...welcome stranger, there's no danger...

Mikey Dread - Break Down The Walls (Live)

2008-03-18T12:25:00.001-04:00

Menu Plan Monday

2008-03-03T08:03:00.004-05:00

trout amadine

peas and carrots rice

-------

lemon chicken

mixed greens

-------

meatloaf

green peas

roasted potato wedges

-------

spaghetti with Puttanesca sauce

mixed greens

-------

slow cooker pork tenderloin with Singapore sauce

green beans

garlic mashed potatoes

-------

hot italian sausages

creamed corn

green & yellow beans & carrots

-------

spicy orange pork chops

green peas

rice

The Political Compass

2007-09-19T05:44:00.000-04:00

Interesting... I am more left than I thought I would be.

You can find your own place on the chart here.

2007-08-21T06:12:00.000-04:00

Today would have been Joe Strummer's 55th birthday. So, in honour of his contribution to my listening enjoyment... go listen to the Clash and raise a glass in his memory.

A Barrel of Fun

2007-08-03T10:39:00.000-04:00

We have a rain barrel just like the one pictured here. When we first saw our new house, there was a green plastic rain barrel here, but the previous owners took it with them. One day Cory came home with this one, and it is beautiful. Plants love the soft, warm water from the rain barrel much more than the hard, freezing cold water from our house. I even read that you can make a compost "tea" with an old pillowcase, a shovel full of compost, and hang it inside your rain barrel for an added whack of nutrients!
I love our barrel! I can keep our flowers alive and not feeling guilty about wasting water. I have vague childhood memories of my grandfather washing his hair with the rain water from his barrel. Maybe I'll give that a whirl one day...

2007-07-01T18:59:00.000-04:00

We are moved in and getting things organized slowly. My sister and my mom came on moving day and spent the night. They did so much unpacking. I am forever grateful to them. This photo is of a tiny portion of our garden that Cory has tamed... weeded, mulched, new rose bushes added to the existing ones, and even a warrior standing guard. It is inspiring to have this little spot of tameness among all the overgrown gardens! I'll be adding more pictures as we take them!

34 Days to Go

2007-05-24T09:21:00.001-04:00

Here is the outside of our new house. It is oddly situated on the lot. The side faces the road. This is the back (side) yard taken from the road.
I haven't done much packing. I packed two boxes of records. I need some more boxes that fit the albums. I have to get going on this packing thing!

Countdown to The Move - Day 36

2007-05-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

This morning I packed five boxes of day care stuff. I am giving all my day care things to my sister-in-law, who will go through it all and pick what she wants and get rid of the rest. That is going to be one heck of a lot of stuff! Hope your are ready for it Eva!
We found a home for our dishwasher and our basement fridge. We are not taking those with us.
We have booked movers! This is the first time we have used movers, and I am so flippin' excited about that. We are still packing everything but the movers will come in and load the truck and then unload it at the new house. I am so happy! The thought of trudging up and down, in and out, up and down just makes me want to crawl into a hole and cry! So the moving men thing is a very good thing!

Moving

2007-05-16T19:29:00.000-04:00

The deals are done! Signed, sealed, delivered! Our house is sold and we have purchased another. It is so good to have everything settled. We move in six weeks. This is a photo of our new kitchen taken today during the home inspection. We will have plenty of decorating to do, and a few fix ups to make, but we are happy with our purchase. First fix up is a new roof! Ugh!

We Are Moving

2007-05-08T09:05:00.000-04:00

We have been somewhat busy! Job interview, position offered, house for sale, offer in on new house... all within about two and half weeks! More details later.

Check This Out!

2007-04-05T14:19:00.000-04:00

A town in Manitoba has banned plastic bags! Read more here.

End of Week Nine

2007-04-05T13:55:00.000-04:00

So almost nine weeks so far. Last Saturday I actually remembered to bring my shopping bins (although I had to turn around after I had already left the house). My stash o' bags is greatly reduced, and soon I am going to have to get very creative with packaging up stinky diapers and kitty litter. Maybe I will send the diapers home with the day care kids for their parents to throw out!

I am finding myself to be so much more aware of what I am throwing in the trash and what our city does not collect for recycling. Things like plastic film and bags. Certain hard plastics. Our city only takes #1, 2, 4 and 5, so things like a coffee cup lid is not recyclable here. Hubby and I both have stainless steel travel mugs that we use for drinks from home, but we've never tried to get one filled at a coffee shop. I remember hearing that Tim Horton's won't fill them. I should try and see what happens.

So I have been thinking about things that we do in our household already to live a little more lightly. We keep in cool at night and I like it cool in the day. We turned up our air conditioning a few degrees last summer. We turn out light bulbs. We use compact fluorescent bulbs. We reuse most plastic bags and containers.

Some things we don't do that I know we should... let the car idle. Unplug things when not in use like the stereo and tv and computer and coffee maker and phone chargers and on and on and on.
One thing I recently did was purchase a giant package of paper Dixie cups for the day care kids to use. I got so sick and tired of washing cups a zillion times a day. The Dixie cups are the perfect size for little drinks, and although I feel terribly guilty about using them and throwing them out... the sanity saving factor far outweighs the guilt. I have been thinking forward to garden and yard work. Pesticides will be banned in our city in 2008. We could get a push mower.

2007-03-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

There is a Ray of Hope in Ontario's budget. Included are rebates for home energy audits (here is a link to Ontario's new ecoEnergy Retrofit program) and a campaign of people going to door to door to install energy efficient light bulbs in your front porch light! This article also includes a link to a breakdown on the $125 million in environmental commitments in the budget.

End of Week Seven

2007-03-23T08:05:00.000-04:00

The Year Without Toilet Paper : This is a really interesting article from the NY Times.

No Impact Man : This is the blog from the family in the above article. Good reading!

Here is an update about my weekly changes and how well or not well I have been keeping them.

Week #1 - at least one meatless meal a week - I have had this dang manicotti recipe on my menu week after week, and I never get around to making it. It is good, but fussy and time seems to have been at a premium around here lately. So I haven't been doing well with this one really. My day care kids have meatless lunches quite regularly, but the goal was really for my own family meals.

Week #2 - not to buy paper napkins - This has been easy because I have a big bag of napkins here to use up. I have purchased a beautiful set of cloth napkins at the thrift store that I will use for company. I am still on the look out for the perfect every day cloth napkins. I think I want them to be black... to hide stains. I found some new black ones but would much prefer to buy used.

Week #3 - wash out and reuse milk bags - This is going very well. I have found that stuffing a dish towel inside the bag and just letting it sit is the fastest way to dry the bag. It will dry in a few hours that way. I have also found myself washing out ziplock bags, something I was too lazy to do before.

Week #4 - no more plastic bags from stores - Dummy that I am... I now am the owner of six lovely bins that fit in my shopping cart. Shop, place items in bins. Get to check out, pack items back into bins. Put bins in car. Take bins from car to house. Empty bins. It really is very easy.
But I FORGOT to bring them with me last week. Furthermore, I am still not in the habit of asking for no bag from other stores. I really need to work on this one.

Week #5 - I didn't choose a new goal this week... just worked on previous ones.

Week #6 - trash walk around the neighbourhood. I have not done this yet.

Week #7 - start composting again - I finally emptied out our coffee can and it now lives on the counter top. There are a few things inside. Yesterday I had to pick out a banana peel from the garbage can and put it in the compost can. It takes a while to change habits!

This week's new habit? I think I will just work on the previous ones... especially the no bag thing.

Reusable Bags

2007-03-19T13:38:00.000-04:00

A & P stores (Food Basics, Loeb, Dominion, Ultra Mart) has a fabulous reusable bag. Someone gave me one this weekend, and it is so durable and strong! They are made from 100% recyled stuff and are machine washable. They are 99 cents! What a bargain! Go get some and never use a plastic bag again!

What to Eat?

2007-03-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

corned beef, veggies, mashed potatoes
homemade lasagna, whole wheat rolls, salad
sausage casserole
turkey dinner (I love cooking a turkey for no reason)
cajun fish, rice, veggies
pork chops of some description, veggies, potatoes
manicotti (if I ever actually make this... it has been on my menu for weeks, and it is rather fussy to make, so I keep putting it off)

Visit Laura for more menu ideas.

Random Ten

2007-03-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

I am at my sweetie's office listening to my Joe playlist and just thought I would share what comes up...

