Lazy is my middle name

So ...last night there was a frost warning.
I could have done many things....but I chose to do the easiest available thing.
On tuesday we had a snow warning, so on tuesday I threw the g'kids plastic circle form swimming pool thing over the herbs, and lids of three plastic storage tubs were leaned against the beets that are planted against the garage.  For some reason I didn't think to drape a plastic sheet up against the same garage to protect the scarlet runners...duhhhhh
So Tuesday's snow warning actually materialized, hahaha if you can call it a snow warning. I figured when I peeked under the swimming pool and saw all my basil stilll healthy and the beets and the uncovered beans still standing up.  I thought, "cool" whew that was close. And promptly forgot (or didn't head the actual frost warning the next night). So this morning I had places to go, things to do ....and as I uncovered stuff to water them, I noticed the "death of all living things"...and cried a little tear for all the lost basil that was destined for pesto.  (and I had many plants that were just amazing covered with leaves, large leaf or leaf lettuce variety). I  knew I should have picked it, ohhhhh the pain. The heart...stopping....pain of no fresh pesto for the freezer or jars. Curses to the lazy.

Isn't that just the most heart breaking thing to have to look at? I didn't even bother to look at the lettuce leaf variety, it would have killed me for sure. This is just one plant. There are six others that look worse.

My only salvation is that the tarragon and italian parsley, dill and mint survived. And are currently soaking in the sink waiting to go through the salad spinner and then the oven on real low for drying.  But why ohhhh why just the basil. Everything else in the bunch survived.

I promised beet tops to my step daughter for some beet top-stuffed-with-guinoa-concoction for her contribution for ths'giving dinner this weekend. And the tops, even though they were covered - didn't survive either.

So I called my mother....cause she plants both. And lives in B.C., and is coming this way for thanksgiving. But she had frost tooooo. But because she isn't "lazy" and she is "on-the-ball" when it comes to frost warnings. She ripped out all the basil plants and they are currently all over her house in vases (why didn't I think of that......stupid, stupid...lazy) and she threw plastic and blankets over the beets...hmmm apparently plastic isn't so great as a cover for frost...who knew. 

So crisis averted and now there will be beet tops and lots of basil for this weekend.  I don't really know why she even plants basil. She always turns her nose up as pesto. I think she just plants the multiple varieties just to bug the crap out of me and my sister, cause she ALWAYS has a bumper crop and supplies us with bags and bags and bags of leaves. Cause she can plant ANYTHING and it grows with profusion. 

But alas....my scarlet runners beans didn't make it either....

Every year I plant them up against the garage on an old trellis, that I have no idea what it was ever used for originally, but scarlet runners seem to like it there up against the garage.  There isn't much sunlight, but the garage wall prob incubates the heat somewhat.  I planted only one envelope of them, cause at the time - they just were too pricey for what you got. Thinking back on that day, I'm somewhat stupid, and cheap, cause they just produced and produced and produced.  Towards the end of the season I would get a handful everyday and within three days there was enough for a meal for two bean lovers to enjoy. But just before the....end. I was watching a Lydia Bastianich segment on pvr and she was cooking a linguine and pesto and bean dish that I thought....hmm "i have spaghettinni (hate linguine) and I have pesto and a handful of beans. So off to the kitchen I went and we both slurped up the dish and couldn't wait for the next offering of beans.......
well so much for that.
Well my break is over...I have relatives coming.  So I am cleaning, scrubbing, rearranging stuff. And I even toke the paint I bought eons ago - to touch up that stupid ass wall - to home depot to get them to shake the shit out of it. Thanks god the actual dinner isn't at my house.  Just the turkey and stuffing and beet top thing willl be cooked and transported.  But It seems I have the most available room for actual BODIES and their luggage and their spouses and boyfriends and my mother. I hope everyone brings enough booze for the prep.
Oh dear....I should start the cranberries .........to get that out of the way

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...ONE AND ALL

Library books

These are currently the library books hanging around different parts of the house.

*Would it kill you to stop doing that? : a modern guide to manners

Alford, Henry

Funny, read it in about 4 hours though.  I gave it to someone to read, I hope he eventually returns it to the library.  

*The busy mom's cookbook : 100 recipes for quick, delicious, home-cooked meals

Lofaso, Antonia

Gave this one to my daughter to take a look at

*On a cold road : tales of adventure in Canadian rock

Bidini, Dave

*In the flesh : twenty writers explore the body

Page, Kathy

*Forty words for sorrow : [Detectives John Cardinal & Lise Delorme mystery]

Blunt, Giles

*Fresh & easy : what to cook and how to cook it

Hornby, Jane

Sitting in the return pile....kinda lame

*Season to taste : how I lost my sense of smell and found my way

Birnbaum, Molly

*A conspiracy of friends : [a Corduroy Mansions novel]

McCall Smith, Alexander

Love, loooove anything by this author!!!!! I get a little bit of joy everytime I spot a new one @ library "new and notable" shelf, although this isn't that new I think (and hope) it's one that I missed when it first came out.

