Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween
It is just after one am and I'm heading to bed. I just finished our two pumpkins for 2008... I'll post photos tomorrow because I am too tired and need a warm shower and sleep to rest my hands from carving... gotta say though that I love craving - the time flew by and I'm pleased with the completed pumpkins... we'll see what the boys think in the morning.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
halloweiner
Well tonight was costume building night for us. I managed to pull off a buzz light year jet pack and a sheriff star for Kyle.. who for the third time will be a sheriff or what he calls a police cowboy... I'll have photos this weekend with the boys decked out.
Throat... not better - I sound terrible, but am not really suffering much more than a sore throat... no nauseau or migraine like last night - I was a basket case from my migraine - I just didn't want to do anything - and I've had migraines before - but this was in a new league... a league I never wanted to join... anyhow this is all my fault anyway... I actually hoped I'd get sick - I know - sad - I just wanted a break - and I know - it is a sad state that I would rather be sick than go to work - and what's funny is work is going well - I'm catching up on everything and feel like I'm on my game with things...
Ok - I'm going to watch some tv...
Dinner - tonight I pan fried some pork chops and thought I'd use a Campbell's Gardennay Harvest Mushroom with Real Cream, which sounds fattening but is actually isn't. Anyone - using it as a sauce - well - not as great - even as a soup - I wouldn't highly recommend it. I've had the Butternut Squash Gardennay soup and it isn't too bad. I've used it as a salad dressing because it adds a nice flavor and is way better than using salad dressing that is super fattening. I also had brown rice for the first time tonight... a tablespoon of it... ok - to be honest - I actually had a salad and this is what I made everyone else... salad - those organic boxes of salad - a big handful of salad, 2 tbsp of feta cheese crumbled, 1/2 an avocado diced, a couple of dried cranberries, a couple of pecans, 1/2 cup of corn - tossed together - dinner is served. The cranberries were the only thing I'd probably remove from the salad - it just didn't need the sweet... I've bought a pomegrante and plan to use it on a salad tomorrow night... do you care about my dinner plans.. likely not... but I just felt like writing about dinner... so there you go :)
Throat... not better - I sound terrible, but am not really suffering much more than a sore throat... no nauseau or migraine like last night - I was a basket case from my migraine - I just didn't want to do anything - and I've had migraines before - but this was in a new league... a league I never wanted to join... anyhow this is all my fault anyway... I actually hoped I'd get sick - I know - sad - I just wanted a break - and I know - it is a sad state that I would rather be sick than go to work - and what's funny is work is going well - I'm catching up on everything and feel like I'm on my game with things...
Ok - I'm going to watch some tv...
Dinner - tonight I pan fried some pork chops and thought I'd use a Campbell's Gardennay Harvest Mushroom with Real Cream, which sounds fattening but is actually isn't. Anyone - using it as a sauce - well - not as great - even as a soup - I wouldn't highly recommend it. I've had the Butternut Squash Gardennay soup and it isn't too bad. I've used it as a salad dressing because it adds a nice flavor and is way better than using salad dressing that is super fattening. I also had brown rice for the first time tonight... a tablespoon of it... ok - to be honest - I actually had a salad and this is what I made everyone else... salad - those organic boxes of salad - a big handful of salad, 2 tbsp of feta cheese crumbled, 1/2 an avocado diced, a couple of dried cranberries, a couple of pecans, 1/2 cup of corn - tossed together - dinner is served. The cranberries were the only thing I'd probably remove from the salad - it just didn't need the sweet... I've bought a pomegrante and plan to use it on a salad tomorrow night... do you care about my dinner plans.. likely not... but I just felt like writing about dinner... so there you go :)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
ache
My throat hurts.
Yes, please feel sad for poor whiny me... my voice is getting worse and it didn't help having a board meeting where I had to do most of the talking. I was dying by the end of it. LONG DAY! Phew! It also didn't help that my brain started to throb about 30 minutes before I could leave.
My throat is all that hurts - so I guess that is good - good for being bad...
How is that for a crappy post.... gees I will work on my comedy routine for tomorrow.
Yes, please feel sad for poor whiny me... my voice is getting worse and it didn't help having a board meeting where I had to do most of the talking. I was dying by the end of it. LONG DAY! Phew! It also didn't help that my brain started to throb about 30 minutes before I could leave.
My throat is all that hurts - so I guess that is good - good for being bad...
How is that for a crappy post.... gees I will work on my comedy routine for tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
fat
where does fat go? I've burned off a few pounds this year and a few inches and today as I put on a piece of clothing that is too big I thought... where did that inch go? Did it really leave... is it stuck to someone else now... could the sweaty fat particles that drop off of me hideout somewhere and talk about the day they'll come back... and taunt me with - nice try salad eater... come back to the dark side... eat everything - everywhere...
