It's amazing how a community is formed in a hospital waiting room. Whilst waiting for my turn on the table, I met a couple from McLure, and at least three other ladies, all going for cataract surgery like me. I felt so much more at ease than I expected, so by the time I was in the operating room, I was almost relaxed. It also helped that the operation itself was only about 20 minutes including prep time etc....
I arrived at 7:30 am and hit the table at about 10 am and was out of the hospital by about 10:45.
Now it's all about drops, drops and more drops....a follow up appointment tomorrow morning at 8:30 am and then taking things a bit easier for a couple of weeks.
Nurses, doctors, fellow patients....all were very nice and made the experience so much easier than it could have been. That general feeling of camaraderie was prevelant throughout...maybe that's because of Kamloops' "small town" feeling.....something that is noticeable despite it's increasing size.
One down.....one to go at some point in the future.....distant future one hopes!!
Slainte!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Creatively speaking......
I was rolling pastry for apple pies this morning (the best I've ever done I might add!!) and one tends to let the thoughts wander upon occasions such as this. So ...mine did. I was thinking about blogs, mine in particular and trying to get a feeling for what to write about.
My description of it is a search for creativity.....a journey to find what creatively I want to do....a constant problem with me it seems. My workshop is filled with a multitude of artwork, some of mine and some of members of my family (aunts and grandmother). I have a cupboard, shelves and drawers full of supplies...paint, clay, accessories, material, wool, etc etc.. .....which says to me that there are so many directions to go in. How does one choose...or does one combine them all in various and sundry combinations and see what emerges.....it's a quandary. I do admit that when I finally got down there to spend time puttering, it was glorious and I could have stayed down there much longer. The "little grey cells" started working again and ideas started rising to the surface.
The other side of my "creative personality" is writing.....I love writing when I can get my thoughts in order (not always happening!!). My mind is very fertile and if I could write everything down that goes through my head, it would fill pages I'm sure. I know when I am in a "sleepless in Kamloops" mode, the thoughts and stories that go through my head are amazing and I know I should try to get them down on paper or at least into the computer. I also journal a lot....on the computer ....in a number of books.....I would like to get them all centralized...a project for the future I expect. The late Frank McCourt said something to his creative writing class that stuck with me....it was that if one wants to write, then write….about anything and everything, just keep writing and writing and eventually you will find a pattern to what you are doing and will see the direction in which you are to go....at least that's the way I perceived what he wrote and it makes sense.
Of course there is always the music side of things, but that has a time line. One can only keep up the standard required for so long, then it's time to pass the torch onto someone else. I haven't reached that point yet.....but I hope I will know when it comes. Each year it gets more challenging to keep up the practice and energy required for each concert. However, I do so love playing in the orchestra....it gives me the opportunity to take part in the classical music that has been in my soul from day 1. The way my heart fills and expands when a certain phrase of music is played, it's positively amazing......I have been brought to tears whilst playing a performance...much to my consternation.....Sometimes when I'm listening to my CD's I just stand up, raise my arms and should "Yes...oh yes!!!" I move to music...any music...but classical hits my core.....and some parts of opera are breathstopping for me. So when the playing stops the listening will continue to the end of my days....
So....all in all my creative juices are still flowing, albeit somewhat erratically. I do believe I will ultimately find a direction to go in....and I need to take some time and write down a list of directions and projects and then sift through them and think about which is reality and which is fantasy. I also think that the way I approach the whole aspect of creativity needs looking into as well. Do I do it for myself, for money, for other people? I tend to think that doing it for myself is the primary goal....and if the rest come after that's ok. It's me that has to be satisfied and fulfilled before I can think any further. After all, if I'm not enjoying the process and the results of my labour....who else will?
Slainte!!
My description of it is a search for creativity.....a journey to find what creatively I want to do....a constant problem with me it seems. My workshop is filled with a multitude of artwork, some of mine and some of members of my family (aunts and grandmother). I have a cupboard, shelves and drawers full of supplies...paint, clay, accessories, material, wool, etc etc.. .....which says to me that there are so many directions to go in. How does one choose...or does one combine them all in various and sundry combinations and see what emerges.....it's a quandary. I do admit that when I finally got down there to spend time puttering, it was glorious and I could have stayed down there much longer. The "little grey cells" started working again and ideas started rising to the surface.
The other side of my "creative personality" is writing.....I love writing when I can get my thoughts in order (not always happening!!). My mind is very fertile and if I could write everything down that goes through my head, it would fill pages I'm sure. I know when I am in a "sleepless in Kamloops" mode, the thoughts and stories that go through my head are amazing and I know I should try to get them down on paper or at least into the computer. I also journal a lot....on the computer ....in a number of books.....I would like to get them all centralized...a project for the future I expect. The late Frank McCourt said something to his creative writing class that stuck with me....it was that if one wants to write, then write….about anything and everything, just keep writing and writing and eventually you will find a pattern to what you are doing and will see the direction in which you are to go....at least that's the way I perceived what he wrote and it makes sense.
Of course there is always the music side of things, but that has a time line. One can only keep up the standard required for so long, then it's time to pass the torch onto someone else. I haven't reached that point yet.....but I hope I will know when it comes. Each year it gets more challenging to keep up the practice and energy required for each concert. However, I do so love playing in the orchestra....it gives me the opportunity to take part in the classical music that has been in my soul from day 1. The way my heart fills and expands when a certain phrase of music is played, it's positively amazing......I have been brought to tears whilst playing a performance...much to my consternation.....Sometimes when I'm listening to my CD's I just stand up, raise my arms and should "Yes...oh yes!!!" I move to music...any music...but classical hits my core.....and some parts of opera are breathstopping for me. So when the playing stops the listening will continue to the end of my days....
So....all in all my creative juices are still flowing, albeit somewhat erratically. I do believe I will ultimately find a direction to go in....and I need to take some time and write down a list of directions and projects and then sift through them and think about which is reality and which is fantasy. I also think that the way I approach the whole aspect of creativity needs looking into as well. Do I do it for myself, for money, for other people? I tend to think that doing it for myself is the primary goal....and if the rest come after that's ok. It's me that has to be satisfied and fulfilled before I can think any further. After all, if I'm not enjoying the process and the results of my labour....who else will?
Slainte!!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
random thoughts.....what????
In my purse I keep blank index cards or sometimes a small diary to note down things that strike me or twig my interest where ever I may be. Today I was cleaning out my purse (a mammoth task to be sure) and I came across this list and have absolutely no idea what I was thinking.....
Screaming kids
Conversations
Tight jeans
Sameness in wear
Buggy rolling
It occurs to me that I may have been feeling rather stressed and was noting down things that irritated me. I mean
...how loud were the screaming kids,why were they screaming, were the parents trying to calm them or just letting them have at it.....
..... what kind of conversations were being had and were they loud and obnoxious conversations or flighty and full of giggles..... or on the other hand..was someone attempting to converse with me?
Tight jeans is interesting....was I leering at a cute behind on a male (hardly likely!), or "tut-tutting" about how young people dress today...or maybe cheering for an older woman with a good physique who didn't mind showing it off!! (That's a stretch!!)
The sameness in wear is no doubt about young people I was observing, it's all about fitting in and what's fashionable....
.....and as for buggy rolling....stroller, baby buggy, grocery buggy....the possibilities are endless....and was it rolling towards a car, my car perhaps....or maybe there was a baby in the rolling buggy....and maybe that baby was screaming....and so we end up back at the beginning...:-)
So...making a list to remind oneself of what is observed is a great idea....if you can make some indication of date and time and place....but then....this list became an idea for a blog post...so maybe it has ultimately served it's purpose as I think the original idea of jotting things down was to make topics to write about.....which it has!!
Slainte!!
Screaming kids
Conversations
Tight jeans
Sameness in wear
Buggy rolling
It occurs to me that I may have been feeling rather stressed and was noting down things that irritated me. I mean
...how loud were the screaming kids,why were they screaming, were the parents trying to calm them or just letting them have at it.....
..... what kind of conversations were being had and were they loud and obnoxious conversations or flighty and full of giggles..... or on the other hand..was someone attempting to converse with me?
Tight jeans is interesting....was I leering at a cute behind on a male (hardly likely!), or "tut-tutting" about how young people dress today...or maybe cheering for an older woman with a good physique who didn't mind showing it off!! (That's a stretch!!)
The sameness in wear is no doubt about young people I was observing, it's all about fitting in and what's fashionable....
.....and as for buggy rolling....stroller, baby buggy, grocery buggy....the possibilities are endless....and was it rolling towards a car, my car perhaps....or maybe there was a baby in the rolling buggy....and maybe that baby was screaming....and so we end up back at the beginning...:-)
So...making a list to remind oneself of what is observed is a great idea....if you can make some indication of date and time and place....but then....this list became an idea for a blog post...so maybe it has ultimately served it's purpose as I think the original idea of jotting things down was to make topics to write about.....which it has!!
Slainte!!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Inspiration...
Just another bit of inspiration from Real Simple.....one that really appeals to me...
“My own prescription for health is less paperwork and more running barefoot through the grass.” ―Leslie Grimutter
Slainte!!
“My own prescription for health is less paperwork and more running barefoot through the grass.” ―Leslie Grimutter
Slainte!!
Friday, June 26, 2009
After a break.....
On Tuesday of this week, we arrived home from a week long road trip through the Peace Country and visiting friends and family in Edmonton. It was interesting, eye-opening, relaxing, and in general a much needed break before summer.
