allison wonderland

NaNo Fail

2011-11-05T11:08:00.003-04:00

Yeah, I really meant to, but then I forgot.

But I still want to make a conscious effort to blog this month. Scalzi inspired for about 10 minutes with his Thanksgiving theme, but since I am in Canada, that doesn't really work. Maybe next October...

In the meantime, I feel like I should be writing something because the house is quiet and about half of my chores for the day are done, but I can't seem to make the words come today. So, instead, I am going to recommend someone who is absolutely brilliant with words.

If you are a fantasy fan, you really need to check out N.K. Jemison's Inheritance Trilogy. This is the first book in the series; the 3rd one just came out.

You can thank me later.

It's Halloween!!

2011-10-31T16:42:00.005-04:00

And for the first time, our house is totally decked out. Such is the influence of the toddler...

and the scary sheltie and the stealthy dachshund.

Mi Vida Loca

2011-10-30T19:53:00.000-04:00

To say that the last two months have been busy would be an understatement of epic proportions! Jam-packed, hectic, life-altering and exhausting might come close, but let’s recap, shall we?

At some point during the summer, Grant and I decided to start looking for a cottage. For those of you who don’t live in Ontario or Canada, this is a particular objective of great many Canadians: to have a weekend retreat, preferably on a body of water somewhere, where friends and family can bbq, swim and play euchre until the wee hours of the morning. And drink beer. So, we discovered that, if we worked our finances carefully, we just might be able to achieve that objective.

We looked casually most of the summer and in August decided to take a weekend and go do some serious looking. We found a cottage in an area called the Kawarthas, near the town of Fenelon Falls, on a river. It was just about a perfect as it could be without costing us an arm and a leg. So we bought it with a 15 day closing, just in time for Labour Day.

Closing a house in 15 days is a challenge. Closing a cottage in that amount of time is insane. Luckily, I was still on summer holiday, so we managed to keep up with all the details (water tests, inspections, insurance, etc.), but it was crazy intense. And to cap it all off, Grant decided to invite all the kids up to our new cottage for the long weekend when we were closing 3 days before.

But it all got done and we moved in (another long story featuring packing up the boat, moving furniture and boxes from two places, and much heavy lifting). Our first weekend was amazing; great weather, friendly neighbours, happy family. Then over the next weekends we started fixing stuff up. Roof: check. Trees removed: check. New flooring: check. Moisture barrier under the foundation: check. New toilet and vanity: check. We bought new stuff: a generator, a bed, a lawn edger. We worked our asses off for several weekends. We are still finishing up all the winterizing tasks, as well as finishing touches for the flooring and bathroom, but we are almost done. We are ridiculously poor, but our cottage is pretty.

In the meantime, school started back up and Grant went back to work. Our schedules booked up solidly, as they do this time of year. But the cottage work and the career work wasn’t enough for this family, oh noes!! We needed a bit more excitement in our lives, so we invited our oldest son, his wife, our 21 month old granddaughter and their miniature dachshund to come live with us while they make the transition from B.C. back to Ontario.

Yes, our house is crowded. Yes, we love seeing our granddaughter every day. (And our kids are pretty great too!) Yes, the dogs are getting along beautifully (although there is a bit too much barking going on…). But, it is a big change and even when it’s a good thing, it still requires some adjustment for everyone.

In that way, the cottage is a blessing. This weekend, the kids and grandbaby went up. They did a bunch of winterizing chores that Grant and I won’t have a chance to get done, and had some time to themselves. Grant and I had a quiet weekend while I got a lot of chores done here. Grant spent the weekend recuperating, because did I mention he had a total knee replacement?

Yeah, that happened too. See I told you it was a crazy time!

Kindle-ing an enduring love

2011-09-16T19:18:00.004-04:00

A little less than 2 years ago, I got a Kindle. I loved it with all the urgency of a new passion, so I was really sad when, only a few months later, my Kindle's battery refused to charge and I could not read the gazillion books I had downloaded. So I called the Kindle folks at Amazon.com and they replaced my defective Kindle in about two days with a brand spanking new one already filled with all my books! Yay, Team Amazon!

Fast forward to last night. I am readying myself for a bath and looking forward to good long soak and a continuation of the Zombie/Presidential Campaign novel I am reading. But...but...the screen on my Kindle has gone all womlu and despite my attempts to troubleshoot, it appears to be toast. Sadly, I called the Kindle people again, credit card nearby so I could buy a new Kindle. I fully expected to have to buy a new one, because...well, two years usually means no more warranty, right? So you can imagine my surprise and delight when my support person, Catherine, tells me that she will send me a new Kindle right away!! I know, right? How awesome is that??

On reflection, this make so much sense. I am an excellent customer for Kindle and Amazon, having bought 54 books* over the last two years at what is undoubtably a terrific profit margin. Sending me a new one at no charge make me love them even more. I don't know how other e-readers would handle this situation, but Kindle has made me a customer for life!

And the moral of this story? Always make sure you have a real book on hand for when the Kindle goes kaput.

* I know, I know, not exactly a gazillion...

So far, not so good

2011-06-28T16:30:00.003-04:00

2011 is really not shaping up to be the best year of my life. It started out with my heart deciding to do wonky things, then it segued into my mother having a stroke. Yes, she had a stroke, luckily surviving, and aside from letting work people know, I basically didn't share that news with anyone. Sorry. Anyway, I spent a week in the Bay Area in March ferrying my dad from home to the rehabilitation facility an hour away. Then we got Mom settled in respite care, until my sister and I could figure out what was what.

Mom is recovering, slowly and most likely not completely. It became clear fairly quickly that there were going to have to be some major changes. My sister managed to find a townhome in Alameda and somehow convinced my parents to go to an open house. My mom loved it and insisted that it be hers. My dad, reluctantly, put in an offer and it was accepted. So, we are going to pack up the 2 story, 4 bedroom house they have lived in for the last 40 years, and move what will fit over to Alameda. Not likely to be fun. For anyone.

So, I am leaving on July 4 for two weeks in the Bay Area. I am hoping to see some friends while there, but mainly I will be trying to take some pressure off of my poor sister and help out my dad. Mom...well, Mom is Mom and something like this does not bring out the best in her. *sigh*

Yep. Throwing myself a pity party. Did I mention that a couple I really love are having serious marriage difficulties and that another close friend's 11 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer? 2011 - you really suck.

Yummy

2011-04-03T18:56:00.003-04:00

A good day, cooking-wise. I thought I might record my efforts, just in case anyone wants to try some tasty food.

Applesauce with cranberries

So titled because if you search apple-cranberry sauce, you will just get cranberry sauce with apple, when what you really want is, well, applesauce with cranberries.

7-8 apples, cored, peeled and sliced. (I used 3 golden delicious and 4 ambrosia. These were excellent choices!)
1-2 cups of fresh cranberries, washed and stems removed
3/4 cup water
Cinnamon or allspice
Honey

Put apples and cranberries in a large pot and add water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for about a 1/2 hour until fruit can be easily crushed.

Use a potato masher to mash fruit together. I suspect a hand blender would work well, but sadly, I do not have one of those.

Add about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Allspice is another option.

Add honey to taste. Or lemon if the sauce is too sweet.

Enjoy!

Penne with kale, peppers, onions, mushrooms and feta

1 package whole wheat penne
1 bunch kale, torn into small pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Basil
Red pepper flakes to taste
Olive oil

Put water in large pot and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, add teaspoon of salt.
Remove kale from stems and tear into small pieces. Set aside.
Saute peppers and onions in olive oil. After they begin to brown, add mushrooms and more oil if needed. Add spices. Saute until mushrooms are soft.
Put penne and kale in boiling water for 10 minutes. When done, drain and return to pot.
Add vegetables and crumbled feta. Add more olive oil if needed. Toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note: I keep my feta in brine, so I did not add salt.

Serves 4 (unless you're Grant and me, then it serves 2 with one leftover!)

Torn

2011-03-04T19:13:00.003-05:00

I am leaving on holiday soon, to a tropical vacation that will involve much hammocking and lounging and, oh yeah, air travel- so I require many books prior to embarking on this journey. As many of you know, I am a most happy member of the Kindle e-book family and have assembled an excellent list of books that I can buy on said Kindle. But I have a problem...sometimes I really like "real" books.

I have some Sookie Stackhouse novels on the list, but since I already have the first 8 in paperback, changing my collection to e-book will leave those books so lonely on the shelf. I want to read the Giller award winning The Sentimentalists, but if I order the e-book, I will miss out on the apparently exquisite hardcover edition. I almost always prefer children's lit in hardcover, because publishing houses usually take a special effort to make them attractive; plus illustrations rarely come through well on the Kindle. So The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate will just have to wait.

And so on and so forth.

I will order some books before I leave, because, honestly, the whole point of the Kindle is not having to haul 10 or more books along with me when I vacation. But I suspect that some of the books might end up being picked up non-electronically in the future.

Heathcliff: romantic hero?

2011-02-21T16:27:00.003-05:00

Until this month, I had never read Wuthering Heights. As a matter of fact, until Valentine's Day, I had never seen the movie. (except for the scene where Cathy dies...hasn't everyone seen that?) I was always a Jane Eyre girl rather than a Wuthering Heights girl. Jane and Mr. Rochester always seemed far more interesting and romantic than all the heaving passion that Cathy and Heathcliff seemed to offer.

When I got my Kindle, one of the things I downloaded was the Complete Works of the Brontes. I had been told by other admirers of Charlotte Bronte that I would really enjoy Villette, so I splurged about a buck and a half and got the works. So, having an actual copy of WH in my hands, I figured, why not read it?

I remain unimpressed. In my opinion, WH doesn't hold a candle to JE. And honestly? I am flabbergasted that Heathcliff should be considered any kind of a romantic ideal. He is self-centered, vindictive and charmless. He is deliberately cruel to people and animals. Cathy is narcissistic as well, in addition to being obviously mentally ill. Sure, I get the "tragedy" of their respective social statuses and their love story, but I find it impossible to care about either of such unlikeable characters.

The movie sugarcoats some of Heathcliff's most blatant faults, creating a marginally more sympathetic character. And having a very attractive Laurence Olivier in the role makes him easy on the eyes, but even in the nicer version of the story, I found both Cathy and Heathcliff all angsty and tragic and really, really tiresome.The over-the-top emoting reminded of a singer I really like who had one thing to say about the two of them: "Get therapy!!"

I remain a devoted fan of Jane Eyre. Give me my mad women locked up in the attic, not bemoaning their own stupid decisions, and my romantic heroes sarcastic, intelligent and somewhat immoral, not vindictive, cruel and whining.

Snuggle with me: part 2

2011-02-04T17:44:00.005-05:00

Hmmm, apparently bedding isn't as exciting as heart problems... oh well.

So, I have a split vote on the duvet cover, but I think I am leaning toward the
Sophia print. The brightness seems like a happy touch in a dark, cold winter, which of course is when it will be on the bed. The only problem with Pottery Barn is they don't ship to Canada, so I will have to send it to my sister and figure out what to do then.

Actually, the duvet, although something I have wanted for a while, isn't my most urgent need. One of the benefits of a new puppy in the house is the "re-decorating" they do for us. Kira decided that the summer quilt needed a true Shabby Chic look, and chewed up one of the corners. We put the quilt from the boat on for the rest of our very mild fall, but that will need to go back to the boat in May (and lighthouses are not really the motif I want for the bedroom), so I need a new quilt.

Once again, Pottery Barn has a really nice option in my colour scheme, but I think I want more of a traditional patchwork quilt. Plus, this one looks like it might be a bit heavier than I want for summer use. At the same time, I am not willing to spend more than $300 on something. I have been stalking Etsy and eBay, but nothing has quite seemed right. My favourite so far is this one, but I would prefer a bit more red than wine coloured. I really like the Irish Chain pattern, too, but same issue with the colours. This is a bit closer, and I like having the blue in there.

