Front view

Some pictures of our newly installed front garden. We have never liked the shape of the front bed, not only did it suck for mowing but it just didn't look right. So a couple weekend's ago we decided enough was enough and reshaped, planted and bark mulched. It looks so much better.

Shaping the bed also known as turf tossing (Before)

After

Before

After

Before

After

Boy toys

I thought I'd show a couple of the recent projects worked on from the view of how handy some of the "boy toys" have been. Definately saved on time by having the big truck and tractor around.


Fencing materials - all in one load

Hedge trees - all 50 of them

Moving the trees the easy way

Baby names and obsess much!

Okay, so there is the extremely difficult task of choosing a name for our child. We of course need a girl and a boy name. Preferably two of each just in case the baby pops out and doesn't suit the name we chose at all.

Then there is the difficulty of Andy wanting a 'normal' name and I want a not too common name. For some reason my darling husband thinks I can't chose a 'normal' name. It's not like I want to name my child Apple or Poppy or Phineas or something far out like that, I just don't want my child to be one of four children in the same class with the same name. I want my child to have a name similar to what my name is like. Different enough that you don't know a lot of other's with the same name but not so unusally that people are asking what your name is again and how do you spell it because it sounds so unusual that people don't know how to even begin to spell it or alternatively see it spelled and don't kow how to pronounce it.

I also want to have a boys name that is a strong name - no wussy girly names - a name that is going to suit him if he choses a high powered career but perhaps can be shortened to something more casual for friends and family or more casual type career. Something like his father - Andrew - but goes by Andy.

For a girl I want something feminine and girly but also could be used for a high powered career if she goes that route. The name I am pushing for right now goes that route but Andy wants to divide it into two names. My issue is that it creates too casual a name and too common a name. For whatever the reason the name I chose out of the blue, it's very pretty nickname is in the top 20 names in BC for 2007 - not good! But if we kept with the long form it isn't nearly as common and there are some other options for nicknames - not quite so cute but certainly less common.

Oh bother........who knew one could get so worked up about something. Mind you on the other hand I have discovered that the short form for the boys name we keep tossing about and I was worrying about being too common actually doesn't even hit the lists for the last couple of years. We might just be in luck with that one. Maybe it can just be a boy and then the problem is solved.

I printed out the stats listing for 2007 and 2008 and have crossed out all names that were used 50 or more times. This included adding up things like Jaden, Jaiden and Jayden as I figure you pronounce them the same way so they are basically the same name. Perhaps from this listing we can find a name that we both like but isn't too common or atleast keep from choosing a name that we thought was unique and turns out to be common as anything. Darn all these people that are using names I have had in the back of my head for years.

Am I obsessing much or what?

Laundry

Just for fun. I pic of the beginnings of making my way through the piles of babies clothes making there ways to me. Thought I'd get a jump on the laundering and have everything clean ahead of time. Now I just need some shelving to put it on :)

Window view

A couple of pics of the changes I made to the window in piglets room.

Mobile hanging

New curtains

Close up of sea creature curtain hangers

Fabric for baby quilt

How about a picture to go with the previously talked about baby quilt. I didn't want a "babyish" quilt so went with some great tropical themed prints and mixed in some complimentary patterns to make what I think will be a great unisex quilt that should become a lap quilt latter on if it hasn't been destroyed. The cream coloured background is actually the fabric for the other side.

Palm tree

As promised I have remembered to bring in my camera and cord and am going to upload some of the many little projects on the go or recently completed.

So first up is the moon and palm tree project for piglets wall. Though not quite finished the pictures show what it will look like fairly accurately.
Drawing the moon

Painting of the moon

Palm tree half finished

Baby projects

Wednesday night was a night of fun shopping. I went to the fabric store and chose fabrics for a baby quilt for piglet. Five great new fabrics to add to one that I had brought back from Hawaii with me. The Hawaiian piece is a dark blue with white/yellow plumerias on it. New fabrics I picked up include #1 - multi colour stripe, #2 - yellow leaf like design, #3 - goldfish on dark blue, #4 - parrots in tropical forest and #5 multicolor dragonflies on black. I will post pic at later date when I remember to bring camera and cord with me to work.

