‘You Read That To Me Too’

Although I am virtually recovered from what my GP thought was diverticulitis, I still have a slight niggle in my lower abdomen. Jackie therefore drove me to a follow up visit this morning. No more antibiotics are required, but a blood test was recommended to confirm the diagnosis. We therefore went on to Lymington hospital where I provided a small amount of blood.

This process was so smooth and utterly painless that I was most impressed and told the phlebotomist so. He said ‘it doesn’t always go like that’.

In my earlier years I was a blood donor for a while. I got to thinking about this, and that led me on to recollect Tony Hancock’s classic TV programme of 1961. This youtube video is an extract just over four minutes long. There are many full length options on the same source.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcZChdM0OiI&w=560&h=315]

Compare the early television screen with those of today.

My first mention of this classic came in my post ‘Early Entertainment’.

This afternoon we drove to Hobbycraft at West End where I bought some photo mount and Jackie some sequins, then on to Elizabeth’s where Danni cooked us all, including Andy,  an excellent chicken vindaloo, spinach and potatoes, and boiled rice, accompanied by naan, onion bhajis, and pakoras.

Chicken vindaloo

 

One of the drinks was an intriguing bottle of Mirza Ghalib vin de pays d’Oc 2005. This, a French wine, was produced specifically for drinking with curry. Given that the French are not big on Indian food this was rather surprising, yet effective.

Mirza Ghalib

One of our enjoyable conversations concerned hedgehogs. This led me to relate the tale of little Jessica telling the story of Nobby Bates, including June Brokas’s comment on the post, during which a look of recognition came over Danni’s face. ‘You read that to me, too’, said my niece. Elizabeth had also bought the book and read it to her two children, Danni and Adam.

55 comments

  1. Love the clip; I also have rare blood and once the legal vampires found out someone called me at home begging for some. That was illegal and I was recovering from surgery and had to decline. Years later I went to the Red Cross to donate blood but the woman was not able to get a drop out of me after poking five big holes in my arm. She said I had ‘runaway veins’ which was curious as I’ve had numerous blood tests before. Not meant to be.

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  4. So, was it good with curry? Better than what you would normally have chosen (a beer, no doubt)? I’m sending good wishes for you to feel tiptop soon. (The TV show was a hoot. I must look him up).

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  7. Wine with a curry – I am intrigued!! I never was a Hancock fan for some reason – I came into my own when Doug and Pete arrived on the same small telly ………… Oh, the changes we have seen! 🙂

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    2. Now I’m struggling with Pete and Doug, given my TV viewing will be of the same vintage. Would I be wrong in wondering if you meant Pete and Dud? If not then I’ve missed some important televisual education…

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        2. I bought some loft boards today. paid for six packs. Wheeled them to the car and realised I only had four. Had to go back and persuade them I needed another 2. They looked at my grizzled beard, lack of hair and waved me through. Rather insulting to be so trusted actually.

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      1. If you read the whole label, perhaps it’s less “surprising” that the “French” do a wine to go with curry. I’m sure “Cuvée” means cellar, thus the producer calls him/herself “Jaipur Cellar” (bit of a clue?) and bears a pretty Indian-looking name (not to mention portrait). S/he just happen to live in France, probably have a large local network from their original sub-continental culture, so thought they could try their hand at something for them, which finds favour beyond it. No surprises there, I’d’ve thought.

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  12. Hey, Derrick! I do not know how it is in your country, but in Romania, after donating blood is recommended to drink red wine 🙂 And, by the way, I liked your video 🙂

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  13. Sorry that you weren’t well Derrick and thank you for giving blood in the past. My life was saved due to people like you donating their blood. This Hancock clip is my favourite one of his plus the film where he tries to be an artist.
    May I ask where you can buy this wine? I eat a lot of spicy foods and tend to drink dessert wines like Malaga wine or the Canadian Ice wine (Aldi) which goes well, but to have one that is specifically blended for such would be good. I also like Cobra beer with curry, an Anglo-Indian beer specifically produced to accompany curry.

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      2. Googling it didn’t turn up a UK supplier. There were contacts in the US, France, and some foreign sites whose exact nationality I couldn’t fathom. If you like it enough, it might be economical to order a case from France (after all, SOL and Derrick must live near enough to be able to share an order!)

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  15. Get better soon. I have “deep veins” according to the practice nurses and one of them developed a fear of testing me. She used to refuse to test me and had me sent to the hospital, where the phlebotomist hit the vein first time. Fortunately the City Hospital is about 100 yards from the doctor. (I don’t get to use “phlebotomist” very often so thanks for the opportunity.) 😉

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  17. Glad to hear you’re doing better, Derrick! And glad to catch up with your blog with this post. Always nice to read your wine reviews. I see more bottles were in the background…and is that a jar of Goobers on the left?

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  18. Thanks for the mention Derrick, and for putting the story of Nobby and the hedgehog back in my mind. I spent many happy hours over the years reading this story to the 3 year olds in my nursery they were always enthralled, and so happy that the hedgehog managed to get out at the end 🙂 By the way like the Romanian idea of drinking red wine when you have donated blood

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