An inside kind of day

It is totally the kind of day to stay inside and be comfy and cozy.  What I like to call a "special coffee" day.  Well, mine didn't look as pretty as this one but it sure tasted good.  (Note to self:  Buy more Baileys)

Just what you need when the temperature outside is barely above zero and the rain/snow mix is blowing horizontally at the windows.   Not nice at all.

Millie and I  spent the morning curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace.  It didn't take long for her to scratch around at her blankets to make a little nest.  She loves to get in the middle of a nest.  What a sookie baby !

This is the kind of day she almost refuses to go outside.  I also finished hooking my little snowman guy and started planning the next little mat.  I definately enjoy doing the smaller projects.



 Supper is in the oven.  I am loving getting the fresh vegetables every week.  This weeks delivery consisted of red skinned potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, beets and parnsips.  I cut them all up in chunks to roast in the oven - glazed with maple syrup.   I can hardly wait until they are ready.

Mine are still in the oven but this is what it is supposed to look like....

With asparagus stuffed chicken breasts.    The smell is driving me crazy.  I'm surprised I'm still hungry because being trapped inside all day has put a dent in the halloween treat supply.   :)

Finding my way

It has been a long couple of weeks.  There has been a lot going on in my life lately.

I have been managing to plod along but today I am tired.  I think everything is catching up with me and I am glad it is Friday and I have a couple of days to decompress.

One of the coping skills I developed as I learned to  live with Mom's Alzheimers was to compartmentalize certain problems.  I just couldn't deal with all the different things in the beginning that were coming at me every day.  Sometimes you just have to deal with the task at hand and put the feelings and emotions aside for awhile. 

I would just take certain things and mentally put them in a box.  And that is what I have been doing for a long time.  But lately I have been collecting a lot of those boxes. They are getting a little heavy. So I guess that means I need to deal with some of them, before they deal with me. 

I feel better just admitting that to myself.  It is OK to have these feelings.  It is OK  to take some time for yourself.   It is OK to stop pretending to be the energizer bunny.

Actually, I feel better already.   Have a great rain-free weekend.  I hope to get some more photos of the fall leaves before they all disappear.

Thankful and Overindulgent

Thanksgiving dinner 2011 is now just a memory.  I had enough food prepared for all of you, but there were only 4 of us.  We ended up with an extra at the table.  One of Mom's friends plans fell through so I picked her up and brought her here.   It's a good thing I cook like my Grandmother

and prepare way more than I need. Lots of leftovers for tomorrow. (So Michelle, you can come over)

I didn't make the pie yet.  Yesterday a friend called after lunch and said she had the coffee pot on and a fresh bottle of Baileys.   So obviously sitting out visiting her on the deck took priority for a few hours. 

And when I got home another friend had dropped off a pumpkin pie and a pan of pumpkin squares with cream cheese icing.  I figured that was enough dessert for now.

That picture is pretty much the scene here.  We are all stuffed to the max.  But poor Millie is worst of all.  It would appear that some people at the table (not me) were sneaking treats under the table.

Miss Millie has been sick twice so far.  All her blankies are in the washer.

Poor little thing is lying here looking all sick and pathetic.  

Aside from that little glitch it was a wonderful thanksgiving.  I have so much to be thankful for - wonderful friends and family here and away.  I am especially thankful for the family members who were with me last week at a difficult time.

We shouldn't need a holiday to remind ourselves to be thankful.

It should be a daily mantra.

Thanksgiving equipment and a flashback

This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada.  I think it is my favorite holiday.  Completely non commercial - just family, lots of food and beautiful autumn weather.

As the preparations get going for the big feast tomorrow, it's important to check out the necessary equipment.

First - the guest of honor

 

Next, and almost as important........

And lastly, the Thanksgiving pants........

Stretchy and with a drawstring (in case I over-indulge)

I want to share this Thanksgiving flashback with you.  Today I was thinking about my very first Thanksgiving on my own.  I was in my mid 20's and living and working in P.E.I.    For some reason, which I don't remember, I didn't go home that year and decided to invite some friends over and host the thanksgiving dinner. 

