Originally Posted by Beedubya (Post 9061819)

I have Corrie'd myself out today since I came home (Windsong some great episodes, Tracy Barlow!!!! :thumbsup:), watched The Royle Family Christmas Special, an old Freddie Starr special (I love him, he is so crackers LOL!!) and am off now to watch whatever Brit TV Christmas stuff I can, there is supposed to be a really funny Ronnie Corbett special, talking of Two Fat Ladies and Nigella cookery shows as you have been these past few days............what about the Two Hairy Bikers..........some good UK TV going on on my laptop as sadly to say Aussie Christmas TV is as abysmal as ever............

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062356)

I LOVED the Royle Family Christmas special. I think that might have been the best episode ever. Poor Joe when they told him Mary was in the Dyson! :rofl:

I downloaded Upstairs Downstairs, which started last night but haven't seen it yet.

I'm envying your hot weather as hubby and I are about to go out and tackle phase 2 of our drive clearing operation after we had 15 inches of snow. UGH! Where's my shovel? ...

Originally Posted by Beedubya (Post 9061819)

Hello to everybody on here. I had a very nice HOT Christmas with my daughter, her fiance and my grand-kids. It was about 90 degrees F too hot to eat until about 6pm.

Well that was my last HOT Aussie Christmas over thank you very much. :thumbup:

Got all kinds of mosquito bites, ate too much, drank too much.......hic....but still alive to tell the tale. :thumbsup:

I managed to convert my daughter's fiance's niece to Mr Kipling Mince Pies, so that was a winner. :thumbsup:

We set up the kid's laptops on Christmas morning our end with the Brit Christmas Eve at my sisters place and they all 10 of them watched the grand-kids open their Christmas presents with lots of oohs and aahs.....it was such a laugh, praise be to Skype. :lol:

Have had a really nice weekend here in Australia, but am so looking forward to my next Christmas in the UK. Still having mixed feelings and collywobbles but I am sure I will be OK. :D

I have Corrie'd myself out today since I came home (Windsong some great episodes, Tracy Barlow!!!! :thumbsup:), watched The Royle Family Christmas Special, an old Freddie Starr special (I love him, he is so crackers LOL!!) and am off now to watch whatever Brit TV Christmas stuff I can, there is supposed to be a really funny Ronnie Corbett special, talking of Two Fat Ladies and Nigella cookery shows as you have been these past few days............what about the Two Hairy Bikers..........some good UK TV going on on my laptop as sadly to say Aussie Christmas TV is as abysmal as ever............

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062368)

No Windsong, it's not about the Queen - we have been discussing it for the last few weeks. It's a comedy about a working class British family up north.

Here's the Xmas special on Youtube:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSbNz_BngHc
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8L3ZRlGdfk
Part Three:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OumsytEHRw
Part Four: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWTOxfS92Ns

Upstairs Downstairs started last night and runs for 3 nights.

Anyone heard from Fish n Chips recently? He's awfully quiet. I hope everything is OK.

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062368)

No Windsong, it's not about the Queen - we have been discussing it for the last few weeks. It's a comedy about a working class British family up north.

Here's the Xmas special on Youtube:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSbNz_BngHc
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8L3ZRlGdfk
Part Three:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OumsytEHRw
Part Four: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWTOxfS92Ns

Upstairs Downstairs started last night and runs for 3 nights.

Anyone heard from Fish n Chips recently? He's awfully quiet. I hope everything is OK.

Originally Posted by DDL (Post 9061930)

Orange pekoe isn't a type of tea but a grade of tea leaves based upon the size/characteristic of the leaves themselves.

Within whole leaf grades the quality ranges from ordinary (OP=Orange Pekoe) to extraordinary (SFTGFOP(1) - Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe).

The real fun begins, when people say how much they love their orange-flavoured Orange Pekoe tea :lol: especially since the word "orange" in this instance has nothing to do with flavour.

Thank you all for attending this mini Tea 101 class. :rofl:

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills (Post 9062346)

Thank you for that, so Orange pekoe and pekoe cut black mean it's not as high a quality/grade?

Originally Posted by Tanto (Post 9062423)

That was very interesting, Denise, thank you! When is the next class?

Originally Posted by DDL (Post 9061930)

Orange pekoe isn't a type of tea but a grade of tea leaves based upon the size/characteristic of the leaves themselves.

Within whole leaf grades the quality ranges from ordinary (OP=Orange Pekoe) to extraordinary (SFTGFOP(1) - Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe).

