Saturday 3 April 2021

Etsy


Welcome to a cold but sunny South Manchester on day 385 of COVID-19 restrictions. Spring is definitely in the air and as restrictions are slowly being lifted, the warmer weather and the potentially resurrected freedom we used to enjoy are slowly raising my spirits. Not that I am struggling, dear reader – on the contrary, I am absolutely fine and the daily routine is keeping me sane. 

Things will improve and that is delightful. 

Let’s leap into a set of questions, as usual compiled by Bev at Sunday Stealing

P.S. You may have noticed that I have corrected the questions from an English perspective, having replaced “favorite” with “favourite”. There are two reasons for this. First, the spelling is labelled as incorrect in Microsoft Word (because I use a UK spell checker) and secondly because I am English and not American. I don’t mind the fact that Americans use “favorite” at all; on the contrary – it means that I am fluent in another language – “American English”. I know the meaning of words like “diaper”, “sidewalk” and “faucet” as well as many others that our cousins across the pond have adopted. 

Anyway – enough nonsense – let’s dive in.

1. What’s your favourite kind of cake?

Black Forest Gateau by a country mile. In fact, I persuaded Mrs PM to buy one for Christmas Day instead of boring old Christmas Pudding, which I find too heavy. After eating Christmas Pudding, I can feel it squatting in my stomach for hours and days.

“Why have you got that tired and strange look on your face?” people ask.

“I am doing battle with Christmas Pudding,” I say with a sigh.

Black Forest Gateau is a culinary delight and about as evil as food can get – deliciously dark, with cream and a rich cherry filling. It is one of the best things to come out of Germany (apart from their wonderful beer). 

How can you truly resist this?


2. What’s your favourite cocktail?

As a rule, I don’t drink spirits of any kind, although occasionally I will have one if nothing else is available, or as an aperitif. The ones I have tried that are okay are Piña Colada and Tequila Sunrise – so I will opt for those two.

3. If you are alone for the evening, what do you fix yourself for dinner?

As I stated in the last post, I hate cooking. But if I have to cook for myself I will opt for a chicken pasta dish, a stir fry or a typical meat and two vegetable dish.

4. What make was your first car?

It was a Nissan Micra, one of the most reliable little cars I have ever had.

5. What is your height?

I am 5ft 11 inches, I think. My hair makes me look about 6ft 1 inch.

6. What was your least favourite toy as a child?

I don’t think I had a least favourite toy as a child. I had a very active imagination and absolutely everything that I owned could be used to form an elaborate framework for bringing elements of that imagination into reality. Toy soldiers would become an army to fight a giant (played brilliantly by Action Man), marbles would be used to stage football matches for example. I could us anything to create anything that allowed me to dive into my weird little mind, even it if seemed useless. 

7. What’s your favourite cartoon character?

Are we taking classic children’s cartoons or modern cartoons? I tell you what, I will do both. I used to love Scooby Doo, Wacky Races (particularly Dick Dastardly), the Pink Panther show and Tom and Jerry. 

Here’s an example:

Modern day cartoons? It has to be the Simpsons and my favourite is, of course, Homer himself. 

8. What’s your dream car?

I don’t really have a dream car. I guess the ideal car would be one that doesn’t break down, has enough room to accommodate the things I need to drive around, is economical and isn’t so expensive that people try to steal it

9. What’s your favourite pizza topping?

Anything with meat and cheese is good enough for me.

10. What’s your favourite sports team?

Sadly, my favourite sports team is a football team playing in the fourth tier of English football: Walsall FC. At the time I gave my soul to this football club, there were many other teams in the West Midlands that were bigger and better. My dad supported Walsall and he took me to the games – and I have never looked back, despite the fact that they will never compete with the Manchester United’s of this world. 

I have endured many years of people saying “Who?” or people thinking my team is called “Walsall 0” but they have given me enough pleasure to carry on supporting them. Not this year, sadly – they are not doing very well unfortunately.

Here is a game from this season, one of the few games we have won. We are playing in red. Note – the reason there are no spectators there is because of COVID-19 restrictions, not because we are so poor that nobody goes to see us.

11. What’s your favourite TV show?

At the moment it is a toss up between The Expanse and The Boys, both of which I am thoroughly enjoying at the moment.

12. What is your favourite ice cream?

I don’t eat much ice cream to be honest. However, I do like French and Italian ice creams and will always try some in those countries. Also, I do like Häagen-Dazs and Ben and Jerry’s chocolate ice cream.