*Everybody has everything : [a novel]

Onstad, Katrina

*How to cook like a man : a memoir of cookbook obsession

Duane, Daniel

*The beggar's opera

Blair, Peggy J

*The Tuscan Sun cookbook : recipes from our Italian kitchen

Mayes, Frances

*A sunless sea : a William Monk novel

Perry, Anne

I read everything by Anne Perry

*The book club cookbook : recipes and food for thought from your book club's favorite books and authors

Gelman, Judy

I loooove this book, Unfortunately It has added to my reservation list, and now I want to join a bookclub

*American grown : the story of the White House kitchen garden and gardens across America

Obama, Michelle

*The pleasures of cooking for one

Jones, Judith

This is the second time I've taken this book out, I thought I needed a refresher for some inspiration

*Chocolate obsession : confections and treats to create and savor

Recchiuti, Michael

*Eat the city : a tale of the fishers, trappers, hunters, foragers, slaughterers, butchers, farmers, poultry minders, sugar refiners, cane cutters, beekeepers, winemakers, and brewers who built New York

Shulman, Robin

*Home made : the ultimate DIY cookbook featuring over 200 from-scratch recipes

Boven, Yvette van

*Fear and loathing on the campaign trail '72

Thompson, Hunter S

*I'd like to apologize to every teacher I ever had : my year as a rookie teacher at Northeast High

Danza, Tony

*Locavore : from farmer's fields to rooftop gardens : how Canadians are changing the way we eat

Elton, Sarah

The book that changed the way I shop, and I lent it out to other people, again I hope they return it to a branch of the library, but I fear i will be paying overdues for this book, and I probably will buy it if I spot it at a book store or costco.

*Revenge of the land : a century of greed, tragedy, and murder on a Sasktchewan farm

Siggins, Maggie

*Buried in a book : [a novel idea mystery]

Arlington, Judy

*Day of honey : a memoir of food, love, and war

Ciezadlo, Annia

Loooved this book, tried some of the recipes. Have become adicted to the potatoes,onion and egg dish. I've added grated cheese, gr onions and bacon and sour cream as a topping to it. But I have to make it at least once a week. Also one of my obsessions is the diaspora of nationalities and the food they crave. Think the author is a little nuts for wanting to live where she does, but who among us isn't a little nuts. Great book, everyone should read it. Another book on my TO BUY LIST, cause I'm always searching through it for something. I've already renewed it twice, only one more renewal to go before overdues start adding up.

*Crow's landing : a novel

Smith, B. J

*SEAsoned : a chef's journey with her captain

Allman, Victoria

*The illustrated encyclopedia of warfare : from ancient Egypt to Iraq

David, Sau

Got this for my husband to read

*The jewels of paradise : [a novel]

Leon, Donna

*Ten dollar dinners : 140 recipes and tips to elevate simple, fresh meals any night of the week

Arabian, Melissa d

I don't think this one will be very promising

*The unfinished work of Elizabeth D. : a novel

Bernier, Nichole

Facebook....less

I decided a couple days ago to shut facebook down for a month starting October 1st.
It's probably going to be harder than that month I quit drinking wine. (Just to make sure that I wasn't an alcoholic...and the only thing I discovered was that my colesteral level went up that month...so it's back on the bottle since).

There's too much advertising lately, I don't know what happened to it...maybe it's the "facebook has to show profit" crap.  After all, all those facebookers that have all been paid in shares over the years can sell their shares in November I believe. If I've read the business section correctly (and I really don't do that very often) , so the advertising seems to have been ratcheted up.  And some people post stupid crap, me included. So I'm giving it a rest and actually talking to people for the month, well maybe more texting will be done, but I'm going to give actually "talking" a try.

Wow my list ....is too long
My current reserve list at the library

Seasonings : a year of local flavour in words and recipes DeGrace, Anne Dark diversions : a traveller's tale Saul, John Ralston Big book of slow cooking : 200 fresh, wholesome recipes--ready and waiting Ray, Susan Hernandez Get rich with dividends : a proven system for earning double-digit returns Lichtenfeld, Marc The Taliban don't wave Semrau, Rob Weelicious : 140 fast, fresh, and easy recipes McCord, Catherine My Berlin kitchen : a love story, with recipes Weiss, Luisa This is how you lose her Díaz, Junot A nation worth ranting about Mercer, Rick And I shall have some peace there : trading in the fast lane for my own dirt road Roach, Margaret Paris, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down Baldwin, Rosecrans Jasmine And Fire Abdelnour, Salma The Age of Doubt : an Inspector Montalbano mystery Camilleri, Andrea  A Good Man : rediscovering my father, Sargent Shriver Shriver, Mark  Paris, My Sweet Thomas, Amy  Barefoot Contessa Foolproof : recipes you can trust Garten, Ina  The Good Nurse : the life and times of Charles Cullen, serial killer Graeber, Charles The Backyard Parables Roach, Margaret  The new Granville Island Market cookbook Glick, Judie Dolci : Italy's sweets Segan, Francine Urban farms Rich, Sarah Grow cook eat  : a food lover's guide to vegetable gardening, including 50 recipes, plus harvesting and storage tips Galloway, Willi The geography of bliss : one grump's search for the happiest places in the world Weiner, Eric The kitchen daughter : a novel McHenry, Jael The tenth muse : my life in food Jones, Judith Atonement McEwan, Ian Culture rebel: because the world has enough desperate housewives Jakab, Connie Apron anxiety : my messy affairs in and out of the kitchen Shelasky, Alyssa Fast flavours : 110 simple speedy recipes Smith, Michael Kitchen Chinese : [a novel about food, family, and finding yourself] Mah, Ann Brewing up a damn good story Minhas, Manji Writer's digest presents writer's workbook Petit, Zachary INSIDE THE OTHER SIDE  : SOUL CONTRACTS, LIFE LESSONS, AND HOW DEAD PEOPLE HELP US, BETWEEN HERE AND HEAVEN Bertoldi, Concetta The truck food cookbook : 150 recipes and ramblings from America's best restaurants on wheels Edge, John T Great gluten-free vegan eats  : cut out the gluten and enjoy an even healthier vegan diet with recipes for fabulous, allergy-free fare Kramer, Allyson The homemade pantry Chernila, Alana The book of kale : the easy-to-grow superfood Hanna, Sharon Eat to live : the amazing nutrient-rich program for fast and sustained weight loss Fuhrman, Joe Beautiful ruins : a novel Walter, Jess The naptime chef : fitting great food into family life Banfield, Kelsey. No Easy Day Owen, Mark Into The Fire Meyer, Dakota  I heart London  Kelk, Lindsey Masala Farm : stories and recipes from an uncommon life in the country Saran, Suvir Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society : a novel Hearth, Amy Hill Daniel fights a hurricane : a novel Jones, Shane Sleeping funny : stories Hill, Mirand A rich spot of earth : Thomas Jefferson's revolutionary garden at Monticello Hatch, Peter J The cookbook library : four centuries of the cooks, writers, and recipes that made the modern cookbook Willan, Anne Black dahlia & white rose : [stories] Oates, Joyce Carol Hunter's way Hill, Gerri MARIE CURIE and Her DAUGHTERS : THE PRIVATE LIVES OF SCIENCE'S FIRST FAMILY Emling, Shelley Revenge of the Vinyl Cafe McLean, Stuart