I realize that this is a bit (a lot) of a mad thought - but it made me think about how odd this whole weight loss/gain situation is... I mean I know when I'm gaining weight - bigger clothes, stretched skin - but when it leaves - well it was something on my body - it was flabby stuff - the white goo you don't eat from meat - so it was something and now it is evaporating... or am I full of heavy air - or is it just shrunk inside and what was once a flabby cell is now a skinny cell who goes around talking about her great nails and wears high heels... hey girls this way to the skinny section... hey you fat cell - 20 more laps - head to toe - get on it ...
alright - it's official, I'm insane... ok - Paula - you're right - it was more likely official when I did the lingerie show in my res. living room... that was alcohol induced insanity though... sadly i only had milk at dinner :)
I realize that this is a bit (a lot) of a mad thought - but it made me think about how odd this whole weight loss/gain situation is... I mean I know when I'm gaining weight - bigger clothes, stretched skin - but when it leaves - well it was something on my body - it was flabby stuff - the white goo you don't eat from meat - so it was something and now it is evaporating... or am I full of heavy air - or is it just shrunk inside and what was once a flabby cell is now a skinny cell who goes around talking about her great nails and wears high heels... hey girls this way to the skinny section... hey you fat cell - 20 more laps - head to toe - get on it ...
alright - it's official, I'm insane... ok - Paula - you're right - it was more likely official when I did the lingerie show in my res. living room... that was alcohol induced insanity though... sadly i only had milk at dinner :)
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
fear
Just another day... not feeling fabulous and I happened to have a doctors appointment to chat about other things... so I went into the clinic (multi-floor) and look at the stairs and opt for the elevator. I pressed the button to take me to the top and down comes the elevator and get in and felt off - like I'd stepped into the wrong doors... and I had.
I get up to my floor and the lights on the floor panel go dark. Now I didn't immediately panic,... but, ok I did. Not crying or freaking out - just trying to figure what you do in this situation - if the elevator suddenly pitches down do I pull my feet up. So I stood anchored to a corner giving this all a minute because maybe the elevator is just having a bad day. After a minute and some frantic thinking about whether or not the elevator is sliding down I push the emergency button. Ring, ring, ring... we are sorry no one is available to answer your call. Not good... not happy. I hang up and push the button again. Ring, ring, ring, ring.... no answer. I take a step forward and attempt to pry the doors open - that's what they do in the movies - right... I manage to open it a few inches and see that I'm stuck between floors - trapped - and then it happens - the elevator slides. Blood pressure rising, fear beginning to creep in, walls closing... in... on... me.... I think I made some kind of barking help sound... I start pushing the buttons to revive the elevator - please.... open... PLEASE! I pry at the door again and it doesn't move this time - no glimmer of hope - no light and then suddenly there is a light - one of the buttons I've pushed is lit and I push them all and bing - the doors open and I throw myself out like I've won a flamin' marathon and run - literally - run up the stairs to my appointment -
Shocked that I've survived to live another day I wobble into the doctors office where no one is and finally someone asks if I had an appointment. I say I'm sorry I'm late I was trapped in the elevator... oh.... my knees are clanging together from the ordeal - so I get an oh... and that's it - I tell her I've been in there for eight minutes or so - more than enough for a lifetime... so I didn't panic but I'm pleased the elevator didn't slide to the ground floor.
So in an effort to educate the masses and myself - if you are caught in the same situation and elevator begins to slide and then fall dramatically you are supposed to lie flat on the bottom on the elevator to distribute the force more evenly across your body rather than having the full force on your feet/legs. While searching I also watched a video of a poor guy trapped for 41 hours... so now I don't feel as bad... but still not pleased. Still alive though :) hooray for that.
I get up to my floor and the lights on the floor panel go dark. Now I didn't immediately panic,... but, ok I did. Not crying or freaking out - just trying to figure what you do in this situation - if the elevator suddenly pitches down do I pull my feet up. So I stood anchored to a corner giving this all a minute because maybe the elevator is just having a bad day. After a minute and some frantic thinking about whether or not the elevator is sliding down I push the emergency button. Ring, ring, ring... we are sorry no one is available to answer your call. Not good... not happy. I hang up and push the button again. Ring, ring, ring, ring.... no answer. I take a step forward and attempt to pry the doors open - that's what they do in the movies - right... I manage to open it a few inches and see that I'm stuck between floors - trapped - and then it happens - the elevator slides. Blood pressure rising, fear beginning to creep in, walls closing... in... on... me.... I think I made some kind of barking help sound... I start pushing the buttons to revive the elevator - please.... open... PLEASE! I pry at the door again and it doesn't move this time - no glimmer of hope - no light and then suddenly there is a light - one of the buttons I've pushed is lit and I push them all and bing - the doors open and I throw myself out like I've won a flamin' marathon and run - literally - run up the stairs to my appointment -
Shocked that I've survived to live another day I wobble into the doctors office where no one is and finally someone asks if I had an appointment. I say I'm sorry I'm late I was trapped in the elevator... oh.... my knees are clanging together from the ordeal - so I get an oh... and that's it - I tell her I've been in there for eight minutes or so - more than enough for a lifetime... so I didn't panic but I'm pleased the elevator didn't slide to the ground floor.
