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[May. 23rd, 2007|08:51 am] |
You know how they say that a sandwich someone else makes always tastes better than the one you make yourself? Well OMFG!!! I made the best sandwich EVER!!! LOL, no really, I'm actually talking about a sandwich.
Last week I made my own mayonnaise for the first time. Made the dijon mustard to go into it and then mixed it up from a french cookbook I have, it was yummy. I gave it to my Mom because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish it before it went bad. But, it was enough to hook me. Last night I made a 1/2 batch of mayonnaise. This stuff just tastes nothing like the mayo you get in stores. It's rich and creamy and so bursting with flavour you have to remind yourself to stop eating it. Anyway last night I used it to make a sandwich for todays' lunch. Pita, smoked chicken, provalone, old cheddar, smoked garlic pepper and homemade mayo. I couldn't resist, I decided to have half of it at my desk for breakfast.
OMG it's amazing!!! So amazing I felt compelled to write about a sandwich!!! Unbelievable. Anyway, that's all - another compelling food experience. Yummmm. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 2nd, 2007|08:39 am] |
I get this feed on my LJ daily. It's always interesting, today it's a must see. (IMHO)
Background - A short while ago scientists discovered a solar system with an orbiting planet that they believe has a surface temperature capable of supporting liquid water. Ergo, potentially habitable and life supporting - all theory of course, and very far away. It's a very large planet orbiting very close to a rather small sun - so a very different configuration to Earth, but still apparently surface temperature is etimated to be between 0 - 40 degrees. Anyway, end of background.
This is an artists rendition on a sunrise on Gliese 581c. Gorgeous!!
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070502.html |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 5th, 2007|04:24 pm] |
Two posts in one day - what am I thinking!! This one is funny - in a pathetic sort of way.
I did one of those profile things - I'm an ENFP - I knew that cause I always come up with that one. The meme we all did a while back labeled that combo "scumbag" - well fair enough I spose.
Okay so this new one then elaborates on my matches - apparently my best matches are INTJ and INFJ. Great part is one is apparently 2.3% of the North American population and the other is 1.1%. WooHoo - no wonder I'm a "tough match" - I match with precisely 49% of 3.4% of the population. As if that wasn't wonderful enough. Going back to the old meme. Apparently my best matches are Crackpots & Freaks!! Again no surprise here. :P |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 29th, 2007|12:25 pm] |
There are few times I resent being single more than vacations. Don't get me wrong, I actually really like to travel alone. I love getting to make up my very own schedule. I go where I want, when I want, do exactly what I want, and for precisely as long as I want to do it. I love the freedom of following my own whims. For the most part I'm not afraid to travel alone, I figure common sense street smarts apply in most places just the same as they do at home. Ramp up the caution maybe 20-30% and everything should be fine. What I hate - and I mean HATE!!! Is that the whole travel industry is set up to travel in pairs. Booking a flight is not that bad, but start trying to book a hotel, a package vacation or *gasp* dare to try to get on a cruise ship and suddenly you might as well have a severe case of leprosy. In many, many cases you actually pay the full double rate - even if airfare was included. Now clearly you don't need the second seat on the plane (no matter cause you won't get it). Obviously you won't eat as much as two people would, but you still get to pay twice what you would pay if you travelled with a friend.
Anyway, I have been desperately trying to get away - cheap. I've looked and looked for something March/April/May-ish. Cheap. Sure there are lots of deals out there - but virtually all of them evaporate the second you try to book as a single. Now I've done my fair share of solo travelling. I've been to all-inclusives, I've been on cruises, I've done package tours. Always, I've booked as a "will share". This mean - go ahead set me up with a roommate. I don't need a room to myself, set me up in a double - so long as I pay the double rate. Lately there seems to be less and less availability for this kind of travel within the industry. My travel agent just finished telling me the only place you could find this now is some spots in Cuba and on organized tours. At a time when something like 30% of North Americans are single it boggles my mind that I have to pair up just for vacation. Arrrghhhh!! |
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[Mar. 28th, 2007|04:33 pm] |
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I'm going, I'm going, I'm going. I've just booked my trip. So excited, more to come. |
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[Mar. 8th, 2007|04:36 pm] |
I'm fully aware that this is at least somewhat the result of my current pessimism.
