The Scorpion

@ Ant - yes, I do a monthly mass cook-up too, for the freezer. I make up some bulk-lots of some dishes, such as Lasagne, Curries, Potato Bake, Quiches, Pasties etc. (and always lots of Chilli and Bolognese sauce which can be adapted and used to make a few other dishes) and freeze a lot for days when I haven't got time or just cannot be bothered to make a meal. It's great and I have an excuse to get away from the kids for a few hours (and them from me LOL) Just me, in my kitchen with a bevvy (or 3) and some great music or something interesting, like a Drama, Documentary etc. on the TV to look at in between. Heaven! (and a good couple of weeks worth of meals, done, at least, ready for reheating or cooking through) Saves money AND time :))

End Of The World - Hermans Hermits

(The) Woodentops (oh my! "Watch With Mother" That takes me back years! Spotty The Dog :)) HeHe!)

"Why is the next door flats' kitchen waste/out/over-spill (?) pipe still leaking?!" (even though I told the workmen currently doing renovations in there, twice in the past week and a half that it needs sorting out urgently, otherwise the downstairs flat will suffer water damage through their ceiling/walls?!) :'(

tap

All The Young Dudes - Mott The Hoople

Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Frank Sinatra (in a duet with Cyndi Lauper) - and it won't be that long!

goose

television (show)

Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

I've been reading this thread with much interest. It takes me back in time a lot and I would like to share some of my childhood and life experiences - mainly learning to cook but some other ramblings too - with anyone who cares to read :) It's a long post, but maybe some of you will relate to it, or, if it looks too much for you, click "back" now ::o I learnt to cook by watching my Mom and sisters (and also "me nan" (Irish, and she made the best Scofa ever! but also anything cooked in her "magic" frying pan tasted gorgeous!) and I could put a basic (eg. cold meats, grated cheese, boiled potatoes, salad etc or liver and onions with mash) meal together, on my own, from about the age of 8. I was trained well on being safe in the kitchen and never had an accident or set fire to the house - it was the done thing then, that you pulled your weight in the family. I also did many other chores such as taking care of family pets, cleaning and, of course, the tidying of my own bedroom ("Tidy it now or everything on the floor will go in the bin!" - and it did, once, never to be repeated ;-) lol) I'm from the old school kind of family - kids brought up by two working class parents, and along with my sisters (we had no brothers but if we had have had, they would have had to get stuck in too, and too right!) we had our set chores to do each day, after school, before playing, homework etc. as Mom and Dad never returned home until after 6pm. We would get the dinner prepared and on the go (most times but not always, if we had an after-school club or somewhere else important to be - and we got there by our own steam, not through lifts from the parents all the time!) lay the table, take out the rubbish, go get shopping from the local shop, if needed etc. It was second nature to me to peel potatoes, prepare veg and cook food from scratch (not much of the ready-meal stuff around when I was a girl LOL plus take-aways and junk food (usually Cod and Chips or eat-in at a Wimpy etc) were a definite once a week treat, if even that often) Joints of pork, lamb chops, an Irish Stew, boiled bacon, roast chicken with all the trimmings and other food stuffs were prepared and cooked by us girls, totally unsupervised and often solo (my sisters each left the family nest, over time, till there was just me) along with many other dishes (sausage and mash and onions, faggots (yeuck! lol) and also bubble and squeak being fav's of my Dad - a building trade worker - were on the menu at least once a week. We always were making coffee for them too (I inherited my addiction from coffee from dear old Mom and Dad) In those days, Housecraft (as it was called in my school) Classes were given to all pupils in Secondary School - boys and girls - so it was easy to rustle up a Victoria Sponge, sausage rolls or some other treat or snack. I find it hard to believe that some people just don't know how to cook, but then again, from being a "little housewife in training" through my school days, I went on to become an independant young woman without the fall-back on family that many people are fortunate enough to have when they need it (my parents both passed on at fairly young ages - both under retirement age, sadly) in '89 and '92) then I became a wife and mother, and, naturally, have always had to cook to feed my family, so its all second nature. Although I occasionally use ready meals, and, maybe, once a fortnight get in a take-away, there is nothing like making a nutritious and tasty home-made meal from scratch and watching people devour and enjoy it. Also, financially, it's been through necessity, not choice, that I make most of our meals, do all the shopping and pay all the bills etc. It's not been possible to just say "Oh I can't be bothered to cook tonight, let's get a take-away or go out to eat" - well, on rare occasions, yes, but then that is a very special treat and made the most of) I love cooking, although there have been times (because of fussy primary-school age or teenage years kids, mostly - they do go through stages) that I get fed up with doing the daily slaving over the stove, but mostly, I enjoy a lot of "me" time in the kitchen, especially when, time-allowing, of an evening I retreat to the calm and peace and quiet, away from all family noises and distractions, with some music playing or the portable TV providing background distraction, pour a glass of wine or crack open a beer - on occasion, say, when preparing and cooking a home-made Asian feast (I love Asian, Mexican, Italian, Chinese and many other nationalities non-bland (like a lot of British food is, but NOT all) food, especially spicy, tasty dishes and accompaniments; and my boys will eat and are used to such meals being served up, and rarely refuse a new dish/experiment, often asking for more or repeat meals of the same, often - plus, making it yourself saves a small fortune!) while I happily prepare a meal that we will all, later that evening (or the next day if preparing something in advance) sit down together, to eat. My kids have grown up with a good knowledge and taste for many world-wide varieties of meals and food and rather than having a plate full of takeaway chips and fried chicken etc. (example) everyday, they appreciate decent home-cooked food more than the usual junk or convenience foods that many of their peers seem to live on. Eating out has always been a rare thing for us as a family and when it happens, I for one totally enjoy having a meal served up to me, for a change and my boys respect the fact that this is, indeed, a special meal and approach it with gusto (and good table manners, bless them) I thank my parents and upbringing (also school) for helping to make me a decent cook, along with a fairly balanced and independant human being. Even my Dad (an ex-serviceman at a young age and born from a Mother who brought him up to take care of himself) cooked a lot, in those days. He often made dinner for us all, himself, when time allowed (AND he always ironed his own work shirts! Plus he used to do the cleaning, polishing and hoovering on Saturday morning, accompanied by 'Ol Blue Eyes on the stereo) and my Mom always made a Sunday roast. I hope that, by the time my boys leave the nest (they will not be here till well into their 30's! Muahaha! >:D< ) they will be fully self-sufficient, with the needed cooking and domestic skills under their belt, taught by me (and maybe school IF they ever make it compulsory again for kids to have Homecraft/Domestic Science etc. classes) that will make them very desirable as future mates or partners :D I think Jamie's mission is a good one, and hope many learn by it. I know many professionals etc. don't have lots of time to cook a whole meal, but for some people, there is no other option, and it's a daily, natural necessity but also, many people, once they actually know how to do it, find cooking very therapuetic and it can be fun. I know I do, my children have spent some happy times in the kitchen too, growing up, assisting Mom etc. and I hope, that through programmes and schemes like the one mentioned in the thread, many others discover the joy of cooking themselves, too. Sue (sorry for rambling on but some of it is relevant to the thread LOL)

swing

Circus (my first post on this thread, Hi!)

Passenger (cover) - Siouxsie & The Banshees

Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

Thanks very much for the info Mogs. Barring emergencies, I really hope to attend, so pencil me in (and I hope, one other). Will confirm a week before :)

Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed

Lady Sings The Blues - Diana Ross

As a Crossword, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit etc. lover, I would very like to attend this event (26th October) and there is a good chance my sister might be "forced" along also (when I tell her LOL) so please count us in. (It's my B'Day just beforehand so she can bring me out for a drink and some mental stimulation) Please let us know of the definite Venue and times a while beforehand. Thanks Sue

Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry (my first post on this thread, so hi!) :)

Just noticed that todays episode has a woman from Dulwich on it and they are featuring the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Just thought I would mention it.