It's funny, I have read all about depression and the signs that someone is depressed. I see this in Monte with his ups and downs. From what I have read, the major signs to look for are:
not leaving the house
not getting dressed
not eating properly
sitting around and staring at the tv
not showering enough
house gets dirty
sleeping too much
not seeing people
That is just some of it. And right now I am guilty of every one. Except....I am totally happy! I am completely in my comfort zone. I love staying home, I haven't been out of the house since a week ago Tuesday. I am wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday and the day before and the day before and the day before. I don't eat right thats for sure. I sit in my chair and either stare at Judge Judy or read books on my laptop. I did shower in there somewhere though. My house gets really dirty til Wed. We clean up in preparation for Alice, the SCARY HOUSEKEEPER. I sleep on and off all day and discourage people from coming over. And I am as happy as a clam!
But....I do get off my chair now and then and get stuff done. I sorted out the Native art. And there was a ton of it! I also sorted out all my artwork. Photography canvas prints, store bought art work, a couple of paintings by Gramma...Bill's mom, April paintings etc... I can't hang it all up at once so I have organized a rotation schedule with it all. That took a lot of time. And bit by bit I am organizing the rest of the hell hole.
Another thing I have done is pretty much all of my Christmas shopping...on line! I LOVE Amazon.ca. The shipping is free and they sell everything, absolutely everything. The hardest part is finding what you want. If you know what your looking for its easy, but if you are just wanting to browse for ideas, it can be tricky. For example, I happened to click on something, I don't even remember what and at the bottom of the page where they put suggestions, I saw the most beautiful cushions you ever saw. And they were cheap. I couldn't believe my eyes! So I bought eight of them! I would never have even thought about looking at cushions but there they were.
Another time I typed in Stained Glass and all sorts of stuff came up, lamps, dishes, bedding, pillows etc...and one magnificent amazing colourful shower curtain!!!! I ordered it before you could say bob's your uncle!
Then for the next while every day or every other day that magic thing happens. Ding Dong!!! I go to the door and there is parcel sitting there!! And every time we finally remember to go to the mailbox and open our slot...there is a big key!!!! It opens the parcel box below and there it is...a parcel or two! I have a couple of tables in the garage covered with all the goodies..waiting to be wrapped.
There is one thing I do now, I have learned the hard way, I make a list of people I give presents to and as soon as I order stuff I go to that list and write down beside the person's name what I have ordered. Then when it comes I go back and put a star beside it. Its easier to keep track that way.
Well tomorrow my houseboundness ends. Tomorrow afternoon I am going down to Jo's to babysit for a while. She has an appointment so I shall go and, if she isn't napping, play with my fave niece. She is such a hoot! I can't think of a better way to get me out of the house!! TTYL
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Saturday, November 26, 2016
ONE LITTLE, TWO LITTLE, THREE LITTLE NATIVE MASKS!!!!
Finally, I do believe I have earmarked all the native art Bill and I collected over the many years. There. Is. So. Much!!!!! But with a little work I have found homes for all of it...every last single piece. Bill had quite the eye for good pieces...masks, totem poles, talking sticks, giant whales, bowls, many salmon, halibut, a giant sun mask, standing native elder statues, etc....The one piece I am keeping for now is the beautiful bent box Brad gave him one year. Right now it is holding his ashes but I believe it will go back to Brad eventually. First we will be making a pilgrimage to Bamfield to spread those ashes. It only seems fitting and we all want to see the place again.
Well my table has been moved into the dining room! It is huge, probably bigger than a decorator would like but I can sit eight now comfortably, ten in a squeeze. Tonight Levi is here and he is going to build the buffet I bought that needs building. I am excited to get my dining room back into shape.
April is doing so well right now!! Today was moving day, they moved into the place they have just bought. And it is a different feeling when you actually own your place compared to just renting. They are ecstatic!!! She has been texting me all day like crazy! And the pics she has sent look so awesome....cozy and pretty. They have an actual wood fireplace and they are one of the few in the world that love getting firewood and the smell of smoke in their place! They are spending this xmas at home, creating their new traditions.
Speaking of xmas...tomorrow is the day...I think. Tree time! I really want to get it up before I go to Vancouver on the fourth. I also want to get the xmas lights up outside. Everybody else within eyesight has theirs done. They also had all their driveways shovelled by seven oclock this morning. Sick bastards...all old dudes competing.
Well I had to toss the playpen out the door. It absolutely stunk. To high heaven. That little cow has been steadily peeing in it. Stupid dog. So back to her little dog cage for periods of time. She still manages to pee here and there though. I am taking her to Vancouver with me and she is going to go and stay with Aryn for a month. Aryn (also known as the Dog Reaper) will assess the situation. If it seems that her kidneys are that bad, like Parker and Homer, then it will be lights out for her. Aryn will take her for that final drive. I will pay. She made it fifteen years. Not bad for an unhealthy runt that they were going to put down!
I made a cake today. Its that old recipe, "Fruit Cocktail Cake" from the More From Bridge cookbook. I watch a show call Anna & Christina's Shopping Bag. They cook from, and critique cookbooks. They did this particular Bridge cookbook and the only thing they liked was this Fruit Cocktail Cake recipe. In fact they raved about it.
So I made it. And its awful. Sugary sweet, no flavour and very very rich. Its more like a dessert than a cake. What a waste of time. Fortunately I made a loaf of brown bread too. Both are steadily disappearing with all the boys about. They don't seem to care. In fact the giant square loaf of bread is now missing all its sides. They like the crust. LOL!!
Gotta bounce!! TTYL
Well my table has been moved into the dining room! It is huge, probably bigger than a decorator would like but I can sit eight now comfortably, ten in a squeeze. Tonight Levi is here and he is going to build the buffet I bought that needs building. I am excited to get my dining room back into shape.
