Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[navybankerteacher]

Picked up our swordfish steak (fresh from Block Island Sound) for Christmas Eve dinner and standing rib for Christmas Day -- as well as all miscellaneous accompaniments, with the exception of the (strangely unavailable) pickled watermelon rind to accompany the roast ------ is that one more COVID-caused supply chain defect?

[Host Hattie]

My grocery delivery driver made it on time and with almost all my items, despite reports of all roads in and out of the village being flooded.

Mr HH is working until 2pm tomorrow so I have time to wrap his presents. The main one hasn't arrived so I hope he's not too disappointed !

[alc13]

Just now, Host Hattie said:

My grocery delivery driver made it on time and with almost all my items, despite reports of all roads in and out of the village being flooded.

Mr HH is working until 2pm tomorrow so I have time to wrap his presents. The main one hasn't arrived so I hope he's not too disappointed !

Do tell - what is his main present?

 

Mr Alc is getting a waffle iron and a gift certificate for LPs at a local record store.  I feel like I got it right this year.

[alc13]

9 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Picked up our swordfish steak (fresh from Block Island Sound) for Christmas Eve dinner and standing rib for Christmas Day -- as well as all miscellaneous accompaniments, with the exception of the (strangely unavailable) pickled watermelon rind to accompany the roast ------ is that one more COVID-caused supply chain defect?

It all sounds delicious. 

 

I haven't seen pickled watermelon rind since the 1960s!

[Lanky Lad]

 I have managed to arrange a delivery from a local supermarket for Monday so I am happy.

 

HH is there any chance of Mr HH's present arriving on Christmas Eve? 

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, alc13 said:

Do tell - what is his main present?

 

Mr Alc is getting a waffle iron and a gift certificate for LPs at a local record store.  I feel like I got it right this year.

LPs - do you mean vinyl?  Do you still even HAVE a local record store?

 

Much as i had hoped to shelter in place, I might try local Trader Joe's - or hit the next town's Whole Food tomorrow -- I WANT that watermelon rind.

[Host Hattie]

8 hours ago, alc13 said:

Do tell - what is his main present?

 

Mr Alc is getting a waffle iron and a gift certificate for LPs at a local record store.  I feel like I got it right this year.

It's a tactical magnifier (?), Something to do with guns. It was shown in stock for next day delivery when I ordered it in early December but when I chased it they told me it would be January.

He was happy to wait at the time (it wasn't a surprise).

[alc13]

4 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

It's a tactical magnifier (?), Something to do with guns. It was shown in stock for next day delivery when I ordered it in early December but when I chased it they told me it would be January.

He was happy to wait at the time (it wasn't a surprise).

I like late presents  As my sister says, Christmas is a season, not a day.

[alc13]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

LPs - do you mean vinyl?  Do you still even HAVE a local record store?

 

Much as i had hoped to shelter in place, I might try local Trader Joe's - or hit the next town's Whole Food tomorrow -- I WANT that watermelon rind.

I do mean vinyl! 

[LewiLewi]

I’m baking crunchy chocolate chip cookies today and delivering them to friends tomorrow. Many of our friends have become physically ill during this time and are no longer able to go outside of their homes. Of course, we are also staying close to home, but we are thankful for good health. We remain optimistic that this will soon end as the vaccine becomes more available.

To all, happy holiday and a healthy New Year.

[Lanky Lad]

Merry Christmas

 

 

[Bigmike911]

33 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

Merry Christmas

 

 

Thank you LL, and Happy Christmas to you too. 

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, alc13 said:

I like late presents  As my sister says, Christmas is a season, not a day.

This year in particular, given the extraordinary delays in USPS services.  They should spend a little time attending DHL, UPS or FedEx training seminars.   I don’t expect them to compete with those private services, but we have a couple of packages still undelivered after ten-plus days.

 

Anyway Happy Christmas all - and let’s plan to share a brighter 2021 (hopefully a reasonable part of it at sea).

[Colin_Cameron]

19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

LPs - do you mean vinyl?

I believe that vinyl sales overtook CD sales in either 2018 or 19. Not sure if that was UK or worldwide. Apparently younger CD buyers have moved to streaming services, smart ones have gone back to vinyl. Our largest ‘record store’ has, I would guess, three times the shelf space for LPs as it does for CDs. (Obviously LPs are larger, but CDs are thicker)

 

 

[Bigmike911]

5 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

I believe that vinyl sales overtook CD sales in either 2018 or 19. Not sure if that was UK or worldwide. Apparently younger CD buyers have moved to streaming services, smart ones have gone back to vinyl. Our largest ‘record store’ has, I would guess, three times the shelf space for LPs as it does for CDs. (Obviously LPs are larger, but CDs are thicker)

 

 

Several years ago, with a vinyl collection exceeding 2,000 many of which have never been released on C.D. I invested in a ELC (Edison Laser Player) made by  Japanese Company ELC, and not cheap. It plays the disk with out physically touching the grooves. Playing vinyl on this produces amazing results, that not even the best stylus turntable can give.  It has software that keeps track of the music, and can detect and cure a scratch so it is never heard. It will also play 45, and 78 Edison and Victrola records. Yes, I have a few of those too. 