X-Ray Style - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (Rock Art and the X-Ray Style)
Ghetto Defendant - The Clash (Combat Rock)
First Night Back in London - The Clash (Super Black Market Clash)
Sweety of the St. Moritz -101ers (Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisitied)
Version Pardner - The Clash (Sandinista)
Death or Glory - The Clash (London Calling)
Sandstorm - Joe Strummer (Walker)
Mustapha Dance - The Clash (Super Black Market Clash)
Complete Control - The Clash (The Clash)U.S.
Midnight Jam - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (Streetcore)

Week Six - Composting

2007-03-16T19:18:00.000-04:00

Composting is my new green goal for next week. I want one of these. I have just used a coffee can or ice cream bucket previously. We have a composter in the back yard, and I used to take all my compost items out there, and then last spring we put in a new shed and a new fence... the composter got tucked away in a not so easy to get to spot, and I got out of the habit! So now that the snow is melted, I want to get back into this habit. It makes such great stuff to add to the garden.

You can check out the Composting Council of Canada for more information.

Random Ten

2007-03-09T10:42:00.000-05:00

Set your digital music player to Shuffle, press Play, then list the first ten songs that appear. No skipping. Here’s my list for today:

Prenda Del Alma - Los Lobos (By the Light of the Moon)
Safe European Home - The Clash (Agora 1979)
It Don't Mean a Thing - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra (Fabulous Big Band Collection)
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley (The Number One Hits)
Protex Blue - The Clash (DeMontford Hall, Leicester, 1977)
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley (St. Elsewhere)
Love - Prince (3121)
China Girl - David Bowie (Let's Dance)
That Old Feeling - Diana Krall (Love Scenes)
I've Changed My Address - Diana Krall (The Girl in the Other Room)

Week Five

2007-03-09T08:52:00.000-05:00

This has been a much better green week. I got back on track with washing out the milk bags, and now have quite a stash of them. They are perfect for those large bars of cheese, and because they are so thick they are great for freezing stuff.

I bought two grocery bins. I will have to take a photo of them as I can't find any on the web. I know they are made out of plastic, but I did some research and they say the plastic is at least recyclable. Did you know that the blue boxes you buy for curb pick up of your recyclables are not recyclable? D'oh! I will buy two more this week, and I have one around the house somewhere, so that makes five. That should be plenty. Last Saturday, I shopped for one week with my two bins, and I only had four plastic bags. So the five will be plenty for one week shops, and hopefully, if I pack carefully, they will be enough for two week shops.

What else? Oh, I am getting my daughter to find and save Kool-Aid Jammer packages from school lunches. My sister has the most awesome tote bag made from these packages, and I am going to make one for myself, as a library bag. I get fifteen or more kids books from the library each week, and I can never fit them in the bag I have. I can't wait to make that Kool-Aid bag! Maybe I'll make a bunch for gifts.

We didn't get the attic insulated yet. The work men came and installed the needed vents in the roof, and then came in and said there was a problem. Part of our bedroom ceiling has come away from the trusses, so we have to have that fixed before they will put in more insulation. They also said that they will remove one layer of old insulation (it looks like it has been done once before, poorly) in order to make lots of room for the new insulation.

My daily newspaper subscription ran out last week and I did not renew it. Less paper in my blue box!

My new green goal this week is to go for a "trash walk" at least once a week in my neighbourhood and pick up trash that people have thrown on the ground. I will benefit. My dogs will benefit. The neighbourhood will benefit. And I am hoping that the weather will get nicer!

End of Week Four

2007-03-01T17:43:00.000-05:00

It hasn't been a great green week.

#1 - at least one meatless meal per week - well, I planned on it... bought the ingredients, but haven't prepared it yet.

#2 - no more paper napkins - I DID find some cloth napkins, but they are not for everyday use. But at least they are on hand now for guests coming over kind of meals. I will keep searching for exactly what I am looking for.

#3 - wash out milk bags and reuse - oh, there was a leak in one of the bags and it leaked into the main bag and things got stinky and gross and I just threw them out. Yuck.

#4 - no more plastic shopping bags - I did not do this at all this week. I didn't find any cloth bags at the thrift store, didn't get to the grocery store to look at the bins, and when we did buy stuff... the item was in a plastic bag before I even realized it!

So in light of all the difficulites this week, I am not choosing a new thing for the coming week. I will just stay with these first four and try to do better. I did bring up the idea of green power to my sweetheart... something to think about. On Monday, we are getting our attic insulated so that will probably make a big dent in the heating bill.

End of Week #3

2007-02-24T06:05:00.000-05:00

Week #1 - at least one meatless meal a week - check

Week #2 - don't buy anymore paper napkins - check

Week #3 -wash out and reuse milk bags - check

Week #4 - This week I am on the hunt for fabric grocery bags at very reasonable prices (and I am still looking for cloth napkins). Also, I am going to check out how much those green shopping cart bins are... I have at least one already... there may be more lurking around the basement. So my goal is no more plastic grocery bags or any store bags. I have tried this before and the hardest part is remembering to always have a cloth bag with me.

This goal also changes other things around the house. We are so used to having this big cache of grocery bags that we will have to find solutions for those things we use them for... kitty litter, tying up day care diapers (ack... how am I going to contain the smell until garbage day?) Oh this one is actually going to be hard to change. I like all those bags! I use them! But they all do eventually end up in the garbage. Change hurts baby! Deal with it!

Saturday Supper Plan

2007-02-17T22:37:00.001-05:00

I shopped for two weeks today... well almost two weeks... I left some room for leftovers.

homemade pizza - pepperoni, mushroom, red pepper, mozza
spinach manicotti, broccoli
roast turkey, stuffing, rutabaga
homemade veg-beef soup, cheese biscuits
Baja beef and beans, cauliflower
spicy orange pork chops, cauliflower
Indian butter chicken (P.C. simmering sauce)
meat loaf, peas & carrots, rice
chili and homemade bread
baked tilapia, lemon almond beans, multi-grain bread

See more menus here.

Week Two Under my Belt

2007-02-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

#1. At least one meatless meal per week. Doing well so far.

#2. Not buying paper napkins ever again. I have not purchased paper napkins, but I didn't find any cloth ones that I wanted to buy, so the search continues. I asked my local fabric store if they carry any organic fabric and they do not. I have looked at earth friendly napkins online, but they are expensive. I have looked at cloth napkins in stores and they smelled so chemically! I didn't want to buy them. So the search continues.

#3. This week's new habit is to wash out and reuse milk bags. We did this when I was a kid at home. We used them as freezer bags for the veggies from our garden. I have done it from time to time, but always got out of the habit quickly. I washed one out this morning!

I have been doing a lot of reading online about eco/green/earth friendly/organic/local/etc. I am getting lots of ideas for future habit changes

Works for Me - Boiling Water

2007-02-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

I have two or three cups of tea a day. Each time, after I boil the water and fill my mug, I take my dish cloth and hang it over the kitchen faucet, and pour the remaining boliing water over my dish cloth. There you have it... this little step keeps my dish cloth fresh for the whole day. Otherwise, I go through too many cloths in one day. Simple but effective.

Visit Rocks In My Dryer for more tips.

Week One - Footprint Friday

2007-02-09T06:34:00.000-05:00

This past week, week one of my green journey, was a little tough. Not following through with my first change... that was fine. The tough part was that since my "green radar" was on, grocery shopping was arduous! I looked at everything I put in my cart and thought, "How do people shop so that they get no packaging?" "How will I ever learn which choice is the best choice?" I am so ignorant about green choices that I don't even know where to begin. All week, I found I was consumed with changes I am going to have to make eventually... and worrying because I don't know what to do to actually make those changes. How do I know what has been sprayed with what? What am I buying that gives off toxic gases in my home? Where can I find this product in no packaging? What am I going to wear? How do I know if the clothes I buy are green? Where can a find green clothes? Blah blah blah on and on it went. I was really frustrated. It seems such a huge thing. Everything has got to change. Never mind that I am doing this just for me right now... I am not trying to convince my husband that he needs to sell his vehicle or anything... just things that I can do all by myself. Yesterday, I sat down and made a list of changes that I can make. It made me feel better to do that... to see that even without knowing all the ins and outs and right answers, I can still make changes that are positive. And I told myself that wisdom will surely come through experience. I was just getting too far ahead of myself. Isn't that what I always do?