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 5th, 2007|11:45 am] |
This weekend was a bit on the quiet side. On the other hand I was feeling toubled and so maybe quiet was best.
Saturday I went to an organic agriculture thing. It was really good, I picked up some beesewax candles, some soap I'm really happy with the production methods of and some truly amazing sundried tomaties and sundried apricots. OMG the "real" stuff is amazing, wayyyyy better than what you get in the grocery store and I don't even think it was any more expensive. In fact it may have actually been cheaper. Anyway, spent much of Saturday afternoon nibbling sundried tomatoes and apricots. yum.
Went out Saturday night with a bunch of friends. To all friends from Saturday night, I'm sorry I was a downer. Man, I was depressed. I started out okay, but it just got worse and worse as the evening wore on. I think I'm in a bit of a funky period. Hopefully it will lighten soon as some big changes have just occurred. The thing that has gotten me so down lately is now over, and so hopefully that means I will start to feel better.
Sunday, hmmm well Sunday was big change day. So not the best day ever. Mostly stayed home trying to think of something to do. Ended up at Mom's for dinner. Left the dog there for a few days. I miss her, but I know she's "in a better place". lol. I just had to say it. My Mom spoils my dog something crazy, so every now and then I like to leave her there for a little intensive spoiling. If I leave her too long though she comes back fat.
Anyway, not much planned for this week so far - golf lessons tomorrow. But I will continue my quest to find stuff to do. And hope to feel more up-beat soon. |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 1st, 2007|11:43 am] |
I went to a community talk last night called "the end of food". The keynote speaker was the author of the book by the same name. It was excellent. As I had read much of the book I wasn't sure I'd gain much by going to the talk. He had lots of anecdotes to add and it was nice to get a sense of the author. It was also an excellent way to hear about what's going on in the community. I'm really glad I went.
A lot of the time I feel that my interests and hobbies are kind of "out there". This is partly because of the difficulty of obtaining information, training and materials, and partly because - well - people tell me that outright. Anyway it was very cool to see a whole bunch of people interested in the same things as I am and to feel a bit of a groundswell of momentum. This edible landscaping thing I've been thinking about is gaining a lot of popularity. Anyway, it was very good, I'm very glad I went. I wish I had a balcony. I doubt I'll be able to really grow any veggies of my own.
Another event tonight. The main library is hosting "reel food" - a series of movies on much the same topic. I don't want to make this my life's work, but there's a presentation afterward on CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms and the Ottawa good food box. I'm interested in both so I think I'll go.
I had my first golf lesson Tuesday night. That was interesting. The instructor was a bit hard on us - I don't think he likes new golfers very much. Anyway, I hope to learn enough to enjoy going out this summer and that's about all I'm looking for. Evryone else had nicer golf bags - I don't enough to judge clubs, but I'm pleased as punch to have my own clubs and bag. I feel like a "golfer" already - even though I don't technically golf - yet. |
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| (no subject) |
[Nov. 6th, 2006|03:33 pm] |
I went to the cottage this weekend. It was my first time seeing my new woodstove. Not much to report, it was exactly what I expected - looks wise. It didn't warm the cottage as much as I would have hoped, it may have been that I wasn't running it hot enough, I guess I'll have to try again.
I was a little surprised to wake up Sunday morning to snow, it was the first time I've spent the night at the cottage when there was snow. Small wonder as I've never had heat before. I left things so late this year, I wasn't too happy about having to take the water intake out of the lake when there were chunks of ice in most standing water. Good thing for the woodstove as I wet my sleeve dipping hand - to the elbow - into freezing cold lake water. I laid the sleeve on the woodstove and wathce dit cook for a while.
I went witht the "cooktop" upgrade. So I stuck a tea kettle on top to test out. Nice thing too, I had hot water all weekend - many cups of hot apple cider were drank this weekend. Now I've got visions of doing baked beans on there. Okay picture this. Up at the cottage, reading and taking the dog on walks through fallen leaves, or fresh fallen snow. Come back to a bubbling little pot of maple syrup and bacon baked beans. Hmmm. Kind of like a slow cooker - only hotter. Just put the pot on in the morning and most of the day have hot food for the tummy.
