Saturday 31 March 2018

Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Bunnies ……

Fortified with a ample sufficiency of warm buttered hot cross buns ………….
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…… this morning I prepped all the vegetables for our Easter Sunday Lunch at Darrell’s behest …….
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……. freeing him to deck the halls with boughs of bunting and bunnies.
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I have to say he has done a lovely job ………..
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……. everything looks so romantic in a very fresh and springtime way, the boy done good!
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I was also charged with, under Darrell’s exacting eye,  the wrapping of the Easter Pass The Parcel parcel, taking care that each layer contained a festive forfeit  and small chocolate egg, with the “big” prize at the end!Easter Hunt Pack The Works
And then, together, we put together all the bits and pieces for our Easter Egg Hunt ………
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…… trying everything on for size – what are we like? HAPPY DAYS!!!

Friday 30 March 2018

Time For A Hot Cross Bun

What better way to start our Easter celebrations than with a just out of the oven hot cross bun a piece ……………..
Hot Cross Buns 2018 ……. what more can we say other than bon appetit and nom, nom,nom to an absent friend!

Thursday 29 March 2018

A Certain Person’s Easter Egg To Be Kept On Hold ……

It seems that Father Christmas gave Nigel an open ticket to New York to stay for as long as he wanted ……. so it looks as if Darrell and I will be spending Easter entertaining, on our own, for the first time ever!
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We miss Nigel sooooooooooooooo much, but you just cannot compare the pleasures of New York to those of Evesham, despite all the decorated shop windows that he adores and a huge abundance of all things of a chocolate type nature.
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But, whatever the Easter Bunny leaves for Nigel will be safely put away for his return.
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…….. And Darrell and I will try to hid our disappointment by absorbing ourselves in preparing a very special Easter Day for Little Miss Iris and Young Master Bertie ……….
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…….. Darrell in preparing one of his glorious Sunday lunches, leaving me to organise an Easter Egg Hunt, Pass The Easter Parcel and assorted festive races on The Tower lawns. It won’t be the same without Nigel, but the show must go on!

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Meanwhile ……. Back In Evesham

…….Oh my goodness me, I could hardly believe my eyes, BUT the wicker Moses basket of several weeks back has finally gone ……. and despite my joy, I have to admit to being quite taken aback as I saw the empty space where it had been sat sitting for so many weeks (neigh months)………
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…….. I was almost frightened that as it had been left for so long, it may have become rooted to the spot, if you can take root in moss, and become a permanent feature.
IMG_7506I also did a double take to make absolutely sure that it hadn’t just been picked up  and dumped on the allotments, and then snaffled to be used as an unusual plant container, but there was no sign of it  ……. hooray and jubilations!
IMG_7503Word of it’s departure has also travelled across the Atlantic, as Darrell felt its demise was significantly newsworthy enough to WhatsApp Nigel, what is he like?  I also think I feel one of Darrell’s celebratory cocktail coming on  ………. perhaps a Moses Basket Sling or a Last Word?

Tuesday 27 March 2018

Nigel Believes He Has Found Heaven On Earth

After exploring the delights of Grand Central Terminal, Nigel felt he needed a drink, very possibly accompanied by a small snack  ………..
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……. so decided to investigate the further pleasures of the The Lower Level Dining Concourse …….
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……. it’s bountiful cornucopia of all things comestible, in whatever direction he looked, did not disappoint!
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But in the end, it was something on the counter of Magnolia Bakery that caught Nigel’s keen sense for something he had never ever heard of before, yet alone seen ……. or tasted, in real life …….
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……….. The Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding, well, it would have been rude not to  partake in just a small pot ………. purely for research purposes obviously …….. with an iced chai latte to wash it down, in case it didn’t pass muster!
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Nigel could hardly wait to get to his table, his gastronomic anticipation almost too much to bear ………
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……. and as he took his first mouthful it was truly heaven on a plastic spoon, he had never tasted anything quite so exquisite, and he didn’t ever want to come to the bottom of his pot, but there again, he also knew that he wouldn’t be able to squeeze another helping in, to quote Mary Poppins “Enough is as good as a feast” – he embraced the experience for all it was worth, knowing that this was his first and probably last ever Banana Pudding, and it had to be savoured, very slowly and very thoughtfully………
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…….. and then moved on to his iced chai latte, which was also pretty wonderful, Magnolia Bakery done good!
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With his last slurp something else caught Nigel’s eye, a window and someone looking very busy behind it …… icing HUGE Magnolia Bakery cakes ……. now that would be a job, with banana pudding on tap as a perk ………..
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…….. and at that Nigel decided that questions must be asked in Parliament as to why there wasn’t a Magnolia Bakery in the UK  and he would demand answers from Evesham’s MP by e-mail!
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What is he like?
Darrell has since been trying to find a recipe for Banana Pudding to make Nigel back at The Towers ……..  he has found several but now needs to source a couple of the ingredients. We are saying nothing to Nigel until we are absolutely sure we have gathered everything together and Darrell can successfully follow the instructions ……….

