Is it Spring yet?

It certainly feels like it this week. We really can't complain about our winter so far. The snow has not been a huge problem, and we've only had one week when it was really cold. We will probably still be in for some winter weather, it is still only February, after all, but it's the end of February and we no longer drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark.
Now there is time to do things outside at night after work, for a little while anyway, and the sun is just coming up when I leave at 6:40 in the morning. I took this picture on my way out of the driveway this morning.
The temperature reading on my car this morning on the way in was plus 1 degree. It can't help but put a spring into your step first thing.
We know it's not over, but somehow you feel like the worst of it's behind you. But, I know March can be brutal, so we should just enjoy what we have, while we have it.
I talked to Patti the other night and James is wanting to know if there will be snow. He wants to bring his new snowboard and take it to Brookvale. I've never been there but I told her I'd keep him up to date.
I found a web site he can go to : http://www.tourismpei.com/winter/brookvaleconditions.php3
to give him the current conditions. He can also rent a board there for $11.00 for half a day. So that might be easier than bringing his own from Ontario. I see they also rent tubes, and skis so there are lots of options. Just hope we have some snow when they get here on March 10th.

Tonight Brenda and I are off to see an image consultant. It's an event Tracey told me about. The woman there will speak about what to wear, what not to wear, how to wear it, and how to feel comfortable in your own skin. I think that is something that just comes with age. I've never been what you would call very slim, but not totally obese either. But I always felt 'large'. But as I get older, I realize that there are more important things in life. I'm not large enough to be unhealthy, and I don't have any health issues. I'm almost 58 years old and I don't take any medication for anything. So I know how very lucky I am. I've become a little more active, and sometimes I try to watch what I eat. But again, I don't do that so much either. I make most of my meals from scratch, I don't use much in the way of pre-packaged food and I very, very rarely eat fast food. So even though I know I carry around a few extra pounds, I'm not going to sweat about it.
I finally like me for who I am, with all my warts and wrinkles.

They did it!

Gosh, what a night!
It was probably the most riveting TV I've every watched. The 4th heat was the worst, with our team running last. After several crashes, you were totally aware that nothing is guaranteed until the sled reaches the bottom. At first my thought was, oh well, they've won three, they are a shoe in to win the last. But after watching a sled go over and witnessing the braker go flying out onto the ice, like a rag doll, and sliding at break neck speed on her back down the track, you had a true sense of just how very dangerous this sport can be. They make it look so easy but now you could see that it's really not. By 11:30, with only 4 sleds left to go, I seriously questioned my decision to stay up and watch. It was so stressful. Then suddenly it was their turn, and it was do or die - almost literally.
When they reached the bottom, I was cheering and yelling and I'm sure the dog thought I'd lost my mind. I must admit, after living in apartment buildings for the past few years, being able to yell and cheer at midnight on a Wednesday night like some mad fool, is the best!
It was a great ending to a great day.
The weather yesterday was so perfect. It was around 3 0r 4 degrees and the sun shone all day. My intention was to go home and take the dog for a walk, or maybe see if the snow in the field and back lane could be skied on. It was too beautiful to stay inside. But then, just as I was leaving town, my phone rang. When I answered, it was Bernie, inviting me to stop by for supper on my way home. An offer I just could not refuse!
I walked into Brenda's kitchen, and there on the table was a spectacular bouquet of roses - a very unusual orange and pink combination. They were absolutely beautiful. So I asked what the occasion was. Brenda wasn't sure. She said when she saw Bernie coming across the yard with this huge bunch of flowers, her first thought was, oh oh, what has he done now! Turns out he was just trying to be nice. Flowers 'just because'. I've gotten those before and it's a really nice surprise. But of course we had to give him a hard time.

We had a really nice supper. Very tasty and it's always a treat when someone else cooks for you. Brenda told me that she took one of the butter tarts up to Susan at the store and she really liked it. But I need to do some more, those were not one of my best efforts. I've never been consistent with my butter tarts so I want to do some experimenting with different temperatures and times until I hit just the right combination so I get the same result every time. Every stove is different so I just have to find out the right settings for mine. So beware girls, you may have to munch your way through a few trials before I perfect them.

Here's the recipe: ( the picture is not mine but I found it online and with the Olympic mittens, it just seemed to fit!

Peggy Morris’s Amazing Butter Tarts

From Anita Stewart’s Canada. Peggy Morris and her husband Edmund farmed northwest of Elora in Peel Township, Ont. Anita enjoyed Peggy’s butter tarts many times over the years and asked for her recipe. Makes 18 tarts.

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup (250 mL) raisins
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) corn syrup
• 1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) melted butter
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts
• 18 Sweet Tart Pastry shells

METHOD:
In a small bowl, cover raisins with boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter and nuts. Stir in raisins. Pour evenly into prepared tart shells. Bake in preheated 450°F (220°C) oven 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (180°C) and open door slightly for 15 to 20 seconds to bring temperature down rapidly. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling and deep golden brown. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Sweet Tart Pastry

INGREDIENTS:
• 2½ cups (625 ml) sifted cake-and-pastry flour
• ¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
• 1 cup (250 ml) chilled unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (175 ml) ice water

METHOD:
In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. With a fork, stir in ice water, ¼ cup (60 mL) at a time, until the dough can be gathered up into a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and the top of the dough. Divide dough in half.

Roll out one piece of dough, dusting with flour as needed, to about ? inch (3 mm) thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into approximately 4-inch (10 cm) circles and press gently into muffin or large tart pans. Repeat with remaining dough.

Note: This is not the pastry recipe I used but I will try it next time. The one I did use must be similar as it also uses cake and pastry flour. (Meghan (1) now I know you know the difference!)

