Time For Darrell’s Budgie Smugglers To Hit The Beach……

I had delayed the moment a million and one times in my head, but I knew that Darrell and his budgie smugglers would eventually have to expose introduce themselves to the beach  ……….. it had been a long time coming, but this morning, I knew the inevitable was going to happen!

Let’s just say “they” were a snug fit, but for the sake of those of a delicate disposition I was deliberately chose to focus my camera purely on Darrell’s upper torso, telling Darrell it was his best bit!

He strutted about a bit like a proud peacock for the first half hour or so, during which he received, what he perceived to be, quite a few admiring glances,  then I think the novelty wore off …..

……. and he put on his baggier shorts over said smugglers, declaring that he thought he ought to be careful to protect his “least exposed in normal life bits” to the glaring Greek sun.  What is he like?  And, I know I am awful, but I told Nigel that he had been voted in as this holidays honourary sun lotion slapper and rubber in!!!!

The Breakfast After The Cocktails From The Night Before……..

Nigel was up first for “our” first Greek breakfast, he told me that he has been dreaming of his first bowl of proper thick Greek yoghurt, that leaves the serving bowl with a satisfying slurp for months, served with a handsome dollop of runny Greek honey …….  no yoghurt back home, and we have tried them all, compares.

By the time Darrell and I joined him, he was already on his fourth bowl, with the all the morning staff gathering round and remarking on his very healthy appetite.

He followed this up with a generous helping of bread, cheese, ham, two hard boiled eggs and tomatoes.   Darrell and I on the other hand had a paracetamol, a slice of dry toast and black coffee. Note to self (and Darrell) we need to pace ourselves, we are not as young as we used to be!

Jet Lag ........ The Stuff Of Wimps!

Because Greece is two hours in front of British time, we arrived at our hotel, at about 1.30 in the morning.  We were taken to our room, and as we started to make ourselves at home and unpack, it was hard to ignore that the bar directly in front of us was still open and pumping up the volume. Darrell went out onto the balcony and announced that jet lag was the stuff of wimps, and  as they were serving cocktails, our holiday beverage of choice, it would be rude not to avail ourselves of their fine establishment, especially as they may have been waiting for our arrival!

It was a no brainer, we were going to start our holiday as we intended to go on, and that was with a cocktail, and with a buy two get one free offer across the road, it was as if it was meant for us.

Please forgive me if my memory of what we actually drank is a little hazy ……

……… but I seem to remembered slurring saying something to Darrell along the lines of  mine not touching the sides and I think I may have ordered another round!

But we all agreed that though we hadn’t seen any of our resort as of yet, The Malibu Bar was where we were probably going to start and end our Corfu Nights……… and we also noted that our cocktail bar back at The Towers was to be found definitely wanting in flashing ice cube department  ……. something Darrell was determined to rectify upon our return, no one likes to have a wanting cocktail cabinet!!!!!

Limited Edition Toblerones

So ……. our taxi arrived bang on time, with a VERY chatty driver, who told us that he was so “au fait” with the route to the airport  that he knew  and could describe every single bump and dip along the way …….. and then proceeded to do so for the entire journey.  I nodded and tried to ooooooo and ahhh in all the right places, as politely as I could, but it was really doing my head in, and Darrell and Nigel’s muffled guffaws in the back didn’t help! 

On arrival at the airport, our passage through check-in and security was mercifully swift and without hitch, and once in the passengers lounge I furnished one of the massage chairs with pound coins and told Darrell and Nigel that I was not to be disturbed unless it was to proffer light liquid refreshment or wake me to tell me that our flight had been called.

And, as predicted, after Darrell had tested almost all the contents of the male perfumery department, and ended up smelling like Hugh’s dressing room after all his friends have been to congratulate him on his performance, he and Nigel played hunt the biggest Toblerone.  There was much excitement when they discovered that there was a limited edition crispy coconut variety, and, I believe wallets, were taken out, until they thought of my reaction when having to deal with said gigantic Toblerone melting in the searing heat of Greece shortly after our arrival!

Once aboard our Thomas Cook flight, I donned my eye mask, ear plugs and flight socks, and told them I did not want to be disturbed until the seat belt light was switched off on the other side………

I did not want to know about in-flight consoles, light refreshments, duty free products, scratch cards or collections for whatever charity Thomas Cook was supporting ……. and above all, no running commentary on any turbulence, should we encounter any!

