Friday, March 30, 2007
I'm Back!!!
Being away the past few days made me realize a few things:
1) I love my little nephew to bits. He is the cutest, sweetest little boy ever. Just being home a few hours, I already miss those sweet, chubby cherub cheeks, and that baby soft smell!
2) I hate, hate, hate being away from my husband (this was our first time apart in the past two years together).
3) The trip from the Island to Kingston by bus is something I never ever want to do again! I should have driven, but didn't want to drive by myself. I thought taking the bus would be the best idea, but it was horrible!!! I will explain further in #4.
4) I think as I am getting older, my tolerance level for certain things has really decreased. I realized that on the bus, I just got so annoyed with people who:
A) Wouldn't shut up the entire 12 hours!! I was seriously annoyed and wanted to tell those people to just shut up! There was a really inebriated man who was so drunk that he was rowdy and rude. He told this one guy (who happened to be black) that the Ku Klux Klan ought to go after him. Like who says those kinds of things?? What an idiot!
B) I can't stand it when people use foul language when there are children present. I understand that a person ought to be free to say whatever he/she feels, but when there are children present, I think it is distasteful and inconsiderate to swear like a sailor and use the F-word every chance you get. I'm definitely not a saint and I won't pretend I am. I do utter some unpleasant words once in a while, but it's usually if I'm really upset or if I accidentally injure myself. I really to make a conscious effort not to, especially when children or people older than me are present.
C) I think it's really, REALLY annoying when people talk down to other people or disrespect others and think it's cool. There were these two military boys from the States who were on the bus and they were talking very loudly. It was impossible for people on the bus to not hear them, and they were including other people in their conversation. They seemed to think they were cool in talking about prostitutes and the way they treat women...and that they aren't as 'responsible' as they ought to be (in reference to not using condoms during intercourse). Like why on earth would one admit to such things and boast about it? It's certainly nothing to be proud of! One guy was telling me how he treats his girlfriend like dirt and she still begs to be with him. He told me that the other day, he stopped the car and told her to get out and walk home...it was night time and it was in the middle of nowhere. I asked why he did that and he said because he could.
I am seriously starting to think that I'm not as nice a person as I would like to think I am. I just can't cope with stupid people. Does that make me a horrible person?
Oh, and lastly...
5) I must have a big sign painted on my forehead that reads : PLEASE COME UP AND TALK TO ME or something. I seem to be a magnet for all crazy people. I just seem to attract all the crazies out there. Why, oh why do strangers always come up to me and talk to me??? I was trying to peacefully and quietly enjoy the trip back to the Island, when some lady who looks a lot like Goldie Hawn sat down next to me. She saw that I was crocheting a baby blanket and asked me about it. That began a 6 hr talking fest of how she was remarried and her new husband cheated on her with some young, sexy thing, but she still loves him and is taking him back. She went on and on about her life. I suppose it's normal to strike up a conversation with people on the bus, but there are some strange people out there. After popping some pill, she gave me her address and phone number and asked me to keep in touch. I genuinely liked her. She seemed nice enough and she had an interesting life. I don't think I'll be keeping in touch though. This sort of thing just seems to happen to me all too often. Once when Hubby and I went down South, we stopped off in some town to get a coffee, stretch our legs, and use the facilities, and some lady started talking to me in the bathroom. When I got out and sat for a coffee with Hubby, she sat next to us and continued talking. I think Hubby was amused that this stranger would be so intent on talking...and that she gave me her phone number, e-mail address and mailing address and invited us to her housewarming party. Who invites total strangers to their housewarming party? Especially if you met that person in the washroom at a coffee shop?? I'm just an open receptacle for weird energy out there.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
M.I.A.
This is the reason I'll be away for the next few days...
Isn't he just adorable???
I'll be helping out my lovely SIL with household things and with the new baby. This will be the first time Hubby and I will have been away from each other for more than a day! Catch you guys later! :)
Isn't he just adorable???
