Povey Prattle

  Via my Pittsfield, MA friend Bill T.

  Hurry to, and Hurrah for Trader Joe's.    In the weeks before St. Patrick's Day, and then, and only then,  they offer Irish Style Bangers. Oh for goodness sake, they are g---o--o--d! I bought a stash  the other day.  I talked with the clerk/cashier and told her that I like Bangers and Mash.  She agreed with me and added, " Colcannon is good too".  I'd never heard of it; so I  looked it up. It is said to be an Irish and Scottish traditional dish. I'll make Colcannon  not on, but before St. Patrick's Day, to enjoy with my bangers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some notes for the scrupulous.  1.    Truth in labelling.   T.J's calls the sausage "Irish Style "; indicating that they are made elsewhere than in Ireland.  How I wish that Trader Joe's would indicate the country of origin of all their foods. 2.  Here I get to be persnickety.   Calling the saus...

  Staring out of the window.  To what I do not know.  Just like a cat.

Some years ago in another City and State I had two parishioners, an older couple with no children or direct heirs. They lived in modest home overlooking gorgeous apple orchard. Their modest home was of considerable value because of its hillside vista. And they often told me of their numerous investments and savings. Trouble was - they had never made a will. I pressed them on this; one, two, three times. I asked them, that in the absence of a will, and with no heirs "do you want your estate to devolve to the State?" They did not want that to happen, yet I could not motivate them to make a will. One day I hit upon a question. I asked "do you think that if you make a will you will die? Quick as a flash the wife said "It happened to a woman up the hill". I told the couple that I had a will, and that I was still alive! Long story short. With their agreement I set them up with a lawyer to draw up a will. Turns out that their real and intangible assets had ...

Scintillating Scotoma : That's the fancy name for what happened to me after my first Moderna Covid 19 vaccination on 2nd March 2021 Stock photo' I call it the jagged halo effect.   It's a form of migraine -  the less fancy name is Ocular Migraine.  One of the possible side effects of the Moderna Vaccine is headache; which can lead to migraine. I learned this today after an appointment and thorough examination with an Optometrist.  Phew.  What I experienced is one of those "this too shall pass" conditions. I can expect/anticipate a similar condition following my Moderna Vacc #2 on 30th March.   The good news is this. There are no signs of macular degeneration or glaucoma. I do have "mild" cataracts,  but this has been the case for a number of years and I am very far from needing  cataract surgery.  Oh lucky man! But the Scintillating Scotoma effect did bother me, and I am glad that I had my eyes checked today...

Some years ago in another City and State I had two parishioners, an older couple with no children or direct heirs. They lived in modest home overlooking  gorgeous apple orchard.  Their modest home was  of considerable value because of its hillside vista.  And they often told me of their numerous investments and savings. Trouble was -  they had never made a will.   I pressed them on this; one, two, three times. I asked them, that in the absence of a will, and with no heirs "do you want your estate to devolve to the State?" They did not want that to happen, yet I could not motivate them to make a will. One day I hit upon a question.  I asked "do you think that if you make a will you will die?   Quick as a flash  the wife said "It happened to a woman up the hill". I told the couple that I had a will, and that I was still alive! Long story short.  With their agreement I set them up with a lawyer to draw up a will.  Turns ...

  From a supermarket near me.  Excellent. Enough for two meals for one person, or one meal for two: @$5.98 - decent price. Made in Italy. Carbon foot print?  Indeed, but by the time it gets to SRQ the damage has been done.  We'd need billions of consumers to reject imported "luxury" foods to make a difference.

  Like the tomato this a neither a fruit nor a vegetable. It is a seed pod. Hail, hail to the delicious persimmon.  In my case, purchased at the SRQ local market "Detwilers"  Put into a brown paper bag to ripen.  Checked every day. Have to enjoy persimmons in that   short time between unripe and overripe.  Great success today.  I feasted on a "just ripe" persimmon. What do persimmons taste like? T hey taste like persimmons, and I like them!

Kedgeree with Finnan Haddie. I've only once eaten Kedgeree, and that was in 1965,  so I thought that the time had  come to try it again.   I don't like to rush into things. (Finnan Haddie is Smoked Haddock  - available in SRQ at Capt. Brian's Sea Food restaurant (at the back side of the Airport on R 41); at their fresh fish counter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fakes" (pronounced "fah-KEES"), a Grecian Lentil soup. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Recipes available from me  retiredpove(at)comcast.net