What are you eating/drinking right now?

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

I'm drinking Duvel, after my ghastly encounter with Blandford Fly, and eating some Indonesian crackers.
Not difficult to imagine the dreadful musical. In fact, the words dreadful and musical have been synonymous for some years. The Defontaine champagne sounds somewhat suspect, I saw Pol Roger reduced to £19 in Waitrose today which sounds like a better deal as I have never heard of Defontaine champers.
I must say this Duvel goes down a treat. I actually thought a 750 ml bottle wouldn't be enough, so I supplemented it with a bottle of Summer Lightning which I will probably have some time tomorrow.
Today I got two favourable reports with some constructive criticism on my most recent book A Tangled Web from a couple of friends I sent copies to.
As for Woody Allen and a Midsummer Sex Comedy..... Oh dear.

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Ha, ha, wonderful. The Summer Lighting is a sound little beer, I can say - good choice and duval is just about my favourite Belgian at the moment, no the favourite I would say - I have found joy in chilling it passed the recommended chill level too.

I am far from an expert on wine and champagne but at £11 reduced it is about the best I can get away with without feeling guilty. I am prepared to starve the kids for quality champs but maybe Mrs Neely would have words to say to that? (Though she has no idea of the price of things.) It's not bad, especially the first glass, but after that it feels a little so/so, but better than Aussie stuff - stiill for a change it is drinkable and I am good at pretending it is better - I like that Mum stuff and am going to drink that for breakfast at my graduation in July!

I am glad you are getting positive feedback on your new book - where can you get it from? I ordered your other one a few days ago - the Pro Bono one, so perhaps the Amazon fairies will bring it me shortly? It sounds interesting and now that I am nearly free, can once again look forward to reading what the hell I want and not having the damn essays at the back of my mind. I'm never studying again.

Oh, you are too harsh on Woody Allen. Annie Hall and Manhattan are top class films and most of his other stuff is above average. Today I ordered Brief Encounter as I've not seen that, (Amazon constantly bombard me with stuff, they force me to purchase) I feel that is more your thing, maybe?

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Originally Posted by Neely

Ha, ha, wonderful. The Summer Lighting is a sound little beer, I can say - good choice and duval is just about my favourite Belgian at the moment, no the favourite I would say - I have found joy in chilling it passed the recommended chill level too.

I am far from an expert on wine and champagne but at £11 reduced it is about the best I can get away with without feeling guilty. I am prepared to starve the kids for quality champs but maybe Mrs Neely would have words to say to that? (Though she has no idea of the price of things.) It's not bad, especially the first glass, but after that it feels a little so/so, but better than Aussie stuff - stiill for a change it is drinkable and I am good at pretending it is better - I like that Mum stuff and am going to drink that for breakfast at my graduation in July!

I am glad you are getting positive feedback on your new book - where can you get it from? I ordered your other one a few days ago - the Pro Bono one, so perhaps the Amazon fairies will bring it me shortly? It sounds interesting and now that I am nearly free, can once again look forward to reading what the hell I want and not having the damn essays at the back of my mind. I'm never studying again.

Oh, you are too harsh on Woody Allen. Annie Hall and Manhattan are top class films and most of his other stuff is above average. Today I ordered Brief Encounter as I've not seen that, (Amazon constantly bombard me with stuff, they force me to purchase) I feel that is more your thing, maybe?

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Quite a lot to say on this Neely but I have just downed the Summer Lightning and, what with the large Duvel, I'm too tired to answer, except to say that I will reply tomorrow.

Good night.

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

Quite a lot to say on this Neely but I have just downed the Summer Lightning and, what with the large Duvel, I'm too tired to answer, except to say that I will reply tomorrow.

Good night.

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No worries, thanks. Personally, I would have had the Summer Lighting first and saved the Belgian till last. It is always difficult appreciating an English beer after a Belgian, because those wonderful Belgians are so damn superior, even if the Summer Lightening is good, and it is. (Also, I am Jealous because I have not come across a 750ml bottle of Duvel.)

One of the reasons I don't drink wine more often, not only because I prefer beer and then cider, is that a 750ml bottle is just no good. It is always just slightly too short. Here I am finishing the champagne and thinking of stealing another of Mrs Neely's Magners Pear ciders. Oh well she won't know, no work tomorrow too, such joy - I'm never going back...

