Where Have You Just Been?

[Stanley]

You're right Cathy, it's a very special place.
Susan and I went to Boundary Mill yesterday after visiting Wendy and Colin. We had lunch there and walked round the place looking for kitchen curtains and perhaps a waistcoat.... Complete waste of time. Looking at the stuff on sale there I realise that I am completely out of sync with modern culture! There was so much pretentious tat! Perhaps it's me that's at fault but I didn't see anything there that suited me. We strolled through the shoe section as well and the least I say about that the better!

[Big Kev]

We took my mother to Boundary Outlet on Wednesday, initially she was overwhelmed by the size of the place but, after a light lunch in Bannister's restaurant, she soon settled in and we left with two bedding sets and a furry blanket. I resisted and didn't buy anything, the previous week we went in for something for Paulette and I bought a shirt and trousers.

[Stanley]

Glad to hear it Kev.... As I said, it's probably me that's at fault, to set in my ways.....

[Julie in Norfolk]

Late last week I went to Carlisle Records Centre. I went Wednesday and Thursday and spent those two hot days in air conditioned rooms, not the only reason that I went though.

I had booked ahead and ordered a shed load of Lonsdale records which I hoped would mention my ancestors. They were the manorial records generally, and specifically the Courts Baron and the Courts Leet and some transcripts (from Victorian times if the writing style can be relied on). In short, my family were mentioned as jurors and as tenants. Plenty of names and times to get my thinking tackle around.

I didn't look at every thing I had ordered, there's only so much secretary script you can look at without going cross eyed, but I checked a reasonable selection. The earliest mention I could find was in 1513, four years after Henry VIII came onto the throne. Nearly all the documents didn't mention the year but were dateable by how many years whoever had been on the throne.

One thing that threw me for a minute or two was that somebody was brought to court because he smile at a person! I kept going back to that section because it flummoxed me, and I kept thinking about Basil Fawlty and the Irish builder Mr. O'Reilly, "don't smile at her". I eventually worked out that the word should have been SMITE!

[Stanley]

I have happy memories of Carlisle Record Office Julie. I spent time in there researching my Bobbin Mills in the Lake District for the DOE.
You're right about old script sending you round the bend! I was never very good at it, I admire your perseverance. I like the SMITE story.....

[Julie in Norfolk]

Hi Stanley, there was a bobbin mill in Ulpha, in the Duddon Valley. Did you do anything on that? Just being curious.

[Stanley]

The name rings a bell Julie. Unfortunately all the finished work I did on Lake District water power was collared by the DOE because they had paid for it....

[Stanley]

The Cow and Calf rocks, Ilkley Moor.....

[Julie in Norfolk]

I made it out to Morrisons yesterday, but they didn't have my coffee (slight wobble of bottom lip) and so I set the satnav for Wakefield Sainsbury. 30 minute drive seemed rather excessive so I came back to base and will strike out that way today.

[Stanley]

We're going to head the same way Julie, to Nostell Priory.....

[Wendyf]

Whereabouts are you Julie?

[Stanley]

Nostell Priory to meet my friends Margaret and Robert.....

[Tripps]

Nice picture - thanks. I miss Margaret's advert for her "Person Centred Counselling" service. Her voice was very reassuring and calming.

I've just been to Home Bargains for vital supplies. Bury black pudding at 1.25 for 1 lb , and two packs of Colliers Mature Cheddar £2.25 for 350 gm. The rascals - the last pack bought was 550 gms.

I do believe I was followed throughout by a store detective. I found the whatever row I was in - a middle aged Indian lady was coming at me from the opposite direction. She was not shopping, just casually looking at the shelves, and did not have trolley or children like everyone else. She fitted in perfectly as a typial customer, and old decrepit white men are a distinct minority in Cambourne. Having seen Tinker Tailor I did a bit of "tradecraft" and varied my pattern. She was still in sight.

Quite amusing really - I now know what it is like to be a suspect and a stereotype.

[Stanley]

I think you mean Susan David and yes, she stopped counselling when they went on the road. I get the full benefit of her skills now of course....
That black pudding was a bargain. When you think it contains exactly the same nutritional elements as fillet steak and compare the price all I can say is thank God for squeamish people who won't eat offal!
I like your story about the store detective, how exciting.....

[Gloria]

I love a fatty black pudding, they have to have loads of fat in them. And, I used to love tripe, not had any for donkeys years, blathered in vinegar.

[Stanley]

Gloria, I was once told that the very best pieces of white fat in a fatty black pudding came from Normandy.....
I liked honeycomb tripe because the cells held the vinegar.... For cooking with onions it had to be seam.
Tripe dressers used to sell Pizzle as well which was bull's penis. It is still available but only for dogs chews.... I never fancied it!

(Little known fact. The South African Sjambok or whip was originally made from a dried Rhinoceros pizzle.... It was reputed to cut human flesh like a razor..... )

[Tripps]

Yes - i should have said Susan. Apologies.


You'll be disappointed with this black pudding then Gloria. I don't see any pieces of fat in it at all. The white bits are barley I think. Disappointingly I saw that the blood comes from Spain in the form of a powder. Why not use British blood there must be plenty available. The "Best before" date is an astonishing February 2026 - so safe in the fridge for six months. That's handy. In fact - I think it's popularity has expanded since the fat was taken out. - That's certainly the case with me. As for tripe - include me out. . . . I think I'd have said slathered rather than blathered?

Black Pud.JPG

[Big Kev]

Disappointingly I saw that the blood comes from Spain in the form of a powder. Why not use British blood there must be plenty available.

I watched a programme on it a while ago, I think it was called Made in Britain, apparently British pig blood hasn't been used since the BSE outbreak in the 90s. I must presume they're still not allowed to use it.