Forties File Friday - Isabel Chapman Stonehouse

Remembering Grandma, Jan. 4th, 1907 -- Jan. 25th, 1988

~It's been 21 years since the death of Isabel Chapman Stonehouse, please share your memories of time with Grandma... be they on Lulie or Hampshire, be they at lunch or Christmas, be it when you were young or old, what stands out as your favourite or best memory of Grandma?

Oddly enough remembering Grandma does make me think of lunch day at Grandma's and the traditional soldiers cut out of our bread and butter with beans, cottage cheese with pineapple chunks in it and real milk from a bag... sometimes even a Peak Frean.

Or Christmas Eve at Grandma's with the sandwiches with the crusts cut off on white bread, the licorice all sorts, the chocolate turtles, after eights, the chips and dip... Even as I sit her typing I'm eating mincemeat tarts and reminiscing of Grandma's house....

And yet it wasn't as though we only knew Grandma as a food lady! We had Grandma's beach... aptly named due to the proximity to her house. Trick or treating by Grandma's house on our way to the bonfire at the fire hall. But Grandma was a Grandma of traditions and that made for some wonderful memories.

But not every visit to Grandma's house was an everyone affair. I can remember romping around in the basement... and daring siblings to jump from the back porch to the grass, chasing a cat.... Grandma was older.. I better be careful.... (she was my mother's current age), when I was growing up... But she was an elegant lady, and she did things properly. And expected us to do so also! I don't think we disappointed her much... although one day, I do recall us being chastised as we were leaving lunch day.... we were all at the door kissing her on the cheek as we did when we left and she called us to task on our forgetting our thank-you's! We didn't forget again!

I had some chances for some one on one time when she was sick. It must have been summer time. I would have been 13 or 14. I spent the nights at her house. I would do a normal day at home I guess and ride my bike over in the early evening and have dinner with Grandma. We'd watch 'The Love Boat' and 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Family Feud'... and then we'd wash up for bed and I slept in the guest room. In the morning we'd have our breakfast... always juice in the little juice glasses! and then I'd be off again if she didn't have something she needed fetched or taken care of... I ran little errands up to her corner store or swept up.

She wasn't too sure about this younger generation of grandchildren but she was willing to try anything. She was determined to do something nice for us and took us to the theater to see a movie. ET... I'm still not sure if Sparky enjoyed it but I know that it wasn't my cup of tea. It was a scary, odd film with an ugly creature... but you always remember to thank Grandma and tell her what a lovely time you had.... which ended up getting you... a plush ET doll for Christmas! It really was the thought that counted!

Grandma was a proper and elegant lady until she died. After she moved to the care home I continued the evening visits. After school I'd ride over and take her down to the dining hall and then go up to do my homework. After 40 minutes... never longer... she was a punctual diner! it would be time to retrieve her back to her room. I typically had homework that I would work on while she relaxed and visit a bit. She asked about my day, and about how everyone was doing... even though we'd been through the update only the night before. We'd visit until Auntie Adele or Mum came to help her for the night. Except one night... it was a little late and no one had come yet. She was obviously antsy. She didn't want to impose or ask me to do something... I had to fairly insist that I was there to help and could handle it.... she kept insisting that Joyce or Adele will be here soon... I must have been reassuring that when you have to go you have to go and that I could indeed help! It didn't make me dream of becoming a elderly care worker but I'll never forget helping her to the bathroom and helping her prepare for bed that night. It was only 6 weeks before she died.

I'd never heard her speak ill of anyone or raise her voice in a cross tone. She was dignified and elegant her entire life and will always be remember that way.

More memories of Grandma... click here!




Now her youngest daughter..... hmmm... we shall see how she gets remembered!

On the fifth day of New Years the Chinese celebrate...

A Chinese Feast, gratitude to the Gods and firecrackers.

Translated into how we'll be celebrating. Lunch will be Ling's Pot Stickers and dinner will be Jill's sweet and sour chicken over rice with teriyaki veggies! We'll remember to bless the food and give thanks and I do have a few leftover sparklers we could put outside in the snow. That should do it for us!

We considered going to our favourite all you can eat restaurant, or as Johnny always called it 'Viking', the Chinese Gourmet. We had a bit of a conscience and decided not to go with out Daddy though... even though he's been eating out all week in warmer than here Arizona! You know he never brings home a doggie bag for us after all those restaurant dining experiences! He gives us some line about week old, non-refrigerated leftovers being unfit for digestion... besides I think he eats everything on his plate anyway.

Today might be a good day to share a memory of a Chinese restaurant eating experience when I was a child. All I know is that the experience was so memorable that I can actually remember it. I never think that I can remember much from my childhood so this is exciting for me... even if there are a few gaps, like why we were all eating out this particular evening. I remember that it was a very nice place across from the Mayfair Mall (I think). It was a brown building with an interestingly pitched roof.(not that the architecture of the building has anything to do with the memory... I just can still picture it) There was a large group of us... could have just been the family of course that would seem large in a restaurant not accustomed to seating 10 but somehow it seems we'd be out for a special occasion and likely including someone else since we SO rarely ever ate out as a family.

So, I don't remember the food exactly but I remember the menu. I became fascinated from that night on with the idea of the Chinese New Year and the Chinese Zodiac. It was on that night that I learned that I was... a tiger!

I had VERY mixed feelings about being a tiger, John had LOTS of tiger paraphernalia in his room, posters, blankets, calendars etc.. and I wasn't sure I cared to be a tiger and yet there it was if I was born during a certain period in 19** then I was indeed a tiger... the description of a Tiger person wasn't so terrible that I never wanted to think of it again.

I remember everyone learning which animal they were and what their compatibilities were, strengths and weaknesses etc... All in all it was a memorable enough evening that I still remember it and what the menu with all the Tiger information looked like. I held onto that paper menu for many years.

Here's a little background info that I found interesting regarding the legend of the Chinese zodiac animals.

A popular legend has it that a race was used to decide the order of the animals as they reported to the Jade Emperor.

The cat and the rat were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom. Although bad swimmers, they were both intelligent. They decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river was to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being a naïve and good-natured animal, agreed to carry them across. However, overcome with a fierce competitiveness, the rat decided that in order to win, it must do something and promptly pushed the cat into the river. Because of this, the cat has never forgiven the rat, and hates the water as well. After the ox had crossed the river, the rat jumped ahead and reached the shore first, and it claimed first place in the competition.

Following closely behind was the strong ox, and it was named the 2nd animal in the zodiac. After the ox, came the tiger, panting, while explaining to the Jade Emperor just how difficult it was to cross the river with the heavy currents pushing it downstream all the time. But with powerful strength, it made to shore and was named the 3rd animal in the cycle.