I am, however, glad to be home again, mostly because of my garden and my cats......in that order!!
I still have basil to plant and there are weeds to pull and more seeds to plant, watering to do, the trimming of an "out of control" hops plant (although it does look kind of Mediterranean in style right now!!) and that's only the garden. The cats are healthy, but have been very demanding of attention since we got home....granted, they have had a few more weekends with us away than usual lately, so they are allowed.
DH wants to get going on wallpaper stripping which means I have to decide paint colours before too long....always a worriesome task....and then of course there is my workshop and studio to tackle.....
I also have been inspired (by the prolific collection of plants of my dear friend in Edmonton) to try to make my rather insipid collection of indoor greenery much more healthy and extensive...so we'll see how that goes!!
The good thing about all of this is that I really have nothing to get prepared for at this point...I can take my time and enjoy the process (hopefully) as summer (aside from visitors) is pretty much free.
So...here's to projects, visitors, wine on the patio, gardening (indoor and out) and pets (shedding and non-shedding)......
Slainte!!
I am, however, glad to be home again, mostly because of my garden and my cats......in that order!!
I still have basil to plant and there are weeds to pull and more seeds to plant, watering to do, the trimming of an "out of control" hops plant (although it does look kind of Mediterranean in style right now!!) and that's only the garden. The cats are healthy, but have been very demanding of attention since we got home....granted, they have had a few more weekends with us away than usual lately, so they are allowed.
DH wants to get going on wallpaper stripping which means I have to decide paint colours before too long....always a worriesome task....and then of course there is my workshop and studio to tackle.....
I also have been inspired (by the prolific collection of plants of my dear friend in Edmonton) to try to make my rather insipid collection of indoor greenery much more healthy and extensive...so we'll see how that goes!!
The good thing about all of this is that I really have nothing to get prepared for at this point...I can take my time and enjoy the process (hopefully) as summer (aside from visitors) is pretty much free.
So...here's to projects, visitors, wine on the patio, gardening (indoor and out) and pets (shedding and non-shedding)......
Slainte!!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Taking Stock....
We moved to Kamloops in December 2004.
At that time I was grossly overweight, suffering with fibromyalgia and arthritis (walking with a cane for the most part), high cholesterol and high blood pressure, stressed out and depressed and totally unsure of how this move was going to affect me.
Today is 4 1/2 years later. I am down fifty pounds and still losing slowly. My cholesterol and blood pressure is under control. I still suffer the effects of fibromyalgia, mostly the lack of sleep, but the pain managment is working without heavy meds. The arthritis is still progressing and will eventually lead to knee replacement, but it's manageable. The stress and depression still poke their heads up occasionally, but now I have various methods of dealing with them...no meds involved.
The reason all of this came to mind, was that I was in the garden this morning and when we were finished, DH looked around and said...".it's getting there"....and it occurred to me, that for the first time in many years, I have had a hand in "getting it there" Gardening, in fact any outdoor activity, has been absent from my days mainly because of the inability to "get around".
I now can bend easily, dig, pull weeds, plant seedlings and sit and repot seedlings.....in fact, I am slowly gaining back some of the joys of gardening that I experienced many years ago. I have found that my most productive times for anything is in the morning and late afternoon. I need the downtime after lunch to recoup energy....and so...it's all about realizing how my body works and how I can get the most out of my day. We have even been taking long walks on the river dike by the airport with the dog.....and I'm not afraid to use my two canes to take some of the weight off my knees. I'm also not afraid to say when I've had enough and I sit down on the bench and peruse the scenery whilst DH continues on with the dog.
Granted, I still have days filled with angst and depression and stress.....but I also have tools to deal with it, which I didn't have before. It never occurred to me to journal or pray, or even just cogitate to ease my troubled mind. Those are tools that I have begun to make use of to push back "the beast". The winter up here is not helpful if you are prone to less than happy thoughts. When it gets cold (and I mean cold) I'm motivated more to stay inside and hibernate....which can be a problem. I tend to read voraciously in the winter and explore my artistic side in my workshop....more tools.....although I have been known to indulge in some Harry Potter movies!!
I have to say that music....playing in the Kamloops Symphony and volunteering with that organization... has also been a bit of a saving grace for me. Music has always been one of my main avenues to go down in stressful times, and I've not only re-discovered and revelled in the challenges of an orchestral musician, but I have expanded my listening to include various and sundry classical CD's. I am also not adverse to other genres....I have been known to dance (albeit carefully!) between my studio and workshop with music blaring!!
Retirement has been a challenge for both DH and myself. When two people are together all the time there are a few things that become evident. Conversation tends to lapse.....it doesn't seem necessary. Sitting on the patio with a glass of Chardonnay engrossed in conversation with your spouse isn't reality....at least not for us. We're just as happy sitting with that aforementioned Chardonnay and a good book, exchanging humorous quotes and commenting about jobs to do in the garden. However I have learned that if there was something I definitely want to discuss, the time to do it is in the car....that way he's a captive audience and I'm not competing with a book for his attention. Routine is a huge factor, and one which I abhor. It sneaks up on you without you realizing it. I realize that some routine is necessary but it's not in my personality to do the same thing everyday at the same time....so the conflict is there and sometimes it gets quite funny. Occasionally I do things differently just to jump out of the rut...so to speak.
When we moved up here, we had to start the whole process of making new friends and acquaintances....as happens whenever you move. The move, because of our location (and a spare bedroom), has caused us (much to our delight!) to become a stopping point for friends going to and from Lower Mainland and of course our children (and spouses) also have spent time with us here. Both of my brothers are now in Kamloops, so family dinners are a regular occurrence.....and we have a good neighbourhood, with watchful and friendly neighbours (who DH sees on regular walks with dog).... and a few friends who I had thought disappeared have reappeared in my life and we are becoming reacquainted!! So the blend of old and new friends and family is working well.
I have no idea how long we will live here....I don't think we will spend the rest of our lives here....but for now....life in Kamloops is good, all things considered!!
Slainte!
At that time I was grossly overweight, suffering with fibromyalgia and arthritis (walking with a cane for the most part), high cholesterol and high blood pressure, stressed out and depressed and totally unsure of how this move was going to affect me.
Today is 4 1/2 years later. I am down fifty pounds and still losing slowly. My cholesterol and blood pressure is under control. I still suffer the effects of fibromyalgia, mostly the lack of sleep, but the pain managment is working without heavy meds. The arthritis is still progressing and will eventually lead to knee replacement, but it's manageable. The stress and depression still poke their heads up occasionally, but now I have various methods of dealing with them...no meds involved.
The reason all of this came to mind, was that I was in the garden this morning and when we were finished, DH looked around and said...".it's getting there"....and it occurred to me, that for the first time in many years, I have had a hand in "getting it there" Gardening, in fact any outdoor activity, has been absent from my days mainly because of the inability to "get around".
I now can bend easily, dig, pull weeds, plant seedlings and sit and repot seedlings.....in fact, I am slowly gaining back some of the joys of gardening that I experienced many years ago. I have found that my most productive times for anything is in the morning and late afternoon. I need the downtime after lunch to recoup energy....and so...it's all about realizing how my body works and how I can get the most out of my day. We have even been taking long walks on the river dike by the airport with the dog.....and I'm not afraid to use my two canes to take some of the weight off my knees. I'm also not afraid to say when I've had enough and I sit down on the bench and peruse the scenery whilst DH continues on with the dog.
Granted, I still have days filled with angst and depression and stress.....but I also have tools to deal with it, which I didn't have before. It never occurred to me to journal or pray, or even just cogitate to ease my troubled mind. Those are tools that I have begun to make use of to push back "the beast". The winter up here is not helpful if you are prone to less than happy thoughts. When it gets cold (and I mean cold) I'm motivated more to stay inside and hibernate....which can be a problem. I tend to read voraciously in the winter and explore my artistic side in my workshop....more tools.....although I have been known to indulge in some Harry Potter movies!!
I have to say that music....playing in the Kamloops Symphony and volunteering with that organization... has also been a bit of a saving grace for me. Music has always been one of my main avenues to go down in stressful times, and I've not only re-discovered and revelled in the challenges of an orchestral musician, but I have expanded my listening to include various and sundry classical CD's. I am also not adverse to other genres....I have been known to dance (albeit carefully!) between my studio and workshop with music blaring!!
Retirement has been a challenge for both DH and myself. When two people are together all the time there are a few things that become evident. Conversation tends to lapse.....it doesn't seem necessary. Sitting on the patio with a glass of Chardonnay engrossed in conversation with your spouse isn't reality....at least not for us. We're just as happy sitting with that aforementioned Chardonnay and a good book, exchanging humorous quotes and commenting about jobs to do in the garden. However I have learned that if there was something I definitely want to discuss, the time to do it is in the car....that way he's a captive audience and I'm not competing with a book for his attention. Routine is a huge factor, and one which I abhor. It sneaks up on you without you realizing it. I realize that some routine is necessary but it's not in my personality to do the same thing everyday at the same time....so the conflict is there and sometimes it gets quite funny. Occasionally I do things differently just to jump out of the rut...so to speak.
