Yay! Candy bars!
Boo, candy bars will cost more in future. Is there nothing they won’t blame on Brexit? Though, in this case, they probably have a point…our currency hasn’t entirely recovered from the shock yet.
One of the great pleasures of being a nimmigrant is getting to try new junk food. I think I’ve worked my way down most of the candy bars — the novel ones, anyway — and this is my favorite. It’s called a Picnic. It’s raisins, peanuts and cookie stuck together with caramel and coated in chocolate.
It’s got an awesome texture. Me, I’m all about the textures. (No marshmallow. NO MARSHMALLOW).
Wikipedia tells me they’re sold in Australia, parts of Canada, New Zealand, New York City, India, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa and the United Kingdom. New York City? New York City!
The Australasian version doesn’t contain raisins. Go figure.
The slogan was “Deliciously Ugly” — which. I dunno. Aren’t all chocolate bars somewhat turdlike in appearance?
One of the downsides of being a nimmigrant is I get blamed for all things American. Snickers bars, apparently, have always been sold as Marathon bars in the UK. And now Mars, Inc is selling them as Snickers here. And everybody is sore at me.
Mmmmm…Snickers.
March 6, 2017 — 9:32 pm
Comments: 20
Let’s end the week on a dog
Lookit that face! He’s a healthy dog, apparently. Just has a nasty congenital jaw deformity. I confess: I only love this story because of this dog’s name.
Picasso. His name is Picasso.
Abandoned by his breeder, he went onto the euthanasia list right away. Duh. Somebody dumped his (normal looking) brother off, too, and they sat on Death Row together.
Then some guy put him on Instagram and now he’s one of the most-requested adoptees in California. Feelgood story ugly mutt.
It’s going to rain all weekend here, so I’m’onna paint. I need a beret and one of those big white smocks with the bow. Good weekend, everyone!
March 3, 2017 — 9:23 pm
Comments: 15
Hang in there – it’s coming!
I had real trouble with the Winters here, at first. They aren’t all that cold — not by New England standards — but they’re just relentless and miserable and gray and (usually) wet. Mizzle, not snow. They seem to go on forever.
But the slide from Winter to Spring is incredibly measured. It has firm landmarks. If you can hang on through January, you can see the path to better times day after day.
First a few snowdrops. Then daffodils and crocuses. Then BABY LAMBS! Then all the hedges and trees turn white with blossom. Then it’s straight into the Month of Birthday and the Summer fete season and everything is concentrated awesomeness until September.
Maybe the signs were there in Rhode Island, too, and I was just too busy driving up and down I-95 to a gray cubicle.
I heard the voice of a lamb the other morning, but I think he must have been driving by in a truck. In the back, not actually driving. Ours aren’t due for another few weeks. Still — look! Crocuses!
Yeah, I know. Flowers look shit in black and white.
March 2, 2017 — 10:37 pm
Comments: 16
Wednesday is the New Saturday
So, my work schedule is slightly amended: I don’t go in at all on Wednesdays. This means sleeping late and (I’ve decided) painting. You know, like art.
I am determined to get some work in at least one show this year.
That shouldn’t be too tough, considering I’ve just joined an amateur art society with a requirement to show two pieces in their annual. That is, the judging shouldn’t be tough. I still have to paint some shit.
When I first moved here, surrounded as I am by sheep, I thought they’d be a natural. Turns out, they’re really fun to draw and harder’n hell to paint.
It’s the fleece. Use cool colors (blues) and they look dead, use warm colors (browns) and they look dirty.
So, chickens it is!
I don’t suppose I can make a whole career out of chicken painting. I’m discovering they only have one facial expression — pent-up rage. Seriously, chickens have the most awful ‘resting bitch faces.’ It’s the downturned beak. And the glarey eyes.
Chicken painter. Sixteen-year-old me would be so humiliated.
March 1, 2017 — 10:01 pm
Comments: 16