Unwanted visitors.....

Pictured right is Philip Murray of Wellesley Road, Andover.

This morning at 4am he decided to enter my back garden, luckily the security lights and CCTV worked well, I also heard him and his brother Andrew shouting.

Police were called and as soon as the dog was brought onto site and announced by the handler, the brothers Murray decided to give themselves up. By this time after me initially shouting at them and them running off, they had moved into my next door neighbours garden. It turns out that they were looking for a mobile phone that Philip had lost during his drunken shortcut home over the garage roof of the flats next doors to my neighbour. Clearly a coincidence that during the summer, a couple of youths were seen on the same garage roof, they then jumped onto a parked car below causing damage and hefty repair costs for the owner. I wonder if the Police will link the incidents?

On this occassion there was no damage, so Police let them off with a search and a word. I have subsequently recovered the phone and have found out that I am legally obliged to get it back to them. I have invited them round to apologise and get phone back on Sunday morning. Will wait and see if they have the balls to do so.

UPDATE : The brothers Murray did come round as agreed at 11am Sunday morning, and have apologised to me and my neighbours.

Wine Bargain III (emphatically!)

I have been searching around for a good quality Champagne style wine for cocktails at Christmas, a few years ago I found Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top on offer at Tesco's for a bargain of £11.00 a bottle, but this year, Sainsbury's has turned up trumps...... This one is a real bargain, on 50% discount at the moment at £4.99 - Sainbury's Vintage Cava 2006. Perfect for Champagne cocktails - add Angostura Bitters, sugar lump and optional dash of Cognac or Orange Bitters\Cointreau\Peach Schnapps, for an excellent festive celebration drink.

Wine bargain II (nearly)

Another trip to the Berry Brothers & Rudd outlet store at Basingstoke threw up some interesting wines.

Firstly a white Rioja, something I had never seen before. So after a quick discussion about grape variety, quality and tasting notes, a couple of bin ends of Allende Blanco were put into my basket. For some reason when I saw it's rich golden colour I assumed it was a dessert wine, but no, it's a clean crisp dry white wine made from the Viura grape which went very well with the chicken stir fry and then the fish pie I had it with the next day.

Then a case of my current favourite red [pictured right], La Montesa Crianza, Bodegas Palacios Remondo. A wonderful, rich and smooth Rioja.

And lastly a couple of Magnum's - one a bin end of lesser known Claret for £22 which went particularly well with a fore-rib of beef from Robinsons at Stockbridge, the other was a freebie Berrys' own Good Ordinary Claret, which went well with a Chilli Con Carne I made for after the Fireworks at Hursley Park - which were fantastic as usual.

Latest wine bargain....

An introduction to this by my neighbour as an aperitif was a pleasant suprise, even better when later we found it on offer at Sainsbury's.... at £4.50 a bottle - half price from it's normal £8.99 price tag.

Jacob's Creek Sparkling Rose is an Australian bottle fermented wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Strangley not dry, nor overly sweet, it has hints of fresh strawberries and is very drinkable. As with all mass produced Australian\Californian wine it is 100% consistent. I have yet to try the white version, but in reality, much like Perou - one has standards, so I'll stick to Taittinger.