Monday 26 March 2018

Nigel Does Grand Central Terminal

Nigel said that yesterday he went to Grand Central Terminal, a must see visit while in New York,  even though he didn’t actually see a single train!
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Again he had a goosebumpy, spine tingly moment being in a place that he has seen so many times in films, TV dramas  and documentaries.
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It did not fail to impress ………. however, such were his overwhelming sense of awe and wonder he was, again, a little remiss with his picture taking, but, the pictures, he said, will always be forever in his head.
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He whispered in the Whispering Gallery ……….
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…….. looked for the dark patch on the ceiling that was left by the restoration crew as a grimy reminder of just how filthy it was before the building was saved and restored.
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……… and then took a peek at the World Famous Oyster Bar …….
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……. but decided that as he wasn’t really that sure about oysters, he didn’t want to risk embarrassing himself in a spitting into a napkin type nature if he didn’t like them ……..
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……. especially when surrounded by sophisticated New Yorkers and waiters in long black aprons!
He decided that perhaps The Food Court would be more his style …… and that was a whole different adventure ……….

Sunday 25 March 2018

Nigel Finds Foods Of An Exotic American Type Nature!

What is he like?  Nigel just can’t help mooching when it comes to a supermarket shelf, no matter where he is, especially in foreign climes, when even the most mundane and ordinary becomes exotic!
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And, it is at these times I have to be very grateful that Nigel is aware that he can’t bring back everything that catches his fancy without having to pay a truly exorbitant amount for excess baggage.
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And, while am not to sure about Nigel wanting to fill his suitcase and The Towers cupboards full of Beefaroni, Cheesy Bowls ……….
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…..and Grits ……..
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……… I have to admit that having a couple of cans of New England Clam Chowder in said cupboards would make me feel a little cosmopolitan ……..  but there again, they would probably remain for show only and go unopened.

Saturday 24 March 2018

Nigel Pays Homage To Ghostbusters

Nigel absolutely loves Ghostbusters, so it was only natural that he would want to pay homage to his favourite film by visiting the New York Public Library.
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It did not disappoint ……
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……. just being outside made Nigel go all goosebumpy ……
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……… but walking in the steps of his heroes Peter Venkman, Ray Stanz and Egon Spengler was almost too much.
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…….. here was Nigel on hallowed ground, drinking from the poshiest water fountain he had ever drunk from  …………. humming Ghostbusters
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……. making his way to the famous Rose Main Reading Room ……
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…….. nerves almost got the better of him, as he was felt a little afraid to go in …….
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…… but he had come too far to back out now and soon found that the once uncontrollable urge to joyfully sing “ ……who you gonna call …..” at the top of his voice had subsided into a wonderful sense of awe and wonder ……. (thank goodness!).
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Evesham library has its pleasures, like the bubble machine at the end of Music Rhythm and Rhyme, but Nigel had to admit that it just couldn’t compare to the overwhelming splendour of New York’s library.  But, Nigel thinks they have missed a trick by not offering a Ghostbusters Tour or any Ghostbuster type merchandise.
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And, there was an unexpected bonus for Nigel  that had no link whatsoever to Ghostbusters in the Children’s Library ……….
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…….. only the original stuffed animals on which the Winnie The Pooh stories were based.
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Yet another magical and wonderful New York day for Nigel ………
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…… without a single ghost in sight but with plenty of tingly, hair standing on end moments! Nigel felt he was truly blessed in a New York edition of Hello Magazine type way.