A disconnect

So I finally found solar lanterns that you can just hook onto any old post. I go home to hang them under one of the backyard trees, and my post is gone. M decided to remove it yesterday. He suddenly decided it was getting in the way of his mowing. That post has been sitting there for 10 years. Granted, I stopped hanging stuff on it for a number of reasons, but always had the intention to find the right thing to hang on it. Talk about thinking at cross purposes. For the most part we get along, but every so often there is a disconnect. He has promised to put the post back in the exact same spot.

Mother's Day gifts

We found a nail place for L's party, so that's a relief. She liked the 3rd place we checked out. So now she can finalize her invitations. She seems to have put her back out playing a school tennis match yesterday. She said she was in a 30-point rally with her opponent so it was very exciting although she lost in the end. They actually had an audience.

Meeting a friend for a lunch/walk in a little while, it's a gorgeous day. It will be nice to catch up on her news and share some of mine. I think I'll bake some chicken parts for dinner.

M's boss' mother passed away, so he's going to the viewing this evening.

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To be there should they need you

It's a lovely Monday morning, bright and sunny. A lady at the gym forgot the passcode on her locker lock and had to have it broken into this morning. Like me, she keeps the code in her handbag in case she forgets it. Guess where the handbag was? Then at the grocery store, there was not much rice left on the shelves! Just the less common varieties.

It's a good day as M received his tax refund in the mail. Turns out our alarm company charges minimum $100 for any visit. They were trying to sell us alarm insurance. So I'm expecting them this week anyway.

I seem to have put my knee out yesterday while edging the garden beds. I was still able to do the elliptical machine this morning though, it just depends which way the weight goes on my knee. I see a lot of weeds growing in the neighbourhood. All the dandelion weeds are blooming. And we're pesticide free now.

L did not like the 2nd spa salon for her birthday party, so I looked at a third place today and think this might be it, it better be! It seems spacious and clean and can hold a lot of people at once. It's also nearby and reasonably priced. The teenage years are a definite challenge. Like the Mother's Day cards say, 'you walk behind them to be there should they need you'.

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Good voices

Had coffee with my friend this morning. She told me something interesting. Her son is a bit like K when it comes to the schoolwork (they need a lot of help). So on one project they were a bit overwhelmed and decided to use his sister's identical project from 2 years ago. The teacher gave him lower marks, by at least a grade level! I think the marks were based on his perception of the kid!

I got a printout of my blood pressure reading this morning from Shoppers Drug Mart, great idea, I could even show that to my doctor from time to time as it's dated and time stamped. My friend also got me to buy some Ruffles chips on sale for 99c. I usually get them for whatever price as I need it. M and L went to look at another party place nearby as L did not like the place they went to yesterday. It seemed a bit too girlish and I think this age group is ready for real salons now.

I also walked to church this morning, it was windy and coldish but the sun came out eventually. They had a great choir there of 14 people, of which 3 were men, middle-aged and some seniors. They sang their hearts out and it was quite entertaining. Two of the men did a duet and they had good voices.

Oh well, back to math review, etc. K just mailed my Mother's Day card as my mom is out of town.


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Stress Relieving Treatment

L finally made the time to get a haircut today, she's going to get a 'stress relieving treatment with essential oils at chair' to go with it for a few extra dollars. Hopefully she'll like it at this new place as we've been looking for a new hairdresser for her. The places at the mall aren't that great for what they're charging these days. Then M is taking her to check out this party place where she wants to have her 16th birthday party with her friends. Hopefully that will work out and all her friends will be able to make the chosen date.

K and I are studying today, he's not out of the woods yet.

The new 'Sex and the City' movie premieres May 30th, they think it's going to do well this summer.

My sister that lives in California is renovating her house, literally. They just poured their own concrete foundation and the whole family is getting involved. At the end of the day, it will feel very rewarding but undoubtedly it's going to be a lot of hard work.


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Baby Carrots

It seems Mother's Day plans are well under way for many people. A friend of mine and her family will spend this Saturday with the mother-in-law and then the next weekend will be with her mother. This is starting to sound like Christmas. Yes, they alternate these plans every year.

My sister just emailed this to me:

'Baby Carrots

Did you know this? The cocktail carrots that you
buy in grocery
stores come from deformed crooked big carrots. They are
put through a
machine to become small cocktail carrots. After they are
cut to size
they are soaked in large vats of water mixed with chlorine
to preserve
them; the same chlorine you use for your swimming
pools. The reason
for this is because they don't have the
protection of the skin so they
use a good amount of chlorine.
Notice that after you have stored them
in the fridge for a while a
white film forms on them, it's the
chlorine coming to the
surface. At what cost do we risk our health.
Well folks I
think after reading this we will all start making our own
carrot
sticks out of fresh carrots and keep them in the fridge in
water.'



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Chinese Wine Soup

My almost 13 year old niece just joined our family email distribution list and writes the most wonderful emails. She is very well read and it shows in her writing style. Kids grow up in no time!

The thyroid doctor just called, K's latest blood test is normal, so no increase in his medication at this time. Great!

I just read that ginger can reduce joint pain, I hadn't heard that before.

I made one of my favourites today, a chinese wine soup that my grandmother used to make. I fine-tuned the recipe just before an aunt of mine passed away. She gave me the last remaining secrets, I hope. It's simple to make, that's one of the reasons I do it often enough. I think M likes it because he knows it has wine in it.


Wine Soup

1 small whole chicken, skin removed (you can use chicken parts with the bones in)
2 tbs salt
1 cup of ginger root slices
1 tsp sugar
1 cup of chicken stock
enough water in the soup pot to almost cover the chicken
1 cup of port wine (I use Australian EMU 999 port wine)
chinese oyster sauce
steamed white rice to accompany the dish

Bring the first 6 ingredients to a boil, skimming any fat off the top. Simmer, partially covered, for 45 mins. Add 1 cup of port wine. Done! Serve the soup in a bowl with a half a cup of steamed white rice (or more). Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with chinese oyster sauce as a dipping sauce. or you can use soya sauce if that's all you can find. This dish works well with any kind of green vegetables on the side, such as broccoli.


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