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Chris and Mar's new website (can I link it yet?) is a delightful blog compiling information on living greener, healthier, and earth-friendlier... if I may sum it up thusly. I think it's awesome that we are slowly learning to embrace environmentally sound options in our lives. We live in a privileged part of the world and yet it's so easy to squander all of our resources, to waste when we could re-use, to harm the earth carelessly. It's sort of an interesting conundrum ... it's cheaper to use disposable stuff and to eat non-organic food... and although as one of the richest nations in the world, we have the ability to choose better options ... we usually don't. Our consumerist, get-things-cheaper attitude takes over. We complain about items made in China when they turn out to contain lead or are made of something disgusting, etc. But we usually won't bring ourselves to spend more to buy a locally made item or food product. The almighty dollar governs our lives. Of course, the less we spend now, the more it costs us in the future. Interesting how that works.
As the price of gas climbs ever upward, I find myself wondering how I can lessen my own impact on the earth. Unfortunately there is little I can do about my commute. There is no reasonable transit option and I can't carpool with anyone. I do try to drive the hybrid twice a week (and I am campaigning for hybrid #2 when we finish paying off the first one...) I can't work from home and what's worse, I often have to drive to and from various places while I'm already at work.
So... here are some small things I am trying to do - feel free to add suggestions!:
- pack a lunch - it means less packaging and it's healthier anyway (I'm doing my best!)
- lighten up on the gas pedal - it's more gas-efficient. And avoid idling!
- recycle, recycle, recycle. Ugh, this is a tough one sometimes. But after seeing some shows on landfills and what shouldn't be in them, I'm convinced!
- grow vegetables - well - this is just a dream for now.
- get a water meter at our new house - complete with low flow toilets and faucets and showerheads
- take shorter showers
- use reusable bags rather than plastic
Recently I was reading Mimi Smartypants (one of my favourite sites to peruse) and she talked about Chicago's public library recently instituting a hold system for books. Wow, weird! We've had that system forever (or at least it seems like it.) I suppose our library system isn't as large as Chicago's, but nevertheless, I'm still surprised. I used to be quite the bookish kid - my brother and I used to take out stacks of books from the library and read them for hours at a time. (When you're kind of a klutz athletically, at least you can be smart academically!)
These days I rarely visit the library. Lack of time, lack of convenience, I suppose. (I used to just visit the branch closest to my house on the way home from school. Now - I'd have to drive!) I think I take the hold system for granted though. Instead of going to the library for a specific book, I tend to go and just browse the fiction shelves for books by authors I've enjoyed in the past, for recommendations by friends, or for staff recommended reads. On the rare occasion, I will actually look up a book and place it on hold, but then I'm bad about picking up my holds too. I know - how lazy can you get - first they bring the book to you and then you don't even go and get it.
I've always found comfort and escape in a good book. In Mexico last year, I finished three books while laying on the beach drinking mojitos, enjoying the sunshine ... ahhh... kinda wish I was there right now. Anyway. I feel like I hardly read any more and it's hampering my vocabulary. I don't even have any good snarky things to say. Maybe I should make it a goal to read more books - but that's a tough goal to keep.
It's funny how life gets in the way of enjoying life sometimes. Most days when I get home from work, I'm tired... and there are so many things to do already. I'm constantly playing catch up on cleaning, for example.
I really should make better use of the library, you know. In Medicine Hat I had to pay $8 for a library card. Yes, I know that isn't a lot, but here, libraries are free. FREE! It's like music to my ears.
Ever since I started working for a living (what a drag!) I have found that it is very difficult to pack a lunch to work. It's so much easier to buy something from a nearby restaurant than to wake up early and pack myself a lunch. Yes - I realize I could pack myself something the night before, but that requires a level of organization as yet unknown to me. Sometimes, there are dinner leftovers and then lunch is easy ... but even then, there are days in which I don't feel like eating leftovers for lunch. (Wow, I am spoiled.)
So I've been looking around the good old Internet for lunch inspiration. This is made more difficult by the fact that I rarely cook, but let's just see what's out there anyway, shall we?
Lunchinabox.net is a great site devoted to the art of bento. I wish I had the wherewithal to prepare such delightful looking lunches. I mean really, take a look at this yummy zarusoba bento! I'm so impressed that this lady takes the time to create such neat lunches for her little kid. Frankly I think that would cause lunchroom envy. I would love to have the creativity and tools to make my own bento box every day.... and yet somehow - I look at the pictures and think, too complicated!