I also picked up a cream coloured rosebud fleece for the other side of quilt. Bindig is still to be determined.

Added a green leaf flannel to go with a Hibiscus print on black cotton that I picked up in Hawaii for a couple more burp cloths.

Guess I have some sewing to do.

First attempts for cookbook

Okay, so I have started playing around with recipes with the cookbook in mind. So far I have a grilled pineapple salad with a spicy sauce that has possibilities as well as a rhubarb sticky bun that was commented on at Mother's Day brunch. Both will obviously require making again with any changes to improve further and ingredient measurements written down more accurately.

I have made several other items that though they were good were not worthy of a cookbook with my name to it.

Still haven't figured out a format so it is hard to focus on what type of recipes to be playing with. I was just thinking right now that maybe something about fruits and veggies in a new way.

In other news I have had to find a new person to take over my pregnancy care as my regular doctor has chosen to discontinue deliveries. Luckily I was able to get in with the midwifery group in Duncan, which is slightly ironic as I had originally thought I would go with a midwife but then chose to stay with my regular doctor for the consistancy factor. Sometimes life just takes you to something you wanted anyways. I have to say I am extremely comfortable with this change - far more so then the suggested new doctor options.

Ultrasound went great. Apparently nothing showed up to worry about. New due date is September 12. Triple screen tests came back - low risk - which is a sigh of relief - not that we had reason to be concerned but it is good to know that we are at only 1% chance of these birth defects.

Little Piglet / Jefferson / whateveryournamewillbe is kicking a lot these days. Can't wait until Andy can feel it. He is starting to really become comfortable with the whole idea. Even said hello to our little guy the other day. It sure makes a world of difference for me. Just makes me feel like yes everything will be alright.

Now if only this darned cold would go away!

Challenge myself

Okay, so I have been doing a lot of thinking about what I will do when I am home with the little one. There will be only so much housework and yardwork that one can do and one has to have something that doesn't seem like working on one's home all the time. Something that is my own. Something creative and hopefully productive.

So here it is. I am going to write a cookbook. Sound crazy. Maybe a little, after all what do I know about writing a book. But here is what I do know. #1 - I like to cook. #2 - People tell me I am a good cook. #3 - I like to try new recipes all the time (there are times when Andy will ask if we can have something normal like spaghetti with meat and tomato sauce because I have made him so many new dishes that he wants something familiar) #4 - I like to change the recipe to my taste after trying it a time or two and therefore creating a Sonja recipe.

How I will be challenged - in more ways then I can even imagine. Learning about writing and producing a book. Creativity in my cooking. Keeping records of what did/didn't work, how to improve a recipe, etc, etc. Keeping on track so this doesn't become a ten year or never to be completed project ;)

I am thinking I need to come up with format first so I then have a way to organize recipes as they are created. Do I go from appies through dessert or spring through winter or specialize in a type of food like veggies or pasta. Oh my! HHHmmmmm, my Rustic Rhubarb pie might just have to be the first recipe to enter it's way into the book. Perhaps something like West Coast backyard....recipes using home grown and locally sourced food items....

Lots to think about.

Java Jolt

Mmmmmm...coffee......you got to know I am feeling better as I can now enjoy a cup of coffee again. Not that I should be...it would be better for piglet if I didn't but we all have our little things. I am not having more then two cups a day so I guess I am doing okay. I really need to make sure I have lots of calcium rich foods and then it's all good....right?!?

Can you sense the worried, guilty, am I hurting my baby thing in the background. That's me the worrywort. I know I need to eat more veggies and last night I even managed to make it multi-salad night for dinner - just what the body ordered. Cucumber salad, carrot salad (made with yogurt again - yummy)and two different pasta salads - one cheese/ham with veggies, the other chicken peanut with veggies. It is so nice to actually feel some desire to create a meal again and not just what is quick and easy and minimal effort.