There is an interesting little story about this cook book. I had purchased a copy at the Bookshelf in Guelph after joining Cuisine Canada as a culinary student. Then a couple of years later Cuisine Canada was hosting what they called a cross Canada BBQ. They encouraged all members to spread the word and plan some type of BBQ for one Saturday in the summer. All were encouraged to share on the website what they would be doing and how you were incorporating local ingredients. It just happened that we were doing the food for a friends wedding that Saturday. Lloyd and his friend Walt, were BBQ ing 50 pounds of pork on a spit. So I submitted my story. Some weeks later I got an email from Anita Stewart telling me that I had won a prize - a signed copy of her book. In the course of our correspondance, we talked about a Cuisine Canada conference that was taking place out in Winnipeg, and she asked if I would be attending. I would have liked to but it was the same weekend as the Weekend to end Breast Cancer. We talked about that a bit and when I received the book in the mail, there was a really nice inscription inside the front cover, referencing the walk. It's one thing to have a signed book, but even more special to have it so personalized. These are the things that mean a lot to me-that connection to me as a person, not just another customer.

Going for gold!

I have never been a sports fan - either as a spectator or a participant, although my friend Fran has tried many times! (Remember golf and bocce?)
But since I moved to the island, that has shifted ever so slightly. First it was kayaking. My dear sweet husband, who I must admit, spoils me rotten, bought me a kayak for my birthday. Many summer afternoons (though not nearly enough) were spent out on one river or another with Brenda. It was a good fit for both of us. She's been at it for a while and I am a real novice, but its been a lot of fun. Then winter came. Again, my gift at Christmas was Cross Country skis. I've been more active in the past ten months than I have in the past ten years. I have Brenda to thank for that.
Then along came the Tournament of Hearts (not 'Roses' as I previously referred to it). I don't know any of the women on the PEI team but I know of them. One is a student at UPEI.
The day we watched the finals was so exciting.

Now it's bobsledding at the Olympics. Last night I went over to Brenda and Bernie's with butter tarts, and Brenda made the tea. I got there just in time to watch the first two heats of the women's bobsled race. One of the teams has an islander, Heather Moyse. Of course I don't know her but she is the only islander competing at the games. No pressure there! We watched the first heat and it was so exciting. Team Canada 1 (there are two Canadian teams competing) went first and they set the pace for the entire run, a pace that no one else was able to beat. Then in the second heat, the order was reversed so they were running last.

One by one the others came down the track, and some had faster times than Team Canada in the first round. It was 10:00 pm here so it was 6:00 pm in Vancouver. It's starting to get colder and the track is beginning to glaze over with the cooler temperatures. But can they come out a second time and beat their previous time, which has already been surpassed?
You bet they can! It was all the more exciting to watch with them running at the end. What a rush when they came away victorious for the second time.Tonight there are two more runs and the accumulated time for all four runs determines the gold medal.

I came into Timothy's this morning and three gentlemen were discussing hockey and pondering how they were going to watch the hockey and Heather Moyse at the same time. I couldn't help ask them "Was that not the most exciting thing to watch last night?" They all agreed it was amazing as we chatted about it. No one would ever comprehend me, of all people, taking part in an animated and highly exhilerating conversation regarding sports. That's just not me.
But living here, where everyone knows everyone else, I no doubt know people, who know Heather. It's really just like one big family down here. That may or may not be a good thing, but so far it's pretty special, and I consider myself very fortunate to be cheering on 'one of the family'.

GO TEAM CANADA!!!

Congratulations Patti!

Yesterday I got a phone call from Patti to tell me that she passed her certification exam in nursing. Not that there was ever any doubt.
What an amazing young woman. She made up her mind a couple of years ago to go to nursing school. So off she went to Conestoga College and applied for the full time Registered Practical Nursing program. Never mind that she already has a full time job and 3 kids who are very active in various activities, a husband and a house to take care of.

It was a huge challenge at times, and of course I didn't make that challenge any easier by moving away. I didn't do a lot but I did help out from time to time. Greg has also been very supportive and a big help.

I should also mention that at times she can be her own worst enemy (alright, she may have gotten that from her mother). Each year the kids school puts on a play. With her background in theatre, she invariably winds up doing the costumes for that as well. The play is presented in December just before Christmas so a huge chunk of her fall goes into designing, finding materials and making costumes for every child in the school. Not an easy task. I know the school appreciates it but I'm not sure they are aware of just what a huge job it is.

After two years, she finally graduated in December 2009, and I was very proud to have been there for that. But at the same time I was so worried about her. She was exhausted but, Patti being Patti, she just carried on.
Now that she's passed her certification exam, she can work, and again, Patti being Patti, she starts this week at Guelph General Hospital. Did I mention that she still has her full time job with Air Canada, and she still has those three kids, the husband and the house?
I honestly don't know how she does it but I know she is looking forward to starting her new second job.

I received a call from her on Saturday. Seems she was standing on the balcony on the 18th floor of her hotel in beautiful downtown Vancouver. When she bid her flights in February, she bid a layover in Vancouver during the Olympics. What a great job - hotel and airfare paid to spend 24 hours at the games. Not a lot of time but just enough to experience the excitement and see the sights. She was also able to get tickets for the men's speed skating. Unfortunately Canada lost but it was a once in a lifetime experience. (well, maybe not in HER world!)
I suppose a mini vacation in the middle of something like that would make it worth her while to keep that job going.
Since she started her nursing education, she has had a few opportunities to use her training on board aircraft. One of those time was when Meghan and I were travelling with her and we were on our way back from a layover in Las Angeles. (Okay, so she's not the only one who benefits from her job with Air Canada). In the middle of the night on this flight, a woman became ill and Patti was assisting a registered nurse who happened to be on the flight. The other flight crew are supposed to know what to do but it was obvious that they were a little overwhelmed and were very happy to let Patti take her place alongside the nurse, as they worked to ensure this woman was okay until they could make an emergency landing in Denver, Colorado.
It's a really odd experience to watch your children doing adult jobs. We always think of them as our 'kids' but when you see them up there doing jobs you can't even conceive of, it's an amazing mix of pride and awe. How on earth did this competent, mature person ever result from my attempt at child rearing? I think most of the time it's more good luck, than good management.
I remember having that conversation with one of my old bosses. His son was working for the summer on a swing line doing repairs to the outside of a high rise apartment building. We talked about the first time he drove by and his baby boy was up there doing a man's job. It's a remarkable feeling.
I may not have always done the right thing raising her, and there are a few regrets, as I'm sure there are for most parents. How could I have done a better job? What should I have done differently? My list is lengthy but in spite of my shortcomings, she turned out wonderfully
and I am incredibly proud of her. Lloyd is also very proud of his 'daughter' , even if they are not really related. You know what the old saying says "Any one can be a father. It's takes a someone special to be a dad". In this case I thinks it's true.