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Originally Posted by Neely

Ha, ha, wonderful. The Summer Lighting is a sound little beer, I can say - good choice and duval is just about my favourite Belgian at the moment, no the favourite I would say - I have found joy in chilling it passed the recommended chill level too.

I am far from an expert on wine and champagne but at £11 reduced it is about the best I can get away with without feeling guilty. I am prepared to starve the kids for quality champs but maybe Mrs Neely would have words to say to that? (Though she has no idea of the price of things.) It's not bad, especially the first glass, but after that it feels a little so/so, but better than Aussie stuff - stiill for a change it is drinkable and I am good at pretending it is better - I like that Mum stuff and am going to drink that for breakfast at my graduation in July!

I am glad you are getting positive feedback on your new book - where can you get it from? I ordered your other one a few days ago - the Pro Bono one, so perhaps the Amazon fairies will bring it me shortly? It sounds interesting and now that I am nearly free, can once again look forward to reading what the hell I want and not having the damn essays at the back of my mind. I'm never studying again.

Oh, you are too harsh on Woody Allen. Annie Hall and Manhattan are top class films and most of his other stuff is above average. Today I ordered Brief Encounter as I've not seen that, (Amazon constantly bombard me with stuff, they force me to purchase) I feel that is more your thing, maybe?

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Mumm champagne certainly has one of the best pedigrees for that particular wine. I was speaking to someone who did a tour of their cellars and he said they had a million bottles stored there. Just the stuff for celebrating the big day.
Brief encounter is my second favourite film and is an amazing time capsule of England before the proverbial hit the fan in 1945. If you watch it with the wife, have a large box of tissues to hand as it's one of the saddest films ever made; in short, a women's story turned into a masterpiece of film making by a collection of very talented people such as, David Lean, Robert Krasker, Noel Coward, Trevor Howard, Celia Johnson and an amazing cast of supporting players all at the top of their form.
I'm glad you have ordered Pro Bono Publico as, coincidentally, it traces the evolution of the UK from 1945 -1979 and the impact of the political and social changes on the characters in the story. You may not like what you read but you can take my word for it that it is all true, except for those literary devices that are necessary to the fictional side of the story. I shall certainly be interested in your verdict on the book, regarding the storyline and the actual events portrayed therein.
As for A Tangled Web, I had it printed privately for anyone who might be interested. It's nothing like Pro Bono Publico but is from an idea that came to me as a member of this forum. It's about writing and writers but the underlying theme is human gullibility which is a personal fascination of mine.
Although basically tragic, the story has quite a lot of comic moments and sends up the pop music racket in no small measure. I had great fun in writing it and went through hell proofreading it but it was worth it.

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

Mumm champagne certainly has one of the best pedigrees for that particular wine. I was speaking to someone who did a tour of their cellars and he said they had a million bottles stored there. Just the stuff for celebrating the big day.
Brief encounter is my second favourite film and is an amazing time capsule of England before the proverbial hit the fan in 1945. If you watch it with the wife, have a large box of tissues to hand as it's one of the saddest films ever made; in short, a women's story turned into a masterpiece of film making by a collection of very talented people such as, David Lean, Robert Krasker, Noel Coward, Trevor Howard, Celia Johnson and an amazing cast of supporting players all at the top of their form.
I'm glad you have ordered Pro Bono Publico as, coincidentally, it traces the evolution of the UK from 1945 -1979 and the impact of the political and social changes on the characters in the story. You may not like what you read but you can take my word for it that it is all true, except for those literary devices that are necessary to the fictional side of the story. I shall certainly be interested in your verdict on the book, regarding the storyline and the actual events portrayed therein.
As for A Tangled Web, I had it printed privately for anyone who might be interested. It's nothing like Pro Bono Publico but is from an idea that came to me as a member of this forum. It's about writing and writers but the underlying theme is human gullibility which is a personal fascination of mine.
Although basically tragic, the story has quite a lot of comic moments and sends up the pop music racket in no small measure. I had great fun in writing it and went through hell proofreading it but it was worth it.

