Down Memory Lane

Yesterday Gerry & Geraldine came by the bar to say cheerio etc., before leaving to go home to Ireland, and passed on to me some tea to use up. Lyons tea actually, the name of which immediately rekindled just about my favourite childhood memory; Dad taking Pam and me to London, to Millbank, where he was to rehearse for an "Office Do". Obediently, and quietly, sat in a room, I remember him coming through the door dressed in a sheet, arranged to look like a Roman Toga, playing his bagpipes. Then he took us to a Lyons Cornerhouse where, downstairs, a quartet, quintet or sextet was playing in the background from a small stage. I remember being seated, feeling slightly vulnerable because my feet were not touching the ground, and then hearing the band strike up with "Teddy Bears' Picnic". The day ended (well, my memories do) with a trip down into the dark depths of Kingsbury Tunnel to catch a tram. The scene I have in my mind of that would make a good subject for a painting in the style of Cuneo, or even Lowry, but I can't paint. Margaret can and last year, while up on her roof terrace helping Christy with a computer problem I came across her copying a Jack Vettriano from a photo. Vettriano I've "met" before - prints of some of his canvasses hang in the Europa Restaurant and I fell in love with a couple of them over "me plates of 'addock 'n chips" (sorry Brendan). Watching her deft brushstrokes producing a copy of "Dance me to the End of Love" I asked if she would do one for me and I now have hanging on my wall a portal into memories of me and Pauline on the dancefloor. The best of which is when we went to the Talk of the Town in London one Saturday night where, still teenagers, dancing a Cha-cha, we found ourselves left alone on the floor, finishing to a standing ovation! Those were the days. I can still hear Harry Targett, on a Friday night, yelling at me about putting a foot wrong, or allowing my elbow to droop. Even my left-hand baby finger had to be in its proper place!

Margaret brought in for me yesterday a bunch of freshly-cut Carnations from her roof garden which I promptly put into a glass of water and placed on the bar. Ana-Marie, when she came in with Favio, asked me about them and I told her that they were mine, a gift etc. which I was going to leave in the bar where I could enjoy them better. Next thing, I noticed that they had been "re-potted" into a different glass looking more like a vase and placed on the mantlepiece over the fireplace! Margaret also brought in a pack of Sage & Onion stuffing which prompts me to thank those who have written to me about where to buy Sage (Salvia) hereabouts. The Herbs and Spices stall in the Fuengirola Markethall is my favourite venue for such purposes as it is indeed for the likes of AWT who stocks up there for his restaurants back in the UK. Last year I even had a plant growing on my terrace, bought from the same place. So, if my date with Lary on Monday takes me anywhere near there, and it probably will, I'll take time out for a little shopping.

In the meantime I've got a big bowl of sausagemeat to use up! Yesterday morning I added another 1lb of minced pork to it to cut the breadiness down but I have to say that, with the original mix, I made some sausage rolls which, eaten cold, were very close in flavour and texture to those bought in shops. I remember another TV chef, James Martin, demonstrating cream cheese stuffed meatballs on one of his shows and that is what I did last night, turning mine into patties rather than balls. Today I'm going to have a go at one of my alltime favourites, and something that I have wanted to do for a very long time - Homemade Scotch Eggs. And on that note, adios, I'm going to get some hard-boiled eggs on the go. .