Suddenly, from a distance came a thumping sound, and the rabbit arrived. It explained how it crossed the river: by jumping from one stone to another in a nimble fashion. Halfway through, it almost lost the race but the rabbit was lucky enough to grab hold of a floating log that later washed him to shore. For that, it became the 4th animal in the zodiac cycle. Coming in 5th place was the dragon, flying. Of course, the Jade Emperor was deeply curious as to why a strong and flying creature such as the dragon should fail to reach first. The mighty dragon explained that he had to stop and make rain to help all the people and creatures of the earth, and therefore he was held back a little. Then, on his way to the finish line, he saw a little helpless rabbit clinging onto a log so he did a good deed and gave a puff of breath to the poor creature so that it could land on the shore. The Jade Emperor was very pleased with the actions of the dragon, and he was added into the zodiac cycle. As soon as he had done so, a galloping sound was heard, and the horse appeared. Hidden on the horse's hoof is the snake, whose sudden appearance gave the horse a fright, thus making it fall back and giving the snake the 6th spot, while the horse placed 7th.

Not long after that, a little distance away, the sheep, monkey, and rooster came to the shore. These three creatures helped each other to get to where they are. The rooster spotted a raft, and took the other two animals with it. Together, the ram and the monkey cleared the weeds, tugged and pulled and finally got the raft to the shore. Because of their combined efforts, the Emperor was very pleased and promptly named the ram as the 8th creature, the monkey as the 9th, and the rooster the 10th.

The 11th animal is the dog. His explanation for being late—although he was supposed to be the best swimmer amongst the rest—was that he needed a good bath after a long spell, and the fresh water from the river was too big a temptation. For that, he almost didn't make it to finish line. Just as the Jade Emperor was about to call it a day, an oink and squeal was heard from a little pig. The pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast and then fell asleep. After the nap, the pig continued the race and was named the 12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle. The cat finished too late (thirteenth) to win any place in the calendar, and vowed to be the enemy of the rat forevermore.

So to all you other creatures out there... enjoy the post.... from the tiger.

License and registration please

Why do those flashing lights behind you as your driving along induce such an adrenaline rush of panic? Why does it cause such self doubt? Why does it make one question every action? Why does it make one relive the past few moments so vividly, searching desperately for an explanation? Why was he pulling me over?

I don't get pulled over. I've certainly been in the car as others have been pulled over! I've never had a speeding ticket. I try to not speed even. I've had a minor little, nothing to it, crash where I totaled the front end of a company pick up truck... but I don't get pulled over. Certainly not driving with the kids in the car on the way to Sam's club on a lazy Wednesday afternoon.

Until today.

I went through so many emotions and thoughts so quickly I'm not sure if I can even remember them all.

• Do I need to get out of the way
• Where's the emergency
• Are the lights for me
• What could I possibly have done
• I haven't even had a chance to accelerate to the 35 mph speed limit yet so I can't be speeding
• Is my registration current... yes
• I have my insurance card in the car... yes
• I have a license
• We're all buckled
• I didn't take off before the light turned green did I..... no I couldn't have there were other cars in front of me
• It didn't turn red again already when I reached it did it?... no way too fast I was only the third car
• I'm not in a right turn only lane?
• Is my gas cover missing? No it's there.
  
• Where do I pull over here, there isn't really a shoulder
• What if I'm pulled over in a no parking area, I didn't pay attention
• Why am I being pulled over?
• He's out of his car.
  
• Do I turn off the car
• Do I take off my seatbelt
• Do I take out my registration and insurance and license now or do I wait until after he asks me for them
• I should put down my window
• Oh no it won't go down... that's right I turned off the car
• I can't turn it back on, that would look like I'm trying to make a break for it
• I can turn the key just part way maybe the windows will go down.
• Ok the windows are down
• Take a deep breath
• What do I say?
  

I'd never make it as a criminal... my nerves couldn't handle it.

Apparently this officer isn't familiar with vehicles with legally and securely installed rear facing bench seats. So he thought it odd that there was a child in the back of the car. YEAH... a child in a car seat, that is not just belted in, but using a locking clip and a tether strap! As soon as he looked in to the car he smiled and said,

"Your back windows a little dingy looking from all this snow and salt from the roads so I couldn't tell til' I was closer. As soon as I pulled you over I realized there wasn't a problem, but thought I should explain why I was flashing you down so you wouldn't worry."

Gee, thanks.. Me? Worried?

I've never been one to think quick in situations... well I should take that back.. I did a lot of fast thinking... I'm just not good at thinking terribly logically or level headed and definitely not good at getting a good response ready... those usually come later, when I'm falling asleep... but NOT today! I looked up at that officer and said,
"Oh, no worries here, I have more car seats than I have kids in the car, I'm just that safe!"

and that lame!
The Chinese were SO right... today was a good day to stay home!

In the corner grocery store...

It is considered inauspicious to visit others during the next two days of the Chinese New Years. Apparently it's likely that there will be arguments... I wonder if we should change our plans? We have a school poetry recital to attend, an orthodontist appointment and Channa's bringing the boys by so she can go to a hair appointment. None of those technically count as visits, right?

It also said that we could visit loved ones grave sites. That's really more my mother's thing anyway! It's cold and yucky outside... I think we'll just reminisce about the past and call it good. Or maybe since I'm already stretching the rules by blogging instead of truly visiting... maybe day 3 and 4 should be a blog ban??? LOL...ROFL... glad I got that out of my system! We're not technically Chinese so we don't have to follow the rules... technically, right?

So on to the reminiscing.... I'll try to give it a Chinese twist.

hmmm... I know... the corner store of my youth!

It was on a corner.. it just didn't seem like it because it wasn't two busy streets... but one was sure a busy one! We would sneak out, unless we had permission and then we just left, but still sort of snuck, over the back fence that bordered our yard with a large apartment building behind us. It's funny to me that we lived with an apartment complex behind us and yet it didn't seem as though we had any neighbours but the one little couple with the impeccable yard to the right of us.... but this is about sneaking over the back fence..

So we'd climb the back fence near the stinky compost heap, and walk through the parking lot of the apartment complex out to the main street. No sidewalk on that side, no crosswalk here and this is the busy street that now needed to be crossed... so we'd wait for the timing to be right and we'd jet out in a jaywalking fashion across the street to the little chinese corner grocery store. I'm sure they were always thrilled to see children with coins jingling in their pockets come into the store!

Sometimes we knew right what we wanted when we headed out for the store so it didn't cause the storekeeper too much anxiety to have kids unattended wandering the store... and unbelievably we were young.... As I write this I consider sending Miles and Duncan over our back fence and down the canal road, jay running across 7800 South(four lanes of traffic!) to Macey's grocery store for a treat and I think my heart stops beating, and I know I'll never consider that again... (of course Caleb just let me know that he's done it)... I think I'll go back to bed now!

I'm sure we surprised the store clerks a few times with our choices.... don't get me wrong... we certainly bought our fair share of extra large 'white' (sometimes other colours) Mr. Freezies!, or some other delicious ice cream treat... or gum (contraban in our home), but sometimes when the carton of real milk was what we placed on the counter or a package of 'plastic' cheese(kraft singles) , or the big splurge... non doubled real chocolate milk. That last one might not have surprised him though.

It's a shame such simple pleasures aren't the norm anymore, hence I'm going to bed just knowing that my young teenager is jaywalking across 4 lanes of traffic for an ice cream cone with his buddies...

Day of the Daughter

Don't give me flack for posting about the dog yesterday and not Sarah! I could post about Opus without having to wonder what she would do during the day... she's rather predictable... but Sarah... well not predictable... so I didn't know what to blog until I'd spent the day with her.

