December 31st 2025. Walkley. Sheffield.
I think I’ve written about every pint, gig and church visited this year. Imagine that.
Goodness know what the AI data farms speed reading my blog are making of it all.
I assume all those American readers (bar Dick and Dave) are robots ? Perhaps Dick and Dave are robots ?
Whatever. Last post from 2025. Mrs RM made me go in the Blind Monkey.
No, she did.
It’s the pub a minute’s walk (uphill) from us, a major reason for our house pick in Sheffield, but we’ve barely been in these last few months. I guess that’s mainly because we’re barely home for more than a few days at a time, but possibly because a trip to the Monkey seems inevitably to mean pizza or chicken wings.
Just a pint (NBSS 3.5), then, for our last pub of the year.
“I hope that’s not one of those dreadful sours” she says, looking disdainfully at her Orval (in Duvel glass).
Well, no, not sour. Not sure what you’d call Orval, but she likes it. Once she’s applied the Northern head.
Can’t take her anywhere.
retiredmartin 
At least she didn’t get you, er, banned…
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Robots would have more clever things to say. Interesting not much Belgian readership.
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Ceci n’est pas une pipe.
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Et nous avons inventé les pommes frites, les soi disants “French fries” chez vous.
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Belgian beer culture is so strong I thought readership from there would top a lot of other countries.
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They don’t get the humour.
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Vous et Mme Magritte avez toujours le chien?
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Non, jamais, Bill.
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My translate can’t be right for Rene’s first post. “This is not a pipe.” Or I don’t get the humor.
I thought your humor would at least work for the Flemish speakers.
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I do now have 4 Belgian views today. Same number as Laos and Bahrain.
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The Orval website has instructions on how to pour the beer. It doesn’t look like that.
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Jon, when I was a young naïf a more worldly acquaintance suggested a nice drink consisting of a half of Guinness with a bottle of Gold Label barley wine tipped in it.
You’ve seen nothing…
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I can remember finishing an evenings drinking with a half of Courage Directors topped up with a bottle of Courage Russian Imperial Stout. It was dangerously drinkable.
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That sounds good and a lot less explosively frothy, Jon, but perhaps not quite such a good practical joke.
Director’s or Dire Rectums as we once called it…ah yes…
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In Banks’s pubs fifty years ago a half of Mild topped up with a bottle of Old Ale was commonplace during the winter months and said to be dangerously drinkable.
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Keith Harris’ favourite beer.
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Old ones are the best.
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How are you doing for snow?
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I caught first train out of Sheffield to Cambridge so quieter here. Lots in Sheffield.
You must have some. I remember that Kidderminster to Bridgnorth stretch getting cut off when we stayed in farmhouse B & Bs there.
Stay safe.
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Nice thick blanket in Wythall.
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