The weak in use...get it?

That is an actual phrase right? "The week in news" or have I made it up and convinced myself it's a real thing?! Problem when you keep your own company for a while, you tend to convince yourself of all kinds of things. Maybe it's just me...

The week has been a little uneventful. Well there was a gathering of legends round my house. Refreshing as it's always fun to meet up with the legends. I know a lot of legends Arthurian and the such. Was given a decent shove to take the initiative and make things happen. But I'm also a little ill and it's not man flu as I've had my jab. Devoid of motivation I've been doing busy work and setting things in motion.

Additionally my tshirt arrived! All the way from France, yep I have a french t shirt. It's pretty cool to look at...I am ever so tired my eyes are shut whilst I type this I wonder if it will look anything like English. Nailed it! Funny thing is as soon as I opened my eyes I made a mistake! Question for the hoard: can you tell that your car has a full tank of fuel? Whenever I fill up I can feel the difference in the car. Twas a moot point at the legend gathering as the yays tallied equal to the nays.

The tshirt! Now for the history of my t shirts yep I shall be going over something so banal. For a long time I owned numerous black tshirts, shirts etc. The colour of knowledge or so I've heard. Then inspired by the comic book heroes I hold in such high regard I sprung for primary colours red and blue. I now have the same colours but adorned with some rather butt kicking artwork. TARDIS, Pikachu, Edwards Scissorhands, Postman Pat/Breaking bad, Zebras, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and many wrestling legends. Interesting thing about the imagery + text is that people naturally have to stop and stare to ascertain what they are seeing. I tend to forget there is something stareworthy on my chest. This pretty much happens every time I go into public. So if you are staring at my chest trying to understand the awesomeness there upon then I'd advise you not to look at my face. As what you'll see is a confused look of "Why is everyone staring at my bosom?!"

Birch blossom!

On one of my excursions to visit my elderly dog, Tim. I say elderly but he's about as spry as he ever was. Also he lives in a shed inside a shed next to the garage. I'm not sure why we put a shed inside a shed. I approached the shed to awaken the beast, he spends most of the day snoozing. I spot an odd shot of colour out the corner of my eye. When I turn and stare I am greeted with a sign of spring, birch blossom! Looks like part of our hedge is made up of birch. Strange I know as you don't tend to use trees in hedges that's usually the territory of shrubberies. The rest of the hedge is hawthorn, I could hear you all screaming "WHAT SHRUBBERIES MAKE UP THE REST OF YOUR HEDGEROW!" So the indication that spring is here is somewhat misleading as it also snowed on several days this week. Not the settling kind of snow, oh no, it's the kind of snow that'll ruin a walk etc.

This cold malarky has made me drowsy. Rather annoying as being awake is such a possibility. Not getting much done in my wakefulness so perhaps sleep will be a better use of my time. Or I could sit here recounting what I did yesterday. I was invited to attend an alumni event to be part of a panel of graduates. We were supposed to recount our journeys from graduation. Mine was a lot of manual labour, a couple of accounting placements, cima exams, being incapacitated and then my dairy adventures. I was reminded gloriously of the bubble we all live in. The bubble formed by our particular experiences. From those experiences we for m conclusions on what we believe to be the truth. The problem is that all we experience isn't all that there is. I'm being vague because I don't want to be harsh. Perhaps my biggest shortfall is that I give too much consideration to not hurting folks feelings.

Note to self be more ruthless. Now that I've said that can one be ruthful? Thinking through the general "rules" and I am rather bored with that way of living. But what other options are there? Well there is foraging and...freelance. I don't have the skills for foraging neither the skills for freelance. But the life of a freelancer is ever so appealing. You would be free! But you wouldn't have a lance. I know a fair few freelancers and none of them have lances. Bit of a let down really. Where would one go to get a lance these days? In all my years I don't think I've ever met a Lance or seen a lance.

Oh my book finishing streak is continuing. V for Vendetta from start to finish in a few days! I know it'd have taken me a few years in the olden days. I'm a fantastically slow reader, not really. I start books then forget about them and get distracted by other books. Rather enjoyed it and I read the entire thing in the voice of V from the film. Portrayed excellently by Hugo Weaving, I'd encourage you to read it as it is rather awesome. Fills in some gaps that were missing from the film and adds a little more drama to the character of V. Plus the bit where Natalie Portman is in the rain is done much better in the book. Already onto my next book promises to transform my perspective on people and it's by Dale Carnegie.