This past Saturday I went with a group of girlfriends to have lunch and our tea leaves read. It was what I would call an interesting experience. For some reason my reading included my being sad, that everything was going to be okay and not to worry. For a while there it had me a little worried but she also said that I had lost my "pixie like self" and needed to re-find it. It was an afternoon of contemplation about how I had been feeling for months...even prior to getting pregnant and strangely enough she was right. So believe it or not I had the best Sunday in absolute eons. I just felt good, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It was the "get over it" moment I had been needing without even realizing it. Happiness comes from within and I have been wallowing in something negative that's for sure.

Sunday Mom and I went to the baby show in Sidney. It was such a fun day. Tons of fun little gifts to be had from lots of different stores, etc. I found out there is a store in Victoria that specializes in cloth diapers so I will be making a trip in there to figure out which kind I am going to use. Seems like there are all kinds of options depending on what you like so that is exciting. I also found a company that has bamboo onesies - they are so soft that I actually bought one. Believe it or not that is the first new item I have purchased for the baby since the piggy bank that I bought to tell Andy we were pregnant with. I also got the name of a store that carries all kinds of the baby wraps that are really good for people with back problems - like me - so I'll have to make a trip in there.

Last night I got a phone call that was exciting - apparently my good energy really came out on Sunday as I won the stroller that Island Child Magazine had as their door prize. Crazy! They are dropping it off on wednesday.

Perhaps this Pixie is starting to perk up :)

The start of something better

I think...knock on wood... that I am coming out of the worst of the morning sickness. I barely throw up now. First thing in the morning is still rough and my first couple of hours of the day aren't completely normal but the afternoons are getting better. I don't have to run to shove food in my face to keep from heaving. My stomach will actually growl telling me to eat before making me feel sick - heaven.

I even had enough interest in dinner last night to make two salads. I discovered that mixing mayo and yogurt actually makes carrot salad taste even better and it is lower in fat then normal carrot salad - yum! Dinner last night was much better then what Andy has referred to as "the pasta diet". Hopefully it is just the start.

Tummy has popped out. Had to go buy some new clothes to wear as my jeans were too tight. So funny poking at the belly, it seems so huge when you consider the baby is only slightly larger then my fist but nature is a funny thing. It's kind of nice to look pregnant only cause it makes it feel a little more real then just feeling crappy all the time.

Andy is positive the baby is a boy. I don't have a feeling either way although I hope it is a boy for Andy's sake. A little guy to follow him around and try to do everything that daddy does would be so cute and I think Andy would connect more with a little boy then a girl but most importantly I am just hoping for a happy and healthy baby. So my focus is to stay calm and happy and to try and eat as healthy as possible, stay away from what they tell you to stay away from. Oh and convince myself that sleeping on my side is comfortable. I tell you - first I lose sleeping on my belly now I have to stop sleeping on my back and that is when I can actually get to sleep and stay sleeping.

My goodness, can I complain much! Now that I have purged I feel much better. Change is a wonderful thing isn't it?

Ultrasound

So yesterday I got to go to have an ultrasound. Earlier then normal due to some bleeding but right now the joy of getting to see our little one on screen far outways the concern and worries I had over over the weekend.

There is officially a baby inside there. Just one for the record. And surprisingly enough it turns out we are 2 weeks less pregnant then we thought. That should move our due date to around September 18 (Trish and Albie should get a kick out of that). I guess names like Marina and Poet are no longer valid names as remembrance for where the little one came to be. Perhaps Mary, Chris, Joy or Noel might be more appropriate. Oh well, we have 6 months to figure it out.

Week 12

So time seems to go fast yet also extremely slow right now. Every day seems to drag on forever. I know that it is mainly due to feeling so tired and never knowing when I am going to feel sick again. I thought I had it all under control but now I get hit at all hours of the day with varying degrees. Some days it is just the cough and gag as I call it, others it is a full out run to the washroom. I know we are getting close to this coming to an end and I am fully living into it. Feeling good and full of energy - soon....very soon. Until then I will continue with the crackers and gingerale.

Exciting news...a not so exciting body

On monday we began sharing our exciting news. Andy and I are expecting!

