Another cold day. L and a friend had dinner near Main Street yesterday and tried to take in a bit of the parade, they reported a tremendous crowd in spite of the frigid weather. You couldn't really see anything.
K and his friend just finished their Science project. They seem to be more motivated working together, unless they're trying to finish as fast as possible so that they can play and horse around. They're taking crazy videos of each other with my cell phone at the moment. At this age, they seem to entertain themselves more, no babysitting required other than providing snacks.
L had another staff training session with the town this morning, basically another wet test. Now she's off to a tennis lesson and then a sweet sixteen party in the evening. It's dinner at a Japanese restaurant and then over to the girl's house afterward. M is buying a new modular couch set for the basement to be delivered on Tuesday! He's happy about that. What's a big screen TV without a comfy couch set? It sounds like a heart attack recipe to me. I chose it, then he and K approved it as being comfortable, and the price was right, so we decided to get it.
We got invited to a dinner party next Saturday evening. I think I'll get some butter tarts to take over for dessert.
News
Can DNA tests help you change your life?
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Which Everyday Household Items Contain Lead?
it’s a turkey! it’s a duck! it’s a chicken! it’s everything!
Wealthy Boomer meets the Wealthy Barber
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Fig/black olive tapenade
The sun finally came out today, but it's so cold and windy, you really need your gloves on.
I heard on the radio this morning that Barack Obama smokes a pack of cigarettes a day.
Japra, I was trying to copy your meme rules, but those 'awards' are giving me trouble, any suggestions?
At the gym, I caught the 'Regis and Kelly' show this morning. They were interviewing Keira Knightley who has a new movie out (The Duchess), I wouldn't mind seeing it. Anyway, she seems quite intelligent and a good actress that really researches and understands her part. She said she was only allowed to do commercials and other work during the summers as a child, because her parents thought schoolwork came first.
There is a Loblaws just downstairs of a lot of these gyms. So, I usually pick up a few things on my way out some days. They were having a festive grand re-opening of the store after undergoing some renovations. After sampling a yummy banana berry smoothie made with soy milk, I was invited upstairs to the cooking class room to sample a range of hors d'oeuvres prepared by the staff. I picked up a few recipe cards and particularly enjoyed the 'goat cheese and fig crostini'. In fact I bought the president's choice fig/black olive tapenade so I could make more of it as my next party appetizer. Reading from my recipe cards, I had wild mushroom and rosemary toast crisp, caprese salad, sundried tomatoes with goat cheese crostini. I also had a chinese dumpling. Let's just say I tasted enough things that it became lunch for today.
I even got my housework done. And now I'm going to see what's in the box of Christmas decorations and get the tree up tonight.
There is a Christmas candlelight parade on Main Street tonight, so the street will be closed. Some years the weather is mild, some years snowy, and this year it will be cooold.
News
Boy meets girls
I heard on the radio this morning that Barack Obama smokes a pack of cigarettes a day.
Japra, I was trying to copy your meme rules, but those 'awards' are giving me trouble, any suggestions?
At the gym, I caught the 'Regis and Kelly' show this morning. They were interviewing Keira Knightley who has a new movie out (The Duchess), I wouldn't mind seeing it. Anyway, she seems quite intelligent and a good actress that really researches and understands her part. She said she was only allowed to do commercials and other work during the summers as a child, because her parents thought schoolwork came first.
There is a Loblaws just downstairs of a lot of these gyms. So, I usually pick up a few things on my way out some days. They were having a festive grand re-opening of the store after undergoing some renovations. After sampling a yummy banana berry smoothie made with soy milk, I was invited upstairs to the cooking class room to sample a range of hors d'oeuvres prepared by the staff. I picked up a few recipe cards and particularly enjoyed the 'goat cheese and fig crostini'. In fact I bought the president's choice fig/black olive tapenade so I could make more of it as my next party appetizer. Reading from my recipe cards, I had wild mushroom and rosemary toast crisp, caprese salad, sundried tomatoes with goat cheese crostini. I also had a chinese dumpling. Let's just say I tasted enough things that it became lunch for today.
I even got my housework done. And now I'm going to see what's in the box of Christmas decorations and get the tree up tonight.
