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2 January 2002
Contrary to certain rumours, Mistral has not actually gone into hibernation although
it is true to say his natural curiosity has been rather inactive over the
festive season! Thankfully the days are lengthening and as light returns to
Central Scotland so Mistral is slowly awakening from his mildly soporific
state of mind! In fact, he is off to South America in a few days time so look
out for the new pictures of his attempt to scale Aconcagua, the highest
mountain in the Southern Hemisphere! See you in a few weeks time!
15 January 2002
Dear Mistral
Many thanks for your page which is one of only two that Google throws up on a
search for Olde+English+Spangles.
Thanks to Mistral's musings, I've managed to convince a friend that these
things actually did exist
(and were bought when we wanted a slightly more "macho" sweet).
Jim
Here's Mistral's reply with Jim's subsequent comments……………………..
>Dear Mr Skea
> I am amazed that so few websites refer to Olde English Spangles! Are we
the only discerning sweet eaters left in this rum old world? Of course they
actually existed, goodness knows why they stopped making them, it's an
absolute disgrace! Can you remember what all the flavours were?
Dear Mistral
"Flavours"? Well that depends on what your definition of
"flavour" is. If you're using "flavour" to mean
"something which causes a reaction when placed on the tongue"
instead of "something with a taste similar to that found in Nature"
(as in "orange-flavour") you could say that Olde English Spangles
had "flavours". So in the absence of a natural comparison, let's
call the flavours by their colours... Unfortunately it's been so long since I
was able to spend my pocket-money on them that I've forgotten what some of
the flavours were. However I do remember there was a "green"
flavour and a "yellow" flavour. Not so much different from your
standard Spangle, you might think. But different from the normal Spangle,
there was a "black flavour", about the same colour as the packet,
which was the most macho of them all to eat.
>
And what did you buy when you were not being "macho"? Marshmallows,
maybe?
Ummm... Lucky bags, Spanish Gold, Stroodles (if I had a lot of
money) and a small red & yellow chew that had a drawing that vaguely
resembled a pineapple on the front, whose name eludes me. Other macho things
to eat were Lemfizzes (if you put them in your mouth whole & crunched on
them), Black Jacks and Sherbet Dips (opening up the packet & putting all
the Sherbet into your mouth at once).
> It's
funny you should hail from South America as I am hoping to soon have some
pictures from Argentina on my website! Our own inveterate traveller is at
this very minute probably making his way up Aconcagua which I believe is the
highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere?
Your geography is excellent. Aconcagua is indeed the highest
mountain our side of the equator. However the pictures could be from Chile,
depending on which side of Aconcagua your adventurous friend is scaling at
the moment. One of the advantages in being half-way up Aconcagua is that it's
probably one of the few places in Argentina that he'll be largely free from
the collateral effects of the Peso's devaluation.
> I can tell you that his mother will be very glad when he is back home
safely in Edinburgh!
Having, on the one hand, experienced Rose Street on a Saturday Night and, on
the other, almost getting my car stuck in snowdrifts on the Argentina-Chile
pass, I think your friend is safer where he is!!
Jim
Well,
couldn't let that go without one final reply! - with Jim's further comments!
>Dear Mr
Skea
> The ascent of Aconcagua (if you really want to know) is taking the
northern route (apparently known as the Falso Route!) so I think that is in
Argentina?
Dear Mistral
I'm afraid you have me there. My knowledge of Aconcagua National Park doesn't
stretch to the geopolitical location of moutaineering routes!
> I am not quite convinced that it will be safer than Rose Street on a
Saturday night. Alas, Rose Street is not what it was in the days of 10pm
closing (maybe that's before your time?)
No. I almost invariably go to bed after 10pm.
> But, I digress. Sweets are the thing and, if you know Scotland, you
should remember Penny Dainties, those delectable chunks of tooth rotting
toffee which seem to have become smaller and smaller with the passing of the
years, much like the ever diminishing Cadbury's Creme Eggs! They have been
around
since the beginning of time and are made by McCowans who also make the
Highland Toffee with a highland cow on the wrapper? Whilst not in the class
of Olde English Spangles, they do hold a particular importance as a major
factor in much of the dental caries in several generations of Scottish children!
Ah! No more Rose Street crawls. Shrinking Penny Dainties.
Vanishing Jamboree bags, which cost 6d and always seemed to have a sweet
worth a penny and a toy worth tuppence in them. Pubs with a choice of beers:
McEwan's Export or McEwan's Lager. What's the point in having an increased
life expectancy without all the things that make life worth living are
disappearing? Little wonder I emigrated ;-)
> Must go and watch "Frasier"
Well, maybe some things have taken a turn for the better.
Jim
Don't know
about that, Jim, I hate to have to say it but even Frasier's not as good as
it used to be!
9 June 2002
Oooh! Er! Those few weeks seem to have stretched out quite a bit, presumably
because the person who helps Mistral with his website has been wasting
valuable time doing a lot of boring research into family trees and suchlike -
how sad can you get? Actually, very sad indeed if you're not careful as it
can become a total obsession as proven by the zillion genealogical websites
out there for all to see! Worry not, there's no chance that Mistral will be
doing such things - he's a completely unique one-of-a-kind sort of individual
and as such has no family tree at all!
To get back to reality, South America was great and the photos will be on the
web page ASAP!
30 September 2002
No excuses for not updating anything for months! It's a hard life sitting on
top of a cupboard watching life go by, is it not?
Answers by email, if you wish.
8 October 2002
Because of
the enormous amounts of spam which clog up many people's inboxes, personal
email addresses on Mistral's website will no longer have automatic links
attached to them - if you want to send email to anybody you will just have to
copy and paste - it's not much hassle really and may help to cut down on some
of the spam?
1 November 2002
Why do all
the kids nowadays do trick and treat at Halloween? What happened to good old
'guising' and turnip lanterns and ducking for apples? Has the influence of
the USA really obliterated all our old customs? Why are all the shops full of
pumpkins? This is Scotland - pumpkins don't grow here! What happened to
mashed tatties and turnip with silver thrupenny bits in it? I suppose Health
and Safety would ban it nowadays! Ho, hum!
continue on
to 2003
go back to idle curiosity
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