Sweet musings

Bought a Terry's Chocolate Orange at the supermarket over the weekend, just because it was there. Couldn't decide between milk and dark, so got both. I used to see them on the shelves only during Christmas time.

When I broke into it, I was a bit surprised to see the Kraft logo on the corner of the box. I'd forgotten that they had taken over Terry's (and now Cadbury's too). It's a bit sad to see that the confectionery of my (colonial) childhood has gone American. But at least they haven't changed the packaging much, except for a tiny Kraft logo in the corner.

And maybe if it wasn't for American marketing, what used to be special Christmas time imports would be on the shelves all year round.

Comfort zone

Stick-in-the-ribs beef bourguignon exorcises more inner demons than writing haikus.

Done a little thinner than you normally would cook it, and with veg and served over rice, to suit L -- who had an endoscope done on Wednesday. During the procedure, three varices were banded and one polyp was found, which was removed. He's still feeling a little discomfort from the procedure -- which he said hurt more this time than when last done a year ago.

Next Wednesday, a CT scan to check on the liver, growth in kidney and adrenals, and the "dark spots" found when he was last hospitalised a few months ago.

Doctor's appointment with the results of the scan and the biopsy of the removed polyp will be at the end of the month. Which is our wedding anniversary. Lovely. And the day before that -- L's birthday -- he will spend peeing into a bottle for a 24h urine collection. And there I was grousing about my miserable birthday earlier this year.

Think I will have another helping. Especially as the Montezuma chocolate from the England trip is all gone now.