No Bake Cherry Cheesecake

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Growing Pineapples

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

Back in the Day

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

Mmmmmm... steak

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!

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

Today is our fifteenth anniversary!

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!

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.

the bopst show

"A musical masterpiece, the Bopst Show wins three awards for longevity, extreme knowledge of the arcane, and being on the AM dial. Chris Bopst has been a key building block in Richmond's creative community for almost two decades, and he's been a presence on the radio for four years. Tuning into the Bopst Show is a sure-fire way to hear Joe Strummer, Jellyroll Morton, The Knitters, Jesus Lizard and Ella Fitzgerald all in one sitting."

The bospt show is on Monday to Friday from 1:oopm to 4:oopm est. Go listen! You'll be glad you did!

We have been working on our backyard lately. The old fence has been torn down and taken away. The new fence is up. We are working on tearing down the old shed. Here is Cory (hail the Conquering Hero) atop the old one. It was quite a chore taking it apart. Adria and I lugged the pieces to the dumpster we have in the driveway. We filled the dumpster and had to have them come deliver a new one. So this weekend, we will haul away the remaining shed, and wheelbarrow gravel from the driveway to the back, to make a level spot for the new shed, which is going in on Wednesday. We have waited five and a half years to be able to do this stuff! Then we can start planning for flower beds and green things.

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Not much going on lately. Another quiet period, I guess. We are just hibernating... hanging out at home, enjoying each other. I made cheesy caulifower soup yesterday and bread, and that was a delicious supper! It is pretty simple and yummy.

one carrot, one onion, one celery stalk... chopped
about 500gr frozen caulifower
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper

put all that in the slow cooker for about five hours on low... until every is good and mushy

then run that through the food processor or blender (in small batches). Put in a pot on the stove and add 2 cups milk and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar. Heat through. Yum.