Roasted Tomato Soup

On Thursday I met my daughter for lunch and the beer (grapefruit beer) was good, the salad was greek, the steak sandwich (hers) was too rare (in light of the ecoli meat packer plant shut down---should have been returned), the lobster roll was soggy and had no flavor....but the soup was to die for.

Its Sunday and it's all I can do not to think about that soup.  And I rarely order the soup, I don't know why I did this time, but it was soooo good.   I'm thinking of phoneing them to get the recipe or if nothing else just the ingredient list.  I tried.....but failed to duplicate it

I roasted two batches of seeded mixed heirloom tomatoes, the second batch almost burned but it was roasted nicer than the first batch.  After putting both batches through a food mill.

I tasted it...too sweat for my liking so I added about a tsp apple cider vinegar.  I don't know why, but that's the first thing I saw when I opened the cupboard ( (already added some balsamic between the milling of both batches.) I also stuck a few basil leaves between the tomatoes in the second batch.
I added a shot of cumin and corriander, again....cause I spotted it when I opened the cupboard.  And also I just spent about $50 refreshing my spices, so I figured why not. (just as I'm sitting here writing this, I'm thinking maybe I should add a pinch of curry paste)

But nothing was really improving it..I should add, that I also added about 3/4 of a carton of veg stock cause it was just too thick, and also somewhere during the whole process I also wizzed it with an imertion blender.

Nothing was really working ....it just didn't taste the same - tooooo tomatoey hmmm.
I was talking with my mother after I finished all the clean up and she suggested some bragg's , but since I don't use the stuff, I added a shot of soya sauce.  That and a shot of lemon juice.
By now I couldn't duplicate what I added to this sorry ass excuse of a soup if I wanted to. I poured it off into a jar and it is currently sitting in the fridge waiting for some intervention.
It's still way too tomatoeyyyy, maybe I will purchase some more veg stock and thin it out.  Maybe I should buy some bragg's

I gave some to my husband for a late dinner and he "raved" about it.  I don't know what's wrong with his taste buds, but clearly something is wrong with him.

I can't remember the name of the restaurant...And since we paid cash there's no record of the name anywhere....

Maybe I will just have to drive down and have another bowl of....

Plum Ketchup

Plum Ketchup

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb (late) Italian prune plums (about 52 plums), halved
3 cloves garlic, quartered
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground roasted ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
Prep your jars/lids. Place all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed nonreactive pot (I used my enameled cast iron Dutch oven). Bring to a rolling boil and cook until the plums are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or ladle in a regular blender to pulse until smooth. Return to a rolling boil and cook until thickened to ketchup consistency*, about 20 minutes. Ladle into pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headroom. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: about 4 8-oz jars

So I woke up this morning...I couldn't get this recipe out of my mind, since seeing it on pinterest.com yesterday.  And I just so happened to have 25 plums sitting in a bag overrippening, not italian plum but - the other variety. So I halfed the recipe

...and since I am dire need of spice shopping, I had to substitute a few things. I just was not in the mood to go to the grocery store today.

I didn't have any ground roasted ginger...so I sub'd fresh ginger
I didn't have any allspice...so I sub'd chinese five spice
I didn't have any cloves...so I sub'd pumpkin pie spice
and I didn't have any cardamom....so I sub'd nutmet, don't ask me why though just threw something in that I had, I figured, what the hell

I ended up with three jars, don't ask me amnt exactly..

I even did the water bath thing, i usually just stick them in the oven for about 15 min @ 250, but I decided maybe I should do the water bath as per the recipe.

Getting off my ### ass

It all started last Friday.....I decided to take the g'kids somewhere different.

I call these, the stairs from hell.
Way back when.....about 7 yrs ago I would use these stairs to come home after an 8hr shift...standing up on my feet all day....then up these stairs and 5 km walk home.

I did it....
So I figured....I should give it a go again

Well the kids made it up, running
My lungs exploded not even half way up.  I was so exhausted by the time i got up to the top, I had to calm down for about 1/2 hr.

It was way easier to go down, that's for sure

So after the stairs, we decided to check out the river valley on their bikes, and me running after them, screaming wait, wait, wait.....

It was a beautiful day, and I've forgotten how gorgeous the valley really is, since the new foot bridge went in, the city is going all out on spending money on the area to spruce it up.  And they are doing a bang up job

 

 

That was Friday, the kids went home.....and I got it into my head to get on my bike and copy everyone else I saw on friday....and ride around the river bank.  Why not? They all seemed to be having a time of it.

 

So Saturday morning I jumped on the bike, rode around the neighborhood, came back and had to grease up several points, tighten things. After all, the last time anyone rode this thing was probably 5 yrs ago.

 

Then in a crazy fit of "i can do this", "I should get of my butt"....the bike went into the back of the van and away we went.

 

I put on the helmet
Sunglasses, oooops nowhere for the water bottle....darn, oh well should have brought a small pack or something, but too late now.

I am so thankful the bike path is somewhat level, cause otherwise I don't know what would have become of me.  I kept going farther and farther away from the parking lot, then I crossed the river and came back completely the other way...which of coarse I had no choice but to keep going because by now there was only one way back.

And water, water, water....everywhere except some to drink.

When I got back I drove part of the route just to get an idea of mileage, and I had to get home someway or other.  After sitting in crappy traffic along the route I surmised that I went about 25-30 km.  No wonder my ass was so sore.

I was kinda surprised I was able to get out of bed the next morning.  Sunday I gave my butt a rest and drove down to the river valley again, and walked up and down the stairs again, then walked around the gorge

That was enough for me for the weekend.
Come Monday all the energy I had was a walk to the library prob 1km ...if that, but I did shlep a heavy bag of books both ways. And I did stop and watch a bunch of kids doing the "wall"

Someday....I would like to give that a go

Tuesday I drove to my clients....I was sorta thinking I would get my husband to drive me down and I would walk back....and take transit if that didn't work out, cause there are several buses etc I could have taken, but then the weather report said something about late afternoon thundershowers, so I scrapped that idea and just went to work.  No thunderstorms, no rain....felt cheated.

So wednesday I stuck the bike into the back of the van and drove half way to work and biked the rest of the way.  Even though the weather report said the same thing, I decided to chance it.  I didn't realize my ass was still so sore.  It almost killed me, and then all I could think of .... have to ride back to the van.

Wednesday and Thursday I had the kiddies again and thank god they just wanted to veg out in the back yard for two days, and play in the park across the street, and attempt to ride the BIG bike without training wheels, so I pretty much stayed home.

To recouperate my sore ass

Friday it was a walk to the grocery store, and that's as far as it got for getting off my ### ass, And here I am, it's 11:45 A.M. and I'm still in my jammies, in bed ......

And my ass is still sore.....they really should make better bike seats.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food Industry...

I was very happy to get this email from Kraft Canada.

It would have been difficult to eliminate Kraft products from the shopping basket.  There are so many products that I buy.  I can now eat Kraft products as usual.  Thank you Kraft

This is the email that I received

Thank you for visiting http://www.kraftcanada.com.

If a product (or component of a product) is manufactured in a country other than Canada, the packaging will reflect this information. The label will state:
Product of ....

If no statement is made about production in a foreign country on the package, the entire product was made in Canada.

Indicating "Product of Canada/ Produit du Canada" is optional for the purposes of marketing in Canada and export.

If a product (or component of a product) is manufactured in a country other than Canada, the packaging will reflect this information.

Also, all of our cheese is made from pasteurized milk.

Yay, I can continue with my addiction to Cheez Whiz with celery!!!!

Food Industry part 2

Well I finished the book
My food future will be very different that is for sure
Who knew
If I was younger I would be a farmer, for sure. That's the future.
I am going to have to do much research for next years growing season, maybe check into the using others backyards for a garden....thing. That was an interesting turn of events.
I made many phone calls to processors for their sourcing information.  Not good news on that front.
Milk may not be imported from south of us, but that doesn't mean it doesn't get here in milk products.

I remember having a petition in my store for customers to sign to ensure that monsanto doesn't get a foothold destroying our milk supply like they did in the US.  And now I discover the milk by products are in my cheese. Not happy at all.  I will be changing my cheese buying and ice cream buying that is for sure.

Still waiting on a call back from heinz, re my ketchup.....



*update....
Heinz ketchup sources it's tomatoes and tomato paste from Leamington Ontario....yay

one down.....hundreds to go

Food Industry

I Started reading this book around 10AM and almost didn`t go to work.  Then after just reading the intro I realized that I would have to do some research and maybe should read it and take some notes, and make some calls.

As so happens I was hungry, and made some quesadilla`s for brunch.
Once I discovered from the author that most of the tomatoes grown for processing are produced in CHINA......wtf.....CHINA??? I grabbed the salsa I was about to open and studied the label.  Hmmmm

tomatoes

water

jalapeno peppers

tomato paste

onions

distilled vinegar

dehydrated onions, and garlic

natural flavor

So i called Old Dutch Foods Ltd...as it happens - here in Calgary. I got a call back shortly thereafter and was assured that the produce was grown in Texas and no part was ever sourced from China.

So I ate my lunch. I don`t know why I never questioned the tortilla, but I didn`t...another day perhaps.

It was only after I called Sun-Rype the question the source of the apples, that I remembered the dehydrated onions and garlic from the salsa and realized that hmmmm, I didn`t beleive her, cause I know that most of the processed garlic and onions, not to mention ginger come from china. That`s why I stopped buying those little jars of garlic and ginger mush.  Cause I couldn`t trust the ingredients where 100% pure.  So I will have to send an email to make sure about the onions and garlic.   After reading a few labels in the fridge and pantry I have come to the conclusion that I will have to do some canning and processing this month. Darn...that`s alot of work. Pisses me off that the food industry has screwed up like this, and left me no choice - cause I can`t trust their sourcing.

That brings me to apple juice...and Sun-Rype

I have grandchildren, and they are all addicted to apple juice.(have to do something about that one day). And since I lived in the Okanagan in the past and it`s close mileage wise...Sun-Rype is usually my first choice for juice.  But I have been known to buy a cheaper product from time to time.

So when the book stated that most of the apples that are processed into food products, come from CHINA.. I was stunned, to say the least. WTF China...again. with the Okanagan and Washington state right here....and the Niagra region...just over there.  Apples are coming from China.   I always assumed that apples were going toooooooo China. Well guess what?  Apples are mass produced in China and exported all over, as in Apple Concentrate.

I have a history with Apple Concentrate....and it`s not a happy history.

There was a time, way back in the early 90`s that We lived in Oliver, BC and i was waiting for call-ups as a Chef (cook, whatever...I prefer Chef). I was on-call. And since I got the job kinda unexpectadly fast, We really didn`t have much time to get a place to live and start working etc, etc, etc.  So, we had a camper and truck at the time.  What fun, we will go camping while mommy works.  What fun.  Even though my husband was working himself out of town (as in Vancouver) at the same time as I was planning on working in the Okanagan ( I still don`t know what I was thinking at the time!!! I was young....and ....)And since this job wasn`t really a guarantee of hours as on-call, so I wasn`t prepared to move there lock stock and barrel yet.  We loaded up the camper, and all the stuff, tents, camp stove, boat, bikes, everything imaginable.  And parked it all in a lovely campground in almost downtown Oliver BC, next to a lovely lake, and rec center...very grassy, completely fenced.  What could anyone ask for. My husband stayed around for a couple days while I did my training etc. Then he went back to work in Vancouver and two days later threw his back out and came back for the summer on WCB. To the campground, and three kids less than five years apart.

The camper wasn`t fancy, or big, or big...or fancy.  There was a port-a-pottie, and the shower was ....down the lane.

I did most of the cooking on the campstove on the picnic table.  Cause it was way to hot to do it inside. And besides so much easier.  Then we thought ...maybe we should look into a rental ...just in case.  Well that was a surprise.  I then realized that most of the other families (and there were several) were looking for the same nonexistant housing that we were.
 

After about two weeks of this camping thing I got desperate to get away from them all.  This was waaaaay to much togetherness.  And no one was calling in sick at the Longterm care facility. So i was stuck in this family togetherness.  Than one day I spotted an ad in help wanted for bodies at a processing plant, that just so happened to be real close by.  I applied and got the job.  It sounded like a better one than the cooking (ooops I mean chef) one I was waiting and waiting for.  The pay was better, it was seasonal (meaning I could potentionally take the winter off on UI), I could wear cut-off or jeans. The hours were perfect.  Wow...

I went to work one, day, two days....only two hours of three days....
I couldn`t take it anymore.  UGhhhhh

The job itself was a no brainer.  Basically of what I remember I pre-packaged fruit leathers into larger bulk packaging, and then shrink wrapped the whole box, then assembled these boxes into larger shipping boxes.

The problem was, that my station was directly in front of these massive coolers, basically the size of a house each - that stored Apple Concentrate. The Concentrate was in these huge vats, the size of a small hot tub, on wheels.  And they were wheeled in and out of these coolers. They weren`t covered, just sloshing around...with this huge black cloud of flies, fruit flies, gnats....I don`t know what they were exactly. They were just massive and gross. And everytime those coolers were opened and the sludge was wheeled around, I was engulfed in black shit, up my nose, in my eyes, buzzing around.  It was ......awful

This is apple concentrate.....allowable blah blah...parts per million of fly parts and mouse hairs.....yes fly parts and mouse hairs.

(Canned soup is another no no noooo in my house, for the same reason)

Anyway I lasted less than three days.  And have never bought fruit leather or granola bars since.  If my children ever eat these things in front of me, I can be sure to point out those mysterious brown spots on the leathers as fly parts etc etc etc.  And they usually throw them away with a gross look on their faces.

So if Canada has standards for apple concentrate that gross me out, I can only imagine that China has even less.  Therefore A call was made to Sun-Rype about the source of their concentrate in mixed juices that I have on several occassions purchased, not really reading the label before. But apparently most mixed juices all have apple concentrate in them.

According to the rep from Sun-Rype ``we only buy apples from the okanagan valley, then washington state....but when we buy apple concentrate we MAY source it from brazil, venezuala, new zealand, tailand, and CHINA`` blah blah...but it has these high standard shit, blah blah blah....I don`t remember anything after she said CHINA.