I'll be helping out my lovely SIL with household things and with the new baby. This will be the first time Hubby and I will have been away from each other for more than a day! Catch you guys later! :)
Friday, March 23, 2007
A day in the life...
I awoke early, as usual, to make sure our student was awake, had his breakfast and was ready to catch the bus for school. Hubby motioned in the direction of our backyard. We counted 27 deer in the field behind our house. That was just the closest field to our house. I imagine there were lots more hanging out on the property! What magical creatures. I think they're beautiful. Hubby thinks they're a pest because they eat the most valuable part of his crops.
I worked on progress reports and summaries from the math, communications technology and English teachers so I could inform our student's parents of how he is doing in school. I communicated with other potential students and then set off for a day outdoors. I spent some time with the pup and lugged buckets of sap from the maple trees back and forth. I strained the sap so Hubby could boil it into syrup.
In the afternoon, I spent the most part clearing the old raspberry canes so the new ones can grow this summer. That was a good two or three hours work and when our student returned from school, he helped clear the canes too. By the time we were done, it was time for me to cook supper. After supper, I tutored our student and worked on a Roald Dahl story with him. We did some reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Now I'm ready for bed! LOL!
I worked on progress reports and summaries from the math, communications technology and English teachers so I could inform our student's parents of how he is doing in school. I communicated with other potential students and then set off for a day outdoors. I spent some time with the pup and lugged buckets of sap from the maple trees back and forth. I strained the sap so Hubby could boil it into syrup.
In the afternoon, I spent the most part clearing the old raspberry canes so the new ones can grow this summer. That was a good two or three hours work and when our student returned from school, he helped clear the canes too. By the time we were done, it was time for me to cook supper. After supper, I tutored our student and worked on a Roald Dahl story with him. We did some reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Now I'm ready for bed! LOL!
Now, onto more important things...Izzy and George slept together!?!?! I don't have time to watch much TV, but Grey's Anatomy is my weekly indulgence. I'm addicted.
Btw, I took the Grey's Anatomy Quiz and the character I'm most like is Izzy! You're impulsive and often follow your heart, not your head. Caring too much can get you in trouble. But you're always there for your friends, and good thing they're always there for you too. Just doing your job isn't for you; you'll always find a way to go above and beyond because there are so many people who need your help. Just remember to save yourself before you save the world.
LOL! Take the quiz and let me know who you're most like :)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Meals on the go...
No one really ever has time to slave in the kitchen, do they? No one really likes to spend hours preparing healthy yet delicious meals for their family, do they? I do love cooking and I do love making sure our meals are yummy and nutritious, but like many women, I don't have heaps of time to spare. I've devised a way to ensure that I have supper on the table for 6PM and that they are healthy meals. I also make sure the prep time is no longer than an hour and that everything is from scratch. It kind of freaks me out to read the ingredients in some ready-made store bought food items.
Tonight's supper:
Garden greens
Romaine lettuce, baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower florets, grape tomatoes. Toss together. Prep time: 5 min.
Hot Potato Salad
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered. Put in large pot to boil. Once tender, drain water. Add 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, garlic powder (I'm very liberal with the garlic). While piping hot, add one egg and mix together. The egg will cook since the potatoes are really hot still. The result is a very creamy potato salad. I also add fresh oregano and parsley from my greenhouse. Chop finely and add to potato salad.
Prep time: 5 min., Cooking time: 20 min.
Baked Chicken
Preheat oven to 375. On a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil. Coat chicken pieces in olive oil and sprinkle salt and black pepper. Add chopped oregano over top. Bake in oven for 40 min.
Prep time: 5 min., Cook time: 40 min.
