Its amazing. I have a really dull and boring life yet I forget to post on here. Mind you I don't really want to bore you to oblivion either. Which is worse...nothing or boring? So its been seven days since I last posted. Seven days. You would think something of note would have happened in that time. Something even a tiny smidge interesting but right now not much is coming to mind.
I could tell you about entering about 100 items into a computer program for the Kiwanis Radio Auction. Took about six hours. The sad part of this is I actually enjoyed doing it. Data entry. Like who the hell enjoys data entry? No one, thats who. Except me. But then I was the one that spent 65 days lying flat on my back in a hospital, pregnant with Monte, and other than horribly missing April, I loved it. Sixty five days of laying there, not allowed to walk or anything. So I can see how data entry would be exciting. Sigh.
I could also tell you about making dinner for my sissy and her hubby. That I totally enjoyed, but it is boring. But I will tell you anyway. Prime rib roast, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and onions, delicious gravy and chard. It was a fun meal. They left for Pheonix this morning so it was nice to have a meal together before they went.
And I could also tell you about going, with Kathy, to a Kiwanis supported program for moms and babies. There was an amazing delicious breakfast served and tons of people there. I ran into Amy, my real estate person, and it was nice to catch up with her. Actually I have to say I was totally impressed with the whole event. The help goes to teen moms still in school and they get to keep their babies with them...plus so much more.
Anne dropped in one day and we ended up going across the bridge to Tranquille road to a Chinese restaurant that I haven't been to since I was a teenager on a date. They have a buffet lunch Anne wanted to take me to. Now I wouldn't even be mentioning this except whilst I was cruising the jello section, deciding between orange and lime green 'fun', a lady about my age was there too. Her table was right behind Anne and I had caught her eye a couple of times.
She was a large but short woman with hair the same colour as mine, pulled back in a loose low pony tail. She had a very tanned handsome face. I made an inane remark about the necessity of jello at an Asian buffet, and it was like turning on a light bulb.
Her first comment was, "I noticed you tucked your cell phone into your bra. I just want to mention that I have a friend who actually got breast cancer right in the same spot...she always put her phone there too." So I removed my phone and put it in my back pocket...pronto, even though I am not convinced of the cancer thing.
Then for the next half hour she talked our legs off. She even outtalked Anne and I didn't think that was possible. She was a biker. She had just done a giant circle...over to Dartmouth Nova Scotia, down to Tennessee then over to the west coast and up to home. No wonder she was brown. Sorry...another boring unimportant story...but now I hauled out one of my never used purses and am packing it around just for my stupid phone.
None of that story though is the interesting part. The interesting part is that I actually crossed the bridge to the other side. I never ever go there. My field of go to itness is very small and it doesn't include 'the other side'. (shovel list)
Got up at five this morning to drive Kathy and Kerry to the airport. We had to take their car as no one, including myself can fit in Tank. I cannot, no matter how hard I try, get into the back seat, not past my rib cage. Thats my measuring stick. I will know when I have truly lost weight when I can crawl into the back of my jeep.
Well, thats not why I am mentioning this. Their car is a standard. I have not driven a standard since about 2005. I drove the diesel truck but that doesn't count. They are easy. They don't roll back. And we gave that truck away in 2008 and it was Bill that did most the driving. Anyway, its been yonks since I have driven standard.
So I was a little leary to say the least, its not my vehicle. I waited til they were inside the airport, I didn't want them to see me jerking my way out of the parking area. But the minute I got in, it was like I had driven a standard right up to that moment. Talk about muscle memory!!! I sailed home, not one jerk, not one stall and no roll backs. It was crazy!!
The only mistake I made was slamming the brake on in Tank....going for the clutch I had just been using. I only had to drive Tank two blocks and all the way I had to consciously not put the clutch in. Instant muscle memory!!!
So that about sums up my boring uneventful week. I shall go forth a little more this week and drum up some stories. I need to do some xmas shopping. (super huge shovel list). I love shopping on line. Love it!!! But to go into stores....not so much. I am not going to be here from Nov. 11th to Dec. 8th so I can't order stuff on line. Sigh! Maybe I will anyway and give my neighbour a key to put the parcels inside my place. I really do hate shopping in stores...for anything...clothes, food, stuff.
Thats it folks. Sorry about the boring post. TTYL
Monday, October 29, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGITY JIG!
It's always good to get home. I had a fantastic time at Kevin's. The kids are getting older, thus more fun. Less maintenance and more interaction at an older level. They aren't fighting with each other, they have opinions on things, they think of interesting stuff to discuss etc... I am def like my mom...I prefer them older. I did with my own kids too. Once the nitty gritty maintaining was less they became much more interesting...more peoplish.
The trip home was relaxing and beautiful. I absolutely love this time of year. The fall doesn't last very long so it is special. The smell in the air is different than any other time and the scenery is beyond stunning. Spring is fresh and lovely but it isn't all that different than summer. Fall is short and special, at least to me. And the trip home yesterday was amazing.
I stopped in Merritt at subway and bought a tuna sandwich. Then I drove to a nearby field, let Wrangler out and had my picnic. I shared my sammich with him as he ran around in happy circles and we enjoyed the sunshine and golden trees. Ha!!! sounds so poetically awesome but actually we were parked behind a Walmart! but it was perfect!
Now I am home for a bit...not sure for how long though. Monte is going to need some help setting up his place so a trip to Port Alberni is in the very near future, just not sure when. I do know that I need to be in Vancouver on the 11th of Nov. so will try to work all of that out soon. I will be back here in Kamloops on or around the eighth of Dec. then back down to Vancouver for Xmas.
Yesterday was my 66th birthday. Closer to 70 now than 60! Kathy invited me to her place for dinner so I left Kevin's around ten and mozied home. I headed up to her place after unloading the jeep and making some phone calls. We sat outside in the waning sunshine and had a pre dinner drink. And you will never guess what she did for my birthday.!!!!!!
She made me a a full on proper turkey dinner!!! Finally, my turkey dinner I have been whining about not getting. I am soooooo spoiled!!!! After all the whinging, I didn't really deserve it, but holy Hannah was it ever delicious!! Her stuffing and yams were to die for!!!! Plus all the rest of the good stuff...like green beans...only my fave vegetable! And then awesome chocolate birthday cake and ice cream. And after they finished singing happy birthday, Stirling sang out 'Happy Birthday' in his little voice a few times...was totally special.
Kathy gave me the most perfect gift, exactly what I would have asked for if I had thought of it. She gave me a jar, representing a years worth, of pickled beets (so delicious), a bag of smaller bagged cheezees, you know, the Hawkins kind. I absolutely love them. They are what I ate when I was quitting smoking. They are a significant item in my life!!! And a box of McD's Keurig coffee pods, the only coffee I drink at home and she remembered I was out of them! Mmmmmmm....and I am sipping one right now as we speak. The perfect gift!!! What a lovely evening!
And I have to mention another very significant thing. She gave me a very beautiful birthday card. It was a beautifully hand made card using a photograph of a flower being held by a hand. That flower, that hand, that photo and that card were made by Mom. It was Kathy's last card mom made and she gave it to me. That is so so special.
Then we went downstairs and watched a couple of hours of stand up comedy shows and laughed til I got Charlie horses in my rib cage. A great birthday!!!! Now I need to put away a ton of stuff and get some laundry done and clean out my freezer, get it ready for the lamb I bought and will be arriving sometime or other. Glad to be home! TTYL
The trip home was relaxing and beautiful. I absolutely love this time of year. The fall doesn't last very long so it is special. The smell in the air is different than any other time and the scenery is beyond stunning. Spring is fresh and lovely but it isn't all that different than summer. Fall is short and special, at least to me. And the trip home yesterday was amazing.
I stopped in Merritt at subway and bought a tuna sandwich. Then I drove to a nearby field, let Wrangler out and had my picnic. I shared my sammich with him as he ran around in happy circles and we enjoyed the sunshine and golden trees. Ha!!! sounds so poetically awesome but actually we were parked behind a Walmart! but it was perfect!
Now I am home for a bit...not sure for how long though. Monte is going to need some help setting up his place so a trip to Port Alberni is in the very near future, just not sure when. I do know that I need to be in Vancouver on the 11th of Nov. so will try to work all of that out soon. I will be back here in Kamloops on or around the eighth of Dec. then back down to Vancouver for Xmas.
Yesterday was my 66th birthday. Closer to 70 now than 60! Kathy invited me to her place for dinner so I left Kevin's around ten and mozied home. I headed up to her place after unloading the jeep and making some phone calls. We sat outside in the waning sunshine and had a pre dinner drink. And you will never guess what she did for my birthday.!!!!!!
She made me a a full on proper turkey dinner!!! Finally, my turkey dinner I have been whining about not getting. I am soooooo spoiled!!!! After all the whinging, I didn't really deserve it, but holy Hannah was it ever delicious!! Her stuffing and yams were to die for!!!! Plus all the rest of the good stuff...like green beans...only my fave vegetable! And then awesome chocolate birthday cake and ice cream. And after they finished singing happy birthday, Stirling sang out 'Happy Birthday' in his little voice a few times...was totally special.
Kathy gave me the most perfect gift, exactly what I would have asked for if I had thought of it. She gave me a jar, representing a years worth, of pickled beets (so delicious), a bag of smaller bagged cheezees, you know, the Hawkins kind. I absolutely love them. They are what I ate when I was quitting smoking. They are a significant item in my life!!! And a box of McD's Keurig coffee pods, the only coffee I drink at home and she remembered I was out of them! Mmmmmmm....and I am sipping one right now as we speak. The perfect gift!!! What a lovely evening!
And I have to mention another very significant thing. She gave me a very beautiful birthday card. It was a beautifully hand made card using a photograph of a flower being held by a hand. That flower, that hand, that photo and that card were made by Mom. It was Kathy's last card mom made and she gave it to me. That is so so special.
Then we went downstairs and watched a couple of hours of stand up comedy shows and laughed til I got Charlie horses in my rib cage. A great birthday!!!! Now I need to put away a ton of stuff and get some laundry done and clean out my freezer, get it ready for the lamb I bought and will be arriving sometime or other. Glad to be home! TTYL
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
PACKITY PACK COOKITY COOK
YAY!!!!!!! Its that time of the year again. Retreat time!!! I think, by the sounds of it, a few of us are really needing a happy, no holds barred weekend. There is nothing as healing as a week end of food, drink, laughter and friends.
Well now the weekend is past and fun was truly had by all. This year was a wee bit smaller than other times...eleven people. But it was lovely.
The food, as usual, was plentiful and delicious. The games were crazy and fun, and Sue brought her guitar and we sat around Saturday night and sang our hearts out. It was awesome.
On Sunday everybody except Cookie and I left. And she and I stayed an extra two hours and had a wonderful visit. We don't see each other nearly often enough.
Kathy told me about a different route to take to Penticton. It cuts through past Osprey Lake. Well let me tell ya, the last 46 kilometres were crazy bad. The road was a cross between the Bamfield road at its worst and the Banana Bread Trail in Maui. But I loved it! Took one and a half hours to get to Summerland, should have been half hour to forty minutes. But the scenery was amazing and when you are going that slow you see everything. One thing struck me funny...The reservoir lake is there along with a dam. And the name of that lake is Thurst! Hahaha!!!
On the way to Princeton before the retreat, I got one hell of a surprise. My phone rang (bluetooth), not a number I recognized. And it was Monte!!! "Hi Mom, this is Monte." I was shocked. I haven't talked to him since last January. Unfortunately the cell cut out before we got to say much. But I have talked to him quite a bit since then. It was so incredible to hear his voice again.
I am now ensconced at Kevin's. I love it here. Its such a homey little house and I am enjoying them so much. Fenton is turning eleven at the end of this month and Elise just turned eight. And they are such nice little kids. Kevin and Tandy are the best parents. And of course I get to do some cooking for them. Mind you one doesn't eat chicken, one doesn't eat fish, one is completely vegan and the other mostly vegetarian. So its kind of fun planning out the meals. Tonight I made sweet and sour tofu with rice and salad. Tomorrow night its meatballs and spaghetti and salad. Friday night we are having a birthday party for Elise, Fenton, Tandy and myself.
