Cupcakes

I brought some today. A tad on the expensive side with 4 of them costing me $18.50. Yes that's $4.75 each. Just the cupcake. That or they are really good value, since frankly cupcake pricing is something that would generally elude me, so my pricing comment made only in comparison to things I know cost under $5 and may not actually be a true reflection of the worth or value. I think.

They're made locally, by the Delish Cupcake Company And they had a choice of about 8 flavors today. I walked out with Chocolate, Nutella, Lime and strawberry.

[caption id="attachment_1013" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="From the website"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1017" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is one of the purchased items, just the same as the ones on their website, except made today."][/caption]

So far for a company that's a couple of years old they're still open, which in itself is something, given that it's not the best of times, hey perhaps frippery and discretionary extends to cupcakes - it would seem so, and from the variety that they offer it seems that they are still being wonderfully creative.

The owner/creators both have full-time day jobs, and they spend evenings and weekends confecting their products.

The shop is clean, cozy, welcoming and just a little off the beaten track. I would imagine that the delivery business is flourishing.

I've worked alongside small business entrepreneurs and owners, but I can't see how this venture could ever be anything other than a boutique operation, I don't see how this particular craft and style can't scale, unless you forego somethings like quality assurance. And their operation seems depend on them sub-letting ovens and prep-rooms, and that can't be a long term strategy.

It took me a while to visit Delicious Cupcakes, and I've yet to eat the products. Will I revisit? well the proof will be in the pudding so to speak, but it would only be for very special occasions.

The Gentleman's Fishing Club

What you need, and all you need  is;

1. A Seahorse KonTiki unit, complete with the electric winch.


2. Some bait


3. A beach


4. A couple of hours


5. Optional Beverage

The idea of one of these pieces of kit is that you launch them from the beach, and they tow your long-line and associated hooks and bait, out into the wide blue yonder.

Cunningly the motor is timer driven so you can set it to chug away for 30 minutes and then it stops, until you winch it in again, with attached fish, if you're in luck.

It's been unusual for us to come home empty-handed, although occasionally we have. Sometimes you lose a hook.

It's all very gentle and orderly and effortless, apart from a bit of lifting and bit of lugging on the sand.

The nice thing is that when you go to retrieve your line you can always sit there with a glass of wine, gin and tonic or a beer or two, since the winch is doing all the work and can take half an hour or so.

BUT.....

the problem this year was that on the recovery the torpedo managed to snag itself on something and became marooned. This occasioned the conniption and much angst as the FIL got himself into a tizzy. Lucky we have access to a Zodiac and was able to launch a rescue mission to retrieve it. I got wet and cold on that day, and so that  goes towards my summer swim in the ocean count.

Oh and that was one of the few fish-less days.

There are now 3 of these things on the beach, one of them comes equipped with a GPS unit, so you can launch it and it will go where you send it, which is a bit fancy, half the challenge is pinging the thing straight into waves and taking into account the tide, wind and current. Each to their own (he says sarcastically) "They're not true Gentleman Fishers"

The Other Bucket List

The list of things that you never want to do. the things you would avoid at all costs. Mine is different to yours of course, I hope. The   list is be about things that I have no personal interest in participating in as "things" They hold no allure, fascination or attraction to me, no challenge or reward appears offered for achieving participation. Call me a curmudgeon. There is a real bucket list of course. I'll start on that next when I figure out what it is that I don't want to do.

1. Scuba Diving.


2. One of those one hour trial lesson in a light aircraft.


3. Bungy Jumping - possibly the lamest of all the adventure / thrill activities.


4. Get a tattoo.


5. Manicure / Pedicure / Massage.


6. Swim with sharks - possibly the 2nd lamest of all the adventure / thrill activities.


7. Tandem parachutes - I've done single jump  and it's much much scarier.


8. Camping holiday.


9. Have a "hot lap" in a Ferrari or Lamborghini or pretty much any car really - going fast as a passenger - *gosh*.


10. Hot Air Ballooning


11. Own a restaurant that I had to work in - what kind of madness is a 7 day a weeks 14 hour a day job?


12. Own a pub that I had to work in. - what kind of madness is a 7 day a weeks 14 hour a day job?


13. Take a holiday on a Cruise Liner - gak!!


14. Skiing


15. Appear on a TV game show as a contestant

At the beach: some things ever change

It is nice to have something's that never change.

If it were me

If it were me I would ban the way cafe's wrap the cutlery in a paper serviette, tightly, that it is a mission to unwrap, and pretty obvious something was wet when it was done. That is all.