Fresh Berry Yogurt Parfait
In glass tumblers or parfait dishes, add a spoonful of yogurt. I used Yoplait strawberry yogurt. Slice banana and add on top of yogurt. I put 10 slices per dish. Add another layer of yogurt. Add fresh blueberries and then another layer of yogurt. Add fresh raspberries to top off the parfait. It's a delicious and nutritious dessert :) The raspberries are from our garden. We had tons and tons from last summer and I froze a bunch of containers of raspberries so we could have them year-round. The blueberries were from an old German couple, whom I lovingly call Oma and Opa. I froze the berries too and take them out whenever I need them.
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 0 min.
There you have it...an easy, quick supper. You can do it in an hour if you multi-task. A lot of the things can be done at the same time.
and then there was one...
You may recall me telling you that we have three cats and one dog. Well, we now have one cat and one dog. Nala disappeared last summer. She was a very old cat and we think she may have just gone into the woods on her own to die. She was a solitary and independent feline and the intrusion of her quiet home was probably too much for her to take.
For years it had just been Hubby and Nala living in the house. Suddenly, I entered the picture. Nala didn't mind me. I gave her a lot of attention and love. I even spent my evenings pulling burrs out of her matted hair. She slept with me, followed me around the house, and just enjoyed the company. Then, the students arrived. I don't think Nala liked the presence of teenage boys. It became loud and the house was constantly busier all the time. There was always excitement. The introduction of the kittens into our household was probably the thing that pushed Nala off the edge. There were now teenagers in the house and two little kittens who wanted attention. One evening, in the middle of a rainstorm, Nala disappeared out the window. I saw her a few months ago, in the winter. I was driving up the laneway, and there she was! We exchanged a glance and a moment and then she sauntered off towards the barn. I haven't seen her since.
Now, Fred and George (our two female kittens) just love attention and they even sleep with us in our bed. They run to the kitchen every morning when Hubby makes the morning coffee. George has recently discovered the outside world, and has been missing for almost five days now. I went to the barn yesterday to see if I could find her. I saw a lot of little paw prints, but no cat. I know the saying goes, "If you love something, let it go- If it returns to you then it's yours forever..." (okay, I'm paraphrasing here). It still makes me feel sad that the kitten has left. I think the thing I worry about is that there are so many wild animals and large birds that could have eaten her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that George returns safely.
Fred (George's litter mate) and Chance (our canine baby love) will never leave us. I'm sure of this. They're both too clingy and loving...plus, they know they've got a good life here!
For years it had just been Hubby and Nala living in the house. Suddenly, I entered the picture. Nala didn't mind me. I gave her a lot of attention and love. I even spent my evenings pulling burrs out of her matted hair. She slept with me, followed me around the house, and just enjoyed the company. Then, the students arrived. I don't think Nala liked the presence of teenage boys. It became loud and the house was constantly busier all the time. There was always excitement. The introduction of the kittens into our household was probably the thing that pushed Nala off the edge. There were now teenagers in the house and two little kittens who wanted attention. One evening, in the middle of a rainstorm, Nala disappeared out the window. I saw her a few months ago, in the winter. I was driving up the laneway, and there she was! We exchanged a glance and a moment and then she sauntered off towards the barn. I haven't seen her since.
Now, Fred and George (our two female kittens) just love attention and they even sleep with us in our bed. They run to the kitchen every morning when Hubby makes the morning coffee. George has recently discovered the outside world, and has been missing for almost five days now. I went to the barn yesterday to see if I could find her. I saw a lot of little paw prints, but no cat. I know the saying goes, "If you love something, let it go- If it returns to you then it's yours forever..." (okay, I'm paraphrasing here). It still makes me feel sad that the kitten has left. I think the thing I worry about is that there are so many wild animals and large birds that could have eaten her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that George returns safely.
Fred (George's litter mate) and Chance (our canine baby love) will never leave us. I'm sure of this. They're both too clingy and loving...plus, they know they've got a good life here!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Dear Kenny,
I am your Auntie C. I know we haven't met yet and I promise I'll get over there to meet you soon. I just wanted you to know how happy you have made all of us. I cried when I got the phone call that you were finally born. I am so very happy for your mommy and daddy. You are the first grandchild on both sides of your family and the first great-grandchild on your dad's side. Everyone loves you so much and you are only four days old!
You are a sweet baby, and I have fallen in love with those cute cheeks of yours! It's amazing how a little baby can change the lives of everyone around him/her. You coming into the world just makes me realize more and more how beautiful life is. I'm sad that you never got the chance to meet your great-grandfathers, as they were both wonderful, kind men. Whenever I think of them, I remember the good times when we were very young and they used to spoil us and play with us. I'm also sad you never had a chance to meet your Tita Zen before she died. You would have loved her!
As I get older, I see how short life is and how every generation has so much to pass onto the next. I just want to let you know that your Uncle J and I will always be here for you whenever you need us. We love you and your mom and dad so much. I can't wait to see you grow and change and develop a character of your own.
See you soon :)
Auntie C (but your dad wants you to call me Tita Tin-Tin...you don't have to call me that though. Seriously!)
PRECIOUS!!!
You are a sweet baby, and I have fallen in love with those cute cheeks of yours! It's amazing how a little baby can change the lives of everyone around him/her. You coming into the world just makes me realize more and more how beautiful life is. I'm sad that you never got the chance to meet your great-grandfathers, as they were both wonderful, kind men. Whenever I think of them, I remember the good times when we were very young and they used to spoil us and play with us. I'm also sad you never had a chance to meet your Tita Zen before she died. You would have loved her!
As I get older, I see how short life is and how every generation has so much to pass onto the next. I just want to let you know that your Uncle J and I will always be here for you whenever you need us. We love you and your mom and dad so much. I can't wait to see you grow and change and develop a character of your own.
See you soon :)
Auntie C (but your dad wants you to call me Tita Tin-Tin...you don't have to call me that though. Seriously!)
PRECIOUS!!!
I just had to include this photo of your mom the day before she had you. She's so cute!!!
Book Meme
I got this from Dina, who got this from Jill.
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) READ IT
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) READ IT
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) READ IT
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien) READ IT
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) READ IT
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien) READ IT
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) READ IT (AGAIN AND AGAIN!)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry) READ IT
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling) READ IT
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) READ IT
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) READ IT
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling) READ IT
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King) READ IT
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling) READ IT
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) READ IT
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien) READ IT
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) READ IT
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) READ IT
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) TRIED TO READ IT
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) READ IT
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) READ IT
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert) READ IT
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell) READ IT
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) READ IT
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb) READ IT
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) READ IT
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) READ IT
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible READ IT (MOST OF IT)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) READ IT
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) READ IT
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb) READ IT
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) READ IT
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) READ IT
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) READ IT
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) READ IT
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) READ IT
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough) READ IT
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) READ IT
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) READ IT
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) READ IT
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) READ IT
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) READ IT
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) READ IT
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) READ IT
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) READ IT
76. Tigana (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence) READ IT
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) READ IT
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck) READ IT
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen) READ IT
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) READ IT
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) READ IT
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton) READ IT
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield) READ IT
100. Ulysses (James Joyce) READ IT
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) READ IT
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) READ IT
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) READ IT
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien) READ IT
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) READ IT
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien) READ IT
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) READ IT (AGAIN AND AGAIN!)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry) READ IT
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling) READ IT
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) READ IT
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) READ IT
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling) READ IT
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King) READ IT
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling) READ IT
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) READ IT
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien) READ IT
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) READ IT
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) READ IT
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) TRIED TO READ IT
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) READ IT
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) READ IT
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert) READ IT
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell) READ IT
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) READ IT
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb) READ IT
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) READ IT
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) READ IT
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible READ IT (MOST OF IT)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) READ IT
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) READ IT
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb) READ IT
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) READ IT
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) READ IT
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) READ IT
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) READ IT
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) READ IT
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough) READ IT
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) READ IT
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) READ IT
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) READ IT
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) READ IT
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) READ IT
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) READ IT
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje) READ IT
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) READ IT
76. Tigana (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence) READ IT
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) READ IT
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck) READ IT
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen) READ IT
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) READ IT
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) READ IT
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton) READ IT
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield) READ IT
100. Ulysses (James Joyce) READ IT
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Introducing...