But none of them are quite what I want, mainly because I am not sure what I want. Well, that is not quite true: I want an applique quilt, but they are miles out of my price range. I suspect that I will end up doing some kind of custom order. Or I will just order everything from Pottery Barn and have done with it!

Edited to add:

Okay, I think I have found it! A very reasonable price (not handmade, but I don't really need that)and I love the colours. Trouble is, yet another vendor that only ships to the States. And I don't have a visit planned until next Christmas at the earliest. *sighs*

Snuggle with me

2011-01-31T18:12:00.005-05:00

I have been hankering after some new bedding for quite awhile. There are two main components to my hanker: first, the bedroom is the only room we have done absolutely nothing with since we moved in 10 years ago. Every other room has, at the very least, gotten a slap of paint and at least one piece of new furniture. The bedroom has technically gotten one piece since we moved in, if you can count the valet I bought for Grant several years ago. We also put in blinds and valances, but since all the bedrooms got that, it hardly counts. Anyway, because the bedroom still has the paint and the wallpaper trim it originally sported, it is in dire need of a do-over.

So, (and this is still my first reason) I want to pick a new duvet cover and a new summer quilt and choose my wall and window dressing colours based on the new bedding. Makes sense, right? At the same time, I don't want to make too huge a colour change from what I currently have, because I have quite a few sheets in that palette and don't want to have to replace them all. Sheets are expensive! My current sheet collection features red sheets, ivory sheets, taupe sheets and dark green. The dark green sheets are nearly worn through, but I can't toss them because my husband loves them. *sigh*

I have been wanting the following set from Pottery Barn for the longest time. My husband likes this one better. I think either would be really nice and would inspire me to paint my walls a combination of slate blue and either creamy white or a warm taupe. ( I am leaning toward adding a chair rail.)

What do you guys think?

(part two to follow)

I am cold

2011-01-27T18:15:00.003-05:00

Maybe not as cold as people in the Northeastern part of the United States, what with all that recent snow and stuff, but still too cold to be happy about it. Right now I am wearing a sweater, a pashmina stylishly looped around my neck and a crocheted shawl (not perhaps quite as stylish) around my shoulders. I am still cold. The funny thing is the temperature here has recently risen from being -20c to only -1c. (that's -4F to 30F for those of you metrically impaired!) I am still cold. Stoopid winter.

And life goes on

2011-01-25T22:22:00.003-05:00

I am feeling much more like myself. I seem to have adapted to my medication well, although I was pretty tired for the first few days. It's hard to say if that was the result of the meds or just a reaction to the stress of my whole situation. But I am actually starting to feel a lot more energetic than I have in the last several weeks. Looking back, I suspect there might have been more going on than I realized. I thought I was sick, but since I was mainly just exhausted with minor snifflage, I honestly wonder if my heart was doing wonky things previously.

It's beating slowly and regularly now. Thanks, Rhoxal-Bisoprolol! I haven't heard from the hospital about scheduling my specialist appointment, or the echo-cardiogram or stress test. If I haven't heard by tomorrow, I will be placing a call. I want some more information, at least, information that is not proffered by Doctor Internets! Plus we have a trip planned in March to Belize, and I need to know sooner rather than later if there is any reason we can't go. (Other than the insurance issue, which is a bridge I am not quite ready to cross...)Seriously, if this stupid heart of mine interferes with our tropical 10 anniversary celebration, I will be PISSED OFF.

Thanks again for all the love and hugs. It's really nice to know I have creepy internet friends when I'm down and out!

A day when everything changed

2011-01-21T13:00:00.003-05:00

It probably started before two days ago; in retrospect, I have had some clues that things were not quite the way they should be. I put the occasional moment of breathlessness down to my recent lack of exercise. Of course climbing the stairs might make me a bit winded, I haven't done Pilates or worked out in several months. Feeling tired is just a product of stress and work, right? And during flu season, feeling a bit light-headed is probably just a hangover from having been sick.

But on Wednesday, all of these symptoms came crashing down on me. I was too dizzy to stand and talk to a teacher. Walking the length of a hall made me feel like I was too weak to take another step. And finally, taking just a few steps made me gasp for air. My co-workers insisted I go to emergency but even then, I made excuses. Finally, I called my doctor, who, once he heard my symptoms, advised me to go straight to emergency. That was the first time I considered that my symptoms might be related to my heart, but I quickly talked myself out of that idea. It was the flu, and I would sit around the emergency ward waiting to be seen all morning. It was only the flu.

Except, when the triage nurse took my blood pressure and my pulse, she asked my husband to go do the paperwork stuff and took me straight to a room. They hooked me up to an IV and put me on oxygen. The nurse hooked me up to the monitor and it started beeping quickly and loudly. "Yes, I hear you!" she finally told the monitor irritably, and turned to me, "It's telling me that your heart rate is up, but I already KNOW that!" Tests were performed, x-rays were taken and finally, I saw the doctor.

Atrial fibrillation. The top part of my heart was not working properly and I was getting starved for oxygen, hence the light-headedness, weakness and breathlessness. The good news was my heart went back to normal on its own without any intervention (other than rest, IV fluid and oxygen), the bad news is that A-fib can cause some pretty serious side effects. Like stroke. Yikes. But everything else checked out fine, except maybe some slightly elevated thyroid. After about 3 hours, I was released to come home.

I saw my family doctor yesterday. At one point, he seemed almost angry, because I honestly don't have much in the way of risk factors for this; I am too young, I have great cholesterol, good blood pressure, I am not overweight or a smoker. Except for the thyroid issue and that I possibly have a tendency to drink a bit too often, I am not a candidate for this. I think Dr. G. was almost offended that this happened to one of his "healthy" patients. Anyway, I am going to be seeing a cardiologist, having a stress test and an echo-cardiagram. I am on meds to slow my heart, and aspirin to prevent clotting (and therfore, stroke).

I am going to be fine. But last night it really hit me; I am a person with a heart condition. And from this day forth, I will never not be that again. Everything is a little bit different.

Dear other Americans

2010-10-20T22:32:00.004-04:00

Granted, I was in Canadia when NYC was attacked. Therefore I was not around when "God Bless America" was first sung at a ballpark instead of (or perhaps just before) "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". But am I the only person who wishes that this new "tradition" would just stay part of the Philadephia Flyers' real tradition and not be a part of my baseball tradition? Because although I am a huge fan of Irving Berlin, and sang "God Bless America" with gusto every night I closed down my favourite gay piano bar, I really want my seventh inning stretch to be religion free.

Yeah, smite me now.

You all thought I forgot, didn't you?

2010-09-19T20:44:00.001-04:00

Not a real post, but maybe a new start:

I stole this meme from Mindi Scott who stole it from Courtney Summers who stole it from Anna Jarzab.

All of this stealing!

Now you should steal it!

5 Books I’ve Read Recently
1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
2. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. The Lost Fleet: Series by Jack Campbell
5. Get Opinionated by Amanda Marcotte

5 Books I’m Planning to Read (in the near future)
1. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins ( I’m reading this now)
2. Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
3. A book with Dragon in the title given to me by my school librarian
4. Freefall by Mindi Scott (just waiting for October 17th)
5. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (sequel to Leviathan)

5 of My Favorite Books
(I have read all of the below books at LEAST 10 times)
1. The Secret Garden by Frances HodgsonBurnett
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
3. The Lord of the Rings by J. R.R. Tolkien
4. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
5. Greensleeves by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

5 of My Least Favorite Books
1. Twilight
2. The Great Gatsby
3. The Sun Also Rises
4. Flowers in the Attic (the only one that I was unable to get past the first page because it was so horribly written)
5. Atlas Shrugged (okay, I haven’t actually read it, but I hate it on principal)

5 of My Favorite Book-to-Film Adaptations
1. Pride and Prejudice (BBC adaptation with Colin Firth…yum)
2. The Joy Luck Club
3. The Lord of the Rings
4. Jaws
5. The Celluloid Closet

Added for my own personal enjoyment:
5 of My Favorite Book-to-Broadway Musical Adaptation
1. Les Miserables
2. Wicked
3. Cabaret (I am the Camera)
4. Guys and Dolls (Various stories by Damon Runyon)
5. The Secret Garden

This post is entirely for Jenn

2010-04-18T21:35:00.000-04:00

We are doing Clicker training at dog obedience classes.

I thought of Jim.

That is all.

Best Picture, for sure!

2010-03-07T16:48:00.001-05:00

Hat tip

Impending Armageddon

2010-02-23T19:17:00.001-05:00

Seriously, you guys. If Canada doesn't win tonight, the world may end.

Saturday

2010-02-20T14:43:00.002-05:00

I was supposed to get dressed up tonight and go to a gala, but my sweety is seriously under the weather. Instead, I am making chicken soup with biscuits on the side and trying to convince the dog that she doesn't actually get to lie on the couch or chair. I think I am winning, but it is a slow process. I was kind of looking forward to going out tonight, but I won't really mind sitting on the couch watching the Olympics. That is, if the furry creature will let me. It's hard being a single parent for the day.

Kira is definitely going to help her mommy get more fit. We took a walk this morning for about 30 minutes. We ran for a bit, until Mommy was breathing a bit too hard, then walked at a fast clip for most of the rest of the walk. I thought that the walk would make her a bit easier to manage for the day, but not so much. Bless her heart, she is chronologically in early adolescence, so it's all about trying to assert her individuality and testing boundaries. Lucky me, I get to work with human adolescents all day long and then come home to my very own furry version.

Just kicked her off the chair three times in the time it took me to write the last sentence. *sigh*

Oh well, at least she's cute.

February 17

2010-02-17T20:31:00.001-05:00

Did I mention that today I have been married to my best friend for 9 years?

What a week!!

2010-01-23T10:51:00.006-05:00

Seven days ago, I was cuddling a 6 week old baby, who just happens to be my grand-daughter. Grant and I flew to Halifax to meet our little girl. She won our hearts absolutely! Kaeleigh is such a sweetheart, and her mommy and daddy are proving to be the best parents EVER! Or at least in the top ten. :-)

We spent three days there, mainly just holding our grandbaby and hanging with the new family. On Monday, the moving guys showed up to pack up the house, because the whole family: parents, baby and dogs, are moving to Victoria, BC. Grant and I held Kaeleigh while Erin and Matt supervised. Then we loaded stuff into the car and drove to the airport. The time was way too short, but we are seeing them today for about an hour, as they stop by on their way to BC. Yes, they are driving. Yes, they are taking that 7 week old child on the road in the middle of winter. (That's a shout out to Annika. Neither Grant or I have any objection to taking a tiny child out in winter. We're Canadians, after all!)

Being a new grandma is interesting. I am the only one of the grandparents that hasn't actually had children of my own. I have my nephews, and I did do some diaper changing and feeding, but I had my sister to supervise and tell me what to do. With Kaeleigh, I felt like I should be an expert instead of a novice, but the truth is, I am a novice. I wanted to offer to change her, but I worried that I would do something wrong and my grandchild would be warped for life!! Or at least, get diaper rash... Anyway, it wasn't until the last day that I finally changed her, with my husband at close hand. And wouldn't you know it, while on the changing table, little Miss Kaeleigh decided to projectile poop all over. I managed to catch most of it in the diaper, but there was poopy mess galore. Oh boy. Grant told me later that I was a champ, and I definitely feel more confident about being a grandma now. Trial by poop gives a girl her stripes.

The long and short of it is: we have a beautiful granddaughter. Now we will have to make regular trips to Victoria for visits. Tough life.

Just meeting Kaeleigh would have made this a very exciting week, but to top it all off, we also adopted a brand new Sheltie puppy. Kira is almost 6 months old, a bundle of fur and energy. So far, she never seems to stop. I have yet to see her sleep; when we put her in the crate, we will see her lying down, but the second we move, she is WIDE awake!!