Here's another one: Laptop lunches. The neat and tidy lunch box is quite visually striking to a disorganized soul like me. Although I'm far too old to be carrying a lunch box to work (I usually just grab some sort of bag and throw food in) (aside: the plastic bag = Chinese person's suitcase) the idea of packing a variety of foods in small containers is rather appealing.
Packing a lunch is not only earth-friendly, it's also friendly to the wallet. I tell myself these things every day and yet often I end up buying something for lunch. So I am hereby making a resolution to pack my lunch four times a week (I like to set lofty goals rather than keeping my standards low) and spending less than $20/week on going out for lunches, coffees, and the like. Since buying the new place I am finally stepping into the world of debt (the old place was only in hubby's name) and thus being a good steward of money is more important than ever.
What do you like to have in your lunch?
Who keeps Googling "alittlebitsnarky" in order to get to my site? Sitemeter suggests you are in Toronto... but Sitemeter has been wrong before...
My mom is a piano teacher and has been one for as long as I can remember. I started piano lessons around age 5 and so I have some great piano-related memories. Our house was always filled with music and/or noise, depending on what student was playing at the time. I can still remember the day we got the grand piano - I was only about 5 and I was mesmerized by the piano movers and their ability to carry this giant piano. My mom tells me that when I was really young, I would sit by the fireplace in our old house, peering around the piano to watch her students during their lessons. I recall once, some kid and his parents came over for dinner or something, and my brother and I were playing with this kid when he hurled a toy car at the piano. The dent is still there. I remember that my brother used to play piano too, that is, until it turned out he completely sucked at piano, and hated it too. He once said that he wouldn't mind inheriting one of the pianos, so he could burn it. Some of my closest friends were my mom's students and we used to play every Saturday - I was always the leader, of course.
I was the one who insisted on taking piano lessons, and what's even crazier, I insisted on continuing them. My mom used to say to me all the time, "If you aren't going to practice, why don't you just quit?" and instead of taking the opportunity to quit like most kids might, I would say "No! I don't want to quit!" and then I would step up the practicing. You see, my mom wasn't my piano teacher. Instead, I had a very frightening piano teacher. I'll call her Mrs. T. She was all sorts of awesome, but so, so scary. I never cried in front of her although I recall many occasions when I would get into the car and start crying right away. (Never one to reveal my vulnerabilities, of course!) Mrs. T told me stories about how when she was a student in Hong Kong, she took lessons in her teacher's 5th floor apartment, and when she didn't play well, he would throw the books out the window and she would have to retrieve them and walk back up the stairs each time. I suppose she was trying to say that no matter how much she yelled, at least I wasn't climbing 5 flights of stairs several times each lesson. Sometimes Mrs. T didn't yell, she just got quiet - which was even scarier. She wasn't the type of teacher to give out trophies or plaques or even smiley face stickers - but she was an excellent teacher. She didn't have a lot of students, and the ones she did have - let's just say I felt completely inferior compared to them. We used to have master classes, where we would have to play a song in front of several peers and then critique each other. Nerve-wracking. And let's not even get into piano competitions. Even today, the mention of "Kiwanis" makes me a little nervous.
When I was young, I was very diligent about practicing. Okay - maybe not "very" - but definitely diligent. When I was preparing for my Grade 10 piano exam, I practiced about 3 hours a day. Of course, I was only about 11 or 12, and had nothing better to do anyway.... I always told my mom that my ultimate goal was to get my A.R.C.T. diploma and have it hanging on the wall. I was prepared to do everything I could to get my hands on that diploma. This included taking every theory exam known to mankind. Have I told you about me and music theory? We don't get along. My poor mom taught me most of my music theory in group classes and I admit, I was terribly lazy. On Saturday mornings, about 15 minutes before class, you would find me holed up in my room, hastily finishing (or pretending to finish) the week's homework. I would skip portions that I didn't think I could do in time, and sometimes, SOMETIMES, I would feign total surprise that I hadn't finished my work. What do you mean there were 10 pages assigned? I clearly heard you say there were only 2 pages of homework. I knew that my mom wouldn't yell at me in front of the other students, and since I was the youngest, the other students couldn't really criticize me either. I aimed for a bare pass on every exam starting from Grade 4 Harmony and up. My crowning moment was when I achieved a 63 in Grade 5 History after having barely cracked open the textbook for Grade 5 History, and studying only from another girl's meticulous notes.
I finished my A.R.C.T. around age 14 or 15 in school... and my teacher gave me the option to continue lessons. She talked about how I could expand my repertoire now that I was finished with exams. For a little while, I did continue with lessons. But I fell into the teenage trap of comparing myself to friends who had given up piano long ago, who didn't have to spend their evenings and weekends practicing piano ... and so I gave it up. At the time, I was still involved in church worship team ministry, and figured I could keep up piano to some degree through worship.