Only having the one daughter it made it easy for me to make it a special day for Sarah! Well it should be... if I wasn't feeling sick today. The only thing she could come up with was to have day off of school in honour off the holiday! She's easily converted to other cultures... Lucky me!

In order for it to be special for her to have the day off it meant that the boys couldn't have the day off though. That meant I was still busy all day with school for the boys. I really just wanted to go back to bed though and kick this cold I've been nursing. By the time 2pm arrived Sarah had given up on something fun happening and worked on some school anyway! Hey we had pizza for lunch doesn't that do anything?Well I snuggled under a blanket on the couch and did reading with Duncan and Miles and managed to stay awake, which wasn't my goal, but it isn't whatever I want day... errgh. Around 4pm, Sarah came into to see if reading was done, and it was, so she asked if I'd please come in the kitchen... with my eyes closed... that tends to make me nervous.... but I did. She had cleaned the entire room. Even wiping down the fridge door and wiping out the sink. Every dish was done and the floor swept! I'm petitioning for Chinese daughter day more often! But then she made the request. Can we make cinnamon rolls please?

I'd be evil to say no, but starting after 4 in the afternoon? We got started. At 5 she had to leave for her Tuesday Science class but the dough had to rise. Duncan was more excited than anyone else about the propect of the rolls and was checking on the rising dough every few minutes. When she returned a little after 6 it was time to roll out our dough and turn it into a sweet cinnamon sugar delight! It was fun and I'm glad we did it... but the rolls didn't turn out as nicely as they usually do... I think we had too many helpers in the kneading department and the checking incessantly on the rising dough! But we'll eat them anyway.

Sarah was actually glad to have to go to Science this time because I was watching the State of the state address and the boys were bummed that they couldn't watch Brady Bunch. But when she returned and we were waiting for the rolls to finish their second rising and bake we all watched the kids new favourite show, The biggest Loser. A little glaze and we all ended our Day of the Daughter happily!... and sticky.

Day of the Dog

So apparently on the second day of the Chinese New Year, you spend special time with your daughters and your dog.

Guess it's a good thing I have both a daughter and a dog.

I'm pretty sure this isn't what they have in mind when they mean spend special time.
The kids have taken to photography and filmography. Miles captured the essence of Opus our dog in this little film.... it may not be kind but it may be accurate...

Opus has been a fairly good dog all in all. We procured Opus in the unusual manner. After many years of begging for a dog.... I finally decided to give in. I just had to do some research into what kind of dog would I be willing to deal with.... not being a dog fan! Once I decided on the type of dog I would consider, then we had to find one. I wasn't too keen on a small puppy, since it would require some potty training so with the criteria I'd come up with I wasn't too concerned that we'd find one in much of a hurry. However, it only took a few weeks. We searched a few internet dog adoption agency sights and discovered that the early bird gets the 'dog'... We really had to act fast if we wanted to get the dog that met our criteria because it seemed there were other discerning dog searchers out there. Competition for something does something to make me forget that I'm not totally in favour of the idea.

Well we did find another dog option and this particular agency didn't allow first come first serve. They had a specific system of distribution to determine who could adopt their dogs. It turned out that you had to show up during a certain time frame on a Saturday and fill out an application for the dog that you were interested in and then wait while a committee who had been mingling with you and the dogs then went into a back room to look over the applications and make their decisions. However this particular Saturday was already booked for us! Oh no..ahh shucks! except the kids had already seen the ad and were so excited! aye aye aye. Channa gracefully solved the dilemma. She had something taking her to the area of the pet adoption location anyway so she would pop in and try to get the dog. That's when our mother's fine teaching came in handy! We decided to include in our application a letter explaining why we couldn't make it to the adoption proceedings that day and why we should be selected anyway! (Maybe I shouldn't have written it quite so convincingly) Here's the letter we sent with Channa....

Why we want a dog

When Sarah, our five year old was one, we visited Grandpa’s house in Wyoming. They had just got a new puppy, a beagle. It was love at first sight. Sarah, Caleb, and Miles have anticipated trips to grandpa’s house both to see Grandpa and “Duke, the best puppy”.

“Can we get a duke dog?” was a constant question from the children from the time we met Duke. However my husband who grew up with dogs on the ranch his whole life knows that they require as much time, love and attention as a child would and that getting one isn’t a small undertaking. The childrens' ages and the fact that a baby brother was expected just didn’t bode well for getting a dog. But they persisted and for four years have wanted a “duke dog”. We are now finished having our human children and are ready to add a k-nine sibling to our family. Caleb and Sarah have early summer birthdays very close together so for their birthdays it was announced that they are old enough and responsible enough to begin the search for a dog. We began to do our research, we knew that they loved the duke dog but perhaps that was just duke so we checked out books at the library about dogs and solidified that a beagle would indeed be a perfect match for our family and lifestyle and of course fit the “duke dog” criteria.

We had decided that rescuing a dog was equally important in our acquisition as my husband can remember many puppies who were abandoned on the side of the road in the hopes that the ranchers could take them on I guess. But even a ranch can only handle so many dogs. Our search has had its sadness though as each dog that we’ve found, and then subsequently become excited over, has been adopted before we could contact the appropriate agencies. But regardless of past sadness over “Mimi, Ginny, Sprint, and Xena”, we are excited over the prospects of “Opus” becoming the newest member or our family.

Needless to say we swung by Channa's on our way home that evening to pick up our new dog! Apparently the committee was completely blown away by our letter and Channa had taken Kenzie with her and they were convinced that this would be a good dog loving home! Well all in all she has been a good dog. We finally convinced her not to run away every time someone opened the door. Now she only takes off every month or so if the door has been left open for more than a few minutes.
She is getting old though, can't seem to make it up the stairs anymore once she's been sleeping. So we have had to ban her from going downstairs. I know that Beagles have that sad little puppy look all the time but somehow it didn't 'look' sad before, I mean it's not like it's her fault but she sure seems sad now that she is relegated to living upstairs. Moping around and sleeping on the floor at the end of "MY" bed of all things. She follows me around and is constantly under foot. If I'm at the computer she manages to be right where my feet should be except that I normally sit cross-legged on my computer chair. She sits under my chair at the kitchen table and she's right at home on the kitchen floor whenever I'm cooking or doing dishes. She hardly yowls at the joggers that run down the canal road behind the house anymore and lately she's taken to sleeping during the day with the cat even! now don't start thinking I'm going soft or anything... I'm not saying that I'll be running out to get another dog when her time is up but she has been a good dog.

Congratulations and be Prosperous

It is the year of the ox. It is the beginning of the Chinese New Year. It's just another excuse to blog!

We don't have any ties or history to link us back to China except that of studying other cultures and enlightening ourselves to other ways. Besides it's kind of interesting..

Today is the first of 15 days that usher in the New Year. Some of the customs for the first day of the new year.... don't eat meat, write a short positive message and display it in your home... examples are... 'Be prosperous' or 'Health and Kindness for the New Year to all' Do not use knives or light fires... Get together with family. On the first day of the New Year it is customary to visit with the oldest living relative..... but since that's not really possible... since I only learned about the custom today and he's 1000 miles away... I think I'll alter the custom and just blog about him instead!