I begin to appreciate the lives that moms with toddlers lead. I am getting up an hour earlier each morning to let her out and play with her before going to work, I am constantly having to keep tabs on her to make sure she isn't chewing or peeing, I wait patiently outside in the cold for her to pee and poop, and I am exhausted at the end of the day. Luckily, I have the option of putting her in her crate when I get too overwhelmed. I guess I couldn't do that with a kid. AT least not without getting into trouble with child services.

Babies and puppies. Life is good.

Finally

2010-01-06T17:50:00.002-05:00

After nearly ten years in Canada, I bought a pair of snow boots.

Tuesday Tunes

2010-01-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, I thought I would use Tuesdays as a day to post music that I liked, or was relevant, or for whatever reason I wanted. Unfortunately, I pretty much stopped posting completely right after I started. Serves me right for trying something new in summertime. Anyway, I thought I might try again.

Let's start with a song that has summertime significance for me. My nephews came and visited this summer and I actually listened to some current top 40-ish music while they were here. This song was catchy, easy to sing along with even if you didn't know the words, and a perfect song for a summertime holiday. When we got together again for our Christmas holiday, we cued it up on the iPod and sang along again.

This one is for Adam and Alex.

I hereby resolve

2010-01-03T18:53:00.003-05:00

I have a couple of resolutions this year. More specifically, I have some plans that I think will make me feel more satisfied with myself. I won't share all of them, because I have this minor phobia that if I say it, I will screw it up, but since we all know the food resolution only too well, I will share that one.

The last few months, I have been eating foods that just don't make me feel good. I don't mean guilty, I mean feelings ranging from upset stomachs, to irritability, to headaches, to tiredness. In other words: if the food you are eating makes you feel like crap, it really is bad for you!

Starting tomorrow, we will start our annual alcohol fast. No booze for at least a month, and we often go until Valentine's Day, just because that seems like a good day to celebrate with some wine or something bubbly.

I am also going to go back to healthy eating patterns. I have been consuming far too much white sugar, white flour-type foods and my body really feels it. I am also considering starting up a more consistent exercise program, although I make no guarantees.

I just need to purge all this junk out of my system. What I really need is a spa vacation, but time and money will not allow. So, starting tomorrow, I will create my own spa experience, with fresh veggies, lean meats, moderate exercise and lots of water (both for ingesting and for soaking).

I'm actually looking forward to it!

Remodels are fun!!

2010-01-02T16:09:00.005-05:00

Right?

We decided a few months ago to finish remodelling the master bathroom. You may remember that we re-finished the cabinets ourselves and painted the walls purple. But, of course, that minor facelift just made the ratty old tiles, bathtub and toilet look even rattier. We were further inspired by the rebates available for installing low-flush toilets and a tax credit for remodelling costs. Last month, we started gathering the materials we needed. Tiles were ordered a combination of subway tiles and mosaic glass. Toilets and tub were bought on the (relative) cheap, and stored in the basement. Estimates for installation were obtained. We decided to have our contractor do the work while we were in Tucson, as it would mean being shower-less for the duration.

We got back very late Wednesday night (or early Thursday morning, if you are a stickler for that sort of thing). The house was full of dust, the hot water didn't work properly and I was not altogether thrilled with the grouting on the mosaic tile. *sigh* After Grant emailed our contractor, we went to bed: showerless and sneezing.

The contractor called first thing in the morning and brought over his plumber to fix the hot water. I stayed in bed while they worked, because I didn't want to have to answer if he asked me if I was happy with the work. Yeah, avoidance is so healthy... At any rate, the hot water fixed and the caulking finished (did I mention that the caulking wasn't done either?), he left, after telling us that we needed to wait 6 hours to shower.

Shortly after 2 pm, the kid took his shower. (Oh yeah, we have a kid back home, too. More on that later.) Then the husband took his. I was just about to go upstairs for mine, when I noticed water on the floor of the kitchen. Oops. Then I looked up and saw one of those bulges you just don't want to see in the ceiling. Sure enough, there was water cascading from a leak whenever anyone took a shower. You know, the thing I HADN'T HAD YET?

Also, it was New Year's Eve.

And our phones went out at the same time.

Luckily, both contractor and phone guy were able to come out on New Year's Day and fix stuff. I had my shower, and later on, a bath in the BEST BATHTUB EVER!! The shower works great and the toilets are efficiently flushing away. We put in a curved shower curtain rod, which makes the shower feel huge! I have largely gotten over the dissatisfaction with the grouting, because...well, short of tearing it all apart, there's not much to be done.

We still have to do something about the sink and countertop, but that will just have to wait until I am ready. For some more FUN.

Yeah, there are pictures:

Bonus pictures of our new basement, with NEW!! IMPROVED!! book (and wine) storage:

And cool shoji screens with shelves for more stuff:

That provide a nifty place to hide all the other junk we own:

Has it really been ten years?

2009-12-31T11:08:00.002-05:00

For some reason, until a few days ago, it didn't dawn on me that we were on the verge of a new decade. This, despite reading Decade in Review articles in the Tucson newspaper, and watching various broadcasts detailing the events of the last ten years. This morning, I realized that the year 1999 turned over to 2000 was the first New Year's Eve that Grant and I ever spent together. 10 years ago, I still lived in San Francisco, I was still (technically) married to my ex, my younger nephew was only 3 months old and my dog was a youthful 6 years. I was still working in sales and had never set foot in a classroom as either a volunteer or an employee. My computer was still dial-up and I hadn't discovered the WD.

My life has changed over the last ten years in ways I could never have expected, and all of the people reading this have been there somewhere along the way. I hope that we will be able to look back together in another ten years.

Happy New Year!!

A Christmas Carol

2009-12-17T20:01:00.002-05:00

No, not the Dickens one. What I want to know is: What is your favourite Christmas song? Are you a traditionalist or a rock and roller? Is it Bing or Frank? Do you think that Barbra and Barry have no business singing about Christmas or are they on repeat on your player? Are you an atheist with a secret yen for songs about the Baby Jesus? Go on..spill! And audio links are encouraged!

Here are three different versions of one of my very favourites.

And just because I love it second best:

The Best Dog Ever

2009-12-06T09:26:00.003-05:00

One day in February, 1994, my ex-husband and I drove north to Sacramento to meet a dog. Once there, we rang the bell and the first face we saw when the door opened was a blue merle Sheltie. It might be an exaggeration to say that we fell in love that minute, but it wouldn't be far from the truth. About an hour later, she climbed into our car and never looked back.

We named her Lucy. Her original name was Louise, "Weezy" for short, but it didn't really seem to suit her, or us. She soon settled into city life; waking up early to take a drive to the park, sleeping all day while we went to work, and greeting us at the window as we climbed the stairs to the front door. She discovered the joys of chasing a tennis ball for hours at a time. She won the hearts of nearly everybody at the park, and quickly learned who had the treats in their pockets. She would make a bee-line for those people and sit expectantly at their feet for her prompt reward.

She made special dog friends and special enemies, too. A house around the corner from ours had two dogs that would always bark at her through the window. Every time we rounded that corner, Lucy would take off, charging her way to bark furiously at her "enemies". We never met those dogs, but they, and Lucy, always gave us a laugh.

Eventually, my ex and I split up, and he graciously let me keep Lucy. It must have been hard for him, but he knew that she was ultimately my dog. Lucy and I ended up moving to Canada, where a whole new life awaited us. There, she became a "tough Canadian dog", revelling in snow and Timbits. She made new friends and new enemies and turned her new daddy into her slave.

Lucy loved her ball and would play for hours, even dropping it on Grant's lap when he tried to take nap. She would sit up, nose out the window when we drove through Tim Horton's, jealously watching to make sure we didn't forget her Timbits. She protected us from evil squirrels outside the window, and evil kitties inside the fireplace. She reminded us what time it was, as long as it was supper time. She hated to get wet, but would attack the stream of water from the hose furiously. And whenever we asked, she would do her "Happy Dance" or collapse to the floor at the sound of "Bang!".

Last March, she turned 16. She had begun to slow down, with arthritis in her hips. She didn't chase the ball anymore, but new games were created and her joy in life continued. Over the summer, her appetite waned, and we took her to the vet. A few new meds and she rebounded enough to enjoy her summer, although her age was suddenly more obvious to all who saw her.

I love to read stories about beloved pets, but the truth of all of those stories is this: eventually the dog or cat dies. We cannot escape the fact that our animal companions do not live as long as we do, and the price we pay for loving them so dearly is to see them in their end days. And our responsibility is to ease those days as much as we can.

Friday afternoon, we took Lucy to the vet for the final time. I held her and whispered to her as she took her final breath. We cried in each others' arms and said goodbye.

She was the best dog.

Halloween faery

2009-10-20T18:42:00.000-04:00

Your fairy is called Gossamer Willowglow

She is a caster of weird dreams.

She lives in spiderwebbed wonderlands and insect grottos.

She is only seen in the light of a full moon.

She wears tiny black spiders on her dresses. She has delicate green coloured wings like a cicada.

Get your free fairy name here!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2009-10-18T10:53:00.003-04:00

The Good:

Tomatillo sauce. Made fresh from scratch. Okay, I used canned chiles, but everything else was fresh, fresh, fresh. I used two pints of tomatillos, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 cans of chopped green chiles, about a cup of cilantro, a medium onion, salt and a little bit of sugar. Husk and de-stem the tomatillos and simmer them in chicken or veggie broth for about 8 minutes. Put the garlic, chiles, cilantro, onion and spices in a food processor and blend. Add the tomatillos and most of the broth and blend. I like mine a bit chunky. Your mileage may vary. Last night, we had our sauce on grilled chicken. It is also phenomenal on eggs and of course, with tortilla chips. Mmmmmm.
Flashforward and Fringe. The first is off to a good start. Hopefully they can keep it moving forward. Heh. The second has definitely found its footing in the tradition of X-Files. Plus Joshua Jackson. Yum.
The biopsy on my thyroid came back negative, so no cancer. We just need to monitor the nodes every 6 months or so.

The Bad:
I am fatter than I have ever been. I realize that weighing 164 lbs isn't fat for some people, but I feel sluggish and bloated. Plus, my clothes are way too tight. Grant and I are dieting again, but I am not really happy about that either. I really don't want to just practice body-acceptance. I want to be a size I am happy with. But I keep reminding myself that I am over 50, and it's okay to be a bit...softer around the edges.
Work is crazy. I still love my job, but this fall has been more stressful and hectic and just soul-consuming than normal. I hope it will calm down in the next few weeks.
The weather. It is too freakin' cold too early!! I am not ready for winter, so just back the hell off.

The Ugly:
Rush Limbaugh. Need I say more?

How the Internets Saved My Life

2009-10-14T19:22:00.002-04:00

Or, at least a few bucks.

The story: Back a few months ago, when my nephews were visiting, we paid a visit to Blockbuster to rent some movies. I rarely go to Blockbuster, as most of my movie rentals are through Zip.ca, but I needed some quick movie entertainment. The boys chose a few movies, one of which was The Phantom Menance. They watched it. I did not. Still haven't seen a single one of the prequels. So there. They returned to the Bay Area. I returned the movies.

A few weeks ago, I got a call from Blockbuster. The young manager on duty wanted to let me know that when I returned the rental way back in the last century, I only returned one of the discs. (Damn you, George Lucas, for insisting on two different versions of every movie you make!!) Well, okay. I asked him to hold, went down to the basement to have a look around, found nothing, came back and told him so. Neither one of us had any solutions, so I just said I would keep looking, he thanked me and I hung up. I figured the next time (in a year or so) I rented something at Blockbuster, we would work it out.

