My daughter and I woke up early today (I was up late, and slept through my alarm, but still made it up for 8:30) to pick up a beloved Saskatoon berry bush that our borough was giving away in limited quantities today. We arrived on foot, to be greeted by the longest line of idling cars in the community. How sad that this was billed as an Earth event! I expected most people would not be on foot, but I did expect them to park, or at least organize people without the pollution!
I had a 2.5 km walk home, interrupted by garbage picking through my favourite park with a manual claw that is so fun to use, we were fighting to find the winter collection of refuse and recycling! It felt like Halloweening, with really gross candy! My arms were feeling pretty tired but I thought that it was a good workout, and switching sides, I got home with only a few breaks.
Next was a walk to our local cultural centre, Stewart Hall, with only garbage collecting to distract. We were able to fill a garbage bag on the way, and were almost the only ones doing the map activities. We spent a few minutes doing puppets (kid) and admiring the art exhibit (mom) in the mutually loved library. Parallel play works after infancy sometimes! Our way home was a lot faster, with a full bag of garbage/recycling. We didn't have many stops, and the white pine branches my daughter had collected were a source of fun, and a great midge fly swatter, that by the afternoon was a necessity as we walked along through swarms of the first insects of the year.
On our way home, we went straight to our neighbours for a playdate. My friend and I wanted to explore a new route we plan to eventually run, and we walked another 8.5 km while hashing out life. Time to go home, and eat, with one last return trip left. I walked (how could I drive now on earth day!) my daughter to her dad's and slowly home, with a total of 32,683 steps and 22. 3 km. I wish that was enough to make up for the dozens of cars idling today, but I know that can't be. Still, it was a great day celebrating simple life, and a joy to be outside with my daughter.
Here's hoping for some Saskatoons, outside of Saskatchewan!
Saturday, April 22, 2017
EASTER EGG HUNTS
I have always thought that it would be great to celebrate holidays the day after everyone else does. Boxing Day sales as Christmas shopping. Discounted valentine's and easter chocolates.
Fast forward to today. Yet another Easter worked, but my daughter had the Easter Bunny come while I was there. So after the holiday passes, I buy discounted candy, and I set up an Easter egg hunt for when my daughter returns. A few of the chocolate eggs are displaced by my Calico in the night, but for the most part, it is a fun event, doubly challenging amongst the tax papers and unfolded laundry, but just as exciting as an original hunt! This makes me very happy, and we don't even talk about the fact that neither of us have talked about the Easter Bunny's involvement. So I go to kitchen to make lunch, and am told not to come out of the kitchen until I'm told. Nancy Drew isn't allowed out either, but five cans of her cat food disappear. When it's time to leave the kitchen, I find my daughter has reversed roles, and made an Easter egg hunt for me, and my cat!
What a delight to have such an amazing kid, who gave me her leftover Christmas candy, candy melts and marshmallows, to make an adventure I haven't had since I was a kid! Merci ma poule!
Fast forward to today. Yet another Easter worked, but my daughter had the Easter Bunny come while I was there. So after the holiday passes, I buy discounted candy, and I set up an Easter egg hunt for when my daughter returns. A few of the chocolate eggs are displaced by my Calico in the night, but for the most part, it is a fun event, doubly challenging amongst the tax papers and unfolded laundry, but just as exciting as an original hunt! This makes me very happy, and we don't even talk about the fact that neither of us have talked about the Easter Bunny's involvement. So I go to kitchen to make lunch, and am told not to come out of the kitchen until I'm told. Nancy Drew isn't allowed out either, but five cans of her cat food disappear. When it's time to leave the kitchen, I find my daughter has reversed roles, and made an Easter egg hunt for me, and my cat!
What a delight to have such an amazing kid, who gave me her leftover Christmas candy, candy melts and marshmallows, to make an adventure I haven't had since I was a kid! Merci ma poule!