Anyway, it could have been a bit warmer, but all went well the cottage is now closed for the year. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 14th, 2006|09:36 am] |
Well the car is now fixed. It was relatively painless and now I don't wince everytime I have to drive somewhere. I'm actually finding it liberating in it's own way.
( what follows is a rambling soul searching account of the mush in my brain - cut for your comfort )
This weekend is my work retreat. It's usually a really great weekend, and I'm really looking forward to the SPA and massage on Saturday. Oh and outlet shopping!!! WooHOO!! I hope this cheers me up, or at least makes escape seem less appealing. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 11th, 2006|12:07 pm] |
Feeling the need to write.
Had the first real falling out with my new SO this weekend. My gut tells me we aren't going to survive it. I'm feeling pretty strong emotionally at the moment, but as the shoe has not yet actually dropped it's hard to say for sure. Listened to Patsy Cline as a pre-epmtive last night. Woke up this morning at 6:00 instinctively looking for him, then remembered.
I also had to bring my car in this morning - again. I was very upset by this big double whammy of my car falling apart and my relationship falling apart and decided to take up smoking again. Two cigarettes in and I spent an hour bent over my desk wishing for all the world I could just puke and stop the shaking and nausea. I think I've officially quit again, apparently my body doesn't want me smoking, and it had a few rather strong words for me.
On the plus side I got a call from the shop and all appears not to be lost. In the end it looks like a rather small problem with huge ramifications - but easily fixed - oh yeah. Rough idle, constant stalling, hard starts, loss of break function - all seems to be fixable by throwing a few hundred dollars at it. Too bad the fix for a broken relationship was not as simple.
At the moment I am deep into the blaming myself game. I envision a life of enternal single-tude. Every failed relationship only convinces me more that I don't have what it takes to hold a relationship together. With this one I thought I had lost most of my scars. I thought I was doing well and had an almost fresh heart to give. Maybe it's just a fact of being 30-something. Maybe I am too set in my ways, too unable to put up with the foibles of another. He played a little too rough with me and I perceived him threatening life and limb - well limb anyway. I stood up for myself and told him he was being an asshole. Apparently this is a dumping offense. I suspect he didn't like the way he looked in the mirror of my eyes. But apparently instead of using your reflection to improve your appearance the way to handle these things is to break the mirror.
I once broke a mirror because the reflection of myself offended me so awfully. Of course this was just before I decided that never again would I take anti-depressants because of the terrible consequences of missing a dosage. So in a way maybe I did the same thing - pondering - instead of dealing with the offense itself I decided to take away the cause of it - swear off mind-altering medication (of the doctor prescried variety). Though in my defence I was 16 at the time. I would like to think I've perhaps grown up a bit since and might deal better with most situations. Anyway, rambling.
I'm pleased the car situation will likley be resolved today and not having to get into a dysfunctional vehicle every time I want to go somewhere may do wonders for my perspective on life. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 7th, 2006|10:12 am] |
Well I suppose overall life is going along well.
My car however is causing me grave concerns. A while back it had an idle problem - brought it to the shop. They tell me all looked fine, so I left. Anyway the idle problem has become much worse and has started to cause other problems. As well I'm now having problems with my braking - not my brakes per se but the braking - and now my windshield is cracked. Holy crap!! Anyway I feel like the car is falling apart and within the next couple months I have to decide if I'm going to buy out my lease or come up with another plan. Again - holy crap!!
My wine making is going slowly. I ended up buying a new 3 gallon carboy to avoid the whole bottle washing thing. Most problems can be solved by throwing money at them - but I always beat myself up a little for doing that. Anyway got 3 gallon of my plum wine into the secondary fermentor - forgot to add the campden - but I'll do that later. However, I still have a bunch of wine in the primary - so last night at 5:00am, not being able to sleep, I got up and sanitized another 1 gallon carboy. I hope another sale comes up on Peaches because I missed the last one and really want to do the peach/banana wine.
I have begun to contemplate lampworking again. Now that the cooler weather is setting in it's starting to look like fun again - gee I hope I can remember how. And leathercraft - new hobby that I have yet to actually take up. I am getting a bit of a bug to make things out of leather. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 1st, 2006|04:11 pm] |
I just wanted to wish everyone a great long weekend!!