My change for this week is to never buy paper napkins again. That means I have to find some cloth ones and hopefully I can find cloth ones that are a good green choice. (And hopefully, I will learn what exactly makes that a good green choice.) A secondary change this week is to stop feeling guilty for things I haven't changed yet! Good grief woman!

Storing Dog Food

2007-02-07T08:58:00.000-05:00

We have two dogs and a cat. I always struggled with where to keep the food so that it would be handy but invisible. One of our dogs is large and we buy giant bags of food. Once the cat arrived, and then the second dog, I was desperate. Finally... I don't know who thought of it originally, my husband or I... but we decided to keep the food in the basement laundry room. Each bag of food gets dumped into a lidded plastic bin (must be lidded or the cat would eat until he exploded), with its own measuring scoop. Wow! Bowls, water, food, everything hidden away in the basement! We keep a bowl of water in the kitchen also. And all it means is a couple of extra trips down to the basement. Well worth it, in my opinion. Visit Shannon for more Works For Me tips.

2007-02-05T07:52:00.000-05:00

Today's featured meatless recipe is Bean Salad Wraps. Even my meat loving sweetie likes these. They have a little spicy kick, and lots of fibre. I find serving a meatless meal goes over better with my family at lunch time, rather than supper. You probably already have several meatless dishes in your repertoire... grilled cheese, egg salad, omelettes, quiche, frittatas, quesadillas...

Try and add a meatless meal into your menu plan next week. Leave a comment and tell me what you made and how your family enjoyed it.

Supper Plan Saturday

2007-02-03T06:03:00.000-05:00

I am off to the grocery store bright and early this morning. My sweet hubby is away for three days this week, so I have not exactly planned for those suppers... daughter and I can just wing it and eat whatever we feel like. I am only shopping for one week today.

teriyaki shrimp & peppers on rice
nachos and sausage rolls (Superbowl food... oh so good for us!)

steak on the bbq, mushroom and onions, veggies

chicken fajitas

szechuan chicken and rice, veggies

A few lunches that I have planned...

egg salad sandwiches and salad
bean salad wraps

cabbage rolls

A few daycare lunches that I have planned

tuna noodle casserole

meatball subs

grilled cheese and tomato soup

See more menus here.

Footprint Friday

2007-02-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

I have found myself to be more and more interested in making my lifestyle more green. I am a novice at this. I don't pretend to be knowledgeable about this subject, but I do know that there are many resources available to us. Just do some surfing...

I have a couple of green fantasy lives... one is my urban green dream. We live downtown in a funky loft. No car. Walk to work and shopping. Get food at the local farmers' market. Support local businesses. Make our clothes from thrift store finds. The second fantasy life is my rural green dream. We live way out in the woods in a cabin, grow our own food. That's about as far as I have been in that dream. Never mind that I hate gardening and mosquitoes. Our reality is that we live in the suburbs, drive everywhere, hubby's work is forty minutes away. We shop at giant box stores, eat some fast food, buy lots of prepackaged crap, and have way too many things in our home that plug in.

Your eco-footprint is a measure of how many resources you use and tells you whether you tread heavily or lightly upon the planet. You can find numerous footprint tests on the internet in order to find out how your lifestyle measures up. In my Footprint Friday posts, I am going to chronicle the small changes that I make to lighten up my own footprint. So tune in each Friday. If your are interested in joining me, leave a comment.

First change... at least one meatless supper each week. My sweetie will be asking, "Is there any meat in here?" He is a meat lover, that's for sure! Now some of you may be asking, "What harm to the planet is there in eating meat?" If you asked that, I encourage to do some research about meat production...the grain, the water, the pollution ... and I will join you in that research. I know a little, but not enough to give someone an intelligent answer. Then share your meatless recipes with me! Please.

Intercom Telephone

2007-01-31T11:24:00.000-05:00

We have a telephone that works as an intercom. The base is in the kitchen, one handset is in our daughter's room, and then other handset (which lives on the base) travels around, mostly to the family room in the basement. I can be in the basement, and connect to my daughter in her room. No more shouting at the bottom of the stairs for her to come downstairs. The ring for the intercom is different from the regular ring, so we know that it is an in-house call, not a real call. Once again, my husband proves himself right... he assured me I would really like this feature when he wanted to buy the phone. I am one to begrudge new techie purchases. Another one he assured me that I would enjoy is my mp3 player! And bingo... he was right again!

Reverse Graffiti

2007-01-20T06:26:00.000-05:00

Interesting article... Clean Green Street Art

No More Blank Space

2007-01-17T06:20:00.000-05:00

Do you want to know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? Advertising. Advertising on hockey arena ice. I sure would like to watch the players skate without looking at ice ads. Never mind all the ads on the boards. We are so bombarded. There are ads on feminine hygiene products. Soon the whole world will look like a Nascar car. There will be no more blank space. Enjoy your blue sky and green grass while you can... someone is going to put an ad there soon.

Reminiscing

2007-01-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

A while ago, I posted this. I was looking back at it and thought it would be fun to tell you about the meaning behind those things that helped to form me. The colour coding refers to different family members... red is dad, green is mom, purple is mom's parents, orange is dad's parents, turquoise is stepdad's parents.

-------------------------------------------------------
I am from dusty poetry books,

from The Hobbit and pick-up-sticks.

I am from cedar shakes, nudes in the bathroom,
from willow trees and supper in the sun porch.

I am from stewed rhubarb, and the strawberry patch in June.

I am from euchre games and harvest moon boot dances, stacks of 78's,
and Rudolph flying through the night sky.
---

I am from rattle snakes on the Bruce Trail,
and questions answered with a question.

From used book stores and train stations and bird watchers.

I am from Boiler Beach and bagpipes,
rabbit paprikash, raspberry jello and caesar salad.

From a meat stealing grandpa, Aunt Ada's main course dessert,
and matching polyester dresses.
---
I am from treks through the cemetery, squished pennies,
and stone wall building.
I am from biting chipmunks, blue dragonflies,
flying hamsters and yellow Fiats.
I am from auctions, butcher blocks and Tuesday chip nights.
I am from love.
I am from the hands of my Creator.