our nephew, Kenneth Griffey Franklin Thomas Lee. He was born on March 16th, 2007 and weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. (My brother wanted to name his first born after his favourite baseball player)
These last photos were taken of little Kenny going home from the hospital. It's amazing how much he's changed already in just one day! What a cute little face!
Friday, March 16, 2007
It's A Boy!!!
Just got a call from my mom. My sister-in-law just delivered a healthy baby boy! Details and pics to be posted as soon as they become available! We're all so thrilled! FINALLY! That baby was hanging in there for a long time past his due date!!
Patience
is clearly a virtue I do not possess. Hubby's office is in an alcove that overlooks the dining room. I don't clean his office because the last time I did, he was unable to find what he was looking for. It is now off limits to me. In order to take care of the issue of people being able to see the lovely state of his office, I wanted to build an ornamental screen to sort of make it look like a separate room.
You should know that Hubby is very skilled at the fine art of woodworking. The only problem is that Hubby is the busiest man I know. I realize he can make just about anything out of wood. His workmanship is beyond compare. He said he'd build a screen with wooden frames to match the decor of our home.
Seeing how busy Hubby is, I went and bought a screen for his office. I know it's not homemade, but like I said, I have a problem with patience. I don't have much of it sometimes. It's something I must work on. I know. 
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The good 'ol days
*sigh* I remember when life seemed so carefree. The only worries we had were trying to figure out how to make our bicycles stop without crashing into something or falling off and whether we'd be allowed to play at our friend's house.
Do you remember how it felt to ride your bike with the wind blowing through your hair? The feeling of being young and invincible...oh, and that baseball card taped to your bike so that it made that cool sound when it hit the spokes of your wheels? Do you remember endless hours of playing hide and go seek in the dark?
Here's a pic of mi famila (quite a few of us missing...many not even born yet). Taken circa early '80s. Can you spot me? I'm the only girl...and the one with the toothpick-like legs and the knobby knees!
Life is good :)
With the warmer weather, fresh air, lots of beautiful sunshine, and birds chirping, it's not difficult to feel energized and rejuvinated. It's March Break and our homestay student is on a ski trip with his friend and his friend's family, so you'd think Hubby and I would finally have some alone time :) Instead, I've volunteered to have our little nieces over. They are the absolute cutest girls ever...and they are SO helpful!
Today, while Hubby's out working, the nieces and I have some chores of our own:
water all the plants in the greenhouse
feed the animals
make an apple crumble
make two kinds of salad, homemade vegetable soup and sandwiches for lunch
wash the container so we can boil the maple syrup
go out and collect all the sap from the maple trees that we've tapped (to make our own maple syrup)
do a few loads of laundry
clean the old couch, since the naughty kittens peed on it! Thank goodness it wasn't the new sofas that they peed on! Bad kittens!!
vacuum
played Karaoke Revolution Party on PS2
play some hockey (the things my nieces get me to do with them! LOL)
re-arrange furniture in the games room
re-arrange furniture in the master bedroom
clean bathroom
answer e-mail queries from ESL students
bank run
post office- mail parcel
think of something to cook for supper! LOL!
I'm curious to see how our maple syrup will turn out. It will be our first attempt at making our own!
Today, while Hubby's out working, the nieces and I have some chores of our own:
go out and collect all the sap from the maple trees that we've tapped (to make our own maple syrup)
vacuum
play some hockey (the things my nieces get me to do with them! LOL)
re-arrange furniture in the games room
re-arrange furniture in the master bedroom
clean bathroom
answer e-mail queries from ESL students
bank run
post office- mail parcel
think of something to cook for supper! LOL!