The real fun begins, when people say how much they love their orange-flavoured Orange Pekoe tea :lol: especially since the word "orange" in this instance has nothing to do with flavour.

Thank you all for attending this mini Tea 101 class. :rofl:

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062368)

Anyone heard from Fish n Chips recently? He's awfully quiet. I hope everything is OK.

Originally Posted by J.J (Post 9062537)

Anyone else tried Red Bush (Rooibos) tea, DH has converted to it from Assam, no caffeine, high anti-oxidents, says it is more refreshing, drinks it with slice lemon or with nothing.

Originally Posted by DDL (Post 9062584)

Excellent choice! I like Rooibos (pronounced "roy bus") a lot, especially flavoured Rooibos

Not technically a tea at all (because it does not contain the leaves of the tea bush camellia sinensis), it is a plant that grows in South Africa.

My favourite is Harney & Son's "African Autumn" cranberry-orange flavoured Rooibos: http://bit.ly/bvJRRc

Originally Posted by trottytrue (Post 9062631)

Sallysimmons.....The snow is bad enough but the winds are horrendous almost blow you over. Makes it so much colder and when you are clearing the driveway it just makes it harder. Not enjoying this.:frown:

Originally Posted by Sentosa (Post 9062092)

Looks like we will be home by spring.:D
Had offer on the house after only 4 weeks on the market:)
Now I need to find a home for my cat, just can't bring her home:(

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062356)

I LOVED the Royle Family Christmas special. I think that might have been the best episode ever. Poor Joe when they told him Mary was in the Dyson! :rofl:

I downloaded Upstairs Downstairs, which started last night but haven't seen it yet.

I'm envying your hot weather as hubby and I are about to go out and tackle phase 2 of our drive clearing operation after we had 15 inches of snow. UGH! Where's my shovel? ...

Originally Posted by Beedubya (Post 9062782)

I wouldn't mind a wee bit of snow right now!!

Originally Posted by windsong (Post 9062364)

Hi Bee - Glad you got to watch all that British TV :) I watched Corrie St and got up to date with the Tracy Barlow situation. I was so grateful it ran on Christmas Day. That was a really nice surprise for me.

Today is only the second day after Christmas and in the U.S. it's already all over :(

I am feeling a little better today. I could do with another day off before returning to work tomorrow but I will be okay. I only work three days this week as we are off again on Friday.

I was going to ask how you got mosquito bites in December but I forgot you are "down under" lol!

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9062368)

No Windsong, it's not about the Queen - we have been discussing it for the last few weeks. It's a comedy about a working class British family up north.

Here's the Xmas special on Youtube:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSbNz_BngHc
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8L3ZRlGdfk
Part Three:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OumsytEHRw
Part Four: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWTOxfS92Ns

Upstairs Downstairs started last night and runs for 3 nights.

Anyone heard from Fish n Chips recently? He's awfully quiet. I hope everything is OK.

Originally Posted by DDL (Post 9062427)

Correct, but you generally won't find a high quality pekoe in teabag tea. Companies like Mighty Leaf, Harney and others are, however, producing some very high quality teabags that contain whole leaf tea.

The interesting thing is, though (and research supports this) ... people of the UK are just so attuned to the taste of their tea (PG, etc) the way it is, that even if it meant higher quality, they wouldn't want it. They expect a certain taste in their tea, and they don't want any changes.

The 'younger generation' appear to be much more open to experimentation and trying new teas (flavoured, fruit, etc.) than the 'older generation' who are more than satisfied with the same old bold, strong black tea - usually with milk. There are a number of up and coming British tea companies who are run by young people and who are really pushing the tea envelope.

Originally Posted by Sentosa (Post 9062092)

Looks like we will be home by spring.:D
Had offer on the house after only 4 weeks on the market:)
Now I need to find a home for my cat, just can't bring her home:(

Originally Posted by windsong (Post 9062818)

Sentosa, why can't you take her with you? She looks upon you as her mama.

Originally Posted by trottytrue (Post 9062631)

Sallysimmons.....The snow is bad enough but the winds are horrendous almost blow you over. Makes it so much colder and when you are clearing the driveway it just makes it harder. Not enjoying this.:frown:

DDL and JJ...Thanks for the information on tea I pop down to the British store in Peabody and get my tea its quite a bit cheaper than Amazon. I did try Punja tea but when your not use to such strong tea its a bit overwhelming. I got that make from Christmas Tree shops but dont much care for it.