Tonight, I am reading my humungous blog list (which is one of my excuses for not blogging in so long. That, and Mafia Wars. Damn you, Mafia Wars!!) and I hit an entry that made me go hmmmmm. Here it is. Go read, I'll wait. You might want to bookmark it too, it never fails to entertain...

Back? Well, I imagine you can guess what I did next. Yes, you're right. The missing DVD was, in fact, in the DVD player.

Tomorrow, when I return the disc, I am going to recommend that Blockbuster management always make that suggestion to their clients.

Summer days and other stuff

2009-08-06T16:24:00.003-04:00

Last week we had three whole days of warm, rainless weather. Is summer finally here? One hopes.
I am proud to say I have read all five of this years' Hugo-nominated novels. By far, my favourites were the YA novels, with The Graveyard Book edging out Zoe's Tale by a fairly slim margin. And it's not just because I stalk both of the authors, either. Little Brother is a great teen novel, with a likeable protagonist, realistic rebelliousness and some real tension. Anathema was a fascinating world-building novel but ultimately not as engaging as I hoped. Saturn's Children was not my cup of tea, I slogged through it just because I hate to leave books unfinished. They haunt me. This one may not have, but I still finished it.
Lucy has been getting a bunch of tests this week. She hasn't been eating very much, and is drinking a lot of water. It could be kidneys, or diabetes, or nothing at all, but the vet is checking everything out carefully. She now takes four different kinds of medicine (one antibiotic for a limited time) and may have more before the week is out. I tell her that she is nearly taking as many pills as her human grandmother, which is appropriate as, according to the chart at the vet's, they are approximately the same age.
This morning I decided to wear my former engagement ring on my right hand. It is a beautiful sapphire ring with channel diamonds on the band and I hate for it to just sit in a box. Grant has no problem with me wearing it, but I am not sure exactly how I feel about it. I figure I will wear it for 24 hours and then make a decision.
See you guys in about two weeks. Yes, we are off on yet another holiday. Such is the life of a teacher Lots of vacation now, but full price for any travel over Christmas and March break, no long weekends except on statutory holidays and hence no great travel deals. Karma is such a bitch.

Tuesday Tunes: Flight

2009-08-04T12:11:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you hear a song that is so glorious it makes you shiver. When I first heard this song recorded by Sutton Foster and Megan McGinnis, I immediately went to iTunes and bought it. This is what being a singer is all about.

Off the Back of the Boat:: Special Nephews edition

2009-07-29T11:08:00.005-04:00

Tuesday Tunes: Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2009-07-28T11:17:00.001-04:00

Okay, for those of you actually paying attention, I didn't actually get this done on Tuesday, because I had to drive everyone to the airport in Buffalo. Thought this song was appropriate.

This song was a huge hit for Peter, Paul and Mary when I was 11. I loved singing along with Mary because she sang in my exact key. Over the years, this has become my campfire sing-along signature song. Singing it never gets old for me.

We're back!

2009-07-24T19:40:00.001-04:00

I have some pretty great BOTB photos to share, but right now I am eating a lemon meringue pie that is taking up all my attention.

Tuesday tunes: Lyle Lovett

2009-07-21T09:47:00.000-04:00

Y'all, meet my boyfriend. Yeah, I know he has scary hair and all, but if you listen to the music, you can hear a great sense of humour, a beautiful sense of lyric and some damn fine music.

The Road to Ensenada is my favourite Lyle album. The whole album is a musical re-telling of his relationship with Julia Roberts (see, Julia has good taste). Trust me, it's a good thing. This is the title track.

And since I am not actually here, but off at the boat for the week, I thought this one might be just a bit appropriate.

And if you see Lyle, tell him I got a boat and he is welcome on it anytime.

Sunday morning blogging

2009-07-19T11:45:00.003-04:00

A bit of a lazy Sunday planned today. I was rousted out of bed by a husband who apparently couldn't feed two hungry boys by himself. Okay, actually, he knew I had planned on feeding everyone a giant Chelsea bun that we bought at the Farmer's Market yesterday, so he really did need me. Presently, we are happily sated with said Chelsea bun, scrambled eggs and real bacon (not my usual chicken bacon) and coffee. The boys are downstairs watching classic cartoons and we are watching the end of the Open Championship.

The visit has been great so far: we went to see the Blue Jays vs the Red Sox on Friday night. Sadly, there was a threat of rain, so the roof was closed. The Jays lost, which made half our party sad and the other half happy. Before the game, we went to the top of the CN tower where I actually managed to stand for a brief moment on the glass floor looking down the 446.5 metres to the ground(1,464.9 ft for you Americans!) before my irrational fear got the better of me. The boys had no such fear.

Yesterday we spent the day in downtown Brampton; first the Farmer's Market, then a tour of the new theatre and Grant's offices. Finally, we watched the Classic Car parade: nearly 50 cars ranging from the 20's to the 80's. We all picked out our favourite car. I liked the 50s red and white Corvette convertible.

Today is just a lazy day. The boys are looking forward to playing with the Wii and my sister and I are looking forward to digesting the ridiculous amount of food we have consumed. Off to the boat tomorrow. Let's hope the weather stays nice!

Wonder wonder why the wonderfalls

2009-07-16T09:40:00.008-04:00

Late Tuesday night, we picked up my sister and the boys at the Buffalo-Niagara Airport. We stayed overnight at an airport hotel (can't really recommend the Quality Inn, it's pretty shabby) and the next morning, we drove the short distance to Niagara Falls.

The Maid of the Mist is still a total blast.

We got a little bit wet.

All in all, a great start to our holiday.

Tuesday tunes: Walking in Memphis

2009-07-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday I posted some music that I currently love. I have decided to try this out as a regular feature. Let me know what you think.

I first heard this song when I still lived in San Francisco. My regular radio station was KFOG and they played a great mix of eclectic rock. That is where I heard and fell in love with Walking in Memphis. It may well be my favourite song, which is odd, because I have no particular in visiting Memphis, I don't own much in the way of delta blues material and I can take or leave Elvis. Still, from the piano intro on, I am hooked and for 4 minutes, I too am a Christian.

Off the Back of the Boat plus special bonus material

2009-07-13T22:05:00.004-04:00

Not much to see from this weekend. We had a lot of things that required doing in dock; new dinghy, new motor, reinstalling the couch (divan? bed? whatever) inside the boat because the re-upholsterer attached the hardware on the wrong piece. It all took much longer than expected, so we never made it out.

The view is our new marina. We moved the end of last season for various reasons, but mainly because it is a hop, skip and a jump from our favourite place to cruise to. Views all around.

Ten

2009-07-12T18:08:00.010-04:00

• Post ten of any pictures currently on your hard drive that you think are self-expressive.
• NO CAPTIONS!!! It must be like we're speaking with images and we have to interpret your visual language just like we have to interpret your words.
• They must ALREADY be on your hard drive - no googling or flickr! They have to have been saved to your folders sometime in the past. They must be something you've saved there because it resonated with you for some reason.
• You do NOT have to answer any questions about any of your pictures if you don't want to. You can make them as mysterious as you like. Or you can explain them away as much as you like.

My latest crush

2009-07-07T12:13:00.004-04:00

Some of you may recall this post where I asked for recommendations for my iPod. I ended up checking out your suggestions, plus my own ideas and downloaded some great new music. I also checked out the recommendations that iTunes suggested, which is how I found Sarah Slean. This video is of one of the two songs I bought. I can't listen to it enough times.

A few weeks ago, I added The Baroness to my collection. Here is another fabulous song, with an absolutely gorgeous video to go along with it:

Seriously, she is my new obsession. I am going to have to own everything she has recorded. I am also going to have to see her the next time she is in Toronto.

Ah, summer...

2009-07-06T11:04:00.003-04:00

Here I sit on a Monday morning, reading various blogs, listening to On Broadway on XM Radio. I have a list of things to accomplish, but there is no particular hurry because it's officially SUMMER!!

The last day of school was a week ago last Friday. And as soon as possible, we packed up the car, the dog and ourselves and hightailed it up to the boat. Hence my non-posty-ness last week. There should be Off the Back of the Boat photos, but we keep forgetting the damn camera. This weekend, I promise.

I love these early days of summer holidays. The summer still seems to stretch out ahead of me, with plans and projects yet to experience and accomplish. It reminds me of being a kid, when time slowed down to a crawl and summer lasted forever. Now, of course, time moves much more quickly and I realize that before I know it I will wonder where the summer has gone. But today, September seems a mile away.

Today, I have a house to myself and nobody to tell me what I should do. So many choices: reading, writing, chatting, crafting, cooking. Or maybe doing lots of nothing at all. Time well spent, indeed.

Girl's gotta have a goal

2009-06-15T17:07:00.004-04:00

Today, I spied one of our Grade 7 girls wearing a tee shirt:

Forget Princess
I Wanna be a Vampire

Um, yeah. We totally know who to blame for that one. But it got me thinking. I pretty much missed the whole wanting to be a princess thing. Maybe it's a generational thing, because there was no Disney Princess juggernaut when I was a girl, but I wanted to be Jo March or Anne Shirley or Mary Lennox. Princesses held little interest for me. And when I was 12, the only vampire around was Barnabus from Dark Shadows. I certainly knew plenty of girls who thought he was teh sexy, but the one time I saw the show itself, it featured a young groom calling his recently deceased bride from the grave with noticeably poor results. I was traumatized. So, it wasn't until I was 40 that I really got hooked on something that featured vampires. (Yes, I read Interview with a Vampire and several of the sequels, but hooked? No.) That something, of course, was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

But, honestly, I never wanted to be a vampire. Slay them? Sure. Have an angsty relationship with them? Guilty as charged. Make a house fall down while shagging them?? Oh, baby. But I never wanted to be one.

And if I did want to be one, I certainly wouldn't want to be one that sparkles. Just sayin'.

So, a question to my 3 readers. Would you or have you ever thought you would want to be a vampire? Why or why not?

2009-06-06T11:37:00.008-04:00

Here is my current stack of books to read. These do not include the 4 or 5 I have up at the boat. Why, then, do I keep wanting to buy more?? Please stop me.

Random

2009-06-01T16:52:00.003-04:00

Remember when the phone ringing was the most exciting thing ever?? Remember when having an answering machine meant you never had to miss a call?? Now, I rarely answer the phone because it's nearly always a telemarketer and I can let that message alert blink for practically ever. Seriously, if you want to get my attention: email me.

I have various food obsessions from time to time. Sometimes it's a spice, sometimes it's actual food. I had a love affair with cumin all of last year. This year, my passion is ruby grapefruits. I will peel them and eat them segment by segment, no sugar, just the grapefruit-y goodness. I tried to explain the attraction to my co-worker and the best I could come up with was that it was like a surprise explosion in my mouth of sweet and sour, but that sounded kind of dirty so I left it alone.

I haven't had a period in four months. My doctor says I am in official menopause, but it doesn't really count until I haven't had a period for 12 months. I was surprised to find out that I missed the old Aunt Flo. At first. Now, I am getting used to the idea. I think I want to make a longer post about going through menopause, but I promise to warn the men in advance...

The boat is in the water, but the weather has been sucky of late. High winds and cold make for less than pleasant weekends. But we persevere.

I am thinking of what I should be called when I officially become a grandparent. (November 28. Wheeee!!) My grandmothers were Grandma and Mimi. For some odd reason that I can't quite put my finger on, I find myself leaning towards Granny Allison, but Grant thinks that sounds like I am a crone. I dunno. What do you think?

I have to go cook dinner, which reminds me: Grant has lost over 25 lbs. I have lost 7. Apparently my thyroid is hypo-active. So I am having a thyroid scan tomorrow. Which means:

I am currently radioactive.

Why just be an evil step-mother

2009-05-20T19:33:00.001-04:00

when you can be an evil step-grandmother?