And so begins an emotional rollercoaster. The what have we done, how is this going to change life, etc, etc. I am very excited don't get me wrong but when I feel like heaving for the first 5 hours of the day it can be slightly difficult to remain excited every moment of the day. I am currently feeling exhausted - all the time. I just want to curl up in bed with a million blankets on me and nap - nothing more - nothing less.

I have told "piglet" (doesn't my darling husband come up with the most wonderful names) that we are going to be over this nausea thing by monday. Do babies that are less then an inch long listen to these requests? Probably not. I just want to feel normal at work again. It has been a rough week with the boss away and I am supposed to hold down the fort. Can't exactly call in sick now can I.

I am sure in a couple of weeks I'll look back at this and think - it wasn't really that bad. Until then I'll just keep slugging through it.

Time Flies

Wow, an entire month has come and gone since last I posted something online. I'd like to say that I have been so extremely busy that I just didn't have time however that would be untrue. More a case of forgetting the camera, then forgetting the camera cord, then not really wanting to type anything or maybe just not wanting to share of myself. It has been a quiet month, a month of thoughts and ponderings but not ones I want to share with others. Not that I am having bad thoughts but that I have been thinking a lot about life and what the future year(s) will look like for me. Deeply personal and not thoughts then I am even ready to voice out loud yet. I am sure even Andy is wondering about the quiet....soon, I shall share....but for now it is just swirling and forming and coming together.

I have been doing some little things. We have started to paint the trim in the house. So far the front entrance and part of the family room has been done. Nothing more then a couple hours of work but it sure makes a difference.

Last night I moved the poinsettia planter outside. This may sound like a simple end of season cleanup however I have had some of these poinsettias for 2 or 3 years. Every year cutting them back and gradually coaxing them to grow again - bushing into a beautiful big display of greenery all year long - the problem is that they create a sticky mess underneath them and I now have two large areas on the carpet that hopefully will come clean with a good wash. I realized that it would be much more pleasant to chose a different plant for the house and have a happy husband then keeping the plant and having a husband that mumbles about sticky floors. Crazy how you can become so attached to things - it is a plant - yes there is the fact that I have time into it - watering, trimmimg, etc but is it really worth it - NO! Not when your partner in life is upset about it. I think this is the start of some serious cleaning up and purging. Should be interesting.

Tooth Fairy Pillow

So this is an absolutely adorable pillow for when the tooth fairy makes a visit. I know, I know, I don't have kids yet but if I someday have a child I think I would like to make one of these and what better way to not lose the idea then to post it here. It even has a heart pocket in the back for the tooth to go in.

The Tree is Trimmed

Not much to say. I am working on some Christmas presents for family members so I can't say much in case someone drops by here between now and Christmas morning. I guess that means I will have photos galore to share after Christmas but for now mums the word.

We did however finishing decorating our tree and the bannister. The pictures don't do the real thing justice but give a bit of an idea what the house looks like. And yes, those are pumpkins on the stairs, leftovers from autumn decor.

Isn't it True

Trust that little voice in your head that says, 'Wouldn't it be interesting if...'; and then do it.
-Duane Michals

This is such a profound statement because my entire life is full of wouldn't it be interesting....but not full of doing it. And it is the fear of failure that holds me back. More because I have a spouse that I don't want to let down. To put financial burden on. I am not fearful of it for myself. I have been there and gotten through it. Pulled myself out of a big financial hole with the support of friends and family but I didn't have a mortgage then, I didn't have a spouse that counts on me to do a percentage of the household bills. I don't know...maybe that is an excuse to cover up the fear of failing.

Maybe it is because I feel like I am the queen of procrastination and don't feel that I would accomplish anything on my own or maybe that I don't think I could actually create something that would generate more financially then I current make.

Life.....one sure can complicate it.

Everyday brings something

It is amusing how we feel like we haven't done anything...like today is no different then the day before and yet if you actually look at the day and what you did, experienced, who you talked to or saw, everyday is unique. I was going to say that there is nothing going on in my day today. That it is just another normal day but that would be a lie.