I never really wanted to lead worship, preferring to play piano instead. One day, however, I was encouraged by my team leader to take over the reins of leading for at least a few occasions. I never felt comfortable leading - I'm pretty sure I was extremely nervous... I don't remember all of the details, but I recall specifically that after one occasion, someone told me that my worship leading was not bad, but I had forgotten to include an opening prayer or a closing prayer, and that really was a big negative. I probably took his comments more personally than they were intended, but from that time on I lost my passion for worship team. I didn't want to lead, and I wasn't even that interested in playing piano any more. I felt like I was a terrible worship leader and so really, why bother leading or participating at all. (I know, I know - oversensitive much?)
Eventually, I became a youth group sponsor and didn't have time to be on worship team any more, so I took the opportunity to leave. I rarely played piano after quitting worship team - I only really played when I felt a whim to do so (again, rare) or when I was asked to play for a wedding. And then I got married and moved out, and didn't even have a piano after that. (Which made practicing for weddings somewhat challenging.)
Now that we are moving to a house that could actually accommodate a piano, I find myself wondering if maybe one day, I'll have a piano again. I miss being able to play and I worry that my skills have declined past the point of no return. I miss being able to play well. I don't think it's in the budget to spend several thousand on a piano right now (since I would *never* just buy some cheapy piano) nor do I really have the time to practice. Certainly not three hours a day! You might suggest that I wait until I have kids that are old enough to learn - but, just like my mom, I won't force my kids to learn - I would prefer they choose to learn themselves, after having heard their mother play a beautiful melody from the depths of her memory. Um, yeah... we'll see.
If I had a piano in front of me right now, I'd start by playing some scales. Technique first, songs later. It's how I always learned to practice. I miss the routine of piano.
American Idol ... why won't you leave me alone? I rarely watch Idol now but have managed to catch a couple of episodes this season. It's like a train wreck - I just have to keep an eye on what is going on because I'm so fascinated. Not because I particularly like it... although I do enjoy the audition portions still.
What I really could do without on Idol is the nattering, useless presence of Paula Abdul. My stars, the woman is crazy. When she isn't stumbling over her words like a drunk, she's throwing out unhelpful comments that add nothing at all to the show. You know what I'm talking about - "You look beautiful tonight" or "You really made that song your own" or "It was a little pitchy but you look beautiful tonight, all of you look beautiful tonight." I watched a couple of episodes of Hey Paula in an effort to try to understand her, but all I came away with was a strong sense that indeed, the woman has issues - whether they are alcohol-related or drug-related, I don't know. (But how can you not suspect it!? She had a breakdown over her makeup artist missing a flight! And she threatened to sue a reporter! And she sobbed about everything! And she stumbled over her words all the time, except when she was clearly scripted!)
So, on Tuesday, Brooke whatever her name is started her song, forgot the lyrics, and started again. Maybe you've heard about it. (Probably not - you probably don't care. Nonetheless.) Paula took an agonizing few moments of no speech at all to gear up and say "No, you just don't start and stop a song." When Simon was asked what he would have done in Brooke's position, he said he would have done exactly what she did, ie start and stop and start again. Paula then said, "I think you could have just sung something - just sung something, kept going, from your heart."
Oh, okay then. She should have just sung something from her heart! Instead of "You Must Love Me", should she have broken into her ABC's? Maybe the Oscar Mayer wiener lyrics? Perhaps she should have sung last week's song? Maybe she should have just made up the words entirely! Maybe a little "Rush Rush" or "Forever your girl" would have been appropriate?
Paula, you are clueless. Fox should have canned you several seasons ago. Who agrees with me!!!
Since the dog made her way into our lives, I really haven't done much shopping for myself. I'm perfectly willing to get stuff for her (uh - yeah... so I spoil my dog. Shush) but I am much cheaper with my own stuff. Once in a while, however, I do feel like breaking out of the mold and shopping for clothes and shoes until I drop.
The problems, however, are many. First, I rarely find stuff that I like AND that fits me properly. Probably it's because I am short and a little rounder than I'd like. Second, I can't relate to a lot of the fashions that are out there right now. I often try to find work-appropriate clothing, but all I seem to find is trendy, "disposable" clothing. Ugh. Third, I much prefer online shopping because the variety in the States is just faboo, not to mention the prices. But the duty and taxes! Ugh again!
Let's talk about some of the fashion trends right now.
1. Coats with cropped sleeves - a few examples. I like this look - on other people. But on me? No. I have a few shirts that have 3/4 sleeves but I could never wear a jacket with cropped sleeves. My wrists would be cold! I much prefer sleeves that are way too long.
