vivdunstan

Ordered me some books with Christmas money. They arrived today. Utterly delighted with two of them, but the third is extremely disappointing. The paperback copy doesn't reproduce the Venice artworks well, at decent size, or in situ in the text. I need to get the hardback instead. To be fair I should have known better, but the paperback is still a very disappointing presentation of the same art history material. Martin's going to take it into Waterstones Dundee for me for a return in the shop and refund (it was ordered online, and sent from Waterstones Glasgow Sauchiehall Street), and I've ordered a hardback replacement.

Another of my occasional posts here of photos from Martin's walks. This photo was taken yesterday, on his usual weekend walk in the wooded river valley and old railway viaduct area near our home. It is a gem on so many levels.

Doing my annual membership renewals for the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club and Caledonian Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club. My gggg-granddad in the Scottish Borders was an important early breeder of these marvellous dogs. My future husband in Somerset also grew up with them next door!

Watching last night’s Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out, and she’s exploring south Somerset. Has just got to only a couple of miles from Martin’s childhood home 🙂 He is watching this episode very intently!

Pleased managed more accordion practice despite my worsening neuro illness. Not too light headed just now, though my usually automatic bellows control was a bit challenged! Focused on 5 tunes (*), including Windmills of Your Mind. Which on my 72 bass box required jumping from the top of the bass side to the bottom and back! Though, amazingly, that wasn't as tricky as expected. Here is a recording of Windmills of Your Mind.

* The other tunes were Pirates of the Caribbean "He's a Pirate" music (so piratey!), Speechless from live-action Disney Aladdin, Thank You For The Music by ABBA and a My Fair Lady medley.

Oh and Martin had a teleconference going on in the next door study while I played in the lounge. I tried to play a bit quieter than I might have. He said afterwards it was fine 😜

Should update folks on my low/no alcohol cider taste testing. Had fun. Here is my ranking from favourite to least favourite. I was the main one drinking, but Martin also tried a little, and generally shared my views. I like a strong traditional alcoholic cider taste with a whoomph. Blame my Somerset husband 😜 I also prefer a dry tasting cider to anything sweeter.

Best: Sheppy's low alcohol - like proper cider, with whoomph! Not too sweet. So very good compared to all the others.
Next: Sainsbury's low alcohol - a bit weak in taste, but very drinkable, and not too sweet.
Next: Inch's no alcohol - strange smell (too apple-y for me - I'm not looking for apple juice elements!) but tastes good.
Next: Weston's Stowford Mill low alcohol - has whoomph but far too sweet for me, so not a hit.
Worst (by quite a long way): Thatcher's no alcohol - awful smell and taste, and reminds me of Magners, in a very bad way. We usually love Thatchers cider, but this was not at all for us.

The switch from normal alcoholic cider to low or no alcohol cider (but still with a proper British cider-y whoomph) has helped my alcohol-triggered stomach problems immensely. So pleased with that. I am still drinking a 330ml can of Birra Moretti with our mid-week Italian takeaway meal. Getting away with that. But two cans wouldn't work. I've also stopped drinking wine, which triggers me 50% of the time - not worth it! But I am still enjoying gin and tonic, and small occasional servings of ice cider from Somerset!

Another weekend, another low/alcohol cider testing! Tonight Westons Stowford Press low alcohol from Herefordshire. Nice, but too sweet for me, and a bit too scrumpy like for my Somerset husband’s usual preference! But definitely a good option. Our favourite is Sheppy’s low alcohol from Somerset, which hit the spot for both of us with a lot of whoomph! And fortunately available in our town’s wee Tescos.

Another Saturday night, another low/no alcohol cider taste test. Tonight Sheppy’s low alcohol cider. Verdict from the Somerset member of the household: “It starts off a little apple-y, then goes wham I’m a cider!”

Tonight at dinner tried my 3rd low or no alcohol cider, with Sainsbury’s own brand low alcohol medium dry cider. It’s 0.9% alcohol, 0.5 units in the bottle. And it’s the best one I’ve tried yet. Great smell, and an almost scrumpy like taste. Win win!

Next weekend will fingers crossed be Sheppy's low alcohol cider. If our local Tescos has it in stock.

I am pleasantly surprised that Somerset-raised Martin is having a similar reaction to the low/no alcohol cider tastings as I work through them!

And for American friends, cider here = British cider, which is very strong, and usually very alcoholic. Not just apple juice. I'm trying to get a fairly authentic British alcoholic cider taste in no alcohol or low alcohol. And having mixed success, but finding some good ones.

And it is definitely helping my IBS type problems.

Have just managed episode 1, but hoping to get through an episode a week together, if not more often.

I’m very relieved to have watched this because ( casting spoiler for season 2 episode 1 ) I also have a sequence coming in episode 3 stuck in my head (( spoiler for season 2 episode 3 )) but I can’t talk about that to him yet! Maybe in a few weeks.

I also considered us starting tonight watching Rings of Power season 2 or Sandman season 2. But the Rings of Power episodes are *so* very long. I'll struggle to stay alert throughout them. And Sandman has a rather glacial pace, which I gather is even more glacial this year. Wednesday at least is a moderately acceptable length, and full of content. It also doesn’t have a huge number of episodes.