It’s once again an Australia Time Friday! It’s FRIDAY!!!!
The Tucker
Lamb Loin Chops, coated in olive oil, then stood on the bone end in a cast iron skillet, into the oven at 375 F for 40 minutes. (These were larger sized so longer time).
Golden Potatoes where sliced into thin fries and coated in olive oil, then added to the pan of chops (Prior to the oven moment ;-0 )
A “side salad” that was just an Bag-O-Salad “American” with Ranch Dressing.
All in all a wonderful dinner ;-) Really! Australian Lamb is just wonderful.
The Wine
At the local Bargain Market Grocery Outlet store was a wine I’d not tried before. “Rawson’s Retreat” Merlot 2018. Strange to think of a 2018 as 4 years old and aged enough for a Merlot… From South Eastern Australia, it is full of fruit flavors and a lot of oak barrel. The color is a deep inky red / ruby, and it has a mild though pleasant nose (though maybe that Sapporo Black Beer I had has tempered my nose ;-)
I really like the oak in this wine. It has enough tannins to ages well for a couple of years, but is drinkable now. Though I do think a couple of years of bottle age would make it more spectacular…
The News
I’ve been busy hauling loads of my historical crap to a storage unit (escrow closes end of month…) so only news I’ve gotten is from channel surfing AM Radio.
Evil Bastard Putin is attacking Corrupt GEB installed Ukraine President, and of course both the Dimocrats and NeoCon RINOs want to get into W.W. III via various Russian Attack Options… because spending your $Millions is so much more fun post Nuclear Apocalypse… /sarc;
In Other News, Australia has their panties in a bunch since somewhere in the Solomon’s a near vassal State has approved the docking of Chinese Ships Of War in their harbor… Well, heck, what with Biden and everyone else getting a chunk of Chinese Cash Payola, why not them, too!? World for sale, World For Sale! Get your World Domination Here!… as China spends all those $Trillions we have sent to them for everything from plastic crap toys in “Not Quite Happy Meals” to 95% of everything Drugs & Medicinals to Rare Earth Minerals…
I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about as our politicians are trustworthy and brave, know how to fight wars better than any General, and besides, can’t be corrupted by a messily few $Million of cash… /sarc;
Musings from the Chiefio 
Did you miss this 100,000 ?
. . . the U.S. is “committed to protecting the most vulnerable among the refugee populations that have already fled,” such as gay and transgender individuals, those with medical needs, and dissidents.
– – – – – – – –
Why not a million from Ukraine? Then another 100,000 from Russia? Those from Russia would likely be from the best and the brightest. Ukrainians would be more of a mixed lot.
I could take in a Ukraine woman with 2 school age, or college age, children with English ability. I think I could handle this for about 2 years. Part of the issue is I live 12 miles from town and young children would have to ride a school bus. College age, I could get a car for them — someone of the three would have to get a driver’s license — quickly.
Ranch and cattle country might not be where folks want to go, but it is peaceful here — except the Canada Geese are heading north and make a bit of noise as they go. For the past several years a pair of geese come and stay the summer in my neighborhood. They arrived early this week and announced their return.
. . . .
EM: ” a lot of oak barrel ”
Inexpensive wines with significant oak taste likely have not been in an oak barrel — too expensive at upwards of $1,000 each. Loose and bagged oak chips or barrel insert boards (slats) {inner vat staves} are often used. [ https://www.therealreview.com/2018/06/14/three-oak-alternatives/ ]
That said, I’m not fond of lots of oak.
A little clarity for the first part of my above comment:
The Russian Orthodox Church is supportive of regaining “The Ukraine” {note the subtle use of “the”} so as to drive out the Western influence — the gay and transgender individuals are on Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill’s list of nasty western influences.
@John Hultquist:
Saw the 100,000 but didn’t see the “qualifications” desired. I’d be happy to host a Ukrainian or three if I had a house anymore… but this one is gone and I’m not yet in the new one…
Odd about the barrels. Yes, it was some 40 years ago I last toured the back room of local wineries, and they had a fair number of real oak barrels then. The large fermentation vats were stainless steel, but then barrels were used for aging. Several have been driven out by the growth of subdivision housing, though, and it might well be that the new places went with different tech. Things do change over time.
Per “Western Influence”: Given how this has damaged the USA, I’m kind of wishing we could drive it out too… In large part it isn’t actually “Western” so much as anti-Christian and anti-Traditional values. I’m all for letting folks be who they want to be and live their life in liberty as long as they let me do the same. However, in the age of Cancel Culture, that calculus no longer applies. It is now a “culture war to the death” of one of the cultures. I don’t see Russia accepting that fate.
Good to see a post that barely mentions Ukraine! I am so tired of that peyton place, I skip virtually all the stories. I know they are lies.
China is at least a respite. Stay tuned, I am turning my Marina into a Chinese port. Should be able to net a few million for docking rights. :-)
Just an FYI:
I’m shutting down my computer and packing up the monitor today (this early morning) so no new Australia Friday posting:
However…
We’re having loin lamb chops in the oven, buttered parsnips, and Yellow tail Merlot. Just not posting about it.
I’m likely to be AFK and at most on the tablet for about a week crossing the country…
Finger “typing” on the tablet is a lousy way to post articles, so expect anything posted to be “terse” at best.