They must have though I was a right grouch, but they knew that as soon as we hit terra firma any bumps and dips  in the Greek roads didn’t count, they would be an integral part of our holiday experience and all commentary duly accepted with good heart!

What am I like?

That’s It!!!!!!!

That’s it ……. I can’t face checking that we’ve packed EVERYTHING anymore, my poor head is just going round in circles!  And, if we have forgotten anything, it’s hardly as if we are going to outer Mongolia, it’s only Greece ……. we have pants, shirts and shorts, swimming paraphernalia and Darrell’s, budgie smugglers etc. etc. etc. etc.. need I go on …… oh, and our Euros.We have all watched enough airport reality programmes to know that you can’t go anywhere without your passport, so as long as we have those, we will be OK …… and we must leave in plenty of time, anticipating all eventualities, to make sure that we are in the line for check-in as soon as it opens.  I just want to be in airport lounge, having got through said check-in and security, sitting with a latte and perhaps a select biscuit or two, with Darrell and Nigel mooching in the Duty Free trying to find the biggest Toblerone ……

…… then I will know we are really on our way!

Darrell Makes His Much Promised Cocktail

As you might remember Darrell promised that he would make us his special “Keel Over Cocktail” when the fence down the road, that we have all been keeping an eye, on finally fell down ……..

I have to report that said fence is still standing, if somewhat precariously, being supported, in part, by the fence at the front, so we reckon it will take a hurricane before if finally collapses aux proper!

So Darrell suggested that rather than continue to wait until goodness knows when, and taking into consideration that our Greek Odyssey was now so close we could almost touch it, it would be rude not to ease ourselves into the holiday mood by having a Keel Over in practice for all the Cocktail Hours we plan to avail ourselves of …….. well, I’ll drink to that!

Don’t ask me what Darrell put in, there were bottles flying left, right and centre and an awful lot of shaking going on …… but the pièce de résistance he announced, in a very Hugh like flamboyant flurry was adding two sachets of the Ahoj Brause fizzy drink that our friends Ze Monkeys sent us from Germany, keep to one side for such an occasion.

……… let’s just say it gave Darrell’s cocktail a very definite and avant garde edgy edginess to it!

And did it live up to it’s name?

It most certainly did!!!!  Here’s to Corfu 2017 and all who sail in her!!!!!

The Last Final Fitness Pull ……. (If There Was Ever A First?????)

With our Greek Odyssey to the romantic Isle of Corfu all but a few short days away, Darrell asked Nigel if he’d like to accompany him for a bit of pre-holiday limber up, sur la parc ……what is he like?Now, to be honest, Nigel’s fitness regime generally consists of watching Darrell go through his paces while he, Nigel, takes it easy lounging in the large basket swing …..

…….. or  sat sitting, feet dangling,  from one of the beams on the climbing frame. He says he doesn’t really like perspiring too much before any said holiday, because he will probably do enough of that  once the baking Greek heat hits him the second we arrive, so it’s best he doesn’t risk any untoward and unnecessary  dehydration beforehand!  What is he like? Darrell did his best, although he admitted it was a bit of an effort ………

He’s done pretty well on his diet, becoming a stranger to the Malteser and best friend to the baby plumb tomato and bite size cucumber, his fitting into his new budgie smugglers should be assured ……. heaven help the poor Greek, I just hope they are ready for it!

An Unusual Vegetable Patch

Nigel has noticed, what he thinks may be a patch of a vegetable type nature, outside one of the supermarkets on our way to Tom The Scientists and The Lovely Laura’s.

His considered hypothesis comes mainly from a sign directly above the raised patch. However, not being a great horticulturalist and only dipping into Gardeners World by accident rather than intent, Nigel doesn’t have a clue as to what sort of “crops” might be growing, only that they have red stems and firm ribs down the leaf centres.  We wondered, over one of our tea time debates, if, perhaps, as a vegetable, it is more about the leaf rather than what lies beneath?  All suggestions greatly received as it might lighten the burden of Nigel’s ponderings.It does say that the compost has been supplied by Severn Waste Services, but Nigel has noticed that possibly some of the supermarkets customers and passers-by  have also been adding to said compost …… although what nutritional value “fag ends” might add to the growth of  the mystery plants is also an enigma and one has to wonder if they have any effect on the flavour?  Poor Nigel, this discovery has had his head banging with far too many conundrums and none of them solved!

