EDitorial ± 27-Nov-2016

130Story: Crest / Pink / Bark / Gum / Talk

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Crest

Pink

Bark

Gum

Talk

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 25-Nov-2016

Light Lunches: Artisan Smokehouse, Falkenham

Say what you like about Kev but that "lad" retains the use of his eyes. On the bus home to Felixstowe, he said, somewhere in Kirton, I saw a cafe sign. Mentioned the word "artisan", maybe. That, I both thought and said, seems highly implausbile.

Mr Google, as usual, put me straight and directed me stroke us to the Artisan Smokehouse. Not in Felixstowe, not even in Kirton, but in faintly fictional Falkenham. First new business in the village for 100 years, commented a local lady who'd popped in for a cheeky glass of white. Me and Andy paid a highly enjoyable visit the next day, vowed not to tell Kev, promptly told Kev, and then the three amigos did a proper trip. Friday, 1pm, and all half-a-dozen car parking spots are occupied. Other folk must be aware.

I had visions of a ramshackle deli-in-a-shed with a couple of plastic benches. Not so. Very much not so. Smart and stylish and dead sophisticated and we're fortunate to land some seats. Although, to be fair, through the doorway sits a long extension table. Menu sections include:

  • nibbles, eg olives, chilli nuts, beef carpaccio, stilton & walnut pate
  • platters, either meat or salmon
  • sandwiches, eg pastrami with Emmental
  • salads, either smoked duck breast or melted halloumi
  • cheese board inc Morbier, Brie, truffled Gouda, etc.

Getting the picture? That smoked duck, BTW, has just won first prize in a national charcuterie competition. Pastrami and salami sarnies for them, "music bread" (carta di musica) with pesto for me. Top tastes and dished up with a friendly smile and some Curiosity Cola, all while watching a squirrel scurry along the fence.

Here in the Goose Barn, they'll also rustle you up a luxury hamper for your foodie pals. Essentially this is a cooler and less eyepoppingly expensive version of Emmett's. Isn't really time for coffee but has to be done. That's not half bad, too, courtesy of a roast from the Firestation. Gorgeous black cherry and almond slice alongside, plus, with Kev's black coffee, a "little urn" of milk. Note that at the time of writing, the cafe part is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In summary, this smokehouse is on fire.

If it was a car -- Alfa Romeo Giulia.
If they were passing by -- Tom Hughes.

EDitorial ± 20-Nov-2016

130Story: Harp / Smug / Match / Lose / Inflate

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Harp

Smug

Match

Lose

Inflate

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 13-Nov-2016

130Story: Jeans / Catch / Handle / Question / Creak

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Jeans

Catch

Handle

Question

Creak

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 9-Nov-2016

TT1617, Rosary Green v. Defiants

Not the greatest of seasons thus far for the Defiants. Every chance, however, of serious points on the board tonight down at the Con Club, aka The Rosary on Bramford Road, what with Ed and Yang and Natalie.

For them, smiling Cliff has to get away early so he'll play his three in a row, then skedaddle, leaving Santa Danny and nice Nick to battle it out. In brief:

  • good 2/3 for Yang, brushing aside Cliff and Danny but coming unstuck against Nick
  • good 2/3 for Natalie, ditto
  • poor 1/3 for Ed, only good enough to win against Danny

Thank goodness the unusual pairing of Yang and Natalie eventually came good in the doubles. That'll be a rare win for the Defiants, phew.

EDitorial ± 6-Nov-2016

130Story: Deliver / Spook

The rules of 130Story are simple: given a random seed word, write a story in 130 characters.

Deliver

Spook

More to follow.

EDitorial ± 4-Nov-2016

Light Lunches: Claydon Community Cafe

Confessional: towards the end of summer in 2016, Andy and myself whizzed over the bridge into Claydon and up the Old Ipswich Road. Up here, the driver reassured me, is a little volunteer run cafe called The View. We parked in the business centre and looked for a sign. Of which there was no sign. Can I help you? said a lady sticking her head out of a nearby door. Ah, she said. The Suffolk Family Carers View Cafe closed last year. Thus we ended up sitting on the village bench eating takeaway bakery goodies. CHBW, TBH.

My turn, this time, to propose a trip thataway. Says it's open today on Facebook, I said. Sure enough, well placed signs pointed us to the Claydon Community Cafe up on Church Lane. No parking for the cafe by the school, said another sign. Doesn't matter, I said, we'll take a chance. Walking away from the car, we saw another sign: please no parking for the cafe, it pleaded. Andy, go move the car.

In a side door out of the rain and most tables are already occupied. Great to find the locals using it and not losing it. Serving area is to the side. Anything hot and savoury? The nice lady behind the counter had us at "bacon sandwich". Sat down, hooked up to the WiFi, supped a vanilla Yazoo, flicked through some old magazines, and out came our meaty sarnies. Met with full approval from both of us, Andy in particular very taken with the way they'd grilled those slices of back.

Continuing our community service, we invested more small change into shared slabs of rocky road and banana cake. Yum, esp. since the good folks at the CCC have only gone and purchased a top quality coffee machine. Don't think she was there on our visit but top work by Barham lady Jill Shipp for setting it up.

If it was a car -- Ford Kuga from Claydon Autos.
If they were passing by -- Bodie Olmos.

EDitorial ± 2-Nov-2016

TT1617, Thunderbirds v. Defiants

Since around 1991, I've been playing table tennis alongside Andy in the BT Defiants. Poor old Grenvyle played his final winner, Kev came and went and came and went, but me and Andy kept going. Until, that is, Andy started to lose too many games that he should have won. At which point we agreed, amicably (I believe), to go our separate ways. I'd keep the Defiants going and Andy would start a new team, the Thunderbirds, in the next division down.

Come the end of last season, it seemed that Defiants might be relegated and Thunderbirds might be promoted, i.e. we'd swap divisions. They did come up and somehow we retained our position. And tonight we played each other for the first time. Joining me were one-hundred-percent Natalie (with bf Jack in tow) and rusty Yang. On the other side of the net were Andy, of course, plus ringer Conrad (previously) and spinny Richard. In brief:

  • disappointing 1/3 for Natalie, confidence knocked by losing to Conrad (no disgrace) then losing in five to Andy before a consolation point against Richard
  • OK 2/3 for Ed, catching Andy cold in three straight games aided by some timely nets before also being walloped by Conrad
  • poor 0/3 for Yang, playing his three games back to back, grabbing a couple of games but no points, his season yet to kick off

Yang gone and already down 6-3, Natalie and Ed took Andy and Conrad all the way before the customary final end defeat. Not the result we were after.