There is a Christmas candlelight parade on Main Street tonight, so the street will be closed. Some years the weather is mild, some years snowy, and this year it will be cooold.
News
Boy meets girls
An Australian Definition of a Canadian
I received this in an email from a friend last night and I really liked it. Hope you do too!
This is absolutely wonderful, don't miss it. Be proud! Pass it on.
Once in a while someone does a nice job of describing a Canadian, this time it was an Australian dentist..
An Australian Definition of a Canadian
In case anyone asks you who a Canadian is . . .
** **Proud to be Canadian An Australian Definition of a Canadian
- Written by an Australian Dentist
You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian.
An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.
A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan.
A Canadian may also be a Cree, Métis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians.
A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God..
A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.
Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services and the best minds. But they also welcome the least - the oppressed, the outcast and the rejected.
These are the people who built Canada. You can try to kill a Canadian if you must as other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world have tried but in doing so you could just be killing a relative or a neighbour. This is because Canadians are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom.
Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, can be a Canadian.
Please keep this going! Pass this around the World. Then pass it around again. It says it all, for all of us. 'Keep your stick on the ice'
This is absolutely wonderful, don't miss it. Be proud! Pass it on.
Once in a while someone does a nice job of describing a Canadian, this time it was an Australian dentist..
An Australian Definition of a Canadian
In case anyone asks you who a Canadian is . . .
** **Proud to be Canadian An Australian Definition of a Canadian
- Written by an Australian Dentist
You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian.
An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.
A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan.
A Canadian may also be a Cree, Métis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians.
A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God..
A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.
Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services and the best minds. But they also welcome the least - the oppressed, the outcast and the rejected.
These are the people who built Canada. You can try to kill a Canadian if you must as other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world have tried but in doing so you could just be killing a relative or a neighbour. This is because Canadians are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom.
Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, can be a Canadian.
Please keep this going! Pass this around the World. Then pass it around again. It says it all, for all of us. 'Keep your stick on the ice'
Thursday, December 4, 2008
A vicious cycle
It's windy and cold outside. We haven't had much sun the past few weeks if I think about it. I went to the gym this morning, then I went to lunch with my mom and sister. I've spent a good part of the afternoon emailing and blogging and the housework chores didn't get started. I'm also tired. I did manage to make some breaded pork chops.
But if you think about it, how can you ever be caught up with housework? It's like a vicious cycle, it keeps coming back.
I noticed at the local Loblaws grocery store that instead of hanging artificial fir garlands beneath the stair bannisters, they hung pretty ribbons. I like that idea.
I did receive a lovely large gift basket at the front door filled with cookies, chocolates, hot chocolate,etc. Bring on the Christmas season!
I think the story below from stupid.com might appeal to Mom and Mr. Bill's wacky sense of humour.
News
Empty nests make better marriages
Garbage Collector's Amazing Trash Find Could Be Worth Almost $20,000
Top 10 Stupidest Christmas Gifts Of 2008 Revealed
But if you think about it, how can you ever be caught up with housework? It's like a vicious cycle, it keeps coming back.
I noticed at the local Loblaws grocery store that instead of hanging artificial fir garlands beneath the stair bannisters, they hung pretty ribbons. I like that idea.
I did receive a lovely large gift basket at the front door filled with cookies, chocolates, hot chocolate,etc. Bring on the Christmas season!
I think the story below from stupid.com might appeal to Mom and Mr. Bill's wacky sense of humour.
News
Empty nests make better marriages
Garbage Collector's Amazing Trash Find Could Be Worth Almost $20,000
Top 10 Stupidest Christmas Gifts Of 2008 Revealed
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Hired
L got a job with the town as a swim instructor. She'll start in the winter. In true government fashion, we had to fill out about 10 forms including references and police check. She still has to take the instructor course.
K was upstairs last night doing a workout with some ten pound weights. He's asked me to get him a 'dog tag' necklace. I don't remember L doing stuff like this when she became a teenager, it's cute. One of his friends announced that his relationship 'ended', but it was back on again the next day.
I think I'm done with the kids' Xmas gifts, whew! It would be nice to get the tree up this week and wrap some chocolates.
