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By Izzy Muses, on January 23rd, 2012 Internet radio. I’m not joking. Pop along to your local electrical store, start browsing the Roberts wifi radios and just wait to see how men will flock to you. That was certainly my experience this weekend.
Shop no 1. An American gentleman struck up conversation and proceeded to follow me around the display. I learned that he was suffering from a chest infection, had just had his 60th birthday, had lost 12 stone last year, suffers from diabetes, and likes to pick up pairs of gifts in January for his children’s stockings – presumably next Christmas. I couldn’t help wondering how come his presumably well-grown kids are still getting stockings but I guess that’s a cultural difference. In the midst of gleaning all this information, I managed to figure out that my preferred model was the Roberts 83i but, sadly, it wasn’t in stock so I bade farewell to the American and proceeded with some haste to Shop no 2.
Shop no 2 didn’t stock the Roberts models but had a Pure Evolve and a Logitech Squeezebox. As I fiddled about with the Pure Evolve, gentleman no 2 approached. That Evolve is over-priced he told me, you can get it for nearly 100 euro cheaper online. But the Logitech, he says, is better value and he’s a huge fan having bought one a couple of weeks ago. Clearly, he loves it so much he’s now lurking in the shop offering unsolicited advice to single women such as myself. Still, it was an interesing and persuasive conversation as a result of which I took a much closer look at the Logitech and found I preferred it to the Roberts 83i. Sadly, the Logitech wasn’t in stock either.
Shop No 3. This time, I was fully expecting another approach and, sure enough, within 2 minutes of arriving at the wifi radio display I was joined by gentleman no 3 – a Roberts fan well versed in current discounts. He pointed out that the 83i has a woofer at the back. (I wouldn’t actually know what that is but clearly it’s something to be desired) and that it has two speakers at the front making for better sound. He also says it looks more solid and classier – which is funny, cos the guy in shop no 2 didn’t think it was particularly classy at all. In fact, gentleman no 2 thought the Roberts and the Pure Evolve were both a bit ugly. Gentleman no 3 was interrupted by a sales assistant. I hesitated – not wishing to reject outright the Roberts in front of such an admirer yet knowing my heart is set on the Logitech Squeezebox. Feigning an interest in toasters, I lured the salesman away before quietly asking about the Logitech. You’ve guessed it, of course, it’s out of stock.
Clearly, I’m late to the wifi radio party and it’s no suprise they’re sold out everywhere if my experience is anything to go by. I’ve decided I wont’ be buying a wifi radio at all but I will continue to shop for one every weekend. It seems it’s the new way to attract men.
By Izzy Muses, on January 15th, 2012  Image: © Flexflex | Dreamstime.com It has been a windy start to 2012 and that had nothing whatsoever to do with menopause or festive over-indulgence. No indeed. Rather it was a case of strengthening south-westerlies celebrating the New Year by seeking to raise the roof. The force was enough to wake me and send me scuttling around the house to close banging doors at some unearthly hour of the morning.
Scarcely was I back in slumberland when a loud crash woke me yet again. After the initial shock of the second coming, I figured what ever had fallen was now on the floor somewhere about the house and there was nothing to be gained by getting out of bed to investigate before morning.
Curiously, dawn’s early light revealed the source of the crash – a pile of law books, property of a certain solicitor of my acquaintance somehow found their way from the centre of a good mahogany table to the middle of the floor in the hall. It’s the kind of event you wouldn’t want to dwell on too much on a night when you’re alone in the house.
Still, it seems I wasn’t the only one to experience unusual nocturnal events on said evening although in the other case the moving objects were silent balloons that navigated a complex course through someone’s house to settle in the early hours on the ceiling of the master en suite.
Clearly, if this continues, it augurs for winds of change in 2012.
By Izzy Muses, on December 10th, 2011 Can cars become menopausal? Certainly mine seems to be breaking out in sweats if the state of the windscreen these past few weeks is anything to judge by. It has been positively soaked first thing in the morning, and just as bad twelve hours later when I pick it up from the Park ‘n Ride for the trip home. Cloths, kitchen rolls, shammies – all have proved unequal to the task of drying up. Although the car is still relatively new, I was beginning to think the windscreen would have to come out bu, thankfully, I checked out some discussion boards before I incurred that expense. Suggestions from the motoratti include keeping the air conditioning turned on and making sure the vents are all open, neither of which seemed to make even the tiniest bit of difference in my case. But joy! I spotted stuff called dampsorb in my local DIY store and figured it might be worth trying. It’s a little tub thing with some kind of crystals in it that apparently absorb moisture from the air. The smallest size costs about 6 euro. I’ve had it in the car for just over 2 weeks now and, so far, no further significant problems with the windscreen. If you’re car is sweating too, it might be worth giving one of the absorbent thingys a go.
By Izzy Muses, on November 20th, 2011 These past few weeks I have had to take a break from blogging to catch up with some research for another project. But, as you know, skincare products are never too far from my mind so you won’t be surprised to hear that I found myself curiously drawn to ads for exotic products of yesteryear. Take this one for example, which I found advertised, in our national newspaper of record circa 1923. The product in question is Budden’s S.R. Skin Ointment which the advertiser claims:
“will cure itching after one application; destroys every form of eczema; heals all wounds and sores; acts like a charm on bad legs; is infallible for piles; prevents cuts from festering; will cure ringworm in a few days; removes the most obstinate eruption, and scurvy.”
The question I have, dear reader, is why is this product no longer available? Perhaps it’s the lack of anti-aging ingredients? Or maybe it IS still available. According to the ad it was stocked in Dublin by Mr Corcoran on Talbot Street and by Hayes Conyngham Robinson on Grafton Street. Personally speaking, I’d trade a wrinkle for something that would act like a charm on my bad legs. Well, wouldn’t you?
By Izzy Muses, on October 9th, 2011 A good friend recently had some significant heart problems as a result of which she’s now trying to introduce more fish into her diet. Bored with salmon, and with the other choices on the fish counter looking tired most days, she was forced to take another look at mackerel and came up with this neat little recipe for a mackerel pate. Apart from the heart-friendly aspect, this is also pretty easy on the pocket and would make a simple, tasty starter for a casual dinner party.
Ingredients for Low-Fat Mackerel Pate
- Fillet of cooked mackerel,
- Onken fat free set yoghurt,
- Horseradish sauce (you can buy jars in the supermarket) and a
- Splash of lemon juice (squeezy lemon is fine).
Mackerel Pate Method
Mash the mackerel with a fork. Squeeze in some lemon juice. Add a generous teaspoon of horseradish sauce. Blend in about a level tablespoon of yoghurt. And that’s it. Serve on slices of good brown bread or oatcakes. (Note: this is much better made with a fork rather than a blender – the blender makes it too mushy).
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