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Mumm it's going to be then if I have got any money left by July! I remember having it before at a posh dinner party and that it was superb.

Yes the film sounds good (it is also on TV next week apparently). I've done quite a lot of film watching recently, flitting between classics and Woody Allen’s - sometimes at the same time in regards to Manhattan and Annie Hall! Obvious question: if Close Encounter is your second best film what's your first?

The novels sound great, especially Pro Bono Publico which covers a subject that I'm interested in, I hope it comes tomorrow because I have 'ran out' of things to read. Yes I'd be interested in your latest one The Tangled Web that sounds interesting as well, let me know how I can get hold of it.

Tonight I am facing the truly horrendous prospect of a family meal with Aunts and people like that, it is not going to be fun I can tell you, but at least the food is going to be good because it is a top Indian restaurant I go to regularly. I am somewhat dreading the prospect and have been all day, but I'm just going to have to share with pain with my brother who's going as well. Oh Lord, a stiff drink is required shortly, very shortly. Relations are horrible.

Condolences, my friend... The only possibility is to emigrate. That way, you have an excuse to never come to family gatherings like that. Or in your case, it's possibly also alright to just move way up north or south... Anything that is too far for an aternoon drive should do the trick...

Please also give Moët et Chandon a thought if you want champagne. It's got a wonderful smoked wood aroma. And if you do not have any money, do not spend it on cheap real champagne, but go for Bohemian Sekt or fizzy wine. Much of it is better than cheap champagne and sometimes even comes cheaper than the cheapest from Champagne.

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Originally Posted by Neely

Mumm it's going to be then if I have got any money left by July! I remember having it before at a posh dinner party and that it was superb.

Yes the film sounds good (it is also on TV next week apparently). I've done quite a lot of film watching recently, flitting between classics and Woody Allen’s - sometimes at the same time in regards to Manhattan and Annie Hall! Obvious question: if Close Encounter is your second best film what's your first?

The novels sound great, especially Pro Bono Publico which covers a subject that I'm interested in, I hope it comes tomorrow because I have 'ran out' of things to read. Yes I'd be interested in your latest one The Tangled Web that sounds interesting as well, let me know how I can get hold of it.

Tonight I am facing the truly horrendous prospect of a family meal with Aunts and people like that, it is not going to be fun I can tell you, but at least the food is going to be good because it is a top Indian restaurant I go to regularly. I am somewhat dreading the prospect and have been all day, but I'm just going to have to share with pain with my brother who's going as well. Oh Lord, a stiff drink is required shortly, very shortly. Relations are horrible.

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Back on the egg and potato salad and Cotes du Rhone, so pretty standard fare. I don't envy you the family gathering, I think I would go into a cataleptic trance in a similar situation.
My favourite film is Citizen Kane and, after more years than I care to remember, nothing has replaced it at the top of my list.
Incidentally, Close Encounter isn't Brief Encounter. I think the first is about aliens invading Earth (Yawn) and certainly the kind of film I would give the heave-ho to.
As regards Pro Bono Publico, I should stress that it is told as narrative and contains reported speech rather than dialogue. This is because the factual content of the novel takes precedent over the fictional element. The writing of 'Faction' forces this kind of decision on the writer. In retrospect, I could have written it as fiction first and fact second but, given the nature of the novel as polemic, the facts must transcend the fiction.
A Tangled Web is currently under consideration for reprinting and I suggest you read Pro Bono Publico and then we can perhaps see about the very different 'A Tangled Web' that is a straightforward satire on human manipulation. '

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Originally Posted by kiki1982

Condolences, my friend... The only possibility is to emigrate. That way, you have an excuse to never come to family gatherings like that. Or in your case, it's possibly also alright to just move way up north or south... Anything that is too far for an aternoon drive should do the trick...

Please also give Moët et Chandon a thought if you want champagne. It's got a wonderful smoked wood aroma. And if you do not have any money, do not spend it on cheap real champagne, but go for Bohemian Sekt or fizzy wine. Much of it is better than cheap champagne and sometimes even comes cheaper than the cheapest from Champagne.

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Thank you for the sound advice on both counts. You are quite correct again. Moet is another obvious choice and you are right about the cheap champagne of course and the emigration, I will avoid the first and attempt the latter.