So in an effort to educate the masses and myself - if you are caught in the same situation and elevator begins to slide and then fall dramatically you are supposed to lie flat on the bottom on the elevator to distribute the force more evenly across your body rather than having the full force on your feet/legs. While searching I also watched a video of a poor guy trapped for 41 hours... so now I don't feel as bad... but still not pleased. Still alive though :) hooray for that.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
yummy chinese food
I always get inspired to cook more Chinese food after visiting my mother in law. She doesn't cook as often as she use to but she has some great dishes that we ask for when we visit... Usually I come home all inspired but don't do anything, but this time I'm on it. I made two dishes and rice and lo bo gho (that's phonetic and not the correct spelling). My favorite dish right now is one with pressed tofu and long chinese chives. And since I know you are dying to know how to make the dish I'm going to share.
Buy some pressed tofu - it comes in a package of 4 small squares. Now when I say pressed tofu - I mean it - that soft stuff is terrible for this and WON'T WORK - dessert tofu isn't good in chinese food - flavoured tofus won't work either - PRESSED ONLY! But April, I don't like tofu... ah.... well this is good tofu... it is yummy and it really doesn't taste like some of the icky tofu.. because I agree why eat a meat replacement if you like meat - eat meat - but this is the one time I'll stand up and say hey - eat some tofu - cause this is yummy (I also like agedashi, as we've seen months ago...) One square will be good for one dish and serves 4 people or more at a time. So you take one square out - cut it into four pieces and then further cut each of the four pieces so you are left with a whole pile of little pieces. (see pic below - it gives you an idea about the size the pieces should be) Then get a package of long chives - now in the North - well good luck to you... this isn't something you'll regularly see at the grocery store - but Extra Foods in Quesnel sometimes brings this in... this could also work with spinach leaves... but it is best with the yummy long chives... so if you can get your hands on the chives they are about a foot long or longer and look just like regular chives from the garden but you'll usually find them with a closed chive bloom on the top. I wash them up and then cut them into four or five pieces, so you end up with about 2 cups of the chives.... ok so now you are ready to cook... stir fry the tofu pieces in a little bit of oil - high heat - they will brown up quickly - likely in less than five minutes at five minutes of cooking or when they are starting to brown but not get too crispy - you add a tbsp of soy sauce and then add in the chives. Then let the chives wilt a bit - probably another five minutes. Add a little bit more soy sauce if you find your pan doesn't have much liquid and then serve with rice... yummy! Ok so one more point - these are not regular chives - if you just buy those regular herb chives in the grocery store this won't taste great - it would be FAR better with spinach leaves... spinach leaves will cook in two minutes...
Buy some pressed tofu - it comes in a package of 4 small squares. Now when I say pressed tofu - I mean it - that soft stuff is terrible for this and WON'T WORK - dessert tofu isn't good in chinese food - flavoured tofus won't work either - PRESSED ONLY! But April, I don't like tofu... ah.... well this is good tofu... it is yummy and it really doesn't taste like some of the icky tofu.. because I agree why eat a meat replacement if you like meat - eat meat - but this is the one time I'll stand up and say hey - eat some tofu - cause this is yummy (I also like agedashi, as we've seen months ago...) One square will be good for one dish and serves 4 people or more at a time. So you take one square out - cut it into four pieces and then further cut each of the four pieces so you are left with a whole pile of little pieces. (see pic below - it gives you an idea about the size the pieces should be) Then get a package of long chives - now in the North - well good luck to you... this isn't something you'll regularly see at the grocery store - but Extra Foods in Quesnel sometimes brings this in... this could also work with spinach leaves... but it is best with the yummy long chives... so if you can get your hands on the chives they are about a foot long or longer and look just like regular chives from the garden but you'll usually find them with a closed chive bloom on the top. I wash them up and then cut them into four or five pieces, so you end up with about 2 cups of the chives.... ok so now you are ready to cook... stir fry the tofu pieces in a little bit of oil - high heat - they will brown up quickly - likely in less than five minutes at five minutes of cooking or when they are starting to brown but not get too crispy - you add a tbsp of soy sauce and then add in the chives. Then let the chives wilt a bit - probably another five minutes. Add a little bit more soy sauce if you find your pan doesn't have much liquid and then serve with rice... yummy! Ok so one more point - these are not regular chives - if you just buy those regular herb chives in the grocery store this won't taste great - it would be FAR better with spinach leaves... spinach leaves will cook in two minutes...
Sunday, October 12, 2008
happy turkey weekend
Well it's Sunday afternoon - I've just finished putting ye'olde bird into the oven with some yummy stuffing and with any luck we'll be enjoying some tasty turkey at about 6:30pm... woohoo! :)
So let's give thanks this weekend - share your thankful items.... here are some of mine...
1) I'm thankful for my family (boys, husband, extended family)
2) I'm thankful for my friends and my friends who are much more like family
Ok - so those are the critical ones that I'm super thankful for - super duper even.
Now for the not so critical thanks
1) I'm thankful for sushi
2) I'm thankful for sunny days
3) I'm thankful for rainy days
4) I'm thankful for a glass of wine and some beautiful music
5) I'm thankful for a hand to hold
6) I'm thankful for macaroons
7) I'm thankful for words of kindness
So let's hear it - what are you thankful for - what are things/people/items that make you give thanks and reflect on your great life... and I know some of you non-happy people are sitting there - mad because someone peed in your cornflakes - but you are alive and breathing - and there is much in that to give thanks for... and no I'm not talking about some higher lord, god, smurf that some may believe in - I'm talking about believing in yourself and saying - ROAR - I'm amazing and I should be thankful for my life - even if some not so fabulous, happy, positive things have come your way... see I didn't say share your - things I hate about my life list.... and if you aren't thankful for making lists... well you can always go and read someone elses blog :) see thankful for my mouse button that will enable me to click away from here ;)
So let's give thanks this weekend - share your thankful items.... here are some of mine...
1) I'm thankful for my family (boys, husband, extended family)
2) I'm thankful for my friends and my friends who are much more like family
Ok - so those are the critical ones that I'm super thankful for - super duper even.
Now for the not so critical thanks
1) I'm thankful for sushi
2) I'm thankful for sunny days
3) I'm thankful for rainy days
4) I'm thankful for a glass of wine and some beautiful music
5) I'm thankful for a hand to hold
6) I'm thankful for macaroons
7) I'm thankful for words of kindness
So let's hear it - what are you thankful for - what are things/people/items that make you give thanks and reflect on your great life... and I know some of you non-happy people are sitting there - mad because someone peed in your cornflakes - but you are alive and breathing - and there is much in that to give thanks for... and no I'm not talking about some higher lord, god, smurf that some may believe in - I'm talking about believing in yourself and saying - ROAR - I'm amazing and I should be thankful for my life - even if some not so fabulous, happy, positive things have come your way... see I didn't say share your - things I hate about my life list.... and if you aren't thankful for making lists... well you can always go and read someone elses blog :) see thankful for my mouse button that will enable me to click away from here ;)
Sunday, October 05, 2008
talk, talk, talk
For more than a year I've been telling myself that I wanted to try and make homemade borscht. I've had good borscht at Granville's - the best coffee house in the North - but there's is creamy, has dill ~ which I don't always take kindly to and has a tomatoe-y base. So I tried a recipe my mom had last night and voila I have borscht.
I'm sure that you are keenly interested in just how did I perform this wonder... well...
I used 3 giants beets
1 large carrot and 1 onion. All grated - then placed in a pot with water - enough water to just cover all the ingredients. Then I let is boil for 20 minutes. (Note the beets were pre-cooked because they are monsters - it took an hour to cook the beets.)
Ok - so then I added 4 cups of beef stock, 1/3 cup margerine (but totally not necessary now that I've been there, done that) and 2 cups of grated cabbage. Back on the stove for more cooking. At this point it needs to cook for 20 minutes more - but then it can just sit and simmer until you feel like eating it. I let mine cool for a while and then put it away for lunch for today. I'm going to freeze half of the batch too... so yes - this is a large recipe because my intent was to make enough that I could enjoy a little in a few weeks when I don't have access to my parents beets :)
Now off to make muffins...
I'm sure that you are keenly interested in just how did I perform this wonder... well...
I used 3 giants beets
1 large carrot and 1 onion. All grated - then placed in a pot with water - enough water to just cover all the ingredients. Then I let is boil for 20 minutes. (Note the beets were pre-cooked because they are monsters - it took an hour to cook the beets.)
Ok - so then I added 4 cups of beef stock, 1/3 cup margerine (but totally not necessary now that I've been there, done that) and 2 cups of grated cabbage. Back on the stove for more cooking. At this point it needs to cook for 20 minutes more - but then it can just sit and simmer until you feel like eating it. I let mine cool for a while and then put it away for lunch for today. I'm going to freeze half of the batch too... so yes - this is a large recipe because my intent was to make enough that I could enjoy a little in a few weeks when I don't have access to my parents beets :)
Now off to make muffins...
