COLD DARK ROOM

[Big Charlie]

In Dundee they make a particularly good fruit cake topped with almonds
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dundee_cake

Dundee is also home to MacKay's which makes traditional Dundee marmalade
History here: http://www.mackays.com/our-story/dundee-marmalade/

I am sort of surprised that marmalade isn't widely available in the US. You have loads of oranges!

Marmalade is sold in stores but most isn't very good. It's made with corn syrup. My grocery just recently stopped carrying the better imported brands; I think because no one but me was buying it. None of the restaurants offer it either. My town is kind of small. In the bigger cities, I'm sure there are better buying choices. I live in one of the biggest orange growing regions of the US too!

Another thing I love is white grapefruit. That has all but disappeared here except for in people's yards. All they sell in stores is pink or ruby red grapefruit. If anyone grows white grapefruit commercially, they ship it to Asia. They don't think Americans like it.

 

[JoesMum]

Marmalade is sold in stores but most isn't very good. It's made with corn syrup. My grocery just recently stopped carrying the better imported brands; I think because no one but me was buying it. None of the restaurants offer it either. My town is kind of small. In the bigger cities, I'm sure there are better buying choices. I live in one of the biggest orange growing regions of the US too!

Another thing I love is white grapefruit. That has all but disappeared here except for in people's yards. All they sell in stores is pink or ruby red grapefruit. If anyone grows white grapefruit commercially, they ship it to Asia. They don't think Americans like it.

You will have to make your own - all you need is sugar, a lemon, oranges, water and instructions
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/.../british/traditional-seville-orange-marmalade

Quantities converted -
2lb 8oz oranges (doesn't have to be Seville - you get a sweeter marmalade with ordinary)
1 large lemon
5.25 US pints of water (the UK pint is bigger!)
5lb white sugar - Preserving sugar has larger granules and dissolves more slowly. Ordinary sugar will do the job though. It also has added pectin, but citrus fruits are full of that anyway.

---------

We get mostly white grapefruit in the UK shops. Pink grapefruit is more expensive and less common

 

[JoesMum]

Pictures as we head north. 300 miles down, 200 to go as we lunch right in the centre of France at a service station near Bourges.

The Millau Viaduct - familiar to fans on Top Gear - the tallest bridge in the world at 343m/1125'. It is 2.46km/1.5 miles long


A view across the massif central


Our morning coffee stop at a service area overlooking the Eiffel rail viaduct. You've seen this before; we stopped in the hotel you can just see under the left hand end on the way down a fortnight ago.

 

[JoesMum]

This being a British car, JoesDad is sat on the right side of it to drive. The top photo is taken from the front passenger seat, despite what it looks like to most people in other countries!

 

[Bee62]

Pictures as we head north. 300 miles down, 200 to go as we lunch right in the centre of France at a service station near Bourges.

The Millau Viaduct - familiar to fans on Top Gear - the tallest bridge in the world at 343m/1125'. It is 2.46km/1.5 miles long
View attachment 217186

A view across the massif central
View attachment 217187

Our morning coffee stop at a service area overlooking the Eiffel rail viaduct. You've seen this before; we stopped in the hotel you can just see under the left hand end on the way down a fortnight ago.
View attachment 217188

Impressive views and wonderful pictures ! Thank you !

 

[JoesMum]

We have arrived at our overnight stop in Bobigny in the outskirts of Paris.

The hotel is basic, but clean and has somewhere to eat. The area is a total dump! The hotel car park is, however, surrounded by an 8' security fence so hopefully the car is secure. I ... ummm... don't think I'll bother with photos

 

[johnandjade]

long lie today, 0600, home early.. 1700. i may induce a coma

 

[JoesMum]

long lie today, 0600, home early.. 1700. i may induce a coma

It sounds like you might need it

 

[Killerrookie]

Hello peeps

 

[JoesMum]

Hello peeps

Hello again!

How are you?

The leprechauns, or possibly the meerkats, messed with Adam's computer yesterday so he is without internet until he can get it fixed

(Unless wifey lets him borrow her ipad)

 

[JoesMum]

Design flaw in hotel tea making facilities: The teaspoons melt in hot water

 

[Gillian M]

Hello peeps

Hi! Nice to see you around. Hope you are well.

 

[Moozillion]

View attachment 217209
Design flaw in hotel tea making facilities: The teaspoons melt in hot water

Oh, MY!!! That IS a flaw!!!!!!

 

[Bee62]

Good evening CDR.
Is someone on here ?

 

[Bee62]

Good evening CDR.
Is someone on here ?

I think not .... Unfortunately !

 

[JoesMum]

I think not .... Unfortunately !

Good morning CDR.

Today we head for the EuroTunnel in Calais and then home

 

[JoesMum]

My iPhone's camera makes sunrise over Paris Est - Bobigny look quite nice - if you don't look too closely


That's the council's road maintenance depot in the foreground

 

[Bee62]

My iPhone's camera makes sunrise over Paris Est - Bobigny look quite nice - if you don't look too closely
View attachment 217250

That's the council's road maintenance depot in the foreground

The rising sun is beautiful, the rest.... don`t look too closely as you have already said .
Take care and drive save home. I believe that was a great journey.

 

[Bee62]

Gooood moooorning CDR.
Last night I dreamed of a CDR member. I swear I have !
No, it was not Adam.
It was @Yvonne G .
I dont know why I dreamed of you Yvonne, but in my dream you visited me and speak German to me.
After a while you left in a bus ( in my dream ).
Strange dream, isn`t it ? But it was a lovely dream. That`s what counts.

I wish all CDR members a wonderful sunday.

 

[JoesMum]

Gooood moooorning CDR.
Last night I dreamed of a CDR member. I swear I have !
No, it was not Adam.
It was @Yvonne G .
I dont know why I dreamed of you Yvonne, but in my dream you visited me and speak German to me.
After a while you left in a bus ( in my dream ).
Strange dream, isn`t it ? But it was a lovely dream. That`s what counts.

I wish all CDR members a wonderful sunday.

Dreams are frequently weird ... and yours was definitely so!

Good afternoon all. We are in Calais. We had lunch in the old port and are now in the stacking system/car park at the EuroTunnel terminal waiting to get through security.