Thanks buddy !
I hope the weather holds for your day about the island !
Thanks a lot Steve, it's raining here, with worse forecast for later, but the rest of my time here should be warmer and sunny. I had an early night last night, got up early, got my stuff together, went out to wait for my tour coach, and then realised my tour is tomorrow! The e-ticket doesn't give the date or time for some reason. With the way the weather is today, I'm not complaining!
Spent the afternoon providing the music for a senior church luncheon with a few friends. Back at home relaxing for the night.
Good work Jeremy, that's a nice pic too
I have the slip you sent me in my pocket
A nice day off. Wrapped about a hundred presents
My wife says my wrapping skills are horrendous…….I know they are
. Why do a nice job when the kids are going to rip them to shreds? I will be extra careful with hers. Might try my hand at a ribbon and bow. No…not the stick on kind. K’roo was faithfully in the pocket today. Don’t mind my messy Gun/reloading room. Only room I know my wandering kids can’t get into
.
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It's true Paul, the kids don't even glance at the wrapping paper, as they grow up!
When they're young, they might enjoy the paper more than what's inside!
Well done buddy
Hope it holds out for your "Holliday" Jack! Your photos so far look like fun and I hope you are having a good one!
If you are taking down addresses, let me know as well. Those look so good. Did you use the suet or substitute another fat? I'm always curious if people actually use the heavy duty stuff!
Looks great!
Well since we both are carrying around the same knife, I'll tell you that it should break in and be buttery smooth in a week or so. I open and close mine a lot though.
Just to not show the same knife yet again, here is a nice photo of big soupy. If it could talk it would be very jealous of the new one......
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Thanks Rick, hopefully I'll get a few better ones
Your Big 'Un reminds me of a knife I sent to Duane
sitflyer
, who passed away just under a year ago. I had a spooky moment this morning while waiting for the tour bus that never came. Another bus pulled up, and a lady got off looking for her passenger. She pronounced the name in heavily accented Spanish, showing me the screen of her phone - Duane Mallows!.
I told her the significance of the name to me, but she just shrugged, probably thought I was crazy!
Thanks, I used Robertson brand Mincemeat in a Jar. My mom used to make her own but gave up on it when she discovered the Robertson stuff. It's just as good as homemade and has suet in it
My mother used Robertson's if she didn't make her own. It was always the Gold standard in England
Looking good Mitch, I was admiring a feller's walking stick yesterday. He was a good deal older than me, and it had belonged to his grandfather
Oh ok! Thanks! I'll try it out. Definitely less painful than making it!
I like a bit of brandy or whisky in mine
There's no meat in mincemeat?!
Learn something new everyday
When I was a young boy, about 7, me and my mate walked into Sheffield city centre at Christmas, and on the way back we just had enough money to buy a mince-pie from a small old-fashioned bakers shop. When we bit into them, we were shocked to find they were filled with cold minced MEAT. I have mince and onion pies all the time, but that's the only time I've ever encountered Christmas mince pies like that!
Aftternoon all,
Thread needs a boost. I'm eating a lot of tomatoes lately
Lunch.
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You do like your tomatoes mate
It's not an entirely crazy name - in the 17th and 18th centuries it apparently did have meat - usually beef or venison.
When the non-meat variety began to be sold, it was marketed as the "hygienic" choice.
Sheffield was always a bit behind the times!
My mom's mom made "real" mince meat pies with meat, 60 years ago. We always had one or two for Thanksgiving.
Delicious with good vanilla ice cream.
Amazing
Some history of the mincemeat pie
And a bonus pic
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Thanks for the link Steve, and for that great pic
I wonder if we'll get any mince-pies here
Good thinking, Jack.
I don’t know if I ever told you about the guy who asked me for stopped me and asked for some money outside the train in Sheffield
It doesn't surprise me Barrett, every shop in Sheffield has it's own resident beggar! Years ago, there was a feller who used to walk around with an empty gas people, asking people if they could "lend" him a couple of Pounds as he'd supposedly just broken down while taking the kids to school!
I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it just in time to head home.
Yeah!
“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!”
I don’t know if that’s technically a condiment, but in the generous giving spirit of the holiday, I’m giving it the seal.
You wouldn't find a bakery in Australia that doesn't have a meat pie wafting it's beautiful aroma toward you.
My go to is the pepper pie the local bakery, they use whole green peppercorns...I'm salivating now!
Now you're talking!
Wife and eldest are at their work
Christmas do, youngest at work. So chicken BLTs for me and the dog.
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Lucky dog!
Good morning Guardians
Time is flying here! I'm not sure whether to risk the weather changing, and head into town. Have a good day everyone
An old chap in the elevator, the other day, gave me this advice, based on many years of wandering the corridors of this hotel: "Always head North!" 
