Dumbledore!

Our neighbour brought us choccies - and a pack of Spanish beer, curiously. I mean it was odd that she brought it, not that she brought it in a curious manner: walking on her hands and balancing the beer and chocs on her feet or whatever. Oh no, away with your dangling modifiers and participles. And curiously, because she has never offered us alcohol before. We exchange gifts at Christmas and Easter which is also somewhat unusual because she is a chiropractor. I mean, she's a Hindu. She's also a chiropractor. I feel vaguely guilty and wonder whether I should research major Hindu festivals and start wandering round with appropriate gifts. That said, I'm not clear on how booze and chocolate is appropriate for celebrating the execution of the son of God but whatever; it's what we gave her.

Maybe they were planning to give you vinegar, then thought wine was better, then ended up with the beer.

Hindus have no issues with teh booze & tbh, neither do many Muslims (esp if they're on the giving side).

I know that. It's more that I had my neighbour marked down as one of those worthy people who steer clear of the demon drink. Maybe she has me marked down as an alcoholic.

Yes, there's an idea, gifts that genuinely match the religious occasion. Gold, frankincense, myrrh, nappies and rattles for Christmas, drug-laced alcoholic vinegar, souvenir crosses, spears and crowns of thorns for Easter. It'll definitely catch on.

The LCBO is crawling with 'em.

We have a parade with an actor Jesus whipped through the streets.

It's certainly the case for me in Lawkholme ('a whites no-go area' - Daily Mail). I'm the only ghorra in the village and expected to be a sot and a libertine.  I try not to disappoint. My muslim landlady (GreyHair's sister Ruksana) loves the fact that I run a small-time gin distillery from her house.

I live in Worthing which is becoming more diverse, but was a bit of a culture shock when I moved here from Southampton. I don't think I'd lived anywhere so completely white (and right wing) before, and that includes growing up in Newbury in the 50s and 60s. 

This is precisely the high quality tomfoolery which has been missing from my life.

Also I'm a Satanist now.  Speaking of Easter.  (It's not what you think.)

Incidentally, I've recently purchased sample bottles of frankincense and myrrh spray-thingies.  I'm giving scent-mixing a try, and the frankincense is quite nice when combined with ambergris -- synthetic, naturally.  Next I am going to try to find a floral or perhaps citrus scent to add into the mix, but in small amounts.

I am not a fan of the myrrh.

Is home distilling legal there?  It's not here but I am building a still anyway.  I've got five gallons of hard cider that's going to be turned into apple brandy.  My only challenge at this point is knowing which brass is safe, and money.

No, it's not legal, but it's a tax thing rather than health or anything like that. You have to have a distiller's licence (also known as a rectifier's licence) and be able to demonstrate that you are a commercial producer intending, with some exceptions, to produce at least 3200 pints of the stuff. Licences are issued by the tax authorities, HMRC. As a producer you have to account for the tax payable on the booze and as this tax is an Excise Duty, failure to hold a license and hence to account for the tax falls under criminal law (unlike income tax which is a civil law responsibility).

That said, people have been known to get away with it.

Aye, it's the same here.  Home distilling is pretty safe if you're not an idiot about it, so the laws are mostly for tax reasons.  Of course it's not really strictly enforced, nor could it be -- anything you need to make a still is also used for regular home plumbing.  If you keep your mouth shut you're fine.

It's got the same kind of status as home taping: nominally illegal, but all the the kit to do it is sold legally all over the place. There's a getaround, too: it's legal to distill and store up to 500l of ethanol biofuel.