retiredmartin

April 2026. Sheffield.

Some good news today. Sunnyside is finally sold, to a lovely couple with two toddlers. Mum would be delighted.

A week ago I was waiting for something to go wrong with exchange/completion/WW3, and persuading Mrs RM to get out of the house on a Friday night for some exercise, but definitely no pubs.

Or karaoke. This is apparently the chosen tune in KMAX Karaoke Bar,

which has a minimum party size of four (4), so I’ll need to get some CAMRA members together to do that.

It was at this point in the Chinese student quarter that Mrs RM said “My trousers are falling down*. I need to go in the pub“.

Well, I can sympathise, and will use that excuse in my next hour of need.

First time in the Crow since I’d chauffeured her and Blackpool Karen and Jane around Sheffield in 2022, and she was struck by how lively it was early evening.

Nothing ridiculous on the keg board tonight,

but the 7% Ambidextrous Extra Stout by DosKiwis was a hit with Mrs RM, my Turning Point Oatmeal Stout a worthy but duller 3.5.

Note the different glasses for keg and cask. Cask gives you better lacings. FACT !

The beer was secondary to the buzz of life around us, friends switching from magnetic bead games to cards to tying knots in crisp packets, and another table exchanging birthday presents.

Mrs RM and I just sat and played with our phones, the boring boomers, checking Untappd or Facebook while life went on around us, a chap describing Gillian Anderson “maturing like a good cheddar“.

Mrs RM wants another. “YOU go and get it !” I say. “Just ask for the strongest one“.

Eventually, she comes back with a pint of 8% Sureshot DIPA (bad idea, good idea), wondering what’s in the cute little glasses.

Is Casteel the new Leffe ?

*Pics only available to patronised readers.