April is doing so well right now!! Today was moving day, they moved into the place they have just bought. And it is a different feeling when you actually own your place compared to just renting. They are ecstatic!!! She has been texting me all day like crazy! And the pics she has sent look so awesome....cozy and pretty. They have an actual wood fireplace and they are one of the few in the world that love getting firewood and the smell of smoke in their place! They are spending this xmas at home, creating their new traditions.
Speaking of xmas...tomorrow is the day...I think. Tree time! I really want to get it up before I go to Vancouver on the fourth. I also want to get the xmas lights up outside. Everybody else within eyesight has theirs done. They also had all their driveways shovelled by seven oclock this morning. Sick bastards...all old dudes competing.
Well I had to toss the playpen out the door. It absolutely stunk. To high heaven. That little cow has been steadily peeing in it. Stupid dog. So back to her little dog cage for periods of time. She still manages to pee here and there though. I am taking her to Vancouver with me and she is going to go and stay with Aryn for a month. Aryn (also known as the Dog Reaper) will assess the situation. If it seems that her kidneys are that bad, like Parker and Homer, then it will be lights out for her. Aryn will take her for that final drive. I will pay. She made it fifteen years. Not bad for an unhealthy runt that they were going to put down!
I made a cake today. Its that old recipe, "Fruit Cocktail Cake" from the More From Bridge cookbook. I watch a show call Anna & Christina's Shopping Bag. They cook from, and critique cookbooks. They did this particular Bridge cookbook and the only thing they liked was this Fruit Cocktail Cake recipe. In fact they raved about it.
So I made it. And its awful. Sugary sweet, no flavour and very very rich. Its more like a dessert than a cake. What a waste of time. Fortunately I made a loaf of brown bread too. Both are steadily disappearing with all the boys about. They don't seem to care. In fact the giant square loaf of bread is now missing all its sides. They like the crust. LOL!!
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| OUR CHRISTMAS DOG |
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| PLAYING WITH LAPTOPS AND PHONES, NOT BUILDING MY BUFFET |
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
TOXIC PEOPLE....GET THE BOOT
I don't normally write personal stuff like this, but I came across some info, bits and pieces, enough to put together a pretty 'not nice' picture of certain families. And if they are reading this I don't care. The only reason I am writing this is maybe even if one person out there in reader land reads this and it makes them think about their actions then its worth it. But really its because I'm pissed.
For many many many years I was with Bill. There was a certain prediction from a certain person that we wouldn't last ten years. Well guess what? We did. Not only did we stick it out for almost thirty years, I made him happy. We had a couple of rough patches at the beginning and there was always the ongoing marriage crap that happens to everyone...but we were joined at the hip and happy.
Bill was very antisocial. I tried and tried and tried to get him to be more involved with his family and the few people he knew. The only one he followed up on was Clare and Dave. He could be very very stubborn and a true home body. But we were really content and happy.
But that seems to not count to certain people. It has come to my attention, there are people out there, in fact a whole family of them, that Bill's happiness didn't matter and the amount I loved and took care of him amounted to a hill of beans. But thats actually okay, the feeling is very very mutual and has been for a very long time. An odd family.
So if you have an in-law or a best friend married to someone you have decided to not like, think twice before you gossip and shun. Pretty low class if you ask me.
Anyway, unfortunately I doubt that any of them read this and if they even did they probably wouldn't figure out its them. LOL!! I will quit now. I feel a lot better and now I am going to go and do one more thing that I should have done years ago. A simple click of the finger. TTYL
For many many many years I was with Bill. There was a certain prediction from a certain person that we wouldn't last ten years. Well guess what? We did. Not only did we stick it out for almost thirty years, I made him happy. We had a couple of rough patches at the beginning and there was always the ongoing marriage crap that happens to everyone...but we were joined at the hip and happy.
Bill was very antisocial. I tried and tried and tried to get him to be more involved with his family and the few people he knew. The only one he followed up on was Clare and Dave. He could be very very stubborn and a true home body. But we were really content and happy.
But that seems to not count to certain people. It has come to my attention, there are people out there, in fact a whole family of them, that Bill's happiness didn't matter and the amount I loved and took care of him amounted to a hill of beans. But thats actually okay, the feeling is very very mutual and has been for a very long time. An odd family.
So if you have an in-law or a best friend married to someone you have decided to not like, think twice before you gossip and shun. Pretty low class if you ask me.
Anyway, unfortunately I doubt that any of them read this and if they even did they probably wouldn't figure out its them. LOL!! I will quit now. I feel a lot better and now I am going to go and do one more thing that I should have done years ago. A simple click of the finger. TTYL
Sunday, November 20, 2016
WESTWOLD
Yesterday was destination Westwold. I read on a friend's facebook page that he was going to be selling his pottery at the Westwold craft fair.
For those of you who are not familiar with Westwold I shall give a brief description. You know that old cliche saying, "Blink and you will miss it"? Well there you go. I just gave you a brief description of Westwold.
They did have a fairly large hall and it was crammed full of tables and tables of stuff and people. It was an ugly day yesterday. Snow, slush, rain, mud....no where to park etc...but many many people, bless them, were there. The cars were lined up all along both sides of the highway and the parking lot was full to max.
I had decided to go because of that friend on Facebook. His family and ours lived on the Experimental Farm in Smithers back in the fifties! By total happenstance, through the Smithers Facebook page, I discovered pictures of that family and reconnected with Alan Price (no relation) and his brother Barry. And it turned out that Barry lived in North Vancouver and his son Tim was the same age as Monte and had been in our house many times! What a coincidence!
So when I read that Alan was going to be at the Westwold fair, I decided to go and actually meet him! He lives in Armstrong, not far from where my dad was born, raised and buried. Connections!!!
I picked up Anne, who came with me for the day, and we headed off. Its about an hour away. There were a lot of people there, I was very surprised. But, I spied him immediately! Big hugs and happy conversation and beautiful pottery. I spied the two pieces I wanted immediately. They are beautiful! I also bought fudge, jam, cake etc...from some of the other awesome purveyors. Its amazing what people can produce with their two hands. I can't make anything so I am really admiring of those who can. It was a very pleasant event I must say and really amazing to see Alan in person!