Friday, October 03, 2008
the weekend
11:20pm - hooray for the weekend
Michael is on the mend - his tummy is still trying to figure out how to adjust to eating again - so we will see how he does over the weekend. He went back to daycare today and they didn't notice any problems... of course - would they?
Did anyone watch the debates last night? I watched the Canadian one for a few minutes and had a great laugh when Layton started slamming Harper. The muddy side of politics isn't great - but man- when they know how to stick it to them and make them wear it around for a few days it is pretty funny. Just a bunch of big kids - of course - as I read in our local paper a few months ago - what are we teaching youth when we bully at the top of our countries government. Is bullying ok when you do it on tv?
I thought Dion did well - I thought he was clear and easier to relate to than I've seen him before. He didn't seem stiff and that is the image I had in my head. So I guess we'll see how this race goes. Our area has a just about 20 year old Liberal candidate, a female NDP candidate, our incumbent conservative candidate and a green party person who is in Vancouver and has no intention of coming into our riding - which is total SHIT - what the hell is wrong with their party that they'd do something like that. Not that I would have voted for the green party but what the hell... here is your candidate and she's too good to come to your area - well that's a great reason to vote green - we should all vote for her and make her move to this terrible part of the world... asses!
Michael is on the mend - his tummy is still trying to figure out how to adjust to eating again - so we will see how he does over the weekend. He went back to daycare today and they didn't notice any problems... of course - would they?
Did anyone watch the debates last night? I watched the Canadian one for a few minutes and had a great laugh when Layton started slamming Harper. The muddy side of politics isn't great - but man- when they know how to stick it to them and make them wear it around for a few days it is pretty funny. Just a bunch of big kids - of course - as I read in our local paper a few months ago - what are we teaching youth when we bully at the top of our countries government. Is bullying ok when you do it on tv?
I thought Dion did well - I thought he was clear and easier to relate to than I've seen him before. He didn't seem stiff and that is the image I had in my head. So I guess we'll see how this race goes. Our area has a just about 20 year old Liberal candidate, a female NDP candidate, our incumbent conservative candidate and a green party person who is in Vancouver and has no intention of coming into our riding - which is total SHIT - what the hell is wrong with their party that they'd do something like that. Not that I would have voted for the green party but what the hell... here is your candidate and she's too good to come to your area - well that's a great reason to vote green - we should all vote for her and make her move to this terrible part of the world... asses!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
still home
So Michael is still under the weather - better today than yesterday - he was actually playing around a bit today and took in a trip to Wal-Mart first thing this morning. With any luck he'll be back at school/daycare tomorrow :) He's having a quick nap right now which has given me time to do some baking. Today I'm trying out a (carmen stop reading) banana split brownie, which is basically a banana brownie (which means it is lower in fat/sugars than regular brownies) and a strawberry cream cheese frosting.... but really that is the frosting - those two ingredients plus some icing sugar.
I'm going to pick Kyle up in an hour and half and with any luck we will also do some cooking... hooray for being at home. Man do I miss being around the house during the week. Plus food network has all these great day time shows on cooking. Plus I got to watch Oprah yesterday - which I actually couldn't watch - it was on breast cancer and that nerve is a little to close to my tear duct right now. ...point of clarification - I'm not sad about my boobs - they are a-ok - sad about a good friends recent loss
I'm going to pick Kyle up in an hour and half and with any luck we will also do some cooking... hooray for being at home. Man do I miss being around the house during the week. Plus food network has all these great day time shows on cooking. Plus I got to watch Oprah yesterday - which I actually couldn't watch - it was on breast cancer and that nerve is a little to close to my tear duct right now. ...point of clarification - I'm not sad about my boobs - they are a-ok - sad about a good friends recent loss
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
home afternoon
Well it's definitely the start of the school year - I got that great phone call from daycare today. "Michael is sick."
I show up and he is sitting, crying; on a couch, alone. There is one girl who doesn't like me because I came and had a fit one morning about the guys being soaked to the bone because they were allowed to play in a puddle, in the rain. She thought I was speaking about her behavior - I wasn't - I was speaking about the owners. In any case she continues her role as a non-talker and the other employee comes over and says "he doesn't usually sit with me or talk to me but today he did so I knew something was up... (not a good start - I need to be a stay at home/work from home mom...)" She goes on to say his temp was 100.3 and then says - I mean 103... great - there is a difference in shifting the decimal point... so we go home and he looks terrible. We do the song and dance about taking medicine - he cries - its even worse on me but he finally takes most of it. Fast forward three hours and he is hungry and sitting here watching a movie. So I don't know what the heck is wrong with him. He has a slight runny nose and is complaining - a little - about a tummy ache... the joys of parenting.