All grown up

2009-04-27T21:21:00.005-04:00

Remember this kid?

He got married this Saturday, a rare sunny day in Halifax. His lovely bride is Erin, and we love her to pieces. Aren't they bee-yoooo-tiful??

And once again...

2009-04-23T17:38:00.004-04:00

The husband has gotten sick of feeling like he is fat Fat FAT, so he has started a new diet. An extremely low-calorie, doctor-supervised diet, which is what he feels he needs to get really serious about losing weight. I have mixed feelings about all of this. As far as I am concerned, this kind of rapid weight loss diet is exactly the kind where you end up gaining it all back and more after you go off of it. But, it's his body and his self-image, and although I have discussed my concerns with him, ultimately it is his decision. He has asked a lot more questions since I brought up my fears, has decided to consult with our family doctor and is significantly more aware of what this diet entails. And we have a plan to make sure he doesn't gain it all back. Oh yes, we do have a plan.

As the Official Cooker of All Things Food TM, I am having to find a way to prepare meals that meet the strict criteria of this diet, still taste like something and not starve myself in the process. I have to weigh bloody EVERYTHING. But, although weighing EVERYTHING is a pain in the ass, I have realized that our meat portions were WAY out of whack. Do you know that those fresh chicken breasts at the store weigh around 10 ozs?? The recommended serving of protein is about 4. Now, instead of one breast per person, we make one breast into nearly 3 servings. Not only is it a better serving, but it will save us money down the line. And I have a much better sense of how much meat/protein to prepare. Veggies are easy--you can have loads of the green ones and the pepper family, you just have to watch the more sugary, starchy ones and only eat those occasionally. And hopefully, if we watch our portions carefully, there can be wine in our future.

Oh, please. Of course there will be wine in our future. Anything else is unthinkable.

Yummy

2009-04-08T13:43:00.003-04:00

I made a lentil soup the other day that really rocked my taste buds, so I thought I would share my creation with you all. Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup

2 cups dry red lentils
2 T butter/oil
2-3 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T curry powder
1 T cumin
1 bouillion cube (chicken or veggie)
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 lean kielbasa, cut into cubes(optional)

I pre-soaked the lentils by covering them with water, bringing to a boil and then shutting off the heat and soaking for a few hours, but I suspect you can just cook them along with the rest of the soup if you prefer. In a dutch kettle or soup pot, saute the onions, carrots and celery( I use a combination of butter and olive oil, it helps keep the butter from burning). Add the parsley and spices and allow the seasoning flavour to release. Add the lentils and just cover with water. Add the bouillion cube, bring to a boil and then cook for approximately one hour on low heat, stirring occasionally. Drain the tomatoes slightly, and add, along with the kielbasa. Cook for another 1/2 hour. Serve with corn bread. Be happy.

Gotcha!

2009-04-07T15:41:00.009-04:00

The last few months, this wee gent has been visiting my bird feeder. I generally pride myself on my bird identification skills, usually I either know the bird right offhand (courtesy of a birding-type mother) or I figure it out by consulting the ever-handy Peterson Field Guide. But this guy had me stumped. After eliminating the most likely suspects, I went through the guide page by page. still no luck. When I was in Arizona, I queried Mom, and we consulted several different guides to no avail.

Finally, I caught him on film. Sorry for the poor quality: I suspect the combination of shooting through the window, late afternoon light on a snowy day*, and low batteries are to blame, but I think you can see the little birdie well enough. Anyway, I then searched out a birdwatching site here in the GTA, so I could post a message about my bird. Unfortunately, the registration process required me to wait for admin approval, so I was unable to post my photos. I scrolled through various other peoples' posts and found this link.

Hey! that looks like it might be my guy! I am not sure if he is slate-cloured or a white-winged (although I tend toward the latter), but I think he is most definitely a junco. This morning I saw him fly and noted the flash of white that is usually mentioned in the various guides. Sure enough, now that I look at the juncos in the Peterson, I wonder why I was so stumped. Still...gotcha!

*Please note that this snowy day was yesterday. April 7. Once again..WTF?

Spring

2009-04-06T19:42:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, after spying the first crocus of the season, I happily dug my fingers into the warming earth, with strains of The Secret Garden humming in my mind. It was a lovely morning, sunny and bright. I cleared the leaves and dead wood and found the beginnings of tulips and daffodils pushing their way up. No jacket necessary, I basked in the warm sunlight.

Today, I scraped ice off my car. Twice.

What. The. Fuck.

The unexpected benefits of blogging

2009-03-28T12:55:00.004-04:00

Returning from our latest visit to Arizona this holiday, I discovered that my Permanent Resident card had expired last January. I am not altogether certain why the agent who admitted me last March didn't notice it, but be that as it may. I had a moment of excitement when I actually had to go to the Immigration area to be re-admitted to Canada, but no worries. However, I do have to renew the card now.

So, today I downloaded the application form to re-apply and discover that I have to account for my days absent from Canada. If I am gone for more than two years out of the five, I might lose my residency status. Now, I have not been gone for that much time, but accounting for all the holidays we have taken over the last 5 years is not an easy one.

Then I realized: I have documented nearly every vacation I have taken right here! No need to try and decipher passport stamps or guess at the days, the sum of my holidays is written for you all. Bonus.

An additional bonus: now that I have documented all the times I left Canada, I have no excuse not to apply for Canadian citizenship. Well, except for the whole bit about swearing allegiance to the Queen....

Ponderings and Posings

2009-02-27T15:54:00.003-05:00

Why is it so easy to read 30 blogs every day and so hard to write just one?
Remember when Heroes used to be good?
I am listening to Fields of Gold by Sting (shut up! I like Sting). Why is it so much sexier when someone kisses "her mouth" instead of "her lips"?
Maybe if I refilled the bird feeder, the pretty birds would come back. Unfortunately, that currently entails navigating the sea of dog poop that is currently my backyard.
You really didn't need that last bit of information, did you?
I didn't give up anything for Lent. I never give up anything for Lent. Do you?
I thought the Academy Awards rocked this year. I especially liked the groups of five previous winners doing the acting nominations. I thought it gave real power to the idea that it was an honour just to be nominated. Seemed to me that most of the actors really appreciated the acknowledgment. Since when did giving people compliments become boring?
This is very nearly a BoQ, isn't it? Don't you miss BOQs? How do you write bOq?
I had iTunes Genius make me some playlists from my music. It pretty much scored a home run.
Are you looking forward to baseball season? Do you ever look forward to a sporting season?
I have fingerling potatoes to roast for supper tonight. You envy me, don't you?
What state would you most like to visit?
After I wrote the last item, the Genius playlist just moved to New York State of Mind. It really is a Genius, isn't it?
Have you watched Life on Mars? You really should. Trust me.
Which reminds me: I am actually feeling somewhat nostalgic for the 70s. I blame Milk, The Pursuit of Happyness and the aforementions LOM. What decade do you feel nostalgia for?
I think this one is done for now. Thanks for playing

The only thing to fear

2009-02-11T17:56:00.003-05:00

I have been a big fan of The Pioneer Woman ever since Annika posted a link to one of her recipes.

Today, I found myself reading the replies to this post in her Homeschooling section. Although I don't often read many of the homeschooling posts completely, I check it out from time to time; mainly to get new resources. But this post caught my eye and I ended up reading (well, skimming) all 259 of the replies.

The commenters varied from homeschoolers, public schoolers, private schoolers, a little bit of everything schoolers and even a couple of unschoolers. It was interesting reading and I found it fascinating to hear how different people made different decisions about what was right for their children, many of them choosing different options for different children in their own families. There were stories of great schools and terrible schools; of public schools being the best place for a child with special needs or the worst place for a child with special needs. There were charter schools, both on location and online. The variety of options and the variety of reasons for the schooling decision were incredibly varied and always interesting.

But I was particularly struck with one thing. It is perhaps not surprising that a fair number of the homeschoolers identified as strongly Christian; what shocked me was how afraid many of these parents seemed to be of how their children were influenced by the outside world. I am not talking of drugs, sex and bullying. No, they spoke of being forced to accept politically correct thinking and learning values that they could not support; they mourned the failure to pray at school and the importance of their Christian values being reinforced by teachers. They seemed terrified that their children might be exposed to opinions and ideas that did not meet their narrow expectations. They seemed to me to be afraid of the world.

Of course, I am familiar with the rantings of the Christian Right and their ilk, as anyone who supports womens' rights and gay rights and civil rights would be. I was just sadly surprised to see such normal-seeming people be so afraid. Of people like me. Of people like you.

25 things about me

2009-02-07T10:39:00.007-05:00

I have been tagged at least three times for this. Finally, I am getting around to doing it.

1. My paternal grandparents lived in Southern California, so during a large part of my childhood, my family managed to take us to Disneyland once a year. I have probably been there at least ten times. Although I loved many of the rides, my favourite was always Peter Pan. I still get a tingle when I hear Peter say "Here we goooooo!!"

2. When I was very small, I used to listen to my parent's recording of "HMS Pinafore" endlessly. The vinyl discs were stored in a cardboard case, with a photograph of the D'oyly Carte production. When D'oyly Carte came to San Francisco with their production, my parents took me to see it. The curtain rose, and the set was the exact same as the album cover!! I was amazed and delighted, as only a 7 year old can be.

3. I hate peas. I often pick them out of my food.

4. I have been fired three times.

5. I have always alphabetized my music collection. I have never alphabetized my book collection.

6. Speaking of books, I own over a hundred Star Trek novels.

7. For my university graduation present, my parents gave me $1000, which I spent on a week-long trip to New York City. The first two nights I spent at a hotel on Times Square, then I crashed (illegally) at a dorm room at Columbia with a girl I met my second night in town.

8. I drink my coffee black, but I like a bit of sweetener in my tea.

9. I have seen Barry Manilow in concert 4 times, Bette Midler 3 times, the Indigo Girls 3 times, and Barbra Streisand once. No, I am not a gay man.

10. My parents always wanted me to get straight A's in high school. I did not comply. However, when I returned to school at 44 years of age, I got my first (and only) straight A report card.

11. My sun sign is Virgo. My rising sign is Aries. My moon is also in Aries and Mercury is in Virgo. This means I am outgoing, impulsive, and critical. Who says astrology is a load of hooey???

12. The first album I owned was "Magical Mystery Tour" which I bought at the Bell Market grocery store.

13. Nearly every pair of shoes I own is black. Same goes for my dress pants.

14. I went to camp for two weeks each summer for 3 years. My best activities were archery and riflery.

15. Mickey was my favourite Monkee. I really didn't have a favourite Beatle until I was in my twenties and saw A Hard Days Night. Then I fell in love with John.

16. I am happy eating the same thing for breakfast and the same thing for lunch every single day.

17. I have lived in Canada for 9 years. I can't vote here, because I am not a citizen, but I have voted in every U.S. federal election since I was 18 years old.

18. My first car was an orange Honda CVCC. It was the size of a postage stamp. Seriously.

19. In 2001, I moved into a new home. That was the first time in my life I had ever painted a wall.

20. I love to cook. I rarely use recipes any more. And when I do use them, I rarely do everything the way the author does.

21. I can't tell you what my favourite movie or book is; there are just too many to choose from. However, my favourite musical is Sunday in the Park with George.

22. I find it nearly impossible to fall asleep in a seated position. Or when the television is on.

23. On February 17th, I will celebrate my 9th wedding anniversary. On March 24th, I will have been married to my current husband longer than I was married to my first husband.

24. I can usually identify, by name, an episode of ST:TOS within 1 minute of viewing.

25. Since my birth, the number of animals I have lived with is 11 cats, 8 dogs, two budgies, one hamster, one parrot and one rat.

Thank heaven for memes!!