On another note I am still waiting for some of Monte's friends to come and help move the dining furniture for me. Its funny how that kid has helped numerous people move their crap with his van and his muscles, but now that he needs help....where the hell are they?
This is an age old problem. I have been the owner of a truck pretty much my whole life. Back in the day when us younguns did a lot of moving, I was constantly being asked to borrow my truck. Well, I never leant my truck to any of them. We were all poor and if they racked it up they would never be able fix it. So I always came along with the truck, babies in tow, and moved them. And even when they promised that they would have people there to help, they never did. So I would strap the kids down in the truck, roll up my sleeves and hump couches, boxes, chairs, tables etc..into the truck then out of the truck.
Then it would come to my moving day. And I moved about six times before Kevin got into school. And not once did any of those people I moved ever show up. My friend Anne did, every time but she was the only one. The final move was my whole condo into a budget truck and she and I, just us, moved it all... even a big enormous huge piano up a ramp into the truck and tied it down.
So, hey you people out there that use friends to move, help them when its their turn. Its only fair.
TTYL
For those of you who are not familiar with Westwold I shall give a brief description. You know that old cliche saying, "Blink and you will miss it"? Well there you go. I just gave you a brief description of Westwold.
They did have a fairly large hall and it was crammed full of tables and tables of stuff and people. It was an ugly day yesterday. Snow, slush, rain, mud....no where to park etc...but many many people, bless them, were there. The cars were lined up all along both sides of the highway and the parking lot was full to max.
I had decided to go because of that friend on Facebook. His family and ours lived on the Experimental Farm in Smithers back in the fifties! By total happenstance, through the Smithers Facebook page, I discovered pictures of that family and reconnected with Alan Price (no relation) and his brother Barry. And it turned out that Barry lived in North Vancouver and his son Tim was the same age as Monte and had been in our house many times! What a coincidence!
So when I read that Alan was going to be at the Westwold fair, I decided to go and actually meet him! He lives in Armstrong, not far from where my dad was born, raised and buried. Connections!!!
I picked up Anne, who came with me for the day, and we headed off. Its about an hour away. There were a lot of people there, I was very surprised. But, I spied him immediately! Big hugs and happy conversation and beautiful pottery. I spied the two pieces I wanted immediately. They are beautiful! I also bought fudge, jam, cake etc...from some of the other awesome purveyors. Its amazing what people can produce with their two hands. I can't make anything so I am really admiring of those who can. It was a very pleasant event I must say and really amazing to see Alan in person!
On another note I am still waiting for some of Monte's friends to come and help move the dining furniture for me. Its funny how that kid has helped numerous people move their crap with his van and his muscles, but now that he needs help....where the hell are they?
This is an age old problem. I have been the owner of a truck pretty much my whole life. Back in the day when us younguns did a lot of moving, I was constantly being asked to borrow my truck. Well, I never leant my truck to any of them. We were all poor and if they racked it up they would never be able fix it. So I always came along with the truck, babies in tow, and moved them. And even when they promised that they would have people there to help, they never did. So I would strap the kids down in the truck, roll up my sleeves and hump couches, boxes, chairs, tables etc..into the truck then out of the truck.
Then it would come to my moving day. And I moved about six times before Kevin got into school. And not once did any of those people I moved ever show up. My friend Anne did, every time but she was the only one. The final move was my whole condo into a budget truck and she and I, just us, moved it all... even a big enormous huge piano up a ramp into the truck and tied it down.
So, hey you people out there that use friends to move, help them when its their turn. Its only fair.
TTYL
Friday, November 18, 2016
FALL SHOCK
You would think I would be used to falling by now. But noooo.....
Usually when I fall there is a couple of seconds of oh...oh...recover...recover....no, no recover, change position quickly to one of self protection and then bam! down. The whole fall takes about four seconds and its amazing how quickly your brain lines up helping endorphins and your body adjusts to a protective position.
Well that is NOT what happened yesterday. I was heading out for a while, mostly to avoid the housekeeper and I noticed there was a skiff of new snow on the ground. And, I had to haul the garbage and recycling containers up the driveway. There is a small patch of ice from a dripping gutter right smack in the middle of the sidewalk. To avoid this insanely slippery spot I walked around on the grass and bypassed it...several times.
A wee while later I was heading out to the jeep, sailing along at a hundred miles an hour as usual, completely forgetting about the icy spot. And this time there was no warning. One minute I was whipping along and in a nano second I was flat on my face. It was SHOCKING!!!! I just lay there for a while chanting to myself, I'm okay I'm okay I'm okay......I thought I had broken my ribs! I got up and went and sat in the jeep for a while, just getting my bearings back. Then I tried to text April and my text finger (pointer on my left hand) was totally numb! I couldn't feel it at all! I had to text with my 'swear to God' finger next to it.
Then slowly but surely I noticed my right arm. My right arm has not been higher than my shoulder for about fifteen years. I pick cherries, paint, scrub high up on walls (like I ever do any of that hahaha) etc...with my left arm, never my right. In fact thats why I text with my left hand...I just avoid using my right arm side as much as possible. And when I fell, my right arm went straight forward and up and a lot of my weight fell on it. Holy shit!!! I can't even move it today. Or my other one. My right arm feels like it was ripped out my shoulder socket and welded back on. I think I pulled all my muscles! It really was such a shocker.
I have thought about why I fall. The last fall was just my stupidity. I went back out with my box of pickling salt and solved the problem. I don't want my housekeeper falling. I hate washing floors.
But I have very little depth perception due to that stupid eye of mine. That coupled with the eternal insane speed I do everything causes trouble. I really do fall a lot.
