Our Phili-Pam

Hi Helen, I posted a reply to the question of shortages on our chapel Facebook site. I might edit a copy here just for you to see. A busy morning here, my lovely gardener's day, where I shared lunch with. It was Rodney's funeral send off this morning, also my grocery order arrived, fully intact, nothing missing & no subs. I tribute to Morrison's, I couldn't alter my delivery slot conveniently, so not to clash with the funeral departure, but when I received the email telling me my order was on its way, I replied with the funeral issue. Well, my order arrived at 8.40am, instead of up to an hour later. The driver had received my reply. It's human after all.

Your other enquiry, I'm having a gourmet holiday, little cooking for a week, but what a treat. I've had two curry & one sweet & sour ready meals for a change. A special offer of three meals, plus meal deal extras which included six onion bhaji, & four spring rolls. £8 the lot. Yummy. Pam & I often enjoyed these ready meal dishes. I've been walking well recently, whereupon returning home yesterday, a mini cod & chips found its way to my dining room from Venus. That was nice. I added my own curry sauce, MR. Yummy.

I'm going international tonight too with Chicken Kiev and roast tatties... ok the roasties aren't very international but they did originate in South America.

Philip, I'm losing the plot. I have only just realised that the Venus fish and chip shop was the one owned by my dad in the 1960's, no.345 Holbrook Lane. At the same time he owned the one that was about 100 yds up on the other side of the road, cannot remember the name, Freddies perhaps, and about then he also had the one on Hall Green Road at the junction with Bell Green Road. I cannot imagine why his car always had a fishy aroma and why the flies used to follow it.

Hi Argon, You are certainly not losing the plot. Yes, you are correct regards the address & location. Both fish & chip shops have changed ownership a few times, but currently I've no issues regards either of them. The Arena fish bar is just a bit further to walk than Venus, now I'm without wheels. The mini cod & chips which I had & shared with my puss was ace. I may have fish & chips on Friday, I have a guest coming. Thank you for your post.

Hi all, A brighter day today, hopefully more broken cloud for now. I've just enjoyed a sweet & sour dinner, the first such without Pam. Sweet & sour chicken with egg fried rice was Pam's favourite right up until she could no longer eat. It's so difficult to describe, but I enjoyed it just as though Pam was still with me. I'm so at ease. What I'm sure helps me (not talking faith now) is that I have no hard regrets. Whatever was needed, if it was humanly possible, it was done. Oh I miss her terribly, but with a sense of inner contentment. That is so nice. None of us last for ever. Have a good day all.

Hi all, I've just enjoyed a fish & chip lunch in the Earl of Mercia, which was excellent all round. If I have too many of these lunches, I will be "all round" with it. Might try their breaky on Saturday & test the sausage.

I love our forum, so much so that if I discover something nice or tasty, I love to share it. Wednesday being my Morrison's grocery delivery morning, Tuesday & Wednesday are my use up days. I detest good food not being used. Nothing out of date & all very well kept. Anyway, I had some bread, cherry tomatoes & thick sliced smoked ham to use up. I lightly toasted a slice of bread, buttered, then added a slice of ham, on top I added a slice of no.4 Cheddar. Under the grill. Once the cheese was bubbling I added the cherry tomatoes, cut in half. It was scrumdarlishiousoplovicta. For the last slice of ham, I repeated the same, but I mushed the tomatoes, heating them in a saucepan. I can't repeat my exclamation but it was scrummy. The only sad thing is that I've not had ham this week. God bless.

Hi all, I bumped into the Earl again, rare for me on a Sunday. This was my delight. A nice view from the window too. No waves washing up on the shoreline, but a classic view of Coventry all the same.

Yum. And not too far from the Herbert.

Envious, that was my favourite place for breakfast when I did jury service.

Some people are quite snobby about cheaper restaurants but I much prefer them to expensive places because you get the same food but don't pay a fortune for the food artfully arranged with dubious add ons you didn't want in the first place.

I'm with you on this. Definitely not a fan of the "big plate, little portions" brigade.

I love this conversation, thank you. It's not Fortnum & Masons, I've just attended a function today at the Rose Inn, at Baxterley, with such an extensive menu, all speaking about Sir Hugh & Lady Ladida. Very nice when someone else was paying, 'Oh I say' & all that, where what I had, including a pint of Abbot Ale cost me £11 at the Earl, was £19, just for the ten ounce rump alone. An extract picture of the menu from the Rose, where make no mistake, the food was beautifully cooked & prepared which for a special do, was around £35 per head. It was lovely, ducks on the pond, toll gate house to look at, a telephone box for MR to photo being used as a library, complete with an emergency respirator. It would have been a long walk for me too, out in the sticks at Baxterley, whereas I reached the Earl with ease on a Sunday bus timetable. Good old Coventry, in spite of the warts, hey.

Hi all, hi to you two too, I enjoyed a chicken dinner, so no chips yesterday. I bumped into a very nice sausage batch at the Belgrade this morning, so my dinner just now was a very simple Tuesday use-up day affair. Just a boiled egg, plus a few veg. Very nice. Just one saucepan for the veg, the broccoli blanched for the last ten minutes of cooking. I keep a separate egg saucepan, trace elements in the shell including sulphur, don't mix with other foods, or as a qualified chef once told me, remember the route that the egg took to see daylight. Anyway, my new grocery order arrives tomorrow, hence Tuesday my use up day. Carry on now, please.