When we moved up here, we had to start the whole process of making new friends and acquaintances....as happens whenever you move. The move, because of our location (and a spare bedroom), has caused us (much to our delight!) to become a stopping point for friends going to and from Lower Mainland and of course our children (and spouses) also have spent time with us here. Both of my brothers are now in Kamloops, so family dinners are a regular occurrence.....and we have a good neighbourhood, with watchful and friendly neighbours (who DH sees on regular walks with dog).... and a few friends who I had thought disappeared have reappeared in my life and we are becoming reacquainted!! So the blend of old and new friends and family is working well.
I have no idea how long we will live here....I don't think we will spend the rest of our lives here....but for now....life in Kamloops is good, all things considered!!
Slainte!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Signs of Summer to come.....
I'm sitting on patio and thought that I would blog about signs I have noticed around that prove that summer is on it's way!! I'm doing this partially as a blog subject, but also because if I write it all down, I will feel somewhat more positive about life.
Slainte!!
- The market is up and running with some actual produce, albeit winter/root type produce, but produce nevertheless and it's locally grown....also it has many little new plants of veggies, herbs, flowers and there even is a lovely fellow who has all sorts of flowering bushes and oddities....I got some horseradish from him!! There is a lady selling huge tomatoes and English cucumbers and they are delicious.....she has a greenhouse in Barriere. There are also lamb, bison and beef producers and a interesting elderly Italian fellow who sells eggs. There are also fresh baked goods as well. So all in all....a good sign of things to come in that department.
- Our last concert is coming up next week....and after that we're through (for full orchestra concerts) until the fall. It will be an awesome concert with The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky, Prokofieff 2nd piano concerto and The Art of Declension by Jeffrey Ryan. With this type of program, I tell people, it's not the notes that are difficult, it's where you put the notes that's difficult. Lots of different rhythms, speeds, volumes, and all in all a real challenge (which I embrace with great enthusiasm!!)
- The perennial plants in our garden are starting to poke their heads through the ground and trying to make us guess if they have survivied the winter or not. I have a lavender plant that I thought had passed away, but when I looked this afternoon, I found small new buds all over it....I cheered!! I have a little leaf of hot and spicy oregano which is struggling to stay alive...we have protected it ....my lemon verbena did not survive so I have replaced it.... I have new basil starting in the basement to be transplanted when ready...especially the Stella basil, some which will go to it's namesake..:-)
- We are slowly starting to make the patio "summer ready". I put the bamboo screens up today, actually sat and read and relaxed on the patio....my hops is growing wildly over the latticework and heading with great vigour towards the top lattice work, where it will create a shade cover for one end of the patio. DH has refilled the propane tank and readying it for dinner tonite and now I have to figure out what to do with my artwork on the patio table that got destroyed by weather. Oh....and our elderly (though they don't look it!) cats are loving the sun on the patio and rolling around completely not acting their age. Once the sun started coming out they wanted to be outside to sniff out the various and sundry prey (that they never actually manage to snag!!)
- Of course a major sign of summer to come is blossoms....on the bushes, the trees, the strawberries, it's all beautiful!!
- The yearly migration stop of the white capped sparrows descending upon our garden to pick up stray seeds, finish off the feeders and suet. They swarm in, stay for a couple of weeks and then they are off to the northern climes for nesting!!
Slainte!!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Spectacle...!!
This is the third week that I have watched a new program called Spectacle hosted by Elvis Costello. I am just so impressed....
The first week, he had Sir Elton John, ( who is one of the producers of the show), last week, Sting and the Police, and tonight he had a "guitar pull" (A Johnny Cash phrase) with Kris Kristofferson, Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash and John Mellencamp.
The format is interview and music.....and the questions in the interview are not typical interviewer questions. They are asked from a fellow musician's point of view and some of the stories are great. With the Police, he interviewed them individually and then he brought them all out on stage for joint chat and performances. It was quite neat to see the different personalities.
It's an hour long, and quite frankly it leaves me asking for more. Tonight was a gem for me.....especially Kris Kristofferson singing "Sunday Morning Coming Down" ....unbelievable. They finished off the program with a group and solo singing of "Me and Bobby McGee".
Even though I'm a classically trained musician and that remains my first love, I also love listening to other kinds of music with some of the greats in rock, blues and jazz.
All in all a great program and a definite fixture on my Friday night line up.....and....apparently there are encore presentations on Bravo on Saturday and Sunday nights.
Sigh....I feel so good now.....:-)
Slainte!!
The first week, he had Sir Elton John, ( who is one of the producers of the show), last week, Sting and the Police, and tonight he had a "guitar pull" (A Johnny Cash phrase) with Kris Kristofferson, Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash and John Mellencamp.
The format is interview and music.....and the questions in the interview are not typical interviewer questions. They are asked from a fellow musician's point of view and some of the stories are great. With the Police, he interviewed them individually and then he brought them all out on stage for joint chat and performances. It was quite neat to see the different personalities.
It's an hour long, and quite frankly it leaves me asking for more. Tonight was a gem for me.....especially Kris Kristofferson singing "Sunday Morning Coming Down" ....unbelievable. They finished off the program with a group and solo singing of "Me and Bobby McGee".
Even though I'm a classically trained musician and that remains my first love, I also love listening to other kinds of music with some of the greats in rock, blues and jazz.
All in all a great program and a definite fixture on my Friday night line up.....and....apparently there are encore presentations on Bravo on Saturday and Sunday nights.
Sigh....I feel so good now.....:-)
Slainte!!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Sunday Dinner...
After looking at the food photos that Ty has posted recently, I decided that it might be fun to do something similar.
Today for "Sunday dinner with the bros " (read brothers are coming to dinner tonite) I thought I would make a Beef Stew in my own inimitable style....and take one or two pictures to boot!!
I used Douglas Lake Beef Stew meat.....range fed and locally grown (so to speak) and pretty much most of the veggies I had in my fridge plus a varied combination of herbs and spices.
The veggies were onions, leeks, carrots, yams, parsnips, turnip, rutabaga, green beans, orange peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, celery and butternut squash. My herbs were garlic, thyme, sage, savoury, hot pepper seeds and rosemary and my spices were cumin, garam masala, allspice, celery seed and cloves. For the most part the herbs and spices were ground up and pounded in my large mortar and pestle.....I have now put some beef broth in it and transferred it to the slow cooker to mull away until dinner time, at which point, I will probably add a wine and beef broth gravy to give it some bread sopping consistency :-). I am still debating whether to add some red potatoes......
This is the pot o' stew with just winter veg. and meat
Here it is after transfer to the slow cooker and with the other veggies added as well as the broth....
This is a collection of the various and sundry herbs and spices I used along with the mortar pestle, which, I might add, I picked up in Concord Mass. at a wonderful little housewares store that Ty told me about. I love using it...it's monstrously heavy, but works beautifully.
...and as a finale, my two cutting boards...made by me years ago....the man is for veggies and the woman is for bread and baked goods. I have another less interesting cutting board for meat products.
After previewing this post, I still think that Ty's pictures are more mouthwatering.....but it is a fun exercise to take pics at certain times throughout the cooking process......
OK, now it's time to go get showered and dressed....(It's been a VERY lazy Sunday....:-))
Slainte!!
Today for "Sunday dinner with the bros " (read brothers are coming to dinner tonite) I thought I would make a Beef Stew in my own inimitable style....and take one or two pictures to boot!!
I used Douglas Lake Beef Stew meat.....range fed and locally grown (so to speak) and pretty much most of the veggies I had in my fridge plus a varied combination of herbs and spices.
The veggies were onions, leeks, carrots, yams, parsnips, turnip, rutabaga, green beans, orange peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, celery and butternut squash. My herbs were garlic, thyme, sage, savoury, hot pepper seeds and rosemary and my spices were cumin, garam masala, allspice, celery seed and cloves. For the most part the herbs and spices were ground up and pounded in my large mortar and pestle.....I have now put some beef broth in it and transferred it to the slow cooker to mull away until dinner time, at which point, I will probably add a wine and beef broth gravy to give it some bread sopping consistency :-). I am still debating whether to add some red potatoes......
This is the pot o' stew with just winter veg. and meat
Here it is after transfer to the slow cooker and with the other veggies added as well as the broth....
This is a collection of the various and sundry herbs and spices I used along with the mortar pestle, which, I might add, I picked up in Concord Mass. at a wonderful little housewares store that Ty told me about. I love using it...it's monstrously heavy, but works beautifully.
...and as a finale, my two cutting boards...made by me years ago....the man is for veggies and the woman is for bread and baked goods. I have another less interesting cutting board for meat products.
After previewing this post, I still think that Ty's pictures are more mouthwatering.....but it is a fun exercise to take pics at certain times throughout the cooking process......
OK, now it's time to go get showered and dressed....(It's been a VERY lazy Sunday....:-))
Slainte!!
Friday, February 06, 2009
Will Winter ever end?????
I had to sign in to comment on Ty's blog, so I thought I would take the time and mosey on over to my blog and perhaps update it?? Yes, I think that would be a good thing, considering the last one was almost three months ago....yikes!!!
I'm not going to go over Christmas and New Years except to say it was all good and tasty and fun as it was meant to be.
We still have snow and are expecting more, but the sun's out and everything looks very fresh...even with the snow. However, sadly, the pumpkin that I left on the patio table to freeze has now thawed and is slowly sinking into mush. Time to scrape it up and chuck it on the garden to hopefully seed and grow more little pumpkies in the spring/summer/fall.
We are presently in the process of doing family history stuff and other extended family things.....exhausting work, but necessary. Hopefully it will all be sorted by the end of February.
