Wednesday 30 September 2020

Nigel Wonders ………

Nigel noticed this stand sat sitting outside our local Pets at Home ……

Ice cream for dogs

…… and knowing Nigel like we all do, it doesn’t take a genius to work out exactly what he was thinking and wondering ……….

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……… so, let’s just leave it there, because in life there are some things that should forever remain a mystery, even to the most enquiring of minds and even if they actually go in to the shop to ask what it tasted like …… for a friend!  What is he like?

https://www.marshfield-icecream.co.uk/scoops-for-dogs/

Tuesday 29 September 2020

Bounty Secret Cream Biscuits.

I’ll have to admit that there was a bit of a debate, nothing heated, when Darrell bought home these Bounty Secret Cream biscuits thinking that they would make a good review, but somewhere in the back of my mind I sort of wondered if we hadn’t actually reviewed them before ……

Bounty Secret Cream Biscuits

……. but since we’d got nothing better to do, we thought why not, and perhaps Mr D with his encyclopaedic mind could put us straight if we, on this occassion, have been found to repeat ourselves.

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From the blurb on the packet we thought we might be in for a real treat …….

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……. although the “secret cream” was a bit of a puzzle, because from the pictures on the packaging and all the blurb the fact that they contained a coconut flavoured cream was no real secret?????

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From the first bite, we all agreed, they were not a disappointment, the filling was indeed creamy, coconutty and generous, and came pretty close to the pictures, given that they were professionally staged in a proper studio, where ours were taken at the table with a pretty ordinary Canon camera.

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The biscuit was satisfyingly crispy and chocolate was generously thick ……..

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……. and, all in all, exceedingly moreish ……..

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……. as our empty dish would indicate.

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We all agreed that at just £1 for a pack of 8 from Home Bargains we would definitely buy them again and therefore award them with a stonking 89g per hundredweight on our world famous Richter Scale of Noms.

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We are still very puzzled about the “secret” part, if Boris wasn’t quite so busy at the moment, questions might have needed to be asked in Parliament!

Monday 28 September 2020

A Tale Of Two Boots!

Nigel spotted these rather wonderful boots in the window of a charity shop while out mooching in town ………

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……. he didn’t think they were made particularly for walking …….. 

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……. but thought that they were the sort of boots Hugh, Darrell’s best friend and mentor in all that is a la mode and de rigueur is always on the look out to re-bling as part of his many Pantomime Dame costumes and at £8.99 even Nigel recognised that they were a steal.

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However, sadly, this year, because of flipping Covid, there will be no Widow Twanky/Mother Goose for Hugh, who according to Darrell, is also considering hanging up his oversized bosom and bustle for good,  the roar of the grease paint and smell of the crowd having lost some of their allure during his self inflicted isolation over the past few months at Le Chicken Coop.  It would seem that the other, more practical boots also on display in said window are now much more Hugh’s style!  Not so happy days!

Friday 25 September 2020

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

Darrell came home from an afternoon of mooching, looking very pleased with himself ……….

Darrell

……… announcing that he was parched and was putting a brew on and did I fancy one too. Well, I never need asking twice as far as tea is concerned, so humming to himself in a very self satisfied fashion the kettle was on in a triss …….

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

……. with his returning shortly to present me with a rather lovely cup and saucer. He’d found it in one of the smaller charity shops in Evesham and instantly thought of me, as he knows how much I like my tea served in a proper cup and saucer, rather than a mug, in the mornings.

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The picture on the front had a lovely homely feel to it and on the back was a motto that he thought pretty much summed up life at The Towers.  What is he like?

Motto cup and saucer

I loved it, a considered purchase bought with a great deal of love and thought …….. I’ll admit, it got emotional!

It was emotionsl

And what did Darrell pay for his wonderful treasure …….. just 50p, what a little bargain hunter too boot!  Happy days!

Thursday 24 September 2020

A Robust Keep Out Issued!

It has to be said that, so far, there’s been very little to see along the river as far as work on the bridge is concerned, it seems that most of said work is occurring on ‘tuther side ……. but, we do have a very smart shipping lane for all the barges, boats and swimmers, (yes, they are still at it), where it seems now to be de rigueur to sound their horns as they pass through (…. but not the swimmers Mr. D). 

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It also has to be said that the first fence Network Rail erected to close off the path (at the bottom of our bank) was a bit of a disaster and swiftly dismantled, almost within a day, by walkers and/or fishermen who found it an encumbrance to their enjoyment of the river!

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However, yesterday there was much activity and soon became obvious that this time Network Rail meant business, a whole triangle of fences, robustly put together, according to Nigel, including the addition of a huge padlock and chain to allow the workers themselves to get in and out if need be …….

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…… and then, after Nigel went down to inspect their work and see what he could see beyond (which was absolutely nothing), a large public notice and map highlighting the restricted areas was added, just to make things clear.

