantly clear that the administration had basically decided-upon the narrative they chose to spin before the deceased had been positively identified.  And with the locals stonewalled in any investigative role that puts the FBI under additional scrutiny to not engage in a cover-up.  Appearances will count for a lot.  I'm willing to give the FBI a fair shot at interpreting the forensics.   

 

Time will tell.

 

And liars, where ever they may lurk, get found-out.  Eventually. 

Friday Music

The "Illitona Panpipe Group" refers to a traditional music ensemble hailing from the Solomon Islands.  Specifically the Illitona Bamboo Band from Santa Isabel.

Known for their captivating, toe-tapping, get-up-and-dance panpipe (bamboo pipe) music which is a key part of the local culture performed on the islands like Kolombangara.

They play indigenous, rhythmic music using traditional instruments fashioned from bamboo pipes and showcasing a unique island sound.

If you ask me I don't see bamboo - I see drain pipe, PVC to be sure.  I figure this western cultural addition may lend a uniformity in production value with the durability of polyvinyl chloride.  It is the world's third-most produced plastic after all.

Enjoy this really fun music and try really hard not to get sucked into more of it.

Turn-up the volume nice and loud for Illitona Panpipe Group: Morning Star.....

Highway Patrol

Dodge was a significant player in the the highway patrol and police cruiser marketplace over the years.  Here's a classic for you.

A 1965-66 Dodge Polara in dark blue and white livery sporting a Wisconsin State Patrol shield.  The officer in the photo is sporting the traditional State Patrol dress uniform of the era and a Smokey Bear hat that persists today.  

Chrysler's C-body lineup was a favorite of police departments for their durability and reliability, straight lines and wide stance and in Wisconsin for wintertime performance.  Powered by a standard 383 V8 rated at 330 horsepower; a 413 V8 and 440 V8 were also available.  A heavy-duty, police spec, Tourqueflite automatic transmission tied it all together.  

Naturally, the suspension, alternator, radiator, brakes, wiring harness and more were higher capacity and heavier duty that civilian models.  Upholstery was vinyl.  These vehicles were factory-equipped with a Motorola two-way radio (with a whip antenna), shotgun rack, a single red rotating "gumball" roof beacon and exterior siren.   

This smiling dude is the proud owner of a restored 1965 Dodge Cornet police cruiser...

 

   

Don't Get Fooled Again

Delcy Rodriguez - Venezuela's interim president

Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss

- Peter Townshend