I had some work in the Kamloops Art Gallery Christmas store and sold a fair bit.....encouraging to say the least. Now to continue on and improve.....I still have plans to start a blog of my work and will do so at some point. It's a good alternative to an actual website....so we'll see how things transpire.
I have a couple of other projects on the go....sewing a couple of lap quilts for my aunt, using some scarves of hers and some squares of Brazilian Embroidery that she has done and also editing some of her nature writings that she's done over the years and making a compilation for the family. It will take time, but it will be a labour of love.
My life right now is a myriad of events....and I'm not sure I like it like that. I keep getting the feeling that I want to just "be" .....not be anywhere in particular, doing anything in particular, just to "be". I know it sounds weird, but it's the only way I can think of to put it. I don't resent the demands made on my time, because I enjoy it all. I think that I mean .. I want to be in a place where I can do exactly what I want to do...with me making that decision. Selfish?? Maybe, but I think I'm allowed at this point in my life. It will happen....it's just that right now I'm just busy and feeling just a tad frustrated.
I'm finding it harder and harder to get out of bed in the morning....I just want to sleep. In fact, unfortunately, this feeling is extending into the swimming that I do three times a week. It's getting harder to gather myself together to get out there. I do it, because in the end, I do feel better for it....but the effort it takes to overcome the inertia is really a bummer. I think it has something to do with the season....and how drastic the winter has been up until now. Sometimes I think I like hibernating indoors, but I forget how much I enjoy sitting on the patio in the summer, puttering in the garden or just standing outside and enjoying the experience of being outside. The winters up here are always tough to some degree, but this year has been harder....as I'm sure it has been elsewhere. Even my dog has been in more "funks" this winter....without his daily walk.
So, today the sun is out...and eaves are dripping as the snow melts, so maybe I just should go sit on the patio with a hoodie and a scarf and breathe in...before the next snowfall ......it so sounds like a plan!!
On that whiney note....I will bid farewell!!
Slainte!!
I'm not going to go over Christmas and New Years except to say it was all good and tasty and fun as it was meant to be.
We still have snow and are expecting more, but the sun's out and everything looks very fresh...even with the snow. However, sadly, the pumpkin that I left on the patio table to freeze has now thawed and is slowly sinking into mush. Time to scrape it up and chuck it on the garden to hopefully seed and grow more little pumpkies in the spring/summer/fall.
We are presently in the process of doing family history stuff and other extended family things.....exhausting work, but necessary. Hopefully it will all be sorted by the end of February.
I had some work in the Kamloops Art Gallery Christmas store and sold a fair bit.....encouraging to say the least. Now to continue on and improve.....I still have plans to start a blog of my work and will do so at some point. It's a good alternative to an actual website....so we'll see how things transpire.
I have a couple of other projects on the go....sewing a couple of lap quilts for my aunt, using some scarves of hers and some squares of Brazilian Embroidery that she has done and also editing some of her nature writings that she's done over the years and making a compilation for the family. It will take time, but it will be a labour of love.
My life right now is a myriad of events....and I'm not sure I like it like that. I keep getting the feeling that I want to just "be" .....not be anywhere in particular, doing anything in particular, just to "be". I know it sounds weird, but it's the only way I can think of to put it. I don't resent the demands made on my time, because I enjoy it all. I think that I mean .. I want to be in a place where I can do exactly what I want to do...with me making that decision. Selfish?? Maybe, but I think I'm allowed at this point in my life. It will happen....it's just that right now I'm just busy and feeling just a tad frustrated.
I'm finding it harder and harder to get out of bed in the morning....I just want to sleep. In fact, unfortunately, this feeling is extending into the swimming that I do three times a week. It's getting harder to gather myself together to get out there. I do it, because in the end, I do feel better for it....but the effort it takes to overcome the inertia is really a bummer. I think it has something to do with the season....and how drastic the winter has been up until now. Sometimes I think I like hibernating indoors, but I forget how much I enjoy sitting on the patio in the summer, puttering in the garden or just standing outside and enjoying the experience of being outside. The winters up here are always tough to some degree, but this year has been harder....as I'm sure it has been elsewhere. Even my dog has been in more "funks" this winter....without his daily walk.
So, today the sun is out...and eaves are dripping as the snow melts, so maybe I just should go sit on the patio with a hoodie and a scarf and breathe in...before the next snowfall ......it so sounds like a plan!!
On that whiney note....I will bid farewell!!
Slainte!!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Why I love my husband.....
The last two weeks have been rather strenuous....both physically and mentally. The death of a close friend and a week of rehearsals and concerts (both school and regular) along with the everyday job of living has taken its toll. By last night, I was whacked....enjoying the wine at the pub after the concert....but nevertheless whacked!!
This morning I got up, after sleeping relatively well, and realized that I had the total day to start to recoup and just relax...easy dinner tonite...just pasta....so I had my first coffee, crawled on the couch covered myself with a large throw and read and snoozed.
So.....as I was snoozing on the couch, the tantalizing smell of fried rice wafted out of the kitchen and woke me up ......DH had retrieved my coffee cup silently from beside me and refilled it, made a delectable fried rice mixture with veggies and leftover meatloaf and teriyaki sauce, put it in a bowl for me and then quietly came over and said "Breakfast is ready".......
....and that is why I love my husband!!
This morning I got up, after sleeping relatively well, and realized that I had the total day to start to recoup and just relax...easy dinner tonite...just pasta....so I had my first coffee, crawled on the couch covered myself with a large throw and read and snoozed.
So.....as I was snoozing on the couch, the tantalizing smell of fried rice wafted out of the kitchen and woke me up ......DH had retrieved my coffee cup silently from beside me and refilled it, made a delectable fried rice mixture with veggies and leftover meatloaf and teriyaki sauce, put it in a bowl for me and then quietly came over and said "Breakfast is ready".......
....and that is why I love my husband!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Holey Soles Forever!!!
So...I promised a blog about my "Holey Soles" obsession.
What are Holey Soles??? You may well ask....
They are a homegrown Canadian version of "Crocs"....and oh so much better.
Quite a while ago I was checking out Rosie O'Donnell's blog, as I am wont to do and came across a photo of her wearing this really nice black outfit (coat (not jacket) and pants) for an evening out and she had finished it off by wearing bright pink Crocs. Needless to say, as things do with her, it caused quite a stir. However, she mentioned on her blog that the Crocs had been sent to her by a fan and she wanted to wear them.....full acknowledging at the time that she had absolutely no fashion sense. In any case...one of the Canadian bloggers (read fans), after reading this, told her she should actually be wearing Holey Soles, as they were the originators of the design. So that got me to thinking.....and researching....and I found the Holey Sole site. I also found a supplier in Kamloops....Valhalla Outfitters.....and fortunately they had them on for half price.
After an initial "breaking in" process, I have worn them pretty much non-stop for most of the spring and summer (maybe even earlier) They are SO comfortable.
I have worn them to symphony rehearsals and because I always have a problem finding comfortable black shoes to wear to the concerts, I started musing about possibly wearing a black pair of Holey Soles. Two concerts ago, I wore these to the concert, changed into a pair of black stretchy slippers and then back into the Holey Soles....during the intermission and after the concert. My colleagues in the horn section jokingly suggested I should get a pair of black ones as I liked them so much....to which I replied..."Funny you should say that....my thoughts exactly!!"
So....I checked out Valhalla Outfitters and they no longer stocked them...they just had odd sizes in odd colours that they were trying to get rid of. Art Knapps, also, no longer stocked them.
Well...I guess I was just going to have to order them online...sigh....how tedious (snicker snicker!!)
When I went to their new redesigned website....I found a plethora of new styles...Woohoo!!!
There was a pair of black ones....with no holes....more like a sport type shoe, but still black and slip on.....just the ticket I thought!! So then I explored some more and found more colours of the new updated style that I already had.
So to make a long story short....I ordered the black ones, a pair of red ones and a pair of navy blue ones. There are many other colours, but I think I will hold off until the spring or summer. Amazingly enough....I ordered them on Wednesday...and they arrived on my doorstep at 8:10 in the morning on Friday.......I was totally impressed!!
So....after all that....here are the pictures of my Holey Soles.....
...and here is a picture of my new "symphony" Holey Soles....with removable insoles, no less in case you want to put in arch supports...how cool is that!! I have worn them to two concerts now and they work perfectly....even with black socks!!
I am always on the lookout for shoes that are easy to fit and comfortable....I have large feet....large in every way....wide, flat and long.....women's size 12 - wide. So when I find something that is easy to put on, colourful, lightweight and it fits....well....I just have to have them. I do wear dress up shoes when absolutely necessary....like at C & J's wedding in September, I bought a pair of silver sandals....and the instore shoe repair guy stretched them for me....I was actually able to wear them for a major part of the night....
I also wear Clark's Wallabee's - the original ones....and I used to wear Birkenstocks....until Holey Soles came along. The Wallabee's are for winter and Holey Soles for the summer....there ya go....
My Holey Soles obsession!!
Slainte!!
What are Holey Soles??? You may well ask....
They are a homegrown Canadian version of "Crocs"....and oh so much better.