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

Back on the egg and potato salad and Cotes du Rhone, so pretty standard fare. I don't envy you the family gathering, I think I would go into a cataleptic trance in a similar situation.
My favourite film is Citizen Kane and, after more years than I care to remember, nothing has replaced it at the top of my list.
Incidentally, Close Encounter isn't Brief Encounter. I think the first is about aliens invading Earth (Yawn) and certainly the kind of film I would give the heave-ho to.
As regards Pro Bono Publico, I should stress that it is told as narrative and contains reported speech rather than dialogue. This is because the factual content of the novel takes precedent over the fictional element. The writing of 'Faction' forces this kind of decision on the writer. In retrospect, I could have written it as fiction first and fact second but, given the nature of the novel as polemic, the facts must transcend the fiction.
A Tangled Web is currently under consideration for reprinting and I suggest you read Pro Bono Publico and then we can perhaps see about the very different 'A Tangled Web' that is a straightforward satire on human manipulation. '

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The family gathering was OK, but, and I kid you not, there is evil amongst them. It is like an Agatha Christie dinner party - seriously I am not joking here for once, if I said possible attempted murder I would not be exaggerating by much. Even without that, family meals are usually horrendous - at least the food was great as predicted.

Yes, yes my mistake, I meant Brief Encounter, not Close Encounter, it was an obvious Freudian moment for my own close encounter tonight!

Oh sure, no worry with the other book, if you reprint it or it is available via Amazon or something let me know. Really, I should be concentrating on my last ever essay but I just can't be bothered with it, bad I know, but I have had enough of it all, seven years and all...

Currently drinking another of "Mrs Neely's" Pear Ciders, quite, quite average but at least it is cold and it goes someway to taking the pain away. Jesus.

Edit: I feel that I am drifting more towards Westons again, must get some Westons cider in.

I just finished eating an orange popsicle.

Darn, those things are hard to manouvre around a keyboard!

It's a good thing I didn't drop any on my brand-new laptop...I would've never forgiven myself!

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Originally Posted by Neely

Thank you for the sound advice on both counts. You are quite correct again. Moet is another obvious choice and you are right about the cheap champagne of course and the emigration, I will avoid the first and attempt the latter.



The family gathering was OK, but, and I kid you not, there is evil amongst them. It is like an Agatha Christie dinner party - seriously I am not joking here for once, if I said possible attempted murder I would not be exaggerating by much. Even without that, family meals are usually horrendous - at least the food was great as predicted.

Yes, yes my mistake, I meant Brief Encounter, not Close Encounter, it was an obvious Freudian moment for my own close encounter tonight!

Oh sure, no worry with the other book, if you reprint it or it is available via Amazon or something let me know. Really, I should be concentrating on my last ever essay but I just can't be bothered with it, bad I know, but I have had enough of it all, seven years and all...

Currently drinking another of "Mrs Neely's" Pear Ciders, quite, quite average but at least it is cold and it goes someway to taking the pain away. Jesus.

Edit: I feel that I am drifting more towards Westons again, must get some Westons cider in.

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Publishing/printing books is too complicated a subject to go into here, but I will try to get a copy of A Tangled Web to you as soon as current problems are ironed out. Something much more important than literature is Madame Neely's drinking of Pear Cider when, formerly, she was simply a diet coke drinker. Does this mean that your bibulous habits are beginning to bear fruit in the Neely household? I could tell you something about cider that might alter your opinion of it but perhaps it is better to let sleeping dogs lie.

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

Publishing/printing books is too complicated a subject to go into here, but I will try to get a copy of A Tangled Web to you as soon as current problems are ironed out. Something much more important than literature is Madame Neely's drinking of Pear Cider when, formerly, she was simply a diet coke drinker. Does this mean that your bibulous habits are beginning to bear fruit in the Neely household? I could tell you something about cider that might alter your opinion of it but perhaps it is better to let sleeping dogs lie.