2. Bubble skirts. Um - need we emphasize the rear end? Also, I'm fairly sure I had a skirt like this in the late 80's.
3. Bermuda shorts. Now look, I work in a very casual environment. But I really do not understand these short pants. On What Not to Wear, one of the hosts told a girl she could wear these to work and they would be a great substitute for a formal suit when paired with a suit jacket. I beg to differ.
4. The ever-popular capri pant. I have never worn a pair of capri pants. I believe I have mentioned why before, but here it is again - why would I want my pants to cut me off at the fattest part of my calf? Truly, the capri should be reserved for clam digging or terribly skinny girls. Or terribly skinny girls who like to dig for clams. And let us not even discuss the manpri. Hideous.
5. Skinny jeans. Again, these should be reserved for very skinny folk only. On most people, the tapered jean look just widens the butt. Why not add in the high-waisted look and really enlargen the rear? (I wanted to say "embiggen". Quick! what show is that from?)
Sometimes - I hate shopping. It's a wonder I get dressed at all on weekdays.
Five days ago, it was my birthday. We didn't do anything terribly special for my birthday, but I did get a dozen roses from the dog. I guess she didn't read my previous posts. Oh well! Pretty clever of her to order me flowers - I didn't even know she had a credit card.
Actually, the dog is having her spay operation today, poor thing. I suppose we are all aging in our own ways. Pray for her speedy recovery!
I have mixed feelings about getting older. On one hand, I am glad to be where I am right now. I like my job, I have a good relationship with my mom and with my in-laws, we're moving, and I have the best dog in the world (even though she's still a bit of a crazy puppy.) On the other hand, I don't really like to think about getting older. I can't really imagine myself as a real grownup, having responsibility for kids, having to do parent-type things, gearing up my career, oh my. [Note: not pregnant! Don't get any funny ideas.]
Well. I can't change the fact that I'm getting older. To compensate, I shall begin acting like a 5 year old. Just kidding about "begin". :)
In an ideal world, you would complete the sale of your house before completing the purchase of your new house. In an ideal world, you would give possession of your old house after getting possession of your new house. In an ideal world, your buyer wouldn't screw you over.
Alas.
Instead of ranting about how my world is not ideal, let me tell you instead about my perfect house. What I have always wanted is a house that feels spacious and warm. Space to entertain, warmth to live in. I have never wanted a huge house, nor one with every new fangled appliance or handmade countertop. I don't dream like the HGTV folks. My perfect house has a large family room, where we can lounge after work, have friends over, snack in front of the TV (flat screen LCD, of course.) My perfect house also has a spacious kitchen where I can sit and watch the hubs cook (heh) or do the dishes while he cooks and not bump into him. My perfect house has a nice yard for the dog to run around in (and a good fence to keep her in.)
Hey, guess what!
We're moving. To the perfect house! Who are we kidding - no house is perfect. But this one comes pretty darn close. I mean, it has floral wallpaper borders and a pink countertop and non-low-flush toilets and what's not to love? Ok, it also has a huge family room, a nice sized kitchen and a good yard. I can't wait to have family and friends over. Maybe we'll even let the youth group come over. MAYBE.
Meanwhile... I will not lose faith.
So my last post was a weepy tribute to Trevor Linden, eh. Can't really deny that, although to be fair, I didn't actually weep. YET. (Although that Giada picture almost made me puke.)
Alright, let's discuss the Canucks this season. I tried to believe in blue, I really did. But they let me down every time. What went wrong? I'm no hockey expert, but in my opinion, these are some of the issues:
1) Luongo being good, but not great. Why? Who knows. Maybe he's just not the superhuman Canucks fans wanted him to be.
2) Nazzy. Not the same since the Steve Moore/Bertuzzi disaster. Too much pressure to perform? Poor leadership skills? I don't know... I still like him.
3) Coach's "system" of defence first - um... unsuccessful this year, to say the least.
4) Lack of scoring.... although I think this is eclipsed by the lack of defence and inability to hold onto a lead. Losing 4-0, 7-1, 6-3, and so on - that's just unacceptable.
Now as for the future ... I think it goes without saying that the Canucks need to make changes. I am hoping that these changes will not translate into ticket price hikes for season ticket holders, but who are we kidding here - they'll always raise prices. (AND they took away my soft serve ice cream, only the best deal at GM Place. Thanks a lot.) Well. So begins the rebuilding. Oh dear - I sound like an Oilers fan.
