It's The Whisky That Eases The Pain.....

I was rummaging through our main freezer yesterday evening, searching for who knows what exactly!  Fish was on my mind, though why I eat the frozen variety when it is fairly freely available as a fresh product in this region, I don't know. Thankfully, I found something suitable and was content with the tucker in the end.

However, while rummaging, I found a large bag of frozen blackcurrants. These were from our bushes in Sweden where, despite the low temps, berries grow in great abundance, surviving the deep-freeze of winter and bountifully recovering each summer. I often wonder if they would (or do) thrive to the same extent on the more exposed Isles of Scotland but suspect that the salinity in the air may be terminal or cause too many problems for them.  I  can't remember from our time living on Skye; it's just too far off, in the long distant past. As we are actively considering a move again to the Hebrides, I'd be interested to know, and J would certainly like to know what the chances are of growing berries successfully up there in my old homeland.

Bushes in winter:

Bushes in summer:

As we have loads of suger around (J bought a load for Marmaladeing a few months ago) and a spare bottle of Voddie, which we've had untouched (mostly!) for many months, I thought a melange might be a fruitfully toxic idea. So I lumped all of the Voddie, a load of Blackcurrants and some suger together in a sadly empty Whisky bottle that had yet to reach the decheterrie for recycling.

The result is already looking good:

And just in case you thought we'd run out:

We always carry a spare!

As the late, great John Martyn - a man who knew about these things (with a vengeance) - was oft wont to say:

Although John's lyrics would break a Scots heart,  Darrell Scott also knows a thing or two about these things, for an American anyway:

Having started off here wittering about fish, I've digressed a bit to take in other essential supplies/victuals, it seems. Though it generally comes as a surprise to most people to learn that fresh fish - of any quality, let alone decent stuff - was virtually impossible to find in Sweden. Outside the main connurbations, Stockholm, Malmo, Gothenburg, it is just not generally available.

It's always possible to find Trout,  given the huge numbers of lakes in the country, but seafood - forget it!  It was infuriating at times, though the Swedes themselves seem to think little of it and certainly never view it as unusual, weird or strange that a country with a vast coastline has no seafood for sale!  Me, I think it's bizarre!  Norway is a different kettle of fish, of course! At a price!

It's another warm, sunny day again today. Temps will probably reach about 26, I expect. The problem with this constant warmth and dryness, is just that - the dryness gets to you over time!  Now, I'm not looking for or wishing for rain - or not too much of it - but there are times when a good downpour would be a positive boon, for the garden in particular.  'Twould save me having to water everything each evening. Time which could be spent relaxing with a bottle of rouge or rose. A much more purposeful activity,  in my opinion!

J is due back tomorrow about lunch-time, for a fortnight or so. We have been invited out to a Brit expatty sort of 'Curry Night' tomorrow evening.  As an abject currymonger, (been scoffing the stuff for about 45 years now!!!)  I am looking forward to it - but with the usual Brit-meets-Brit-abroad trepidation.  I'm sure it'll be alright on the night, as they used to say on Telly.

I'm fast approaching my three score years, which will arrive in a matter of some eleven days. I had been looking forward to geting me bus-pass in London and having some fun with my already well passed-up mates over there. BUT....horror of horrors, having checked out the websites etc., I learn that the hopeless integrityless, Cleggy and coalition cronies have slashed it from under my ageing feet: I don't now qualify until September of next year; fook knows where the logic in this date might lie. But suffice to say, I'm less than amused.