When I play the piano, if I have to read the music, I wear an eye patch. If I don't, the music on the right moves over to the left and the music on the left stays there and its really hard to sort out what part I am supposed to play. All that makes for uncertainty
Sometimes I like to hop into Monte's van and ride along. We went for lunch at a Jamaican place and the food was spicy and delicious! Too much though, I couldn't finish it. Neither could Monte.
Then we wanted coffee so we headed down to Zacks, our go to coffee house. Of course about fifteen people Monte (and me now too) is friends with came and went. One of them, a real little sweetie called Graham, drew my picture, badly I might add. He is so funny and draws everybody. He is actually Anton's roommate. We were there for about two to three hours, chatting up so many different people. I even saw a couple of my own friends. So much fun.
When I got my jeep from the Jamaican place and went home, there was a firetruck parked right across our driveway. I had a brief moment of panic, brought back memories. I am not in the mood to lose this house, at least not yet. But they were just making a quick check on something and moved away as soon as they saw me stop.
I bought a buffet on Amazon.ca yesterday. Free shipping. Guess what arrived today? And its condensed into a not huge box. Sigh. I think I shall call upon Austin's brother Levi. I will feed him dinner if he will help me build that thing. I have pretty much done all my Xmas shopping now...all on line. Love it. Gotta bounce! TTYL
Usually when I fall there is a couple of seconds of oh...oh...recover...recover....no, no recover, change position quickly to one of self protection and then bam! down. The whole fall takes about four seconds and its amazing how quickly your brain lines up helping endorphins and your body adjusts to a protective position.
Well that is NOT what happened yesterday. I was heading out for a while, mostly to avoid the housekeeper and I noticed there was a skiff of new snow on the ground. And, I had to haul the garbage and recycling containers up the driveway. There is a small patch of ice from a dripping gutter right smack in the middle of the sidewalk. To avoid this insanely slippery spot I walked around on the grass and bypassed it...several times.
A wee while later I was heading out to the jeep, sailing along at a hundred miles an hour as usual, completely forgetting about the icy spot. And this time there was no warning. One minute I was whipping along and in a nano second I was flat on my face. It was SHOCKING!!!! I just lay there for a while chanting to myself, I'm okay I'm okay I'm okay......I thought I had broken my ribs! I got up and went and sat in the jeep for a while, just getting my bearings back. Then I tried to text April and my text finger (pointer on my left hand) was totally numb! I couldn't feel it at all! I had to text with my 'swear to God' finger next to it.
Then slowly but surely I noticed my right arm. My right arm has not been higher than my shoulder for about fifteen years. I pick cherries, paint, scrub high up on walls (like I ever do any of that hahaha) etc...with my left arm, never my right. In fact thats why I text with my left hand...I just avoid using my right arm side as much as possible. And when I fell, my right arm went straight forward and up and a lot of my weight fell on it. Holy shit!!! I can't even move it today. Or my other one. My right arm feels like it was ripped out my shoulder socket and welded back on. I think I pulled all my muscles! It really was such a shocker.
I have thought about why I fall. The last fall was just my stupidity. I went back out with my box of pickling salt and solved the problem. I don't want my housekeeper falling. I hate washing floors.
But I have very little depth perception due to that stupid eye of mine. That coupled with the eternal insane speed I do everything causes trouble. I really do fall a lot.
When I play the piano, if I have to read the music, I wear an eye patch. If I don't, the music on the right moves over to the left and the music on the left stays there and its really hard to sort out what part I am supposed to play. All that makes for uncertainty
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| THIS STUPID SITE...WHY WOULD IT PUT THIS PIC HERE. ITS SELF EXPLANATORY AFTER YOU READ BELOW |
Sometimes I like to hop into Monte's van and ride along. We went for lunch at a Jamaican place and the food was spicy and delicious! Too much though, I couldn't finish it. Neither could Monte.
Then we wanted coffee so we headed down to Zacks, our go to coffee house. Of course about fifteen people Monte (and me now too) is friends with came and went. One of them, a real little sweetie called Graham, drew my picture, badly I might add. He is so funny and draws everybody. He is actually Anton's roommate. We were there for about two to three hours, chatting up so many different people. I even saw a couple of my own friends. So much fun.
When I got my jeep from the Jamaican place and went home, there was a firetruck parked right across our driveway. I had a brief moment of panic, brought back memories. I am not in the mood to lose this house, at least not yet. But they were just making a quick check on something and moved away as soon as they saw me stop.
I bought a buffet on Amazon.ca yesterday. Free shipping. Guess what arrived today? And its condensed into a not huge box. Sigh. I think I shall call upon Austin's brother Levi. I will feed him dinner if he will help me build that thing. I have pretty much done all my Xmas shopping now...all on line. Love it. Gotta bounce! TTYL
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| THIS IS A VERY OLD OLD PICTURE MY GRAMMA HAD, WE HAD HUNG IT IN BAMFIELD. ITS A SATURDAY EVENING POST MAGAZINE COVER BY NORMAN ROCKWELL. HE DID ALL THE POST COVERS. THE MAN IN THE HAT, SECOND TO LAST IS A SELF PORTRAIT. |
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| THE BACK OF THE PICTURE...ITS OLDER THAN ME. THE PICTURE IS CALLED 'GOSSIP'. PRYOR WAS MY GRAMMAS MAIDEN NAME |
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| THIS IS A VINYL RECORD COVER FROM THE SEVENTIES. I AM LOOKING FOR THIS RECORD. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU FIND ONE! |
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| THIS IS THE FOOD FROM JAMAICAN KITCHEN |
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
SNOW SNOW SNOW AND COOKIES
Ugly stupid snow. Once you don't have children, snow is just annoying and a lot of work. I do believe though that I am going to use shovelling as my gym and walking substitute. Oh jeez, what am I saying...like I go to the gym...NOT. I hate moving and I don't mean houses.
