Stone Soup

I received this lovely bouquet of flowers last Friday at the office from my boss who was away at our National Sales Meeting in Mexico. It was a thank you for work I did on the meeting...a kind gesture but gee...next time it would be even nicer if he would bring me along to the meeting! Since it was Friday afternoon I brought them home to enjoy over the weekend.

I spent the week catching up on everything I had thrown aside to work on the meeting. Oh yes, I also came in late a couple of mornings and took one long lunch.

Mid week I attended a hockey game at our executive suite at the Air Canada Centre. Is that ever a nice way to watch the game! Catering supplied pizza for the kids, steak sandwiches, caesar salad, sushi, beer and wine for the adults. Huge warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies came later along with popsicles (for the children) and Haagen Dazs ice cream for everyone.

Mmmm, what a treat!

And this was a treat too!

The food was better than the game. Leafs and Rangers were tied 1:1 at the end of the third period--very little scoring = very little excitement. We didn't want to stay later just to see them blow it (as they usually do, they are the worst team in the NHL) and it was a long walk to the car so we left. I learned next day that the Leafs won! C'est la vie!

This young fellow in our suite certainly enjoyed the game!

The light show on the ice was pretty.

Above and below, singing of the national anthems.

The Leafs are a terrible team but fans keep coming out to see them anyway. The Air Canada Center was full! They have won a few games since last week but that is not a good thing; it is just enough to move them up a wee bit in the standings so they will loose first draft choice and boy do they need that!

I had a wonderful Valentine's Day, dinner at a nice restaurant and then saw The Colour Purple. I loved the show, although my companion did not. There were a few times my eyes welled up with tears, it was wonderful! I didn't take my camera out during dinner but did manage to catch a shot of desert...the lighting was poor in this restaurant. I used a 3200 ISO setting and brightened it with Picassa...still struggling with Photoshop and probably always will. That little flat spoon is a sweet crisp cookie! The sorbet was intense and refreshing...mango, raspberry and something I didn't recognize.

I drove to Montreal next day, saw my mom again, took her out for lunch, we had my favourite Montreal smoked meat sandwiches at my favourite deli. She told me next time she would prefer clam chowder and good bread like we had last time in that lovely restaurant with the view of the pool. I will be happy to oblige...next time. Her mind is clear sometimes and other times she is in a heavy fog and quite confused. This visit, she was pretty good.

I am going out for dinner tonight and then to see The Colour Purple. It is a musical but I am not familiar with the music however, looking forward to it all.

We have reservations at a Portuguese restaurant. A private alcove table and one of my favourite dishes is on the menu--all very special. I love their Grilled Squid, they char it nicely but it leave it tender and add a squeeze of lemon or maybe lime.

Sunday I am going to Montreal and I'll drive home Monday afternoon. The weather promises to stay clear so that is a relief for the long drive. Monday is a holiday here in Ontario, Family Day. It is nice to have the holiday to break up the month of February but I think and extra holiday in June or July would be nicer!

Every first Friday of each month, Picture of The Month will take place here.

Choose one picture that best portrays what you’ve been up to that month.
It can be an artistic piece, a non-artistic one, an abstract, a landscape, titled, untitled… feel free, but tell us the little story behind it –why you chose that specific shot, how you took it, or any other aspect you’d like to share about it. Make sure you publish it for everyone and please leave the link to your post on Dani's and others' posts.

Ready? Set?… Shoot!!!"

Here is my entry for January, it was difficult to choose just one but I finally selected this swan I photographed at the marina near my house two weeks ago. January has been cold and snowy, we have more than normal. Ice is everywhere. This day I was at the marina it was sunny but there was absolutely no heat in that sunshine. The geese, ducks and swans huddled on the ice, pecking at it occasionally. Here under the bridge, this swan had found an opening in the ice and an opportunity to search under the fridig water for food. That is January to me--cold, icy, unfriendly, even the distant sun refuses to give any warmth.

From January at the Marina

I wanted to get out of the house today but it was too cold to do anything outside so I went to the mall. Enjoyed a nice trip through the shoe department then decided to look for long evening gloves to wear to the wedding. There were no evening gloves to be found anywhere but I did come across some wonderful hats and they were on sale too! Most of these hats were in the $200-275 range but were on sale up to 75% off. I tried them all on! It was like playing dressup!