Charleygirl...Hows the storm treating you. Do you have the high winds we are having you must have unless you moved over Christmas.:)

Originally Posted by ldyinlv (Post 9062845)

OHOH..not looking good for the 3 suitcase senario..:(....How many did Rodney take???..lol

Originally Posted by Beedubya (Post 9062873)

I think he had 4 and he is a man, so that means as a woman you will have about 10!! :lol:

Originally Posted by ldyinlv (Post 9062881)

I already filled 2, and havent even opened my closet yet..this could get expensive...

Originally Posted by J.J (Post 9062537)

sally; Fish said that he would be off line for a week or so over Christmas, gone off some where for the holidays.

Dontheturne: sorry to hear your palms failed after not wrapping them for the winter; make a note, Cordyline Australis are the most hardy and generally do not need wrapping if not in exposed position. The are many in this region, people buy them initially because they are attractive spiky shrub but they do mature up to 10m tall

Originally Posted by cheers (Post 9062921)

Jackie,

Off the subject!
Anyone else notice how slow the internet is today?

Cheers

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9063027)

Hey Cheers. It doesn't work that way. The Internet isn't slow for everyone at the same time. It's a series of lots of different connections, and they're different for every one of us. Think of it like roads all leading to a major city. You take one road and hit no traffic, but I choose a different route and there's an accident and suddenly I'm slowed down.

That's what's happened to your Internet connection today - but none of us share the same connection so none of us have a slow down.

If you ever experience a real slow Internet connection, the best thing is to reboot your modem or router. When you turn it on again, it might take a different route and you'll find it is faster again. Or just wait and the broken server will be fixed, wherever it is.

Originally Posted by sallysimmons (Post 9063027)

Hey Cheers. It doesn't work that way. The Internet isn't slow for everyone at the same time. It's a series of lots of different connections, and they're different for every one of us. Think of it like roads all leading to a major city. You take one road and hit no traffic, but I choose a different route and there's an accident and suddenly I'm slowed down.

That's what's happened to your Internet connection today - but none of us share the same connection so none of us have a slow down.

If you ever experience a real slow Internet connection, the best thing is to reboot your modem or router. When you turn it on again, it might take a different route and you'll find it is faster again. Or just wait and the broken server will be fixed, wherever it is.

Originally Posted by Beedubya (Post 9062806)

What tea do you drink Denise?

I found it a wee bit hard to find "my" preferred tea in the UK as I have lived here so long. When I am in the money I drink Twining's English or Irish Breakfast tea, but at the moment I am drinking Dilmah which is from Ceylon. Is there a Brit equivalent as I found PG tips, etc a bit strong for my palate.

Originally Posted by charleygirl (Post 9062852)

JJ how was christmas for you back home,.......not jealous or anything of course!

Originally Posted by DDL (Post 9063551)

Barb, I'm a PG girl, but recently we've been making a special point to pop into Waitrose to purchase Williamson's Traditional Afternoon Tea. It is gorgeous.

I'm almost certain that Dilmah is sold here in the UK, but if not you will be able to find plenty of Ceylon teas. I love Ceylon but for more of an afternoon tea than a breakfast tea (which traditionally will contain Assam). Next time we're at Tesco, I'll check the tea aisle and see if they carry Dilmah.

Ceylon tea and egg mayonnaise [sandwich] are an excellent pairing, by the way. (Tea and food can be paired just as wine and food can be paired.)

Originally Posted by Tanto (Post 9063336)

Hi Cheers,
I think you can get travel health insurance when you leave the UK - friends did that and it's not expensive. Yes, I had noticed that the internet was slow and not connecting immediately a couple of days ago and a friend in Philly mentioned it too.......
What does it mean?!!
Going back to tea for a minute - I bought some Tetley 'British Blend' tea bags from the supermarket here (LA) - they were about $4 for 80. It's quite palatable, I think!

Originally Posted by windsong (Post 9064668)

I was in the local grocery store today and, lo and behold, I saw something there I have never seen them stock before - PG Tips teabags! I grabbed two boxes lol! I came home, made a full pot of tea and drank the whole thing by myself lol! They must have picked up my vibes recently :)

Originally Posted by ldyinlv (Post 9064675)

You are gonna be wired all night now..lol

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills (Post 9064742)

So you'll be here all night keeping us amused :lol: