Stone Soup

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

I wouldn't have believed it but now I know you can get anything in Toronto...even take out margaritas. I saw this at the Lone Star Texas Grill near my home in a shopping mall.

I think I will drive up to the door and ask for a margarita to go, just like the sign says!

Jusl like at Tim's!

I got a new camera for Christmas! It is another Canon, it was a total surprise, this one has more megapixels...14.7 of them! I will be able to crop to my heart's content and still have pixels left for a pretty good image. This camera is a Powershot SD990 IS Digital Elph. I love the Elphs, they are small, light and easy to bring everywhere. My camera is always with me.

We had my sons and Grace here for Christmas dinner. Grace loved the table I decorated in blue, and took photos of it...so did I. I used those glassy Christmas trees instead of candles...got them on sale right before Christmas.

This year, I didn't stuff everyone before dinner, served far fewer snacks so they were hungry at dinnertime. No one over ate, we all felt satisfied but comfortable after.

I cooked our turkey, in a bag. I find that the simplest way to cook a turkey, less fuss because you are not basting it all the time. The meat turns out well cooked and moist, never dry. In November I saw Turkey Seasoning Paste, at $10 a jar at William Sonoma. A little extravagant but I wanted to try it. Now that I have tasted it and know the texture of the paste, I will be able to reproduce it for another turkey much more economically. It was a mixture of oil, rosemary, other turkey spices, salt, brown sugar. I rubbed the paste under the skin everywhere, and outside the skin too, then sealed the turkey in the bag. A 14 lb turkey was ready in 3 hours, much quicker in a bag, isn't it.

.

We had butternut squash soup with a hint of curry, fluffy mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potato-squash-beet-onion mix, stuffing, baby peas. The wine was Pinot Grigio, Glenn's choice. Plum pudding and liquers for dessert.

Today, I started at the gym. While everyone was out grabbing deals at the Boxing Day sales, I worked out...it was pretty tough, I am so out of shape, but the girls told me it would get better. I managed 20 minutes on the running machine (fast walk really) and another 15 on the eliptical trainer. I wasn't able to do more than that for today--too exhausted. Came home and did my sit ups here, where I wouldn't be so embarrassed and then took a shower.

Christmas Eve, I was in for a fitness evaluation and tomorrow I go for training on how to use 8 machines. I plan to go every night after work, some nights cardio only, 3 nights weights and cardio. I told the girls at the gym I want to look gorgeous in my gown for Glenn and Grace's wedding photos.

We are having left overs for dinner tonight, Craig is going to drop by for more too. Today I made the stock for turkey soup. It is chilling outside now, no room in the fridge. Tomorrow I will take the fat off the top and add veggies and some kind of noodles. I love turkey leftovers. Had a turkey sandwich after the gym today.

What do you do with turkey leftovers?

There are more calories around here than I can shake a stick at--more than I dare eat and I don't think anyone else will want to eat them either. Why is Christmas a season of such excess.

I joined a gym today, a new one that has just opened near my home, thought I would get in ahead of the New Year resolution crowd. No membership fee, I just pay as I go, month by month, $40 each month...that is just $10 per week for unlimited use of the gym. All I need to give is 30 days notice when I want to stop. There is an online feature where I can track my progress on the machines, track my weight loss, plan my calories and meals. Tomorrow I have an appointment for a 1 hour fitness evaluation and they will give me a program to follow, show me how to use the machines and check my fitness level again in three months. Not bad for $10 a week, hmm? I am actually looking forward to starting the program...my gym bag is packed and ready!

I will drop most of the goodies off at a food bank...there is a big bin at our local grocery store. How did all these things get into my house? I brought some in myself, some were seasonal gifts. I am a bit sick of it all. I simply have to learn to celebrate without putting food in my mouth.

I know this is not a "peace dove," white with an olive branch in his mouth, nevertheless any dove makes me think of peace. This Morning Dove lives in one of the fir trees outside my home; he and his companion are frequent visitors to my little yard. The two of them are so calm and gentle, unafraid or maybe unaware of possible danger. I love the soft soothing noises they make. Live and let live seems to be their philosophy, they never even stir if I come out to the yard while they are visiting. This one just sat on the fence, undisturbed as I came out to take his picture.

To join the fun at Picture Perfect, post a photo with the theme 'Peace" in your blog and then put a link to your post here.

Taken while walking along Swann's Marina near my home with my little Canon Elph SD450 in October. The boats were mostly out of the water and life had settled in on this dock.

The decorations are always impressive at Scarborough Town Center, a mall in my area. There are few changes from year to year, but it is always nice to see the Christmas village at this mall.

My main purpose in being there was to buy the purse I want for Glenn's and Grace's wedding, the only one I have seen that I really like. Town Shoes sold the only one they had and suggested I call the other stores in Toronto. Luckily I located another one on the first call and picked it up the next day.

While taking a break in the food court I people watched while I waited for my lunch. My job was to grab a table while he picked up the burgers and root beer.

I noticed this little girl eating a hamburger but she was also holding up her ice cream in her other hand. The ice cream was getting pretty runny as she munched on her burger. I wondered why they didn't buy the lunches then return to the counter for her ice cream later. It was difficult to get a good close up because I didn't want to alarm them.

I had missed a "Kodak Moment" earlier that day at Costco, where I saw a little girl her stopping at various places along the aisle to add items to her Christmas list. The list began in very neat printing, Tara's Wish List. She was meticulously copying information from books and game labels. I missed a beautiful shot of the back of her head, her hand printing the list balanced on a book, and the toys she wanted. My camera was in the car.