Piercing Curious ……….

Sometimes, I think Nigel, though curious and interested in all that’s going on around him, has a little too much time on his hands for looking in the local shop windows and pondering.

It now seems that piercings are the prime subject for his said ponderings.

I have  said that it’s all a mystery to me and that I would prefer it to remain that way.  I have told Darrell not to encourage him in any which way shape or form …….. and, if what he finds out for himself gives him nightmares, he only has himself to blame!  Nigel isn’t very keen on needles which in this case may very well be a blessing. He always gets in a bit of a state whenever we book a holiday abroad in case he has to have any vaccinations, so I don’t think I need worry that he might be tempted to partake in a piercing session, as he’d need a needle to knock him out before he could go through with it!!!!!

Nigel Explores The Delights of Evesham’s M & S Food Hall Café

While I am still exploring and embracing the delights of Evesham’s many coffee shops in the town centre,  Nigel has offered to help my reviewing by volunteering to avail himself of the pleasures of some of the establishments that are a little way out of town and which may not have quite the atmosphere that makes me want to linger of my cake and partake in a little people watching.

So yesterday he took himself off to the M & S Food Hall Café on the small retail park near the station, after having a bit of a mooch round B M Bargains, Next and Poundstretcher.

He said that it was obviously not my sort of place, with none of the said ambiance he knows I like. He said it was a bit like a hanger, echoey and utilitarian,  where all the large aluminium pipes and bare riveted joists in the world couldn’t pass off as industrial chic (a critic that I thought sounded more Darrell than Nigel). Seating was basic, with a few sofas and it was clean.

The cakes were not displayed on large glass cake stands under romantic domes and handled with tongs or a cake slice, but it would have been rude not to sample their gluten free lemon and pistachio sponge, filled with lemon curd and finished with a lemon curd buttercream and nibbed pistachios with a pot of tea for one ……..

“It went down a treat” he said and he didn’t even miss the gluten cake, which he thought he might.  Not for me …… but definitely OK for him …… and he now has his eyes firmly fixed on the café in the Tesco over the road for his next review! What is he like?

A Window Nigel Missed ……..

Nigel is the undisputed champion Evesham window spotter of The Towers, but I think he must have missed this one in the Fruit Shop window,  as I am sure I would have heard about nothing else ……..

It’s a very cute scarecrow, so I had better alert him to it as soon as I get home.

It has also reminded me to look up the dates of our beloved Pattingham Scarecrow Festival this year, it will mean a return to The Homeland so I will also need to check to see if Lucy is willing to put us up for a weekend while we attend!

http://www.pattinghamscarecrowfestival.org/

A German Marzipan Praline Review

A little while ago our Germanic friends Ze Monkeys sent a most wondrous parcel filled with Teutonic confectionary for us to review.  We decided that rather than launch straight in and sample all of it’s delights within a few days of its arrival, we would show a little restraint and dip in  at measured intervals so as to prolong the pleasures that lay within for as long as possible.

Today is such an interval and we are going to review the Marzipan Pralines.  Now before we do, it has to be said that we absolutely adore marzipan.  It’s something that we wouldn’t partake in on a daily basis, but just now and again, so in reviewing one of our very favourite confectionarys of choice it will be hard to be unbiased, but we will try.

The packaging looked very posh and each portion was of a generous size.

As something of marzipan aficionados we sort of knew what to expect when Darrell cut up the chocolates for us to explore their centres.

And on the tasting. what can I say? As we started to sample the chocolates a contented silence descended on the room, our enjoyment was both tangible and palpable, said Marzipan Pralines with Bittersweet Chocolate certainly delivered, in buckets and spades, and perhaps even the odd rake or two.

When we could finally be drawn away from our pleasures, we all agreed, these sweetmeats were all we had hoped …….. and put as simply as Darrell could express our views in equation form  ……….

……. the score on our Richter Scale of Marzipan noms was quite  impressive!

……. including a plate of empty wrappers!