Happy Birthday ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) rbowspryte !!! |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 31st, 2006|02:07 pm] |
Well 'tis the season for hobbies. My interest in hobbies seems to be slowly ramping back up. I started a 3 gallon batch of plum wine last Thursday night (I think it was). It's bubbling along quite nicely and digesting the plums into bits of fibre. Next step: free up my 3 gallon car boy. Currently my 3 gallon carboy holds my spiced apple wine from fall, so in order to free up the carboy I have to bottle my spiced apple wine. In order to bottle my spiced apple wine I have to clean and sanitize about 20 of the bottles that have been donated to me over the Summer. So to that end I went out today and bought a bottle sanitizer and bottle tree and some sanitizing solution, in case I don't already have some. So the next couple days will involve - sanitize bottle, bottle my spiced apple wine, sanitize the carboy, rack my plum wine in the secondary fermentor. Soon I will start another batch of the peach/banana wine that turned out so well last year. Only this time I will make 5 gallons so there's lots to go around.
It's also time for school and I realize that I am not ready to go back this September. I don't know if I should aim for the Winter semester or if I should set my sights upon next June. You pay the full years' fees even if you only manage to enroll part way through the year. It's all $$ $$ $$ with these people. $$$ to find out if any of my old credits will get accepted and to re-enroll. $$ to transfer credits from other institutions. $$$$ to pay for 2006 student fees. Then and only then $$$ to register in new classes. For those that track such things that's $$$+$$+$$$$+$$$. Ouch! |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 25th, 2006|11:04 am] |
Sadly, it looks like LJ is the way I communicate and update the people in my life. Luckily, I have LJ.
I almost bought a kiln the other day. I saw a used one for sale, cheap, but didn't get it in time. I think it would have been perfect, but I hesitated. I have not been working on any of my hobbies lately. Though the fall may be better for that. Especially those that involve standing in front of a torch.
J brought 5 cases of empty wine bottles over the other night. I now need to get off my rump and make some wine. Looks like it will be plum or another batch of peach/banana. Also, ate the last of my feta - so I'll need to make some more soon. This fall my "big" purchases will probably be a kiln for my lampwork, and a press for my cheese.
This week the guy I've been seeing asked me to be his girlfriend - making us officially exclusive. This had been all but ensured anyway as I have been spending so much time with him I doubt I could have seen anyone else if I'd been inclined. Mid this week we socialized for the first time as a couple - I think it went well. More events, mostly with his friends, planned this weekend.
Pathetically upon my Mother hearing this news she promptly began attaching my name to his last name in various combinations. If you thought this was a game that only high school girls played - be warned, appartenly middle-aged women desperate to become grandmothers indulge in the same fantasies. Happily enough, apparently the women in his family are doing much the same thing, we were able to have a giggle about the fuss - so that's not too bad.
All the recent fuss about a group trip to Montreal has me daydreaming about another shopping trip to Montreal. This time I've got a few more stores on my "must hit" list. I have a new fabric fascination which will undoubtedly result in new pics by the end of the year. M&T feeling up to taking another series of pics for me (or a shopping trip)? LOL - well half lol anyway.
I'm looking forward to movie club, I need life to settle in to some kind of familiar routine soon. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 23rd, 2006|01:11 pm] |
Today I seem to have progressed from grumpy to whiney. I don't know if this represents improvement or not, but it is change. I feel sorry for myself and miserable - and already starting to get tired of being sick and miserable. Though it's now day 2 of not being able to concentrate.
I went out last night and bought new echinachae. I was worried my other stuff had lost it's potency. On the plus side after doseing myself liberally with echinachae and vitamin c last night, and then doseing myself quite liberally with nyquil, my sore throat is gone. Now all I've got is congestion and a vague feeling of restless lethargy. Don't ask me how that works but at the same time as I have no energy to do anything - even think - I feel very much like wriggling and shifting endlessly. The end result is me feeling whiney. But at least Ms. Grumpy Pants seems to have left. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 22nd, 2006|10:35 am] |
Well I feel a bit like Ms. Grumpy Guts today. Overall things are going really really well in my life - but yet I feel like grumping over stupidity and details.