Today is different then yesterday because.....
-I ate rice crispies for breakfast.
-I remembered to take my vitamins.
-I am listening to Christmas music at this very moment.
-I am going shopping after work for Andy's Christmas present.
-Andy and I are going to decorate the Christmas tree tonight.
-I just finished eating meat and veggie pies we brought back from Pender Island Bakery.

All this and I am only at noon!

As a side note I wanted to show some pictures of some wood children's items that I think are really neat. Perhaps when I get my scroll saw....someday...soon I hope...I will make some of these.

Poet's Cove

This past weekend we went to Poet's Cove. I have this incrediably giving boss that does things like take his staff to an out of town resort for a weekend get away as the staff party. The place was beautiful, the food was great, the islands of North and South Pender were lush and green. We had weather from sunny through snow while there. A fun and enjoyable weekend

Foster Kid Project

The other day I was reading about a young guy who developed a program for foster kids. Because of the often quick removal of children from the household many foster children come to their foster homes with little more then a garbage bag with a few items in the bag. This young man didn't like the idea of a garbage bag so he created a program so that every foster child receives a bag for their belongings. It is such a small thing but so special for each child during what can be such an emotionally unsettling time. I wonder if it is being done around here and if not what it would take to make happen.

Gingerbread Biscotti

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup molasses
3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the ginger. In another bowl, beat the sugar, butter and molasses until smooth. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time. Stir the dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined. Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Knead and shape each half into a log, about 12" long and 2 1/2"" inches wide. Place the logs, spacing them several inches apart, on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, and then cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Carefully move the logs to a cutting board. Cut at a slight angle with a serrated knife, cleaning the blade from time to time, into 3/4" thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake 10 minutes more. Cool to room temperature and store in a tight-sealing container.

I whipped these up last night. Recipe courtesy of Thrifty Foods weekly flyer. Took a plateful to work and they were quickly devoured. I guess it's a keeper!

Let it Snow

The first sprinkling of snow came to us last night. She dropped big fluffy bits of delight on us for a couple of hours. I sat inside with a cup of tea, indoor lights off, outdoor lights on and marvelled at the beauty of it all. This morning the sky was clear and from the warmth of the hot tub I enjoyed watching the sky turn from the darkness of night to a beautiful blue. The silhouette of the snow covered trees against the dark sky was truly breathtaking. What a perfect way to start the day.

And the Stockings Were Hung...

So the stockings are finally made. I have been working on this project since I graduated high school but let's not dwell on that. The important part is that they are completed and that I love them. Andy's is the partridge in a pear tree and mine is the angel. They each are backed with the same fabric that makes the cuff (forest green for his, burgundy for mine) and are lined with an off-white satin fabric.

I also spent this weekend making bread (6 loaves), buns (1 dozen), and pumpkin shortbread (3 1/2 dozen). I got the shopping done for the Clarke Christmas hampers (we are supporting two families this year), got the presents together for the little girl that I am personally buying for and wrapped them up in ballet slipper pillowcases to do my part to save the environment and she gets something useful too. Sunday we had brunch with Verna. We went to Samuel's and had an enjoyable meal. We then went to Verna's were we continued our conversation and enjoyed a chocolate fondue. Finished the evening with a movie. All in all an enjoyable weekend

Aunty Time

Monday night was Aunty night. That means that I get my two darling nieces for an evening. They are full of energy as all 5 and 6 year olds are. And running around the house kept them fairly well occupied while I threw together a pasta casserole for dinner. Yes, the house is still standing and other then a leaf or two off the poinsettia's I think all the plants made it through - they weren't so luck last time. After dinner we did our traditional baking time. Not quite sure how it got started but I always bake with the girls when they are over for an extended amount of time. Usually it is cookies but this time we went for pound cake. I got them to each stir their own bowl so we were able to make enough for them to take home several pieces and I got a couple to put in the freezer. Especially helpful as I had eggs galore and needed to use them up.

Bold or ???

