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
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