Quite a while ago I was checking out Rosie O'Donnell's blog, as I am wont to do and came across a photo of her wearing this really nice black outfit (coat (not jacket) and pants) for an evening out and she had finished it off by wearing bright pink Crocs. Needless to say, as things do with her, it caused quite a stir. However, she mentioned on her blog that the Crocs had been sent to her by a fan and she wanted to wear them.....full acknowledging at the time that she had absolutely no fashion sense. In any case...one of the Canadian bloggers (read fans), after reading this, told her she should actually be wearing Holey Soles, as they were the originators of the design. So that got me to thinking.....and researching....and I found the Holey Sole site. I also found a supplier in Kamloops....Valhalla Outfitters.....and fortunately they had them on for half price.
After an initial "breaking in" process, I have worn them pretty much non-stop for most of the spring and summer (maybe even earlier) They are SO comfortable.
I have worn them to symphony rehearsals and because I always have a problem finding comfortable black shoes to wear to the concerts, I started musing about possibly wearing a black pair of Holey Soles. Two concerts ago, I wore these to the concert, changed into a pair of black stretchy slippers and then back into the Holey Soles....during the intermission and after the concert. My colleagues in the horn section jokingly suggested I should get a pair of black ones as I liked them so much....to which I replied..."Funny you should say that....my thoughts exactly!!"
So....I checked out Valhalla Outfitters and they no longer stocked them...they just had odd sizes in odd colours that they were trying to get rid of. Art Knapps, also, no longer stocked them.
Well...I guess I was just going to have to order them online...sigh....how tedious (snicker snicker!!)
When I went to their new redesigned website....I found a plethora of new styles...Woohoo!!!
There was a pair of black ones....with no holes....more like a sport type shoe, but still black and slip on.....just the ticket I thought!! So then I explored some more and found more colours of the new updated style that I already had.
So to make a long story short....I ordered the black ones, a pair of red ones and a pair of navy blue ones. There are many other colours, but I think I will hold off until the spring or summer. Amazingly enough....I ordered them on Wednesday...and they arrived on my doorstep at 8:10 in the morning on Friday.......I was totally impressed!!
So....after all that....here are the pictures of my Holey Soles.....
...and here is a picture of my new "symphony" Holey Soles....with removable insoles, no less in case you want to put in arch supports...how cool is that!! I have worn them to two concerts now and they work perfectly....even with black socks!!
I am always on the lookout for shoes that are easy to fit and comfortable....I have large feet....large in every way....wide, flat and long.....women's size 12 - wide. So when I find something that is easy to put on, colourful, lightweight and it fits....well....I just have to have them. I do wear dress up shoes when absolutely necessary....like at C & J's wedding in September, I bought a pair of silver sandals....and the instore shoe repair guy stretched them for me....I was actually able to wear them for a major part of the night....
I also wear Clark's Wallabee's - the original ones....and I used to wear Birkenstocks....until Holey Soles came along. The Wallabee's are for winter and Holey Soles for the summer....there ya go....
My Holey Soles obsession!!
Slainte!!
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
A night with the Vinyl Cafe......
So I went to the theatre tonite to see Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe. If you ever listen to CBC, you are well aware of Stuart McLean. For those who don't ....it's a worth while listen....CBC Radio 2 at 10 am on Saturdays...and CBC Radio 1 at 12 Noon on Sundays. Don't ask me where Radio two and Radio one are....they are different for each region....I do know that in the Lower Mainland, Radio 2 is 105.7...not sure of Radio one though....
The show was wonderful.....down home clean humour and lots of laughter and good times....and good Canadian musicians. I am going to now look for CD's by Dala ...and Daniel Michelle....both excellent. Dala is two ladies who have performed together since high school and Daniel Michelle is a funky fellow...interesting guitar licks and lyrics in his songs. Anyways...it was a good evening...and we topped it off with a glass of wine at home...relaxing.
One can be a real people watcher at these events though.....a couple of things I observed.....
...a three generation group .....2 very large ladies, one a mother, one a daughter and one very small grandmother....who as it turned out was 92. She sat between them almost dwarfed...which begged the question......where did the largeness come from???? She was postively tiny....but enjoying herself immensely. Interesting...hmmmmm. Ok...I know one could think of that as being not very nice picky....but...I'm big...I can do that..:-)
The other thing is listening to people around you.....sometimes you just want to butt in and correct or dispute...or just join in the conversation...but you don't. You just listen...and then wait until the end of the show to see who on earth was saying what was said.....!!
I also wonder about men with toupees....There was such a man sitting behind us. It wasn't attractive..it was very obviously a toupee....so why does he wear it. I'm sure there are number of reasons, probably all very sound and appropriate...but when it looks so atrocious....hmmm...what was his wife thinking!!! Ok...I'll take a shot for that too..
Anyways...all in all a good evening.....
So I have a post up and coming regardng my Holey Soles obsession.....pictures and all!!!
...and hopefully I will get that done tomorrow....before we are.....
.....off to Victoria on Friday morning EARLY.
I can't wait to see T&D...even if it's only for a short time....I miss them so much....
I so miss my kids and their sig. others......they are all so very dear to me......and I am in a constant state of "awe" at how they are progressing and dealing with "life" . So much better than I did.....but then times were different then.....at least that's my excuse!!
Ok, I have had two glasses of wine....and I will get positively maudlin if I don't watch it. ...but hey....I'm a mom...what can I say.
As I look at my mommy cat peering out at me from her present location in the paper shelf in the computer room, it occurs to me that I am making far too many typos and it's time for bed.....
So....off to read a few pages of Anne Lamott....and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......one can only hope!!
Slainte!!
The show was wonderful.....down home clean humour and lots of laughter and good times....and good Canadian musicians. I am going to now look for CD's by Dala ...and Daniel Michelle....both excellent. Dala is two ladies who have performed together since high school and Daniel Michelle is a funky fellow...interesting guitar licks and lyrics in his songs. Anyways...it was a good evening...and we topped it off with a glass of wine at home...relaxing.
One can be a real people watcher at these events though.....a couple of things I observed.....
...a three generation group .....2 very large ladies, one a mother, one a daughter and one very small grandmother....who as it turned out was 92. She sat between them almost dwarfed...which begged the question......where did the largeness come from???? She was postively tiny....but enjoying herself immensely. Interesting...hmmmmm. Ok...I know one could think of that as being not very nice picky....but...I'm big...I can do that..:-)
The other thing is listening to people around you.....sometimes you just want to butt in and correct or dispute...or just join in the conversation...but you don't. You just listen...and then wait until the end of the show to see who on earth was saying what was said.....!!
I also wonder about men with toupees....There was such a man sitting behind us. It wasn't attractive..it was very obviously a toupee....so why does he wear it. I'm sure there are number of reasons, probably all very sound and appropriate...but when it looks so atrocious....hmmm...what was his wife thinking!!! Ok...I'll take a shot for that too..
Anyways...all in all a good evening.....
So I have a post up and coming regardng my Holey Soles obsession.....pictures and all!!!
...and hopefully I will get that done tomorrow....before we are.....
.....off to Victoria on Friday morning EARLY.
I can't wait to see T&D...even if it's only for a short time....I miss them so much....
I so miss my kids and their sig. others......they are all so very dear to me......and I am in a constant state of "awe" at how they are progressing and dealing with "life" . So much better than I did.....but then times were different then.....at least that's my excuse!!
Ok, I have had two glasses of wine....and I will get positively maudlin if I don't watch it. ...but hey....I'm a mom...what can I say.
As I look at my mommy cat peering out at me from her present location in the paper shelf in the computer room, it occurs to me that I am making far too many typos and it's time for bed.....
So....off to read a few pages of Anne Lamott....and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......one can only hope!!
Slainte!!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
.....continued (as promised!!)
OK....so on the last post, I said...to be continued. Here is the continuation...such as it is. I may repeat myself....but what can I say....I'm sixty!!
We headed down to Osoyoos on Monday, Sept. 8, going down through Keremeos so we could hit a couple of wineries.....one wasn't open (that would be Orofino) but we went to Crowsnest and started our stash there. It has grown substantially over the years and now sports a restaurant, and B&B.
We arrived in Osoyoos at about 3pm having been preceded by our friends D&B who were going to spend a few days with us. This "travelling with another couple" thing was a new experience for us and really a lot of fun. They love wine almost as much as we do and so our sojourns to the various and sundry wineries throughout the South Okanagan and Naramata were full of lots of laughter, good conversation and of course wine tasting. We parted ways on Thursday around noon in Kelowna after sampling yet a few more wineries and having a wonderful lunch in Peachland at the Blind Angler. During our time together, apart from the wine stuff, we lazed on the patio, swam in the lake and our two hubbys got sucked into tubing behind a speedboat.....and we have some pictures to prove it!!! Unfortunately I was napping at the time but apparently the experience for them was quite exciting!!! We have decided to do this again next year if possible, so I am quite looking forward to it.
After they left, things were quite quiet, so we relaxed on the Friday and hit a couple of more wineries on the Saturday and then did nothing but veg on the Sunday...leaving on Monday morning to head home.
For those of you that care...we managed to visit 16 wineries. I know, I know....I was surprised as well, it just didn't seem that much. Throughout the trip we had been on the search for Malbec.....and on the Saturday we scored some at Inniskillen. It is a wine that is making a comeback in BC slowly. Argentinia has kind of adopted it as it's own....but it was at one time a popular wine in BC...then it went the way of Marachel Foch.....but thankfully some wineries are now making it on it's own....instead of using it in blends. Red Rooster makes one as does Quinta Ferriera and Inniskillen. There may be more, but those are the ones we found on this trip. The only one with some available was Inniskillen. So that's as much technical wine talk as I can manage.....I will list the wineries if anyone really wants to know...but trust me...there are still many more to see!!!