So this little cheeky girl was sitting right in
front of our living room window on Sunday morning. Andy and I both walked right up to the window and took about two dozen pictures of her before she finally got up and walked away. Her male friend atleast had the decency to sit on the front lawn on the other side of the parking area. It truly is a love-hate relationship I have with these creatures. If only they could leave my plants alone. I do have an entire acre of grass that they can eat to their hearts content. I must admit I will miss them when I fence the yard but I will have vegetables and flowers so not too much.......

Precious Moments

This is the little something I picked up for the shower I am attending this weekend. If I had thought about it in advance I might have motivated myself to make something but I have been a bit on the disorganized side as of late and therefore had to buy something ready made. I do like this little piece though. Hopefully the receipt does as well.

This morning I just happened to look out the office window into the fields surrounding the barn and just at that moment the most incredible rainbow appeared. It looked as if the rainbow started at the farmers house and ended at the open air market.

To Do and Have done

Sometimes I get frustrated with all the little things I want to do and feel like I never get to them. But I think it isn't that I never get to them it is that there are just always things on the "to do" list and every time you complete one something else takes it's place. So I have decided to have a "to do" and a "have done" list. I haven't decided if the "to do" should have a limit or not - I'll see how it works for me first. As items are completed they will be moved to the "have done" list. That way I can reflect on what I have accomplished and therefore motivate me further for the other projects on the "to do" list.

TO DO

Decoupage puzzle blocks
Curtains for eating nook and kitchen windows
Curtains for bedroom
Wedding album
Strawberry towers
Greenhouse
Square foot raised beds
Learn how to make really good bread (not just average)
Finish my diploma




HAVE DONE

Christmas stockings for Andy and I
Finish my Business certificate

Farmer's Market

Sometimes you see an item that you absolutely love. This would be one of them. Soft, colourful, fabric vegetables for the kids to play with and a handy bag for carrying them in. I really like the idea of having play toys that reflect a healthy lifestyle. Now to have a child to play with the toys.

Mini Getaway

From midday Saturday through midday Sunday Andy and I enjoyed a mini vacation. We escaped the house and drove down the road to Cowichan Bay for a romantic weekend all of 15 minutes from our home.

We stayed at the Oceanfront Grand thanks to the generosity of my boss Geoff. The rooms have been recently renovated - creamy coloured flooring and walls with black granite countertops in the kitchenette and bathroom.

We enjoyed wandered the storefronts in the village and had a midafternoon snack and drink. The cookies came from the bakery in the village that makes the most wonderful breads and sweets from organic grains that are milled on site. The chocolate chip cookies are made with spelt grain and the cranberry cookies are so filling you feel like you have had an entire meal.

The views from the room are breathtaking.
As the sunlight slowly faded to darkness we watched the boats coming in and out of the marina. We enjoyed a delicious and filling meal at the restaurant and relaxed for the remainder of the evening. Just enjoying each others company and being in the moment - no chores to distract, things needing or wanting to be done. Absolute heaven.

A relaxing morning of hot tubbing and newspaper reading was capped of with an amazing brunch. I enjoyed seafood, sushi and waffles while Andy found eggs benny, bacon and salads. Truly a buffet that pleased us both.

Saturday morning sweetness

Saturday morning was a Clarke family brunch. I really wanted to practice the breadmaking skills from my course so I decided to make the cinnamon bun recipe. I mixed it all by hand - unlike at the course. I never did get the dough to pass the window test and gave up.

The dough had no problems rising and the end result was almost as good as class day. I used our wood stove for the proofing stage - worked like a charm. They could have used the icing sugar glaze that they are normally served with but I ran out of time so an apricot glaze was as good as it got.

Zander's Blankie

I have had this picture on my computer for awhile and didn't want to show it until after I gave Patricia and Albie their baby present.

I actually gave them the blanket before Zander was even born but then I forgot I had it. Today I came across it is my picture file and thought I would post it to remember that I have indeed made something in my life. Patricia told me that the blanket is being used so hopefully all those hours were worth it!