 

I am one of those guys who has a laser Disc Video player as well as a DVD and Blue Ray though I never owed the hooky RCA Victor Video Stylus machine. There are laser disc recordings that have also not been released on DVD or Blue Ray. There is a particularly stunning laser disc set of Aida recorded at the Arena Di Verona which is vastly better than a more recent one on DVD. So my hardware shelf just gets longer and longer as technology evolves.

[Kynance]

Season’s Greetings to everyone! I wish you the merriest Christmas you’re able to have this year. 🎄🎄🎄

 

I have just heard on the Classic FM news that people in parts of Suffolk & Humberside have woken up to some snow this morning. In my part of the world it is dry and chilly - I think we will see some sunshine today. 
 

Christmas Day is normally spent quietly with my other half so our plans have not been changed by Berkshire’s move into tier 4. I am cooking a turkey breast joint with all the usual trimmings later on - Waitrose tells me the turkey serves a minimum of 6 people, so we will get lunch and at least 2 rounds of sandwiches from it (the sandwiches are the best bit, of course!). 
 

Yesterday I made cheat’s mince pies with shop-bought mince meat & ready to roll pastry.  They turned out rather well - probably because of minimal input required from me! We also had a few, socially distanced, local musicians playing festive music around our neighbourhood yesterday & people came out into their front gardens to listen, which was lovely. 
 

One of my other half’s presents has been lost between the supplier & the courier, so it has been re-ordered and is due for delivery on the 28th. He won’t mind though and there does seem to be quite a lot of gifts under our tree, so I am wondering what I shall be opening up later...

 

Enjoy your day everyone.

 

[Host Hattie]

Happy Christmas everyone and thank you for your company on this thread. When I first posted in March I didn't imagine we'd still be here at Christmas.

Have a lovely day however you're spending it. We have Beef Wellington for two later followed by a family zoom quiz.

 

 

 

 

[Lanky Lad]

A glorious sunny but frosty morning here in Lancashire. 

 

My friend is cooking dinner, there will be three of us, but the turkey is enough for eight.  Plenty of left overs so a good job I like turkey.

[alc13]

And Merry Christmas to all from Maine - where the winds are howling and we're hoping to keep our power on through the day.  Mr Alc's present to me is late (!), but he says the company send a photo for him to put under the tree.  We'll open presents later this morning.

 

 

[Underwatr]

Poor GF has no idea why I would want to record the queen's Christmas address...

[navybankerteacher]

11 hours ago, alc13 said:

And Merry Christmas to all from Maine - where the winds are howling and we're hoping to keep our power on through the day.  Mr Alc's present to me is late (!), but he says the company send a photo for him to put under the tree.  We'll open presents later this morning.

 

 

Fortunately the 65 mph winds we had to listen to howling all last night did not bring limbs/trees down on our power lines giving us a dark Christmas morning.  We enjoyed our 2.5 lb. prime rib dinner (sadly without pickled watermelon rind -- damn this pandemic), and have enough left over to fry up with our sunnyside up eggs and corn bread tomorrow morning. 

 

Happy Christmas all - it is, after all, what we bring to the feast that leaves us fulfilled - so carry on, sail on, and be good to each other. 

[Bigmike911]

8 hours ago, Underwatr said:

Poor GF has no idea why I would want to record the queen's Christmas address...

I listened to the "Nations Favorite Carols" on Classic FM, morning my time followed by H.M. Christmas address. I thought it was wonderful and absolutely spot on. You can watch it on You Tube (The Queens 2020 Christmas Address).

[Host Hattie]

This thread has been so educational, I had no idea watermelon rind was edible !

We had a lovely day, Biggles and I did very well for presents (my MIL bought me cat toys !) & Mr HH put a brave face on. We bought each other exactly the same box of chocolates !

The sun came out long enough for a dip in the hot tub and stayed dry until late evening.

We came a close second in the zoom quiz, we spent more time with the in-laws than a normal Christmas Day 😅.

 

It's Boxing Day, traditionally a day for the sales and hunting, both cancelled this year. 

If you are under more strict restrictions this morning, I hope it's bearable.

[Lanky Lad]

We had a lovely day and a very good meal, made by someone else so that was even better.  I will return the favor on New Year's day. 

 

Although our shops are open I will not be going to the sales this year.  If it stays dry I will have a walk this afternoon.

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

This thread has been so educational, I had no idea watermelon rind was edible !

...

Actually, the watermelon rind is really just the rather neutral vehicle for conveying the flavor imbedded by the pickling brine and spices.  Similar, I suppose to pumpkin - whose pulped shell is a dismal, slightly tart glop which, when blended with sugar and spices, makes a pretty good pie.

 

I suspect it goes back to the early days when shortages of anything remotely edible and not poisonous had to consumed.

 

Still a few pieces of that pickled rind is the perfect accompaniment to a slice of rib roast.