So this blogs for you Lloyd!

Lloyd is my great-uncle... or my dad's father's brother. He's a nonagenarian... for those not as enlightened that means he's in his nineties... He was born 1917? He is an active guy! Rides a motorbike. He has long been a member of the Mason association as have many an ancestor before him. He enjoys camping and took my mother on a 5000 mile RV genealogical expedition just last summer! He's a professional camper I hear as well! He has an adventurers spirit and a great smile! He has recently taken on the computer with a vengeance and although he's a two fingered typist he is amazing at the speed and retention in all matters computer related! He is also a very avid gardener. Currently building a greenhouse and preparing for a great planting year!

Unfortunately that is about all I myself currently know about the old guy!... that and that he inspires many including my mother! She has fulfilled a life long dream of going to Scotland due to his inspiration. She tells me he is full of great tales so I hope he'll share some with us. His history is one to be studied so that we all might some day be happy old guys too!
Mum tells me she'll fill me in when she can this week, so this blog will have to be a 'project in progress'.. so feel free to check back she tells me there are photos.... and tales to tell!... I'm looking forward to it too!

National Film Board of Canada

Growing up.... we had a birthday tradition of going down to the national film board and checking out some movies. Not such a remarkable thing.... until you realize that this was 30 or so years ago before Blockbuster, Netflix and such.. before DVD and Blu-ray... and yes before VHS or dare I say it.... Beta... we were checking out the old reel to reel movies. We had purchased an old movie projector and screen I believe from a surplus sale at the school district.

We definitely had some favourites!!! Railrodder and Sandcastle stand out immediately as the BEST!


But there were SOO soo many more!! There was definitely something amazing about setting up the playroom or the stairway and hall as a home theater and having your friends over for a movie event... long before theater rooms in homes became all the rage!

Some were sweet, some informative others just amusing.... some were definitively odd... but they were definitely memorable!



There are some that are memorably Bailey even... such as this well requested one. We could bribe Bailey to do anything with this little film!




But why go on about such things from the past? Obviously technology has advanced beyond these old films! But they are a part of us now. The very thought of Buster Keaton reminds us of film nights.. homemade root beer floats.. musical chairs and clothes pin dropping in a bottle... sleepover parties and good childhood memories. Channa need only say "stop shaking your eyes" and we both smile and I respond.. "stop sawing the table!" But for Jill, this is a memory so far unable to be relived... unfortunately the one she remembers fondly for her line "bla bla bla blicycle", is not YET! released.

Never fear though!! It was announced only just this week that the National Film Board of Canada is making all films publicly available through their website (http://www.nfb.ca/>/) that launched with 700 of their 13,000 films. They plan to add 100 new ones each month! So it should be coming soon.... now we just have to remember some details so we can search for it... a title would be superb! Until then we'll enjoy the trips down memory lane with the other films. Some even new to us!

Robert Burns Day

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. Since I'm sure you all wish to go out and get the required ingredients so that you can celebrate the holiday correctly with a fine Haggis, neeps(mashed Turnips) and tatties (Whipped potatoes) and a small dram(Scotch Whiskey)... I think that last one might be the secret to a good Haggis!

There are many recipes, most of which have in common the following ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.

I'll try to keep my post short today... I know how busy you will all be preparing your Haggis and airing out your pipes!

Thanks to our ancestry and Mum's love of the pipes, Channa and I learned to highland dance! Channa, the ever competitive one has far more medals than I, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the outfits, the dances, the pipes, the games! My favourite dances were the lilt and the jig... I always wished I'd learned the hornpipe.. and the sword dance, while one of my best performances... always concerned me a little!

Guess what?....

Around here... we've recently learned not to ask that simple question.. "Guess what?"

Because for some very odd reason... the answer to such a question is always...

"Chicken butt".... I don't typically permit such 'fowl' talk... I was surprised by this one being uttered in the first place.

It seemed to be Miles favourite thing to say... and Duncan would 'egg' him on by repeatedly asking..."Guess what?"

But Miles is extremely pleased with himself. It is currently his task to care for the chickens and he has been well rewarded in this month of increased productivity!... 6-9 eggs each day! So pleased is he with the ladies that he checks their nesting boxes more than once a day. He was rewarded with a very excited chicken showing him exactly where the egg was coming from!!! "She layed it practically in my hand!!... and guess what?... it came from the chicken's butt!"

Now I'm not sure if he'll ever stop saying it!

My thunder is ... gone!

YUP!... my thunder was ... STOLEN!

You see.. in my excitement to share with 'MY' grand blogging public my green egg victory, I inadvertently published a story about my sister's oh so not very rare birth of a baby llama! She had been complaining recently that I don't blog much about her... and so I tried to make it blogworthy!

Lo, and behold... my amazing egg has 3 comments and the constant back and forth over a name for an itty bitty llama 1500 miles away from here... has a whopping 24 comments... more comments than ANY other post!!!

So in true competitive fashion... I'll put it out there... Shall I name the lovely hen who now has laid 5 green eggs for us? Only one other hen has a name... Lady Cluck.. (you can read all about her name and her here) The hen who is laying the green egg is one of two black hens in the yard... I'm thinking something Dr. Seussian? or her breed.. Aruacana?... or something to do with the colour... maybe ... Emerald... or Esmerelda?

OR
is it clear that the world is more interested in llamas than chickens... I should have a llama out back instead!... I bet if my llama laid a green egg THAT would get comments!!

Ole! Ole!

Obviously what my children study is what is most important to all my readers! Duncan who recently took a virtual tour of Australia in his social studies class has finally gained an understanding of what 'virtual' means. I no longer have to answer the question "Can I pack for my trip today?" or "When do we leave?" or "Will we be home for dinner?"

So we 'left' Australia and have now traveled to Europe. Our first stop was Spain. Ole! The kids love Spain! I may have trouble convincing them to continue on to our next destination! They've loved the foods we've tried... the pastries and hot cocoa for breakfast was a huge hit! But by far the matador's have been the favourite! They didn't want to try the running of the bulls, but they thought they'd give bull fighting a whirl!

I apologize profusely for filming sideways!!!


The older children are learning more than simply how to correctly bull fight! We've learned about some explorers from Spain and the significant impact that their explorations had on the rest of the world. We've learned about the spice trade... and went on a spice hunt with our noses! Don't inhale is a lesson we all gained after that one! After learning about the line of demarcation decreed by the pope of De Gama and Cabrel regarding their discoveries.... Sarah and Miles made a distinct 'line of demarcation' on their school desk! We'll see if it goes as well...

Pork Chops and Apple Sauce...

My kids started saying this in sort of a New Jersian drawl through somewhat gritted teeth... it was catchy... in a strange and odd sort of way. I didn't know where it had come from or why they were all coming in to the kitchen everyday saying "Are we having.... (pause, look from side to side and then say, )... pork chops and apple sauce?"

So to be a cool mother... I bought some pork chops... I have oodles of applesauce (see 6 trees in back yard), and I made the pork chops and applesauce... I then called downstairs on the intercom.... "Come git your 'pork chops and applesauce'."

They all came bounding up the stairs with bewildered expressions... I showed off my dinner and Miles filled me in...