Happy Monday!

What a treat for me to open up my site this morning and find a comment from Meghan Van Gaal. When I first started this, my intention was simply a means of passing on day to day information to my husband and my daughter and her family in Ontario. I never thought anyone else would be even remotely interested in reading about my usually pretty ordinary life. But now I've learned that a few people are reading it and some of them I DON'T EVEN KNOW as they are friends of friends! How exciting is that?
Yet another wonderful weekend here on the island.
Friday night we missed Friday Feast as I was invited to attend the 50th birthday of one of my co-workers at the university. There was a great turn out and I spent a lot of time chatting with one of the Deans at the University. Turns out he spent some time many years ago working at a remand centre in San Dieg0. Needless to say, we have things we can share that no one else at the office could even begin to comprehend. It's always fun to socialize with colleagues, as you find out things that would never come up in the every day routine of the office.
Saturday morning was my third quilting class. This was meant to be our last one for this project be we are only halfway through constructing our blocks, so she has added another class. She also brought in a sample of another technique that she will be teaching. It was beautiful so needless to say, we all signed up for the next one. Shrewd business woman, that Janice.
After roaming around town for a while and doing some errands, I went home in time to get ready to go out. I was very pleased to have been invited out for supper by Brenda and Bernie. Richard had told them about a restaurant in town they had tried called Chocolate Elements. So Brenda and Bernie picked me up and away we went. Our reservation was for 7:00 and we arrived right on time. A small group of people were just leaving as we arrived and we were the only ones there for the remainder of the evening. It's a very cute little place, that actually only seats 16 people! I can't imagine how they can afford to stay open this time of year.
We were met at the door by our server, who promptly told us what the specials were, before we even got our coats off or sat down, but perhaps he's new to this waiter thing.
Once we sorted out where we were going to sit, we reviewed the menu. The food is a bit of a mix of various items and I ordered the stuffed breast of chicken, Brenda ordered the pork tenderloin and Bernie had the Cocoa Crusted Sea Scallops with Risotto (it is 'chocolate elements' after all).
I like dining with Brenda and Bernie because they are adventurous and not afraid to share. I know some people are just not comfortable tasting other peoples food from their plates, or letting other people take food from theirs. But the three of us had no problem trying everything. There was nothing that we didn't like. Bernie was pleased to have someone tell him exactly what he was eating. A couple of items on his plate were new for him but he cleaned up the whole thing. Lloyd, you will be pleased to learn that Brenda shares your opinion of zucchinni. After dinner we had dessert and tea. The desserts were also very good. The only down side was that they don't have their liquor license yet, so water had to suffice as a beverage with our meal. A lovely glass of wine would have set things off quite nicely. But apparently it is in the works so should be in place by the time we come back again. We will certainly have to make the trip the next time Lloyd is in town. Richard and Daralen said they enjoyed it more than Lot 30. I think I still like Lot 30 better but it's a different kind of menu. And I haven't eaten there for a couple of years so I may need to do that again to properly compare.
Sunday morning was flurries, flurries, flurries! By the time Brenda called me mid morning, everything was covered in a blanket of new fluffy white snow. It truly was a pretty day. I have to thank Brenda (yet again!) for giving me a new appreciation for the outdoors in winter. I've never been a big fan of winter and certainly not of winter sports. Left to my own devices, I would probably not set foot outside all weekend. But thanks to her, I am getting out and really enjoying the season. We went over to Dalvay and skiied. There was a community event going on at the park so the little building that usually just houses us, was full of people out for the day .
Once we got into the bush on the trails, it was absolutely beautiful. The trees were completely covered in fresh snow and it was absolutely silent - just an amazing place to spend a Sunday afternoon. So thank you once again Brenda. I would not have even known what I was missing were it not for you initially dragging me out.
When we got back, we headed into town where Brenda had to drop off some paperwork to someone, then over to Timothy's for hot chocolate. I spend my mornings at Timothy's and really enjoy the atmosphere and it was quite different on a Sunday afternoon. It was quite busy with a very eclectic group of people, and we were barely able to find a free table.
After soaking up some of the atmosphere we headed out to pick up some take-out Thai food for Brenda to take home. I was invited to join them but I declined this time (see Bernie, I CAN say no, sometimes) and instead opted to go home and bring in fire wood while it was still day light. I tried to blow the snow around the house, but it was very heavy, wet, sticky snow and just clogged up the chute, so I put it away and called it a day. It may be easier if it freezes more later in the week although that doesn't look likely.

It was another snow day on PEI..

Well, it's been quite a few days. I've been a little remiss in updating things here. Lloyd arrived on Thursday afternoon to spend the family day weekend (although here on the island it's called - go figure - "Islander Day"
We picked out flooring on Thursday night before heading home and on Friday Lloyd picked it up at the building centre. We spent Friday night with Brenda and Bernie enjoying what has become our 'Friday Feast'. We spent the evening enjoying good food, great wine and even greater company. We got home in time to watch some of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics but we didn't watch the entire thing as it was not over here until approximately 1:30 in the morning. I had a quilting class on Saturday morning at 9:30. So off I went in the morning leaving Lloyd home to play. Our class went well and I had lots of homework to take back with me. Lloyd on the other hand went over to our neighbour Richard's to help put up a ceiling in his garage. Bernie was there too and I think it was more of a party, although the job did eventually get done. But they had a great time and he finally arrived home at 9:00 pm.