--------------------------------------------------------

dusty poety books - my dad had books coming out his ears, and my favourites were the poetry ones... Keats, Shelley, and Poe. He gave them to me when I was a teenager, and they are still treasures to me.
The Hobbit - dad introduced to me Bilbo Baggins and the rest of the Lord of the Rings crew in 1977, when I was eight years old. It is still one of my favourites.
Pick Up Sticks - one of our favourite past-times at dad's house.
cedar shakes - I ~~helped~~ watched my step father put these up on the gables of our home, and then he put some in my newly built bedroom in the basement. I loved them!
nudes in the bathroom - oh boy! When I was between first grade and fifth grade, my mom wallpapered our powder room with black and white nudes. It was completely normal to me. When we moved in the middle of fifth grade, she found the same wallpaper and put it up in that powder room. I can remember my friends freaking out because there were naked women in the bathroom.
willow trees - I loved to climb willow trees, and at two of our homes, I had a willow in easy distance. They were such wonderful places of imagination and dreaming. Sacred places.
supper in the sun porch - We had a sun porch off the garage at one home. It was just a roughly built screened in addition with that tacky green corrugated roofing. We lived in that room all summer... visited with guests, set the table for supper every evening, sat in the shade after swimming, played cards in the long summer evenings, sat bug-free in the nights. It was the best room in the house. The table was a giant spool for wire I think. We just put a cloth on it, and it was transformed!
We had rhubarb in the garden... loads of rhubarb. We froze it and would use it all year long. I still enjoy it, but I don't have any growing in my yard!
We had a big strawberry patch also. I hated that thing. Weeding, weeding, and more weeding. I don't even like strawberries much. Stupid strawberries! Just writing this makes me feel like I am ten years old and have just been asked to weed the strawberry patch!
euchre - We played this a lot. I was probably six when I first started learning. My stepdad would have some friends over and play and I always loved watching them. I still like to play, although I am not particularly brilliant at it.
harvest moon boot dances - Where do I start explaining this one? My grandmother and her sisters would put on big old boots and dance and sing when there was a harvest or full moon. I think there is home movie footage of this somewhere. I imagine alcohol was involved to some extent! I really don't know where this started... I cannot find any information on it.
stacks of 78's - At my grandparents' home, tucked away in a basement cupboard, were a bunch of old 78 records. I can't remember who the artists were, but I loved looking the stack. I wonder where they are now?
Rudolph flying through the night sky - At Grandma's house, from the window in her spare room, on Christmas Eve... we could see Rudolph coming... his red nose glowing through the darkness. We were convinced it was Rudolph! Get to sleep or Santa won't stop! Never mind that any other night of the year it was the light from a radio tower!
rattle snakes on the Bruce Trail - We went hiking with my dad and grandpa on the Bruce Trail a couple of times. My grandpa was a member. We found a rattle snake once near where we stopped to camp. I can remember my dad poking at it with a stick, and thinking "uh Dad... even I know not to poke at rattle snakes!" Of course, I didn't say that out loud!
questions answered with a question - My mom did this all the time. "Mom, can I go to Tracey's house?" "Is your room clean?" It drove me crazy... just answer the question please! I vowed I would never do this to my own kids. Guess what I do quite regularly?
used book stores - My dad would often take us to used books stores as he searched for volumes pertaining to whatever subject he was currently obsessed with. I love going to used book stores even now!
train stations - My dad lived very close to a train station. We could take the train alone from our town to his town, and walk to the house. Our greetings and farewells we often at that particular station.
bird watchers - Dad was an avid birder and I remember him sharing little discoveries with me, and he even bought me a bird book. My grandpa had a bird book and my sister and I would spend hours pouring over that book.
Boiler Beach - a spot where I spent days playing at the water's edge.
bagpipes - at my grandparents', every Saturday night in the summer, there was a bagpipe parade. I loved to go and see them play. To this day, the sound of bagpipes send shivers down my spine.
rabbit paprikash - my stepdad enjoys cooking, and as I was growing up, he would often cook a hungarian paprikash. One time he made it with rabbit instead of chicken, and tried to pass it off as chicken. My sister and I could tell the difference between a chicken bone and a rabbit bone. We were so grossed out, but we had to eat it anyway!
raspberry jello - my grandmother always had a raspberry jello prepared for me when I came to visit. The first thing I would do when I walked in the door, was go and look in the fridge to make sure it was there.
casesar salad - my mom makes the best caesar salad, and she made it before it was a popular menu item. I still look forward to it when we visit there now.
meat stealing grandpa - my grandpa P.J. would distract us at the dinner table and steal the meat off our plates. Without fail.
main course dessert - We would go visit Aunt Ada, who was quite elderly, and she would set the dinner table and call us to eat, and every dish she had prepared was dessert! The kids didn't mind. I might try that sometime!
matching polyester dresses - my stepdad's parents had a daughter who is around the same age as my sister and I. As kids, I can remember a few times going to visit for Christmas, and the three of us would receive identical dresses. I remember a pink one and a mint green one. Full- length. High, ruffled collar. And very polyester!
treks through the cemetery - Dad often took us through cemeteries, enlisting us to find a certain name on a headstone... for whatever he was researching.
squished pennies - Dad's backyard backed on to the railroad tracks. There were no fences at that time, and we would go down the hill and put a couple pennies on the track, run back up the hill and wait for the train to go by. Then we would race down to find the pennies the train had squished flat. We had a jar full of them. Gosh, I wouldn't let my kid do this... but it sure was fun. We would also feel the tracks or put our ears to them to listen for the train.
stone wall building - same backyard... Dad started making a stone wall... stones, mortar... I can't remember if he finished it. It was only a few feet high. Maybe it is still there.
biting chipmunks - I was preschool age... and managed to grab a chipmunk outside my grandparents' house. I must have been feeding them. It bit me and I had to get tetanus shots. Oh joy.
blue dragonflies - same grandparents' yard... I can remember being, at the same time, utterly fascinated and utterly terrified of the giant dragonflies in their garden. I was probably three or four.
flying hamsters - Uh oh! Not sure I want to reveal this. My sister would take her hamster with her when we went to dad's house. I remember being alone with the hamster and holding it in the palms of my hands and just flinging him up in the air and catching him again. Oh, I was horrible! How could I do that to the poor little hamster? I am ashamed. At the time, I thought it was hilarious.
yellow Fiat - my mom had a yellow Fiat. It was a cool car. She had a white Volkswagen too. I remember riding in the back part.
auctions - Dad took us to antique auctions all the time. I loved wondering around looking at all the items. Even more I loved the excitement of watching my dad bid on something! I haven't been to one in ages.
butcher blocks - Dad had a butcher block in the kitchen. It was so cool! I remember looking at all the cleaver marks on the top of it and daydreaming about the butcher that it used to belong to. I have secretly wanted a block of my own for years, but space just doesn't permit in this house.
Tuesday chip nights - Tuesdays were my mom's busiest and most stressful day at work. Often she was too worn out to cook supper on those nights, and we would eat chips for supper while we watched tv. Obviously, as kids, we loved those nights. Obviously, as adults, we would love to still have those nights.

Canada's War Brides

2007-01-16T09:04:00.000-05:00

War brides en route to Canada aboard S.S. Letitia

waving goodbye to families and friends.

April 2, 1946. Liverpool England. Photo: Gloster, Barney J. PA-175794.

Last November, a group of 200 women travelled from all across the country to Pier 21 in Halifax. These women are war brides... women who met and married Canadian soldiers overseas and then travelled to be with their husbands once the war was over. Sixty years after arriving on Canadian soil, they returned to Pier 21 (now a museum) to remember and celebrate. Some couples even renewed their wedding vows. Almost 50,000 women came to Canada in this way, and one in thirty Canadians are directly descended from a war bride! It is an incredible piece of history... this unusual immigration. Their stories are fascinating. You can read some here and here.

2007-01-08T08:30:00.000-05:00

steak fajitas
chili, homemade bread, salad
chicken cacciatore
island jerk beef, salad
roast beef, potatoes, carrots
liver and onions, rice, veggies
spicy orange pork chops, rice, veggies
cauliflower soup and biscuits
spaghetti, salad
sesame salmon, rice, veggies
lasagna (frozen), salad
meatball subs

Visit Laura for more menu ideas.

Wheels of Commerce

2007-01-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

I received this painting as a Christmas gift from my husband. I had seen it in the fall and instantly loved it. I told him about it that day, and then never mentioned it again. And there it was on Christmas morning... I was very surprised! If you want an explanation of the art, leave a comment and I will tell what I know.

Uh Oh

2007-01-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

My youngest daycare child went to the hospital yesterday evening with severe pneumonia. She didn't come to daycare yesterday, but stayed home with her mom, and mom took her to the clinic and then she went by ambulance to the hospital. Poor wee thing! If you pray, pray for a quick healing with no complications.

So it's Tuesday...

2007-01-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

1. chicken and soup and stuffing in the slow cooker, turnip and peas on the side

2. garlic beef enchiladas

3. chicken pot pie

4. pork chops, rice, veggie

5. meatloaf, rice, veggie

Visit Laura for more menu ideas.

Happy New Year's Eve

2006-12-31T07:38:00.000-05:00

What the heck does Auld Lang Syne mean? Well, let's see... I know it is a poem by Robert Burns (we share the same birthday!). Trusty Wikipedia says, "The song's name is in Scots, and may be translated literally as 'old long since', or more idiomatically 'long ago', or 'days gone by'."
Here is the song in Scots.
---------------------------------
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp! And surely I’ll be mine! And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We twa hae run about the braes, and pou’d the gowans fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, sin’ auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar’d sin’ auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! And gies a hand o’ thine! And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught, for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
------------------------------
and here is an anglicized version of the lyrics
------------------------------
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! And surely I’ll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the hills, and pulled the daisies fine; But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine (dinner time); But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend! And give us a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
-------------------------------

There you have it!

Redemption Song

2006-12-28T06:23:00.000-05:00

I finished reading this book yesterday. It was one that I took my time with, savouring each sentence. Chris Salewicz has done an incredible work, weaving together so many bits of Joe into one coherent read. If you are a Joe Strummer fan, get this book. I ordered it from amazon.uk as it is not available in North America until May 2007. Shipping was not outrageous and it arrived very quickly. Some readers have complained that the book reveals too many warts and nasty parts about Joe. I disagree. I like to know the bad stuff about my musical hero. No sugar coating for me. Life is messy and people are contradictory and full of irony. Let's not hide it.

