Feeling tired today, didn't go to the gym. I'll try for an afternoon walk instead. I'm going to force myself to make some meatballs, don't know where the day goes, it's already almost lunchtime.
L just landed her first paying job, and it starts this weekend, so it's not looking good for piano lessons. She'll likely at least take a break from it.
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Monday, April 7, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
To quit or not to quit
L has her grade 8 piano certificate at the RCM level, working on grade 9. (There are 10 levels then teaching stuff afterward). She's turning 16 soon and we thought it might be a good time to quit piano. She has so much else on the go, school, tennis, the possibility of getting a job in the near future. She's been doing piano since she was 5 years old.
The piano teacher talked me into having L stick with piano for now. She says in the long term it's one of the things that are very difficult to get back into once you quit and a lot of people have regrets, especially as she has gone all this way already. She thinks L has the ability to accomplish anything she wants and it would be a waste after all this time. She says school, getting a job, (lifeguard, whatever) driving lessons can all be prioritized and in fact a cheap job at this stage is not as worthwhile over the long term as achieving her piano goals. So we'll take it one day at a time and pace ourselves according to whatever crops up.
L thinks I'm vacillating and that we need to think about it more, but I'm sure she knows that I'm also making a bit of sense. (-:
Really, music is education.
On the other hand, she's not really passionate about it, and at the higher grades it can hardly be called fun, more like torture. So I'm back to square one! Actually, she will probably make the right decision when the time comes, as she's quite mature for her age. My role is to guide, not to dictate.
I walked to church today, hadn't been for awhile. It was a pleasant walk. The church was complaining about its finances today, it's that time of year. Everyone's feeling the pinch these days, bills bills bills. I feel bad for them as they do offer a lot of services to the community and people should give back accordingly.
M's hero Charlton Heston died.
News
Sexually-transmitted infections up among B.C. teens
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The piano teacher talked me into having L stick with piano for now. She says in the long term it's one of the things that are very difficult to get back into once you quit and a lot of people have regrets, especially as she has gone all this way already. She thinks L has the ability to accomplish anything she wants and it would be a waste after all this time. She says school, getting a job, (lifeguard, whatever) driving lessons can all be prioritized and in fact a cheap job at this stage is not as worthwhile over the long term as achieving her piano goals. So we'll take it one day at a time and pace ourselves according to whatever crops up.
L thinks I'm vacillating and that we need to think about it more, but I'm sure she knows that I'm also making a bit of sense. (-:
Really, music is education.
On the other hand, she's not really passionate about it, and at the higher grades it can hardly be called fun, more like torture. So I'm back to square one! Actually, she will probably make the right decision when the time comes, as she's quite mature for her age. My role is to guide, not to dictate.
I walked to church today, hadn't been for awhile. It was a pleasant walk. The church was complaining about its finances today, it's that time of year. Everyone's feeling the pinch these days, bills bills bills. I feel bad for them as they do offer a lot of services to the community and people should give back accordingly.
M's hero Charlton Heston died.
News
Sexually-transmitted infections up among B.C. teens
Vehicle maintenance you don't want to skip
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Juno awards tonight
I loved this photo I saw in a local Tim Horton's coffee shop, sorry for the glare.
Looking forward to a bright sunny spring day, it's supposed to get up to 12C today.
Had coffee with a friend this morning. It's always good to have a chat. It was busy out there in the parking lots early this morning, especially McDonalds, so crowded.
K is doing some volunteer work for a few hours and I'm taking L to her tennis lesson momentarily. We hope to watch Russell Peters host the Juno awards tonight (Canadian grammies). He's quite a popular international comedian these days, does ethnic jokes in a tasteful manner.
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Friday, April 4, 2008
Conflict management
Looking forward to a great spring weekend, despite today's rain. I was happy doing a bit of shopping all over the place today. A lady at the gym asked me how my trip to Jamaica was, I guess I hadn't talked to her for awhile. It's K's birthday next week, so we'll be doing a quiet restaurant dinner and then having a party somewhere for him with a bunch of his friends when the weather gets better. But I'm thinking it may even be a movie party, there's this movie called 'Speedracer' coming out soon that would be a good choice. He said he wants nice balloons at the restaurant that we've done for others before and we'll probably get him a cheesecake, his favourite.