"You're not supposed to eat it... it's just the code word."
"What?"
Sarah much better at explaining things... muddled it more but managed to convey that in watching their favourite new show The Brady Bunch, it was a code word the kids had used with Alice 'the housekeeper' on one of the episodes....

We ate our 'pork chops and applesauce' and the kids haven't used any food related code words around me ever since!

Forties File Friday - Finally - Chores

ahh... chores... the necessary evil.

As a mother I appreciate chores more.... and I'm definitely a fan of the chore chart, chore wheel. I even made one up for my dorm in college... we had weekly inspections and once we made a chart everyone just did their part and we didn't panic about the inspection.

But as a child. Chores in a large house, with a large family.... Typical chores like dishes and laundry.... but mum had systems.. Mum is a firm believer in systems. She also did a fair bit during the day while we were at school... she must have because our laundry buckets were always ready for delivery. I enjoyed hanging out laundry... still do. I enjoyed vacuuming... still do. I enjoyed collecting the eggs... still do. I enjoyed washing the cars... still do. but beyond that.... I didn't enjoy taking out the garbage... still don't. I didn't enjoy washing dishes in the sink... still don't (but they have to get done). I didn't enjoy mopping the floors... still don't. I didn't enjoy taking out the compost... still don't. I didn't enjoy making the powdered milk... non issue now! whew! I never had to do the burning barrel.... I'm sure I didn't want to either... still don't. I didn't enjoy weeding the garden... but now there is great satisfaction in it!

I also never mowed the grass.... oddly enough this I love to do... in fact last summer I was as giddy as a school girl, when I got my first non-electric, non-gas powered, push mower.... I have to wrestle the kids for a turn to mow!

I can distinctly remember vacuuming the stairs one day. I was using the old bullet vac of course and doing each tread carefully and then arriving at the landing I hadn't bothered to bring any attachments to do a large area so doing it it with the little hose.... I don't know what came over me next.... but the wooden area that was exposed... (this must have been before they were recarpeted with the 'plum' carpeting)... on that bit of exposed wooden area of stair tread... I carved my name with the metal vacuum end into the wood.... Why aren't children savvy enough to know they should carve someone else's name?

I remember taking the compost out one day... it stunk... I didn't want to take it and had likely put it off so when I finally grabbed the bucket and headed down the basement stairs and it spilled down every step... the last thing I wanted to do was have to pick it back up.. ICK!!! So I confess now... 20 years later.... that I blamed it on the sweet little visiting 18 month old niece, Bailey!

Odd socks in front of a movie... oddly... I've never made my children do them... but I love to match socks... it's one of those odd quirks I guess... I have very few odd socks in my house and have always matched the socks as they come out of the laundry. In fact until I was converted to using the dryer for the fiddly load... I used to match them as I hung them up to dry!
(look forward to my laundering blog coming soon!)

Nowadays I like to think that it is my responsibility to teach my boys to be domestic assistants who will be assets to a future wife... I also hope that in providing such nice helpful boys.. I'll get wonderful daughter in laws in return.... I also believe it is my responsibility to teach my daughter to clean as she goes and to just get in there and get it done. It takes less time and energy to just get in there and get something done than to whine and complain about having to do it... And she better find a fellow who gets in there and helps! Now granted I want all of them to know that running a home requires all members participation... So we split our home into 6 segments. On the first of the month we rotate... We tried daily and weekly but honestly in order to truly learn a task a month is needed and I don't have to constantly wonder who should be doing what? So if it is a task you don't care for... don't worry.. it will be 6 months before it rolls around again.

1. Dining Room, Dishwasher, Dog care
2. Living Room, Bathrooms, Garbages, Cats care
   
3. Family areas, (Den, Playroom), Chicken care
4. Mudroom, Porches, Entries, Cars, Rabbits
5. Kitchen, Vacuuming, Lunches
6. Office, Laundry, Outside tidy

It has been enlightening as to which the different children prefer and which they all detest. They all take approx. 15 min. each morning. I've noticed different methods as they switch... each month... my forks, knives and spoons change places... and you know instantly who is on dishes when you hear them say... "Can we just share this plate?" or "Use your water bottle... don't dirty another cup." and my favourite, "You can use the same fork for your dinner and your dessert!"

I also have to be aware of who is doing each task and remember that I can't expect Duncan to do as tidy and thourough a job as I can of Caleb or Sarah... but that if he's doing his best I can not go around behind him and do it again... as difficult as it may be at times!

As I said at the beginning.. chores are a necessary evil and don't take as long as you ever think...

Dinosaurs are extinct

They are extinct except in the nightmares of Derek!

We had a field trip last week to Astro Space Camp for Caleb and Sarah. It was an hours drive away though... and I didn't feel like coming home again and turning around an hour later to drive back... but what to do with the two little boys and myself? Channa called to see if it would be a good day to come over and hang out... but I explained my quandary and she replied, that's right near the Dinosaur Museum... we'll join you.. the boys love it! So it was settled. After I dropped off the Space adventurers, we'd meet at the museum.

So the fact that it's mostly outdoors and that it's still frigid outside didn't click too well. We started off indoors where we were met by some very realistic looking, large robotic dinosaurs.... Derek wouldn't go into the area... he wanted to see them... but from a safer distance outside the entrance! There was no convincing him that it was ok to get up close and personal with that roaring and moving T-Rex! Ironically it's what he talks about and thinks is really cool and assures others that they are not real!

We toured the museum relatively quickly and had a chance to speak with the on-sight paleantoligist who was working on some fossils. Then we went on the prowl outdoors! It was a dangerous place with all those dinos on the loose! We saw the dinos big and small.. the flyers, the leaf eaters, the young and the old, the ducks and bunnies... wait ... what... yes there was a pond with ducks and a swan and there was a small cage in the park with some bunnies in it... perhaps the dino's dinner later??

What blew our minds though was how Duncan kept telling us what exihibit was going to be next as though he were a tour guide or something... Derek and Cooper had been to this park many a time but Duncan... not as far as we knew! Children should not however be doubted! They don't have a million useless things clogging up their brains yet... so their memories are far less clouded... It took Channa and I at least an hour to figure out that he had come before... Once with Channa on a Kenzie school field trip... over 2 1/2 years ago!

We didn't stay for our planned picnic with the dinosaurs as our cheeks, noses and ears were totally against the idea of staying outside any longer. The vote for a mcplayplace was unanimous! So we found the dingiest, oddest one in existence and spent our last 90 minutes waiting for our astronauts to return to earth.

Itty bitty Llama

In all my excitement over the green egg, I received a call that I didn't respond to right away... Apparently Paige is having excitement of her own with their first, born on the Lazy Ranch, itty, bitty, Llama. Now she needs a name...

Green Eggs, hold the ham

For those of you who have been holding your breath wondering if today would ever come..... please take some deep breaths.... do a sanity check and wonder no more! We have our first GREEN EGG! Yes it's green.... the photographer isn't sure the best way to capture it's true green essence but I assure you... it is a green egg. Three of our fine hens are a special breed (Ameraucana's) who we were told would lay these specialty eggs. The anticipation has been great....


Now we just need a source for some green ham.....