Sunday was my day to cook and clean downstairs while Lloyd began the installation of the wood flooring. Apparently it has to 'acclimatize' to it's surroundings before you can install it - hence the delay.
Bernie and Brenda and Jackie and Helena were coming over for supper. Brenda came over around 3:00 (well actually she picked us up at Bernie's garage) and we started in on cooking our Valentine's feast. Bernie came over at the same time to help Lloyd but he was done for the day so they sat in the kitchen and kept us company until the other couple arrived.
We had a delicious dinner of some slightly different menu items than they were used to but I think everyone enjoyed it. We had a first course of puff pastry baked with thinly sliced tomatoes arranged on top, then a slice of goat cheese placed on top. It's baked and then a tiny salad is placed on top of the goat cheese. It's very simple but really yummy! Then we had a Morrocan Lamb Tagine, followed by dessert of individual Lemon Meringue Tarts. Brenda was a huge help with preparing the dinner. She did a fair bit of the cooking and I did other prep stuff. It's so much more fun to prepare a meal like this with someone who is keen to learn and help as well.
After dinner, we sat and chatted for a while then Brenda and Helena insisted on doing the dishes. I must admit I WAS grateful the next morning.
Monday, the actual holiday, was spent pretty much working. It was Lloyd's last full day so time to get work done. He finished the floors upstairs and I finished my homework for my quilting class. He suggested we go out for supper so we made a trip into town and had supper at the Gahan House. It was okay but not special. Tuesday I had to work, and Lloyd had part of the day on the island, so he drove me to work, and picked up some trim he needed for upstairs. As seems to be our usual routine when he's here, it was very rushed to the last minute to finish up the current project. He picked me up at work at 2:00 so I could drive him to the airport, where we arrived only to find that because there was a storm looming, hordes of people had changed their flights. So, needless to say, in our world, that spells disaster.
So back home we both came, with a reservation for 6:00 am next morning.

I didn't sleep well, pondering what driving conditions might be like by 4:30 in the morning as snow was expected to start falling around midnight. You can't begin to imagine how relieved I was to get up at 4:00 to NO SNOW. It did start snowing as we were leaving, but it was an easy drive into town. Fortunately Lloyd did get a seat, but once they were ready to go, they decided to delay due to the weather. They were THAT close! By now it's been snowing and blowing for an hour and a half so it was not pretty. Delay followed delay, which would have been fine if I'd thought to bring a book or anything. Of course, Lloyd is in the security area and I'm out in the waiting area and we keep calling each other on our cells to update on progress - or lack of. Finally about 9:20 Lloyd calls me and tells me to go home. They will eventually get out but there was little I could do sitting there. By now all the schools, the university, most of the downtown businesses, the doctors offices, daycares, government offices, have all notified the radio stations that they are closed for the day. I can hardly wait to get out onto the road. Once I dug out the car, as there was a two foot snowdrift on the passenger side and part way around the back, I headed out. I suppose the upside is that nothing is open so not many vehicles are on the road. I started down Brackley Point Road (airport road in any other city) and I seriously questioned my sanity. It was terrible. The roads were covered in snow, it was blowing all around so visibility was very poor and I have at least a half hour drive ahead of me. But I just told myself "I can do this!" - and I did. I took the highway home thinking it would be the best bet but it had not been plowed yet. I took my time, drove very slowly, and arrived home in one hour and ten minutes. A few times along the way, vehicles would come up behind me, so I just pulled over slightly and let them pass. As one point, I had stopped to let someone go by and while I was stopped my cell phone rang. When I was talking on the phone, another car went by, but he stopped just up ahead, backed up, and rolled down his window to ask if I was okay. I assured him I was fine and had just stopped to take a call. Not sure that would happen on the 401-but then I don't think I'd want it to either.

Once home, a few phone calls to let everyone know I'd made it home, and into some comfy clothes and a hot chocolate laced with Baileys in front of the fire. Gee I love snow days!
Lloyd did finally get home, and by Thursday, the temperatures were above freezing and the roads clear. I did have a bit of an issue on Thursday morning getting out of the driveway. Frank, our neighbour, had blown the snow in the afternoon, but it was still snowing and blowing a bit, and the plow went by at least twice before morning. Needless to say I had about 2 feet of snow covering the bottom 10 feet or so of the driveway. Usually I try to just bomb through but I knew this was not going to work. So, out comes my tiny little snowblower that Lloyd bought while he was here. It was a bit of a challenge as there was so much, and it was quite packed at the bottom, but it did the trick and I was able to get out. It would have taken me a very long time to shovel my way out of that one! So thank you Lloyd!
Now it's Friday and it's like there was never a storm. But that extra time off did give me a chance to put everything away that was in the upstairs all over the place. Still a bit of fine tuning to do but the bulk of it is done.
Great news! I got home from my IAAP meeting last night and there was a phone message from a woman in Rockwood Ontario requesting to make a reservation for three guests next winter for the Scotties Tournament of Roses which is being held in Charlottetown. I called this woman back and said that I would be delighted to have her and her two friends enjoy my hospitality for that event!

It's ALMOST a snow day..