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/pkPpBRAFuQ0atVg0W7AXrQ?feat=directlink

Yesterday was my oldest son Craig's birthday. I can't believe I have a 32 year old son! His younger brother and fiancee came for dinner. Craig is usually uncooperative about having his picture taken but I got a few shots. I served roast beef done to a perfect pink, with lemon horseradish roast potatoes and broccoli. I made peppercorn gravy with a good splash of cabernet saugivnon added. Craig is vegetarian so I made a pan of rolled crepes stuffed with ricotta, mushrooms and spinach, covered with alfredo sauce, for his main dish and we each had a little of that too. As a shortcut I used 6 inch whole wheat tortillas and they stood up under all that sauce very well. Mmm, delicious, I will make it again. Craig made off with all the leftovers.

I had 3 avocados that became ripe all at once so used them in a starter with warm roasted tomatoes, bacon, goat cheese fresh basil and capers. We drizzled a basil parmesan vinagrette over this salad.

Instead of a birthday card I gave him a 6/49 ticket, the draw was for 43 Million last night, hope he remembers to be good to his mom if he wins!

I must say, I have thoroughly enjoyed the festivities south of the border these past few days. I think we Canadians have been as excited as our neighbours in the USA. Boardroom televisions made it possible to catch glimpses of the inauguration yesterday, then we watched the highlights all evening. I enjoyed the balls, especially the first one, the first dance and Beyonce was incredible. The president is a better dancer than he said he was. I didn't care for Michelle Obama's dress either in the daytime or in the evening. That gown looked like she had bits of tissue stuck all over it but each to her own taste I suppose.

I really enjoyed Aretha Franklin's hat, WOW! No ornament on her lovely grey coat, scarf or dress, she saved it all for that splendid hat! Wasn't it wonderful?

My son is getting married in May; it is almost time to send out invitations. They asked me about wording I would be comfortable with and I have been considering what is appropriate...and pleasant.

I am divorced from Glenn's father, Glenn lives with his dad, Grace lives with her parents. Glenn's father is unlikely to contribute a cent towards this wedding, I have agreed to help with the cost. I am not even sure Glenn's dad will attend; he has been difficult to approach on anything concering the wedding and yet he likes Grace. I am resigned that he won't put in his share but the question is what do we say on the invitation?

Here are some of the choices but if you can suggest others I would be happy to hear them:

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
and
Groom's name
son of "My name and Father's name"

after all we are still both his parents even if he is not involved in the wedding

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
to
Groom's name
son of "Heather XXX and leave father's name out"

reasoning here, he is being ugly about it, won't pay a cent and probably wont go.

You are invited to the wedding of
Bride's name
daughter of
NS
Groom's name
son of

or WHAT??? I need help. What other options are there? Bride and Groom invite and leave all parents off? Her parents invite and leave his parents off?

My son is getting married in May; it is almost time to send out invitations. They asked me about wording I would be comfortable with and I have been considering what is appropriate...and pleasant.

I am divorced from Glenn's father, Glenn lives with his dad, Grace lives with her parents. Glenn's father is unlikely to contribute a cent towards this wedding, I have agreed to help with the cost. I am not even sure Glenn's dad will attend; he has been difficult to approach on anything concering the wedding and yet he likes Grace. I am resigned that he won't put in his share but the question is what do we say on the invitation?

Here are some of the choices but if you can suggest others I would be happy to hear them:

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
and
Groom's name
son of "My name and Father's name"

after all we are still both his parents even if he is not involved in the wedding

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
to
Groom's name
son of "Heather XXX and leave father's name out"

reasoning here, he is being ugly about it, won't pay a cent and probably wont go.

You are invited to the wedding of
Bride's name
daughter of
NS
Groom's name
son of

or WHAT??? I need help. What other options are there? Bride and Groom invite and leave all parents off? Her parents invite and leave his parents off?

Loblaws, a major grocery store here, started charging customers for plastic grocery bags today. I am sure the other large chains will follow soon.

I have quite a few reusable bags and I try to keep them in my car, even in the door pocket of my car, so I will remember to bring them in but I usually end up at the cash without my bag...and I buy another one, which is why I have so many of them. The other problem is remembering to put them back in the car when I empty them in the kitchen.

Nevermind that I have so many reusable bags, I like them for other things. The Loblaws one above, the black one, is quite nice for carrying my daytimer, lunch and shoes from my car to the office. I use one to carry my water bottle, shoes and exercise suit to the gym. Many uses for these handy bags, but so far just not too often for groceries.

And, I used to use those plastic grocery store bags to line my kitchen garbage, so easy to tie up and bring to the outdoor trash bag. When I run out of my supply of plastic grocery bags I suppose I will have to buy plastic bags for the garbage? I would like to be "greener" but this is a problem...how does one dispose of garbage without plastic bags?

And how come I have to pack the green bags by myself when the cashier, who is so much better at it, used to do it for me with the plastic bags? I am so slow, and clumsy at bagging my own groceries...but I suppose I will learn.

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.