I'm curious to see how our maple syrup will turn out. It will be our first attempt at making our own!
Monday, March 12, 2007
I'm such a geek! LOL!
I was singing my heart out...just belting out the tunes, when Hubby informed me that I got the lyrics messed up. Impossible!! I had been singing this song this way for the past two decades!! This song is a classic! I sing it when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm cleaning, when I'm out with the girls, when I'm in the shower, when I'm cooking, when I'm driving...
Hubby: Uhh...by the way, it's You make me feel like a natural woman...
Me: Are you sure?
Hubby: Yes.
Me: So, it's not You make me feel like a man should a woman ???
Hubby: Uhh. No.
LOL! Twenty years of singing the song incorrectly. *sigh* Well, don't you think my way makes sense too? ;)
Hubby: Uhh...by the way, it's You make me feel like a natural woman...
Me: Are you sure?
Hubby: Yes.
Me: So, it's not You make me feel like a man should a woman ???
Hubby: Uhh. No.
LOL! Twenty years of singing the song incorrectly. *sigh* Well, don't you think my way makes sense too? ;)
Another New Addiction
A childhood friend of mine sent me an invitation to Facebook a few weeks ago. I didn't do anything about it for a few days, since I thought it was spam or something. Suddenly, my e-mail was getting inundated with Facebook invitations from almost everyone I know. I decided to check it out and all I can say is I am now addicted!!! I've been able to get in touch with so many people I had lost track of or haven't seen in years.
One of the friends I got in touch with recently is a guy from my high school grad class. The last time I saw him was in university. I will always remember the time we were studying for exams in the caf at John Abbott College, when I slipped and fell down the stairs (it was winter and the floors were all wet and slippery). I fell head first and cracked my head, but had an exam to write that morning. Poor Mark, just looked at me with concern but didn't say anything. My head was throbbing, I felt like throwing up, I was hearing bells ringing...and thought I was going to die! I asked if my head looked bad, because I could feel something like an egg shaped thing growing on my forehead! He just shook his head, but clearly, the look in his eyes should have told me I looked like that character, Wharf from Star Trek!!! Anyway, I wrote the exam for my Near Eastern Art and Archaeology class and got an 86%. (Maybe I should have made it a habit to knock myself into a state of delirium before exams!)
Anyway, I've gotten in touch with that friend and a lot of other friends from my past through Facebook.
I LOVE Facebook!!!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Changes
I was thinking about something Ms.Mamma posted the other day and how just the simple act of changing one's bedding and opening a few windows can really brighten up one's mood. Funny that she mentioned this, because that's exactly what I did too! I went and cleaned and changed the look of our master bedroom, living room, dining room, and the kitchen. I still have to work on the two spare bedrooms and the bathroom. Can you see the cookies baking in the oven? Oh, and Fred's sitting on the couch, looking cute :)
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The Number 23
Yesterday, we brought our student and a friend of his to Sudbury for a movie, shopping and some good eats. We saw the movie The Number 23, a psychological thriller, starring Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen. The concept behind the movie was interesting. Right away, one can see the importance of the number 23 in the film. The "23 Enigma" is the Discordian belief that all events are connected to the number 23, given enough ingenuity on the part of the interpreter. Jim Carrey plays a man whose life begins to unravel after his wife gives him a book (entitled The Number 23) for his birthday. As he gets more into the book, he begins to believe that the book is about his own life. He becomes obsessed with the number 23 and it consumes his him- his thoughts, his life...everything. The more he reads the book, the more he begins to see the extent to how grave his situation is. In essence, the film is about obsessive behaviour and paranoia.
The movie starts off pretty slowly. Okay, I was trying hard not to fall asleep in the beginning, and three thoughts popped into my mind: A) Why on earth did we choose to see this movie? B) I wonder if we can leave without watching the entire movie? and C) I wonder if anyone would notice if I just took a snooze for the remainder of the movie?