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Oh no worries with the book, thanks - still no sign of Pro Bono, might come tomorrow, I've started re-reading Down and Out in Paris and London, that's great fun. Well, I say Mrs Neely's Pear Cider, currently she drinks about half a glass a week so yes she is indeed a Diet Coke drinker which is surely worse? Once a month she berates me for not having any pear cider in (old fashioned perry of course, jazzed up and marketed to mug punters) so I get some in for reserve. Anyway, no, what's the secret with the cider? Are you about to tell me that it is bad for you or something? Rot gut my grandfather used to call it.

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Originally Posted by Neely

Oh no worries with the book, thanks - still no sign of Pro Bono, might come tomorrow, I've started re-reading Down and Out in Paris and London, that's great fun. Well, I say Mrs Neely's Pear Cider, currently she drinks about half a glass a week so yes she is indeed a Diet Coke drinker which is surely worse? Once a month she berates me for not having any pear cider in (old fashioned perry of course, jazzed up and marketed to mug punters) so I get some in for reserve. Anyway, no, what's the secret with the cider? Are you about to tell me that it is bad for you or something? Rot gut my grandfather used to call it.

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Well, let me relate to you a little tale that concerns a country walk that I used to do a long time ago in Kent which has a large number of commercial orchards. While passing through an orchard, I stopped to watch a vehicle spraying insecticide on the apples. It went along a row of trees and then back and then forth and then back... you get the idea. When I looked at the apples, they were sopping wet with insecticide. It was overkill big time. Now, apples have a porous skin, which means that the chemical spray must have penetrated well into the flesh of the fruit. It is on this account that I don't drink cider or eat apples.

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Originally Posted by Emil Miller

Well, let me relate to you a little tale that concerns a country walk that I used to do a long time ago in Kent which has a large number of commercial orchards. While passing through an orchard, I stopped to watch a vehicle spraying insecticide on the apples. It went along a row of trees and then back and then forth and then back... you get the idea. When I looked at the apples, they were sopping wet with insecticide. It was overkill big time. Now, apples have a porous skin, which means that the chemical spray must have penetrated well into the flesh of the fruit. It is on this account that I don't drink cider or eat apples.

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It applies to more than just apples though, which why I try to get hold of as much organic stuff as I can. Better yet is food from local suppliers or stuff that you can grow yourself, though in my case the quantities are small, at least I can knock up a few fresh light salads from my own garden. Surely much better than shipping things 4000+ miles? The only thing I have at the moment is lettuce, spinach and a variety of herbs though, but carrots, potatoes are not too far away, followed by tomatoes and strawberries.

Currently: waiting for my blueberry muffins to come out of the oven. My brother is coming over and I have promised him some; they are quite delightful. To take the mick, we're going to wash them down (well after the coffee) with a Cobra beer or two because he got a hangover from drinking Cobra beer the other night and I just thought I'd rub it in. I've also got several beers to choose from, but I'm going to save them till tonight - I'm not really one for afternooning drinking, just the odd pint here and there.

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Originally Posted by Neely

It applies to more than just apples though, which why I try to get hold of as much organic stuff as I can. Better yet is food from local suppliers or stuff that you can grow yourself, though in my case the quantities are small, at least I can knock up a few fresh light salads from my own garden. Surely much better than shipping things 4000+ miles? The only thing I have at the moment is lettuce, spinach and a variety of herbs though, but carrots, potatoes are not too far away, followed by tomatoes and strawberries.

Currently: waiting for my blueberry muffins to come out of the oven. My brother is coming over and I have promised him some; they are quite delightful. To take the mick, we're going to wash them down (well after the coffee) with a Cobra beer or two because he got a hangover from drinking Cobra beer the other night and I just thought I'd rub it in. I've also got several beers to choose from, but I'm going to save them till tonight - I'm not really one for afternooning drinking, just the odd pint here and there.

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I have just returned fom watching the divine Sarah Chang play the Max Bruch violin concerto, the most romantic in the repertoire, and am therefore on something of a high, eating my salad and drinking Macon-Lugny 2009 white Burgundy.
I have just googled Cobra beer and it has had a chequered financial history
which is perhaps not surprising for an Indian company. I have not drunk it but it is mainly sold in Indian restaurants and supermarkets. It is obviously quite drinkable but I tend to avoid beers from the sub-continent and the Far East unless there is no alternative.

A cup of tea and a KitKat.