So when I arose this morning to fluffy crap coming down, I immediately got that cozy slippers, bake cookies feeling. So I did something I have only done once before in the last two years. I hauled out my heavy awkward kitchen aid.
Having a shiny stainless steel, or bright red, or sickly pink, or beachy turquoise, or sunny yellow, or fleshy salmon kitchen aid mixer...is a status symbol in any chef wannabe's kitchen. I lost a brilliant lipstick red one in our house fire in 2003 and didn't replace it until two years ago. It's kind of like insisting on having stainless steel appliances...yet we all know what a bitch it is to keep them mark free.
Now I did use it one time, back in Langford. My darling daughter Aryn came over, sausage making attachments in hand, and let me just say that after a lot of really rude hand gestures with really rude accompanying remarks, we made some pretty tasty lamb sausage.
But this was going to be the first time I have ever actually made anything in the bowl with the mixer paddle. I never had the chance to use the one I had back in the 03's. So I was kind of excited. I decided to use it instead of my cheapo superstore eight dollar hand held mixer this time because I was making heavy batter...oatmeal raisin cookies...double recipe. And seriously, if I just walked through the house once a day carrying that sucker I would probably lose fifty pounds by Christmas.
Well, it took me at least five minutes of dicking around to figure out how to get the top to go up and down. But guess what? It doesn't! I found a handle that lowers and raises the bowl, supposedly allowing you to remove the paddle and bowl when you are finished...which it does, but not without difficulty.
I lowered the bowl when the mixing was done and spun the paddle to get the dough off of it. But as you lower the paddle off the dowel it was attached to...it would sink back into the batter...defeating the cleaning spin you did. And there was no way to get the bowl out with the paddle attached. Stupid.
And, in the beginning I fluffy beat the butter and eggs and sugar...but, only the little bit in the middle. All up the side of the bowl and about two inches on the bottom, the butter and sugar refused to move and mix in. So I had to keep stopping the damned thing and rubber spatula it off the sides and bottom.
Then it was time to add the flour, a bit at a time. Well jeez! There is only about four inches between the lip of the bowl and the very immovable heavy body of the mixer. So I would tip the bowl holding the flour over but before it could pour out the bowl would hit the mixer and be stopped. So I used a big spoon to scoop and dump, getting fricking flour everywhere. What a dumb four hundred dollar set up! Next time my little eight dollar special from Superstore will probably be my first choice.
Then it came time to bake. Oh my God!!! Why me? Why not the neighbours? Talk about a cranky oven!!! The back cookies cook too much, the front pretty much right and
the middle ones stayed raw. I would turn the cookie sheet half way through then they all burnt. I tried the convection bake and that burned the whole lot in five minutes. So I put it on bake and it cooked half of them in twenty minutes...all at the same temp setting. Oh well....I got cookies out of it!!!
And now I just looked outside and the snow has melted and gone! I spent this whole day making snowy day cookies! TTYL
So when I arose this morning to fluffy crap coming down, I immediately got that cozy slippers, bake cookies feeling. So I did something I have only done once before in the last two years. I hauled out my heavy awkward kitchen aid.
Having a shiny stainless steel, or bright red, or sickly pink, or beachy turquoise, or sunny yellow, or fleshy salmon kitchen aid mixer...is a status symbol in any chef wannabe's kitchen. I lost a brilliant lipstick red one in our house fire in 2003 and didn't replace it until two years ago. It's kind of like insisting on having stainless steel appliances...yet we all know what a bitch it is to keep them mark free.
Now I did use it one time, back in Langford. My darling daughter Aryn came over, sausage making attachments in hand, and let me just say that after a lot of really rude hand gestures with really rude accompanying remarks, we made some pretty tasty lamb sausage.
But this was going to be the first time I have ever actually made anything in the bowl with the mixer paddle. I never had the chance to use the one I had back in the 03's. So I was kind of excited. I decided to use it instead of my cheapo superstore eight dollar hand held mixer this time because I was making heavy batter...oatmeal raisin cookies...double recipe. And seriously, if I just walked through the house once a day carrying that sucker I would probably lose fifty pounds by Christmas.
Well, it took me at least five minutes of dicking around to figure out how to get the top to go up and down. But guess what? It doesn't! I found a handle that lowers and raises the bowl, supposedly allowing you to remove the paddle and bowl when you are finished...which it does, but not without difficulty.
I lowered the bowl when the mixing was done and spun the paddle to get the dough off of it. But as you lower the paddle off the dowel it was attached to...it would sink back into the batter...defeating the cleaning spin you did. And there was no way to get the bowl out with the paddle attached. Stupid.
And, in the beginning I fluffy beat the butter and eggs and sugar...but, only the little bit in the middle. All up the side of the bowl and about two inches on the bottom, the butter and sugar refused to move and mix in. So I had to keep stopping the damned thing and rubber spatula it off the sides and bottom.
Then it was time to add the flour, a bit at a time. Well jeez! There is only about four inches between the lip of the bowl and the very immovable heavy body of the mixer. So I would tip the bowl holding the flour over but before it could pour out the bowl would hit the mixer and be stopped. So I used a big spoon to scoop and dump, getting fricking flour everywhere. What a dumb four hundred dollar set up! Next time my little eight dollar special from Superstore will probably be my first choice.
Then it came time to bake. Oh my God!!! Why me? Why not the neighbours? Talk about a cranky oven!!! The back cookies cook too much, the front pretty much right and
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| THE LEFT ONE IS WAY UNDER BAKED, THE RIGHT ONE IS PRETTY GOOD AND THE MIDDLE ONE.......WELL..YOU CAN SEE ITS BURNT |
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| MY MESSY COZY CORNER. ALICE, MY HOUSEKEEPER WOULD SHIT A BRICK IF SHE SAW IT LIKE THIS |
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| NOW THAT ALL MY HAIR IS DISAPPEARING I THINK I WILL BE CUTTING IT |
And now I just looked outside and the snow has melted and gone! I spent this whole day making snowy day cookies! TTYL
Friday, November 11, 2016
SHANNON
I just read Shannon's comment on my last post. I feel compelled to make a wee prediction.