We Need More Denny

There is a cousin across the pond of whom we do not hear enough about! He's been a delight to have around once when he was a tot and once when he was 10... And although we know getting together more is complicated by having this vast Pacific Ocean between us we still long to know more.

He is joining the teenage ranks this year... but you can tell from the sweet smile and the gentle spirit that he is of a different mold than most teenage boys. Of course no teenage boy likely wants to be described as sweet and gentle... and I know his teammates on the basketball team would not agree with that description. I hear he's a regular AirDenny!


Being across the pond has created an interesting phenomenon.... you see the day he was born I remember receiving the fax (how old fashioned), the joy that he had made it here... it hadn't been an easy pregnancy for Hiroko... but all was well now that Denny had arrived on.... oh dear... the fax came on Jan. 19th... but that meant it was Jan. 20th in Japan... so when was he born? Did the fax come right away after birth making it the 20th... or was he born on the 19th... the confusion at the time has led to confusion ever since. It really shouldn't be so complicated... so I hope to put to rest the confusion and ask that the truth be revealed by way of a comment!
Of course... do I post Japan time or my time... oh the confusion lives on...

Happy Birthday Denny!!

Antarctic appearances

See what I mean... it just keeps going and going.... I blog about the increased awareness of penguins and my inbox is suddenly full of well clad birds!




New fun internet game... www.supertux.com





Even my children pointed out that they plug their MP3 players into ICY the penguin who sings and dances along with their music and acts as their speakers....

Ants in the Pants

I sat down at a reasonable hour to work on a blog..... I ended up working on four different ones but none of them are quite ready for publishing.... ahhh... my readers are getting antsy... I can tell because they are commenting on old blogs! I love the comments though... tempts me to not blog so frequently, more often!

I've been traveling down memory lane quite a lot lately... I'm scanning in the last of the old 35mm. photo albums.... oh... it's tough to stay disciplined and keep scanning and not just reminisce and enjoy!

So I promise I'll have something for you by midnight tomorrow.... something juicy and fun.... and not a glass of OJ with an umbrella either! If I fail to deliver... which I won't... I might show you the most dreadful photo of me EVER taken... and no Channa it isn't the one you blew up of me and put on Kenzie's wall... IT's WORSE! .... trust me I'll be blogging again!... I wouldn't want to have to show that photo!

Forties File Friday - Camping

Camping.... Did you like camping growing up, did you have a favourite camping trip or location, do you still camp now as a result of positive memories of camping as a child.... ?

Ahhhhh, camping. Purposely putting yourself into discomfort in the name of recreation and relaxation!
We did... we do.... and it's always more work than it seems and usually as much fun as hoped for!

My camping experiences growing up were varied and memorable! I went to Brownie camp two different summers I believe. There was a cabin that we always went to, a great set up with long tables for eating and crafts and the walls were lined with bunk beds. I made my presence known right away by falling off the top bunk in the night. (not the last time that would occur in my life either!)

I don't how we got involved in 'family camps' but we did.... these were not positive places.... One year I was a champion of stilt walking.... until I fell and banged my head... concussion at camp .... such good wholesome recreation!

Then the year to always be remembered, when I awoke to the LARGE spider kissing my lips! My lips were soo swollen... 'kind hearted people' referred to it as a snout! I couldn't put a spoon in my mouth to eat and I can remember having to go ask if I could have a straw to suck up my oatmeal with .... why no one offered to get it for me I don't know... instead of making me go up and try to speak with enormous lips... Never been much of a spider fan....

No idea if it is the same camp as any of the above mentioned but one camp had a small success... Camp Imodene.... why it had a name and the others didn't??? ... but for a campout we sure came away with some cute ceramics?!???

I know that as a family we camped with the Richards family... at least once.... I'm sure it was as exciting as could be expected with a family of ten and a family of nine!

Camping took on another type of adventure when we left one of dad's work parties I believe one time and Mum and the younger kids all went on an unplanned adventure... camping along the way and ending up at Hornby.... Hornby would for many many years be the camping, long weekend, holiday, any spare time destination for many years to come. We bought the 'gowaydumbee' cottage with the loft that would later be disastrous for Eden, but would be filled with memories and a few odd jobs......
When we first arrived at Hornby... there was always the chill in the cabin that had to be dealt with. Some how by bed time it was just right and we would snuggle into our loft beds with Dad reading books from the couch below. Then when the heat became so unbearable at oh... 3 am... there were great Skip Bo games at the old 60's diner table down where it was a little more bearable... It was a great time... we learned a lot about Mum through Hornby... Who knew she was such an outdoors woman... a pyro at heart and a fan of two seater dutch door style outhouses?
I've never been a huge fan of the beach... not liking sand much... but I do have fond memories of playing on the beach both at Hornby and at Willow's beach. The giant clam, sand dollars, rowing in the blow up boats, playing in the tidal pools..
... but this is about camping not playing at the beach and I do have another camping 'experience'.

As a young woman.. having attended girl's camp every year I passed all the required stages to become an advanced Adventurer qualifying me for the campout of a lifetime.... "the west coast trail"... This is a rugged and famous trail that many an experienced hiker looks forward to completeing and adding to their repertoire of great hiking trails....
Unfortunately... I am unable to truthfully add it to my list... other than to say... I started the west coast trail on a sunny day in August... My backpack held the maximum weight that was allotted to me... We set off in good spirits.... we had trained for this and we were ready... just not ready for what was coming our way! The first day we encountered all the things we had been told to expect... rickety bridges, rope ladders, small streams, narrow pathways, waterfalls, other hikers, but by that night we also encountered... the life flight helicopter on the beach where we were camping for the night... to take one of our leaders to the hospital for chest pains... he had a small stroke...
On we went... the next day... as it started to rain.... and rain... and rain... It rained the rest of the trip with patches of cloudy sky here and there.... But on we hiked over hill and dale... through brush and muddy trail... pulling ourselves across ravines in little wooden? boxes high above on a wire.... (who created the trail?)

As we camped each night... the goal was to try to get dry and rest. We were 15 and 16 year old girls... we were exhausted and aching. On the third night as I was sitting as close as I dared to the fire to warm myself and rotate my hiking boots next to the fire so they would dry out for wearing the next day... I failed to notice when one tipped over into the fire. It was luckily brought to my attention before the boot was completely destroyed... but there was definitely a hole burned through the side of the boot and part of the sole had become a melted mess. but it was dry now!

The next morning found us with a torrential downpour. We were camped along the shore and had quite a bit of beach walking that day... Somehow one of the tents had sprung a leak in the night and so 4 of the girls had wet gear... wet sleeping bags and essentially wet everything to now lug with them. Our spirits weren't quite so high anymore. There had been some twisted ankles along the way and cuts and scrapes which would have been inevitable. The rain had slowed us down quite a bit and now with some girls completely chilled we were struggling with getting out on schedule and intact. Then another leader fell... I don't recall what she broke but I'm fairly sure she broke a bone. It was arranged that one of the remaining leaders and an older girl would hike out to the nearest exit and send some help back.