Last night was our annual Halloween Howl at the Shawnigan Lake Community Centre. Hours of setup for 2 hours of chaos. I believe the several hundred people that showed up had fun so the tiredness of today is soothed by the knowledge that a lot of little kids had a great time. The haunted house was spooky fun, the craft table was a huge success (helium bats and popcorn hands) and free food and candy always goes over well.

I just got two new books and can't decide which to read first. By Peter Reinhart, they are both cookbooks but they are cookbooks that include stories and learning of techniques not just simply recipes. I imagine I will probably end up reading them both at the same time in my impatience to learn what they both have to say.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Sometimes life is just about trying things even if they aren't good for you. Spaghetti alla carbonara is one of those examples. The sauce consists of bacon, bacon fat, butter, egg yolks, cream and parmesan cheese. The only good thing in the sauce is some garlic. The thing of it is I have always wanted to try it. I had heard about it but never tried it - plus the added challenge of not scrambling the eggs but instead creating a creamy rich sauce using egg yolks.

It turns out there wasn't really any challenge to it at all. The entire dish is actually extremely easy. The sauce was rich indeed - almost too much so given how rarely one eats such a food these days. And the funniest thing was Andy said it was good but he would much prefer "regular" spaghetti. I guess the good old meat and tomato sauce wins again.

Old Friends New Times

Last night I had a friend, Alex, over that I hadn't seen or talked to since grade eleven. We went to Maxwell together from grade 9-11 and had lost touch after he left the school during grade eleven. We re-met through facebook. It is the oddest thing getting an email from someone you haven't talked to in over ten years and yet it is strangely exciting.

There is something about the knowing that they are doing well. That life is unfolding for them in whatever manner it is. Perhaps part of that is in knowing that not all the people I went to school with are still around and that when you reconnect with someone you know that they are okay. It is nice knowing what people are doing, where they are focussing their energy, what has become important to them. Are they pursuing something, a passion, a belief, a calling of sorts. What values do they hold close, what experiences have occurred for them.

I made pizzas for dinner, apparently homemade pizza was a novelty for Alex which made the preparation even more fun. BBQ shrimp and pineapple pizza, balsamic mushroom pizza and pesto chicken pizza were the options of the night. No recipes to start with as I made them up with what I had on hand - monteray jack cheese, red peppers, red onion, black olives, etc. The pesto chicken was a completely new trial and it was delish! I think some toasted pinenuts and green olives would have made it even better. Definately will play with this one some more.

It was a lovely evening and makes me realize how important it is to keep touch with people you care about and how easy it is to renew a friendship that may have been lost.

Loafing around

This past weekend was one of those weekends were life is truly at it's best. I took a course on saturday - Artisan Baking. Bagels, challah, ciabatta, sweet and sour rye, focaccia, cinnamon buns and a multi seed bread were the spoils of the days. It was a day of being immersed in something I truly enjoy. Measuring, mixing, shaping, baking. The textures, smells and sight of everything going on in the kitchen was amazing.

Andy and Todd did a taste test of all the different breads when I got home that night.

On Sunday morning I came downstairs to this sight.

Andy was already outside cleaning out the gutters. Hadn't even stopped to have breakfast yet. After breakfast- yes he did come in - I helped out with the gutters and did some garden cleanup. Andy power washed the sidewalks after cleaning his "fleet". He wrote me messages in the sidewalk before cleaning them completely. Every once and awhile he does the sweetest things - never the typical flowers and chocolates which makes it all the better.

We went for a belated Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's. Nothing says yummy like turkey dinner.

Curled up in bed last night (Sunday) I couldn't help but think about what a relaxing and enjoyable weekend it had been. If only everyday was that relaxing and enjoyable. If only.......something to think about.

This morning as I was enjoying my last cinnamon bun I watched a little bird fly to our back door and perch on the wood frame that holds the glass panes. It sat there for a minute or two until Andy walked out the garage door and it flew away. It was one of those moments were you truly realize how two people can be in almost the exact same location but have completely different experiences. I sat and watched this bird completely immersed in the shape and colour of it's feathers meanwhile Andy probably didn't even see the bird as he walked out the garage door. Every moment of life is truly unique to each person on Earth.