News
Toronto approves 5-cent fee on bags
Butter tarts lure tourists to travel tasty trail
So You Think You Can Dance Canada down to final four contestants
K was upstairs last night doing a workout with some ten pound weights. He's asked me to get him a 'dog tag' necklace. I don't remember L doing stuff like this when she became a teenager, it's cute. One of his friends announced that his relationship 'ended', but it was back on again the next day.
I think I'm done with the kids' Xmas gifts, whew! It would be nice to get the tree up this week and wrap some chocolates.
News
Toronto approves 5-cent fee on bags
Butter tarts lure tourists to travel tasty trail
So You Think You Can Dance Canada down to final four contestants
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tagged
I was tagged by Mr Bill
The rules are:
You don't have to play if you don't want to.
Pass this along to 6 other blogger buds.
List 6 things people may or may not know about you, providing you're okay with 6 other bloggers knowing more about you.
Unfortunately, I don't have that much of a following, so it's difficult at this point to find '6 other blogger buds' that haven't been recently already tagged, but I thought it would be fun to think of 6 things about me that my readers might find interesting anyway, so here goes.
I smile and laugh a lot.
I did ballet dancing into my teens and had the biggest crush on the charismatic Russian ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, who I later found out was gay.
I took French in university, among other subjects.
I'm introverted, so I will skirt the edges of a crowded room, while one of my sisters will carve a path straight into the middle.
I can be naive.
I love butter tarts and mincemeat pies. Let's throw in the low fat eggnog I picked up at the grocery store today!
Now, onto the rest of this posting.
I was at a family xmas party on the weekend and there were a couple of foodies there sharing their tips. One of them was to consider marinating your meat in your favourite spices and then freezing it for busy days. When you're ready, just thaw and cook! Apparently the flavour is great. Another member of the party works at a bank and she was saying things are very quiet there these days. The only thing people are doing is moving their money around to ensure their accounts are within the limits for insurance coverage, with no new investments to speak of.
As our Lilly made it out of Thailand safely, there's an ironic story below that 2 Canadians did not make it out.
News
Two Canadians reported dead in Thailand van crash
Canadian Media Pioneer Ted Rogers Dies At Age 75
Body-swap illusion tricks mind in new study
Holiday Tipping in a Nutshell
The rules are:
You don't have to play if you don't want to.
Pass this along to 6 other blogger buds.
List 6 things people may or may not know about you, providing you're okay with 6 other bloggers knowing more about you.
Unfortunately, I don't have that much of a following, so it's difficult at this point to find '6 other blogger buds' that haven't been recently already tagged, but I thought it would be fun to think of 6 things about me that my readers might find interesting anyway, so here goes.
I smile and laugh a lot.
I did ballet dancing into my teens and had the biggest crush on the charismatic Russian ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, who I later found out was gay.
I took French in university, among other subjects.
I'm introverted, so I will skirt the edges of a crowded room, while one of my sisters will carve a path straight into the middle.
I can be naive.
I love butter tarts and mincemeat pies. Let's throw in the low fat eggnog I picked up at the grocery store today!
Now, onto the rest of this posting.
I was at a family xmas party on the weekend and there were a couple of foodies there sharing their tips. One of them was to consider marinating your meat in your favourite spices and then freezing it for busy days. When you're ready, just thaw and cook! Apparently the flavour is great. Another member of the party works at a bank and she was saying things are very quiet there these days. The only thing people are doing is moving their money around to ensure their accounts are within the limits for insurance coverage, with no new investments to speak of.
As our Lilly made it out of Thailand safely, there's an ironic story below that 2 Canadians did not make it out.
News
Two Canadians reported dead in Thailand van crash
Canadian Media Pioneer Ted Rogers Dies At Age 75
Body-swap illusion tricks mind in new study
Holiday Tipping in a Nutshell
Monday, December 1, 2008
An Ultrasound Story
The winter storm bypassed Toronto, it's just rainy and slushy so I was able to get on with my day.
I received a neat quiz from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, just in time for the holidays, have a go at it below!
Oh, I forgot to mention that the Chum City Christmas wish do not accept gambling toys or weapon type toys, except for nerf guns.
