MULLING THINGS OVER...A CONSTANT PASTIME LATELY!

 

 

Over the past few weeks...and more particularly from 28^th October through until 6^th November, I was doing a lot of stewing and mulling!  I should have made some mulledwine to ease my stress, anxiety, frustration and anger!   

For a period of 10 days as described in the dates mentioned above, I was without a phone connection.  I experienced intermittent internet connection, followed by 36 or so hours of no internet whatsoever. To top things off, I had no access to my Telstra TV...streaming services.   Services I pay for...and services I was not receiving.  I've been a Telstra customer since before the Last Supper, and I always pay my account before the emailed account arrives in my mailbox.  I always pay my bills...before the due dates!  Old habits are hard to break!

I do not have a mobile/cell phone.  I do not want, and have no need for a mobile phone. I have no desire to be talking on a phone when wandering up and down the aisles of the supermarket, or when I'm driving.  Landline suits me just fine, thank you very much!

In this humble little cabin I rent mobile phone reception is such that to take or make phone calls I would have to go outside to do either.  With my problematic hips...my mobility problems...having to do so is not convenient, nor is it comfortable.

What is the point having a communication’s company if you’re unable to communicate with them? 

And when one does manage, after hours of waiting in a queue, one ends up talking to someone in India and/or the Philippines who has little command of the English spoken and/or written word!!!

Eventually, on Friday afternoon, 6^th November, a technician arrived! Glory be!  Glory days!!!!!!

On Friday, 30^th October I had been informed by Telstra, in India, that a technician would arrive on 9^th November!   I was also informed Telstra would send me an “interim mobile phone”....to use in the interim...and it would be delivered to me on Monday, 2^nd November.  I’m still waiting......Apparently, it is an immobile, interim mobile....

To make the call on 30^th October I imposed upon the hospitality of neighbours, and I used their phone to TRY to talk with someone from Telstra.  It was a chore that took me over three hours, after I’d spent the same amount of time the previous day on the business phone of our local newsagency, waiting in a queue.  I waited and waited...to no avail.  Finally, I waved a white flag of surrender.  I couldn’t tie up their business phone any longer!  I didn’t want to impose further upon their goodwill and generosity.

Without my two furry mates...my two beloved best friends...I would have completely lost it!!!

There is a lot more to this story...but enough is enough already......it has exhausted me, and I am sure my telling of it, even if only part of it, is exhausting you....

 

However, now that I have begun to regain some of my sanity, on a lighter note to what I’ve been mulling over...yanking my hair out over (I’ve two strands left. I’ve no need to visit a hairdresser)...I shan’t burden you further with my burdens. 

As it is, I’ve already been a big enough nuisance to others. Now they run and hide when they see me coming.  It’s time to lighten the load.  I wonder if a visit to the dump will help!

Every time I hear Paul McCartney & Wings' “Mull of Kintyre” a wide smile spreads across my face, and a fond memory floods my mind. 

Upon hearing the melody I’m always reminded of a highly enjoyable evening in the early 80s when my then husband, now late ex-husband, Randall and I were entertaining two guests for dinner at our home in Sunshine Beach, which I’m sure you all know, is on the southern side of the Noosa National Park, up on the Sunshine Coast. 

Our house, which we were in the midst of renovating at the time, sat high on the secondary dune line.  Lush vegetation covered the north-eastern slope to the street below.  From our kitchen window, our open-plan dining/living area, and from the wide timber deck that ran the width of the house, the view to the never motionless Pacific Ocean was always intoxicatingly inviting.

One of our dinner guests on that particular mid-week evening was a local solicitor.  His partner in crime was the head honcho of a Sunshine Coast property development company.  Naturally, music played throughout the evening.  Music held a special role in our lives at all times.  Our record and tape collection was vast and varied.

When the pipers of “Mull of Kintyre” burst forth, accompanied by McCartney belting out the tune, up went the volume.  Out on the deck the four of us joined in.  No kilts were necessary.  We swayed and sang along with the wonderful piece of music...quite loudly we were to discover.  After all, we had to make ourselves heard above the bag pipes!   

