Bought it at lunchtime, really like it.

I'm sure Billy said in his LET article that he was off to sit in the Riverside with his kids? If it's really son of Billy - does that mean the drum will be in the Riverside?? Let's hope so, so the BBE can get back to singing.

Cheers for that. Was aware of the farm shops, but not the Chatburn and Mellor butchers. Will bear them in mind. When we moved to Darwen, was thinking we'd support the market. However I'm not convinced, especially by the quality and freshness - I just don't think they have the footfall to shift enough produce. I went to the fishmonger one Monday at Darwen market for a couple of tuna steaks, they looked crap so I asked what day they'd been delivered - they'd been sat there since the previous Wednesday. We buy our eggs from a farm just past Blacksnape which are great (and cheap), but unfortunately within a convenient radius for food shopping, Sainsburys beats the market on most other stuff (except bread from local bakers). Hence the initial question, because I'd rather buy good quality local meat.

Sunday roast's in theno Anyone got any views on the best local butchers?

Seeing as we're going down the pubs which do good food route, as well as pure restaurants ... Great eating pub here - Eagle & Child, Staveley - only an hours drive from Blackburn just off the A591 near Kendal. Had lunch there yesterday, they do a choice of half a dozen or so mains for just a fiver in addition to the normal menu. Very good. There are two other great dining pubs within a few minutes of Staveley - The Water Mill at Ings, and Queens Head at Troutbeck.

Can't say I've been there I'm afraid ... you'll have to let us know!! If it's crap then I'll be at an old favourite next Wednesday after the England game - Rajasthan I at Monument - never fails!

Went to Strada in London last night (South Bank). It's OK - would recommend sticking to pizza and pasta dishes though. I have a suspicion that my lamb and my colleague's salmon had arrived at the table via the microwave. So OK for a work meal, but probably wouldn't take anyone I liked there unless there was nothing else to choose from - and Manchester has so much more to offer.

Who knows and who cares? I've met him quite a few times, he's a proper nice guy who supports the Rovers with heart and soul, and in his case it appears the health of his joints. I didn't think the drum helped our support home or away, but then home support for Rovers is quiet and away is lacking in numbers, so it's hard to fault a guy who has spent 20 odd years trying to encourage both to overachieve. Hope Billy is made to feel welcome in the Riverside - I'd always buy him a pint.

Haha - I meant Anaz but typed Akash - and Suhkis is almost as good ... you can't have a bad curry in Darwen

When my best mate moved to the States, we did investigate using the likes of DHL to send his favourite kebab and curry restaurant fare to his front door in New Jersey. It can be done. I used to work closely with an airfreight provider who specialised in bringing in live Koi Carp from Japan - they were well up for kebab transport. Unfotunately the fish are worth around £500 each, and kebabs/ currys aren't - so it's probably cheaper to fly back to enjoy the curry in situ. Let me know if you want a quote for an Anaz menu item though - delivered to either Haute Vienne or China

When we live somewhere as beautiful as Darwen though CLB, it's great even when it's raining. Agreed it was a bit damp at lunchtime - I went for a run out the back and was running in flowing water on the paths on the moor. It's always a shame when Jubilee tower disappears in the mist. But then tonight it was clear, the view over to the tower was fabulous and the colours at sunset were stunning.

Good news. Anyone else going to see REM in Manchester on Sunday?

Keep singing the praises of the Anaz in Darwen, and will do again. I think it's a great barometer of how good a restaurant is, if it's buzzing on a Sunday night. We went in there at around 9pm tonight after watching a band in a pub, and it was properly buzzing. Great food as always, not expensive, I know the Akash and Sukhis are also not bad, but for me the Anaz is streets ahead, and is the best curry restaurant in the area.

Decadenze playing at The Crown in Darwen again this Sunday at 6pm (next door to Sainsburys).

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That's the one Den. Watching the U-19 European Champ match between Germany and Bulgaria on ch 412 in full HD and it's amazing! Doesn't look like I need to do anything with the settings at this stage either - certainly not for HD channels.

TV arrived this morning, SkyHD arrived this afternoon. Very impressed with everything, especially with the TV which has a USB port and shows digital photos at a size and definition I've never seen before. Also (by tactically moving my old Sky+ box from the lounge to the bedroom last night) ensured that the engineer put in a twin LNB feed upstairs so we have full Sky+ functionality in both rooms now - and the obsolete box is a standard digibox rather than the Sky+. Cheers for the advice people

And a bit closer to home, last night at The Crown in Darwen we saw this lot ... Decadenze They covered a number of songs by ACDC, Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Guns and Roses, Metallica, and also played some of their own stuff which is far from disappointing. The drummer in particular won't be playing in pubs for too long - he's awesome. As a couple of locals said last night - by far the best band to have played at The Crown. They're playing in Colne tonight, and have gigs in the next few weeks in Great Harwood, Chorley, Burnley (also Liverpool, Blackpool and around Manchester) and will be back in Darwen on August 17th. Only seen one other band cover rock as well as these - and we ended up booking these Londoners for our wedding reception at Ewood!! Decadenze are younger and less refined, but they're not far away. Will be seeing them again for sure and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of proper music.

Quick question for people with Sky HD - when they come round with your new HD box, do they also supply a HDMI cable? Or do I need to go and buy one. Cheers ...

Just back from Iron Maiden at Twickenham. Awesome, totally awesome!!!!

May have a spare ticket for IRON MAIDEN on Saturday week (5th July) at Twickenham - any takers drop me a pm. East stand upper, will be looking down at the stage from the left.

Saw the Charlatans on Thursday night at Kentish Town Forum in London - 6/10. Their new album isn't quite up to it, but they threw in quite a few of the old favourites.

Berner has made nearly 200 appearances at the highest league level in 4 different countries, as well as having 16 international caps. The Premier League is his most demanding environment to date, but he hasn't really made any errors on the few occasions he's been called upon. In these days where half a million quid is at stake for each league position, I don't see the problem with bringing in a player like Berner as a great insurance policy. He cost next to nowt. It looks as if Olsson will displace him at Rovers as back up to Warnock - but hey that's football. Taylor is nowhere. That's what you fail to see time and time again when peddling your ridiculous, never ending, circular argument. There are three better options for Rovers for his position, but in the name of sticking to your guns you just keep banging on and on like a stuck record. I have two further questions. Why are you a Rovers fan, and what do you do yourself to promote youth football in your local area (wherever that might be)?

What a bunch of crap.

See you there! (Unless my mate's got us tickets for the Birmingham gig instead). On a slightly different note, we're going to see Bach's St John Passion tonight at Blackburn Cathedral (Renaissance Singers / Baroque Orchestra Canzona). Nowt like a bit of culture (and it's great to be able to see something like this right here in Blackburn).