L was having a rare conflict with a good friend at school yesterday. Even M and I were upset about it, but she handled it with the finesse and great communication skills that I have yet to develop. After much debate and consultation with some other close friends she decided to confront the issue and sent her friend an email on Facebook. It stated her feelings were hurt and exactly why. The friend responded with a 2 page apology and they are both happy again, the problem seems to be solved and within 24 hours. If more people did things this way, the world would be a happier place. Imagine all those people who don't speak to each other for years over the slightest misunderstanding.
This 'Female entrepreneurs with small children' website looks interesting (themompreneur.com). See the story below.
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L was having a rare conflict with a good friend at school yesterday. Even M and I were upset about it, but she handled it with the finesse and great communication skills that I have yet to develop. After much debate and consultation with some other close friends she decided to confront the issue and sent her friend an email on Facebook. It stated her feelings were hurt and exactly why. The friend responded with a 2 page apology and they are both happy again, the problem seems to be solved and within 24 hours. If more people did things this way, the world would be a happier place. Imagine all those people who don't speak to each other for years over the slightest misunderstanding.
This 'Female entrepreneurs with small children' website looks interesting (themompreneur.com). See the story below.
News
Mompreneurs boom
A whiff of the '30s in the air
Inactive kids show signs of heart disease as teens
Man Tells Boss 'I'm Out Of Here' After Lottery Win But Gives Amazing Farewell To Co-Workers
How To Get An Early Warning On Gas Price Changes
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Haircut
Went for my usual haircut today, my hairdresser's been busy the past couple of months, so is the manicurist. The April 2008 WISH magazine had an article listing things you can do to go 'green', starting with replacing old appliances (would be nice in theory, but things usually have to break before we replace things around here).
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Jamaican Pumpkin soup recipe a la Christine:
1 butternut squash
1 medium sweet potato or purple sweet potato (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
1 chayote squash (peeled and quartered, seed removed), or even a peeled carrot if that's all you have
beef shank bone-in (1 or 2 lbs)
sprigs of thyme (or can use dried thyme)
1 tbs scotch bonnet pepper sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs salt
6 whole pimento seeds
2 stalks green onion
dumplings (optional):
1 cup flour (can use whole wheat or white)
water to turn it to a dough, about 5 tbs)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix salt into the flour. Add water, and mould into a dough. Roll and shape the dough into little fingerlings.
Microwave whole butternut squash for 5 mins to soften, then cut into chunks. Add it to the beef shanks in the soup pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer for 2 hours on slightly less than medium heat, topping up with water to cover as required. Add the rest of the vegetables cut into chunks along with all the seasonings and simmer for another half hour. can add dumplings in the last 15 minutes. Remove the beef bones, thyme and green onions before serving and cut the beef into chunks.
enjoy!
News
Local Lottery Millionaire Fulfills Free Chicken Promise
The Stupidest Job Interview Mistakes In History
Jamaican Pumpkin soup recipe a la Christine:
1 butternut squash
1 medium sweet potato or purple sweet potato (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
1 chayote squash (peeled and quartered, seed removed), or even a peeled carrot if that's all you have
beef shank bone-in (1 or 2 lbs)
sprigs of thyme (or can use dried thyme)
1 tbs scotch bonnet pepper sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs salt
6 whole pimento seeds
2 stalks green onion
dumplings (optional):
1 cup flour (can use whole wheat or white)
water to turn it to a dough, about 5 tbs)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix salt into the flour. Add water, and mould into a dough. Roll and shape the dough into little fingerlings.
Microwave whole butternut squash for 5 mins to soften, then cut into chunks. Add it to the beef shanks in the soup pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer for 2 hours on slightly less than medium heat, topping up with water to cover as required. Add the rest of the vegetables cut into chunks along with all the seasonings and simmer for another half hour. can add dumplings in the last 15 minutes. Remove the beef bones, thyme and green onions before serving and cut the beef into chunks.
enjoy!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Pumpkin soup
It's beginning to feel like spring, if cold. Thoughts are moving to the garden.