The whole visit was good in that there were people there that we had met last year and they will also be there next year....so we have now become "regulars" at the motel......I just love it!!!
The only downside was that we were not in our usual room and, although the room was the same layout as our usual one (it was next door) our door was right next to the door of the "party" room and every time we left the room, we were assailed by clouds of cigarette smoke from the myriad of people who congregated outside this one unit. They were also very noisy and "in your face" and drinking almost non-stop. It was a family group spread over three units. Hopefully next year, this won't be a problem as we went a week later this year than normal (due to the wedding) and next year it will be our normal time, which is the day after labour day. They (the "rowdies) left on the Sunday morning and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief......so we had one day of peace and quiet and clean air outside our unit. It took the housekeeping staff almost a full day to clean the units and air them out.....sigh.
So...all in all...it wasn't quite the relaxing week I had hoped for, but there were definitely many pluses to take away the pain of the minuses :-).
Now it's back to the grind...we have already had one concert and there is another in two weeks....so I'm now practicing regularly. We made 16 bottles of grape juice on Sunday (Concord, Ortega and Marchel Foch) and canned 20 jars of peaches on Monday....all at brother B's. Now I have a few things to make...like pesto and basil prepared for freezing, possibly some zucchini pickles....not sure....and I have some work to do in my workshop....Nutfolkery possibly???
DH has gone on a cooking, baking binge and made stew, shepherd's pie, tomato sauce (for freezing) apple pies (that was dual effort-he and me) and he is going to make apple cobbler tomorrow I think.
What I need.....is two weeks to do nothing but recover from the first two weeks of September!!!!
Slainte!!
We headed down to Osoyoos on Monday, Sept. 8, going down through Keremeos so we could hit a couple of wineries.....one wasn't open (that would be Orofino) but we went to Crowsnest and started our stash there. It has grown substantially over the years and now sports a restaurant, and B&B.
We arrived in Osoyoos at about 3pm having been preceded by our friends D&B who were going to spend a few days with us. This "travelling with another couple" thing was a new experience for us and really a lot of fun. They love wine almost as much as we do and so our sojourns to the various and sundry wineries throughout the South Okanagan and Naramata were full of lots of laughter, good conversation and of course wine tasting. We parted ways on Thursday around noon in Kelowna after sampling yet a few more wineries and having a wonderful lunch in Peachland at the Blind Angler. During our time together, apart from the wine stuff, we lazed on the patio, swam in the lake and our two hubbys got sucked into tubing behind a speedboat.....and we have some pictures to prove it!!! Unfortunately I was napping at the time but apparently the experience for them was quite exciting!!! We have decided to do this again next year if possible, so I am quite looking forward to it.
After they left, things were quite quiet, so we relaxed on the Friday and hit a couple of more wineries on the Saturday and then did nothing but veg on the Sunday...leaving on Monday morning to head home.
For those of you that care...we managed to visit 16 wineries. I know, I know....I was surprised as well, it just didn't seem that much. Throughout the trip we had been on the search for Malbec.....and on the Saturday we scored some at Inniskillen. It is a wine that is making a comeback in BC slowly. Argentinia has kind of adopted it as it's own....but it was at one time a popular wine in BC...then it went the way of Marachel Foch.....but thankfully some wineries are now making it on it's own....instead of using it in blends. Red Rooster makes one as does Quinta Ferriera and Inniskillen. There may be more, but those are the ones we found on this trip. The only one with some available was Inniskillen. So that's as much technical wine talk as I can manage.....I will list the wineries if anyone really wants to know...but trust me...there are still many more to see!!!
The whole visit was good in that there were people there that we had met last year and they will also be there next year....so we have now become "regulars" at the motel......I just love it!!!
The only downside was that we were not in our usual room and, although the room was the same layout as our usual one (it was next door) our door was right next to the door of the "party" room and every time we left the room, we were assailed by clouds of cigarette smoke from the myriad of people who congregated outside this one unit. They were also very noisy and "in your face" and drinking almost non-stop. It was a family group spread over three units. Hopefully next year, this won't be a problem as we went a week later this year than normal (due to the wedding) and next year it will be our normal time, which is the day after labour day. They (the "rowdies) left on the Sunday morning and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief......so we had one day of peace and quiet and clean air outside our unit. It took the housekeeping staff almost a full day to clean the units and air them out.....sigh.
So...all in all...it wasn't quite the relaxing week I had hoped for, but there were definitely many pluses to take away the pain of the minuses :-).
Now it's back to the grind...we have already had one concert and there is another in two weeks....so I'm now practicing regularly. We made 16 bottles of grape juice on Sunday (Concord, Ortega and Marchel Foch) and canned 20 jars of peaches on Monday....all at brother B's. Now I have a few things to make...like pesto and basil prepared for freezing, possibly some zucchini pickles....not sure....and I have some work to do in my workshop....Nutfolkery possibly???
DH has gone on a cooking, baking binge and made stew, shepherd's pie, tomato sauce (for freezing) apple pies (that was dual effort-he and me) and he is going to make apple cobbler tomorrow I think.
What I need.....is two weeks to do nothing but recover from the first two weeks of September!!!!
Slainte!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The first two weeks of September......
It's been a chaotic, hectic, busy, wonderful, thrilling, emotionally draining, painful (as in dancing too much pain) and then relaxing, giggly, humorous and at times really annoying, but in the end fulfilling two weeks (Since September 1st).
Our sweet and lovable son got married to an equally sweet and lovable young lady on September 5 in Aldergrove. We headed down to Aldergrove on September 1st to help with last minute preparations and do a little babysitting and in general be there if needed before the wedding. It was a totally different experience than when our daughter got married five years ago. I'm not sure how it was different (other than the whole bride's parents/groom's parents thing), but it was a totally different dynamic.....which again shows the difference between the two siblings. Interesting to say the least......
The rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner (which we were hosting at Char's in Aldergrove...amazing food by the way!!), the wedding, and gift opening all went off without a hitch. A lot of fun was had by all.
...some high points.....
*The bride was beautiful and just glowed with happiness and the bridesmaids looked wonderful.
*The groom....well, what can I say, he's our son....but he was handsome and just as happy as his lady, I don't think the smile left his face all night!!
*The song jointly composed by the bride C and her friend A. for the groom and sung by A. during the signing of the register after the ceremony.
*The entrance of the bride and groom to the reception...beautifully choreographed with great music and a smoke machine ..... hilarious !!
*The groomsmen were handsome and debonair, and special mention to groomsman J for playing with our grandson whilst pictures were being taken.....M, the best man did a great speech, just perfect for the occasion....and speaking of our grandson....he looked absolutely adorable in his tuxedo, being escorted down the walkway by his grandfather, DH, who I might add looked amazingly hot in his pinstriped charcoal vested suit with lavender shirt and matching patterned tie....(whew.... I almost had to fan myself!!)
*Hearing my son make mention of my dear 97 year old aunt who couldn't be there and everyone applauding her
*Hearing our son sing to his bride accompanying himself on the guitar along with groomsman J on the Tjembe. I have never heard him sing by himself before and I was just blown away. It was beautiful and the bride was in tears!!
*The Mother/Son dance with J.......a wonderful experience...whatta guy!!!!
*Spending time with friends and relative whom we don't see as often as we'd like and catching up with news
*Having some down time during the week with a good friend who came to the motel to have a glass of wine and update the toe nail polish!!
*An unforgettable sight to me was to see my lovely 80 year old cousin up on the dance floor kicking up her heels with the younger people AND keeping up with them.....what a grand lady!!!
*The spontaneous choreographed moves to the song "Fever" by Peggy Lee....complete with snapping fingers of the groomsman and the groom leading up to the removal of the garter....what a hoot!!!
*Another special mention here of my grand-nephew Jeff from St. Albert who also spent time playing with and entertaining our grandson, keeping him occupied during the picture taking time (between ceremony and reception) when the wedding party left briefly for pictures elsewhere....and grandson was missing his daddy!!!
*The music was good, the food was good, the drinks were good.....in fact it was all good and a wonderful occasion!!
When we arrived back at the hotel....I was hurtin' .....but a couple of Tylenol w/codeine and a good night's sleep helped to ease things and we were able to head out to the gift opening in the later morning. After that we picked up Chauncey at the kennel and headed back home to Kamloops.....bagged and in pain (me anyways), but happy.
We basically spent Sunday the 7th relaxing and doing laundry and making a list of things to take to Osoyoos with us on our annual trip to wine country.....we were to leave on Monday the 8th.
To be continued.....
Slainte!!
Our sweet and lovable son got married to an equally sweet and lovable young lady on September 5 in Aldergrove. We headed down to Aldergrove on September 1st to help with last minute preparations and do a little babysitting and in general be there if needed before the wedding. It was a totally different experience than when our daughter got married five years ago. I'm not sure how it was different (other than the whole bride's parents/groom's parents thing), but it was a totally different dynamic.....which again shows the difference between the two siblings. Interesting to say the least......
The rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner (which we were hosting at Char's in Aldergrove...amazing food by the way!!), the wedding, and gift opening all went off without a hitch. A lot of fun was had by all.
...some high points.....