Char has already talked about saying goodbye to Trevor Linden, but I'll add my two cents' worth. I've watched Trevor since before the 94 playoffs, although I wasn't a huge hockey fan until around that time. In 1994 I was in grade 9 and I remember the glory of watching the team go to the Stanley Cup finals. I remember seeing Trevor's face when he scored the game-winning goal in game 6, and seeing the utter sadness and exhaustion after losing in game 7. And why do I remember? Because Trevor's entire heart was in the Canucks. His emotions rose and fell with each win and loss. You knew that he was a true leader because he inspired his teammates to play better. And his emotions were our emotions. When I think of the Canucks, I think of Trevor.
I remember when that jerk and that other jerk forced Linden to give up his "C" (okay, that might be my version of the story, but whatever), when he was traded, and best of all, when he was traded back to the Canucks. The past two seasons have been tough as a Trevor fan, since it seems obvious that the current coach hates him... even after he was the best player in the playoffs and scored the game-winning goal in the longest game of my life (on my birthday!) But through it all, Trevor has never been a complainer. At least on the outside, he appears to have accepted his change in role without losing his passion for the game, and his devotion to the team. He isn't the most skilled player anymore, and he probably doesn't have the stamina he used to. But he is a true competitor and Canuck for life - and I think, a great example to kids and adults everywhere.
Here's to Trevor Linden, #16. You gave us many great years and a ton of memories. I wish you weren't retiring (and I suppose you haven't actually said you are yet) but I'm glad I got to see you play this season. Please become the head coach soon. The Canucks are in need of serious help.
I think it's clear to the what, five readers of my blog that I am more of a thrifty sort than a spender. But I am definitely willing to spend when it comes to the dog. Boy, if you want to save every penny, don't get a dog. Between vet visits, toys, and food, your wallet will be noticeably thinner. Especially if you are a total yuppie like me, and you want to feed your dog something better than Purina. (Kodi's food is endorsed by the dad on Eight is Enough! - actually, I think it's his company...) I'm not surprised by the costs, since we worked out the budget well in advance before getting the dog. But that doesn't mean I am not looking for a bargain where one can be had.
So, there are some great local stores in our city where you can buy whatever your dog's heart fancies. Some are tiny stores with fancy stuff, some are a little bigger with less fancy stuff, but in any event, many are local to the Lower Mainland. We have taken the dog to several dog stuff stores and she has always been spoiled by the staff at these stores. The cheap side of me objects to these stores, however, because the same stuff can be had for much, much less online.
For example, I wanted to buy this toy:
It is a tough rubber bone, into the ends of which treats can be inserted. In the pet store near our house, this item costs $15.99. I found it online for $6.69! How could I resist?? I bought a ton of toys for the dog (thanks to my mom for bringing them back from the US) and they were all substantially less expensive than any store here in Canada, even the online Canadian stores.
Here's another example:
This is a truly educational toy... heh. You stuff the bees into the hive and the dog works to get them out. At first, hubs couldn't understand why the dog would want to get it out but when he gave it to the dog, it was clear how much she really wanted to get the bees outta that hive. They squeak and are perfectly mouth-sized, you see. I saw this type of toy for $21.99 at a local store and I got it for $7.69 online.
I justified my large purchase by saying that the dog tears up her toys (or eventually she will, at least) so the cheaper, the better. But am I responsible for putting locally-owned businesses out of business? Worse... am I guilty of... not caring?
Sometimes, I wish I had become a teacher so I could have spring breaks, winter breaks, and two months of summer. I doubt I could handle the rest of the job and let's not even mention being underappreciated ... but still... those holidays are tempting.
Today, since neither hubby nor I had to work, we decided to enjoy the beautiful spring weather and take the dog out for a day of fun. We went to Granville Island and had a lovely walk (and the dog didn't even yank on the leash... that much.) We stopped in at Woofles, the doggie bakery, which is tiny but filled with friendly folk. Kodi met several dogs and people. She met a labradoodle (I think) who wanted nothing to do with her nor the other playful dog we met. Of course, Kodi was a little over-hyper and overexcited so I can't really blame the labradoodle for not wanting to get involved in the jumping and pawing and barking. I hope the hyperactivity goes away with age. Then after more walking, we went to Three Dog Bakery. And then after that, we went to the pet supply store. I know - we are total yuppies. Actually, I didn't get Kodi nearly as many treats as I wanted to, because wow, doggie bakeries are expensive! I don't even buy myself cookies at a real bakery because of the price. Haha.
Happy Easter, everyone!
One of my friends shared this recipe with me and we decided to try it out this weekend. It made for a lovely breakfast and wasn't difficult - plus it left the house smelling nice all day. I used to love the cinnamon knots at Bread Garden but wow are they ever high in fat (possibly because they were made of croissant dough.) This recipe isn't low fat but it's not completely unhealthy either - that is, unless you eat the entire thing at once. Don't do that.