Bankrobber- The Clash

2006-12-22T10:46:00.001-05:00

The Clash - Career Opportunities

2006-12-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

Joe Strummer- Letterman- Johnny Appleseed

2006-12-22T08:16:00.001-05:00

In memory of Joe Strummer, who died four years ago today. Boogie with your children in peace and love.

Stained Glass Artist Ted Gooden

2006-12-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

This print hangs on the wall of my dad's kitchen. When he visited us last Christmas, he purchased it here. As he was leaving to go home, he had this tucked under his arm, safely stowed away in a poster tube. When I went to visit him before his death, I saw this hanging on the kitchen wall. It sure brought back a lot of memories. Both Ted Gooden and Cornelia Hoogland knew my dad. I contacted her today to tell her of his death, and I started thinking about this beautiful art again. So go check out Ted Gooden's website and enjoy! You can find out more about Cornelia Hoogland here.

2006-12-18T06:21:00.000-05:00

I only shopped for one week on Saturday. Yes, I will be stupid enough to brave the grocery store on the Saturday before Christmas! Here are this week's meals in no particular order. I have had threats from blog readers that they know when to show up my door for a yummy meal. So this week, you will have to take your chances that you'll get something you like! Just kidding!

------------------------------------

Chicken Parmigiana on Egg Noodles

Sesame Salmon (that didn't get made the past two weeks!)

Chicken Fajitas

Homemade Pizza

Chicken Santa Fe

Pan Fried Pork Chops

Homemade Turkey Soup & Biscuits

------------------------------------

Join in the menu fun here.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

2006-12-15T11:09:00.000-05:00

Today in 1675, Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer died. I am very fond of his work, and so wanted to share his talents with you. If you click on his name, you can see his other works at Wikipedia. Also, Tracey Chevalier has written a good novel about the painter and the girl in the painting above. She has written other books that look interesting too, although I have not read them yet.

$25 Loans that Change Lives

2006-12-14T08:08:00.000-05:00

Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals like you and me provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.

It's a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty, and the way I see it, I get a higher return on $25 helping someone build a future that the interest my bank account pays. If you have a minute, please check out the site: http://kiva.org/. If you need more reputable validation than my recommendation, know that they have received great press in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to NPR and Business Week.

Works for Me Wednesday

2006-12-13T11:41:00.000-05:00

I generate a lot of laundry from my kitchen. I have a home daycare, and each day, for each meal or snack, each child has his own washcloth. That alone might mean 13 washcloths in one day. I also go through two or three dishcloths and tea towels each day. Hand towels, rags from wiping the cupboards and floors... it adds up very quickly. I got so tired of all these dirty cloths each day. I wanted a way to get them out of the kitchen with as little trouble as possible. My brilliant husband came up with this idea... a laundry chute in one of the bottom cupboards! He cut a small hole through the cupboard floor and through the kitchen floor. The actual chute is a garbage bag with the end cut open to form a tube. We duct taped the bag around the hole, et voila! Ugly but very useful laundry chute! The towels and cloths end up in the laundry room and it is very convenient to pick them up and throw them in the washer.

Visit Shannon for more ideas.

The Dangerous Book for Boys

2006-12-13T07:36:00.000-05:00

"If ever there was a book to make you switch off your television set, "The Dangerous Book for Boys" is it. How many other books will help you thrash someone at conkers, race your own go-cart, and identify the best quotations from Shakespeare? "The Dangerous Book for Boys" gives you facts and figures at your fingertips - swot up on the solar system, learn about famous battles and read inspiring stories of incredible courage and bravery. Teach your old dog new tricks. Make a pinhole camera. Understand the laws of cricket. There's a whole world out there: with this book, anyone can get out and explore it. "The Dangerous Book for Boys" is written with the verve and passion that readers of Conn Iggulden's number one bestselling novels have come to expect. This book, his first non-fiction work, has been written with his brother as a celebration of the long summers of their youth and as a compendium of information so vital to men of all ages. Lavishly designed and fully illustrated in color and black and white throughout, it's set to be a perfect gift for Father's Day and beyond. Chapters in "The Dangerous Book for Boys" include: The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, Conkers, Laws of Football, Dinosaurs, Fishing, Juggling, Timers and Tripwires, Kings and Queens, Famous Battles, Spies, Making Crystals, Insects and Spiders, Astronomy, Girls, The Golden Age of Piracy, Secret Inks, Patron Saints of Britain, Skimming Stones, Dog Tricks, Making a Periscope, Coin Tricks, Marbles, Artillery, The Origin of Words, and The Solar System. "

-----------------------------------------------------

I think I love this book! I haven't read it yet, but I want to. Then I want to hand it over to a 10 year old video game junkie. I want parents to send their kids outside and not let them in until lunchtime; then send them back out and not let them in until supper; then send them out once more and not let them in until the street lights come on. I want tv, computers, and video games to be illegal for kids under 16. I want kids to have the opportunity to have the kind of childhood I did.

It's About Time

2006-12-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Canada Post has finally done it! Introducing the new PERMANENT stamp. (Actually, it was introduced on November 16th. You can see how often I buy stamps.) There is no value printed on the stamp, and it will be accepted as current price no matter when you purchased it! No more buying stupid 1 cent stamps to make up the difference. I am so happy. Buying the 1 cent stamps (which must cost Canada Post a lot of money to print at that face value) every time there was a rate increase made me frustrated! No more! Also, I noticed that you can buy stamps online, and until December 24th, standard shipping is free. So stock up on the new permanent stamps!

SNOW DAY

2006-12-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

Last night we had more than 27 inches of snow fall in a few hours. Most everything is shut down today. I have one of five daycare kids, so it is almost like a holiday. He and Adria played out in the snow for a bit. We were lucky to have a teenager come looking for shovelling work, so he shovelled out the driveway. We had started at 5:00am before we knew that everything had shut down, but it was just too much to finish. We are thankful this young man came around when he did. We paid him well for his tremendous effort. At the right of the photo above is our picnic table buried, and you can see the depth of the snow on top of the shed. Good thing that we have lots of groceries in the house. Adria made banana chocolate chip muffins this morning. Mmmmm... I wonder how long it will take for the city to get back to normal?

Wordless Wednesday

2006-12-06T14:28:00.000-05:00

Menu Planning Monday

2006-12-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

Sunday 3 - shepherd's pie
Monday 4 - make ahead spinach manicotti
Tuesday 5 - chili, homemade bread
Wednesday 6 - supper at church
Thursday 7 - steak fajitas
Friday 8 - chicken parmigiana
Saturday 9 - sesame salmon, rice & veggies
Sunday 10 - garlic beef enchiladas
Monday 11 - orange pork chops, rice & veggies
Tuesday 12 - spaghetti
Wednesday 13 - sausage & rice casserole
Thursday 14 - crock beef stew, biscuits
Friday 15 - take out pizza!

Wordless Wednesday

2006-11-29T08:11:00.000-05:00

My Favourite Kids' Books

2006-11-23T19:23:00.000-05:00

1. The House That Sailed Away

2. The Hockey Sweater

3. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

4. Amelia Bedelia

5. Are You My Mother?

6. Where the Wild Things Are

7. Where the Sidewalk Ends

8. The Velveteen Rabbit

9. Alligator Pie

10. Wind in the Willows

11. Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang

12. The Giving Tree

13. The Loon's Necklace

How to Build Community

2006-11-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

Turn off your tv.
Leave your house.
Know your neighbors.
Look up when you are walking.
Greet people.
Sit on your stoop.
Plant flowers.
Use your library.
Play together.
Buy from local merchants.
Share what you have.
Help a dog.
Take children to the park.
Garden together.
Support neighborhood schools.
Fix it even if you didn't break it.
Have pot lucks.
Honor elders.
Pick up litter.
Read stories aloud.
Dance in the street.
Talk to the mail carrier.
Listen to the birds.
Put up a swing.
Help carry something heavy.
Barter for your goods.
Start a tradition.
Ask a question.
Hire young people for odd jobs.
Organize a block party.
Bake extra and share.
Ask for help when you need it.
Open your shades.
Sing together.
Share your skills.
Take back the night.
Turn up the music.
Turn down the music.
Listen before you react to anger.
Mediate a conflict.
Seek to understand.
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles.
Know that no one is silent, though many are not heard. Work to change this.