*The bride was beautiful and just glowed with happiness and the bridesmaids looked wonderful.
*The groom....well, what can I say, he's our son....but he was handsome and just as happy as his lady, I don't think the smile left his face all night!!
*The song jointly composed by the bride C and her friend A. for the groom and sung by A. during the signing of the register after the ceremony.
*The entrance of the bride and groom to the reception...beautifully choreographed with great music and a smoke machine ..... hilarious !!
*The groomsmen were handsome and debonair, and special mention to groomsman J for playing with our grandson whilst pictures were being taken.....M, the best man did a great speech, just perfect for the occasion....and speaking of our grandson....he looked absolutely adorable in his tuxedo, being escorted down the walkway by his grandfather, DH, who I might add looked amazingly hot in his pinstriped charcoal vested suit with lavender shirt and matching patterned tie....(whew.... I almost had to fan myself!!)
*Hearing my son make mention of my dear 97 year old aunt who couldn't be there and everyone applauding her
*Hearing our son sing to his bride accompanying himself on the guitar along with groomsman J on the Tjembe. I have never heard him sing by himself before and I was just blown away. It was beautiful and the bride was in tears!!
*The Mother/Son dance with J.......a wonderful experience...whatta guy!!!!
*Spending time with friends and relative whom we don't see as often as we'd like and catching up with news
*Having some down time during the week with a good friend who came to the motel to have a glass of wine and update the toe nail polish!!
*An unforgettable sight to me was to see my lovely 80 year old cousin up on the dance floor kicking up her heels with the younger people AND keeping up with them.....what a grand lady!!!
*The spontaneous choreographed moves to the song "Fever" by Peggy Lee....complete with snapping fingers of the groomsman and the groom leading up to the removal of the garter....what a hoot!!!
*Another special mention here of my grand-nephew Jeff from St. Albert who also spent time playing with and entertaining our grandson, keeping him occupied during the picture taking time (between ceremony and reception) when the wedding party left briefly for pictures elsewhere....and grandson was missing his daddy!!!
*The music was good, the food was good, the drinks were good.....in fact it was all good and a wonderful occasion!!
When we arrived back at the hotel....I was hurtin' .....but a couple of Tylenol w/codeine and a good night's sleep helped to ease things and we were able to head out to the gift opening in the later morning. After that we picked up Chauncey at the kennel and headed back home to Kamloops.....bagged and in pain (me anyways), but happy.
We basically spent Sunday the 7th relaxing and doing laundry and making a list of things to take to Osoyoos with us on our annual trip to wine country.....we were to leave on Monday the 8th.
To be continued.....
Slainte!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Celebrations.....
It is my 60th birthday today.........ecstatic to have made it this far!!! :-)
Because of this auspicious event....I have been honoured, nay thrilled to have had visitors over the last weekend and a bit.
We were (at least I was!!) totally surprised when T&D showed up at 1am on Saturday morning to stay until Monday. What a treat!!! They have not been here since August 2006 just before they left for Massachusetts. It was a glorious weekend....full of good food, excellent conversation, good wine and in general just "hangin' out" stuff. Unfortunately, due to schedules, new jobs etc....J & C couldn't make the trip, but we were able to chat with them on the phone on Saturday.
The four of them gave me the "Jamie at Home" cookbook from Jamie Oliver and a new set of Heinkel knives....oh so sharp and easy to use!!! I also received some lovely goodies from D's mom and dad, totally tailored to my personality (they are beginning to know me so well :-)).
So, on Saturday, T found two scrumptious salad recipes in the new cookbook and proceeded to dazzle us with her culinary skills. Along with marinated lamb, beef, and chicken BBQ'd on skewers, it was all very tasty. We also indulged in champagne and blackberry liqueur and delish Desert Hills wine...Chardonnay and Gamay.....sigh....it was superb!!!
On Sunday we headed down to LacLeJeune to swim in the lake and lie on the grass and in general just have a pickynick and relax in the sun (and shade). When we got back we all kind of vegged for a while, napping etc...and then headed out for a wonderful dinner at The Storm Restaurant on the river to celebrate T&D's 5th anniversary. They are just so cool together.....
After that it was back to the patio to drink more wine and talk some more. Our patio got used more this trip than ever and it was great. Our neighbours must have wondered what the gales of laughter were coming from our back yard at midnight.....
All in all, a perfect celebratory weekend.....
And then.....
On Tuesday, our old neighbours from Langley arrived on their way through to Saskatchewan and we spent the afternoon and evening together and they stayed overnight heading out Wednesday morning. Lots of use of the patio here as well. Our dinner was bbq'd pork loin chops (thick, lean, boneless) along with fresh made pesto.... my special recipe which I just make on the fly with basil from the garden (assorted varieties), garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, mizythra, and feta cheeses, and walnuts (I just couldn't find the pine nuts) and a dash of balsamic vinegar. I never use specific quantities, just all to taste, but it made quite a bit and was excellent with fusilli pasta.....and a mixed green salad with chopped cucumber and tomatoes on the side...using assorted organic dressings.
We then had a french white wine and a home made Shiraz and Cab Sauv. I think we finally hit the hay around 11:30.
So we have been taking things easy since then and tonite my DH is taking me out to an as-yet unknown restaurant for dinner for the birthday celebration. Exciting to say the least!!!
As I mentioned to DH....it seems that as we get closer to J & C's wedding our life seems to be getting busier and busier.....I can't imagine what their life is like....although they do give me updates fairly regularly. It's not that our lives are ACTUALLY busy...it just seems that way...probably because I'm living vicariously through them in their preparations.....
It will all come together on September 5th....I have faith !!
...and then it's off to Osoyoos to unwind for a week before the symphony season starts again.
For now though....it's all about today!!!
Slainte!!
Because of this auspicious event....I have been honoured, nay thrilled to have had visitors over the last weekend and a bit.
We were (at least I was!!) totally surprised when T&D showed up at 1am on Saturday morning to stay until Monday. What a treat!!! They have not been here since August 2006 just before they left for Massachusetts. It was a glorious weekend....full of good food, excellent conversation, good wine and in general just "hangin' out" stuff. Unfortunately, due to schedules, new jobs etc....J & C couldn't make the trip, but we were able to chat with them on the phone on Saturday.
The four of them gave me the "Jamie at Home" cookbook from Jamie Oliver and a new set of Heinkel knives....oh so sharp and easy to use!!! I also received some lovely goodies from D's mom and dad, totally tailored to my personality (they are beginning to know me so well :-)).
So, on Saturday, T found two scrumptious salad recipes in the new cookbook and proceeded to dazzle us with her culinary skills. Along with marinated lamb, beef, and chicken BBQ'd on skewers, it was all very tasty. We also indulged in champagne and blackberry liqueur and delish Desert Hills wine...Chardonnay and Gamay.....sigh....it was superb!!!
On Sunday we headed down to LacLeJeune to swim in the lake and lie on the grass and in general just have a pickynick and relax in the sun (and shade). When we got back we all kind of vegged for a while, napping etc...and then headed out for a wonderful dinner at The Storm Restaurant on the river to celebrate T&D's 5th anniversary. They are just so cool together.....
After that it was back to the patio to drink more wine and talk some more. Our patio got used more this trip than ever and it was great. Our neighbours must have wondered what the gales of laughter were coming from our back yard at midnight.....
All in all, a perfect celebratory weekend.....
And then.....
On Tuesday, our old neighbours from Langley arrived on their way through to Saskatchewan and we spent the afternoon and evening together and they stayed overnight heading out Wednesday morning. Lots of use of the patio here as well. Our dinner was bbq'd pork loin chops (thick, lean, boneless) along with fresh made pesto.... my special recipe which I just make on the fly with basil from the garden (assorted varieties), garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, mizythra, and feta cheeses, and walnuts (I just couldn't find the pine nuts) and a dash of balsamic vinegar. I never use specific quantities, just all to taste, but it made quite a bit and was excellent with fusilli pasta.....and a mixed green salad with chopped cucumber and tomatoes on the side...using assorted organic dressings.
We then had a french white wine and a home made Shiraz and Cab Sauv. I think we finally hit the hay around 11:30.
So we have been taking things easy since then and tonite my DH is taking me out to an as-yet unknown restaurant for dinner for the birthday celebration. Exciting to say the least!!!
As I mentioned to DH....it seems that as we get closer to J & C's wedding our life seems to be getting busier and busier.....I can't imagine what their life is like....although they do give me updates fairly regularly. It's not that our lives are ACTUALLY busy...it just seems that way...probably because I'm living vicariously through them in their preparations.....
It will all come together on September 5th....I have faith !!
...and then it's off to Osoyoos to unwind for a week before the symphony season starts again.
For now though....it's all about today!!!
Slainte!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Loneliness......
OK....so this morning, I was feeling, for some reason, a little "off".
It occurred to me that the problem was that I was lonely.....
Now, I'm not one who usually admits to loneliness....or even actually feels lonely. I'm pretty good with my own company. I mean, give me a good book, computer, french horn, music, and a cup of tea and I'm good to go. So....it was a surprise to me when it dawned on me that I was actually lonely this morning. I did mention to DH this morning that I found that August was going incredibly slowly.....dragging almost.
So I figured the reason for this attack of loneliness was as follows. At the particular moment I was feeling like this, everyone that is important in my life was away from me. DH was at work, my two brothers are away, one in Ireland until the 27th and one down on the coast until the 18th, both of my kids are on the coast, one on the island, one in Abbotsford and all my friends are down on the coast as well. We don't have a lot of...well actually we don't have ANY close friends in Kamloops.