I'm pretty sure this recipe can be found elsewhere online but I always like to read a little commentary with recipes.
Overnight Cinnamon Pull-aparts
Ingredients:
20 frozen dinner rolls (we used 24 - why leave 4 in the bag!)
1 cup brown sugar (we cut this down to about 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding (we increased this to 1/2 cup or so.)
1/2 cup melted butter
pecans, walnuts, or raisins (we had none of these)
Instructions:
Place dinner rolls in a greased bundt pan. (We didn't have a bundt pan - so I used the bottom of our tagine. Thanks, Crate & Barrel!) (Also, we put half the rolls in first and some of the sugar and cinnamon, then put the rest of the rolls on.) Over top, sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon, and add nuts or raisins. Pour the pudding and butter over top. Place a damp towel over the pan and leave the pan overnight. (I put it in the microwave. I'm not sure if that made a difference.) In the morning (get up half an hour early), the rolls should have risen nicely to the top of the bundt pan (or higher!). Take towel off and bake at 350 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. Turn over onto a plate and enjoy.
Comments: The tagine wasn't the best bakeware to use, and next time I might make a smaller version in a loaf pan instead. I suppose I could also buy a bundt pan. I would also be careful to make sure each roll was covered in the topping mixture because some of the rolls on the outside got a little brown. That could also be due to the tagine being used! In any event, I have to say that this breakfast was fantastic and low fuss. Can't ask for more than that on a weekend!
Ever seen "Crash Test Mommy" before? It's on the Slice channel. Here's the show in a few words: burnt out, busy mommy hands over household to judgmental spouse/relative who thinks s/he can run said household far better. Burnt out mommy goes to spa for weekend. Usually, Judgey fails miserably and learns to appreciate mommy much more.
I'm currently watching an episode where the mom has two kids plus takes care of four more in a home-based daycare. Dad works at an auto body shop and thinks that his wife needs to be more organized, so that she can have dinner ready for him at 5:30. He said that his mom would always have dinner ready by that time, and would make lunches for him and would keep the house sparkling - so what was wrong with his wife?
It always strikes me as odd that folks like this still exist. First of all, comparing your wife to your mom is never a good idea. It only makes your wife feel bad and brings up Oedipal issues. Second, telling her to get organized in order to make YOU dinner is rude. This is not a woman whose sole job is (underpaid, underappreciated) homemaker. She runs a daycare! Third, it's never a good idea to be judgmental about the way your wife cleans if you do nothing to help.
[Ok: he didn't give the kids the right breakfast, and skipped storytime altogether. He then said "I am not convinced that my wife's job is stressful." He's keeping the house clean by shuffling the kids outdoors or upstairs. Hmm - how about, oh, I don't know, taking care of them! Ridiculous!]
When did this couple's relationship get to the point where he belittled everything she did, AND SHE TOLERATED IT! I am so offended on her behalf. His kid asked to play with him, but he said no, I have to clean. I dunno. This is just uncool. We are not in some sort of Beaver Cleaver era where the mom wears an apron on top of her pleated knee-length dress. This is the year 2008, let's have a little respect for each other.
End rant!
I love breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast, but when I do, it's enjoyable. Seems like no one really eats breakfast on a regular basis. I think my problem is that I get up too late. But since I hate mornings, that bad habit is unlikely to change.
But when I do eat breakfast, here are my favourite foods:
1. Chinese "bao"s. My favourite is "gai may bao" - mm... buttery goodness. I also like "boh loh cha siu bao", but I don't like "boh loh bao". I am a fan of Pine House for "baos" - but there aren't really any that are convenient on my way to work. Hubs isn't that fond of Chinese baos, having grown up with them. My least favourite bao is this ham and green onion roll. I ate one once as a kid and felt nauseated for a full day - now even the smell of them makes me gag a little.
2. Eggs (scrambled or sunny side up), bacon, hashbrowns, and toast. This is either known as camping breakfast, in which the caloric content is very high (which happens when you fry your hashbrowns and eggs in bacon fat) or Golden Coin breakfast, in which the caloric content is ... very high. Needless to say this is not a weekly breakfast.
3. Chocolate croissant. The best were the ones I used to eat at Bread Garden, but now that Bread Garden sucks, I have switched over to Starbucks. (I like Blenz coffees - but a) inconvenient locations and b) crappy pastries.) Calories? High. Deliciousness? HIGH.