SHOCKED, AMAZED, DISSAPOINTED.... heavy sighhhh

I am going to have to read those damn labels more closely now. Damn the food industry all to hell, for slipping this crap into my food.  I am soooo pissed.  Do you know how much work this is going to take now to monitor every-single-thing-i-buy-that-goes-into-my-mouth. ARGGGGGGGGG

Do you feel my outrage food industry!!!!!!
I am pissed!!!!!

And horror of all horror!!!!!  Im going to have to start canning and freezing my own stuff. God...like i need all that work. Shit!

And now I will be on the look out for the 100% from apples juice from sun-rype when it`s on sale and have to buy many cases for the year. Damn

Thanks alot Food F*cking Industry.

A Girl and her Pig

My current fav read. After only a couple pages, I "wanted to", but didn't actually...yet, clean off my counters and sharpen the knives. But I did make it to the market (although...not the farmers market) for some new carrots that I will roast on the bbq along with my new potatoes and honey garlic sausages. I'm sooo hungry already - just thinking about it. I always dreaded thanksgiving...for all the work. When all that is really required is a leg a breast and a whole shit load of app's and booze. But no - one has to get a 15-20 lb bird, prep it, stuff it, make several entrees, salads, not to mention all the stupid app's. The only saving grace was the chow mein for brunch from all the leftover turkey. BUT NOT THIS YEAR..... After reading this book I am looking forward to the "Bubble and Squeak" according to the recipe in the book, from all of the leftover roasted veg, and brussel sprouts. Of coarse since I started roasting the brussel sprouts sliced and doused in bacon fat, there are no leftovers of them. But this year I will make MORE...just for the "squeak" the next day ....along with the chow mein. That will be an interesting brunch for sure.

Looking around....

Well I finally finished cleaning up the books of my current client. Nothing was done since August 2008. And he only decided he needed to do something last August when Receiver General seized his bank accts. It was a perfect client, two days a week 4-5 hours. I could still have the g'kids come wednesday for dinner and stay till friday afternoon for pickup after parents work. And once in a while I took off on the redeye friday midnight for Toronto and return on tuesday morning to visit my other daughter.  I brought some work home once in a while. And still charge about $1600-$2000 a month.  Now it's come to a close.  The day-to-day..nous of it is more annoying than anything. Give me a client with a shoe box with receipts for 4 years, and I'm a happy camper.

So now I need a new client,  my current client only needs me prob 2-3 days a month....if that, and year end crap. 

Is there anything worse than looking for a new client. ugggggh.....

It was kinda wierd, I wasn't really that up to speed on Quickbooks, since I had previously had clients that worked with Simply Accounting.  So of coarse I said I knew what I was doing with Quickbooks, even though I hadn't seen anything with quickbooks for years.  All I did when I was kinda stuck and ready to throw the computer at the wall was .....twitter.

It's amazing...if you can't solve a problem real quick with google, twitter is the answer.  I had several bookkeepers at the ready with any question that I had.  Though I didn't know any of them personally.  I would put a question out to twitter, and within 5-10 minutes I would get a response.  I kept a few bookkeepers at the ready after a few days of this.   Thank you out there, your a great group that got me through some crazy simple stuff that I should have been able to do, but didn't have a clue at the time. I got texted through many step-by-step issues.

But since I've only been working with quickbooks, for the past year, I'm probably out of step with simply accounting now, and one just knows......that's gonna be the  next client.

Big Trip

The other day we went to Costco for our bi-weekly stock-up of veg.  Of coarse my husband didn't make it past the electronics section. I managed to do the "walk-about" not once....but twice. And in all this time he was still yakking up the cell guy. 

But as it happens this was a good thing. I know I can hardly believe I'm actually saying this. But it's true. I've been in the market for a new phone. Seeing as blackberry is tanking....fast. I have to give it up and decide on which NON APPLE product to replace my blackberry with.

My husband replaced his blackberry with an stupid ass apple 4 and then proceeded to annnnnnoy the hell out of EVERYONE to get up to speed on the thing.

I was waiting for July to get a new phone so that we wouldn't have two new phones to deal with on the June bill. I had this one model in mind primarily because it had a somewhat good camera on it. Because not only did I need a new phone but my camera also needs to be replaced because of stupid ass water spots on the lense somewhere deep in the bowels of the thing. And since I can't afford the one I really want, and a new phone. I have to pick one and get two.

I was all prepared to get this one because of the "monster glass" seeing as how my phone is usually dropping on cement or pavement, I figured ...go for the monster glass and a good camera.

But then this little # just happened to be delivered - that day, to the masses for sale. And it's sooooo pretty, and sooooo thin, and sooooo friendly, and soooooo  soooooooo. So I came home with it the next day. Cause buying it that day would have resulted in "remember when you bought that phone " issues for the rest of my life. Seeing as how I always complain that my husband is a little tooooo spontanious with stupid purchases, (like the apple 4, for instance) So just to bug the crap out of my husband I waited a day to buy the phone. And I wasn't even going to purchase it the next day I was planning on maybe sometime in the middle of July after toying with my husband for a couple weeks of "I don't know"'s and "maybe" 's. Cause if anything makes him more excited about buying something, it's egging me on to buy something that he really wants.
And since his apple was now better than my blackberry, well he was very over the top in "mine's better than yours" for the last 10 or so days.