I shall be heading home Sunday morning. Kathy has asked me up for dinner for my birthday. And next week is still up in the air. I need to be in Vancouver on the 11th of November to look after Aryn's critters til the seventh of Dec. I think I would like to go to Nanaimo to see Monte before I go to Vancouver. Busy times ahead. I have pics to post next post. Some are pretty crazy and some are pretty! TTYL
Well now the weekend is past and fun was truly had by all. This year was a wee bit smaller than other times...eleven people. But it was lovely.
The food, as usual, was plentiful and delicious. The games were crazy and fun, and Sue brought her guitar and we sat around Saturday night and sang our hearts out. It was awesome.
On Sunday everybody except Cookie and I left. And she and I stayed an extra two hours and had a wonderful visit. We don't see each other nearly often enough.
Kathy told me about a different route to take to Penticton. It cuts through past Osprey Lake. Well let me tell ya, the last 46 kilometres were crazy bad. The road was a cross between the Bamfield road at its worst and the Banana Bread Trail in Maui. But I loved it! Took one and a half hours to get to Summerland, should have been half hour to forty minutes. But the scenery was amazing and when you are going that slow you see everything. One thing struck me funny...The reservoir lake is there along with a dam. And the name of that lake is Thurst! Hahaha!!!
On the way to Princeton before the retreat, I got one hell of a surprise. My phone rang (bluetooth), not a number I recognized. And it was Monte!!! "Hi Mom, this is Monte." I was shocked. I haven't talked to him since last January. Unfortunately the cell cut out before we got to say much. But I have talked to him quite a bit since then. It was so incredible to hear his voice again.
I am now ensconced at Kevin's. I love it here. Its such a homey little house and I am enjoying them so much. Fenton is turning eleven at the end of this month and Elise just turned eight. And they are such nice little kids. Kevin and Tandy are the best parents. And of course I get to do some cooking for them. Mind you one doesn't eat chicken, one doesn't eat fish, one is completely vegan and the other mostly vegetarian. So its kind of fun planning out the meals. Tonight I made sweet and sour tofu with rice and salad. Tomorrow night its meatballs and spaghetti and salad. Friday night we are having a birthday party for Elise, Fenton, Tandy and myself.
I shall be heading home Sunday morning. Kathy has asked me up for dinner for my birthday. And next week is still up in the air. I need to be in Vancouver on the 11th of November to look after Aryn's critters til the seventh of Dec. I think I would like to go to Nanaimo to see Monte before I go to Vancouver. Busy times ahead. I have pics to post next post. Some are pretty crazy and some are pretty! TTYL
Monday, October 8, 2018
THE CHASE FOR A TURKEY DINNER
Thanksgiving, Xmas....the two times you can pretty much count on a turkey dinner. I actually know people that 'know people' that have to have two or three turkey dinners due to extra relatives. I consider them super lucky...its honestly my fave meal. I LOVE turkey dinner. But now that I am on my own I have to depend on others to help me make it happen.
Its a tradition more than a meal. I remember in many days gone by, when I was young, my mother getting up basically in the middle of the night to stuff a monstrous bird and getting it into the oven. By the time we got up in the morning that amazing turkey odour would permeate every room of the house.
I also remember one year more recently the power went off! My dad took that turkey outside to the chopping block and hacked it to pieces! Then they stoked up a big fire in the fireplace and we cooked the turkey pieces in it! I mean its Thanksgiving!!! Gotta have that turkey!!!
But back to those good old days, my mom, expecting our aunt and her family for dinner around four in the afternoon, would start preparing the living room. Upstairs from the basement would come the ping pong table and at the end a small card table would be set up. The tables would completely fill the living room. She would set the table with the 'good' dishes...the ones that had brown specks all over them like someone had sneezed whilst eating a bran muffin. We would have napkins and if we were super really lucky there would be pull crackers.