4. Cereal. NOT. I cannot stand cereal. When I find a cereal I like, I eat about two bowls before I realize that once again, I cannot stand cereal. Maybe I eat it too slow - I hate how it gets soggy near the end. I know someone who puts water in his cereal instead of milk. Blearrgh.
5. Dim sum. I didn't much like dim sum as a kid, but as an adult, it's made its way back into my life quite easily. On occasion, hubby and I have gone for dim sum and spent only about $8. My favourite dim sum item is "loh bak goh". My least favourite is chicken feet which the hubs insists on eating.
These days at work, if I have time, I make myself a latte or tea misto in the morning. I nurse it until lunchtime (go go Starbucks thermal cup.) Pretty sad breakfast.... maybe one day I'll get organized enough to pack myself something in the morning.
At the outset of this post I would like to say that we have termed Saturdays "Honk Saturdays" because of the horrible drivers in our city. Today, someone ran a stop sign and nearly killed us! She didn't even slow down - hubs had to swerve dangerously out of the way and we were fortunate to avoid the accident. It would have been a bad accident as she only stopped inches from our car and didn't bother swerving at all... just drove straight at us. I saw two things: my life before my eyes (actually, I saw my doggie's life) and the scratches already on her front bumper. Obviously a terrible driver. Some choice words were exchanged (our words - she was too busy trying to avoid our gaze.) To the driver of the electric blue Toyota Camry - LEARN TO DRIVE. (No, it wasn't Jr.) (Haha!)
Ok! Onto today's post.
If you asked me whether I would rather be rich and stupid, or poor and intelligent, I would pick poor and intelligent every time. Of course, someone always has to say that if you were intelligent, you wouldn't be poor. But let's not argue over that sort of thing right now. Intelligence is worth a lot. So is kindness and patience and compassion, but we aren't discussing those qualities at the moment. I promise - I am not a complete jerk.
As you may have already read, Kodi came in first in her puppy kindergarten class today. We were of course thrilled. I made hubby take her through the testing because I was worried she wouldn't walk properly if I was with her. She didn't walk fantastically in any event, but then again none of the dogs really did. Perhaps they wondered why they were being walked on a leash in circles around the room. Her "leave it" trick was awesome and she was also great at sit/stay and down/stay. We are going to take her to basic obedience (in which she will hopefully learn to "heel" and do a down/stay for three minutes!) - but that will have to wait a couple of months until she's older. Right now we are just so happy that she learned some tricks and also learned to be a little more assertive and playful. I caught her biting some doggy ears today during playtime. Hmm.
Let me tell you about one of the dogs in the class. I will call him Nerdlet. His real name isn't that of course, but one never knows who is online. Nerdlet came to class with his mom and, um, older brother (maybe a 10 year old kid or so.) As background... on the first day, all of the dogs had the wrong collars - we all had to get training collars. Some of us also had the wrong leashes. Nerdlet had the wrong collar, the wrong leash, and also, he wore a raincoat. INDOORS. Nerdlet's mom tried to protect him from playing with the other dogs, as she was worried he would get hurt. (Nerdlet is the same age as our girl, but much larger.)
As the weeks went on, Nerdlet's mom finally bought him a better leash. On week 3, she still had the wrong collar, and her excuse was that the training centre didn't have the proper collar. The trainer pointed out that there are other stores that sell the right stuff. So finally on week 4, Nerdlet had abandoned the raincoat and was wearing the proper gear. But that sadly did not eliminate his... elimination problems. Nerdlet had developed the unfortunate habit of peeing and/or pooing (usually both) at every class. The first time, his mom had to pick up the poo and she kept complaining that it was gross. I suspect she is the sort who lets him poo everywhere and doesn't clean it up. Even on graduation day, Nerdlet had to pee. And not just a little bit - I am talking about a full pee. What did Nerdlet's mom do? She stood there of course! I would have grabbed my dog and taken him outside to pee. Instead she let him pee and then waited for the trainer to mop it up (you are supposed to mop it up yourself.)
Nerdlet was terrible at his tricks. His mom insisted that he does not know how to lay down without physically moving his feet forward. Alas he did not pass that section. Even when the trainer showed them ways to train him, the mom looked totally clueless. The trainer told his mom that Nerdlet was playing her - he totally knew WHAT to do, he just did not want to do it. Poor Nerdlet.
To top it off, during playtime, all he wanted to do was run up to people and grab/hump their legs. I was unimpressed. I can't stand that sort of thing.
I'm really glad to have my little doggie! She has been such a joy (and at times, such a terror.) When I have kids, I'll tell my kids that winning isn't everything, and that winners should be gracious. But for now, I'll tell my dog that she's allowed to gloat over the Nerdlets of the world. After all, she was the best-behaved and the best-qualified for the next level of classes. Of course she's smart - she has really smart parents. Heh.