I drank 3 8oz cups of water (instead of the recommended 4 cups) in preparation for my routine ultrasound this morning. And that worked out fine for me. At the reception desk I encountered a lovely young woman wearing the prettiest scarf on her head, a burnt orange colour with a tiny jewelled flower at one end. I asked her if it was ok that I had taken my blood pressure medication by habit this morning, as I knew I wasn't supposed to have anything but water. She said that was fine, and just asked if I had had anything else as she processed me.
It turns out she was the ultrasound technician. She beckoned me into the ultrasound room and asked me a few competent, discerning questions, which surprised me and I found myself opening up to her, telling her little bits about myself. In turn, I found out she was the mother of one child so far. She mentioned as a young mother, how hard it is in Canada because there is no extended family to help out, it falls totally on the parents and they both typically have to work. She said it's also harder to preserve your culture this way. Then I mentioned Mumbai and the troubles in that area of the world and she said the terrorists are horrible people, she doesn't care which side they're on. They don't care, and they don't realize that by killing one man, they have destroyed a whole community. Typically in Pakistan (where she's from), the men would support the wives and extended family members who stay home. So, a community suffers when one person dies, not just a wife and her children. I suggested that maybe Obama would be able to help change the world and she agreed.
In between taking deep breaths, and releasing, I asked her where she had received her ultrasound training. She said she had been in Canada for 5 or 6 years and was trained here. Then she mentioned that she is a qualified doctor in her home country. You have to sit 3 exams here to be certified to practice in Canada and she has one more to go. Interesting that she was warned at the outset that the odds of her qualifying are very low. She mentioned most of the technicians in the area are qualified doctors from other countries. It's interesting that we have a shortage of qualified doctors in the Province and there are all these smart people around who would love to be able to practice.
I told her she's so good at giving ultrasounds and wished her the best of luck.
So I received an 'in-depth' ultrasound this morning, perhaps the most thorough one I've ever had. I was in there for at least half an hour. (Let's hope they don't find anything by mistake!)
News
Some Canadians may be unknowingly living with epilepsy
Foodie books to drool upon
Holiday temptations quiz
I received a neat quiz from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, just in time for the holidays, have a go at it below!
Oh, I forgot to mention that the Chum City Christmas wish do not accept gambling toys or weapon type toys, except for nerf guns.
I drank 3 8oz cups of water (instead of the recommended 4 cups) in preparation for my routine ultrasound this morning. And that worked out fine for me. At the reception desk I encountered a lovely young woman wearing the prettiest scarf on her head, a burnt orange colour with a tiny jewelled flower at one end. I asked her if it was ok that I had taken my blood pressure medication by habit this morning, as I knew I wasn't supposed to have anything but water. She said that was fine, and just asked if I had had anything else as she processed me.
It turns out she was the ultrasound technician. She beckoned me into the ultrasound room and asked me a few competent, discerning questions, which surprised me and I found myself opening up to her, telling her little bits about myself. In turn, I found out she was the mother of one child so far. She mentioned as a young mother, how hard it is in Canada because there is no extended family to help out, it falls totally on the parents and they both typically have to work. She said it's also harder to preserve your culture this way. Then I mentioned Mumbai and the troubles in that area of the world and she said the terrorists are horrible people, she doesn't care which side they're on. They don't care, and they don't realize that by killing one man, they have destroyed a whole community. Typically in Pakistan (where she's from), the men would support the wives and extended family members who stay home. So, a community suffers when one person dies, not just a wife and her children. I suggested that maybe Obama would be able to help change the world and she agreed.
In between taking deep breaths, and releasing, I asked her where she had received her ultrasound training. She said she had been in Canada for 5 or 6 years and was trained here. Then she mentioned that she is a qualified doctor in her home country. You have to sit 3 exams here to be certified to practice in Canada and she has one more to go. Interesting that she was warned at the outset that the odds of her qualifying are very low. She mentioned most of the technicians in the area are qualified doctors from other countries. It's interesting that we have a shortage of qualified doctors in the Province and there are all these smart people around who would love to be able to practice.
I told her she's so good at giving ultrasounds and wished her the best of luck.
So I received an 'in-depth' ultrasound this morning, perhaps the most thorough one I've ever had. I was in there for at least half an hour. (Let's hope they don't find anything by mistake!)
News
Some Canadians may be unknowingly living with epilepsy
Foodie books to drool upon
Holiday temptations quiz
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