When Spod was around I would now and then, during an interesting or serious event, either personal or worldly, I would stop and tell him I was making a Helen Prediction (sorry for using the first person there...I hate it when people refer to themselves in the first person). And I would like to make a Helen Prediction right now about Trump.
I think a lot of his rhetoric and pomposity and outrageous comments were just that...rhetoric, pomposity and shockers. I think that when he gets in there some common sense will take over and he will start to listen to the greater experience surrounding him in the White House. He really is truly inexperienced and will probably be open to advice on protocol to some extent and during this learning will cool his jets somewhat. At worst the Republicans will stranglehold him and at best he just might do some shaking up thats been needed for a long long time. Either way its going to be immensely interesting. And if he tries to do anything really outrageous the people will rise up. One of the things the Americans are pretty good at is going out and voicing their opinions!
Anyway, enough of that. Right now I am about to throw something violently out over the back deck as far as I can chuck it. And that would be my pvr. Yesterday I had Telus in and switched me over to fibre optics...no more shaw. And I know its good for the brain to learn whole new systems but I ain't so happy about that part. But all is going well, except that when I replay stuff I have recorded, it keeps freezing. Every couple of minutes the playback freezes for about 15 seconds then plays again. And every time it does that I want to kill something. Or rather I want to pitch the thing out into the nether nether land.
I phoned telus when I started to type this part of the post and now am on perma hold. sigh. Okay I just talked to the best guy from Telus. I went through the whole process of unplugging and plugging in and it looks like its fixed. Plus awesome guy gave me his name and personal direct line should I have any more trouble. Makes me feel a whole lot better I must say. So no flying machines at my place today.
You know you are getting old when: I got two fat packages in the mail yesterday from Rev Can. Mail from Rev Can is never ever good. So very trepidatiously I opened the first one up and then the second. They are the preparation papers from Old Age Pension and Canada Pension to receive my pension on my up coming year. Sixty Five. I am so happy. I never thought (and neither did my mom, she actually told me) I would get past thirty. So any year past that is a bonus. I have had exactly thirty four bonus years. And that makes me happy!
TTYL
When Spod was around I would now and then, during an interesting or serious event, either personal or worldly, I would stop and tell him I was making a Helen Prediction (sorry for using the first person there...I hate it when people refer to themselves in the first person). And I would like to make a Helen Prediction right now about Trump.
I think a lot of his rhetoric and pomposity and outrageous comments were just that...rhetoric, pomposity and shockers. I think that when he gets in there some common sense will take over and he will start to listen to the greater experience surrounding him in the White House. He really is truly inexperienced and will probably be open to advice on protocol to some extent and during this learning will cool his jets somewhat. At worst the Republicans will stranglehold him and at best he just might do some shaking up thats been needed for a long long time. Either way its going to be immensely interesting. And if he tries to do anything really outrageous the people will rise up. One of the things the Americans are pretty good at is going out and voicing their opinions!
Anyway, enough of that. Right now I am about to throw something violently out over the back deck as far as I can chuck it. And that would be my pvr. Yesterday I had Telus in and switched me over to fibre optics...no more shaw. And I know its good for the brain to learn whole new systems but I ain't so happy about that part. But all is going well, except that when I replay stuff I have recorded, it keeps freezing. Every couple of minutes the playback freezes for about 15 seconds then plays again. And every time it does that I want to kill something. Or rather I want to pitch the thing out into the nether nether land.
I phoned telus when I started to type this part of the post and now am on perma hold. sigh. Okay I just talked to the best guy from Telus. I went through the whole process of unplugging and plugging in and it looks like its fixed. Plus awesome guy gave me his name and personal direct line should I have any more trouble. Makes me feel a whole lot better I must say. So no flying machines at my place today.
You know you are getting old when: I got two fat packages in the mail yesterday from Rev Can. Mail from Rev Can is never ever good. So very trepidatiously I opened the first one up and then the second. They are the preparation papers from Old Age Pension and Canada Pension to receive my pension on my up coming year. Sixty Five. I am so happy. I never thought (and neither did my mom, she actually told me) I would get past thirty. So any year past that is a bonus. I have had exactly thirty four bonus years. And that makes me happy!
TTYL
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
SO MUCH HAPPENING
Geez I miss Spod. Maybe not in the way you might think though. When I look back I physically took care of most things, shopping, cooking, cleaning, phone calls, bill paying, decisions etc... but it was all shared mentally with him. Just having him in on the know just made me feel better. I miss that.
I am sure everyone is sick and tired of all the mellydram going on south of the border. So all I am going to say is how shocked I am that so many Americans are okay with a misogynistic, anti abortion, minority hater etc.....classless redneck for a president. Especially on the heels of the most gracious sophisticated president they have ever had. Puzzling and troubling. And I just have to say that personally I do not know one Canadian that was pulling for Trump. Not One!
A little follow up on the teen that was killed in our neighbourhood....they seem to have caught the guy. He was driving a jeep identical to mine. And if his jeep drives the way my critter does...its possible it WAS an accident and he just didn't stop. At least there will be some closure for that poor family.
I am having a tussle with my housekeeper. She is a crusty, smoking, talky hard worker...but....we originally arranged for her to come Friday. This rarely happens. She calls on Tuesday and moves it up to Thursday or even Wednesday. The house has to be clean and no people home, so when the day she comes is never the same its really hard to plan stuff.
So yesterday I got the usual call and in her defence Friday is a holiday. She wanted to come this morning (Wed). Not possible. But when I told her she got pretty snippy! LOL!! So I ended up telling her not to come at all this week and to not plan on a Wed. ever. Its just too soon in the week, especially if she did manage to come on Friday the week before. Unfortunately for her she will be short 65 bucks this week.
