Well it's a one for the money...

Bought on sale at 75% off.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that always wanted a pair of these.

Scene: an Indian Restaurant in the Livingston Outlet Mall

...and everyone in the joint looks like an extra from a napkin-and-manners-free version of Trainspotting.

Except for the Indian family with the well-behaved children, seated in the middle of the restaurant.

Who look really out of place.

In an Indian restaurant.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that can't think of a funny thing to add here.

Men and Women

Seeing this reminded me of a joke:
Two women are out shopping when they notice a department store that they had never seen before. The went to the entrance where they ere stopped by a security guard who told them "this is a very special store: it has five fllors and sells all types of men. You can pick out any one man you want, but you can only visit each floor one time and can't go back. Well, the women agree to this and enter the store. The ground floor had a sign on it that read "Intelligent and Attractive Men" and sure enough, the floor was filled with them. They women went to the next floor and the the sign said "Intelligent and Attractive Men with Good Jobs". "This is even better", thought the women, "let's see what's next!" The next floo was signposted "Intelligent and Attractive Men with Good Jobs, who are Faithful and not Afraid of Commitment". The women were amazed - "we have to see what comes next!" Their excintment growing, they went to the next floor, where the sign said "Intelligent and Attractive Men with Good Jobs, who are Faithful and not Afraid of Commitment who want Children and will make Great Fathers". The women were in elated expectation as they ran up the stairs to the last flloor -what god-like male creatures would they find? But when they got to the top of the stairs, the women were brought up short; the entire floor was empty, except for a small sign that read "This just goes to prove that some women are never satisfied".

Merry Christmas!

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that would have been in the bargan basement of that department store.

There is a Thunderstrorm in Polbeth...

... and I notice that I am suddenly quite popular with the feline set.

And so it goes...

I have done it. I have finally turned in the final copy of my PhD to the post-graduate office. Now, on with the rest of my life.
Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that is officially not a student for the first time in 13-and-a-half years.

It's Time to End This.

I should have ended it long ago, but enough is enough. Goodbye, Olga.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that's done with it.

Weird Cat Pose

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that says "It's a cat thang, you wouldn't understand."

Another day...

...another retro mac-and-cheese with breadcrumbs on top.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that sometimes makes it southern-style with crushed potato chips.

Saturday in the pub.

I am sitting in a pub in Wester Hales. This is not something I often do, either separatly or in combination. I am out and about doing errands; I had to go to the post office to mail a letter (my passport renewal) and pick up a package from my mom in California - a cat scratcher for the boys. After I took care of that, I gave my car it's nose, and it took me here, a pub across the street from the bank I worked at 15 years ago. It was sparlking new then, and while it no longer has that new car smell, it has actually held up nae bad. It is raging outside; the wind is blowing so hard the rain is horizontal. The inside of the pub is serene; there is fitba on the telly, but it's English Premier league, no no one's really paying it much mind. There is a young couple sitting nearby, silently smiling at each other as they eat their chips; they've done this before, but not so many times that it hasn't lost it's magic. On the other side of them are two old women who are complaining that none of the Scottish fitba teams gave any Scottish players. My burger comes. It's called a "Juicy Lucy". Unsurprisingly, it's a bit dry. Maybe it needs foreplay first.
A goal is scored and this elicits a small reaction from the crowd. The excitement is too much for me and I finish my sandburger and start to make for the door.


Saturday in the pub completed.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that doesn't understand the offside rule.

Post-PhD cooking 3, Talk the Talk and Rock the Wok.

Vegetarian stir fry with quorn (remember, hot wok-cold oil) with c-o-t-c and mango rhubarb chutney.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that is still amazed that the list of illustrations does not need revising.

Post-Phd Cooking, No. 2 in an occasional series.

Mac and smoked cheese al forno, from scratch.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that makes a pretty mean Mornay sauce.

200th Post!

To celebrate, I bought some fancy coffee. Christmas Blend - limited edition. Then I went looking for my French press. Which I could not find. Which I then remembered I had given away in Phoenix. Which meant I had no civilised way of creating of my tasty caffeinated beverage. Which meant that I had to go back to the supermarket I was just in and buy a French press (a Bodum, but a cheap one). And schlep back home. To make coffee. With milk and sugar. Except I couldn't, because I was out of milk. Now I know what your thinking: "Ha! he went all the way back to the supermarket yet again to get milk - what a disorganised idiot!" But that's where you would be wrong - I didn't go back to the supermarket, I went to the Co-op down the road, which is much closer and was out of milk (delivery truck was late). So now, this was becoming a test of my tenacity as a man: I am going to slay the wildebeest, I am going to scale the heights of Everest, I am going to drink a cup of coffee with milk! Full fat milk, too; I'm tired of f@#king around with this s#*t. So I drove back to the supermarket, boldly strode (yes, I know that's bad Trekie grammar, but at this point, I'm to fired up to care) up to the milk cooler, got me a full two litres of creamy white joy and threw that bad boy on the black belt of the checkout counter. As luck would have it, I had the same cashier as my previous two excursions of futility; she cast me a glance that belied her bemusement, amusement and mild contempt an my lack of shopping prowess. I whipped off my imaginary state trooper Ray Bans, looked her straight in the eye and said "I have slain the wildebeest. I have scaled Everest. For I have dined on honeydew (melons - I bought some on my first trip; they were on sale, 2 for £2) and I am going to drink the milk of paradise!"

Triumphantly, I took my milk home and added it to my, now tepid, cup of joe.

I looked down at the dead wildebeest at the bottom of the cup and though to myself, "best damn coffee I've ever had."

Al Fornocation

The result of my vegetarian lasagna. I think this may be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T with mozzarella that is perfectly browned on top.

The kitchen in my new flat.

Finally have unpacked most of my kitchen stuff (some of which I have not seen in five years). Wow, this may be home yet.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that thinks he may be right.

Post-PhD Cooking, No. 1 in an occasional series.

Vegetarian lasagna al forno, ready for the oven. Notice the vintage Le Creuset Raymond Lowey-designed enameled cast-iron casserole dish.

Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T that is still getting used to the idea of having a life that doesn't include having to rewrite the summary and conclusion.