On the parenting front, because Michael came home at lunch I decided we'd go and get Kyle after school. I arrive and another parent is waiting and we chat a little bit and then I ask - hey have you heard anything from the teacher. Well then I got an ear full about the same stuff I'm concerned about. Do parents not get involved with their students work anymore? I'm shocked that a month into the school year we've received nothing formal from the teacher - no introduction - no welcome - NOTHING! Very - super - extremely frustrating... or is this normal? Am I to expect this low level of communication home? (Jen - what say you?)
I show up and he is sitting, crying; on a couch, alone. There is one girl who doesn't like me because I came and had a fit one morning about the guys being soaked to the bone because they were allowed to play in a puddle, in the rain. She thought I was speaking about her behavior - I wasn't - I was speaking about the owners. In any case she continues her role as a non-talker and the other employee comes over and says "he doesn't usually sit with me or talk to me but today he did so I knew something was up... (not a good start - I need to be a stay at home/work from home mom...)" She goes on to say his temp was 100.3 and then says - I mean 103... great - there is a difference in shifting the decimal point... so we go home and he looks terrible. We do the song and dance about taking medicine - he cries - its even worse on me but he finally takes most of it. Fast forward three hours and he is hungry and sitting here watching a movie. So I don't know what the heck is wrong with him. He has a slight runny nose and is complaining - a little - about a tummy ache... the joys of parenting.
On the parenting front, because Michael came home at lunch I decided we'd go and get Kyle after school. I arrive and another parent is waiting and we chat a little bit and then I ask - hey have you heard anything from the teacher. Well then I got an ear full about the same stuff I'm concerned about. Do parents not get involved with their students work anymore? I'm shocked that a month into the school year we've received nothing formal from the teacher - no introduction - no welcome - NOTHING! Very - super - extremely frustrating... or is this normal? Am I to expect this low level of communication home? (Jen - what say you?)
Friday, September 26, 2008
the toll
Alright friends - what do you think about the province of BC removing the toll on the coconut highway today?
Here is a few cents worth...
1) The coconut highway tolls puts $57M in the provincial coffers every year. Where will that shortfall come from now? We still need to maintain the highway - the only savings, as far as I can tell is that a group of people lost their jobs today. Not great. Where do we pick up $57M? I know we have a surplus... oh wait - if we have debt do we really have a surplus? I'm sure there is money in education or health care that could be trimmed off.
2) We've been paying the toll for 22 years and raised $853M, the apparent price of the project was $857 and apparently we've paid off the "debt" on the highway so the toll can be removed - debt paid. This is actually a great idea - removing a tax when the reason for the tax is gone... that was what was supposed to happen to income tax, but here we are - still paying - and I don't think good old Steve Harper is going to pull a "let's get rid of income tax" card out of his hat.
3) All my Vancouverite friends and people who don't live in the Okanagan.... are you know going to get in your car this weekend and drive up to the Okanagan because you'll save $20 on tolls... minus the carbon tax, of course.... right.... I'm sure it will cause an amazing boom.... look out!
On the boob tube - The World After Humans - I don't know if any of you are watching this tonight. I'm more half assed listening and as far as I can tell the point is that if we want the earth to get better we should all go and hang ourselves.
Here is a few cents worth...
1) The coconut highway tolls puts $57M in the provincial coffers every year. Where will that shortfall come from now? We still need to maintain the highway - the only savings, as far as I can tell is that a group of people lost their jobs today. Not great. Where do we pick up $57M? I know we have a surplus... oh wait - if we have debt do we really have a surplus? I'm sure there is money in education or health care that could be trimmed off.
2) We've been paying the toll for 22 years and raised $853M, the apparent price of the project was $857 and apparently we've paid off the "debt" on the highway so the toll can be removed - debt paid. This is actually a great idea - removing a tax when the reason for the tax is gone... that was what was supposed to happen to income tax, but here we are - still paying - and I don't think good old Steve Harper is going to pull a "let's get rid of income tax" card out of his hat.
3) All my Vancouverite friends and people who don't live in the Okanagan.... are you know going to get in your car this weekend and drive up to the Okanagan because you'll save $20 on tolls... minus the carbon tax, of course.... right.... I'm sure it will cause an amazing boom.... look out!
On the boob tube - The World After Humans - I don't know if any of you are watching this tonight. I'm more half assed listening and as far as I can tell the point is that if we want the earth to get better we should all go and hang ourselves.
in the news
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A West Virginia man who police said passed gas and fanned it toward a patrolman has been charged with battery on a police officer. From the associated press Wednesday Sept 24 08.