I found this while browsing this website. Please, add your ideas for building community in the comments!

the eyes have it

2006-11-22T12:36:00.000-05:00

Go here and look at this person's photos. Make sure you take the time to click on each picture separately, and read the story.

What's that smell?

2006-11-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

I was just dusting and vacuuming the family room. I set the duster down on top of a cabinet, and proceeded to vacuum around it. Accidently, I knocked the feather duster down and the vacuum tried to suck it up. Oh, the smell! Burning ostrich feathers! The vacuum started smoking! Oh, now the whole room is stinky! The trials and tribulations of a housekeeper!

Wordless Wednesday

2006-11-21T13:21:00.000-05:00

mmm...

2006-11-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

The chicken pot pie that I made last night was sooooooo good! It is definitely a keeper! Go put it on your menu for next week! I meant to take a photo of it to add to the recipe. Oh well, next time!

Today is pyjama day at my day care! The kids are so excited to show up in the jammies! We are having breakfast for lunch.

I have an interview on Thursday for a new day care child. Hopefully all goes well. This is to fill a vacancy that I will have in March.

Two Week Menu

2006-11-19T20:04:00.000-05:00

I planned and shopped for two weeks, as there won't be time for shopping this weekend.

Visit Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie for more menu plan ideas.

Sunday - steak on the grill, onions, mushrooms, spanish rice
Monday - chicken pot pie, corn, mashed potatoes
Tuesday - meatloaf, rice, homemade bread, green beans
Wednesday -supper at church
Thursday - chicken cacciatore on egg noodles
Friday - island beef jerk on rice
Saturday - Grandma's 90th birthday celebration supper

Sunday - spaghetti... that old stand by

Monday - breaded pork chops, rice, veggie

Tuesday - cauliflower soup, cheese biscuits

Wednesday - supper at church

Thursday - chicken puttanesca

Friday - Baja beef and beans on rice

Thirteen Things I Said Today

2006-11-16T17:29:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I Said Today

1. I am so proud of you!
2. No running allowed.
3. You must share the toys.
4. Who wants to paint?
5. It is not your turn yet.
6. Be patient, please.
7. I'm sorry.
8. Who wants another muffin?
9. Please take that toy out of your mouth.
10. Wow, what a great job you've done!
11. Why are you wiping your nose on the ottoman?
12. It's naptime!
13. See you tomorrow!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. ...my 2 cents

2. Incog & Nito

3. Christina

4. amy

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday

2006-11-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

3 of 3 areas done

2006-11-14T12:08:00.000-05:00

2006-11-14T10:53:00.000-05:00

Go to 5MinutesForMom to see what others are tackling.

Menu Plan Monday

2006-11-13T09:18:00.000-05:00

Visit Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie for more menu plan ideas.

Monday - ground beef/rice/corn/tomato sauce casserole - making this up as I go to use what I have on hand before I go grocery shopping tonight

Tuesday - crock pot Chicken Santa Fe

Wednesday - supper at church

Thursday - spaghetti - no brainer store bought sauce with ground beef added

Friday - Spicy Orange Pork Chops, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans

Saturday - steak on the grill, mushroom, onions, spanish rice

Bugs, anyone?

2006-10-04T13:45:00.000-04:00

This is a product you can normally find in my refrigerator. Here is a list of the ingredients...

Skim milk, strawberry, concentrated skim milk, modified starches (corn, tapioca), natural & artificial flavours, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, gelatin, active bacterial cultures, pectin, natural colour (carmine), locust bean gum, potassium sorbate, sucralose 16mg (Splenda®), calcium lactate, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3. Made with vitamin A & D fortified skim milk.

Sounds pretty good? I am happy to see that there is no artificial colour, only natural colour, but what the heck is carmine? Let's see...
carmine. Mmmm... ground red beetles in my yogurt! Yummy! Let's see what else in my food stores contains carmine. After an extensive search of food labels, I cannot find another product that says carmine. Although, there are many that say "natural colour". Carmine is most definitely natural colour. I believe that food companies should have to list what the natural colour is. Now, don't get me wrong. I would rather be eating bugs than artificial colourants, but as some folks are allergic to carmine, they need to have the food labels tell them precisely what they are eating.

On that same note, many candy labels will list confectioner's glaze as an ingredient. You know the stuff that makes Skittles shiny? Well, do some research on that product, and you will find
lac. Mmmm... more bugs in my food! Well, not bugs actually... but bug products. Kind of like honey I guess!

Joe Sorren

2006-10-02T09:48:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to a very interesting artist. Joe Sorren
Check out the prints you can buy. I love the one called Glimmer. And Luna, and the one with the kids and the bugs! I'll take one of each!
Awesome stuff!

Kid Friendly Tuna Noodle

2006-09-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

I have some very picky day care kids. If it isn't a grilled cheese sandwich or a hot dog, they do not want to eat it. Today I tried the following recipe for tuna noodle casserole, told everyone that it was a special macaroni and cheese treat and left the room. They devoured it! They asked for seconds! The pickiest eater said he couldn't get enough of it! Victory!

1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup miracle whip
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Mix the above ingredients together. Add...
1 tbsp minced onion (I used dried onion)
1 can tuna drained
1 cup frozen peas (I used canned)
8oz wise egg noodles cooked (I used macaroni noodles)

Pour it into baking dish and bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
I added grated cheese and buttered fine bread crumbs to the top.

Jordan is married!

2006-09-17T17:08:00.000-04:00

My brother Jordan got married on Friday. Here is a photo of him and his new wife Lauren, and then his three sisters... from left to right... Jenna, me, and Shelley.
It was a nice wedding. Smallish, well done. The food was great. They have been together for seven years... since high school. I am really happy for them, and can't wait for nieces and nephews! I don't know if they are thinking of kids yet or not... I guess it would be wise for Lauren to finish her master's degree first.

Summer Holiday

2006-08-27T15:10:00.000-04:00

Cory and I are off work this week. It is so wonderful not to be rushing and feeling like we have to do a certain thing because we have to go to work tomorrow! I love it!
We don't have many plans. Tomorrow we are taking Adria and a friend to Canada's Wonderland. We will just drop them off and then go and find things to do ourselves. They will have a cell phone so we can stay in touch. We also think we will make the trip to Cory's grandma's house sometime this week. It has been a while since we have been there. And those are all the plans we have made. We have thought about painting one wall in living room... maybe... if we feel like it. I think the worst part of being a grown up is not having the entire summer off. I knew I should have been a teacher!

Two Front Teeth

2006-08-11T21:25:00.000-04:00

This morning, one of the day care kids was coming up to the front door with her mom, and she tripped (over her flip flops I think) and bashed her mouth on the step. Lo and behold, she knocked her two front teeth out! Her mom whisked her off to the dentist. There is nothing to do but wait for her adult teeth to grow in, and that will be about three years or so! Can you imagine!? I am glad that the girl was in the care of her mother at the moment, and not in my care. I feel so sorry for her. She was amazingly brave! Seriously, I am amazed how calm she was. I was proud of her!

2006-08-03T10:23:00.000-04:00

The hot weather seems to have let up a little bit. Still too hot for me, but better than the last three days! Is it Friday yet? Oh, not yet... tomorrow! I am looking forward to this long weekend. We are having a birthday party for Aniela... her first birthday. We have some yummy things planned for the bbq, and I hoping it is not hot. For side dishes, I am planning things that don't require any last minute cooking. Lots of salads.

Adria is off babysitting today. She has been earning lots of money this summer! Well, my brain must have turned to mush, as I can think of nothing exciting to say. Just chugging along here.

sidewalk chalk

2006-07-28T10:18:00.000-04:00

Julian Beever is an absolutely amazing artist. Go and check out his work! My mind is boggled by his gift!

This work is one of my favourites.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

2006-07-26T09:44:00.000-04:00

Go and get this book now and read it!
It is one of the best books I have read!
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!

Look what Cory did!

2006-07-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

Cory took this photo of the daycare kids. He didn't tell them to look scowly or to pose or anything. This is just how they looked at that moment. He only took one photo and this is what came out! As soon as he saw it, it reminded him of an album cover, and so he made up a name for them. I think this is hilarious! It sure kept me laughing yesterday! The daycare parents think it is priceless!

Friday Babbling

2006-07-14T10:56:00.000-04:00

Cory had more surgery last Friday. The infection we thought was gone came back with a vengeance. So they cut him open again but couldn't find anything. It is beyond my scope how there can be a loadful of gunk one day, and then no trace of it the next. He is back at the hospital right now to get the stitches out. Hopefully, this is the end of the road for that dang infection!