Now I'm not whining....I mean, I talked to my daughter yesterday and my son on Sunday and of course DH has been home. It's just at this particular moment, I was feeling somewhat bereft.....
It will pass, as these things do....
In the meantime I will tackle the stove top (very messy..) and make a list of things I should do.....possibly do some gardening (although that's at the bottom of the list). That should keep me busy until it's time to go pick up DH and ....Lord be praised!!...my laptop from the computer store. It will all be good.....soon.
But.....August IS really going slowly....too much exciting stuff happening at the end I guess....hard to wait!!
Slainte!!
It occurred to me that the problem was that I was lonely.....
Now, I'm not one who usually admits to loneliness....or even actually feels lonely. I'm pretty good with my own company. I mean, give me a good book, computer, french horn, music, and a cup of tea and I'm good to go. So....it was a surprise to me when it dawned on me that I was actually lonely this morning. I did mention to DH this morning that I found that August was going incredibly slowly.....dragging almost.
So I figured the reason for this attack of loneliness was as follows. At the particular moment I was feeling like this, everyone that is important in my life was away from me. DH was at work, my two brothers are away, one in Ireland until the 27th and one down on the coast until the 18th, both of my kids are on the coast, one on the island, one in Abbotsford and all my friends are down on the coast as well. We don't have a lot of...well actually we don't have ANY close friends in Kamloops.
Now I'm not whining....I mean, I talked to my daughter yesterday and my son on Sunday and of course DH has been home. It's just at this particular moment, I was feeling somewhat bereft.....
It will pass, as these things do....
In the meantime I will tackle the stove top (very messy..) and make a list of things I should do.....possibly do some gardening (although that's at the bottom of the list). That should keep me busy until it's time to go pick up DH and ....Lord be praised!!...my laptop from the computer store. It will all be good.....soon.
But.....August IS really going slowly....too much exciting stuff happening at the end I guess....hard to wait!!
Slainte!!
Friday, August 08, 2008
Happy Birthday Cale!!!
So....today would have been Cale Caputo's birthday.....I know this because my son informed me of the fact last night. Who is Cale you ask (at least some of you, I'm sure)?
Cale was my son's best friend, future best man, and band mate and all round brilliant musician.
He died in a car accident on May 21st 2006 at age 21. Cale had become a part of our family, hanging out with Jared at our home in Langley, calling me "Mom", playing with our dog, helping us in our move to Kamloops....he was a regular participant in our life. The first time I heard him sing, I was entranced by the sweetness of his voice and when One Chord Struck was formed, I was totally blown away by their music. I always found it interesting having conversations with Cale on the phone about the state of the Vancouver rock music scene. His observations showed an insight and understanding well beyond his years. It was his life!!
It's always a tragedy when a young person dies, and even more so when it's sudden and unexpected. It took me a long time to come to terms with his loss and my son is still dealing with it in many ways. As it gets closer to his wedding, it becomes more apparent to him that something or more specifically someone will be missing. So, when J told me it was Cale's birthday and to say a prayer for him....I thought about this and decided that a blog about my vision of what Cale is doing now would be entirely appropriate, as my prayers tend to be rather disjointed and only for my ears. I do much better with a story line!! So listen up God!!
I believe that God saw Cale and his music and decided that when it was his time, he would put him in charge of the celestial youth choir....to "jazz" it up so to speak. He had an innate ability, call it talent, for writing beautiful and meaningful songs and poetry......something that I'm sure would do well in a heavenly setting.
So.....wherever you are Cale, happy birthday and I'm sure the angels are singing your music beautifully....with your voice first and foremost among them!! We miss you down here in "mortal land" but I am positive that you are still doing what you do best.....your music and just "being Cale"
Much love
Jared's Mom
xx
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
another milestone.......
A short post today.....just to celebrate achieving yet another goal in this challenge of revamping my lifestyle...(note I DO NOT say losing weight.....that is a phrase that is only used in passing in my world...as a result of the lifestyle change) I will not give facts and figures....suffice to say that I am now over 30lbs down, feeling relatively good and eating very well.....no diet foods in my world.....a few low fat thingies.....like in dairy...and low sodium ....like in broth....but other than that I love my food. Just not a lot of it!!
I have discovered foam belts and barbells at the pool and am having a wonderful time figuring out new exercises to do with them. It's funny though....I use the belt around me (basically to make it easier to keep the extremities moving without sinking) for the first part of my swim....and then I take it off to just do my normal swim. One doesn't realize how much the belt keeps you afloat...'cause when you take it off, you sink like stone if you're not careful!!! It's funny...I end up doing my laps a lot lower in the pool than when I start....:-) It's fun though.....I am managing 40-50 minutes three times a week.
So that's it....I had lamb tonite....nothing fancy...just marinated and baked and served with veggies and Italian Bread.....but it tasted so good. The two glasses of red wine helped as well....
Life is getting better.....definitely!!
Slainte!!
I have discovered foam belts and barbells at the pool and am having a wonderful time figuring out new exercises to do with them. It's funny though....I use the belt around me (basically to make it easier to keep the extremities moving without sinking) for the first part of my swim....and then I take it off to just do my normal swim. One doesn't realize how much the belt keeps you afloat...'cause when you take it off, you sink like stone if you're not careful!!! It's funny...I end up doing my laps a lot lower in the pool than when I start....:-) It's fun though.....I am managing 40-50 minutes three times a week.
So that's it....I had lamb tonite....nothing fancy...just marinated and baked and served with veggies and Italian Bread.....but it tasted so good. The two glasses of red wine helped as well....
Life is getting better.....definitely!!
Slainte!!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
I'm baaack!!
A number of things have happened or at least have occurred in my life. First of all, I'm close to 30 lbs lighter....and actually enjoying the regularly swimming etc. I have done some gardening, planting, weeding etc....and my energy level seems to be increasing. I still have pain...and I am still keeping track of my food intake and will for the next 100 lbs, but all in all it's a positive change.
I am in the process of backing up and eventually re-formatting my lap top. This, to some people would be a ho-hum no big deal event. However, for me, it is yet another step in my learning to master the eccentricities of the said laptop. It has been snoringly slow and getting more so in the last little while, so when I asked London Drugs about adding RAM, (more moving around space for those of us who are not overly computer literate), he suggested that I reformat the computer first. Now when you reformat you basically re-install Windows and other stuff and in the process it gets rid of the stuff that's on your computer. So.....the magic work "back-up" appears and I found out that Microsoft has a wondrous "back-up wizard" and I'm all for anything that's a "wizard". So I downloaded it and am finding it somewhat confusing, but it has caused me to go through and uninstall a lot of peripheral programs that I wasn't using. That was mainly because the first time I started to back up, it said it would take 4 hours or more. Anyways, to make a long story short, I have backed up my email and browzer profiles (using yet another downloaded Mozilla backup program) and now I have to tackle the rest. I have decided this is multi-part event....so a definitely WOOHOO!! will be heard when it's all done.
The last thing that I have achieved is to have a private blog set up for ladies in their fifties, heading towards their sixties or actually in their sixties. I was finding that there were issues that I had to deal with when entering this age group and it occurred to me that others might also have to deal with....and talking about it (albeit in typewritten form) is sometimes helpful. So far we only have two team members and hopefully more will want to join us. I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of how a team blog works....but so far, I believe I have to invite people to be authors.....it's a work in progress. If anyone reading THIS blog, knows of someone who might want to become part of the other blog "Moving on Up" as it's called, please let me know.
For now though, I have some interesting reading to do, a laptop to address, and a DH to pickup from work....eventually.
Slainte!!
I am in the process of backing up and eventually re-formatting my lap top. This, to some people would be a ho-hum no big deal event. However, for me, it is yet another step in my learning to master the eccentricities of the said laptop. It has been snoringly slow and getting more so in the last little while, so when I asked London Drugs about adding RAM, (more moving around space for those of us who are not overly computer literate), he suggested that I reformat the computer first. Now when you reformat you basically re-install Windows and other stuff and in the process it gets rid of the stuff that's on your computer. So.....the magic work "back-up" appears and I found out that Microsoft has a wondrous "back-up wizard" and I'm all for anything that's a "wizard". So I downloaded it and am finding it somewhat confusing, but it has caused me to go through and uninstall a lot of peripheral programs that I wasn't using. That was mainly because the first time I started to back up, it said it would take 4 hours or more. Anyways, to make a long story short, I have backed up my email and browzer profiles (using yet another downloaded Mozilla backup program) and now I have to tackle the rest. I have decided this is multi-part event....so a definitely WOOHOO!! will be heard when it's all done.
The last thing that I have achieved is to have a private blog set up for ladies in their fifties, heading towards their sixties or actually in their sixties. I was finding that there were issues that I had to deal with when entering this age group and it occurred to me that others might also have to deal with....and talking about it (albeit in typewritten form) is sometimes helpful. So far we only have two team members and hopefully more will want to join us. I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of how a team blog works....but so far, I believe I have to invite people to be authors.....it's a work in progress. If anyone reading THIS blog, knows of someone who might want to become part of the other blog "Moving on Up" as it's called, please let me know.
For now though, I have some interesting reading to do, a laptop to address, and a DH to pickup from work....eventually.
Slainte!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)