2009-01-30T21:19:00.004-05:00

Otherwise I wouldn't post at all. This one is courtesy of P@.

a) Go to urbandictionary.com and type in your answers to the following questions.
b) Post your favorite definition it gives you -- or just post the first one. (or multiple answers if it's just too funny.)
c) Tag 4 people. Leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged.
d) Those people, if so inspired, should do the same. (I don't do the tagging thing. I believe that memes should spread on their own accord. ;))*

1) Your name?
2) Your age?
3) Your favorite drink?
4) Favorite color?
5) Birthplace?
6) Month of your birth?
7) Where you live now?

Your name?
Allison: coolest bitch on the block

Your age?
51: Number of states many people seem to think the USA has.

Your favorite drink?
Martini: a cocktail made with gin and vermouth and served with an olive.

Favorite color?
Royal blue: The color of blue that is brighter than most others. Many cars, shoes, and clothes come in this color. It is said to have been worn by royalty.

Birthplace?
San Francisco: San Francisco means so many things to so many people--a superlative in terms of the kinds of activity and diversity engendered in the most beautiful city in the world.

Affectionately known by locals as "The City" by the bay, it's unique topography and eclectic skyline lends a vertical appearance to a dynamic landscape, containing the world's most treasured examples of architecture--Transamerica Pyramid, Bank of America Center, Ferry Building, Golden Gate Bridge, et al.

Akin to Paris and London, San Francisco offers something special for those living--or visiting--in the area, leaving an indelible impression to come back for more: Financial District, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island, Union Square, Chinatown, Japantown, etc.

I left my heart in San Francisco. And I can't wait to go back.

Month of your birth?
September: a month with a nice temperature and everything but it’s when school starts.

Where you live now?
Canada:
Here are some reasons to be proud to be Canadian:

1. Smarties
2. Crispy Crunch, Coffee Crisp
3. The size of our footballs fields and one less down
4. Baseball is Canadian
5. Lacrosse is Canadian
6. Hockey is Canadian
7. Basketball is Canadian
8. Apple pie is Canadian
9. Mr. Dress-up kicks Mr. Rogers ass
10. Tim Hortons kicks Dunkin' Donuts ass
11. In the war of 1812, started by America, Canadians pushed
the Americans back...past their 'White House'. Then we burned it...and most of Washington, under the command of William Lyon McKenzie who was insane and hammered all the time. We got bored because they ran away, so we came home and partied...Go figure.
12. Canada has the largest French population that never surrendered to
Germany.
13. We have the largest English population that never ever surrendered or withdrew during any war to anyone, anywhere.
14. Our civil war was a bar fight that lasted a little over an hour.
15. The only person who was arrested in our civil war was an American
mercenary, who slept in and missed the whole thing... but showed up just in time to get caught.
16. We knew plaid was cool far before Seattle caught on.
17. The Hudsons Bay Company once owned over 10% of the earth's surface and is still around as the worlds oldest company.
18. The average dog sled team can kill and devour a full grown human in under 3 minutes.
19. We still know what to do with all the parts of a buffalo.
20. We don't marry our kin-folk.
21. We invented ski-doos, jet-skis, velcro, zippers, insulin, penicillin, zambonis, the telephone and short wave radios that save countless lives each year.
22. We ALL have frozen our tongues to something metal and lived to tell about it.
23. A Canadian invented Superman.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT!
24. The handles on our beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mitts on. OOOoohhhhh Canada!!

Oh yeah... and our elections only take one day.

*That's P@ talking at the end, but I feel exactly the same way. I intend to include this in all my memes from now on!

Cuz all the nerds are doin' it!

2009-01-26T18:07:00.003-05:00

Heh. Doin' it.

Stolen from absolutely everyone!

Attention, Crafty People!

2009-01-25T21:03:00.004-05:00

You have got to check out these fabulous fabrics!!

These make me wish I:

a: sewed
b: had a small child
c: that someone would make me jammies with this

Sunday morning

2009-01-25T09:15:00.003-05:00

The dog decided at 6 o'clock this morning that she needed to go out. I got up, put on robe and slippers, picked up the dog and carried her downstairs, put her out, checked to make sure she was accomplishing something, coaxed her back up the icy steps outside, and carried her back up to bed.

At 7, she decided she needed to do the whole thing again. And again at 8:30. Since the alternative is an accident in the bedroom, I obliged her. Reluctantly. You may wonder why I didn't just get up and stay up the first (or second) time she got me out of bed. The answer is that Sunday is the ONE day I get to sleep in, and dammit! I really wanted to this morning. Fail.

But...

I am sitting at my computer, alternately reading and writing; I have a large cup of coffee at my elbow; I am listening to the glorious sounds of Audra MacDonald singing in "110 in the Shade"; the sun is just reaching the fence in the backyard and the smell of fried apples is filling the air. Soon there will be bacon and Scottish oatmeal. I guess there are worse ways to spend a Sunday morning.

What the...???

2009-01-13T16:32:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I received this in the mail:

The other side of the mailing. Please note the rosary, inscribed "God Bless Allison" and the lovely (plastic) red case to carry it in.

My question: what the HELL did I buy, surf or join in order to end up on a Catholic mailing list????????

The great Canadian pastime (as seen by an American)

2009-01-10T17:37:00.003-05:00

This was a reply I wrote to a hockey post written by Wil Wheaton at WWdN: In Exile. I did not intend it to be so long, but that's how it ended up. I thought I would share it here.

I never played hockey. In fact, I never saw a hockey game until that guy I was cyber-dating came to visit from Canada and took me to see the Sharks in San Jose. About two years later, I found myself living in Ontario, Canada with him and his two teenage sons.

Both boys played hockey. The older played defence while the younger was a goalie. I quickly learned the special torture that is being the (step)mom of a goalie; agonizing over every shot, cheering like mad when he stood on his head. The first few years after I moved, I drove with my husband and either boy to hockey arenas all over southern Ontario; those trips are still my main source for remembering the geography of this area.

The guy and I got married. For various sentimental reasons, we decided to get married in February, which happened to fall smackdab in the middle of the minor league playoffs. My soon-to-be husband, who was coaching the younger son's team in the playoffs, specifically told the convener not to schedule any games that day because we were getting married. She didn't. She did schedule a game the night before and the day after, though. Yes, I got married in-between hockey games.

The day I received my Permanent Residence status for Canada (Canadian version of a green card), my husband and I went to a game at the old, wood-beamed, cavernous community arena to watch our younger boy play. We were standing aisle of the old arena, my hand in the pocket of his jacket and his arm around me, when one of the players fired the puck over the glass. My husband instinctively did the hockey puck duck, which unfortunately pulled me directly into its path. I had a lovely bruise on my upper arm for days.

And so I was officially made Canadian.

Things I did while on Christmas break

2009-01-03T20:19:00.002-05:00

Bought a Wii
Played far too much Mario Kart
Made candles
Was ridiculously spoiled by my husband on Christmas Day
Put a whole bunch of musicals on my brand new BLUE iPod Nano
Poached eggs for the first time in my life
Made Egg Benedict for Boxing Day Brunch (see poached eggs)
Obsessively refreshed the Pandagon page to keep up with the endlessly entertaining trolls
Read Twilight
Hated it
But really enjoyed this thread linking me to the BEST recap of Twilight ever
Drank way too much
Bought a new car
The blue one
On impulse

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Good stuff

2009-01-01T13:46:00.002-05:00

Mmmmmm. I made the most yummy pasta the other night and I just wanted to share. Not the actual pasta--I intend to eat most of that, myself--but the recipe I concocted. Enjoy.

Rigatoni Verdi

Rigatoni
Onion
Red Bell Pepper
1-2 cloves of Garlic
Mushrooms
Chard
Pesto Sauce
Fontina
Gorgonzola

Cook the rigatoni in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. While it is cooking, roughly chop the onion, red pepper, garlic and mushrooms and saute in a small amount of olive oil. Chop the chard and add to the pasta water at the 6 minute mark. When the pasta is done, drain it and the chard. Toss with the veggies and pesto sauce and put in a baking dish. Top the pasta with sliced fontina and crumbled gorgonzola. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

You will love it!

The best Christmas present

2008-12-24T16:08:00.003-05:00

When I was about 9 years old, some developer built 5 houses across the street from our property. Until then, nearly all the homes in the area were either small farms or orchards or the like. Our house was on an acre of property, tucked well back from the street and surrounded by trees. My mother despised the development, but I was secretly thrilled because into the 5 houses moved several children around the age of me and my siblings. The house 3 doors down had a girl exactly my age! Her name was Karleen.

Karleen and I rapidly became best friends. We weren't very much alike; she was brunette and pretty, I was blondish and gawky; she had not only Barbie, Midge and Ken, she also had the Dream House and the convertible, my Barbie was lucky if she still had her head; she had an immaculate frilly bedroom with a canopy bed, if I bothered to clean my room, you could see the old patchwork quilt that I had managed to shred in places. But we loved each other, fought at times, made up and played together nearly every afternoon.

When I was about eleven, I spied a nightgown, robe and slipper set that I coveted completely. I don't remember if it was in a catalog or if I saw it at Levy Bros department store; I rather suspect the latter. It was a bright yellow polyester knit gown with red strawberries appliqued on the bodice. The robe and slippers were poly red velvet. Hey, it was the sixties, okay? Don't mock my fashion choices.

At any rate, Christmas morning arrived, and one of the presents under the white-flocked artificial tree was the very nightgown set I so badly desired. I was ecstatic and promptly dashed upstairs to don my gay apparel. As I descended the stairs in a glory of red and yellow, my mother suggested that perhaps I would want to go show Karleen my finery, which seemed a brilliant suggestion to me.

I hurried across the street in attired only in my new gown, slippers and robe in the slightly chilly California morning and rang Karleen's doorbell in a frenzy of impatience. The door opened, and there stood Karleen.... in the exact same outfit!!!

The girlish shrieks of delight were probably heard throughout the neighborhood. Because to be best friends and to have matching outfits on Christmas morning couldn't possible be any better when you are eleven years old.

I don't know for sure which mother set up the presents, I imagine it was my own. This Christmas I think I will ask, and give thanks where thanks are due, because without a doubt, that was the best Christmas present ever.

I hope your holiday is filled with joy and happiness; best friends and wonderful surprises; and that your most important wishes come true.

Today

2008-12-18T17:14:00.001-05:00

is my husband's birthday.

I am very pleased that he was born. And even more pleased to celebrate that fact with him.

Happy Birthday, sweety. I love you.

Just pretend I am twittering

2008-12-16T16:47:00.002-05:00

I most decidedly prefer working with paraffin wax as opposed to soy wax.

A predicament

2008-12-15T16:59:00.004-05:00

Grant just got a birthday card from my parents. As usual, there was a check enclosed, in the usual amount. This is not the problem. Along with the birthday card was another envelope with a gorgeous Christmas card, also from my parents. Just the card. Yep, I actually shook the envelope to make sure.

Hmmm.

The possibilities? Possibility one: for the first time ever, my parents have decided not to give us checks for Christmas. They have already told us there will not be actual presents this year, which was entirely understandable, but our assumption was that we were getting cash instead. Presumptuous? Perhaps. Possibility two: They forgot to put the checks in the envelope. They are getting on a bit in years, after all. Possibility three: they are sending the checks under separate cover, a bit closer to Christmas. Seems unlikely, doesn't it?

What to do? What to do? And no, I don't want to be all adult about this. It's Christmas! That means yuletide cheer and stuff from Mom and Dad!!

Today's the day

2008-12-13T10:36:00.002-05:00

Yes, the Christmas decorations are coming out of the boxes, the internet shopping nears completion and the candle-making and bath salt frenzy begins. (Bath salting?...Whatever.) I also need to buy supplies for making Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses at school. My students have been really good this year and this is their Christmas reward.