It is hot here. Thank you Lord for air conditioning.

I am really looking forward to the weekend. I hope we don't do much. I just feel like hanging out at home. In the air conditioning. We are going to bbq ribs tomorrow. Yum. I guess we need to go out grocery shopping tomorrow. Stupid grocery shopping. If we had online grocery ordering with delivery, I would most definitely pay the extra for it!

My dog T-Bone is a stalker. He literally stalks our other dog Bailey as a cat would stalk a mouse. It is hilarious to watch him. Where did he learn that? I have never seen a dog do that before.

Is it five o'clock yet? Nope, it is only 11:00am. Six more hours until the weekend, but two of those will be filled by nap time. Woo hoo for children's nap time! Two hours of silence!

I am really enjoying my current book, A Passage to India. Very good. Go get it out of the library and have a go at it!

my first football match

2006-07-11T14:24:00.000-04:00

Sunday, I watched a football (soccer) match for the first time. World Cup final, Italy vs. France. I thought it was pretty good. As someone who knows nothing about this game, I thought that many of the injuries were exaggerated. I said to myself more than once, "What a bunch of whingers!" I imagine there is a reason behind these dramatics. Maybe some day I will get it! I would like to know what provoked Zidane to headbutt Materazzi. It seems such a sad way to end his career. I would probably be up for watching another match at some point. My dad and brother will be proud!

What's he thinking about?

2006-07-09T07:03:00.000-04:00

Clash Wish List

2006-07-04T09:47:00.000-04:00

books

~~Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz~~
~~A Riot of Our Own by Johnny Green & Garry Barker~~
Clash City Showdown by Chris Knowles
~~Joe Strummer and the Legend of the Clash by Kris Needs~~
Last Gang in Town by Marcus Grey
Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Politics of Joe Strummer by Antonio D’Ambrosia
~~Passion is a Fashion: The Real Story of the Clash by Pat Gilbert~~
The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town by Marcus Grey
The Clash by Paul DuNoyer
The Clash by Bob Gruen
The Clash: New Visual Documentary by James Wells
Vision of a Homeland by Anthony Davie
Made in the UK by Jeanette Beckman
Joe Strummer with the 101’ers & The Clash 1974 – 1976 by Tony Fletcher,David L. Ulin, Keith Topping
The Clash: Before and After by Pennie Smith
The Clash: Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg by Alan Parker

CDs

~~From Here to Eternity - The Clash~~
Earthquake Weather – Joe Strummer & the Latino Rockabilly War
Permanent Record Soundtrack – Joe Stummer
~~Sandinista! – The Clash~~
~~The Clash (UK release)~~

DVDs

~~The Clash: Up Close and Personal~~
Hootenanny (http://store.merch.com/hootenanny/prodinfo.asp?number=48.DV.001)
Viva Joe Strummer
~~Let’s Rock Again – Dick Rude~~
~~The Clash: Westway to the World 2000~~
~~The Essential Clash 2003~~
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains
~~King of Comedy~~
Candy Mountain
I Hired A Contract Killer
Question d’Honneur
Doctor Chance
Walker
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (last Joe interview)
Punk In England

Melissa's Reading List

2006-06-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

While making Adria's reading list, I kept finding books that I would love to read or reread, so I thought why not make a list of my own. It'll keep me from wandering the library wondering what to read next.

The Penelopiad
~~The Robber Bride~~ done August 2, 2006
Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
~~Emma~~
Go Tell It on the Mountain
The Good Earth
Death Comes for the Archbishop
The Awakening
The Last of the Mohicans
The Red Badge of Courage
Bleak House
Great Expectations
An American Tragedy
Rebecca
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Three Musketeers
Invisible Man
The Sound and the Fury
Madame Bovary
Howard's End
~~A Passage to India~~ done July 18, 2006
Lord of the Flies
~~Tess of the d'Urbervilles~~
~~The Scarlet Letter~~ done July 21, 2006
The House of the Seven Gables
The Blithedale Romance
The Marble Faun
The Torrents of Spring
The Sun Also Rises
A Farewell to Arms
To Have and Have Not
For Whom the Bells Tolls
Across the River and into the Trees
The Old Man and the Sea
Adeventures of a Young Man
Islands in the Stream
The Garden of Eden
Steppenwolf
Siddharta
~~Les Miserables~~ done Aug. 14, 2006
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Brave New World
The Portrait of a Lady
Dubliners
Ulysses
A Separate Piece
To Kill a Mockingbird
Main Street
Babbit
Of Human Bondage
Gone with the Wind
Cry, the Beloved Country
The Jungle
~~A Tree Grows in Brooklyn~~ doneJuly 24, 2006
East of Eden
Of Mice and Men
Kidnapped
Catriona
The Master of Ballantrae
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Vanity Fair
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Invisible Man
The Island of Doctor Moreau
The Time Machine
~~Ethan Frome~~ done July 4, 2006
The House of Mirth
The Age of Innocence
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Adria's summer reading list

2006-06-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

I came up with Adria's reading list a few days ago. I got some of the books from Joan Carris's site, and others, just remembering books I have enjoyed over the years. She is excited about it! I don't expect her to read them all in ten weeks, but she might surprise me!

The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
~~Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery~~
~~Anne of Avonlea - L. M. Montgomery~~
~~Anne of the Island - L. M. Montgomery~~
~~Anne of Windy Poplars~~
~~Anne's House of Dreams~~
Anne of Ingleside
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
The Cider House Rules - John Irving
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgkins Burnett
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Watership Down - Richard Adams
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller
~~The Black Stallion - Walter Farley~~
Run, Boy, Run - Uri Orlev
Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Frank
All Creatures Great and Small - James Herriot

Cory's Crystal Anniversary Gift

2006-06-24T07:09:00.000-04:00

Here is what I gave Cory for our fifteenth anniversary. It is a bush bar with crystal ion fog lights! Remember I told you about my anniversary gift and that the tradition is to give something crystal? So we managed to retain the tradition on both sides, while giving non-traditional gifts!

Where I Am From

2006-06-20T13:07:00.000-04:00

I am from dusty poetry books,
from The Hobbit and pick-up-sticks.
I am from cedar shakes, nudes in the bathroom,

from willow trees and supper in the sun porch.
I am from stewed rhubarb, and the strawberry patch in June.
I am from euchre games and harvest moon boot dances, stacks of 78's,

and Rudolph flying through the night sky.

---
I am from rattle snakes on the Bruce Trail,

and questions answered with a question.
From used book stores and train stations and bird watchers.
I am from Boiler Beach and bagpipes,

rabbit paprikash, raspberry jello and caesar salad.
From a meat stealing grandpa, Aunt Ada's main course dessert,

and matching polyester dresses.

---

I am from treks through the cemetery, squished pennies,

and stone wall building.

I am from biting chipmunks, blue dragonflies,

flying hamsters and yellow Fiats.

I am from auctions, butcher blocks and Tuesday chip nights.

I am from love.

I am from the hands of my Creator.

A Trip to the Library

2006-06-15T08:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had the brilliant idea to take the day care kids to the library! By the time the last child arrived, it was 10:30am, and it took us another twenty minutes to get out the door. Off we go, two in the stroller with the three bigger ones walking. The walk there wasn't so bad, but the walkers were tired by the time we arrived. We stopped in the shade and had a drink before we went in. Inside, the kids were great. They each picked two books to take back to my house, and I picked some for them too. Then we read a story. We stopped at the family washroom for a pee break and then headed out to the playground. It was noon by this time, and we had a long walk home. So I told them we would walk for a bit and stop at another playground for a break. Whew! It was 1:00pm by the time we got home and we all were tuckered out. We had a quick lunch and then off to bed. One girl had an earache all through naptime and afterwards, she seemed really sick, and I was worried that I had given her heat stroke or something. But all the kids had hats and sunscreen, and we had plenty of water. All the other kids were acting fine. When this girl's parents came in the door she just had a meltdown, so I worried all night about her. This morning , however, she is back to normal! I will not be taking the kids to the library for a long time again. It is just too far. And I think getting on the bus with five kids and a double stoller would be just waaaaaay to hard! So we will stick with trips to our closest park for now, and I'll continue to head to the library myself for our story time books.

more menu

2006-06-11T15:05:00.000-04:00

big dogs and cucumber salad

chicken, baked beans, cauliflower

steak, rice, three-bean salad

slow cooker stuffed peppers

spaghetti

pork chops, rice, greek salad

steak, carrot salad, couscous

Auntie Gail

2006-06-09T07:58:00.000-04:00

Today is my auntie Gail's birthday. I haven't seen her in a long time. I need to make the effort! I have such great memories of trips to her house when I was a kid. It was a really fun place to visit. And Uncle Barry is one of the funniest people I know. They are an awesome couple! Their son Brad, and his wife Anita, live only about an hour away from me, and now he has two boys, and we really don't see them often enough either. I really miss that connection. I guess, as a kid, our parents make the arrangements. And as a grown-up now, I still feel a bit like the kid when it comes to calling or inviting. Does that make sense? Anyway, Auntie Gail, I miss you and Barry. Happy Birthday!

