Stone Soup

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.

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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 am sitting here feeling a little disgusted with myself. I ate a bag of barbecue chips for dinner and knew full well when I was eating them that I was going to regret it but they were so good and I was so hungry and tired. Yes, I ate the whole bag. I will gain about 5 lbs of water overnight. I won't weigh myself for a few days.

This hockey moose was on sale at Sears, another 60% off deal. The day before he was $14.99 and I got him for $5.99. Isn't he a handsome fellow? He is full of cucumber melon dish soap, which smells so good I use it for dishes and also my hands at the kitchen sink. I suppose this is how houses get full of clutter, buying things like this but I thought he was fun and I will put him away after the winter.

I will be paying a few bills online tonight. Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed without the internet. It is so easy not to have to make special trips to the mail box or to the bank. I can do most of my banking right here while sitting in front ot the television.

I can't believe I am pretty well finished Christmas shopping already; I can actually consider myself done. Why? Because the sales have been fantastic, everything I see is on sale 30%, 40%, 50% and even 60% off. Brand names, winter wear, you name it--it is on sale in Toronto. The dark cloud of economic crisis has silver upside I suppose. The sales are certainly encouraging consumer spending but I do wonder how the stores will make any profit with sales like this.

I was wandering around the mall again on Sunday and had to buy these bathroom towels and soap dispenser for my powder room at 60% off. Friday night the towel had been $20 and soap dispenser had been $29. Aren't they darling? Got some finger towels too.

I can't believe I am pretty well finished Christmas shopping already; I can actually consider myself done. Why? Because the sales have been fantastic, everything I see is on sale 30%, 40%, 50% and even 60% off. Brand names, winter wear, you name it--it is on sale in Toronto. The dark cloud of economic crisis has silver upside I suppose. The sales are certainly encouraging consumer spending but I do wonder how the stores will make any profit with sales like this.

I was wandering around the mall again on Sunday and had to buy these bathroom towels and soap dispenser for my powder room at 60% off. Friday night the towel had been $20 and soap dispenser had been $29. Aren't they darling? Got some finger towels too.

Shamelessly snagged from Carol. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, copy and paste this entire list, exchanging my answers with your own, and post it in your own blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? 1 week before Christmas

4. When do you take the tree down? January 1 or 2

5. Do you like eggnog? No, I LOVE it, spiked or unspiked

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Don't remember a favourite, I liked everything that wasn't clothes!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My sons, they don't want clothes

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I stopped sending them years ago, hated the chore. I call friends and family, visit, etc

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A black rubber watch with a thick manual from my ex. I looked at him in disbelief when I opened it and he was grinning like a fool. He told me it could be set up to count my steps during the day and tell me how many calories I was burning off. It was ugly. No perfume, no jewellery, no cashmere sweater, just a black rubber watch. I made him bring it back. My friend sympathized with me when I told her about it and told me the first year she was married her husband gave her winter tires for her car...another good gift huh?

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "Miracle on 34th Street and the Polar Express and oh yes, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

13 When do you start shopping for Christmas? I started two weeks ago. Usually I am late.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No but I do pass things on if I don't like them. Whynot let someone else enjoy them

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas Pudding just like my mother used to make, with suet, currants, carrot, nuts dried fruit, etc, served with a sweet rum or brandy and brown sugar sauce. It's so good! And let's not forget Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings

16. Lights on the tree? Yes--candles are too dangerous

17. Favorite Christmas song? The Huron Christmas Carol also like Mary Did You Know?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home but every year I think about spending Christmas just once in a very warm climate, at a resort. Just once.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve the rest Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Sweating in overheated stores

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Ice pastels but it used to be dark reds and gold

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey with all the trimmings, why what else is there?

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A trip to a warm climate

(pinched from Ken, who pinched it from . . . so feel free to pinch it too)

So...If you saw ME in a police car, what would you think I got arrested for?

Last year we had our first annual pumpkin contest at the office. I convinced the girls to join me in a team effort and we chose to immortalize our Director of Corporate Accounts in our pumpkin entry. I took his picture, changed it to b&w, enlarged it on the photo copier and we were off to a good start. We worked for hours planning and carving...and we were so pleased with our results, we were convinced we would and should win. Some of you thought so also. Unfortunately, we didn`t win! A giant hamburger won the prize, I can`t remember what the prize was. We went home knowing we did a great job and our director loved it so much he used the photo as his facebook profile photo.

Sore loosers we are NOT! But this year we decided to take an easier route. Lynda and I locked ourselves in a boardroom this morning at 11:00 AM and were finished and cleaned up at noon. We are pretty happy with the effort, and who knows, maybe our simple pumpkin will do well tomorrow at the judging. Wish us luck!

Here is our Grim Reaper lit up in the dark.

Happy trick or treating everyone!