Well on further consideration we need to also remember that in Britain their equivalent to a dollar bill is the pound coin which weighs a ton. An absolute ton. A day's change is incredibly heavy, I don't see how they stand it, and yes, dirty. Yes. There's a reason why transatlantic flights ask if you have any "spare change" to aid this or that charity project, and why they do so well, too.
I really had not considered the "cashless " idea and I really don't understand all the ramifications of it, but I definitely don't want to return to the checkbook thing and having to present all kinds of ID, such a pain in the neck, long lines while somebody fumbles for their ID, no thanks. At least in a cashless society clerks who can't add or subtract (and there are many of them) will not have to worry.
Rosemary:
Do you not hang game in America? America being such a huge country it's hard to answer for for the entire nation.
HERE "deer season," when you can legally hunt deer, (let's just stick with deer as "the well hung saddle of venison" as the EF Benson quote goes), (and that "well hung" refers to 26 days of "curing," you might say, to increase flavor/ tenderness). But here deer season is quite warm? People who hunt here on our land usually use an abattoir where the venison is "hung" for a week in a refrigerated room; we do know one who does it at home, outside, should it happen to be cooler weather.
When I was a child in PA which is colder in the fall, it was common to see it done, I always thought it was horrific to see outside a garage or something. My husband who grew up on a farm recalls hanging beef for two weeks but in a special cooler (they are hotter in Georgia than we are at this time of year) room for this purpose.
To be quite frank, if you did it here in this heat without some kind of cover....well I won't go into it.
Rosemary, on the Portillo, what a joy it is. The program is SO well done, every detail, and he's so enjoying himself. Even the theme music reminds one of a chugging train. I'm really obsessed with it, and as you say there are at least 10 sets of the series of it should I want to continue. Now I am interested in what else he is doing, too, so am glad to hear about the new ones and the history.
We're in Northern Wales this morning, zigzagging all over the country. I see Blaenavon is one of the stops to come. I hope it will include the Big Pit: my MIL and I went right after they first shut that mine down and one of the ponies was still alive. The miners take you through the pit, or did, and I've got a real miner's lamp (not one of the imitations) from that experience. It's a beautiful thing and amazing to look at and imagine the things it has seen. Piece of history. That was back when I collected souvenirs, I don't, any more.
Now here is the difference in what Rosemary writes about train travel in Britain, showing the difference in being a person who lives in a country (Rosemary) and me, (nothing but an enthusiastic tourist). And it's a big difference. As a tourist I usually buy the BritRail Pass, not available to those living in the UK. This allows me to jump on or off any train anywhere I like, any time, without the long queues at the ticket office or machines. I keep being told I can do it cheaper point to point. I tried that last year. Waiting in long impatient lines to get a ticket and then trying to figure out the return? When you can just go on a whim wherever whenever?
To justify any possible difference in cost I usually take one very long journey by train which then pays for the rest of the week; they aren't very expensive. And I always get the 2nd class pass in the UK because quite frankly once you get out to the strange places I want to go, it's all 2nd class? Usually two cars. Usually with nobody else on them. Sometimes having to lean out the window and open the door from the outside. To ME that's real living! hahahaa. In Italy only First Class, I get tired of standing up for several hours in packed crowds otherwise. Same in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the European continent except France. In France I go point to point, due to their (new to me) return policy on trains which I very much like.... 2nd class only in England. I really love train travel.
Last night my husband and I rode up to the crest of the vineyard to look at the Comet, have any of you seen it?
It's a bit early to be looking HERE in its trajectory but we've got till August, supposedly the 23rd of July is best for us here, if clear, and the sky was full of spectacular constellations so we got to argue over which one was which. It was fun, bad on the neck, but great fun.