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
APPLE CABBAGE RAMEN SALAD
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| Adle's asian salad, revised |
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| Chopped red and green Québec cabbage with sliced apple and green onions in vinegar, canola oil, soya sauce, and sugar dressing |
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| Golden ramen, almonds, sesame seeds fried in margarine |
Yield 6 - 10 servings
1-2 (3 ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles 1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 large head napa cabbage, shredded (about 2 pounds) 6 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or regular white vinegar
1(or 2) tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (may omit)
1/8 cup white sugar (up to 1/4 cup)
Crush noodles, place them in a medium skillet and brown in butter over medium heat. Add almonds and sesame seeds. Stir often to prevent burning. Add seasoning mix from noodles and cool. Toss in a large bowl with cabbage and onions.
Prepare the dressing by whisking together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Pour over salad, toss and serve.
1-2 (3 ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles 1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 large head napa cabbage, shredded (about 2 pounds) 6 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or regular white vinegar
1(or 2) tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (may omit)
1/8 cup white sugar (up to 1/4 cup)
Crush noodles, place them in a medium skillet and brown in butter over medium heat. Add almonds and sesame seeds. Stir often to prevent burning. Add seasoning mix from noodles and cool. Toss in a large bowl with cabbage and onions.
Prepare the dressing by whisking together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Pour over salad, toss and serve.
2 package ramen noodles (remove the stock packages)
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
half a green cabbage and half a purple cabbage , chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 large apple, sliced
Dressing
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoon soya sauce
1/4 cup white sugar
Break up dry ramen and brown in melted margarine in saucepan. Add almonds and sesame seeds. Stir often. Cool.
Toss cabbage, onion and apple together with dressing. Serve cold. Consider setting aside noodle mixture for leftovers for best serving crispness, but holds up well next day even tossed together.
DITALI CARROT CHICKEN SOUP
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| I love to use the carcass of a roasted chicken for broth. As a guilty vegetarian sharing meat, at least I feel like I used the bird completely. A few carrots, tiny ditali pasta that plumps up and a Peter Rabbit bowl. |
MOTHER DAUGHTER VARIATIONS ON A THEME
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| Sweet ruby grapefruit, pasta with lentil bolognese sauce and parmesan, orzo feta chick pea salad, apple celery pecan salad, baby corn |
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| Mango, apple celery, baby corn, orzo feta chickpea salad, osso and melted cheese |
THREE INGREDIENT PARTY MARSHMALLOWS
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| Melt chocolate chips (if you use the microwave, try ten seconds at a time, or you might burn them) and dip a marshmallow, and then press into sprinkles. Cool on a silicone plate |
Sunday, April 16, 2017
A MESSY DELICIOUS BREAKFAST
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| I had a container of chopped red pepper brought home from school uneaten, so I blew out an egg (my eyes hurt, but Easter decorations rule) and scrambled it, threw in the red pepper, toasted an English muffin, buttered it. It looked a mess, but it was delicious! |
Monday, April 10, 2017
A BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY
It's a great day when it finally starts and ends above zero, and the forecast predicted rain yesterday, but it was clear and sunny all day. The birds were chirping at 4 am and when we left the house, it was the first time I didn't need gloves. The ground is mostly free of snow, and the day was easy to garden in. By the time I had returned home, the perennial beds were calling, and it was fun to uncover the new growth under the dried stems I had left for winter interest.
I filled the compost bin with last year's leaves and branches, and put it out for pick-up. When I went out later for a run, the forest was nearly clear of snow, and the stairs were dry. It was a warm breeze and it was lovely to be wearing short pants and a light shirt with only a hat on my head for sun protection.
The cats were crazy, trying ten ways to get out. When my daughter got home, she was immediately busy collecting rocks and elaborately washing them for some specific purpose that I failed to grasp but she was certain of it. I swept off the deck and we took the cats outside. It was a glorious day, and just as we planned to eat our supper out, a dark cloud blew overhead and we got inside just before the rain started! It was fun to see lightening when it was still light out, and tomorrow is the pink full moon, and the rest of the week is above zero. Spring has really sprung!
