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Years ago, the consistency of Frank Cooper’s Oxford marmalade changed and glucose-fructose syrup appeared in the list of ingredients. I was going to share the uplifting news that they’ve gone back to using normal sugar now, but the website lists glucose-fructose syrup and I don’t think it’s out of date, I think it means they’ve regressed to using the cheaper cornstarch-derived gloop again. The sainted Wayback Machine confirms that sugar was listed as recently as April 2025 and as long ago as December 2023, so I must savour the last good jar in my cupboard.
(I know that the original marmalade was originally made by Frank’s wife Sarah-Jane, but it was named after Frank’s shop where it was sold.)
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Spent half of the week in Liverpool. The train home was delayed by 90 minutes, and I was pleased to have hit the Delay Repay jackpot. But they’ve only awarded me £6, because the system/a person is confused by split ticketing and has also inexplicably mistaken one of my single tickets for a return; I can appeal, but maybe it’s better for UK plc if I don’t bother.
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When I was a small child, we were shown around a local church by the churchwarden who showed us his staff/stave/wand, a sort of ornate stick. Apparently, as well as having a ceremonial use, it could be used to break up fights or to prod sleeping churchgoers. Later, in a classroom I noticed a long wooden pole with a hook on the end, and I deduced that the teacher must be a part-time churchwarden, but no it was just a tool for opening high windows. What a funny story.
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Last week I went to Screwfix for the first time. (Quick explainer: Screwfix is like a more intimidating version of Argos, where you can buy various hardware from a catalogue.) Recall the lamp I broke last year, which I fixed with glue but it soon came apart again, but the broken part turns out to be a standard part that you can just buy. After buying the part, I realised it was the wrong size: I’d mixed up GU10 and MR16, I might have yelled “we’re better than this” at myself. (Screwfix don’t actually sell the right-sized part.)