I had never cooked a whole chicken or turkey before but had seen it done.  It didn't look hard.  But when it came time to clean the bird I began to have second thoughts.  "I can't stick my hand up there".   I tried for a second and after gagging and being completely grossed out about touching all that yucky innards, I knew I was in trouble.

Hmmm, what to do, what to do........   Being the incredibly resourceful girl I am, I decided to spread open the legs and fill the cavity with water and then turn it upside down and shake it.  My hope was that all that "stuff" would just fall out.   Now, stop laughing - I really thought that would work!

OK so that didn't work.  I even briefly considered cooking it with the stuff inside but feared it might poison my guests.   Then I had a brilliant idea.  I had baked chocolate chip cookies the day before.  I put some on a plate and knocked on the door of the older couple who lived in the upstairs apartment.  After presenting them with this lovely plate of cookies (AKA a bribe), I embarrassingly asked them if they would clean my turkey.  Yes, it was a little humiliating but they thought it was hysterical.  And they very graciously did the dirty deed.

Oh, but it gets worse.  After the turkey was in the oven I started to get the vegetables ready.  I was attempting to cut this large turnip when the knife slipped.  The next thing I know is my finger is covered in blood - a really gusher.  I got all woozy and my knees got shaky.  I am squeamish with blood, especially my own and this was bad.   I got to the bathroom where I sat on the edge of the toilet, put my head between my knees and hung my hand over the sink under cold running water.  (yes the bathroom was THAT small - I didn't even have to stretch)   I kept thinking I had to get it together quick or my friends would arrive and find me passed out in a red puddle.   

I eventually  got the first aid kit and bandaged it up.  It really should have had some stitches, but the only thing worse than blood is stitches.  In case you are wondering, I didn't serve the turnip.  It looked a bit like a crime scene from CSI.   And of course it was my middle finger......so once it was all bandaged up it looked like I was constantly flipping somebody off.  Lol  Nice.....

So that was my very first Thanksgiving dinner.   Luckily, they have gotten better over the years.

More of Fall's Bounty

Here are a few more photos taken earlier this week as I was leaving the Annapolis Valley.  It is such a beautiful area, dotted with scenic farm lands, country markets and lots of memories.  I spent 4 years attending university in this special place.  And I think Fall is the best time of year to appreciate what it has to offer.

And it would be almost criminal to leave the Annapolis Valley without some apples.  I bought a bag of Ginger Golds, Honeycrisp, and of course MacIntosh.   My plan is to make  apple pie this weekend.  My grandmother made the best apple pie in the world.  Really, she did.   The pressure is on to re-create it.  I think it is pretty hard to screw up apple pie.  Well, I hope so anyway. 

This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada.  Pumpkin and apple pies are tradition.  This year I do not want to eat store bought pies.    Look out - I'm strapping on the apron this weekend!

Some quiet time

It has been more than a week since I had a new post.  I have been blog absent but I hope to catch up with you all over the next few days.

In the middle of last week things went sideways.  I needed to take an unexpected trip, but that's all I am going to say about it.  Monday evening I needed to clear my head.  I left the hotel and found a short nature trail near a farmer's market.  It was just what I needed.

Rumor has it......

Rumor has it that this was the first official weekend of Autumn.   That is what everyone is saying.  That is what the calendar is saying.

However, the thermometer was saying something else all weekend.  It felt more like July than the tail end of September.   Even the trees are slow catching on.  This photo was taken last year.

Maybe it's some kind of twisted karma that ever since I bought new Fall duds for cooler weather  - the temps have climbed to the mid to high 20's.  Today I was sweating in shorts and a T-shirt.  Sorry gals, until it cools down I won't be modelling my new purchases for awhile.