Just when I thought I would succumb to slumber, the movie started getting interesting. The part where Walter (Jim Carrey's character) and Fingerling's (the 'fictional' character in the book who is also played by Carrey) lives began to mesh and things just seemed too coincidental...that was the part that caught my attention. Was his wife trying to make him crazy? Was the professor the insane one? So many twists and turns! For some parts of the movie, I was just totally confused. This may be a movie I'd have to watch a second time to appreciate and understand more.
The ending was a surprise and there were lots of twists in the story. The movie certainly had a few good hooks. The idea that the number 23 is everywhere, certainly does intrigue me. From important dates in history, the angle of the earth's axis, Psalm 23, to Human sex cells having 23 pairs of chromosomes, and much, much more, had me thinking of the importance of the number 23 . The letters in important historical names, dates, places, and events all added up to the number 23 in the movie. It was quite eerie. The tag line in the movie trailer says "The truth will find you". Again, very eerie! Then again, one can always find connections and meaning to anything if one tries hard enough. I'd rate this movie a 6 out of 10.
Today I'm feeling...
Thursday, March 08, 2007
So happy!
Canine finally got the care package I sent her! Click here to see what was in the package! I wanted to send her products that are local, so she received products from Ontario, Canada (Manitoulin Island and Toronto). Canine, I'm glad you liked the little trinkets. My care package certainly paled in comparison to the one you sent me!
In other good news, when I got home yesterday afternoon, there was a parcel sitting on my front doorstep! I get all excited whenever I see a parcel or package waiting for me. I can't explain the feeling other than I feel like a little kid at the candy store (or like I did as a kid at Christmas...or on my birthday). Anyway, I rushed inside the house and didn't even bother taking off my boots or jacket. I tore that sucker open, and ohhhh my goodness....This is what I found in that box:
As I've mentioned before, I'm not a candy person. I do have a weakness for chocolate sometimes, but I don't generally eat candy...except for these babies!!! My friend at Big Sky Brands sent me an assortment of candies from their compant. ALL my favourite ones were there (and some of the new ones, which we haven't tried yet). I've already gotten quite a few of my family and friends hooked on the energy mints and on the Jones Soda and CO2 candies. Just spreadin' the love :)
PS. We're still waiting for my brother and sister-in-law's baby to be born. The due date was March 5th, but today's the 8th! This baby must be on Filipino time! LOL! (But usually filipinos are a few hours late...not days!!) :)
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Hubby Folding a T-Shirt
Remember that amazing video circulating around the net where a Japanese lady was folding a t-shirt? Well, Hubby took the challenge and (to my surprise) he was able to fold a t-shirt the same way that Japanese woman did! I still can't do it. Maybe I should get him to fold ALL our laundry from now on, eh? :)
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
thinking about...
...how little Chance was when he was a baby. I used to be able to hold him in the palm of my hand. Now he's 65 lbs! I know to a non-pet owner that it may seem ridiculously odd that a person would dote over an animal the way one would over a human baby. I was just thinking that Chance will be 5 years old in October and he has been one of the only 'constants' in my life before I got married. He protected me, kept me company, knew when I was upset...and never argued with me. LOL! Even if I was crabby or in a foul mood, he was always there. It's funny how a person can get so attached to an animal. Honestly, when the time comes for Chance to have to enter doggy heaven, I don't think I'll ever be able to have another dog. Getting attached, caring for, and having that companionship...and then having to let it go. My heart is just too frail for that. I don't think I would be able to go through it more than once.
I know...I sound so melodramatic. LOL!