It's not a full fledged snow day today, but ought to be! The drive in this morning was a little challenging. We received a few inches of new snow last night on top of a little freezing rain that fell last evening. The snow is not so bad, it's the slick of ice under it that is tricky. But I just took my time this morning and made it in. With any luck, they will close everything early and we can go home. Wouldn't that be nice!
Last night I finished the bedroom, all that's left now is to put all the supplies away and sweep. I am very happy with how it turned out. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it. The mini print flower and stripe paper is perfect for a bedroom in an old farmhouse. The kids will be surprise when they see it.
I was talking to Lloyd last night and he missed Patti's call asking him to babysit. He had a nap when he got home and didn't hear the phone. She'll have to call him earlier in the day when she needs his services.
Today there is a reception for Team PEI at the Charlottetown Curling Club at 5:00. I had thought I might like to go but we have an IAAP meeting scheduled for tonight. But yesterday, our meeting was postponed until next week, so that is a bonus for me. I still have a bit of cleaning to do before Thursday, but I'm really appreciative of the extra day to prepare.
I can't wait to post pictures of my 'new' room so the kids can see it. Brenda suggested I should call Meghan and let her know I've redecorated her room.
As I'm looking at furniture placement in these small rooms, I've come up with a great idea. I think we really need to move the bunky over to our yard. If we put the double bed in the other side of the bunky it could sleep 4 people. Then I could use one of the spare rooms as my craft room. Then we would have lots of room when the kids come to visit. The bonus of having the bunky here is when we have company. It would be a nice quiet place to have a nap in the afternoon. Or Lloyd and I could sleep there. There are limitless possibilities.

Only three more sleeps...

...till Lloyd gets here. It's Monday again, and it was a very busy weekend. We had a bit of snow overnight and a tiny bit of freezing rain, unfortunately not enough for a snow day. One of those would have been really handy today. Saturday was busy with my quilting class, picking out wallpaper at Colour you world, then groceries. The day did get off to a great start as I was at Brenda's at 7:00 to watch her make bread. She makes about 13 loaves at one time, and boy is that a BIG ball of dough to knead. She must have very strong arms! I learned some of the little secrets that make her bread so tasty. Once it was mixed I left to go to town. I got back around 1:30, just in time to have a roll, warm from the oven. Then when I was leaving she gave me a loaf and some rolls. I'm looking forward to trying her recipe. She freezes all of her bread and it comes out great, but you do have to use it quickly as there are no preservatives so it doesn't keep. But boy is it good.

We had a really nice time on Friday night at Helena and Jackies. I almost got stuck in their driveway as it hadn't been blown out yet, so Bernie and Jackie had to give me a little push. They have a beautiful house that he built. Everyone seemed to like the Paella, but I had never done it in advance before. I found the mussels a little overcooked. But flavour wise it was good.

I got up early on Sunday, and started a little of the papering in the bedroom and then Brenda came over around 11:00 to help. She is amazing. I really had no idea how to properly wallpaper and Brenda has done it many times. She is a pro! I learned so much from her and it looks great. I need to buy one more roll of paper, for one strip of paper, but then I will have extra for when the window gets replaced. I'll finish that up tonight. Then I can spend Wednesday night cleaning the house - or at least making it a little more presentable for when Lloyd gets here on Thursday. I have an IAAP meeting on Tuesday so that night is pretty much gone. But it will get done, it usually does. My work load did get considerably lighter yesterday when Brenda helped me bring all the garbage downstairs and load it into the truck. After we were finished I realized that Brenda has a problem with her shoulder and I had forgotten about it. I felt SO bad for not remembering, as I wouldn't have let her do all that carrying of heavy stuff. I really owe her large for this one.

When I was taking up the carpet in the bedroom and the hall, there was a message written on the underside. It must have been written by the store that delivered the carpet - it said "Walsh - deliver Monday". So now I know that the carpet went in when Edwin Walsh lived there. I'll have to check with Bernice exactly when he lived there. Brenda told me the thing to do with these old houses, is to cut a small piece of the old carpet and just put it somewhere in the house,to preserve that history. I loved that idea so I cut out a small piece of the bedroom and hall carpet and a small piece of the bedroom paper. I'm going to take it a step further. I'm going to write down a little bit of information - who we are, where and when we came here, and the date that I pulled up the carpet and leave it with the samples. I think I'll just put it all into a zip lock back and tack it inside one of the bedroom storage cupboards so the next person can find it. Then as I update things, I'll add them to the bag. I may take it even a step further and add photos of each room as they were at the time we bought the house. Maybe it will inspire others to keep a history going. I love the fact that 50 years from now someone will have a brief history of the house. I will see what information I can get from Bernice and write it down and include that as well.

In the afternoon, when we were all done papering, I made us a pizza for lunch and we sat down to watch curling on TV. It was very exciting as Team PEI was in the final round against Team Canada. They came so close it winning. We watched the whole thing until almost 7:00. They just did such an amazing job. Team Canada may have won, but not without a good fight. I called Fran during the match and she was surprised that I was watching curling. She said "I guess you just needed a country to cheer for". I guess she's right. I mentioned to her that the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is being played in Charlottetown next year and she and Pat are already considering it. That would be awesome!

Let the renovations begin!

Okay, this weekend is going to be all about fixing the upstairs (or at least the start of it)
If the weather remains like this morning it will be good to stay inside anyway. It's minus 15 this morning but the wind chill makes it minus 29. And it feels like it! Out our way it is blowing snow and I was the first one out our road this morning. The radio did say that there where white out conditions on Highway 2 especially out towards Morrell, but also on the way to Charlottetown. That's why I take Fort Augustus Road. It's slower and has a lot more twists and turns but there is very little traffic on it in the morning so I can just take my time. Once I got closer to town it was better. As I was driving in this morning, in the cold and blowing snow, I thought about the people I worked with in the summer who are all sitting (no, probably still sleeping) in their nice toasty houses and collecting their unemployment cheques. I'm sure they would be laughing at me this morning and for a brief moment I asked myself "What was I thinking?" But now that I'm sitting in my favorite little coffee place, drinking my Irish Cream coffee, all is well with the world.
Tonight I am bringing Paella to Brenda's friends, Helena and Jackie, so the five of us can have supper. Brenda is making biscuits and Helena is making dessert. I hope they like the Paella. I did the most of it last night and just have to finish it off when I get to their house. So because I was doing that last night, I didn't get any painting done and tonight will be a write off as well. I'll get up early in the morning and put the next coat on the green trim (that is now white), before I head to town to my quilting class. Then I will pick up the wallpaper and I should be ready to put that up on Sunday. I regret that I may have to pass on skiing on Sunday, but I'm getting pressed for time. I have an IAAP meeting on Tuesday night and Lloyd is arriving on Thursday afternoon. I need to have it all ready to go when he gets here. I have no idea how long it takes to put down flooring but it's good that he's done it before in the bunky. It's going to make such a difference to have that carpet gone. Now there is none in the house except for a couple of small area rugs in the living room. It's also going to be nice to have it done before Patti and the kids come in March, and then Jana should be here in April.

