Farmers' market

[strange_complex]

I spent lunch-time wandering around the farmers' market in Gloucester Green with dyddgu. We were beset by delicious smells on all sides, and satisfied our appetites by munching heartily on roast-pork-and-stuffing (or crackling) rolls. I bought:

• Two venison burgers
• Goats cheese with coriander and chive.
• Honey and mustard dressing
• Balsamic vinegar dressing
• Honey and ginger marinade

(The lady on the dressings and marinades stall was very friendly, and expert at tempting me into trying more and more of her delicious concoctions).

After dyddgu had dashed off to get back to her job in the History Faculty library, I wandered around a little more, taking in the antiques / craft part of the market, and then, all of a sudden on a 'Retro Design' stall, saw the telephone that I have been waiting for all my life. For years, you see, I've wanted a plain black dial phone, just like my parents had until only about 10 years ago. They're the ones everyone had in the 60s and 70s, which looked like this, and I now know are technically referred to as the '700 series'. Until recently, though, I haven't been able to justify the expense for something which is really just a fashion statement. So it had remained a pipe dream, and I'd got along perfectly happily with my £9.99 silver touch-tone phone.

The phone I saw today, though, brought my long-thwarted desire flooding back ten-fold. This phone wasn't just the design I liked - it was also sitting there in two-tone bright purple and black! I hadn't even known such phones existed. Which is lucky, because I'm not sure I could have survived this long without owning one. However, it was £65, and besides not having that kind of cash on me, it also occurred to me on the basis of previous experience of the Gloucester Green antiques market that I might well be able to get it cheaper on Ebay. I came home, did a quick search, and guess what? I could. And the thoughtful sellers have even offered a complete explanation of how it is that such phones ever came to be.

Much happiness now ensues. And I return to preparing tomorrow's lectures.

Comments

[bloodnok.livejournal.com]

The best Bambi burger I've ever had the pleasure of filling up on was at The Kingshouse Hotel, on the West Highland Way just on the entrance to Glen Etive. Admittedly, we had just walked 13 miles without stop to get there, but the chalkboard description of "King Venison Burger" for a mere £7 did no justice to the wonder of lean burger, hunk of Scottish cheddar and generous portion of bacon carefully arranged in a bun the size of a housebrick. Amazing how a humble burger can leave one feeling as if one has feasted like a king! Even more impressive when one sees the live article running around wild. It fuelled us for the next 11 miles up The Devil's Staircase and into Kinlochleven, and then some.

Ach, now I feel hungry... ;~)

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Crumbs, you walked 24 miles in one day??? No wonder you needed a serious protein feast in the middle of it! Consider me suitably impressed!

[bloodnok.livejournal.com]

We actually walked 100 miles in 5 days ;~)