I have spent an extraordinary amount of time on a completely frustrating endeavour the last few days. And that is trying to find a moving/delivery company to move my table down from Sun Peaks. I answered five ads from kijii and craigslist, I called all the movers I could find online. I have a feeling this is just an annoying move for them. Finally this morning I managed to get someone from Two Small Men with Big Hearts to answer their phone, on the tenth ring and clearly he had just fallen out of bed. But he gave me a 350 dollar quote (be still my heart) so I don't have much choice but to go ahead. So tomorrow early afternoon they will be arriving with the table and chairs, exactly when Telus will be here to install fibre optics into our house...we are switching!
Anywhooo lots of stuff has been going on, none of it too interesting to you folks. Kiwanis auction, esophageal spasms every morning now for and hour or two, Kathy and Kerry off to Cuba for a couple of weeks, planning my trip down to Vancouver Dec 6ish for Dandy Warhol concert etc...... Never a dull moment! TTYL
ps: I am sitting in my Purple Room gazing out over the city. A strange pearly white shimmer inched its way across the valley and upon reaching my wide open window I could see it was a soft glowing gentle rain. And it smells absolutely transcending....heavenly!
I am sure everyone is sick and tired of all the mellydram going on south of the border. So all I am going to say is how shocked I am that so many Americans are okay with a misogynistic, anti abortion, minority hater etc.....classless redneck for a president. Especially on the heels of the most gracious sophisticated president they have ever had. Puzzling and troubling. And I just have to say that personally I do not know one Canadian that was pulling for Trump. Not One!
A little follow up on the teen that was killed in our neighbourhood....they seem to have caught the guy. He was driving a jeep identical to mine. And if his jeep drives the way my critter does...its possible it WAS an accident and he just didn't stop. At least there will be some closure for that poor family.
I am having a tussle with my housekeeper. She is a crusty, smoking, talky hard worker...but....we originally arranged for her to come Friday. This rarely happens. She calls on Tuesday and moves it up to Thursday or even Wednesday. The house has to be clean and no people home, so when the day she comes is never the same its really hard to plan stuff.
So yesterday I got the usual call and in her defence Friday is a holiday. She wanted to come this morning (Wed). Not possible. But when I told her she got pretty snippy! LOL!! So I ended up telling her not to come at all this week and to not plan on a Wed. ever. Its just too soon in the week, especially if she did manage to come on Friday the week before. Unfortunately for her she will be short 65 bucks this week.
I have spent an extraordinary amount of time on a completely frustrating endeavour the last few days. And that is trying to find a moving/delivery company to move my table down from Sun Peaks. I answered five ads from kijii and craigslist, I called all the movers I could find online. I have a feeling this is just an annoying move for them. Finally this morning I managed to get someone from Two Small Men with Big Hearts to answer their phone, on the tenth ring and clearly he had just fallen out of bed. But he gave me a 350 dollar quote (be still my heart) so I don't have much choice but to go ahead. So tomorrow early afternoon they will be arriving with the table and chairs, exactly when Telus will be here to install fibre optics into our house...we are switching!
Anywhooo lots of stuff has been going on, none of it too interesting to you folks. Kiwanis auction, esophageal spasms every morning now for and hour or two, Kathy and Kerry off to Cuba for a couple of weeks, planning my trip down to Vancouver Dec 6ish for Dandy Warhol concert etc...... Never a dull moment! TTYL
ps: I am sitting in my Purple Room gazing out over the city. A strange pearly white shimmer inched its way across the valley and upon reaching my wide open window I could see it was a soft glowing gentle rain. And it smells absolutely transcending....heavenly!
Saturday, November 5, 2016
TOO AWFUL FOR WORDS
Monte and I were coming up Pacific Way last night. When we reached our intersection we saw a police vehicle blocking off the street....you could go no further. The same at our street when we got there...police all over the place.
Then a wee while later, on facebook, I saw the news article...a 16 year old girl was killed on Pacific. Hit and run. The police were scouring the neighbourhood for the vehicle that hit her and left her lying on the road, dead.
Today I saw her picture and she is a close neighbour. I have seen her and met her...due to Molly. I have met a few kids that way but her I remember. She was the kind of girl you pursued to be your default babysitter. And she has a family, now an extremely heartbroken family. Today is her 17th birthday.
Tonight I took Molly out for a pee and the street was completely packed with cars, cars everywhere. And at our mailboxes across the street from our house were hundreds of people, holding a candlelight vigil. They were gathering there and then walking to the spot where she was killed. That was a whole lot of incredibly sad people. I think the entire neighbourhood turned out and a lot of her school mates as well.
I am hoping for the sake of the family that whoever did this comes forward. There will be no closure until they do. So sad. TTYL
Then a wee while later, on facebook, I saw the news article...a 16 year old girl was killed on Pacific. Hit and run. The police were scouring the neighbourhood for the vehicle that hit her and left her lying on the road, dead.
Today I saw her picture and she is a close neighbour. I have seen her and met her...due to Molly. I have met a few kids that way but her I remember. She was the kind of girl you pursued to be your default babysitter. And she has a family, now an extremely heartbroken family. Today is her 17th birthday.
Tonight I took Molly out for a pee and the street was completely packed with cars, cars everywhere. And at our mailboxes across the street from our house were hundreds of people, holding a candlelight vigil. They were gathering there and then walking to the spot where she was killed. That was a whole lot of incredibly sad people. I think the entire neighbourhood turned out and a lot of her school mates as well.
I am hoping for the sake of the family that whoever did this comes forward. There will be no closure until they do. So sad. TTYL
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
CALL ME A CURMUDGEON...GO AHEAD, CUZ I AM
I am a curmudgeon, at least when it comes to kids birthday parties. Birthday parties, whether they be your own kids or others, and exhaustion should not go hand in hand. It isn't fun. And kid's birthday parties should be fun for the family too, not just the birthday kid...in my opinion only of course.
