Experiences of life

[ladymuck]

You mean you're not getting a life? I was thinking for a minute one of us was going to break out, but seems you're as trapped in this hell as the rest ....

Yep. Same tulip, different day!

[Whorty]

I know it's a bit of a joke thread .... but as I'm having a bit of a downer at the moment, wanted to say life is for living and we all should want to get to our last day, whenever that is, and be able to look back and know we've lived as full a life as we can with no regrets. My wife knew she was dying, and before she went she wrote this poem to be read at her own funeral. I'm trying to live my life as she did, full of life and happiness with no regrets. I'll never have her strength and I'm certainly not as smart or beautiful that's for sure - I've made some pretty rubbish decisions this last 12 months, but I'm trying not to regret any (even the hot sexy blond who nearly destroyed me, ripped my heart apart when I was already on the edge), as everything i do shapes me and gives me experiences and hopefully makes me stronger. Feck, I miss Rach so much!

Shame BR14 is no longer around, he hates when i post stuff like this, but if I can't tell total random strangers on the internet how I'm feeling, who can I tell?

Rachel's Requiem

Don’t grieve for me or cry at my loss
My time had come and I am content
Remember me for how I was
And not what life meant I had become
My life was full with no regrets
I travelled the world and made many friends
I saw palaces and temples, castles and forts
I climbed volcanoes to see gorillas
Rode elephants into tiger sightings
Tracked lions on foot and rhinos by car
Handled snakes and scorpions, millipedes and turtles
Qualified in many things academic and not
My greatest achievement above everything else
Was loving my husband and friends and having their love
Thank you to all for shaping my life
I hope I helped you too in your quest for happiness

[vetran]

I know it's a bit of a joke thread .... but as I'm having a bit of a downer at the moment, wanted to say life is for living and we all should want to get to our last day, whenever that is, and be able to look back and know we've lived as full a life as we can with no regrets. My wife knew she was dying, and before she went she wrote this poem to be read at her own funeral. I'm trying to live my life as she did, full of life and happiness with no regrets. I'll never have her strength and I'm certainly not as smart or beautiful that's for sure - I've made some pretty rubbish decisions this last 12 months, but I'm trying not to regret any (even the hot sexy blond who nearly destroyed me, ripped my heart apart when I was already on the edge), as everything i do shapes me and gives me experiences and hopefully makes me stronger. Feck, I miss Rach so much!

Shame BR14 is no longer around, he hates when i post stuff like this, but if I can't tell total random strangers on the internet how I'm feeling, who can I tell?

Rachel's Requiem

big up little boy! Definitely not as beautiful! (the ugly tree wants its branches back).

someone will come along and do naughty things to you ,pray it isn't NLyUK!

[ladymuck]

Shame BR14 is no longer around, he hates when i post stuff like this, but if I can't tell total random strangers on the internet how I'm feeling, who can I tell?

He's here in spirit, I'm sure

[Whorty]

big up little boy! Definitely not as beautiful! (the ugly tree wants its branches back).

someone will come along and do naughty things to you ,pray it isn't NLyUK!

I had it lucky ... apparently a 'big boned' guy went ahead of me and took out most of the tree so I only grazed the odd branch

[NotAllThere]

I have learnt not to trust anyone, not even your wife.
Don't trust your mates too much - they will stab you in the back sometime in the future.
Don't waste your money. When you get a better paying contract, save up and invest.
Do not do favours for people.
Treat freshies like freshies - the moment you treat them as your equal, they start thinking they are above you.

In other words, be paranoid and miserable. Excellent advice!

start off with half a bottle of each, then top up with 1/2 the remaining port & wine after about 8 hours (you'll want juniper berries, thyme, onions and garlic in there too)

I usually do that. I never thought of adding it to the stew though.

Hic.

[WTFH]

Found the old recipe...

Ingredients

• 2 carrots , roughly chopped
• 140g turnips or swede, roughly chopped
• 2 onions , roughly chopped
• 3 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• olive oil and butter, for frying
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 1kg boned leg or shoulder of venison , cut into large chunks (or buy ready-cubed venison for stewing)
• 5 tbsp plain flour , seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly (or rowan or hawthorn jelly)
• 20 juniper berries
• 750ml dry red wine
• 250ml beef stock
• 700ml port
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Fry the vegetables in a little oil and butter in a heavy-based casserole for 4-5 mins until golden. Tip in the garlic and fry for a further min, then set aside.
2. Put the venison into a plastic bag with seasoned flour and shake to coat. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan, then fry the venison over a high heat, stirring now and then, until well browned. Don't crowd the pan - cook in batches if necessary. Set aside with the vegetables.
3. Add the redcurrant jelly and half the wine and port to the pan, and bring to the boil, scraping up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom. Pour in the stock, then add the thyme, bay leaf, meat and vegetables. Season if you like and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1 hour.
4. Turn the oven down to 120C, ensuring the meat is still covered in liquid. If it is not, top up with a mix of wine and port.
5. After a further 3 hours it will be ready to serve, but if you have the time keep it in the oven.
6. Turn the oven down again to 80-100C (bottom oven of an Aga, or warming oven temperature), where it can stay. Make sure it does not dry out, keep adding equal volumes of red wine and port.

WTFH notes: I like to have the liquid level just below the top of the meat for the long cook so some of it has a drier texture. The longest I’ve kept it in the warming oven was 3 days. Day 2 was probably the best, but day 3 was still very good.