We made a camp mid day and tried to dry out. We spent the afternoon drying out gear and waiting. By early evening the rain stopped but the winds picked up. But so did our luck.... sort of... The coast guard had been sent to our rescue! I've been told of the cute coast guard trainees that were on board that night, and of the chef's amazing dishes that he served to the girls that came aboard.... but as one of the first aboard the zodiac that took us out over the choppy waters to the rescue ship and then having to climb aboard with the sea spray whipping up at us. I'm queasy at the best of times on a still boat... this didn't improve.... We were shown to some berths where we could change into dry outfits and and lay down if we liked.... oh how I liked! I slept through the next 6 hours of adventure that I've been told was quite a feisty night at sea with all those sailors.... but I just wanted my head and stomach to stay where they belonged until we docked in the marina and found our parents who had been wakened to pick up their rescued daughters a little early from their hiking experience.

All these experiences did not stop me from taking my own children camping....
I've done the mormon trail with Caleb at 2 in a handcart, gone on ward campouts in SLC , camped in oregon, wyoming and arizona and had adventures in my own backyard.... but it's already too long a post for one Friday, so I'll save all that drama for another time.

So far responses are in from John, Dad, Eden, Paige and Mum and can be found by clicking here!

Forties File Friday - National Film Board of Canada

A little treasure I discovered that I know fits well with forties file Friday! Sure brings back memories of the reel to reel projectors and many a birthday party!

Enjoy the show!

Penguin Craze

My sister Eden likes penguins... has for years... they're cool... she liked them before they were all the rage... I'm not sure if she's ahead of the curve or the trendsetter...

I'm not sure if there is one definitive thing that set off the actual penguin craze of if it is just a culmination of events that snowballed into what is now penguinmania... or maybe it's just all in my mind...

March of the penguins, Surfs up, Happy Feet, (lesser known and extremely annoying) Pingu, Disney's penguinclub.com, penguin diner, there were some penguins in the Madagascar movie and Veggie tales ran a stint of 3,2,1, penguin as well.What exactly is it? I'm not against it, just curious why the sudden craze.... is it their incredible story from March of the penguins that got everyone hooked... is it their formal attire?, maybe their ever wacky stories portrayed in cartoon? Now penguins are making it big online in gaming!.... I held off as long as I could but it was inevitable I guess.... When it's all Derek and Cooper can talk about?? And 3 - 5 year olds are where it is at in the keeping me cool department!

So we checked out club penguin...... apparently so did tens of thousands of other people world wide.... and more each day.... It's just the amount of bribery needed to get my kids to do their chores... so they can go to club penguin.... If I view it in just the right light it's like my family is going on vacation together and playing games... I mean the other night via 4 cell phones, 7 computers, club penguin and the internet.... 7 cousins and 2 sisters were able to connect in a fun atmosphere of 'hey look I made my penguin dance'... 'I took my penguin to the dojo... we're playing a card-jitsu game and I have a yellow belt already'... 'come check out my igloo'... and apparently penguins have pets.... 'puffles'.... as if we don't have enough responsibilities in the real world.... each of my children had to get their penguins 2 puffles which require feeding, bathing, playing and walking .... or they return to the wild!!

The worst is the competitive aspect.... and everyone is wound up in it... there are a some interactive games... one that is particularly competitive is the afore mentioned... card-jitsu ( a sort of intense rock, paper, scissors online card type game).... you work your way up in belt colours based on skill and number of games won! Black belt is of course the highest rank.... and when my kids learned that Derek and Cooper were already black belts, ninjas and secret agents they have been vying for computer time anyway they can! Paige who doesn't have a competitive bone in her body................. called first thing this morning to 'inform' them that she had just earned her black belt! I've never seen them whip through school so fast! In order for peace to reign in my home though each of the children play from a different computer at the same time... the computer time is easier to control this way and when time is up all of them are up.... but it does mean that I get booted from my own machine in order for it to happen.... so while they are all rapidly moving up the card-jitsu belt ladder... I am a lowly yellow belt... which is only just above a white belt....(the start).... but I have better 'puffle round up' skills than they do.

I suppose one could say we've all gone to the birds..... but who knew it would be so fun there!

Nuts

I'm going nuts!

But that's not what this is about!

This is about a dilemma I had to face.

Since becoming a chicken farmer I have had the pleasure of explaining a few things to people that I didn't realize needed to be explained... like how a chicken can still be expected to lay eggs even though I didn't get a rooster?... how I obviously know more or at least am more willing to look it up than Patrick about the ladies!... how because of the chickens I came to read a book called "The Chicken Dance"... that wasn't at all what I expected, although I did learn a tiny bit about chickens, laughed and sort of enjoyed the book until about 2/3 through when it got .. well.. odd... so don't really think I'll recommend it as a good read... even if it was slated as a grade five book choice!... how brown eggs aren't any more nutritionally equipped than white eggs, but rather they come from a different type of chicken and therefore paying more for brown is just silly! unless they are free range chicken's which is truly difficult to prove even if it says they are on the carton because the legal definition of free range is complex...

But of all the conversations that have come up since I first became a 'chicken farmer'... the one that truly stumped me was that which started with my neighbour.... whom I know is just trying to be nice to me so she can have some fresh eggs now and then.... (I know this because of the gifts that she brings over for my ladies every few days... she comes by with a bowl of scraps or sometimes she has gone so far as to make a soup and claim that 'her children didn't like it' and do you think your chickens would like this? )

But last night she came by and had an almost full bag of almonds. She says... "I know Duncan is allergic so I don't want to put it down in your house, but before I offer it to the chickens what do you think?.... should we give them nuts?"

My first reaction was "You are nuts"... but I said... "uhhhh.... I've never really thought about whether or not the chickens might like nuts."

Her response made me glad I didn't go with my first response...
"Because you know if they eat the nuts and then lay eggs and you make eggs for Duncan will that make Duncan have a reaction or will the nuts that the chickens eat not affect the eggs?"

(She's either very concerned about Duncan or she wants to feed them to the chickens and have the next two weeks worth of eggs for herself on the guise of protecting Duncan...!...hmm)
We determined that if what a lactating woman eats can affect her milk supply, then it wasn't worth risking 'almond contaminated chicken eggs'!

Patrick "You are both nuts!"

But are we? Could we take that risk? It's not as though the chickens are starving and needed those nuts... so although this might make some 'gasp'... we went outside and tossed those nuts....


in the garbage.

Tooth Fairy Addiction

Most children are very excited to have their first tooth fall out. It's a sign of maturity, it's exciting, it's rewarding... (depending on the fairy)

My children so far have been very patient about their teeth fallouts... Typically late teeth losers. Sarah had to be bribed by Aunt Tina with $5.00 to let her yank it out... it was seriously hanging on by a thread but she wouldn't twist it or wiggle it ... she wanted it to come out naturally!... Such has been my experience with teeth until Miles!

Last year he lost his first tooth... At the first sign of wiggliness he wiggled, he jiggled, he twisted, he ate apples and corn on the cob, he tied the string around the tooth and the doorknob and convinced Caleb to slam it... (that didn't work though)... but he was relentless and after maybe three days of wiggliness.. it fell out... just as Sacrament was being passed in church! (A tooth that comes out on it's own just falls out... one that is coerced... BLEEDS!... A prepared mother would have tissues or wipes handy for any occasion in her church bag... I for whatever odd reason had a dirty odd sock! Miles tried his best to contain his excitement to our pew... although the Bishop congratulated him after church on his loss and the people behind us were holding in their laughter!What really gets me though... is that another one was wiggly two weeks later! Again after only a few days of persistent tugging... out it came... this time during Primary class... That teacher had a tissue and a sandwich baggie handy... (How did she know it was going to come out?)
After only a matter of four months he managed to yank out 6 of his teeth!


