The Presents Have Landed

This morning the gift lift stuff arrived, well most of it did there is still some on order; being made as you read this by underpaid Vietnamese boat people in the heart of darkest Derbyshire no doubt*. We actually didn't have too much difficulty fitting the new stuff into our wee house, there is a home for just about everything but the bread maker which will get opened when we are both a little thinner. The paella dish posed a bit of problem, I'm certain it wasn't that big in the shop, I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to cook rice in it or sail down the Ouse in it so that I can catch the ingredients. Our new plates and bowls are lovely it's the first time either of us have owned proper expensive crockery and there is a real difference in feel, heft and quality of finish.

We've tried out the coffee machine and the coffee bean grinder: several times in the case of some people. Simon was gently shaking his way down the length of one of the sofas earlier on but the elephant tranquilliser dart* has helped put a stop to that.

Must go now I think the effects of the dart are wearing off.

*Possibly, I may have exaggerated a little bit.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas Everyone,

I hope that you have had a peaceful and enjoyable day. For those of you who celebrate Christmas with presents I hope that you liked what you got and what you gave has given pleasure.

I have a rule about presents for Christmas and birthdays, it's simple, easy to understand, of long standing and I like to think grounded in sense. - Don't give me anything for the kitchen - no fancy microwaves, baking dishes, kettles, toasters or bins. I know lots of people love receiving stuff like that, but not me, it feels more like a present for the kitchen than for me, and as far I as know the kitchen has never celebrated Christmas and it doesn't have a birthday.

This rule shouldn't be broken but there are a couple of exception clauses; mugs, cookery books and small silly things don't really count, nor do things that I've pointed to and lusted after.

Like posh espresso coffee makers.

Which is a good thing as that is what Simon got me for my present. I'd been quietly lusting after one for months, it's great I can pretend that I work at Costa (alotta) Coffee, froth milk to my heart's content and make enough espresso coffee to keep the Italian fleet sailing. Si has spent most of the last two hours experimenting with different coffee types, which he has also drunk. As he doesn't normally drink coffee in the evening he is now sat on the sofa lightly vibrating with caffeine, he would have been shimmying a great deal more but for the dampening effects of the Irish coffees he made us not so long ago.

That's all I wanted to say really so night night y'all.

Cafe Culture

This weekend Becky was rather keen to

a) Prove the all round usefulness of the best laptop bag in the world ever^TM

b) Drink coffee, surf the net wirelessly using her laptop in a coffee shop.

We could have gone to Seattle, we could have gone to London but I didn't have my passport on me and London is a very long way to go for a cup of coffee. The bright lights of Kings Lynn it was. After a bracing walk past the thronging crowds who were thrilling at the opening of the new Woolworth's we made our way to the coffee shop.

While I got the coffees Becky grabbed the seats and must have got her laptop out in seconds flat because as I when I got back she was intently staring at the screen. Unfortunately though this is Kings Lynn and free Wi-Fi has not hit this bit of the Fens, so experiencing the full cafe culture vibe will have to wait for another day.

It won't be where I live though because the idea of decent coffee hasn't even hit my bit of the Fens.