No Bake Cherry Cheesecake

2006-06-08T09:04:00.000-04:00

1 pkg cream cheese (250gr), softened

1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

9 inch graham pie crust

19 0z can cherry pie filling

In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Add Eagle Brand and blend. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into crust and chill 3 hours or until set. You can use a ready-made crust or make or your own. Instructions would be on the box of graham crumbs. I cut the slices and then top with the cherries, rather than topping the whole pie. Delicious and easy!

MP3 player

2006-06-06T11:03:00.000-04:00

Did I tell you what Cory gave me for our anniversary? Well, here it is! An MP3 player! The traditional gift for the 15th anniversary is something crystal, and since I am not exactly a traditionalist, the crystal part is the LCD screen on the player! I love this little machine! I have 440 songs loaded on it at the moment. I usually just put it on play all and random so I never know what song I will be surprised with. I can also listen by album or song or artist. Pretty cool stuff! I can also hook it up to the stereo in the kitchen. Dishes get done so much more joyfully when there is good music playing!

This Week's menu

2006-06-06T10:23:00.000-04:00

Here is our menu for the week. I try to have this figured out before we go shopping so that I know what to buy. I keep it posted on the fridge all week, so that I don't forget about something in the back of the fridge. Adria takes care of her own breakfast and lunch, so I don't have to worry about that... well, I have to make sure I buy her stuff to make her lunch with... but I don't have to make it!

Monday
Cory's breakfast: coffee, cereal, bagel with cream cheese
kids' breakfast: not needed this week
Cory's lunch: ham and havarti sandwich, banana, yogurt
kids' lunch: lasagna
kids' snack: granola bars
supper: garden salad and sausage on a bun

Tuesday
Cory's breakfast: coffe, cereal, bagel with cream cheese
kids' breakfast: not needed this week
Cory's lunch: chunky beef soup, banana, yogurt
kids' lunch: pb or cheese sandwich, granola bar (picnic at park), water
kids' snack: apples, water
supper: tomato basil chicken with rice and green beans

Wednesday
Cory's breakfast: coffee, cereal, bagel with cream cheese
kids' breakfast: not needed this week
Cory's lunch: chicken sandwich (from supper last night)
kids' lunch: pizza, milk
kids' snack: muffins, water
supper:woo hoo supper at my mom's!

Thursday
Cory's breakfast: coffee, cereal, bagel with cream cheese
Cory's breakfast: not needed this week
Cory's lunch: salmon sandwich
kids' lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches, milk
kids' snack: granola bars, water
supper: spicy orange pork chops, garden salad, homemade bread, mixed veggies, cherry cheesecake
(birthday celebration dinner)

Friday
Cory's breakfast: not needed today
kids' breakfast: not needed this week
Cory's lunch: not needed today
kids' lunch: pancakes, milk
kids' snack: muffins, water
supper: spaghetti, garden salad, garlic bread

Robertson Davies

2006-05-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

Robertson Davies is my favourite writer. I'll not pretend to be a fountain of knowledge about him and his works. I haven't read anything but his novels. I would strongly encourage you to start with the Deptford Trilogy. Go ahead... you have been looking for something new to read anyway, right?

Robertson Davies

The Salterton Trilogy
The first novels Davies wrote. They're not usually considered his best work, but still well worth reading.

Tempest-Tost, 1951
Leaven of Malice, 1954
A Mixture of Frailties, 1958

The Deptford Trilogy
Perhaps Davies' finest works, and the best introduction to his fiction.

Fifth Business, 1970
The Manticore, 1972
World of Wonders, 1975

The Cornish Trilogy
The Rebel Angels, 1981
What's Bred In The Bone, 1985
The Lyre of Orpheus, 1988

The Toronto Books
This series would have become another trilogy, but was interrupted by Davies' death just as he was beginning to plan the third novel.

Murther and Walking Spirits, 1991.
The Cunning Man, 1995.

2006-05-23T06:18:00.000-04:00

I thought this was a good photo of Adria. Why, when I was a girl, we didn't have grad photos in eighth grade! Next month is the ceremony with the dresses and the suits and all the hullabaloo.

Early. Stinky. Fun. Lazy.

2006-05-21T11:38:00.000-04:00

Try as I may, I cannot sleep in. On a work day, I open my eyeballs and creep downstairs somewhere between 5:00am and 6:00am. Every Friday night and Saturday night, I chant to myself, "I will not get up at six. I will not get up at six. I will not get up at six." Yet, every Saturday morning and Sunday morning, no matter how I try, I get up early. I just can't lay there any longer. What is wrong with me? So yesterday, I made it to 6:14am, and today, oh joy, 6:39am. That is quite late in my world.

This morning, as I padded into the kitchen, my nostrils were assaulted with stinky garbage smell. Ew. I guess I didn't keep on top of my domestic duties yesterday. I was too busy having fun! So after I took the dogs out to pee, I took care of the garbage and Lysol-ed every molecule of air in our home. I think it is safe to breathe through your nose now.

Fun! Yesterday, Cory and I went downtown and browsed around two record shops we had not been in before. At the first one, I could have spent two hundred dollars. Seriously. They had a lot of old stuff that you don't usually find in suburban stores. So neat! Cory found his one David Bowie album that he didn't have, so he was happy with that eight dollar vinyl purchase. I found a collector's edition of MoJo magazine on the Clash, so you can be sure I scooped that up! Woo Hoo! The second store was so cool, but a little intimidating... as though you didn't belong there if you didn't know everything there is to know about music. We didn't buy anything there. The dude behind the counter didn't even look at us. But it was a good store otherwise.

Today, we are being lazy. Not dressed yet. We had a yummy breakfast and now Cory dear is watching a race that he recorded last night. Adria is reading. I am computering. I am going to cook a turkey today. I love having a turkey dinner for absolutely no reason. There is nothing better than turkey sandwiches for three days afterward too! I better find out how many hours it will take to cook the bird.

How to Grow a Pineapple at Home

2006-05-18T12:14:00.000-04:00

Growing Pineapples

I thought this was interesting! It would make a fun project (in patience) with children.

Back in the Day

2006-05-18T08:39:00.000-04:00

Here we are almost fifteen years ago. Adria was about six months old. I love this photo!

Mmmmmm... steak

2006-05-14T06:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we had my mom, dad, little sister, big sister, her husband and two children over for a bbq. We had steak, potatoes with sour cream and chives, salad, homemade bread, and a yummy strawberry dessert. This is starting to be a Mothers' Day tradition it seems. In 2001, we had lived in this house six months, and they all came over for Mothers' Day supper and to work in our gardens. (Empty back yard + those two who love gardening = them coming to do the work) It was great. Now with the new shed, the gardens have to be changed a bit. No one volunteered yesterday though!

It is time!

2006-05-09T05:59:00.000-04:00

Adria just left for Quebec City. A twelve hour bus ride with fifty eighth graders!

Today is our fifteenth anniversary!

2006-05-04T09:19:00.000-04:00

Cory and I have been married for fifteen years today! How quickly the years have gone by. Before we know it, we will be celebrating our fiftieth! Here we are fifteen years ago...

The fence and shed are done!

2006-04-30T06:11:00.000-04:00

Finally, after waiting five and a half years to replace the fence and shed, we have done it! Now we will spend the spring and summer working on the landscape part. Ugh. I love the finished product, but I do not enjoy garden work at all. Good thing Cory doesn't mind it!

If you look very carefully, you can see T-Bone and Bailey in the photo.