They're building a lovely condominium in my area, it's about 5 floors high and looks like an 18th century European apartment building with it's faux dormer windows at the top floor, arched lower floor windows and faux iron grillwork on the middle windows. It's all in the architecture. Such a change from the usual ugly modern stuff that's going up everywhere else.
Going to my step class today felt like a chore, but as soon as it started, it turned out to be fun and of course, good exercise. Finishing up the laundry and going to help K with his studying now. I made the perfect Jamaican style pumpkin soup this evening, just the right combination and amount of ingredients. I'll put the recipe on here later.
News
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They're building a lovely condominium in my area, it's about 5 floors high and looks like an 18th century European apartment building with it's faux dormer windows at the top floor, arched lower floor windows and faux iron grillwork on the middle windows. It's all in the architecture. Such a change from the usual ugly modern stuff that's going up everywhere else.
Going to my step class today felt like a chore, but as soon as it started, it turned out to be fun and of course, good exercise. Finishing up the laundry and going to help K with his studying now. I made the perfect Jamaican style pumpkin soup this evening, just the right combination and amount of ingredients. I'll put the recipe on here later.
News
Drinking water may have little benefit: study
Younger Canadians turning green, census data shows
Crawling fish may be part of new family
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
April Fool's day
It's 14C and windy today, positively muggy, have to find my spring coat.
M and I submitted our passports for renewal this morning, it only took about half an hour. We used the simplified adult forms and the regular child forms. Technically, either parent could have been the children's guarantors if the other parent were the applicant, but we asked a friend to do it anyway, just to be sure. We paid for 5 hours parking just in case (that's me), so we gave our ticket to someone else as we were leaving and he asked if it was an April Fool's joke!
L and 3 classmates went on a field trip of sorts to a women's shelter on Monday. She actually chose that shelter and made all the arrangements, and one of the parents drove them to the place for a few hours of interviews. They are submitting a report into a contest sponsored by the founder of MACs cosmetics. The winner will have $5,000 donated to their charity. From what she tells me, it seems like most of these worthy charities could use a lot more money. They told her that a lot of women show up at the temporary shelter (referred by the police stations) with broken legs and bloody-faced children in tow. They try to make the place as homey as possible, relying on food bank donations. The women get to cook their own meals and do their own laundry, to feel as 'at home' as possible. This particular shelter was named after a woman that was murdered by her husband after he tracked her down. This is a major reason why the shelters remain as anonymous as possible.
News
No Foolin'! Where Did April Fool's Day Come From?
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Experts now recommend hands-only CPR
World Renowned Neurosurgeon: Cell Phone Use 'Worse Than Smoking' For Cancer Risk
7-8 hours of sleep ideal for healthy weight: study
M and I submitted our passports for renewal this morning, it only took about half an hour. We used the simplified adult forms and the regular child forms. Technically, either parent could have been the children's guarantors if the other parent were the applicant, but we asked a friend to do it anyway, just to be sure. We paid for 5 hours parking just in case (that's me), so we gave our ticket to someone else as we were leaving and he asked if it was an April Fool's joke!
L and 3 classmates went on a field trip of sorts to a women's shelter on Monday. She actually chose that shelter and made all the arrangements, and one of the parents drove them to the place for a few hours of interviews. They are submitting a report into a contest sponsored by the founder of MACs cosmetics. The winner will have $5,000 donated to their charity. From what she tells me, it seems like most of these worthy charities could use a lot more money. They told her that a lot of women show up at the temporary shelter (referred by the police stations) with broken legs and bloody-faced children in tow. They try to make the place as homey as possible, relying on food bank donations. The women get to cook their own meals and do their own laundry, to feel as 'at home' as possible. This particular shelter was named after a woman that was murdered by her husband after he tracked her down. This is a major reason why the shelters remain as anonymous as possible.
News
No Foolin'! Where Did April Fool's Day Come From?
MDs marvel at blood pressure drug combo
Experts now recommend hands-only CPR
World Renowned Neurosurgeon: Cell Phone Use 'Worse Than Smoking' For Cancer Risk
7-8 hours of sleep ideal for healthy weight: study
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