I had a bit of a stomach bug yesterday and spent much of the day sleeping on the sofa.  I hate it when I waste an entire precious weekend day.  Plus that meant I had to cram all the weekend chores into today.  The last load of laundry is now folded and I can pull a few loops on my rug while I watch the premier of Desperate Housewives.

I also switched the furniture around in the "Christmas" room.  It is actually the front living room that we never use - except for at Christmas time.  It is going to become my study room while I start my new courses.  I got notice on Friday that my first set of text books have been shipped so I  moved things around so I have a cozy little study corner away from the chaos and the constant stream of company this house receives.  

Time to see what is happening on Wisteria Lane.   Have a great week.

Well - Now I've gone and done it

I realize that some of you have suspected this for some time now.  However, today it became official

I have completely Lost My Mind

Are you wondering what thing happened to push me over the edge ?  To dangle by my fingertips at the edge of a cliff ?  To add one more thing to an already full, busy, often chaotic schedule ????

Today I officially committed to go ...............

What the heck was I thinking ??   (Not sure)   It is true that I was a young nerd and loved school and still love to learn new things.  And yes, I still get nostalgic as summer ends and find myself at the store looking at all the Back to School supplies.  But then I give my head a smack and get over it. 

But the truth is I enjoy learning new things and I try to take the opportunity to take any professional development opportunities  as they arise through my work.  I really enjoy my job and hope that by expanding my knowledge base I will eventually rise through the ranks somewhat.

For the past year I have been encouraged (gently nudged etc) to investigate opportunities in a more advanced area of my field.  I looked around a bit at different programs but always held back, thinking it was a big committment and maybe I didn't have the time.  However recently the nudges got a little more frequent.   I looked a little harder and found what is really an excellent program that is offered through Continuing Education, meaning I can participate on-line and submit assignments/exams.

The Progam and the courses being offered are perfect - exactly what we were looking for and I received approval to apply.   But now that the initial excitement has worn off --   Panic has set in.  Do you know how many years it has been since I was in University ?   Can I manage everything I already do AND take university courses ?   Well, we are going to find out soon.  

If anyone sees a brain laying around, would they please put it in a package and mail it back to me.  Mine is apparently missing.

Fall Bounty

Yesterday was the first day back to school in town.  On my way to work I watched all the little ones walking to school.  Some of them seem so small - much too tiny to be heading off to start a new adventure in independence.  I started grade 1 at 5 years old and I'm sure I looked small too.   Everyone looked so happy in their new clothes and backpacks, skipping along the sidewalk. 

I have to admit it - I had a tiny twinge of jealousy.  I always loved the first day of school.  (Clearly I was a nerd)  It was like a new beginning.  Even after all these years I still miss it.   I consider the fall to be the start of my new year.  I don't make New Years resolutions but I do make a Fall Bucket List - a list of things I want to do, change, accomplish etc. 

One of the things I want to focus on this season is eating a little heathier.  Its so easy, especially with the crazy schedule around here, to slide into quick and easy foods.  And those choices are rarely healthy.   So as luck would have it, a few days ago I learned about a local farm initiative through Deanne's blog.  You purchase a share in the farm and receive an assortment of fresh vegetables every week.  They deliver to a location in town once a week.

I had heard about these before but didn't realize we had one in this area.  I signed up and picked up my first package of fresh veggies after work tonight.  There is what I got for this week

I think its going to force me to cook better foods during the week.  I always make good meals on the weekends but slack off during the weekdays.   I can't believe I'm so excited about a box of vegetables.  Its a long way from hiding them in my pockets as a child!

Another bounty of Fall are the colors.  I'm using lots of rich fall colors in my current rug project but as I  hooked a bit this weekend I felt like I needed a bit more in contrast colors.  I grabbed a piece of each wool I have so far and headed to the studio shopping.  I found 2 gorgeous slub yarns in gold and rust to add to the mix.

I just love working with that slub yarn.  It hooks so beautifully and it has such a nice sheen to it that you just can't capture in  wider strips of wool.

There is just so much to love about Fall's Bounty.