GRM New Years Game 2020!!!!!!

cmcgregor (Forum Supporter) said:

What is this, Christmas in July (or August, whatever)?

It unintentionally ended up that way.... But at least it provides a small dose of midyear shenanigans to help keep the fun alive

Box Box Bo-Box, Banana-fana fo-fox, Fee-fi mo-mox, Box!

matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) said:

Box Box Bo-Box, Banana-fana fo-fox, Fee-fi mo-mox, Box!

Sooooooo... I'll take that as your package arrived mate?

In reply to daeman :

Yep, working on pics, now.

In reply to matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) :

Awesome, hopefully you enjoy the contents!

I better crack the box you sent me open!

Here we go!

First, the well duct taped box.  (Shown upside down since the front is almost all addresses).

Last thing first, I was flipping through the book and found an additional bookmark.  I can only assume that this is a re-gift. Perhaps I can make a new sticker for the next time I visit Florida?

Okay, on to the pics with more stuff in 'em.

We've got an awesome boox, a movie, CD's, a thumbdrive with more music, a carpenter pencil from a shed organization, a koozie, a motorcycle size (for the US) license plate, individual portion vegemite, earplugs, Aussie wool socks, and some coins.  I was not smart enough to send coins, that seems like a no brainer. I will try to do better next time.  The vegemite portions, from my understanding of vegemite, are "vegemite expert" size portions.

There is a map under the vegemite and another map in this photo.  Since it is a map of Australia, I have it upside down for extra authenticity. Also in this pic is Chicken Salt (a mildly seasoned, salt, from the look of it), some chocolate biscuits (cookies for us in North America), and some Nestle powder stuff that I will need to put on my glasses to get a better idea of.  It seems like protein drink kind of stuff.

Lastly, a Holden shirt, which most people out here (non GRM folks) won't understand the significance of, so a little bit of extra fun, there.

Lots of cool stuff. Now if you will excuse me, I am off to make some toast.

I have read, that when first trying vegemite, too little is better than too much, and to go sparingly. So I started here:

I could barely taste that, so I did more and then another bite, but no picture.  I ended up here with my first piece of toast:

This was enough to taste the flavor, without letting it overpower the bread.

All in all, not bad.  Of course I have nothing to really compare it to, since it does not really have recognizable flavors for me, but it seems like it should be used about like Worcestershire sauce. I think it may work well is some sauces, as well.  It should be fun to play around with. Next time I will see how it does with roast beef.

Glad everything made it fairly unscathed by the look of it.

Firstly, the Vegemite "portions" are a lie! I reckon there's probably enough for close to 4 slices of toast in them. Definitely no fewer than 2!

Yes, the parking permit is a regift from woody. I always try and get at least 1 regift in, so that's a well travelled parking permit.

Hopefully you enjoy the movies and music, I tried to give a fairly broad cross section of stuff. The number plate is indeed a motorcycle plate, I couldn't get a car plate in the box as they were too long (I don't ride, so I don't even know how I came to have a motorcycle number plate?)

The coins were actually a last minute suggestion by my partner because I still had a little bit of space.

The chicken salt is indeed as the name suggests, a seasoned salt. It's a chip shop staple here (hot chips, like chunky french fries. Think fish and chips. Not like lays) also good on other deep fried potatoe products. The Tim tams can be used for a Tim Tam slam, bite of a little bit of 2 diagonally opposite corners and suck your coffee, tea or hot chocolate thru them so they go all soft and melty. Milo goes good in a glass of cold milk, sprinkled over ice cream or even a Milo sandwich (requires cheap soft white bread and tons of butter, but not everyone is fond of them)

The socks have been my go to for 20+ years, they last exceptionally well. I figured the shirt was something that basically wouldn't exist over there and only grm folk would really understand.

Thanks so much for dragging me back into the game Matthew, even if it took 6 months to get it done.

Edit: probably avoid chucking the socks in the dryer, it can make them felt which isn't great. 

In reply to daeman :

Yeah, I am still too much of a vegemite newbie to have put 1/4 of that on a slice of toast, but I think I will get there. I can see why people like it. I think it would go better with a nice,  nutty, dark wheat roll.

Now time to get a look at whats in my box. And woooaaahhh! It's packed.

First layer consisted of many flavors of the famous girl scout cookies,  (I'm munching on do-si-dos as I type, damn tasty!) And a project Appleseed tshirt (had to look that up, cool stuff)

Next layer was more girl scout cookies (I hear thin mints are awesome!) A teeny tiny little hot wheels with a ramp (I'm so playing with that later) and a little car.

License plates from 3 states! I would have been wrapped with just 1, but 3, man, you're awesome!

Next up a swathe of rock auto magnets, a sturdy bottle opener, some Paracord, a pair of bearings and a couple more little cars.

Next layer contains a backwoods living anthology CD ROM (this looks like it will contain a ton of useful stuff, I'm looking forward to going thru it). A weirdly specific and useful alternator rebuild kit to suit a 300tdi land Rover discovery (which the previously mentioned bearings are also part of. Thank you so much for grabbing that for me Matthew, it's greatly appreciated.). A copy of Godzilla (any significance?) And a hilariously titled children's book..... Hookers and Blow save Christmas. It appears I'm playing again next round as it has been deemed a perpetual gift. 

It's hilarious, an I may at see stage do a recorded reading of it.

And last, but most definitely not least, some marksmanship literature (somewhat helpful as I recently aquired a 22lr) and a swag of stickers!

Thank you so much for the box of awesome Matthew, I really appreciate it!

In reply to matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) :

It's good with E36 M3ty toasted white bread, but you need plenty of butter and it needs to be spread while the toast is hot so it goes all melty. But yeah, it's good with rye, wholemeal, sourdough etc.

Also great with cheese on top. Make some Vegemite toast, throw some cheese on top and then melt the cheese.

I figured with portions, aside from traveling well, if you hated it you could gag gift people with it and get them to spread it on thick like Nutella hahaha

And yes, it works well as a seasoning in sauces, on meat etc, google Vegemite recipes if you haven't already.

I had two copies of that Godzilla, and I remember watching all of the rubber suit Godzilla shows, so I really like when they made a new "fat" Godzilla that could not reach behind his head. It also seemed amusing to send Godzilla across the ocean to the other side of the world.  The three little cars are pull-backs, and reminded me of Penny Racers. The Michigan plate is a regift, the Utah is from the car I came out to Utah with, and the North Carolina was donated by my wife. That yellow paper should have a bunch of group shapes on the other side. It is super handy, because it can tell you, based on the shape of your group, what you are most likely doing wrong. Backwoods Home is the GRM equivalent of living off-grid and/or being otherwise self sufficient.  The magazine still runs, so check them out if you run out of the first couple decades on the disk. The stickers are blend of new and regift.

I hope you have lots of fun with all the stuff; I am looking forward to checking out all the music you sent. Thanks for letting me play twice this year, I kinda needed it.