Does anyone else find that during a full moon they can't sleep? Yesterday was such a day for me so today you'd think I'd be hanging. I am rather full of beans. Perhaps it's the coffee or maybe my lunacy has extended into today, get it?

Liver...

Now I've had liver once before, well I lie I've had liver several times before but usually in the form of a pâté. The only time I've had it without it being ground up was the first time I tried it. This was several years ago in Nottingham. We used to have an annual Christmas meal at the house that involved the gathering of such legends as Phil, Dawson, Richard, Burak, Rick, Chris, Sreek, Haseler Sr. and Jr., Pete and my good self. If I've missed someone it's only because you don't matter :P

Anyway those of you who have cooked poultry will know that giblets roast along with everything else adding to the awesome flavour of the juice that eventually becomes the gravy. Giblets consist of neck, heart, gizzard and liver? Anyway one particular time the lunch was running late, as always and I was hungry. I am pretty much in a constant state of peckishness that I have managed to keep at bay with massive amounts of self discipline and fruit.

So I start munching on the giblets. Have a go at the heart, it's ok and then there is the liver. It looks weird, I know that is kind of a weird thing to say  but I take a big bite and it...is...amazing! Smooth, rich, creamy I'd never tasted anything like it. I was so blown away I offer some to Phaseler so he too may enjoy the awesomeness! Any way this kicked off my love of liver. Or so I thought.

Late last week I was perusing the aisles at the local supermarche and I spied chicken livers! Total no brainer as I love all things liver. So I get some and I am all giddy about how excellent they are going to be! Anyhow I get round to opening up these badboys and the smell is what hits me first. I am not squeamish in the slightest but this stench makes me think that these livers are not meant to be eaten!

A few examples of how un-squemish I am I've disposed of several dead half decayed animals that have inexplicably appeared on the premises. The weirdest of these was an expired hedgehog that was in the driveway with it entrails strewn behind it like they had just exploded out. Have you ever seen a dead hedgehog at the side of the road blown up like a balloon waiting to pop? How about the explosive whale video? Even if your answer is yes then it's still worth watching again.

Anyway I plough on and chop it up and begin frying it off. The smell does not subside with cooking. After a few mins it looks done so I pop a bit in my mouth and it is so rich that I am really taken aback. I manage about half of what I cooked along with a salad and had to give the rest to Tim. Who didn't have any issues disposing of it.

On a side note I am seeking the perfect homemade burger recipe. I've tried adding egg yolk + various spices and salt. Think my problem is I tend to make them too big so they take ages to cook. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Tim: Labrador and Legend pt.2

So was walking my dog, Tim, a few days ago and he decides to drop a deuce. So me, being the responsible owner, stand and wait bag in hand. I hear some rustling from a nearby garden gate and assume that a neighbour is about to walk out and inevitably engage me in awkward conversation as Tim nonchalantly relieves himself on the pavement.

To my surprise a black cat pops it's head over the fence and proceeds to climb on to the gate. Upon spotting myself and Tim it freezes in it's tracks. A couple of seconds later a large, fluffy white n ginger cat climbs onto the fence behind the black one and seems perplexed by what the hold up is. The one behind is protesting loudly and shoving the other one, the one in front struggling to resist the others incessant nudging.

The fluffy cat pushes past and instantly notices myself and Tim and freezes. So the scene is my dog taking a deuce on the pavement, while I standby with a bag, and two cats are perched on the gate trying to be invisible!

Tim: Labrador and Legend

So Tim, my faithful 11 year old Labrador has barked 2 nights in a row. Something he rarely does, yesterday at 03:00 and today at around 21:30.

So a wander outside, torch in hand, and start spouting the general gibberish I reserve for Tim whilst haphazardly wafting the torchlight hither and dither.

And what do I see but a small ball of spikes no more that 2 feet from the door. Tim's herded this hedgehog to the door and has summoned me to deal with it :D

So I don a pair of builders gloves and gingerly pick it up and deposit it some distance away near some hedges, the natural habitat of oh the hedgehog!