I filled the compost bin with last year's leaves and branches, and put it out for pick-up. When I went out later for a run, the forest was nearly clear of snow, and the stairs were dry. It was a warm breeze and it was lovely to be wearing short pants and a light shirt with only a hat on my head for sun protection.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Friday, March 31, 2017
COMFORT FOOD ON A COLD SPRING DAY
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| RÖSTI and MAPLE SWEET POTATOES |
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| A pan of delicious potato pancake, or rösti |
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| Betty Crocker recipe |
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| Sweet Potatoes in maple syrup |
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| Betty Crocker recipe |
Thursday, March 23, 2017
SPANISH CHOCOLATE AND FRUIT KEBABS
After school snack time often consists of eating the uneaten portions of a lunch bag, but after that, it's fun to have something special ready. I had a few fruits and a few skewers, and a half a bar of chocolate from Barcelona. It made a wonderful snack, was fun to make a plate of fruit kebabs, and brought back fond memories!
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| Thick hot chocolate from Barcelona from Faborit café! Amatller chocolate squares in soya milk. I was having fond memories of the Cafe beside Gaudi's exquisite Casa Battlò, and my first hot chocolate so thick that was served by Maurizio at Hotel Flora in Venice. Delicious! |
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| Fruit kebabs for snack! |
HALAL GUYS
It may look messy, but this simple pita filled with falafel, tomatoes, lettuce, garlic mayo and hot sauce is delicious!
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| Halal Guys |
75 CM OF SNOW MEANS A SNOW DAY!
For the first time since my daughter started school, a snow storm came at the right time and with enough force to have school cancelled! What a wonderful way to fall asleep and wake up to! We watched it snow nice and cozy and warm, and then went to dig ourselves out and play for the rest of the day! It has been a busy week, and there was not one day that I wasn't sore, but it was like having Christmas again! Each day I didn't work, I tried to get out and take advantage of the snow! I picked up my daughter from school to give us an hour rental to cross country in the best snow! St. Sauveur had a special on Tuesday for ladies for $20! We had a great day, and both my friend and I had a rare experience of spring skiing. We tried our hand at a couple of blue runs. I only fell twice!
Winter with snow is a great winter!
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| Green Turtle route at Cap St Jacques |
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| Making our own trails at Cap St Jacques |
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| Ski Bunny at St. Sauveur/Mont Avila |
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| Back yard after 75 cm of snow. That is all from last Wednesday! |
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
APPLE SUPPORT THERAPY (or Robert in Austen, A Love Story)
I have had the most interesting time getting my backup to show up on my computer after losing another one to theft. I'll be honest. I had my doubts that it was going to happen.
First, I have a hard time replacing a computer that is stolen. It makes me feel like a target. So for months after, I tried to use the computer at work and an old laptop not current enough to be stolen. But there is only so much you can do with a computer that can't update an further, and the banner at the top announces constantly that everything you do is a security risk.
So I bought a modest replacement, and then tried getting into the backup. Nothing happened.
In the meantime, I was a little scared . The thieves may have left the backup, but it seemed like it was doomed. My phone did this weird thing before the robbery, where it stored all the photos on it instead of the computer, and the pictures started fading out, like a Matrix visual, which obviously seemed to me like a corrupt copy. I felt like my pictures from the last 13 digital years were lost.
I went on vacation and when I got back, I booked an appointment with the Genius Bar and brought in my computer and hard drive. I stumped two people, and they did what they could, but in the end they sent me home with a few hundred pictures and advice to call support from home.
A few weeks went by, and I had a few days in a row, so I called. I think I talked to 5 different people until I was sent to the voicemail of a senior advisor in Austin, Texas. It took hours and I felt like I was starting to acceptance the loss of this data. In the end, isn't a clean state a freeing idea? And I went to bed.
The next day I got a call. We started doing things I had no idea what was happening. It was like watching paint dry. I was reminded a few things about myself. I don't like to be a burden. If I felt like I could do something on my own, I would say so, and he would leave me to my own devices, to watch the paint dry, and come back periodically to check on me. But I'm not that patient, and sometimes, instead of waiting for help, I would change something, and have to start back at the beginning again.
I enjoyed the service of this senior adviser. From the beginning, he had an unwavering confidence that we could regain the data. He was never frustrated if something didn't work. He would just find another way. Slowly, as the days and appointments went on, I started to trust this voice . The data was finally starting to show up, and I could see that I was going to get most of the precious pictures that I let go of ever seeing again.