I had two sets of kids, and neither set had birthday parties. At least not the kind that took over bowling allies or the local rec centre for skating or swimming or crazy 'for kids only' play restaurants with really bad food or rented bouncy castles complete with live clown and ponies or even MacD's for that matter. And their entire class would be invited, whether you liked half the kids or not. So anywhere from fifteen to thirty kids would descend on you. I noticed with the grandkids party that the loudest most uncontrolled kid's parents would drop them and run.
And the presents! Holy Hannah! This last party, for Fenton, he must have got five hundred bucks worth of gifts and worst of all? Half those kids didn't give actual wrapped presents, they gave him bought cards with money shoved into them. He ended up with eighty five dollars. Eighty five. Mind you Kevin did say that they had forgotten to put no presents on the invitation. But they did that with Elise's invitation and she still got a ton. Its funny how the public is so vocal about how commercial Christmas or Valentines etc...has become but you don't hear about the ridiculous over the top birthday parties thrown for little tykes.
Much to my poor deprived children's chagrin (actually they didn't care) their birthdays were a lot simpler. It involved a family dinner with them at the head of the table, their fave meal...no matter what they asked for they got it (Monte's friend always wanted chicken pot pie!) fun presents from all of us and their best friend or two were invited. That was it. And a promise that on their tenth birthday they could invite the world, pick any place they wanted (except Disney land) and we would have a bash. And they didn't do that. They just wanted the usual.
The other thing I did was limit severely the number of birthday parties they could attend. Basically at the beginning of the year they got to choose six kids and if those kids had a birthday party they could go. Six. That was it. Poor Elise attended three just this weekend. It was exhausting.
And Fenton's party was crazy...a good confirmation for me that I did the right thing...for me anyway. Holy Crap!! There were about twenty kids...mostly nine year old boys. They were freaking deafening! Kevin had put out chips, pretzels, juice boxes, water and cake. We did the cake first before the skating. Yes, we were at a rec centre and all the kids brought their skates and helmets etc. Tandy had brought an enormous container of lego so they played with that at first. And like I said, the wildest kids didn't have parental supervision, we did that part and boy! was it necessary. The place was a disaster after it was over. Cake, juice boxes (half empty) lego, cake plates, chips....everywhere. And ringing ears. I'm not sure if Fenton had fun or not...he was pretty frantic the whole time.
Anyway, thats just my opinion. Actually its Kevin's too. When I was a kid we sure didn't have parties like this and I tended to continue the home family dinner tradition with mine. There are so many very special ways to make your kid feel fantastic on his/her birthday without spending a fortune in money and energy and pony rides. My apologies to those that buy the moon for their kid's birthdays...my hats off to you doing all that work. I am just too lazy for that! TTYL
I had two sets of kids, and neither set had birthday parties. At least not the kind that took over bowling allies or the local rec centre for skating or swimming or crazy 'for kids only' play restaurants with really bad food or rented bouncy castles complete with live clown and ponies or even MacD's for that matter. And their entire class would be invited, whether you liked half the kids or not. So anywhere from fifteen to thirty kids would descend on you. I noticed with the grandkids party that the loudest most uncontrolled kid's parents would drop them and run.
And the presents! Holy Hannah! This last party, for Fenton, he must have got five hundred bucks worth of gifts and worst of all? Half those kids didn't give actual wrapped presents, they gave him bought cards with money shoved into them. He ended up with eighty five dollars. Eighty five. Mind you Kevin did say that they had forgotten to put no presents on the invitation. But they did that with Elise's invitation and she still got a ton. Its funny how the public is so vocal about how commercial Christmas or Valentines etc...has become but you don't hear about the ridiculous over the top birthday parties thrown for little tykes.
Much to my poor deprived children's chagrin (actually they didn't care) their birthdays were a lot simpler. It involved a family dinner with them at the head of the table, their fave meal...no matter what they asked for they got it (Monte's friend always wanted chicken pot pie!) fun presents from all of us and their best friend or two were invited. That was it. And a promise that on their tenth birthday they could invite the world, pick any place they wanted (except Disney land) and we would have a bash. And they didn't do that. They just wanted the usual.
The other thing I did was limit severely the number of birthday parties they could attend. Basically at the beginning of the year they got to choose six kids and if those kids had a birthday party they could go. Six. That was it. Poor Elise attended three just this weekend. It was exhausting.
And Fenton's party was crazy...a good confirmation for me that I did the right thing...for me anyway. Holy Crap!! There were about twenty kids...mostly nine year old boys. They were freaking deafening! Kevin had put out chips, pretzels, juice boxes, water and cake. We did the cake first before the skating. Yes, we were at a rec centre and all the kids brought their skates and helmets etc. Tandy had brought an enormous container of lego so they played with that at first. And like I said, the wildest kids didn't have parental supervision, we did that part and boy! was it necessary. The place was a disaster after it was over. Cake, juice boxes (half empty) lego, cake plates, chips....everywhere. And ringing ears. I'm not sure if Fenton had fun or not...he was pretty frantic the whole time.
Anyway, thats just my opinion. Actually its Kevin's too. When I was a kid we sure didn't have parties like this and I tended to continue the home family dinner tradition with mine. There are so many very special ways to make your kid feel fantastic on his/her birthday without spending a fortune in money and energy and pony rides. My apologies to those that buy the moon for their kid's birthdays...my hats off to you doing all that work. I am just too lazy for that! TTYL
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| THE LEGO TABLE |
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| SETTING UP THE FOOD |
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| RUNNING AROUND WITH LEGO |
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| SOME OF THE CROWD WAS QUIET |
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| BIRTHDAY CAKE TIME |
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| NO GIRLFRIENDS |
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| THIS ONE HAD A BROKEN ARM AND COULDN'T SKATE |
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| PRESENTS PRESENTS PRESENTS...THE BEST PART OF THE PARTY HE SAID! |
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