Honestly, how the heck did Christmas sneak up on me so fast?

And so, $100 later...

2008-12-07T17:21:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I happen to look over at the dog. She is lying on her side next to the sliding glass door and she is rolling a bit and nosing against the basket I have next to the door. I get up, saying "What's the matter, Lucy? Got a itchy nose?" and give her snout a good rub. But she still keeps moving and I realize that she seems like she is almost...having a fit? My heart nearly stops.

I pick her up and set her on her feet. She nearly topples over. Oh shit. Then suddenly, she tried to dash across the room, but only manages to stagger drunkenly before keeling right over. She gamely keeps trying to get up and promptly falls down again. Now, in full-blown panic mode, I call to Grant "I think Lucy may have had a stroke!" I pick her up and hold her, hoping that when I put her down whatever is happening will stop happening. I pet her. She seems calm. I set her on her feet. She tries to take off down the hall, once again staggering like a drunken sailor until her hindquarters seem to give out underneath her. Grant picks her up and holds her while I dial the emergency vet. I hold Lucy on my lap as we drive. I wonder if it the last day I will hold her.

I don't actually start to cry until after the vet's receptionist takes my dog away from me and asks me to wait until the vet is available. My dog is somewhere in the back of the office and they WON'T LET ME BE WITH HER! I wait, as does Grant. We don't even look at each other, because we can't bear to share the thought we are both thinking.

The vet, finally, invites us in. Lucy is walking around the small examining room, still tilting slightly to the right, but very nearly normal again. And the vet has a smile on her face. Apparently Lucy has most likely suffered an attack of Idiopathic Geriatic Vestibular Syndrome. Symptoms? Pretty much walking like a drunken sailor.

Signs of vestibular disease include ataxia, head tilt, and abnormal nystagmus. A wide-based stance and swaying of the head and trunk characterize ataxia. The patient may tend to lean and fall to one side. In severe cases, the animal may continuously roll to one side. Head tilt is an abnormal position of the head such that one ear is held lower than the other. Nystagmus is a rhythmic movement of the eyes, where the eyes move back and forth or up and down. In some cases of vestibular disease, there is a sudden onset of severe signs. This may initially be confused with a seizure.

No shit.

The vet tells us that unlike most of her visits on a weekend, this was a good visit. The symptoms may return, but it is nothing to be worried about. We just need to keep her safe from stairs and the like, so she doesn't accidentally fall down them if she has another attack.

Today she is back to her same old self. We are $100 poorer and much relieved.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

2008-11-27T16:19:00.002-05:00

Borrowed from MartiMcKenna via Wil Wheaton

Help me, Obi-wan

2008-11-25T19:58:00.003-05:00

I am not a gamer. For that matter, neither is my husband. Once upon a time, many years ago, I actually played whatever the early colour version of Nintendo was (Donkey Kong, anyone?) and pretty much sucked at it. But it was fun and ridiculously addictive. Since I didn't actually own it, the addiction proved temporary (unlike the subsequent internet communities that did hook me for life, but that's another story for another day). My husband did own it, but he was over-ruled in his regular usage by the two progeny he shared a house with. Such has been the state of our lives as the gaming systems have evolved: stuck in the dark ages.

Still, I have secretly wished to join up with the rest of the world. And, as I was considering various ideas for Christmas gifts, it hit me: I could get a gaming system for someone (read husband) for Christmas! How cool would that be? Turns out my husband has the same secret yen, so we are thinking about buying ourselves one for our joint Christmas present.

So, I need some advice. Seriously, I am clueless. What gaming system would best suit a pair of fifty-something non-gamers? I am leaning toward the Wii, but am open to suggestions. If I do get a Wii, I would love some information on the best accessories and games I should start with.

In short, I need some nerds here.

Souper Star

2008-11-22T16:07:00.003-05:00

I am making vegetable soup. This has become an new routine for the weekends, as I am inundated with fresh-delivered veggies every Friday. This time of year, there is usually lots of carrots, celery, leeks and other root vegetables. Hence: soup. Yummy, fragrant, comfort-inducing soup.

Today, as always, I cut everything up, sauteed briefly in butter and added the water to make the broth. Because, in my mind, that's the first step: making the vegetable broth. Then you make vegetable soup with the broth. Which means: twice the carrots, celery and leeks to make soup. It means adding whatever else is on hand: collards, bok choy, zucchini, whatever. But today, it suddenly dawned on me that maybe instead of straining off all the broth, I could just use all the vegetables that are already in the soup and just add whatever to that. It would be easier, wouldn't it?

Of course, I suspect that the double effort leads to a more flavourful soup. Still, it amazes me that it didn't even occur to me to save myself the extra step until today!

This is great!

2008-11-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

I love it when a commercial catches me by surprise! Check out the "leak" at the end.

I am happy, I am sad

2008-11-05T15:38:00.002-05:00

Last night I was very proud of my country. Millions of Americans chose hope over fear and hatred. Tears filled my eyes as I watched people of all colours celebrate the victory of Barack Obama.

Today more tears fill my eyes, because, sadly, California did choose fear and hatred. I am terribly sad that so many of the people in my former home rejected the tenets of love and family by approving Proposition 8.

I will feel happy again, most certainly on or about January 27th, but right now I am mourning for all those who lost their marriages.

Just what I needed

2008-11-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

Now, go vote!

Please, can it just be over?

2008-11-03T17:23:00.003-05:00

The last month or so, I have been obsessively refreshing all my political blogs and newsfeeds to read Every Single internet thought available about the upcoming election. I stare at the electoral map at RealClearPolitics, imagining the possible outcomes and perusing the latest poll number for every state that is not a solid blue or red. Then I go check out what Huffington Post has to say, and to see if Slate has any new insight into the election. I watch videos telling why I should vote No on Prop 8 and why I should vote Yes. (I can't vote on it, but I gave the No folks $50. You can, too!) I stalk Pandagon and Alas and read nearly every link provided by nearly every commenter. I worry...all the time, that McCain will pull out some kind of impossible victory. Then I go back at look at the Electoral projections and I feel (marginally) comforted.

Gak! Still 25 1/2 hours until the first polls close!

To meat or not to meat

2008-11-02T17:55:00.003-05:00

Most of you know I have been actively trying to buy and eat more local foods over the last few months. One of my stumbling blocks has been finding locally-raised meat. I am pleased to say that I have found a source that will deliver locally-raised beef, pork lamb and poultry to a Toronto location for me to pick up.

This is all kinds of yay. Except, somehow, over the last few months, both Grant and I have found ourselves not loving the meat so much. We have definitely cut down on our portions, and just recently, when I have prepared meat, I have found myself thinking that all I really needed was the incredibly yummy vegetables that I have prepared.

Grant is in total agreement. He thinks that the veggies are extra good because I am such a fabulous cook. That may be, but I also suspect that buying locally and organically is a big factor too. We have experimented a lot more with new vegetables lately and have discovered wonderful new favourites.

I think I will go ahead and buy some of the local meat. Who knows? I may find that it revives my former love of meat products. If it doesn't, then I suspect we will continue eating less and less meat. Eventually, we may decide to formally eliminate it from our diet, but only time will tell.

Cuz Jenn told me to

2008-11-01T14:00:00.002-04:00

Use one word to describe or answer the following list. (In the comments is fine - or on your blog if you like and then let us know to go look!)

1.Your house?
3-bedroom Townhouse

2.Your significant other?
Grant, my wonderful husband

3. Your hair?
Short and blonde

4. Your family?

Mom and Dad, Sally, my sister, John, my bro-in-law, the two As, my nephews, Matt and Tom, my stepsons.

5. Favorite place to eat?
Too many to decide on just one!

6. Your favorite thing you can see right now?
My husband

7. Where is your cell phone?
In my purse

8. Your favorite drink?
Vodka martini with a twist of lemon

9.Your dream/goal?
To live a long and healthy life

10. What Room you are in?
Dining room (although it's really one big room that includes living room and kitchen)

11. Your hobby?
Cooking

12. Your fear?
Dying in a fire

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
Sitting on the dock of my lakeside cottage with my husband

14. Where were you last night?
Home

15. Something that you aren’t?
Republican

16. Pie?
Yes, please

17. Wish list item?
Cottage

18. TV show?
Currently, Life on Mars. For posterity, BTVS

19. Last thing you did?
Answered the previous question

20. What are you wearing?
Yoga pants and a hooded sweatshirt

21. Vacation spot?
Mexico

22. Your pets?
Lucy the Dog

23. A best friend?
My husband

24. Your life?
Happy

25. Your mood?
Content

26. Missing someone?
My San Francisco friends

27. Your car?
2000 Honda CRV

28. Something you’re not wearing.
Underwear

29. Your favorite store?
Tie between J. Jill and Victorias Secret

30.Best memory?
Meeting my husband for the very first time

My new favourite website

2008-10-27T18:17:00.006-04:00

even though this one made me tear up.

Click for link.

Madge and me

2008-10-22T10:59:00.003-04:00

So, Sunday night I got to see Madonna in concert. It was an unexpected surprise--one of the perqs of being married to my husband and the people he knows. I was thrilled beyond belief, because Madonna has been one of those performers that I have wanted to see in person for a very long time, but had never managed to actually purchase tickets for. Then fate stepped in.

I own 7 Madonna CDs: True Blue, Like A Prayer, Evita, Ray of Light, Music, Confessions on a Dance Floor and Hard Candy, the most recent purchased two days before the concert. My favourite album of hers is Ray of Light, which is the first of her albums I bought; I freaking adore that CD! I have bought each CD she has released since ROL hoping that lightning would strike again for me. It hasn't, although I find the other albums have grown on me. And, like most people, I know her most popular songs. Still, that is not why I wanted to see her in concert. The real reason is that Madonna is one of my heroes.

I don't have many heroes, and the few I do have aren't celebrities. But Madonna has a special place in my heart. It's hard to articulate exactly why I admire her so, but here are some reasons:

Madonna has faced a lot of criticism over the years; for her music, for her personae; for her personal life; for being a strong woman. She continually rises above all of the criticism to go her own way. She is self-centered, but that translates into strength as well as egotism. She is apparently a loving and giving mother who has managed to keep her children largely out of the spotlight. She played the role I would kill to play (Eva Peron) and did a damn good job of it. She is almost exactly my age, and based on what I have read regarding her divorce from Guy Ritchie, has experienced many of the same insecurities that I felt when turning 50. That she continually reinvents her persona is undeniable, but I suspect she also reinvents her personal self through self-reflection and exploration. She is a survivor in a very complex world.

And she puts on a hell of a show.

Sticky and Sweet

2008-10-19T23:48:00.001-04:00

Tonight I saw Madonna. In concert. And now I can cross another item off my list.

More tomorrow.

Peeee-ewww

2008-10-18T10:29:00.004-04:00

No, this isn't a post about John McCain. It probably should be, because I am unhealthily preoccupied with all things Presidential election; constantly stalking the internets in search of opinions, news and poll numbers, but in this particular case, I will leave politics behind.

Last weekend, Grant and I returned from closing up the boat for the season (boo) and walked into a very STINKY house. At first, we blamed the pervasive odor on the flood we had experienced earlier in the week. Apparently our furnace humidifier unit has sprung a whopping leak and we have had to clean up giant floods two times already. So, we thought that maybe the smell was from all the water and stuff.

But soon, we realized that the smell was not coming from the flooded area in our basement. Instead, it was particularly fetid in the opposite corner--gag-worthy. It was clear: there was something dead somewhere in the wall or ceiling. Dead and rotting.

We managed to tolerate the stink for one more day, because what can you do about a smell inside the wall? but it got so much worse that Grant suddenly declared that we needed to go downstairs and at least TRY to find the source. Fortunately, the ceiling in the basement is of the drop variety, with those ceiling tiles you usually find in an office. We moved one above the computer, and voila! tiny dead mouse.