Soon everyone would arrive and we would squish around the tables, the little ones at the card table, and Dad and Uncle Lowell would be making funny teasing jokes. We were all sober as we belonged to a religion that didn't allow drinking...thank god. It was just good clean fun and delicious food. And I, being very young, had no idea that to successfully produce this awesome traditional event was insane huge work executed by our mother and aunt.
Okay I am about to throw my awesome sister and her kin under the bus. Hopefully in the spirit of thanksgiving they will forgive me!
So Kathy, Jo and Craig and I were out for lunch the other day and I heard the dreaded words. No turkey this year (second time in two years). Neither Kathy nor Craig like turkey. My heart kind of stopped a little and my ears perked up. Keep in mind this is absolutely NOT my dinner show and I have no right to object or even voice an opinion.
Jocelyn suddenly remembered something. "We still have that coupon for a taco party for 22!" Taco party for 22. Oh jeez. Now don't get me wrong I love tacos and I love no work so there was sure an upside to this, but, the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry, the turkey smell, the back ache at the end of the day, the the the.....
So Saturday we all gathered at Craig and Jo's and had tacos for thanksgiving. The best part of the whole day though was the gathering. The kids were running around and so wonderful, the games we played, the pumpkin pie we sat at the table and shared, the conversations, the rellies we don't see too often, all that happened traditionally and the tacos didn't matter until the next day.
I arose fairly early and realized I had a huge hankering for a turkey dinner. I love turkey dinners. So when the kids got up, (did I mention Myles and April were here?) I suggested that we go out that night for a turkey dinner. They were totally happy with that. And we invited Kathy and Kerry to join us to make it really homey and thanksgivingy. I was excited!!!
We were invited to Kathys first for before dinner drinks. I had planned that we would go to Swiss Chalet. Bill and I used to get awesome turkey dinners there at holiday times.
Well, sipping a delicious Caesar, Kerry suggested I call Swiss Chalet ahead to make sure they were open, serving Turkey dinner and had room. And so I did and guess what? They were NOT serving turkey dinner. Ahhhhhhh!!!! So White Spot was suggested, they always have turkey dinner. "I don't like White Spot" whined April. Okay no White Spot. Well how about Harolds...they make amazing food. So I phone them and yes they serve turkey dinner, but not until tomorrow. Well then how about Denny's I suggest. I like Denny's. A resounding NO from pretty much everybody. Bunch of snobs!!!
Then someone suggested Scotts Inn and restaurant. I phone them. No answer, until it went back to the reception at the inn, not the restaurant. Yes they had turkey he thinks and the restaurant is super busy but call back in fifteen minutes to talk to the restaurant. So we call back and the same thing happened and the guy "thinks" there is turkey and room for us. Tells us to call back. The last call I thought I was talking to the right guy, but I guess I wasn't and everybody is yelling at me to tell the guy something (it was on speaker) and I got mad and they got mad and fuckadoodle what a gong show!!!!! Finally Myles phoned to find out exactly what I had found out. So we ended up back at White Spot. Okay April finally agrees.
Then as we were discussing driving arrangements etc... (keep in mind all this chit chat about locations and ridiculous phone calls took about a frigging hour) we discovered it had started to rain. And then one of them says, 'well I hope you don't mind but I will be ordering something other than turkey". Me too, me too, me too the others chimed in. What???? I am the only one trying to find a turkey dinner?
So we stayed home and ordered Chinese food.
Today after the kids left I went out and got a hungry man tv turkey dinner. I said I wasn't a snob...Denny's , TV dinners...I don't care, turkey is turkey and it was delicious!!! I am happy! TTYL
TTYL
Its a tradition more than a meal. I remember in many days gone by, when I was young, my mother getting up basically in the middle of the night to stuff a monstrous bird and getting it into the oven. By the time we got up in the morning that amazing turkey odour would permeate every room of the house.
I also remember one year more recently the power went off! My dad took that turkey outside to the chopping block and hacked it to pieces! Then they stoked up a big fire in the fireplace and we cooked the turkey pieces in it! I mean its Thanksgiving!!! Gotta have that turkey!!!
