h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

you could carve it upside down, with the round bit at the top. Then you could use the neck to hold it like a burning torch.

I wonder if people will go easy on the flying lanterns this year.

I've got an urge now to start mucking about in the garage with gunpowder and bangers. You can make them really spectacular by tweaking the market stall ones a little bit...then again, I don't reallllly want to blow up the garage...

I've got some chillis in the fridge... they need usin gup too.... chilli and carrot soup.... with mushrooms... and ginger... hmmm.... and noodles an d a chicken breast

Hmm. I've had the laziest evening I've had for ages. Maybe I should get the frying pan out. If I dash off a few eggs and some soda bread, maybe I can feel all virtuous because I've *done* something.

Which would then entitle me to finish that wine in the fridge as a reward for being so industrious...

I've been a fully fledged #domesticGoddess again* today.
Fried cheese and ham 'sandwichs' for brunch. Out to do a little shopping; Rejected the 'baking tray organiser' 'storage' thing, in the shop, as it was £9, and I could build something more useful/functional, albeit a bit bulkier, myself for less, and just bought a few essentials (ham, cheese, pierogi etc).
Did pierogi with sausage (I cooked all the sausages up yesterday), and mushroom and cheese, and then* ;
Rearranged my spare storage/tubberware boxes, into some reclaimed space in a cupboard, nearering the ultimate solution to the bageutte pan, baking tray, cupcake/flat tray/roasting tray/etc storage solution.
washed up, cleaned worktops, cleaned hob, swept kitchen floor

Just relaxing now and blissing out in my domestic goddess zen

Trying to decide if I can assemble a self-assembly kitchen undercupboard/base unit myself, without instructions... and if it'll be big enough for what I want, and if, perhaps most importantly, it'll fit where I think it will, in the utility room sadly too tired to get the tape measure out now; that's tomorrows task

Back on topic, ladies and gentleman, for I have a comforting announcement!

There remains a bastion of civilisation in Western Europe, where the old ways still endure, and the turnip holds its power over the pumpkin: The Isle of Man!

Yes! It did my heart good to read. For the phrase is still being passed down, as it has been for centuries, for generations, through war and peace, to the first-born of every household:

"A free turnip for every child taking part. Turnips are subject to availability."

http://www.manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/detail/traditional-hop-tu-naa/

Wow. Sounds impressive! <

What's Hop in naa?

I wanna go! bit short notice for this year..... Hootoo meet there, next year?!

Hop-tu-naa takes place at Haloween, and has a lot of similar trappings. The kids go round doors doing rhymes, etc, and there seems to be a mad cake made, which contains soot and eggshell along with the more common ingredients. If you eat this it can give you glimpses of the future...

They say it comes from the old Celtic new year festival.

I might do it Manx-style this year if I can find some recipes that don't involve soot and eggshells.

I'd avoid those ingredients.

Hmmm, apparently it's also good luck to steal the first salt herring of the year from your neighbour's house. I might have to skip that custom, too. More likely than not, they won't have any salt herrings in the house. And they probably wouldn't appreciate the breaking and entering, either.

Ok. Let's see about this Hop-tu-Naa party then. Things I could do...

Gingerbread
a main course of buttery potatoes, parsnip and fish - I'm liking that one
a "bonnag", which I suppose I'd know as a "barmbrack"/fruit loaf

That all sounds like good packing for this time of year!

mmmm... the buttery potatos and fish sounds good... and reminds me, I really oughta do something with the very tasty wild salmon I've got lurking in the back of the freezer...
mmmm... gingerbread.... that can't be hard to make... I'm sure I vaguely recall having made it, when a child.... mmmm I might have to give making gingerbread a go all I need is some unsuitable cutters for cutting into suitably silly gingerbready shapes

Malabarista is the one to ask about gingerbread tips - she's made Vikings and proper architecturally-scaled 3-D temples from gingerbread!

Right. That menu looks good, but it just leaves drinks. There is some rather fine Manx , but it isn't shipped here. It is shipped to England, but it's too dear to get mail-order. And it would take too long too get here - it wouldn't be here for Hallowee...err, I mean, for Hop-too-Naa.

Hmm. Would it be daft to scoot off to the Isle of Man this weekend just to get drinks for a party? Yeah, I guess it would. Although...hmm. It *is* a nice spot to spend a weekend, anyway.

This idea's taking a life of its own, now.

They usually do "hunt the turnip" kids games in Castle Gardens.

Could you locate a bottle of ManX

although you might not want too

Here is a review by puppet

and quote

'Oh don’t give me none more of that Old Manx Spirit. No, don’t you give me none more of that Old Manx Spirit. For my head will fly, my tongue will lie, my eyes will fry and I may die. Won’t you pour me one more of that sinful Old Manx Spirit – The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (kind of)'

http://www.iomwhiskyclub.com/manx-spirit-manx-red/

I've met that stuff before

It's utterly bizarre. They take blended Scotch whisky which has been aged in barrels, and re-distill it on the island (just so they can say it's Manx ), thereby removing everything the whisky picks up during the aging/barrelling process...and produce something akin to a bottle of paint stripper.

If your considering going over to the Isle of Man, just* to pick up beer..... you may as well book a B&B, or hotel, and go there for the actual event! (write up for the Post, or a guide entry me thinks..... actually, maybe 'The Guide' will pay for your trip.... for research purposes... < ) I'm goign to tie my lipm carrots (please please stop laughing at the back... its very* childish ) to string... and hang them over my front door!

I don't really have time right now.

I'd love to go back for a hiking trip sometime soon, though. It's a great place for walking. While it's small, and I've been there a few times, I haven't come close to exhausting even half of it.

Ooo... I've not done any proper* hiking/walking in ages, William and I keep toying with the idea, of going away somewehre for a walking trip.... Does it have any decent pubs? ya know... considerations and stuff...

http://www.lisburnccm.co.uk/events/2012/10/purple_turnip_festival_2012.php

Purple turnips in Lisburn.

misread,

purple turnups