G-Day

Saturday is a special day and new to me. It is ‘World Gin Day’. I didn’t know there was one. Here are a range of gins on offer but my favourite is still Gordon’s Dry Gin with Schweppes Tonic Water. Of course you have to make it the traditional way.

A large glass into which you put 3/4 ice cubes with at least two slices of lemon. Pour in the gin followed by Tonic Water. The amount of each is variable and depends on the weather and time of day. On a hot day you would add more Tonic Water to thin the gin. To relax in the evening you reduce the Tonic and increase the gin a little. It is best to experiment.

The advert here offers some interesting gins. One is called WAGON 22: Transsiberian Thorn Gin. That sounds really interesting! Another is Granit: Bavarian Bio-Gin. There is even one from Spain called GIN MARE: Premium-Gin. There is also THE BOTANIST: Islay Dry Gin – which you know comes from an island off the Scottish coast. London Dry Gins on offer are Elephant Gin, Beefeater 24, Bulldog and Gordon’s. A good range to choose from.

You know I sometimes report on the use of English by native speakers. Here is an example. A recent BBC Radio 4 programme called Any Questions had the following panel members. The President of the National Farmers Union, a Labour MP, the Chair of the BMA and the ‘Care’ Minister. They all answered questions and in the 45 minutes of the programme used the word ‘Absolutely’ every 2.5 minutes. It’s absolutely true, I’m absolutely not lying, I’m absolutely, absolutely….That’s absolutely enough!