I know a few people that should definitely be charged... not naming names... I'm sure a few of my friends will remember someone who was banned from a washroom in university :)
What's even funnier is that it was like fart central at our house tonight. Michael actually declared it "fart time"... a kin to circle time I guess.
I know a few people that should definitely be charged... not naming names... I'm sure a few of my friends will remember someone who was banned from a washroom in university :)
What's even funnier is that it was like fart central at our house tonight. Michael actually declared it "fart time"... a kin to circle time I guess.
ER
Ok so last night was the season opener for ER and it was super sad. I mean they told us all summer that someone was going to die in the season opener but gees... I don't know if any of you watch it - I guess ER isn't as popular as I think it is. It was good in the 90's and I'd still watch it if they carried on with it. It's almost like a soap opera - you don't seem them canning any of those and they are terrible. ER kicks ass over all the daytime stuff... but I guess ER isn't competing with the day... what are they competing with? I don't know what is even on the other channels during that time slot - or do people actually turn off their tvs? - HA - right!
Ok - I won't wreck it for those who didn't see it but I cried hard enough that when Paula called me to say (our ER ritual) - damn - how could they do that and we could both cry on the phone together - that I didn't answer the phone because I was crying so much and just couldn't talk. I know - I'm stupid - it's television... I know, I know... but I cry to good books too...
Ok - I won't wreck it for those who didn't see it but I cried hard enough that when Paula called me to say (our ER ritual) - damn - how could they do that and we could both cry on the phone together - that I didn't answer the phone because I was crying so much and just couldn't talk. I know - I'm stupid - it's television... I know, I know... but I cry to good books too...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
politics
Today I was listening to my favorite CBC show - Almanac and people were giving it to Minister Penner. 2 things came out of the discussion that I thought were interesting enough that I'd share them here.
1) Penner noted that NDP has flip flopped on the carbon tax/carbon planning idea. He noted the NDP plan for carbon credits/carbon exchange currently being toted around and then noted that the NDP had voted out/against the idea of that in principal months ago. He then said "I wouldn't drive with Ms. James, pause (paused long enough that I thought what the hell is he talking about that has nothing to do the carbon tax), she's all over the road." To which I started laughing pretty hard. I mean politicians don't usually talk like that - it was actually kind of refreshing.
2) A caller calls in and says he doesn't believe in global warming, but does believe in global cooling. Penner wasn't really listening, I don't think, because he went on Al Gore bender on all these scientists agreeing that humans have caused climate change. I don't think anyone was arguing against climate change - just that the planet is cooling and not warming and that a cooling trend has a direct impact on the people that are trying to heat their homes with natural gas and other fuels that are now being charged an additional 2%.
So where is the carbon tax money going? It's "tax neutral" - meaning our income tax is supposed to decrease to recover what we are now paying in additional taxes for carbon. But does it really add up?
Our family is paying at least $1,800 a year in gas for our cars and another $1,800 in natural gas. So that's $3,600 annually (pre-2% carbon tax). So that's $72 more a year that I'll pay for the governments carbon tax. Does it balance out? Well we got a $100 cheque in July for each of us, that's $400, and we'll see what I'll save on my taxes. So as far as I can tell for this year we are ahead. Now the tax escalates up over the next few years so we will see what it looks like in four years and we will see if it is even there in four years - who knows who will be making the rules by then.
What I also hate about the election season right now is that politicians seem unable to answer questions without first talking about their competition in a negative light. Doing the negative talk says to me that they aren't confident. A confident leader wouldn't need to talk about the other party and their plans and their mistakes. Tell me you are going to make my city, my province, my country a great place to live - economically, socially, and all the other 'lly's - and do it. Politicians need to remember that every day they are in office they are doing the work of the people - every day - not the first year in office and every day after that is campaigning to stay another term. Forget the second term - third term, fourth term.... treat every day like you are really trying to make a difference for us... the tax payers - aka your wage payers.
Where do you stand on the carbon tax? Have I misunderstood the carbon tax?
1) Penner noted that NDP has flip flopped on the carbon tax/carbon planning idea. He noted the NDP plan for carbon credits/carbon exchange currently being toted around and then noted that the NDP had voted out/against the idea of that in principal months ago. He then said "I wouldn't drive with Ms. James, pause (paused long enough that I thought what the hell is he talking about that has nothing to do the carbon tax), she's all over the road." To which I started laughing pretty hard. I mean politicians don't usually talk like that - it was actually kind of refreshing.
2) A caller calls in and says he doesn't believe in global warming, but does believe in global cooling. Penner wasn't really listening, I don't think, because he went on Al Gore bender on all these scientists agreeing that humans have caused climate change. I don't think anyone was arguing against climate change - just that the planet is cooling and not warming and that a cooling trend has a direct impact on the people that are trying to heat their homes with natural gas and other fuels that are now being charged an additional 2%.