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So it looks will be no further covert access will be gotten ……..

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……. and the path has been very quiet since, helped, no doubt, by Darrell doing his civic duty by putting said developments on the Spotted in Evesham Facebook page to help prevent anyone having a wasted meander.

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Now, although we’ve seen little action on our side of the bridge, it doesn’t mean that we haven’t heard anything (well, apart from all the boat honking), trust us, there’s noise, but we just can’t identify it.  It sounds as if they are demolishing the whole of Evesham, like mini earthquakes, although, to date, we have not experienced any effects of a tsunami type nature on the river …… yet!!!!

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There is a scrap metal yard up the road with lorries unloading, usually in the mornings, but although we can hear it, certainly not on this level of decibelship ………

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…….. therefore we have nominated Nigel to explore what’s going on, if possible, by following the path that goes round the back of the bridge to see, if possible, what the kerfuffle is all about!  We will, indeed, keep you informed ………

Wednesday 23 September 2020

Malteser Biscuits – Snap ‘Em, Crunch ‘Em, Love ‘Em?

Now, you know how very much we appreciate a Malteser, so when Darrell returned home from town clutching a pack of the new Malteser Biscuits it was a no brainer that we try them the second he’d kicked his shoes off (and neatly put them in the cupboard). To Malteser aficionados, like what we are, they promised much!

Maltesers Biscuits (1)

The packet gave little away as to what we should expect of a taste type nature  ………

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……. the bumf on the side simply told us to “snap ‘em, crunch ‘em, love ‘em”, which we fully intended to do.

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On opening the pack we found that said biscuits were,  erm …… how shall we put it, knobbly, perhaps, Nigel suggested, to represent three Maltesers stuck together in biscuit form ?

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We “snapped ‘em”, to reveal biscuit and on looking at the small print Darrell said they are supposed to contain small “crisp honeycomb pieces” but to be honest, if they did, then they were flipping minute pieces and sadly, no the robust chunks of Malteser we had anticipated.

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The next thing to do was to “crunch ‘em” ………….

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……. to be honest, the crunching was disappointing, we got chocolate, we got crunchy biscuit, but sadly, despite our very discerning palates, we just couldn’t pick up any Malteser.

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I am afraid that a very tangible and palpable air of disappointment fell heavily on The Towers, what a let down. 

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That being said, the biscuits were lovely, just not Maltesery enough for us.  At £1 for ten biscuits that’s also not a bad a price to pay, so although we snapped and crunched ‘em, we have to be honest, we didn’t love ‘em and for that reason we feel we can only give the new Malteser Biscuits a disheartened 7.01342 out of 10 on our world famous Richter Scale of Noms ……… sigh!

Tuesday 22 September 2020

Our No. 1 Fan, Jan The Fan's A Published Author

Yesterday morning was emotional, very emotional ........

...... as our beloved No.1 Fan, Jan the Fan had sent us a copy of her very first published collection of greeting card verses ........ yes, we know an actual, real life, published author! We are so proud.

It arrived, presented in a most romantically gift wrapped fashion, with a matching pale blue ribbon to hold a note from the author herself, dare we say, Dame Jan The Fan, in place ......


....... by the time we'd read said note,  I could see Darrell visibly welling up.



Our very own, personal copy of "Say It In Verse - Collection 1, 60 Original Greeting Card Verses by Janyce Cotterill"  ........................


....... AND it was signed, with a kiss  .......... the emotional thronging through The Towers was incredibly tangible and palpable, what a wonderful, wonderful gift.


The verses, in this first collection, are largely aimed at a female audience, although a few could easily be relevant for those of a  male persuasion, like Hugh, Darrells best friend and mentor for all things a la mode and de rigueur.


What can we say, except we are soooooooo unbelievably thrilled.


Congratulations Jan The Fan, may your sales double by the day and we look forward to all your other future collections, perhaps, there might even be a limited edition of a primatological birthday type nature in the pipeline? 

Copies of Jan's book of Greeting Card Verses are available from :- 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Verses4Cards?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=840804274

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Booklet-Containing-60-Birthday-Verses-for-Card-Maker-Crafter-Scrapbooking/283982312296?hash=item421eaa3368:g:D7UAAOSwWhlfOpxd

£3.50 plus £1.50 P & P

Monday 21 September 2020

Time To Say Goodbye To The Wonderful Sea.

Nigel is back, safely nestled, once more, in our robust family bosom …… Darrell and I have really missed the little fella.

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He had a wonderful, healthy glow about him, despite saying that he was totally exhausted after, it seemed, spending  his time in Teignmouth, herding two little iggledy piggeldy cats.

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However, the fresh air had done him the world of good after being incarcerated for soooooooooo many lonely (and quiet) months in meltdown without the support and company of being in a bubble.

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He said he will never take having the freedom to go away as and when we please for granted ever again …….. this flipping virus had certainly taught him that!