Earlier this year I thinned out my filing. One disposal, written in my mother’s hand on Barmeath writing paper, listed my childhood vaccinations. Except for blogging purposes, surely I could not need that?
Nanny State must have been looking over my shoulder as they have put this data online to remind me. It is an excellent example of pointless nonsense pretending to be helpful data. Some of these jabs didn’t exist and only my mother and Dr Costello actually knew my jabs.
But medication is not to be sneezed at so Bertie and I went shopping. His eye was caught by brand Bèrto – here’s our haul.
The brand is more Harvey Nichols than Hammersmith Bridge, yet that’s where a classy new deli has opened. We couldn’t go in because Bertie insists on sampling products on the lower shelves but I will go back to explore their products further. Meanwhile, I’m pleased with Bertie’s choice; vermouth and bitters revive my jaded taste buds especially when augmented by a slosh of gin, ice and orange zest. Bèrto was founded in 1890 at Castelnuovo Don Bosco in Piedmont and has been owned by the same family since 1906. It is more than a cut above Martini and, like sherry, is excellent value for money, but may be hard to source unless you live near Hammersmith Bridge.
When supplies of gin run low I stock up at the newsagent where 70 cl of Gordon’s under-strength gin (37.5%) costs £14.79. As the shop was closed a few days ago I went to Oddbins and asked for their “entry level” gin, explaining I meant “cheapest”. I thought £28 a bit steep and said so. No wonder Oddbins went into administration.
Hammersmith and Fulham recorded seventeen Covid cases per 100,000 people in the period 11 to 17 August. The average across the whole of England was eight. In ten days I am having a pneumonia vaccination at the Hammersmith NHS surgery. These injections are being given to vulnerable people as frequently Covid leads to pneumonia in old people.
Hammersmith Bridge is a sore subject. Structural defects have made it unsafe for even cyclists and pedestrians so now it is a private highway for foxes and rats. Rats. Plans to build a temporary bridge have been revived and I hope will be executed. It’s frustrating not to be able to walk upstream to Kew and Richmond. I could and probably will, walk downstream to Putney Bridge, cross there and walk upstream but it’s quite a hike adding on about four miles. Bertie won’t complain so I’ll just have to walk like a man.