Like most old houses I've lived in during my lifetime, this one also didn't have closets. Someone has built one in the bedroom (a teeny, tiny closet in a teeny tiny bedroom) made from plywood. It serves it's purpose but looks a little unsightly. I'm also not sure why they chose to paint the little door to the storage area under the eaves dark green, to accent it. Makes no sense to me. So I'm hoping that by painting everything white and then putting in paper with a white background and something pastel, it will look better. It will certainly be an improvement.
I've been out to look at flooring but I'd like to have Lloyd there when we choose. I have an idea what I want for the hallway, but not so sure for the bedroom. It will be nice to get his input.

Our little Chef

Things are back to a little bit more normal this morning. The temperature is minus 13 with expected highs of minus 6. Much better than earlier in the week!
Well, it seems that since I left Guelph, James has become somewhat interested in cooking. He even watches the food network from time to time - a bit unusual for a nine year old boy. Before Christmas I went to the local mall where Chef Michael was signing copies of his new cookbook. I had already gotten mine during Fall Flavours so I bought one for James to share with his mom. Gabe was with Chef Michael so I had him sign his name as well.
I gave James the book for Christmas and one of the first things we made was bread. Chef Michael has a recipe that is so simple it's ridiculous. You mix up a few simple ingredients in a bowl, set it aside over night and then you add some more flour, mix it in, shape it, put it into the pan and let it rise again, and then bake. It's a little time consuming and if you work you really can only do it on the weekend but it's quite tasty.
So, James set out to make this bread. It was perfect! He made two loaves out of the recipe and they turned out beautiful. I think the kids were amazed at just how delicious a piece of fresh from the oven bread slathered with better can taste.
Fast forward to last weekend and Chef Michael was on Iron Chef and got his butt kicked by Bobby Flay. SO I sent him a picture of James with his bread, something I'd been meaning to do but just hadn't gotten around to.
The following is the message I sent along with the above picture:

Dear Chef Michael

One Hundred Years from now
(excerpt very loosely taken from "Within My Power" by Forest Witcraft)

One Hundred Years from now
It will not matter
what kind of car you drove,
what kind of house you lived in,
how much money was in your bank account
nor how many Iron Chef's you defeated.
But the world may be a better place because
you were important in the life of a child

And especially this child. Thank you once again Chef Michael for continuing to inspire. The attached photo is my nine year old grandson, James Dennison who lives in Ontario. You and Gabe both signed the book I bought him for Christmas at the Confederation Mall in December. He and his family were here on the island for Christmas and he made your bread all by himself. I think the smile of pride on his face speaks volumes.
Thank you
from James and his Grandma, Sandy Denny


I sent it to him on Tuesday night and this is the response we received on Wednesday:


Sandy,

Thanks, you made my day. Greetings from Whistler! We're up and running. I'm leading 100 chefs in the Athletes Village, gearing up on behalf of Canada to feed 85 Olympic teams, peaking at 12,000 meals a day! The biggest single challenge of my career to date...

Iron Chef was a blast! What a thrill just to cook in Kitchen Stadium, we clearly got robbed but had so much fun that we really don't mind. It's just TV... And Johnny's Oysters sure looked good.

For more Olympic details check out billandmike.blogspot.com

Please say hi to James and tell him how impressed I am with his bread!

Cheers, Michael

Sent from my spiffy I-Phone

I haven't talked to James yet but I know he will be pleased that Chef Michael responded to his picture. We enjoyed some quality time together in the kitchen when the family was here for Christmas. That 's one thing I do really miss.

One night at supper someone asked a question about if there was anything you regretted doing. I answered no. I think it was Meghan who prompty said "Even moving away and leaving us?"
Good old Meg - she likes to tell things just as they are. She doesn't mince her words or hold back when she has an opinion. She is an interesting personality. There are no gray areas in Meghan's world - everything is either black or white. She's like that now but she's always been somewhat that way. I think she likes a good argument. I imagine when she gets into high school or university, she will be a huge asset to any debating club or team they may have. What fun it will be for her to discover there actually are avenues for that particular trait!

Another Frosty Morning!