But the dissapointment was that the toothfairy regularly missed us.... she just couldn't keep up!... sometimes it took her a week to remember that there was somthing under that pillow... and as each day passed that she forgot... the payment seemed to need to go up! She was indeed grateful for the 6 month reprieve when nothing else wiggled in his mouth... but.... he just informed me... there are two new wiggly ones!!!

The definition of Irony or Mayhem... perhaps they should be listed together in a thesaurus

Irony:

Mothers want peace and quiet and when the children are out of sight and quiet, it sends a chill of panic up their spines. For it is generally in these moments that such disasters as the following occur!
Sarah's 3rd Birthday... Miles was missing for a few moments... to be found in the playhouse with some woefully neglected bowls of ice cream that he promptly gave some attention to.... eating most and finger painting the playhouse with the rest...

Unfortunately he will LONG be remembered for his day with the diaper rash cream..... I suppose I should be grateful that he stripped down first and didn't paint his clothes with the non-water soluble cream! The cream was first scraped off his body with a spoon and he was given the longest bath ever known to man.... (in retrospect... shaving his head would have been a simpler task than washing umpteen times to try to remove the cream!)

Finally he was at least 'clean' when I found him this time!

I can actually remember one dreadful day being soo frustrated with his antics, having cleaned up a canister of sugar on the kitchen floor, then finding the heads to MANY of my flowers tidily snipped and arranged on the table, all the fridge magnets neatly placed through the slots in the floor vents, the dogs water dish filled with dry dog food... (the dog is just picky enough not to touch it once it's wet... she'll eat a dirty diaper but not wet food... go figure!) and I felt I was running behind one disaster to another cleaning up only to find that he had finger painted the baby and some of the carpet, so I found some play handcuffs and sat him on the bottom step and handcuffed him to the railing so I could at least catch up and know that he wouldn't be able to make another mess for a few minutes!

Now, at seven Miles is a dream.... not the nightmare imp that he was in his toddlerhood.... If he is quiet now... I know he is in deep contemplation or creating some masterpiece with lego or a drawing... but he has known from a VERY YOUNG age that finger painting was indeed a love of his... he just knows to paint on paper and wear a smock now!

Keeping up a blog....

It has been brought to my attention that I must be neglecting important things in order to (I quote) 'churn out mountains of tedious details of day to day life !! albeit interesting at times and somewhat amusing tedious tidbits, nonetheless'

And so as it seems to be the pattern to this years blogging I find myself confessing to things once again....

Duncan sleeps on the mountain of dirty laundry with the dog for warmth since the snow drifts coming in his broken window have taken over his bed....
The contents of the chicken bucket have been consumed by the children out of hunger and desperation.
Sarah's hair now a mass of dreads will need to be shaved in order to keep the lice at bay...
The illiterate urchins that roam the streets begging during the day since I don't even send them to school are mine!!
Patrick has taken to working out of town so that he doesn't have to witness the demise of his family and home...
Channa... well I'm sure she'll tell of the neglect she receives at my hand.... how Derek isn't potty trained because I haven't taken the time to train him(that's true though... she's frequently telling me that I'm neglecting her now...)

So with all this neglect.... at least I can live in the blissful, happy world of blog....

Truthfully.... the blog like so many things in life came about at the right time in life.... when I could give it the time, energy and effort it deserves...
I don't know if it is because moving to this house created the right environment, if I have become more enlightened and mature as I've aged, if there is simply more time in the day now..., or perhaps credit should go where it is deserved.. to the two cleaning and organizing ladies that come every few days to take care of things around here.... Thanks Julie and Marla.. because without them instead of a life like this
I could look like this!!because the true test of whether or not my life is in harmony or things are running smoothly is to take a peek in my own bedroom... you see I can keep the rest of my house tidy but if things are out of control in my life than the chaos ends up shoved in my room... but if things are good... then even my room is peaceful.

The best thing is I can actually afford them!! Julie Mortgenstern worked inside my head and Marla Cilley (Flylady) put it into action... slowly but surely the caterpillar emerges as a butterfly... and so shall I...
So, no.. nothing is truly neglected in order for me to blog, the kids are clothed in clean clothes, fed throughout the day, the house is amazingly, tidy, schoolwork is done each day and we even play games and do puzzles some times... so the blog is just a little gift to myself after all the hard work to get to this point not something I do instead of other things...



other than my own personal sleep..... but that was happening before the blogging phase began!

Forties File Friday - Saturday is a special day

Saturday was indeed a special day at our home growing up.

It was the day we did everything!! From normal Saturday chores on a four story victorian style house to big projects like gardens that covered 1/4 acre of the property! If one was lucky we could be called upon to move a 'rock garden'!!

But Saturdays were 'special' for another reason! EVERY Saturday morning we had pancakes. Dad cooked on Saturdays. I'm not sure how this all began, whether it was to give Mum a day off or because he enjoyed cooking and didn't feel he had the time during the week but we could count on pancakes with homemade maple syrup every Saturday morning.

I have no idea what we ate or if we ate lunch on a Saturday but I guarantee that whether it was before or after your Saturday night bath we had a piping hot bowl of Dad's beans and fresh hot cornbread! I wonder if we weren't liked to well the next morning at church each week?... (maybe this wasn't too well thought out)

Now Dad used to work as a chef or chef's assistant when he was younger and I'm sure he learned to make more than just pancakes and a pot of beans with cornbread but we rarely if ever varied from our Saturday fare!.... But if we did..... Mmmmmmmmmm.. Dad made doughnuts!! (by the way I'd really like that recipe) I didn't grow up with a great deal of knowledge about doughnuts except that Dad would make them and we had glazed or not glazed, holes galore, cake or light and fluffy! Even a few that were braided!

Dad also made Sopapillas, until later I assumed this was a name he had made up himself! We didn't argue they were tasty and who cared what he was calling them.



Then there were ........ Varenyki ........... I think Channa is about the only one who has come close to mastering the skill involved in creating this amazing meal! But we all have trouble not overeating them! Especially smothered in butter and sour cream....

I suppose with all these wonders I should mention that I didn't care for radishes even though he planted tonnes of them every year, I'm still not an eggplant fan... again.. too many planted, and I didn't understand why we had to have icky greek salad every time we went to Hornby for our vacation..... until later in life and I wonder why I didn't snarf it down when I was younger... I guess it was an acquired taste and I did acquire that one!!

But by far one of the best things we sometimes made on a Saturday would have been Root Beer Floats in our beer mugs from the homemade root beer that Dad also made. We'd have our long float spoons and our personally made glass blown straws (that Dad also made). (I'd love a set of those again.... hint, hint..)

As I'm working on menus for the month I'm drawn to this idea of creating a day of traditional foods.... and I'm sure memories....