13. What is your favourite song?

It is difficult to say. However, here are three that I really like at the moment – a pop song, a progressive rock song and a progressive metal song.



14. What’s your least favourite chore?

Cooking and ironing, I particularly hate ironing and I have tried many things in order to avoid it over the years. I have come close but, being a bit of a perfectionist, I can’t stand wearing creased clothes and nothing eliminates creases better than ironing. Mrs PM hates ironing even more than I do so no matter how many times I have tried to persuade her, I have failed, even to the point where she has suggested that I iron her things as well as my own.

15. What was your first job?

My first job was a newspaper delivery boy when I was a kid. I loved it, especially walking around the streets before anybody had arisen from their beds. 


24 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I also dislike ironing (though it is on today's agenda). An extended family member says she likes it - because it is quiet and clean. She had six children so I can see her point, but don't agree.
Many, many years ago my partner gave me an iron for my birthday. It was not received well.

Bev Sykes said...

I had to laugh; I routinely correct those "u"s...favourite to favorite!

I didn't even think of "ironing," it's been so many *decades* since I have used the iron that is probably covered with dust somewhere.

Lola said...

#14 Yes, ironing! I bought a new iron 6 months ago because my old one broke. I’ve used the new one once. I will use it when I shorten pants, or if I have to wear a nice outfit, so it will get use. Who knows when I’ll need a nice outfit with this pandemic.

River said...

#1: Black Forest without a doubt, but it must be fresh, with real cream, not that mock "Face cream" substitute and I also like Lemon Velvet cake.
#5: five feet nothing :(
#9: cheese with garlic, olives, capsicum (fresh not canned) and pineapple

Kwizgiver said...

I substitute-delivered newspapers for my next-door neighbor one week as a kid--I remember how quiet the morning was.

Very interesting answers!

Pandora Behr said...

Funny, I love ironing :) and cooking. Want to come do my floors and I'll cook and iron (thought Mrs PM may not like it.

Ah, Wacky Races. I loved that too - I love Muttley. (I do his laugh very well)

Lori said...

I loved watching The Pink Panther cartoons and movies too. So funny. Loved your answers! Have a nice day and Happy Easter!

https://lorisbusylife.blogspot.com/

LA Paylor said...

always fun... my fave cake is also black forest

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi EC,

If I were to buy Mrs PM and iron as a present, I would imagine that she would be tempted to iron the wrinkles out of my face with it.

Not a good idea.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Bev,

Ah - every week I do the opposite. It's not the only AMericanism I correct; I correct people talking in AMerican TV shows too.

"It's not math - it's maths."

"What on earth is aluminum? It's aluminium".

And so on ...

;o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Lola ,

Tell me about it. I haven't bought any clothes for over a year - that sounds terrible doesn't it?

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi River,

#1 Yes - we totally agree on Black Forest Gateau.

#5 Small is fine. Don't be sad.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Kwizgiver,

I still love the morning.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Pand,

If you were to come and do Mrs PM's ironing she would love you. And, as I said last week, I am lookng for an unpaid chef.

;o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Lori,

I watched the Pink Panther clip and it took me back. It is still enjoyable.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Lee Anna,

Great minds love the same food.

:o)

Cheers

PM

CountryDew said...

I hate ironing, too. I try my best to buy clothes that do not wrinkle. I haven't worried about wrinkles during the pandemic (or my hair or anything else about the way I look). That's been one good thing about being home all the time.

Me, Myself, and I said...

I was a newspaper girl in high school. It's part of my post today, too!

songbird's crazy world said...

I also hate ironing. My casual clothes are the type that generally do not need to be ironed. I am dreading the day I have to stop working from home and I have to dress for the office

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi CD,

I've tried buying shirts that claim to be "iron-free" - they are not, I promise you.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Me, Myself and I,

Babysitting ot a paper boy/girl - common jobs.

:o)

Cheers

PM

Plastic Mancunian said...

Hi Songbird,

I wear shirts and T-shirts and, sadly, they all need ironing.

:o)

Cheers

PM

MedicatedMoo said...

Like you, I hate cooking, but ironing I don't mind. I think I tend to 'zone' out and do, without realizing it, a bit of 'mindfulness' or 'being in the moment' or something similar.

Faced with a rumbling stomach and opening the fridge door, however, and I have no idea!

Plastic Mancunian said...

G'Day Kath,

I usually watch some TV when I am ironing to take my mind off the sheer monotony of ironing.

It does work. Must try mindfulness too.

:o)

Cheers

PM