Who knew such a bitty thing could smell so freakin' bad?? We wrapped it up and took it outside, investigated further to see if there were any other dead creatures (there weren't) and closed up the ceiling. Within the hour, the house started smelling more or less normal. Yeah, I still need to clean out the refrigerator, but that's a project for later today.

Okay, UKers

2008-10-06T17:23:00.002-04:00

You need to tell Caz to get her cute little bum over here right away!!!

This is going to make you all squeal. Even Annika. Trust me.

I get by with a little help from my friends

2008-10-03T16:27:00.003-04:00

Thanks for all the hugs. I would have liked them in person even more, but on the off chance that I am contagious (not to mention the whole distance thing), I will settle for virtual.

So, Sarah didn't suck completely, which I expected, but it was pretty obvious to anyone paying attention that once she exhausted her various talking points, her only recourse was to repeat herself over and over. Insert "darns", " you betchas" and "maverick" as needed. Joe Biden impressed me, especially when he teared up about his family. But at the beginning of the debate, his giant white teeth nearly scared me to death. I read a blog (I think Pandagon) where a commenter referred to Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Now I can't get that image out of my mind.

Anyway, the aftermath of the debate has settled my fears of a McCain victory. As long as we can control all the voter fraud I fully expect from the Republicans, I think we have a good shot at winning this thing. Yay.

Plus, I got the stuff I bought with the Amazon gift certificate that my sister and her family sent for my birthday: Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and the new cast recording of Gypsy. If you're wondering, yes, all my current reading material is entirely influenced by the blogs I read. Which bodes very well for any of you that might eventually get published. Please work on that. But no pressure.

Today, not so much

2008-10-02T16:49:00.002-04:00

Terrible things, both real and imagined, are piling up. Some are worse than others, but all together they are making me blue.

One of my co-workers has experienced a family tragedy. He is one of the kindest, best people I know and my heart is hurting for him and his family.

I am exhausted, with a scratchy throat and sniffles. My head hurts, along with my heart.

I haven't talked to my parents in the last few days because I am afraid they will tell me that they have lost all their retirement money in the stock market crash.

And I have convinced myself that Sarah Palin has been only pretending to be stupider than dirt; that she will be intelligent and convincing in tonight's debate and she and McCain will sweep the election.

Plus, it's cold.

I Feel Pretty!

2008-09-23T20:12:00.004-04:00

New haircut and new glasses!

Plus, my husband gave me a whackin' huge gift certificate for Lush and my loot arrived today!! I not only feel pretty, I will smell pretty too!

Vote early...

2008-09-22T16:03:00.003-04:00

Absentee ballot mailed.

Keep fingers crossed that spilling water on the envelope doesn't automatically disqualify my vote.

Decide odds of convincing husband to vote Liberal in upcoming Canadian federal election are slim.

Sadly confirm that odds of convincing husband to vote New Democrat Party in upcoming Canadian federal election is nil.

Console ones self that odds of convincing husband to vote Green in upcoming Canadian federal election are good to excellent.

Accept that Conservatives will most likely maintain a minority government.

Realize that a continuing Conservative government is still better than the US alternative.

Shudder while thinking of US alternative.

Remind self that self should really consider applying for Canadian citizenship.

Wish one could indeed vote often.

Of corn, dogs and autumn leaves

2008-09-21T20:41:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I haven't actually spent the last 10 days husking corn, then slicing off the cob, then scooping it into small ziploc bags and freezing it.

It only felt that way.

Word to the wise: corn is entirely too easy to pick. Before you know it, you will have 7 large canvas bags full of ears piled up in the back of you itty bitty SUV. And you will be all chuffed with your bad corn-fed self. Until the husking, boiling and slicing begins. Until you remember that you don't have a deep freezer in your basement. Until you would rather die than look at another ear of corn.

Anyway, most of it is frozen. Some more of it was given away. I look forward to enjoying it again someday.

In other news, in the last month Lucy has fallen off the dock and off a sheer bank into the lake opposite our dock slip. Both at night. She managed not to die of shoc and seems no worse for the experience, for which we are grateful. But, let me tell, clambering down that same sheer bank, retrieving an elderly dog and finding a way to get back up that same bank with said dog in one's arms is difficult at any time of day, but is particularly difficult at 5:30 am while suffering the after-effects of too much vodka from the night before.

Three more weekends of boating left. The weather was spectacular this weekend and the trees are just starting to turn to gold, crimson and orange. I hope we are just as lucky for the next few weeks.

I also hope that Lucy manages to stay out of the water.

Mmmmmmm, corn

2008-09-10T17:26:00.002-04:00

To add to my fresh-farm produce bounty, Grant and I are leaving shortly to pick massive amounts of corn in order to cook, shave and freeze. We will have nearly fresh corn in deepest winter!! Envy me.

Holy shit

2008-09-08T18:51:00.003-04:00

Has it really been a month since my last post? I am sooooo sorry to the 4 or 5 people who probably regularly check this blog. I suck.

Summer has nearly come to an end. School has begun. We are still going up to the boat on weekends until the Canadian Thanksgiving. Then we start watching hockey, attending various municipal functions and whining about the weather. I haven't lost any weight; in fact, I gained some. Now that I am back at school, and once I get back into the exercise routine again, I expect I will regain my girlish figger.

I missed the Democratic convention, and made the mistake of watching the last few days of the Republican. I got very depressed. Honestly, I cannot understand that there are people who really think and believe the crap I heard coming from my television. "Country First"?? WTF???? That sounds like something I might hear if I travelled back in time to 1930s Germany. And, yes, I realize that I just lost the argument, but still...

We have harvested about 4 tomatoes and there are several still on the vine. They were very yummy and I am planning on putting in some real plants next year. The pumpkin vine has one grapefruit-sized pumpkin and a wee one just starting. Farming is fun!

Okay, I better leave some random thoughts for another day, or it might be another month before my next post. See you soon!

No, really. I promise.

Gah

2008-08-06T09:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I actually needed to don clothing that isn't either shorts, sweats or a swimsuit. The news was not good. Neither was the news given to me by the scale this morning. It seems a regular diet of wine, Mike's Lemonade, martinis, crackers and cheese and butter tarts, added to a distinct lack of exercise can be summed up in extra pounds. Eight to be exact. Most of which has gravitated to my ass.

Trouble is, we still have two more weeks of holidays planned. And all that yummy stuff is far more tempting on the boat. The lack of a YMCA is a problem too.

Starting today: less booze, less treats, more swimming. Specifically, wine with dinner on some nights, not all; no vodka drinks of any variety; one special baked treat per week; and no more cheesy snacking!

Can't stop myself!

2008-07-30T10:18:00.002-04:00

I can't stop ordering books. I just ordered 3 from QPB (The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End and a book that was bundled as a selection with WWE). I also ordered a grab bag from Subterranean Press that will send me 12 random books from their catalog. Plus, I ordered 2 booksets as a gift from Amazon. And yesterday, those bastards at QPB send me a new catalog taunting me with the new Michael Pollan, a cookbook by Deborah Madison and Steve Martin's autobiography. I really want to buy them. I must stop. I can't stop.

Farmer Girl

2008-07-29T10:41:00.002-04:00

I have tomatoes! They are small and green (the largest is slightly bigger than a golf ball), but there are eleven of them all told and I am thrilled!

And apparently, I also have another crop. Last summer we got a new porch, steps and walkway in front of our townhouse. Nearly all of my planting were destroyed, so, among other things, I planted a flowering spirea shrub next to the steps. Early this spring, I noticed another plant beginning to grow in that area. It looked like it might "be something" (gardeners will understand), so I let it grow.Perhaps, I thought, Grant put some wildflower seed there.

Fast forward to our two week holiday and then our return. I walked up the stairs, and suddenly, I knew exactly what that mystery plant was.

You see, way back in October, I had a small pumpkin sitting on my front porch. In time, said pumpkin began to collapse and I moved it to a patch of dirt next to my steps. Same patch of dirt where my spirea plant would eventually call home. Now, it shares it home with a giant pumpkin plant, already boasting several flowers.

I am reluctant to remove it. I hope it won't hurt the spirea, but even so, I can't resist the idea of growing pumpkins in my front yard! I will have to warn the neighbours, though.

Off the Back of the Boat: Trent-Severn edition

2008-07-24T13:00:00.001-04:00

Oh black water

2008-07-23T11:55:00.005-04:00

River water is mottled green and black. It reflects the granite rock, the thickly forested banks and the shadows in between as it meanders through the landscape. It only becomes blue when it widens into a lake. Even then, the blue sparkles in the sunlight so it becomes nearly more gold than blue. Our boat cuts through the current, rarely moving faster than 10 km. We often encounter other vessels, but the overall feeling is that we are insulated from the world. It is astonishing to realize that just beyond that bridge or that road, is actual civilization; although the shores are dotted with cottages of every shape and size, it doesn't actually feel like a people-place. It is the river and it is itself alone.

Our journey is one that were we to drive would take us two and a half hours to complete. Instead, we will reach Bobcaygeon on our fourth night of travel and return to Penatanguishene on Sunday night. Along the way, we stay overnight at the locks. Often we are the one of a few boats. We talk to the people we meet; sharing our destinations and plans. We stock up when we reach the towns along the way; trading our shiny coins for goods and food. I find myself appreciating the determination it took the native people and the European interlopers that followed them in navigating these waters. Grant and I have charts and GPS to find our way along this natural river and man-made canal system. We have helpful government employees to help us through the many locks and lift systems we encounter. I try to imagine making this trek without those things; not knowing what is around each river bend; portaging my canoe and all my supplies past the waterfalls and rapids; battling the mosquitoes without the benefit of Deet. The mind boggles.

We have beautiful weather, for the most part. In Fenelon Falls, we are surprised by a thunder shower that sweeps its way across the lake faster than we expect. We are drenched as we struggle to put up our canvas covers in the wind. While crossing the largest of the lakes we meet, the waves pound across our bow and we are soaked again. We lose a canvas bag holding a hundred dollar electric cord that hangs from our bow, and nearly lose one of our kayaks before making the decision to turn into a haven from the waves. We are shaken, but have learned from the experience.

Our trip takes a shorter time than we expect, and we return to familiar waters for the second week of our holiday. But the river has caught our imagination now, and we will follow her again-- perhaps to her end.

Hello again!

2008-07-21T14:28:00.002-04:00

I am home, albeit briefly. We have laundry to do, email to catch up on and errands to run. Oh, and golf. We have golf, too. Then we will sneak out of town on Thursday morning back to the boat.

I have a entry to write about my wonderful holiday, but more importantly, I must now go pay iTunes so I can watch Dr. Horrible. Yes, I must pay. Didn't Joss realize I was going on holiday???

Adieu, adieu to yieu and yieu and yieu

2008-07-04T00:35:00.003-04:00

Not to Europe this year, but we are off nonetheless. Despite the ridiculous cost of gas, we are taking a two week holiday on the boat. We will be cruising up the Trent-Severn river system, just taking our time and relaxing.

Hope you all have fun with your new (and not so new) beebs, your movie-watching, your abs and your stimulus checks. Twinnie, when I get back, we will talk about you coming for a visit. And Helen, please give my love to Cary.

Bye for now!

Cheese please

2008-07-03T16:38:00.003-04:00

I did it. I made something that actually resembles cheese with my own two hands. Yes, my kitchen looks like a bomb hit it. A cheese bomb. There are curds and whey everywhere; I will never recite "Little Miss Muffet" without having flashbacks. In fact, I have practically a gallon of whey, which I suspect is not quite the thing, and only a tiny bit of cheese. But it looks and tastes like mozzarella. And I learned a lot by just diving in and taking a stab at it. Next time, I predict more cheese and less mess.

Yay for me!