Later I will post a picture of the dog with her prize!
Yesterday the dog turned 4 months old. She has been with us for a little under two months and I think she's made the adjustment very well, if I may say so myself. Some people talk about how much work puppies are, you know, the waking up multiple times in the night, etc. But we lucked out - she is a fast learner. Housetraining - well, she has had accidents, of course, but hardly any after the first week or two. She learned to paw at the door when she has to go out. From 9 weeks to 12 weeks or so, she needed to pee around 3am, then around 6am. But since that point she hasn't needed to do her 3am pee any more, and can last till 6:30am before she has to go out. Pretty awesome.
This week she began teething. She has lost several baby teeth, but we can't find any - either they are too small and got vacuumed up, or she swallowed them (more likely.) I've been giving her frozen treats to soothe her sore mouth - she is a big fan of frozen banana. She also gets a raw bone to chew on sometimes. One of her favourite chew treats is a bully stick. It's sort of disgusting if you know what a bully stick is, but she's a dog and probably couldn't care less what it's made from.
Tomorrow is puppy school graduation day. It's nice to see that she's so much less afraid of other dogs now and is willing to play. Too bad they are all still way bigger than her. The dog she is still a little scared of won't even be there tomorrow, so that is excellent news. One less dog to compete with!
We're thinking of taking a trip to Seattle sometime - I found some cheap dog-friendly hotels (which are hopefully tolerable and not filthy) and if the weather is nice, we can walk around downtown/Pike Place.. maybe visit University Village... I haven't been to Seattle in years.
I'm so glad I convinced the hubby to get a dog! She's way more fun than a kid. Heehee!
Just as I started to feel a little young, carefree, and irresponsible, what should arrive in our mail but the yearly utilities bill. Friends, you will be pleased to know that the two of us are using over $1,000 of our fine city's utility services. That's right - our sewage, water, and waste prices are over a grand. I don't feel that bad about throwing the dog poop in the garbage now.
So we have decided to sign up for the water meter that is available, which could save us as much as $400. I know! I don't know why I never did this before - lazy, I guess. Once I get the water meter, I'll be doing my best to conserve water here at home. No more washing dishes or flushing the toilet or using the shower. Just kidding. Actually, if you get a water meter, you qualify for other free water-conserving devices. Hooray! Free stuff! Next year I will update you on whether we actually saved any money. But when you come over, try not to use too much of my water, okay?
Time for a couple of doggy pics!
Here she is enjoying her orange ball:
And here she is sleeping on a pillow like a human:
And finally, enjoying her monkey in the sunshine (she's really grown since then):
Lately I've been thinking about adulthood and how I don't really feel like an adult. I have friends who have purchased a place of their own, I have other friends who are moving out or who have already moved out to live on their own... and as for my situation - someone said to me the other day that I was so lucky to marry someone who had already paid off his house. (Not true! The bank still demands money from us!) So apparently at least one person in my life thinks that I fell into this delightful situation of home ownership by some combination of luck and good looks. (I added that part.)
I'm definitely lucky. Hubs bought this house without my input or initial financial contribution (I don't even think I was in town at the time.) He did the renovations, painted the whole house, carpeted and laid tile, and all I did was belittle the (former) shag carpeting and move my darn self in the day we got married. Oh, and then I complained about the lack of closet space. I'm so helpful.
This "luck", however, comes with feeling a little behind in life... aside from nosing around at some open houses, I've never actually had to look for a place to rent or buy. I've never had to apply for a mortgage. I've "rented" before (in the Hat) but I hardly call that living on my own. I've never even purchased a car. If we choose to rebuild one day, I might never get to actually hire an agent and go through the buying process. This isn't intended to be a whine - I am super grateful to God for everything I have. I sometimes just wish I had gone through the process of getting to where we are, rather than being on the outside watching. Sort of ridiculous to think this way, I know. I'm just musing.
Anyway.
Today we signed the dog up for puppy daycare. I am heading for a very busy couple of months at work, and it will help tremendously to have somewhere for her to go on the days that she can't come with me to work. Also it helps tremendously that I found a place that is significantly cheaper than the other spots at which I inquired. It's just pennies a day! Many many pennies! But far less pennies than the other place. Actually it is half the price compared to the place near my work, but then again this daycare won't take her for off-leash runs through the mountains. Oh well, she's too young for off-leash running in any event.
I just received some sad news about someone I was acquainted with. He died in an accident leaving behind a wife and kids. Life is so incredibly short. I can't even begin to imagine what the family is going through. Keep them in your prayers.