I reflected on my own approach to customer service, and tried to speak less, and imbue confidence more. I stopped fretting, and when one step finished, I didn't feel stressed about whether or not the next would work, because I was confident it would.
So thank you, Apple support, and to that voice in central standard time that led me to recover the memories I thought were lost. Thank you for hope at a time of fear and hurt. It was a tremendous gift.
First, I have a hard time replacing a computer that is stolen. It makes me feel like a target. So for months after, I tried to use the computer at work and an old laptop not current enough to be stolen. But there is only so much you can do with a computer that can't update an further, and the banner at the top announces constantly that everything you do is a security risk.
So I bought a modest replacement, and then tried getting into the backup. Nothing happened.
In the meantime, I was a little scared . The thieves may have left the backup, but it seemed like it was doomed. My phone did this weird thing before the robbery, where it stored all the photos on it instead of the computer, and the pictures started fading out, like a Matrix visual, which obviously seemed to me like a corrupt copy. I felt like my pictures from the last 13 digital years were lost.
I went on vacation and when I got back, I booked an appointment with the Genius Bar and brought in my computer and hard drive. I stumped two people, and they did what they could, but in the end they sent me home with a few hundred pictures and advice to call support from home.
A few weeks went by, and I had a few days in a row, so I called. I think I talked to 5 different people until I was sent to the voicemail of a senior advisor in Austin, Texas. It took hours and I felt like I was starting to acceptance the loss of this data. In the end, isn't a clean state a freeing idea? And I went to bed.
The next day I got a call. We started doing things I had no idea what was happening. It was like watching paint dry. I was reminded a few things about myself. I don't like to be a burden. If I felt like I could do something on my own, I would say so, and he would leave me to my own devices, to watch the paint dry, and come back periodically to check on me. But I'm not that patient, and sometimes, instead of waiting for help, I would change something, and have to start back at the beginning again.
I enjoyed the service of this senior adviser. From the beginning, he had an unwavering confidence that we could regain the data. He was never frustrated if something didn't work. He would just find another way. Slowly, as the days and appointments went on, I started to trust this voice . The data was finally starting to show up, and I could see that I was going to get most of the precious pictures that I let go of ever seeing again.
I reflected on my own approach to customer service, and tried to speak less, and imbue confidence more. I stopped fretting, and when one step finished, I didn't feel stressed about whether or not the next would work, because I was confident it would.
So thank you, Apple support, and to that voice in central standard time that led me to recover the memories I thought were lost. Thank you for hope at a time of fear and hurt. It was a tremendous gift.
Monday, March 13, 2017
REDPATH SUNDAY: DINOSAURS
Most dinosaurs in Canada have been found in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the ones represented in the Redpath Museum are the Gorgosaurus (AB) and the Triceratops (SK).
The Gorgosaurus and all carnivores had teeth that replaced themselves every five months! There are ribs along the cervical (neck vertebrae), which are residual in birds, but I wonder if they were protective of the throat structures (it would be useful in a fight).
The Edmontonosaurus was named from where it was found.
The Ankilosaurus is 8-9m long, with scales all over its body. Like most vegetarians, it was heavily armoured.
The Triceratops, like all quadrapeds, is a vegetarian.
Gastroliths are stones they eat that helped them digest food by crushing it between the stone and the stomach wall when the stomach contracts.
I learned before this visit, but only after seeing multiple skeletons in other museums (Eastend, Drumheller, NY Natural History Museum), that fossils are very heavy and fragile, and almost everything we see is a replica. You can touch a fossil of poop, scientifically called copralite!
Birds are the only relative living today. They share the claws, with 3 fingers in front and 1 finger backwards. The bird like dinosaurs had much longer tails to balance their tiny arms.