And of coarse now my phone is better than his.  As I was getting educated on my new purchase before I left the store, My poor husband was sooooo torn. Does he stay with the stupid ass iphone "cause everyone has one" and "he wants one like everyone else" or go with the android and he had till that day to change his phone for the android. Of forever (well for 3 yrs anyway) hold his peace...his piece....whatever - his phone.

The poor guy, I almost felt sorry for him. Cause popularity always wins out with him. He HAS to be one of the crowd.  He can't stand being different.  But I think he really wants one like mine.

But I sure wish blackberry/rim would get on board.  Cause I loved my blackberry. And I will miss it.  I still carry the stupid thing around because I love the memo on it that I can't seem to find equal on the android. I felt really overly self-important when I had to dump both my new phone and my old phone in the tub at security when at the airport.  But I am unable to remember all the stuff I kept in the memo thingy. And I handn't figured out the new phones bells and whistles yet. And I was planning on a trip the very next day.  So there I was with both phones and both charges and my little 10" laptop going through security. Anyway....

Sure it's a nice phone. and has a nice large screen blah blah blah.  but it keeps falling out of my pocket. And the keyboard SUCKS....it's either not sensitive enough ...or overly sensitive. Grrrrrr. I loved the blackberry keyboard.    I will never be able to text and drive again.   Cause it's impossssssible with this phone. Yeah like you don't do that.......Give me a break!!!!!

So the trip was supposed to be spent babysitting my g'kids so my kid could go to a wedding. But I spent most of my down time trying to figure out the phone, downloading and then uninstalling countless crap.

And how come everyone can use this phone.....except me.  It takes forever to do the simplest thing specially if the stupid ass keyboard is involved.

I have to buy one of those pocky things, that I know I will loose or misplace.  Isn't it enough that my glasses always go astray, now I will forever be looking for that stupid ass pocky thing.

But I gotta say the screeen size is sure a welcome thing.  And the iphone screeen seems so puny now and the blackberry screen ----well it's almost laughable now.

When I got on the plane I realized that I didn't even know how to turn it off.  Talk about stuuuuupid. I tried everything. So in desperation I just turned everything to mute, and hoped I covered every possiblity.  Then my daughter figured it out in like one second.  That really pissed me off at how dumb I was.  But I swear I TRIED EXACTLY THE SAME THING....but the phone was toying with me.

So now ....about the trip. Why ohhhh why does ANYONE go to Vancouver.  Or anywhere in the lower mainland.  Used to live there, and would NEVER do that again. Talk about a boring place.  Everywhere one goes....the rest of the stupid ass tourists go also. 

I mean....get ...out....of...my ....effing....way!!!!!!

And it didn't help that it was raining.  Christ what does it do here except RAIN.  And it's wedding weekend, and how many poor suckers were having an outdoor wedding. In our hotel alone there were four wedding parties.  Well it did actually stop raining between 1-6. But by then it was too late and venues were moved indoors cause everything was soaked outside.  But rain is supposed to be a lucky thing they say.   So what the hay.....And besides I'm glad I was looking after and entertaining one g'kid while the other one was  a flower girl. So since it was raining so hard just before the ceremony I convined the parents that "really I should just stay here with junior and you can bring junioresss back here after the pic's are all taken"  Cause it's wet and miserable out there, and who cares anyway....They will be cranky and miserable like the weather anyway."  And for once I got my way and it seemed that everyone was happy.  Most esspecially moi.

So they drove back on Sunday and I flew back....cause I could and they couldn't.  Besides they bought a brand new spanking vehicle to test out on this trip.  So everyone was happy again.  And It managed to stop raining for the return trip.

But I gotta say Vancouver kinda sucks.  When there are 3 1/2 and 5 yr olds to entertain.  We just walked around neighborhoods, jumped around in puddles, and got tired of looking at slugs and snails. Cause what else is there to do.  I took them on the sea train thing across the inlet. But it would have been nice if more ships were in the harbour.  thank you for the one cruise ship that they got to see.  They did get to see two "crap from china" ships and called the containers "china boxes"  I thought that was brilliant.  They are so amusing. Coarse the parents weren't soo amused with the china references for some reason. So what if 90% of the people on the sea train-bus-boat thing were chinese.  And they were being alittle loud with the china references.  Who pays attention to what kids say anyway. People are a little toooo sensitive these days. And crap from china.....is crap from china, and everything in those containers was probably destined to a dollar store,,,,somewhere near all of us.

And why is EVERYTHING SO F#CKING EXPENSIVE HERE.

I can't believe how much money I spent doing NOTHING.  Grrrr

And why don't they stock my brand of wine here.  That really pissed me off. Cause what do you buy when your first or second choice ain't available?  You stand around and around and around hoping for some enlightenment....What to buy....what to buy....So you buy several different things just to compensate.

I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. Vancouver.....I'm soooooo over you.

I want some more....

Cream of Cauliflower with bacon

Don't forget to add the cheddar cheese to bottom of the bowl first

I made this last week and really have to make some more, i've been thinking of nothing but since

points..points....points!!!

I love loyalty points.

Today I needed coffee and butter. So after my doc appt'mnt to get some annoying moles removed...(too much information) I drove to Shoppers Drugs just to check on my points....and low and behold....I had $$$$ on my card. yayyy

So true to my budget minding boredom this week, I walked up to the checkout with coffee, butter (both on sale) and some chips and snacks and ....voila....only paid $.25 (still can't get the stupid cents things to work grrrr)

...AAAAnd I found some (4 cans) of wine coolers in the back of the fridge, so I don't need to restock my wine supply just yet.....

