Gary L

OMG how awful. Hoping for a swift recovery. Forget about GA fun and games. His health is paramount. 🤗

From an Iraqi friend: in a NON-STICK saucepan, one cup of rinsed, washed, rinsed and washed, rinsed and washed, etc. basmati, one cup of water, one tablespoon of olive oil, saffron sachet, a teaspoon of salt ( or less in today’s world). Bring to boil. Immediately start to lower heat bit by bit so it never boils too much. When done the rice is cooked tip out onto a plate. There will be crispy “overdone” rice at the bottom. Those in the know fight for this part. I add a bit more water for cowardice sake…. Nadia is an amazing cook.

@Summerabbacat has the most vivid imagination of all readers here! A crack!

A delightful start to Monday! Gray is going from strength to strength. This is gradually becoming my favourite of the author’s stories. Thank you @Robert Hugill!

Thanks. The story, feelings-wise is autobiographical. The incident was invented. After 20 colonoscopies I’m used to the “icky” aspect. Xx

Okay, living in Valencia, many families have this paella every Sunday. Once a month is enough for me. The classic paella consists of chicken and rabbit first fried in the paella (that’s actually the name of the cooking pan); then add wide runner beans, a local crop, fry a bit more and add grated tomato, local of course; next add water/stock up to the screws and boil for 10 min; check for seasoning and add rice grown just south of the city and butter beans, again local. Cook until all liquid absorbed and rice cooked (tricky for a Brit to get right at first) and for the last five minutes put loads of fresh rosemary over the top (stolen from nearby field). You must NEVER stir once the rice is added so that the bottom of the rice gets crispy and slightly burned, even. You can also do a seafood version or vegetarian. If you are a heretic from Alicante you can mix seafood and chicken. An abomination according to my Valencian significant other! Oh and if you like snails, chicken feet and other horrors, these are also acceptable….. but not in my kitchen. I await other menus. BTW, Chris’ dessert affair looked to die for….

Love the story but plead for chapters to be joined together for longer reads.

Wonderful.

A snack lunch in Valencia…..

I always give 5 stars as I only review the writing that I love… However, this story is utterly wonderful for me. It hits every note perfectly. Please read and recommend. It’s a dream. well done, @Tomkin Watts This is one of the best short pieces I have ever read on this site. Such writing talent. 🌟

A wonderful read. Exquisite in its tortures both of the characters and readers. Bravo!

Derek is the super-cute younger brother almost dragged to a fancy party. As it turns out he is very glad that he went! A delightful piece, very nicely written. Perfect for a Sunday morning read, lazing in bed before your “steampunk cowboy” demands your attention….. Excellent!

Me too! Still, I liked the photos of the cowboys on the google search…. 😁

I make my own fish and chicken stock and freeze 4 litres at a time. 45 min in pressure cooker. Also bulk prep of sofrito veg - chopped carrots, celery and onions means I can make a pasta sauce in minutes ( and then freeze half ). Cooking for me is relaxing but I can sympathise with those not into to it. puddings, now, are a different matter and are firmly in Paco’s hands…

I was thinking we ought to have an annual prize for best story title and best chp title. For the later it’s between @JeffBurton and @Robert Hugill, the later has some great stories and v amusing.

Pure luck and time zone. Just as I push the wiener dogs to one side of the bed so I can get to sleep, the latest chp arrives. They take advantage of this to retake lost territory….

You are not alone in that!

Yet………. 😱

Wheels within wheels…. And then more wheels. Can’t wait to hear the plan. Bit of a cliffhanger, eh? many thanks Mark. This and a Granger update. 🤗

My brother in law was complaining of it being cold and cloudy in uk and sounded envious whilst I complained of it being 35°C (v hot in Fahrenheit) and humid here in Spain. Massachusetts sounds fab. ENJOY 😊

With this author, practically anything! Their imagination is endless! 😁

I hope the newer treatments are able to help him. A dear friend has Crohn’s and boy has she gone through it over the years. Gary

The biologics have been hit and miss. The first one almost killed me. After two doses I was off work for three months. It was the local GP who worked out that I was allergic. Humira, interestingly, was uk approved only for Crohn’s but not for UC. At nearly £2,000 per month it was only for the rich. Meanwhile, here in Spain, it was free…… am now on Entyvia and symptoms-free. I was on the list for resectioning but the biologics came in time. I feel for your friend’s son.

Thanks @chris191070 for your words. Yep, epilepsy is another case. A friend was misdiagnosed for years in Leeds. Banned from driving, made to feel less than fully human. Decades later it turned out he had heart issue that provoked similar symptoms.

Thanks for your comment @pvtguy. yes, if you find understanding it really helps.