BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 12:57 PM

Ash Wednesday. Really? I have been spitting on my thumb and wiping off the smudge. I assumed people had car trouble. ":^/

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 01:21 PM

Not a word of a lie, my great uncle, who lived in Salford, gave up beer for Lent and only drank wine instead.

When we wuz lickle at school in Radcliffe, we vied with each other to get the biggest ash smear on the forehead. The trick was to jerk the head slightly just as the priest's thumb reached the head.

Feb 15 1961 was Ash Wednesday. As ever, we were marched off the half-mile to church that morning by our teachers. There was a partial solar eclipse that morning which I was desperate to see but the clouds covered the sun. By the time the service ended the sun was beaming out but the eclipse had finished. I have a feeling that I might have become a bitter, pre-pubescent proto-atheist that morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 01:46 PM

I first met with it on the underground in Glasgow. Sitting in a carriage with several people next to me all with the ash smears. Took me a moment to realize it wasn't a zombie apocalypse.

Is that the day when penitents are supposed to whip themselves with chains? Not enough headroom on the Glasgow trains for that.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: MikeL2
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 02:20 PM

Hi

When we were very young my brother and I thought that Ash Wednesday was "Tater Hash". We were taken to the church to the Mass. We received the ash from the priest but we re still waiting for the " Tater Hash".

Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Jos
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 02:52 PM

I've never noticed anyone with ash smeared on their forehead, but I do sometimes give up something for Lent, just as an exercise in self-control (but I don't do sober October or dry January - or try to grow a moustache in November).

I have read somewhere that in times gone by people believed that barnacle geese came from barnacles so they counted as fish, and you could eat them on Fridays.

I discovered last year that Catholics who give something up for Lent are allowed to eat whatever it is on Sundays because the 'fast' is supposed to be for 40 days, representing the time Christ spent in the wilderness resisting the temptations of the devil - but the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter is 46 days so it has to be fudged.

I suspect that using up the eggs in pancakes and then not eating any until Easter, when eggs hatch into chicks (or rabbits, for the really confused), has more to do with the need to stop eating eggs so that the chickens have a chance to produce chicks.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 03:14 PM

St Patrick's day, which always falls in lent, is a day off for some as well, Jos.

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Jos
Date: 13 Feb 18 - 03:47 PM

If you were an Irish Catholic who had given up Guinness for Lent, I reckon St Patrick's Day would have to be a day off, wouldn't it - bit of a bummer otherwise.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 04:06 AM

I've never understood why Lent ends on Easter Sunday (or Maundy Thursday).
If it commemorates Christ's 40 days of fasting in the desert it should end with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 04:37 AM

I suppose it's meant to cover the Passion as well Nigel.
I do think it's a good idea to exercise some self-discipline for a while. It's nice to find out one can control one's self-will if necessary.
I've been given a lovely box of chocolates by my kind husband for Valentine/s Day this morning, and in spite of the above smug remarks about self-discipline, I think...er...I'll tuck into them nevertheless!

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 08:21 AM

Of course, you shouldn't put your wishes for self-control above your husband's wishes to please you. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 08:32 AM

The real test of self control is to eat just a few and save the rest. If you are anything like me with a nice whisky it is not possible.

I am very good at abstinence but crap at moderation :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 08:52 AM

Well there - the two of you (Nigel and Dave) have persuaded me to graciously accept these delicious chocolates so as not to disappoint my husband. I shall indeed just have a few. But....the top layer has gone already... how that happened I don't know.

I've also tried to stop drinking that blooming Shloer. It's lovely, but my strict sister has forbidden me to buy any more as it's full of sugar. She says I'll make myself diabetic.

Just got back from Tesco, and a wicked fairy put three bottles of Shloer in the trolley. I'm having a large glass of it as I type.

I'm sure I'll go straight to hell at this rate!

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 09:02 AM

You definitely need to give up that sugary stuff. Stick to the version where the sugar has been converted to alcohol :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 09:19 AM

Morrisons has restocked the Nero d'Avola! But Dave, it's six quid...

I'm about to try their Italia Primitivo tonight, the one with the plain white label with pictures of pasta on it. Will keep you posted! We're having it with crostini topped with tomatoes, basil and olive oil, nocellara olives and Marche-style garlic cloves (bought at Roma in Whitefield), some Vallage triple cream cheese, some Yorkshire Blue from Morrison's (never 'ad it before) and a lump of proper Wensleydale. I will not die tonight of calorie-lack...