Well, it's still minus 19 this morning with a wind chill of minus 25 but the wind isn't nearly as strong as it was yesterday. I was watching the little icon from the weather network on my computer all day and it never got above minus 19. Needless to say, the dog doesn't stay out too long these days. But it is going to start getting a bit more tolerable today and for the rest of the week - around the minus 10 mark.
Last night I spent the evening stripping wall paper off the walls in one of the spare rooms. It actually came off quite easily but left the backing on the wall. A quick spray with hot water took it right off. But it's still a time consuming procedure.
On my way home last night I stopped into Colour Your World and had a look at wall paper. I think I know what I want but I have to measure the room first to see how much I need. On Monday night I stopped in to Home Depot to look at flooring. So many choices!
It's amazing how these things take on a life of their own. My initial goal was to take up the ugly pink carpeting in the upstairs hallway and replace it with wood. Once I had that taken up, the even uglier light green carpeting in the front bedroom looked even worse. So up that came as well. Of course now that the furniture is all out of the room and the carpet is up, it only makes sense to strip off the old wallpaper. It's a very small room with dark green paper on the walls. My plan is to lighten it up considerably with something in a pastel colour range. The timing is actually perfect as I'm starting a new quilting class on Saturday. If I choose paper prior to Saturday then I can choose fabrics for my new quilt to coordinate with the paper. I'm lookimg forward to this new class because we are actually doing a full quilt. I'm still very new at this but this is a beginner level project and looks quite fun. I'm also really excited to have a pretty new room for my guests to stay in.
My hope is that in time some of the IAAP girls from Grand River can make it out to visit. I would love to have them. I was very happy to welcome Suzanne this summer. I hope they enjoyed themselves, and I think they did, in spite of the weather (we had the threat of a hurricane while they were here). She ended up having to leave her tent at my place so I plan to make a trip to Ontario at some point maybe in the spring, so that I can return it to her, and pick up my dollhouse in Brockville on the way back.
I do miss my IAAP friends. The girls here are great, and have been very welcoming but it's not Grand River. We have, I think, around 12 members total. We have six who show up most of the time, two who are off and on, and the rest I've not met yet.
The trouble with having been a part of Grand River for five years, they are a tough act to follow for any chapter. But I am really working on saving my pennies so that I can go to CDC in Regina. I'm looking forward to that. I've been to Regina once before, but that was in a prior life (there was a man involved - why else would you go to Regina?)
I was so sorry not to be in Ontario when Angie passed away. She was the Jolene,s sister , one of the Grand River members. She just had such a long struggle and she was such an inspiration to all of us. This past September was my 8th Weekend to End Breast Cancer and Angie was in my thoughts a lot on those events over the past few years. No one knows how they will cope with something like Breast Cancer, and I can only hope I could deal with it with half of her strength and optimism and grace. I know she is in a better place now, but I still think of her often, and pray that her boys are doing well. I never met them but I do think of them. I know that Jolene has a strong network of family around her, and I know that they have all had a lot to deal with over the past couple of years, but I also know that she is very loved and much supported by the members of Grand River. That is what I miss. It isn't just a professional organization, it is so much more. Even though I'm so far away, I feel that at any time if I really needed support, they would be right behind me. If not physically, then certainly emotionally. I was blown away when I left Guelph and at least 20 members came out to a get together to see me off. They are so generous in spirit. Among other gifts I received that night, the gift of the patio paver at Vista Grande is a very precious one. There is nothing they could have given me that would have meant so much. There were so many good times with that group and now I feel like that time together has been eternally immortalized. I can't wait to reconnect in May, even if it's only for a few days.

Well, I've gone off on a tangent but isn't that what these things are for?

It's a frosty morning!

Wow, what a difference a week can make. Last week at this time we were enjoying balmy temperatures of plus 6 to 7 degrees, and bright sunshine. There was no snow on the ground and a couple of days I actually wore a spring jacket to work. It totally felt like a lovely day in late March or early April. We knew it was just a little teaser from Mother Nature but we enjoyed it all the same.

Now this morning it's minus 18 degrees with quite strong winds, making it feel like minus 30. BRRRRRR - now that's cold. I have to admit I owe Lloyd an apology. When he was buying me a new car at Christmas, he called to tell me he had also gotten a remote starter. I was less than enthusiastic about this option as I didn't really feel it was necessary. This morning I was ever so grateful to just be able to push a button from the comfort of my toasty warm kitchen and let it warm up.

I still had to go out and walk around for a minute but at least I had a warm car to get into. On lovely mild days, Cooper loves to spend his entire morning outside. He will spend literally hours sitting on the little back patio, surveying his kingdom. For those of you who don't know, Cooper is my dog. I totally lucked out getting him.
The story of Cooper is an interesting one that might not have turned out as well as it did. When I was driving to PEI to live, having left Guelph a day after Lloyd with the Uhaul full of furniture, I stopped in Brockville to visit some friends and stay over night. I had my best travelling companion with me. James drove out with me to PEI when he was five years old and we had a great time. So much so, that he would often ask when we were going again. So when he learned that I was planning to drive out by myself, he was first in line to offer to join me for the trip. We took a more direct route this time, doing it in two days instead of over three.
Anyway, we arrived at Trish and Stephan's in the early afternoon. At some point during our conversation, I mentioned that I was probably going to get a dog when I moved. After all, what is an old farm house without a resident dog. It seems that Trish knew someone, who knew someone, who was looking for a home for a dog - a cocker spaniel. It just so happens that I LOVE cocker spaniels. So, a few phone calls and emails later, it was decided that I was going to pick up this dog in Montreal on my way through the next morning. I know, I know, this was a terribly risky thing to even contemplate. I know absolutely nothing about this little beast.
I was a little nervous as it was at trying to find my way through Montreal, and now I had to find someone's house. But Google, bless them, gives excellent driving directions. With very little effort James and I arrived at Pascal's home in Montreal a little after 7:00 in the morning.
The dog was very cute, very friendly, and the fellow was ever so anxious that we would take him. He repeatedly said, "So, you're going to take him, right?" That should have set off all kinds of warning bells and whistles! But I've always been a soft touch for cute dogs "Ohhhh, just look at that face! " is something Lloyd has heard a good many times over the years.
So, off we headed, me, James and the dog, who's name I might add, was Cookie. Not my first choice for a male dog! So down the road we went as James and I pondered what his new name should be, because I just could not imagine calling him Cookie! James came up with a great suggestion - he thought that Cooper would be a good name because it sounds a lot like Cookie and might be easier for him to get used to. So Cooper it bacame.
Stephan and Trish had loaned us a crate to put him in before we left Brockville (requiring me to leave my dollhouse at their place, but that just means I'll have to make a trip down there to visit this summer. We made more frequent stops than we had originally planned and James was a great help taking him for walks at each stop. It's been a while since I owned a dog and some things take a while to become a habit again. At one stop we pooped and scooped and then put the little bag on the roof of the car and then went for a walk. Trouble is we forgot to take the bag off the car when we got in. A couple of miles down the road, James and I realized we had forgotten to take it off and put it into the garbage. We spent a little while contemplating the looks on the face of the person who comes upon this little sealed bag and thinks they may have found some treasure. Nothing can provide as much entertainment to an eight year boy as pondering the untimate destination of a bag of poo.
James was such a good little trooper. We had left Brockville around 5:00 in the morning and we crossed the bridge at approximately 9:00. Now we were on the island and the excitement began to build. We were both so eager to get out of the car and to get to our house, but we still had an hour to go. So on the way, we planned just how we were going to explain to Lloyd that we now own a dog. James had it all planned. We took the dog out of the crate just before we got to the house so that when Lloyd opened the door and saw the dog at James' feet, James was going to say "Papa, he followed us home, can we keep him? " All papa said was "Why am I not surprised?" He knows me too well.
Well, nine months later, I can only say he is the BEST dog, (well most of the time!). I discovered why he was in need of a home. Apparently the couple who owned him split up and both moved into apartments and could not keep him. Pascal was the brother of the woman and he lived in a lovely condominium. Trouble with Cooper is that he suffers a tiny bit from seperation anxiety. When you leave him alone, he howls like a wolf. Now this only goes on for about 30 to 45 seconds, then he just gives up and goes about the rest of his day. But I can see where that behaviour might not be well tolerated in an apartment.
But he is great company and has been a lot of fun to have around.