But back to those good old days, my mom, expecting our aunt and her family for dinner around four in the afternoon, would start preparing the living room. Upstairs from the basement would come the ping pong table and at the end a small card table would be set up. The tables would completely fill the living room. She would set the table with the 'good' dishes...the ones that had brown specks all over them like someone had sneezed whilst eating a bran muffin. We would have napkins and if we were super really lucky there would be pull crackers.
Soon everyone would arrive and we would squish around the tables, the little ones at the card table, and Dad and Uncle Lowell would be making funny teasing jokes. We were all sober as we belonged to a religion that didn't allow drinking...thank god. It was just good clean fun and delicious food. And I, being very young, had no idea that to successfully produce this awesome traditional event was insane huge work executed by our mother and aunt.
Okay I am about to throw my awesome sister and her kin under the bus. Hopefully in the spirit of thanksgiving they will forgive me!
So Kathy, Jo and Craig and I were out for lunch the other day and I heard the dreaded words. No turkey this year (second time in two years). Neither Kathy nor Craig like turkey. My heart kind of stopped a little and my ears perked up. Keep in mind this is absolutely NOT my dinner show and I have no right to object or even voice an opinion.
Jocelyn suddenly remembered something. "We still have that coupon for a taco party for 22!" Taco party for 22. Oh jeez. Now don't get me wrong I love tacos and I love no work so there was sure an upside to this, but, the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry, the turkey smell, the back ache at the end of the day, the the the.....
So Saturday we all gathered at Craig and Jo's and had tacos for thanksgiving. The best part of the whole day though was the gathering. The kids were running around and so wonderful, the games we played, the pumpkin pie we sat at the table and shared, the conversations, the rellies we don't see too often, all that happened traditionally and the tacos didn't matter until the next day.
I arose fairly early and realized I had a huge hankering for a turkey dinner. I love turkey dinners. So when the kids got up, (did I mention Myles and April were here?) I suggested that we go out that night for a turkey dinner. They were totally happy with that. And we invited Kathy and Kerry to join us to make it really homey and thanksgivingy. I was excited!!!
We were invited to Kathys first for before dinner drinks. I had planned that we would go to Swiss Chalet. Bill and I used to get awesome turkey dinners there at holiday times.
Well, sipping a delicious Caesar, Kerry suggested I call Swiss Chalet ahead to make sure they were open, serving Turkey dinner and had room. And so I did and guess what? They were NOT serving turkey dinner. Ahhhhhhh!!!! So White Spot was suggested, they always have turkey dinner. "I don't like White Spot" whined April. Okay no White Spot. Well how about Harolds...they make amazing food. So I phone them and yes they serve turkey dinner, but not until tomorrow. Well then how about Denny's I suggest. I like Denny's. A resounding NO from pretty much everybody. Bunch of snobs!!!
Then someone suggested Scotts Inn and restaurant. I phone them. No answer, until it went back to the reception at the inn, not the restaurant. Yes they had turkey he thinks and the restaurant is super busy but call back in fifteen minutes to talk to the restaurant. So we call back and the same thing happened and the guy "thinks" there is turkey and room for us. Tells us to call back. The last call I thought I was talking to the right guy, but I guess I wasn't and everybody is yelling at me to tell the guy something (it was on speaker) and I got mad and they got mad and fuckadoodle what a gong show!!!!! Finally Myles phoned to find out exactly what I had found out. So we ended up back at White Spot. Okay April finally agrees.
Then as we were discussing driving arrangements etc... (keep in mind all this chit chat about locations and ridiculous phone calls took about a frigging hour) we discovered it had started to rain. And then one of them says, 'well I hope you don't mind but I will be ordering something other than turkey". Me too, me too, me too the others chimed in. What???? I am the only one trying to find a turkey dinner?
So we stayed home and ordered Chinese food.
Today after the kids left I went out and got a hungry man tv turkey dinner. I said I wasn't a snob...Denny's , TV dinners...I don't care, turkey is turkey and it was delicious!!! I am happy! TTYL
TTYL
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