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 10:00 AM

The Yorkshire blue is very nice if I remember rightly. The one made by Shepherds Purse? They are very much the current rising stars of the dairy.

Blessed be the cheesemakers...

Have you tried the ultimate fusion food yet?

Yorkshire pudding pizza

Only available until the 20th. Will go very well with a Primitivo and Black Sheep cocktail :-D

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 10:36 AM

Imposition of ashes is done in Anglican churches in Canada, but only in the spiky (High Church) kind. I find it hard to square with Jesus' direction in the Book of Matthew:

(16) Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(17) But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
(18) That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

I remember going to work after Mass and washing my face in the ladies' loo on the way in. I wasn't the only one, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 10:49 AM

I remember going to work after Mass and washing my face in the ladies' loo on the way in. I wasn't the only one, either.

By 'loo' I trust you mean the room, not the receptacle ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Feb 18 - 10:56 AM

I do.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 05:51 AM

Lent is catholic drivel.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 06:05 AM

The Italia Primitivo is a charmless, stern beast. No more. Thankfully, we had a bottle of the Peuceta 2016 Primitivo to hand, a warm, sunny, fruity thing. The Wensleydale and Vallage were gorgeous, things of beauty, but I'm afraid the Yorkshire Blue was like a dry, salty version of a very average Stilton. Half of it ended up in the bin. Gotta try these things I suppose...

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 06:31 AM

What a shame :-( The one I had was moist to the point of being spreadable. Maybe it was just old, in which case you should have kept the remains and took it back for a refund!

Was it this?

https://www.shepherdspurse.co.uk/our-cheeses/blue-vein/yorkshire-blue.html

I am up in Ribblesdale over the weekend. If I get chance to go to Hawes do you want me to go to Elijah Allen's and make up a food parcel? :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 07:27 AM

Glad you enjoyed the chocolates.

I took my boss (wife) to Cardiff's New Theatre to see "The Sound of Music". A very good evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 08:40 AM

As far as I know, only Shepherds Purse make Yorkshire Blue. Your description matches all the ones I've found online. I think Morrisons mislabelled that lump of cheese. It was hard, dry, salty and the very opposite of creamy and spreadable! We'll give it another whirl when we see it again - anywhere except in Bude Morrisons! It was only a small piece, by the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: MikeL2
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 02:24 PM

Hi Steve

While talking about cheese have you tried Cornish Crunch.

Last year we were given a load by Marks & Spencer because we ordered something else but they did not get it.

So they rewarded us with a large package among others and this Cornish Crunch was great with a good bottle of beer or a good red wine.

Trouble is we don't seem to be able to get it now.

A Cheesy Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 05:13 PM

I used to take groups of pupils over to Normandy for a week, and we visited the little markets in various villages around Etretat. There were always the most wonderful cheeses for sale, really strong-flavoured, from small local dairies.
On one of the trips, some of the pupils bought one or two of these cheeses to take home as gifts for their parents. The stench was very noticeable on the coach going to the ferry at Calais. By the time we'd docked at Dover and travelled all the way back to Norwich in our coach, it was overpowering. The poor driver was nearly sick.
I confess I had a couple of the things in my small suitcase... absolutely delicious... :)

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 05:16 PM

Haven't tried Cornish Cruncher (it's made in the Davidstow cheese industrial complex just down the road from here), but on your recommendation I'll give it a whirl!

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Jos
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 05:30 AM

Nigel Parsons said:
"I've never understood why Lent ends on Easter Sunday (or Maundy Thursday).
If it commemorates Christ's 40 days of fasting in the desert it should end with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday."

At the time, I thought that made sense ... but isn't there something missing? My memory of the bible story is a bit vague, with a childhood of church on Sundays and school religious assemblies mostly delivering disjointed readings of seemingly random excerpts.
But wasn't the spell in the wilderness followed by some baptising, preaching, miracles, curing the sick, turning water into wine, feeding the five thousand, having a bit of a tantrum in the temple, walking on water ...
If the Lenten fast is to end with Palm Sunday, wouldn't it last several years, not just 40 days?

OK, everybody, back to talking about cheese.

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 05:44 AM

You're right Jos. Jesus' ministry lasted about 3 years. Oh crumbs, no, I couldn't 'fast' for three years. I'd end up...well...normal size!

Subject: RE: BS: Never heard of Ash Wednesday?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 07:55 AM

His ministry allegedly lasted for three years...