Now that we have snow, he goes outside and loves to run around the yard with the dog who loves next door, named Scoobie. Sometimes when he comes in he has big balls of snow attached to his feet and he won't let me pull them off, so he spends a really long time working away at getting those off. He really is quite the character!

Winter wonderland

February 1st already and boy do we have winter! After enjoying above average temperatures for the past month, at least, we finally have winter. Our snow day on Friday brought us 10 to 15 cm. of snow and strong winds. Fortunately they have a rather civilized approach to winter here - in the words of Gordon Ramsay "Shut it down". It seems like the whole island just closes up shop and stays home. I was amazed at the list on the radio station of island businesses and offices that were closed. The attitude here seems to be that nothing is so important that it can't wait, and your safety is not worth risking for any job.

SO, since I didn't have to work, Brenda and I decided to go cross country skiing in the afternoon. The snow had stopped falling by lunch time so I packed up my stuff, got dressed and headed over to her house. By the time we got out to the trail in the woods, it was snowing quite heavily again. Unfortunately the snow was too sticky and was forming great huge clumps on the bottom of our skis, so it was quite a workout to get to the river and back. After we got back and had something to drink we drove over to my house to find some supplies so Brenda could make a card for their priest who is leaving. Needless to say, she was flabbergasted at the supply of 'toys' that I have at my disposal. She has seen scrapbooks finished but never the amount of "stuff" it takes to get to that point. Once we has selected the appropriate materials, and cut out some words, we headed back to Brenda's for what has become known as our "Friday Feast". It started a few weeks ago, after Christmas really, just getting together after work on Friday night and cooking supper. We take turns choosing and shopping for the recipe and now I have Brenda scouring magazines in search of the perfect recipe. I'm really enjoying the opportunity to have someone to cook for and to eat with. I also think Brenda is enjoying learning the odd new technique and I DO know thatBernie is enoying the fruits of our labours. When I was at her place earlier in the day, some friends called to invite them for supper so we invited them to join us instead. Jackie and Helena used to be their neighbour, but don't see each other so much now that they live in Mermaid!

We had a lovely vegetable chowder that Brenda found in a new magazine, and it was delicious, especially with her biscuits hot out of the oven to accompany it. Only down side was that she didn't remember that Helena is lactose intolerant - not a great person to feed chowder to. But she was a good sport about it and tried a little.
I made an "Ugly Cake" but I used fresh mandarins instead of canned ones and there may have been a bit too much liquid as the texture was quite dense, but still tasty.
We're having next Friday's Feast at Helena and Jackie's, and I'm going to make Paella. I'm really looking forward to it.

Saturday was busy with a reno project I've started but more on that later in the week.



Sunday afternoon we headed out with Brenda's cousin Maureen, and her husband George and friend Jean. We were planning to go to Cavendish but Brenda's contact who grooms the trails advised it wasn't great there, but that the trails at Dalvay were great. We'd been there last weekend and parts of the trail were a little bare but this week it was great. It hadn't been groomed last week but was this week. It was cold but when you are in the woods there is no wind and the sun was shining. The trees had a thick coating of snow that we were surprised hadn't blown off in the wind, and they were just beautiful. It was such a nice day to be out enjoying the season (bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!)
After we got back we went into the little building for snacks. We all bring something and we all share. I don't (yet) have a thermos so Brenda and I compromise. She brings the hot chocolate and I bring the Bailey's. Did we tell you how delicious hot chocolate is with a little bit of Bailey's added? Divine!
We were so enthusiastic that we decided to get together after supper and go out again because there was this beautiful full moon. It seems like a good idea at 4:00 in the afternoon and the sun was shining - not so good at 8:00 pm and much colder. But.... we had said we were going to do it so we did. The moon was not as high in the sky as we would have liked but it was still very bright. The sky was clear and the stars and moon were spectacular. The hard part is actually getting out there. Once you do, it's wonderful.

We stayed out and played for about 40 minutes but had to come in to watch Iron Chef America





Poor Chef Michael got his butt kicked. But I did get a spectacular presentation idea from one of the dishes he presented. I told Brenda she will probably see that again sometime and she didn't doubt it at all!