The ONE
Use one word or a phrase for everything if you can…
1. Yourself: emotional
2. Your family: wonderful
3. Your hair: straight
4. Your Mother: friendly
5. Your Father: funny
6. Your favorite item: our wedding album
7. Your dream last night: My sister-in-law having her baby (it's officially late!)
8. Your favorite drink: mango juice
9. Your dream home: comfortable
10. The room you are in: office
11. Your ex: dumb
12. Your fear: losing a loved one
13. Where you want to be in ten years: Happy
14. Who you hung out with last night: hubby
15. What you’re not: closed-minded
16. Your best friend: hubby
17. One of your wish list items: a baby (within this year or next)
18. Your gender: female
19. The last thing you did: sang at our singing practice
20. What you are wearing: black scoop neck top with quarter length sleeves and a black skirt (for singing practice- we had our promo photos for our concert taken today)
21. Your favorite weather: blue skies, wispy clouds, fresh Spring breeze- sweater and shorts weather.
22. Your favorite book: (at the moment) The Alchemist
23. Last thing you ate: kiwi,honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, watermelon, orange (fruit salad)
24. Your life: amazing
25. Your mood: anxious (waiting for my niece/nephew to be born!)
26. The last person you talked to on the phone: Mom
27. Who you are thinking about right now: my list of things-to-do
28. Your best friend: the best!
29. Your car: Ford Explorer
30. What you’re doing at the moment: doing this meme and MSN messaging.
31. Your summer: BUSY!
32. Your relationship status: married
33. What’s on TV: don't know.
34. The weather: cool
35. The last time you laughed: tonight at something hubby said
1. Yourself: emotional
2. Your family: wonderful
3. Your hair: straight
4. Your Mother: friendly
5. Your Father: funny
6. Your favorite item: our wedding album
7. Your dream last night: My sister-in-law having her baby (it's officially late!)
8. Your favorite drink: mango juice
9. Your dream home: comfortable
10. The room you are in: office
11. Your ex: dumb
12. Your fear: losing a loved one
13. Where you want to be in ten years: Happy
14. Who you hung out with last night: hubby
15. What you’re not: closed-minded
16. Your best friend: hubby
17. One of your wish list items: a baby (within this year or next)
18. Your gender: female
19. The last thing you did: sang at our singing practice
20. What you are wearing: black scoop neck top with quarter length sleeves and a black skirt (for singing practice- we had our promo photos for our concert taken today)
21. Your favorite weather: blue skies, wispy clouds, fresh Spring breeze- sweater and shorts weather.
22. Your favorite book: (at the moment) The Alchemist
23. Last thing you ate: kiwi,honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, watermelon, orange (fruit salad)
24. Your life: amazing
25. Your mood: anxious (waiting for my niece/nephew to be born!)
26. The last person you talked to on the phone: Mom
27. Who you are thinking about right now: my list of things-to-do
28. Your best friend: the best!
29. Your car: Ford Explorer
30. What you’re doing at the moment: doing this meme and MSN messaging.
31. Your summer: BUSY!
32. Your relationship status: married
33. What’s on TV: don't know.
34. The weather: cool
35. The last time you laughed: tonight at something hubby said
Monday, March 05, 2007
Weekend in Toronto
It was a whirlwind trip. We were on a mission. Leave the Island on Saturday morning, arrive in Toronto in the evening, return to the Island on Sunday. Crazy. 
We had dinner at my aunt and uncle's in Richmond Hill. My maid of honor and her husband joined us. It was great seeing them again, because the last time I saw them was in the summer.
The following morning, we had brunch with my gorgeous friend, Dina, her hubby and their little one. Little Elie is absolutely adorable...and he's growing so fast!! Though it was a very short visit, I'm really glad we got to at least spend a few hours together.
On the way home, we popped by Barrie to visit with Hubby's youngest sister and her best friend. Good times! It's really nice to get away sometimes...even if it's for a short time. Now we're back on the Island and back to life as we know it. One exciting thing: the birth of my niece/nephew (my brother and his wife's first baby) should be any day now. The due date is actually today, so hopefully we'll get a phone call soon!!! Exciting!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
I had some dreams
they were clouds in my coffee...Clouds in my coffee...
Photo of the Wiky Ruins in Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island, Canada. Taken by yours truly ;)
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About the Blog Author
City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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