MORE random stuff about your day

[Six String]

We're going to a local cafe for jazz tonight and as it is the last show of the year it goes like this. About thirty musicians show up, put their names in a hat and the host draws out three names at a time and those three perform a couple of songs. So obviously no prep work is possible so a truly improvised set of music is guaranteed. It's always a good night of music with such nice surprises.

[Minnie the Minx]

We're going to a local cafe for jazz tonight and as it is the last show of the year it goes like this. About thirty musicians show up, put their names in a hat and the host draws out three names at a time and those three perform a couple of songs. So obviously no prep work is possible so a truly improvised set of music is guaranteed. It's always a good night of music with such nice surprises.

Excellent!

By the way I don’t know if I told you this at the time but I was laying in bed the night you and me played guitar at my house and I suddenly thought - oh! Six string! Refers to...A GUITAR!

[Six String]

no you didn't share at the time.

[GoogaMooga]

Worst Christmas ever. Just one long ordeal with very persistent phlegm that I can't cough up properly. Waiting for the release, the so-called "flick", that moment when the phlegm tears loose and the irritation stops. No appetite, except for bacon and scrambled eggs, with toast. And salt and pepper. Also, a ginger shot will somehow put you right, if only briefly. I've played one Christmas CD only, Barbara Hendricks. But it has "Jingle Bells" on it, so I won't be playing that one again.

[Six String]

We had a party yesterday at Two Rivers Cider, a private affair meaning we could legally bring in any kind of alcohol if we didn't want cider. It was also a potluck so we had lots of good food as well. I made an Indonesian recipe of vegetables in a coconut milk gravy with winter squash, turnips, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage. I hadn't made that dish in more than thirty years so it was nice revisiting that one. I was going to use vegetable stock instead of chicken to keep it vegan but then I was reminded that it had shrimp paste in it too so that erased that idea so I went with my original plan. A few of us brought instruments so we played a little music, did some karaoke and basically celebrated another good day in the neghborhood. It was supposed to go from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.; Rebecca had enough mayhem by 7:00 and at that point there were three or four times the people that I imagined would attend so there's no way it was going to stop anytime soon. Best Christmas party in a long while.

[Flower]

I'm looking for a "good" recipe for black eyes peas.

[Six String]

I'm looking for a "good" recipe for black eyes peas.

If you eat pork I would cook them with a smoked hamhock plus a quartered onion and a stalk or two of celery chopped in one inch pieces so you can fish the onion and celery out when the beans are done. A bay leaf and a little sage plus some black pepper will add some flavor. If pork I s not an option cook the beans in low sodium chicken stock for a little more flavor or go vegetarian and leave the meat out.

You could also dice and fry a couple of slices of bacon in the pot until crispy then add finely chopped onion and a stalk of celery and cook until soft before adding beans, bay leaf and sage. Leaving out the bacon is ok of course.

One of my go to ways of making any kind of bean dish is to cook them with a quartered onion and a dried chipotle or two depending on the size of them. It adds a smoky flavor that doesn't get too spicy and it's meatless. I usually don't salt the beans until near the end and not at all if I were to use the bacon or broth.

[Flower]

Thanks. While I eat a bit of pork now and again .. I'll more than likely go the veggie route. As for adding salt, I've made red beans enough times to know not to add salt until the end. I keep threatening to do black eyed peas and hopefully, this will be the year that I carry out my threat.

[Six String]

Thanks. While I eat a bit of pork now and again .. I'll more than likely go the veggie route. As for adding salt, I've made red beans enough times to know not to add salt until the end. I keep threatening to do black eyed peas and hopefully, this will be the year that I carry out my threat.

If you want to use chipotles and can't find dried ones the canned version will of course work but they come in a liquid base. You may want to remove the chiles seperately instead of pouring them along with the liquid as it may be more picante than you want.

[Flower]

Thanks, I'll let you know how it works out ...

[Six String]

Thanks, I'll let you know how it works out ...

This recipe was in the Wa Post today. They use canned peas which I don't recommend but the flavors sound interesting.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/vor ... t-minutes/

[Six String]

We went to a tamale makng/jam session party at a friend's house. I wasn't interested in making tamales but Rebecca helped. One of the players declared my version of Mona (Bo Diddley) the best of the session.

[Flower]

We went to a tamale makng/jam session party at a friend's house. I wasn't interested in making tamales but Rebecca helped. One of the players declared my version of Mona (Bo Diddley) the best of the session.

Very cool.

[Minnie the Minx]

We’re bedded down in Yorkshire at my parents for the next few days. It’s been a whirlwind of crumpet eating and hospital visiting with family back in the hospital after another emergency admit. The ward that we visited yesterday is at the hospital I trained at which was surreal as we were visiting on a ward I worked on.
Last night we were looking forward to watching a documentary on an eagle’s flight round Mull, one of our favourite places which was strangely dull. To liven the mood we then watched the extraordinary ‘home movies of the Nazis’ which was as horrifying as you can imagine and left us feeling as Christmassy as dogshit.
Off to buy champagne now which I believe is a cure for all. Baron is going to make guacamole and I have no idea if avocados are as available here as in Texas - I suppose we are about to find out.

[Six String]

Here's hoping your NYE is more cheerful. It should be a little easier with the champers. R and I are having our dinner mid day then an early performance by a surf rock band and then home early for our bubbly and we won't see midnight I'm sure. The surf band seems odd this time of year and not usually my first choice but it"s a friend's band so we're going. They'll be done by 7 p.m. (rocknroll, eh?) which means we have time to enjoy ourselves home alone.

[Jimbo]

I left my wife at home and all alone I limp-cane hiked to the station where there was a Starbucks. My purpose was to be in an environment where I could read the book Felix (Neige) sent me in my SS package. I ordered a soy latte and was galled at the price, about $5 US. I read for a while then listened to an audio book for a while and then I limped home. Exercise for the body and the mind.

[Flower]

I didn't get to make the black eyed peas, maybe this weekend for belated good luck but I did pick up more wild bird seed for my 92 year old neighbor who feeds many bird behind her home. I gave her a larger than normal bag for Christmas and held my breathe as Rosa usually has some sort of "remark" to make about gifts of any kind but she asked me where I picked up the seeds .. so I gifted her with more seeds after explaining where I bought them.

[Six String]

I went to a jam session yesterday that started around 2:30 and ran till 11:00 at night. It was a lot of fun. The host cooked dungeness crabs and we made spring rolls with some and cracked the massive legs for sustenance. The only downside was a woman who couldn't sing participating and having more confidence than skill. I had to look down a few times so I could wince in semi private. Fortunately she only sang a few songs but god she was horrible.

[Six String]

Finally getting over my cold though it was only about four days of yuck. Just in time as we have tickets to go see a local band at a small venue about five minutes from the house. We've never been to this place, only becoming aware about a month ago, so we're going to check it out as they get get some name acts sometimes. Peter Case played there a few months ago and I'm sorry we missed him. The only downside is no food or beverages allowed to accompany the show. Fortunately my favorite pub is two blocks away and a lesser one next door so we can "load up" before hand.

[Minnie the Minx]

Last night in Tallinn and we’re a bit shitted up on vodka and shit. Things like buckwheat (for me) and herrings (for him) for tea. It’s foggy as fucking fuck.