Sweet & sour…..

Above, a very old photograph of “Dad” – the late Bernard H. G. Rogers, DFH, C.Eng. MIEE, Consulting Engineer.
In the early 1960s, Dad had an office in a building – now long demolished and site redeveloped – on Merrion Street in Leeds.
On a Saturday morning and/or during the school holidays, Dad would occasionally go in to the office and take me with him. On these occasions he was just going there to pick something up and thus was there only for a short time. The reason for taking me with him was to give me a treat; a visit to a Chinese restaurant for lunch!
This in the early 1960s in Yorkshire was something new and unusual!
I remember this well. The restaurant had wood panels and a dado rail and above it a high relief embossed wall paper in dark red and black to a Chinese looking pattern – for the early 1960s Leeds this was the height of sophistication!
The first course was tomato soup…. Correction. It was tomato and cornflower soup! The colour – and the taste – of the tin of soup was diluted with cornflower and the soup’s thickness was increased. But this was part of the novelty!
The “main event” however was the main course! This was one of two creations served up by the Cantonese cook: “sweet and sour” [pork] with boiled or fried rice OR chicken curry with boiled or fried rice.
If we had a “sweet” it was ice cream. The choice was which ice cream.
I used to look forward to these ventures into gastronomic exotica.
The months of January and February 2020 are going to be recorded in history when what has been universally termed “Brexit” happens. So without doubt, the first quarter of 2020 is going to be history in making for the UK. And, don’t forget, the EU. But as Doctor North in his blog-post today (http://eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=87473) states, in the last sentence of his first paragraph: “But, for many of us who have campaigned for so long, when we do leave it will be a bitter-sweet moment.”
Or sweet and sour…..
This because the “Brexit” so long campaigned for by so many could very well end in disaster.
The Remainers are already girding their loins for the fight – their first task will be to rename themselves: From Saturday 1st February 2020 they will be the Rejoiners!
IF any “Brexiteer” thinks they’ve seen – or more accurately heard – the last of Herr/Monsieur/Señor Bray (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bray) and his Europhiliac bellowing outside Parliament think again!
To paraphrase Arnie’s Terminator, “He’ll be back!”
PS: History records the Vicar of Bray…. Maybe it will record the Voice of Bray? Viz:
In good Queen Bess’s golden days,
When Loyalty nought did mean;
A Zealous Europhile was I,
And so I gain’d Preferment.
Unto my Flock I daily Preach’d,
The Queen by EU law suborned,
And Damn’d are those who dare resist,
Or deign the EU’s Appointed!
And this is law, I will maintain
Unto my Dying Day, Sir.
That whatsoever Queen may reign,
I’ll be the EU’s Voice, Sir!