Hello folks it’s so good to be back in your company once more. I hope everyone is well and content in your lives.
I was recently given breakfast by a lady and friend of mine called Joanne Somairham. Her cleanliness has always left a lot to be desired but she is and always will be my friend.
The breakfast consisted of 2 fried eggs, 4 rashers of fried streaky bacon, 2 slices of fried bread and 2 fried potato scones. I carried the feast from the bedroom to the dining room as I have never been comfortable eating in bed. I know, I know that there are some of you who would relish breakfast in bed but it’s just not for me. I conversed at great length along the way and by the time I reached the table some of the grease, yes grease, had set. I asked Joanne what she had used to cook the food and she replied, “Lard”. I stared down at the plate as the lady went to the kitchen to reheat the now cold tea.
“Lard,” I said to slightly aloud.
My mind geared into rewind as I recollected my Granny, who was descended from a pedigree of travellers, providing me with a ‘peece’ dooked in dripping. Dripping...pure animal fat. The sort of thing that we are warned against. Things we are warned against are...saturated fat; polyunsaturated fats; monosaturated fats. We have to be told about vitamins, palmitates, omegas, carbohydrates, cholesterol, sodium etc. We are also told what foods are suitable for pan frying, for deep frying, for oven, for grill, for roasting etc.
Do you remember when life was simpler? Do you remember when you just went to the butchers to buy a pound (not a kilo) of lard?
I know there are possible health issues but think on this..... Back to Granny Dunli...She lived until she was 90. She was married for a second time when she 86 years old! She smoked a clay pipe, which she bit the end off in order to get a better ‘sook’. She smoked thick black tobacco in the pipe. She ate ‘peeces’ in dripping. She ate, and gave me, ‘peeces’ with butter and sugar. She made me a wee ‘poke’ out of newspaper, which was filled with sugar and gave me rhubarb to dip in it and eat. She stewed her tea leaves (yes, real tea leaves) in a pot and drank it with milk( milk was just milk then) and 6 spoons of granulated sugar!( I remember it being so thick that the spoon used to stand straight up in the cup. My one eyed Grandfather drank his tea the same way. I actually think it was the second husband that killed her and not the eating!
Joanne eventually returned to the table with my freshly brewed beverage in a cracked cup! Hot, sweet, stewed tea....in a cracked cup!!!
I didn’t want to insult Joanne or embarrass myself, so I ate the meal provided. Do you think I was right in doing so? Would you have eaten the food or given it to the dog? Do you think I should have a word with Joanne?
If you don’t share similar views about the tale can you imagine ‘boaking’at the thought of drinking from a cracked cup?
Be seeing you,
Dunli
p.s. got a telegram from the Reverend Glen today and he is coming to stay with me for a few weeks. I’m certain he will have a tale or two to tell.........
Seemingly the mens tea tasted better as the can got more coated with tea 