Having unconsciously floated away from Sunshine Beach, we’d become lost in the south-western tip of Scotland’s Kintyre Peninsula.  If we’d thought to look, it would’ve been the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland we could see, not the Sunshine Beach headland. 

Of course, being right into the swing of things, we replayed the song over and over....and continued singing along, over and over...

Unexpectedly, to our surprise, we discovered an uninvited stranger dressed in blue standing at the top of our interior staircase! 

A cranky old bloke from two doors further along the street didn’t like our singing, so he’d called the cops.  I admit we weren’t any threat to the Tabernacle Choir or to Paul McCartney & Wings, but we weren’t that bad! 

With a grin from ear to ear, the cop told us he quite liked our rendition.  He also told us he had knocked on our front door, on the lower level, and had yelled out to us.  Of course, we didn’t hear him over the music blasting out from our stereo, or over our joyful singing!

Laughing, the cop told us to “keep it down a bit!” 

We offered him a Scotch, but he politely declined; went back down the stairs; exited our home, and went on his merry way...not made merrier by ingesting any Scotch whisky, by the way. 

To my surprise, a few weeks ago I heard, and saw, a lone piper playing “Mull of Kintyre” as he strolled along the road out the front of this property...the road that runs along the top of this plateau upon which I live. 

I smiled, as the happy memory of the night in Sunshine Beach flooded my mind.

 

Dundee Cake: Cut 350g dried dates and 200g prunes into 1cm pieces. Combine dates, prunes, 300g raisins, 200g sultanas and 250ml whisky in bowl. Cover; set aside, stirring occasionally, 4hrs to macerate.  Preheat oven 160C. Line base and side of round 22cm cake pan with 3 layers of non-stick baking paper; allow reach 5cm above edge of pan. Beat 250g room-temp butter, 200g firmly packed dark brown sugar, 60ml treacle and 1tsp finely grated orange rind until pale and creamy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time; beat well after each addition. Add 375g plain flour, 1tbs cardamom, 3tsp cinnamon, and1-1/2tsp nutmeg. Fold to combine. Stir in fruit mixture and 100g toasted, slivered almonds. Spoon mixture into pan; smooth surface. Tap pan on bench top to settle mixture. Arrange 120g whole blanched almonds on top. Wrap outside of pan with 3 layers of newspaper, rising slightly higher than the baking paper. Secure with kitchen string. Bake...covering with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning... for 2-3/4 to 3 hrs, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove from oven; brush with 2tbs extra whisky. Set aside in pan to cool completely.

Scotch Marmalade Bread & Butter Pudding: Butter 8 crust-less bread slices on both sides; liberally spread chunky orange marmalade on 4 of the slices. Place the other slices on top to make marmalade sandwiches. Put sandwiches into a large baking dish in rows. Heat oven 160C. Beat 300ml full-fat milk, 250ml double cream, 3 large eggs, vanilla, 4tbs golden caster sugar and 1tbs whisky together until smooth consistency; pour over the sandwiches. Leave to soak for 30mins. Pop the dish into oven; bake 45-60mins until the bread starts to break through the custardy top. Serve warm with double cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Mulled Wine: In large saucepan combine, 750ml bottle of dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or Merlot), 1 orange, sliced into rounds (peeled if you prefer a less bitter drink), 8 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 2tbs sugar, honey or maple syrup (to taste) and 1/4c brandy (optional...or your favourite liqueur). Heat over med-high heat until just barely reaches a simmer. Avoid letting it bubble.   You don’t want to boil off the alcohol.  Reduce heat to low; cover; simmer at least 15mins...or up to 2 or 3 hours....being careful not to let it bubble or boil.  Strain using fine mesh strainer; remove and discard orange slices and spices.  Taste and add extra sweetener, if needed.  Serve warm, topped with favourite garnishes...such as orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise...mull it over...you’ve come up with something that suits your taste!