So where is the carbon tax money going? It's "tax neutral" - meaning our income tax is supposed to decrease to recover what we are now paying in additional taxes for carbon. But does it really add up?
Our family is paying at least $1,800 a year in gas for our cars and another $1,800 in natural gas. So that's $3,600 annually (pre-2% carbon tax). So that's $72 more a year that I'll pay for the governments carbon tax. Does it balance out? Well we got a $100 cheque in July for each of us, that's $400, and we'll see what I'll save on my taxes. So as far as I can tell for this year we are ahead. Now the tax escalates up over the next few years so we will see what it looks like in four years and we will see if it is even there in four years - who knows who will be making the rules by then.
What I also hate about the election season right now is that politicians seem unable to answer questions without first talking about their competition in a negative light. Doing the negative talk says to me that they aren't confident. A confident leader wouldn't need to talk about the other party and their plans and their mistakes. Tell me you are going to make my city, my province, my country a great place to live - economically, socially, and all the other 'lly's - and do it. Politicians need to remember that every day they are in office they are doing the work of the people - every day - not the first year in office and every day after that is campaigning to stay another term. Forget the second term - third term, fourth term.... treat every day like you are really trying to make a difference for us... the tax payers - aka your wage payers.
Where do you stand on the carbon tax? Have I misunderstood the carbon tax?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
damned costco
On the weekend we went to Costco - likely one of our last visits since I'm not renewing our membership - and did the "aisle" thing and picked up a few items - nothing special and nothing that I couldn't have gotten somewhere else. There was also a nice display of strawberries and since they were less than $4.00 for a big container of them I thought sure - let's get some.
First problem - they stank up our car, leading me to believe that they are spraying the boxes or berries themselves with something that is supposed to smell like strawberries but actually smells quite vile. Seriously it smelled like a strawberry fart - I'll let you think about that - but really - it was that bad.
Second problem - this morning I took them to the sink to be washed - they looked all pretty, sitting in their container - all placed so delicately in the box - so uniformly - and then it happens - I pick one up and my thumb goes right through it - ok - so one strawberry - that's ok - pick up another - same thing - same thing - same thing - same thing.... ARG! So the outside looks great - in fact if I was super gentle I could have probably put them all back in the box and they'd still look fantastic - but the meat of the berry was destroyed - so what are they spraying them with to make the outside look good and the inside rot...
Can I take them back and complain? Not unless I want to spend another $50 in fuel to drive to PG. Arg - again!
First problem - they stank up our car, leading me to believe that they are spraying the boxes or berries themselves with something that is supposed to smell like strawberries but actually smells quite vile. Seriously it smelled like a strawberry fart - I'll let you think about that - but really - it was that bad.
Second problem - this morning I took them to the sink to be washed - they looked all pretty, sitting in their container - all placed so delicately in the box - so uniformly - and then it happens - I pick one up and my thumb goes right through it - ok - so one strawberry - that's ok - pick up another - same thing - same thing - same thing - same thing.... ARG! So the outside looks great - in fact if I was super gentle I could have probably put them all back in the box and they'd still look fantastic - but the meat of the berry was destroyed - so what are they spraying them with to make the outside look good and the inside rot...
Can I take them back and complain? Not unless I want to spend another $50 in fuel to drive to PG. Arg - again!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Happy First Day of Fall
That's right - it's already here - which means the days are getting shorter and we are marching closer to another winter. Well hooray for that. Thanks for stopping by :)
Friday, September 19, 2008
what happened this week
Well I actually got some scrapbook pages completed. I'm up to 5 pages for the week - which is incredible.
What else? Well on Thursday I got to go on a mine tour. It was pretty amazing! A few photos are below. The only downside was the final building tour - the smells in the building made me feel like I'd been punched in the lung - it was terrible - I actually was struggling to breathe and then it started to get better or my body made the adjustment, but every once in a while I got all choked up - so not great - but I'm pretty sensitive. The rest of the tour was pretty cool though.
Here is my tour group in front of a giant truck - the trucks cost $4,000,000 each - tire replacement runs for $50K each... see you can learn something new every day
Here is one of their active pits - to put it into perspective - each step on the face of the mine is 45 ft tall... it was crazy!
What else? Well on Thursday I got to go on a mine tour. It was pretty amazing! A few photos are below. The only downside was the final building tour - the smells in the building made me feel like I'd been punched in the lung - it was terrible - I actually was struggling to breathe and then it started to get better or my body made the adjustment, but every once in a while I got all choked up - so not great - but I'm pretty sensitive. The rest of the tour was pretty cool though.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)