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| Dinosaur Fossil Craft - Take a dinosaur model. |
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| Press into floral foam, then fill with plaster, and let dry, about an hour. |
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| Fossil! |
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| Dig it out, and brush it off, like a real paleotologist. |
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| Triceratops family |
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| Ostrich skeleton, a reminder that birds, dinosaurs and reptiles are relatives |
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| Edmontonosaurus |
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| Dinorama! |
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| Footprints, skat (coprolite) and enormous phalanges) |
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| A real fossil, not a copy. They weigh a ton! |
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| Dinosaur timeline |
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| Dear Peter Redpath, thank you! |
PROPULSIVE GAITS, PERFECTIONISM, AND PROCRASTINATION
As I get older, time seems to pass faster and faster. Some of it is the process of life. I don't know if it's true but the best explanation I have heard for this is that as we age, we lay down fewer memories, and that feels like time is speeding up. Couple that with an only child, divide that time in half with shared custody, and every event seems like it goes too quick. So the holidays tend to be extended over more than the original day. It was always like this. Putting up the Christmas tree weeks in advance, playing carols and baking goodies before, and if that wasn't enough, keeping it going for the 12 days of Christmas, or sometimes even longer, until after the New Year, but before my daughter's birthday party.
This year, I vowed to put the boxes together ready for the new year. I dusted, brushed the cat hair off the tree skirt, filled the advent calendars with events, and put the "winter" decorations separate, in case it snows before the advent calendar starts on December 1. This I did, with great packing and organization. The problem was I missed the birthday, then Valentine's and almost made it to St. Patrick's! Today I have the tree down. The new ornaments are listed and the lightbulbs replaced. But it was a long time coming, and I was starting to look for an extra large garbage bag to cover the tree and leave it in the library corner until next year!
There is a type of gait that is common in those suffering from Parkinson's and happens in older people who have a few factors in developing a tendency for their feet to "get away from them". It is called a propulsive gait and is described as a kind of gait that feels like the cadence of steps has to shorten and increase the frequency until they feel like need to run. This is what my life feels like currently! I am just trying to get my feet under me, but fortunately I have always liked to run!
This year, I vowed to put the boxes together ready for the new year. I dusted, brushed the cat hair off the tree skirt, filled the advent calendars with events, and put the "winter" decorations separate, in case it snows before the advent calendar starts on December 1. This I did, with great packing and organization. The problem was I missed the birthday, then Valentine's and almost made it to St. Patrick's! Today I have the tree down. The new ornaments are listed and the lightbulbs replaced. But it was a long time coming, and I was starting to look for an extra large garbage bag to cover the tree and leave it in the library corner until next year!
There is a type of gait that is common in those suffering from Parkinson's and happens in older people who have a few factors in developing a tendency for their feet to "get away from them". It is called a propulsive gait and is described as a kind of gait that feels like the cadence of steps has to shorten and increase the frequency until they feel like need to run. This is what my life feels like currently! I am just trying to get my feet under me, but fortunately I have always liked to run!
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
GOETHE'S WORLD VIEW
I have come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate (for my daughter, my friends, my patients, my colleagues, my students, myself).
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
I possess tremendous power to make another life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.
If we treat people as they are, we make them worse.
If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
Or, as posted on my teacher brother's wall, with credit to Haim Ginott's Teacher and Child
A VIEW OF THE WORLD
I have come to a frightening conclusion.
I am a decisive element in my life.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a human, I possess tremendous power to make another life's miserable or joyful.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a human humanize for de-humanized.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate (for my daughter, my friends, my patients, my colleagues, my students, myself).
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
I possess tremendous power to make another life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.
If we treat people as they are, we make them worse.
If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
Or, as posted on my teacher brother's wall, with credit to Haim Ginott's Teacher and Child
A VIEW OF THE WORLD
I have come to a frightening conclusion.
I am a decisive element in my life.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a human, I possess tremendous power to make another life's miserable or joyful.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a human humanize for de-humanized.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
FRENCH LENTIL SOUP FROM EPICURIOUS
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery stalks plus chopped celery leaves for garnish
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
PREPARATION
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan; thin soup with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with celery leaves.
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| Epicurious |
I LOVE YOU SPIDERGIRL!
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| Here is the 5.8 I finally crawled up after failing each time we went climbing this year! I had to try twice, and channel a little anger to do it. I almost stopped at the last flat, but Spidergirl advised a break and I was able to make it to the top. I couldn't have done it without you! |
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