SO it's leftover pie for dinner with ceasar salad and making a big pot of spaghetti for tomorrow for the grandkids, because that's the only thing they will eat these days ( i will hide some shredded, skinned zuccini in it - learned the hard way about "what are those green things, baba")

Cause everybody KNOWS ---day old spaghetti is the BOMB....

Making do

Today on the menu for dinner is - leftover pie
I have some chicken leftover from some rotisserie i bought on friday and then yesterday from the pork (wow was that ever goooood)

I had to head on down to the grocery story for some celery (lately I`ve been snacking on celery - everything from leftover egg salad, tuna salad, chopped up tomato, basically anything that will fit in the cavity)

I first place I typically head in this store is the veg reduction basket. Last week I scored a large head of cauliflower for $.50 (where is that stupic cents thing and why won`t it work on this keyboard), and i made a wonderful cream of soup with half of it and roasted the other half for dinner.  So I wanted another one for the pie, but alas none was on the table.

But I did get two bags of two different kinds of potatoes for $1.50 and $.60, and a large bag of carrots for $.68.  So that got me to thinking------I should see how many meals I can get out of the day old veg going to the store more often. It`s only a couple blocks away and I usually have to go right on by it whenever I have anywhere to go.   So that`s what I`m going to do......bored am I

Mennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn....

So it's his day....big woa
So now the competition starts - which kid, from which set of offspring (3) is going to phone first.
I have three kids, he has 7.

So the middle of the last set (mine) phoned first. I'd like to think that ultimately "I won" cause I'm the better mom, therefore myyyyyyy kid called first. So there....

I've been reading Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mysteries and have come to a conclusion that all men suck when it comes to fiction. 

It's been awhile that I even read fiction written by men, cause they always write about sex, stupid ass sex, ....what I like to refer to as "a wet dream" for me to have to suffer through.

What is it about them.  This series has been interesting as in the story line is good, the dialogue has been good, the constant googling of food refered to in the story has been annoyingly satisfying. But the "beautiful women that are constantly throwing themselves at this 50+ (judging by the amount of food he eats should be very overweight) boozing overweight, sicilian man".  Its never the run of the mill women, it's aways the beautiful women that appear to all have a hard on to screw this inspector.  Beautiful women in the series are all sluts( not to mention usually 20 to 30 yrs younger), of giant proportion - they all without fail spend their day screwing.  Poor Inspector Montalbano has to beat them off with a stick, the poor man.  I have learned that to enjoy the book, I have to skip this crap cause otherwise the book would be thrown across the room.  The only women in this book are either on the make to get laid, or old women 60+ that cook, that's it.
The author has made the women in the series behave as though they were men.  That women are the ones with bad behavior and only see men as sex objects. Talk about the pot calling the kettle - you know what, I just want to slap this idiot.  Judging from the picture of what he actually looks like....it's no wonder that he portrays women in such a negative light.  He's a douce bag of giant proportion.

I've only got 2 books left to read of the series, and I need a break from the stupid women constantly throwing themselves at this creep.  I think I continue to read the series because of the character development of the other players other than the poor sex starved inspector and his tribe of oversexed blondes.

I wonder how blondes 25-35 feel around this oversexed Camilleri should they ever be in the unfortunate position of being oggled by him in public. Sic. Reminds me of a dirty old man. 

I was digging around in the freezer the other day and uncovered a bunch (3) pork tenderloin and pork ribs and pork shoulder and 3 pkgs of bacon, all I didn't know I even had.

So today pork tenderloin is for dinner.  The only thing I changed is I added a small bowl (prob about 1/3 cup of honey, and whole grain mustard) of honey mustard I had laying around from my eggroll dip last night.

The marinade smelled so good I was tempted to dap some behind my ear...

'mpanata di maiali

I have no idea what the translation to this is.

I googled it and something about breaded pork.

I'm only doing this so that some time in the future I can attempt to try to duplicate this as it's written in a mystery that I have just finished.

The Wings of the Sphinx - Andrea Camilleri There is usually so much food throughout the novels, it is driving me crazy.

I spend more time on google to figure out what the food is. So far google hasn't helped me in the translation of this particular recipe but luckily the author was kind enough to add the procedure.

"Poach a head of cauliflower in salted water, remove it when still slightly firm, and chop it into large chunks. Then season it in a skillet after you hjave sauteed a small onion, thinly sliced in olive oil in the same pan. In another pan, fry up a piece of fresh sausage, and the moment it turns golden cut it into small disks, no more than an inch wide, removing the skin.
 Add the cauliflower to the pan with the sausage bits and oil adding a few potatoes sliced into thin, transparent disks, some chopped black olives, salt and spices. Stir this assortment well. Knead some leavened bread dough into a broad, flat disk and mold thiks into a cake tin with a tall rim. Fill this with the mixture and cover with another round sheet of dough, kneading the edges together. Spread lard over the upper parts and put the tin into a very hot oven for about half an hour or so, remove it as soon as it turns golden brown"

I have been thinking of nothing else since I read this.....

update....

I found it yay yay yay

book-a-day

I've been reading a new series i've discovered. Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano Mystery series. I am forever thankful that I have such a great library. I can't remember how many books are in this series ....may 16 or so. My library has them all, and they are sitting on my stairs - waiting to be selected. Every book is better than the last. You really notice the growth of the author with each book. I love that.