I am getting a cold - congestion and sore throat so far. Taking echinachea and vitamin C to hope to ward it off, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I'm hoping that the oncoming cold is the source of my grumpiness. Otherwise I have to admit that I simply have a sour disposition, and I'd hate to have to come to terms with that.
Anyway, I shall post more when I can do it without the grumpy coming out. Oh goodness I hate being sick! |
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| NYC |
[Aug. 19th, 2006|12:35 pm] |
A quick LJ update from NYC. Just rode the Staton ISland Ferry to see Lady Liberty. Now in the East village looking for an address. Had to buy 20minutes of online time so I thought I'd make a post for posterity.
Hope all are having a great weekend. NY is interesting. Too much to see and do, but at least I'm getting a feel for it.
Hugs |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 17th, 2006|10:28 am] |
I leave bright and early tomorrow morning for New York. I've never been to New York city before and I'm fairly excited. At this point it still feels a bit unreal though - like it's not really going to happen. I suppose this might be partially because I have not yet packed a single stitch for the trip.
In the end I took a room upgrade - I now have my own bedroom. I have also gone ahead and signed up for every single thing was being offered. So a harbour cruise, and couple of "special" dinners, and 2 bus tours. I thought I might want to do some shopping - and I still might, but I have decided to play tourist full time instead. When I was in London I ended up doing a hop-on/hop-off bus tour. I remember it being an awesome way to see a new place. You get the benefit of commentary, you hit most of the biggest landmarks and you have the option of seeing them in depth or just riding the bus and seeing them from a distance. Also as your pass is typically good for an entire day you can do the circuit a couple times if you feel you missed something or have some time to kill. Anyway, that's my plan for Saturday.
I am hoping that this will end up being the first of a number of trips to NYC. I'm going with a whole busload of women, so it should be fun and at the same time safe and well organized.
Okay - ya now I'm getting excited - hmm I guess the trick was to think about it more - lol. I LOVE travel. Any kind of travel. I'm one of those freaks that loves airports and hotel rooms. This time I'll be taking the bus - but even bus rides excite me if there's a distant destination. Gods I love travelling - why have I not done this more recently?
I have not been getting enough sleep lately. It always seems there are more interesting things to do late at night and it's now been several weeks since I've had more than 1 night in a row of adequate sleep. I'm starting to feel the effects. At the same time I don't think this weekend is going to be particularly noted for long and restful sleep. Geez at least I hope not. Oh well, another time. Maybe I can sleep next week sometime.
Oooo after this weekend I'll have been to London, Paris, and New York. Okay - it's taken me almost 10 yrs to do it. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 14th, 2006|03:37 pm] |
I had an interesting weekend. To start it I got a new washing machine. This is excellent and a little bigger deal than it would seem at first since I live in an apartment. What I found was a portable washing machine - hooks up like my dishwasher. It's now sitting in my kitchen waiting for laundry. Yes - truly, I am amused by such simple things.
Someone brought a whole bunch of garlic dip to fest. The dip cooler was mine and when I went to take it, it still had some bits and pieces in it. Among those things were several containers of garlic dip. MY GOD it's awesome stuff. I am such a sucker for garlic, but it's not doing my diet any favours. I might have to ask around though to figure out who this Lebanese guy with the crown is and where I can get more of this stuff once I finally use up my supply.
Spent most of the weekend holed up in my apartment. Completely by choice, so not as bad as it might sound. I'm hoping to get together with friends more this week than I have in the past couple. Not that I've minded too much the colour of my inside-out world, but I suppose it's time to start getting back to normal - such that it is.
I can't believe how quickly Summer is disappearing on me. This coming weekend I'm ging to NY with a bunch of girls. Should be a lot of fun, and my first time in New York. Following weekend is Pride in Ottawa. Right now it looks like I'll be staying in town for a few events. Though in the end maybe only the early part of the weekend and I might still be able to get some cottage time by the end of the weekend.
The following weekend is Labour Day. The (un)official end of Summer. There had been talk about people coming to my cottage, don't know if that's a go or not. Oh hey!! I just had a radical thought.
I have a whole collection of new friends and LJ readers from fest. Hmmm, would people be interested in roughing it at a cottage (halfway between Ottawa and TO) for the Labour Day weekend? Feel free to post your thoughts on that.
Anyway, I suppose those are my assorted random thoughts on a Monday afternoon. |
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