Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Tuesday (what i did Monday)

I tried to post last night but the innernets was not cooperating with me. Here I am now though.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day that I went skiing again! I know!!... how crazy am I???
There is a trail we knew of but hadn't ever checked out so after lunch I dropped the boys at school and continued on my way to the trail Sure enough there were ski tracks so I got geared up and hit this unknown territory. Alone! I wasn't very stiff or sore so I was feeling a bit cocky. Lets just say I fell down more while alone..LOL
The trail went through a wooded area behind a subdivision and next to a golf course (Club Versant). The sun was shining and the ski was blue and my lungs were burning and my heart was pounding and my hands were aching from gripping my poles so tight. From the distance markers along the trail I think I did over 4 kms in an hour. I gfuess we could just measure by time: I skied for an hour with very short stops to A) get back up and B) catch my breath. Boy was I glad when I was DONE. LOL
The weather for today and tomorrow is BLEAH!!! Rain/snow/sleet/high winds... I am so glad I went out yesterday. My legs are stiffer, my back too, but it was good. And then I had a big nap. hee hee
Now, before I went out I had put RIBS in the oven. I have really got it goin' on when it comes to ribs now I must say.
Step one: Season the pork ribs and lay them in a roaster. I used Mrs Dash "Chicken and Rib" (i think thats the name) and a wee bit of salt. Then pour some water in the bottom of the pan, not much..less than a cup. Cover and place in a 200 degree F oven to steam cook slowly.
Step Two: Go skiing
Step 3: Take a nap.
Step 4 : ( 5 hours after step one) Increase oven to 300 for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Remove ribs from the roaster to a broiler pan or baking sheet. They should be pretty much falling a part so be careful. Douse with sauce and return to the oven, turn it up to 350 and leave it for 30 minutes to bake the sauce onto the ribs.
I served with potatoes and a vegetable. They were terrific. Tah-Dah!!!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

A Beautiful Winter Day






Warm hand made socks (hand dyed by me too!), x-country skiing (ski fond in French), and I only fell down once!!! I had a hard time getting up so HM had to help. Lets just say between the laughter and getting bonked on the head by the camera around his neck, him helping me up was NOT a pretty or graceful sight.
So a I posted yesterday I had GREAT trepidation about buying the skis and going out for an afternoon of ski fond with HM. I couldn't get the pretty skis because the didn't have the right size for me(poop) so I got regular ol' skis and they work dandy. I love my boots. This afternoon we left right after the sitter arrived and headed for Cafe Castel to meet the Montreal Knits Sunday girls because I was buying newbie mary's Denise needles. Since we were there and had paid for parking, I let Samir talk me into cappucinos. Ok he didn't have to talk us into it. The man is a cappucino artist...he makes cool designs with the foam. I got a butterfly..hee hee Pretty coffee..hee hee HM got to meet the gals and see that YES I really do go out to knit with people and they got to see that he's not as bad as I say he is nd that he survives my abuse quite well.
Then it was off to Cap St Jacques for ski fond. And I did quite well for my first time in 23 years. The first half of the trail was harder than the second half but I only stopped a couple times to catch my breath. The legs and thighs were fine but MY BACK was not happy. At the top of a ginormous hill (ok...it was a small rise but you try shufflin' up a hill in skis) was the cabane where you can sit, get a snack, and in the sugar season have something syruppy. I had tea and a muffing and tried to cool off. Then we were off again and thats when I fell down. LOL

The back didn't scream for the second part of the trail and we had some good laughs. Afterwards we went to the Deli De La Tratorria in Pierrefonds for another cappucino and some goodies and then headed home. All in all it was a nice day and more romantic, in my opinion, than dinner and a movie. HM even offered to carry my skis at the end...(everyone go "AAAWWWWWWWW").. tee hee.
So now I'm chillin' with a beer and can't wait for next time.
It was all kinds of wonderful.

Back log pics 2






Ski babies and the Auto Show 2008. They did not like sharing a convertible and someone was very tired by the end.

The Day ..The Tempo.. Died



Where'd the Tempo go???




Oh! There it is....

Saturday, January 26, 2008

What to do.....

Who knew that sleeping so much would end up sapping my muscles of so much strength? Ok..technically EVERYONE knows that but now I am living it. I have never been in such bad shape in my life and thats saying something because I have nevr EVER been IN shape. This is bad. A crisis of sorts for me personally.
Two weeks ago we went skiing and I barely made it through one run. ONE run where I used do do lots. Yes, my new boots are incredibly painful but it was also my thigh muscles burning that shocked me. Only ONE run. So incredibly pathetic.
I hate walking because its boring as hell. Working out to a video? Been there~ yuck to that. Join Curves? Did it and didn't go.
Tomorrow HM wants to get me some cross country gear. I loved cross country skiing as a teen. Haven't done it since although I wanted to and had the skis and boots iuntil my feet got too fat for said boots. I used to ask HM to get some xcountry skis and ski with me and he was always..NO WAY.
Well guess who bought xcountry skis when he was in Montreal alone for 6 months 3 years ago? He went a lot both with his Dad and alone and LOVED it. (ARGH!!!!!)
Since the kids and I have been here he hasn't used his cross country gear and we have spoken of it. So, tomorrow is the day we go and get me some gear and I start cross countrying again.
This should have me bouncing with joy and anticipation but actually i am having big trepidation. This whole out of shape is VERY bad and NOT an exaggeration and I fear the shame I will feel tomorrow trying to xcrountry for the first time in 23 years. The shame, the pain, the burning sensation in my lungs and various body parts, the anger and rage I will feel at myself for allowing this to happen......
This could be all kinds of wonderful or very very unwonderful and traumatizing. I'll let you know if i live.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Thursdayness..........

Its Thursday and its F%cking cold out there. Minus 20ish Celcius...no idea on the Farenheit (I believe minus 7C is 20 degrees F...I think I heard that on the news yesterday and was all "Oh...how interesting.." but i maybe remembering it wrong.)
~Break taken to find Celcius conversion online~
Nope I remembered the above more or less correctly ( -7C is technically 19.4F but who is counting)
Ok...Minus Twenty degrees Celcius is equal to minus 4 F.
Suffice to say: Its Chilly!!
So...what else besides its cold...ummm....
There is knitting tonight at Ariadne but I am feeling draggy so I think I just want to stay home tonight. Must go to Sunday's knit though because I have arranged to buy someones spare set of Denise needles at a great price and am quite excited. There are felted Denise holding bag patterns on Cat Bordhi's site http://www.catbordhi.com/free_patterns.html and I think i will have to make one because the Denise case doesn't have room for additional needles according to what I have read.
No school tomorerow and we were supposed to go to Sheila, Ben's therapist,(www.creativeandplaytherapy.com), but her poor mom has been in an accident and Sheila needed to cancel. Ben will be disappointed but I don't mind so much since it means no rushing around on a "day off". Sheila is absolutely amazing I do have to say and if you or someone you know has issues to be worked through, she is fabulous.
Dr William Dyer is on Ellen right now and I have never heard him speak before. Oh my gods the man is brilliant and so inspiring. WOW. His latest book is based on the Tao and its teachings. He quoted Mark Twain:
"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds upon the heel that has crushed it."I leave that thought with you now.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

How bizarre and sad.

It was all over the internet yesterday about Heath Ledger's death. You know, thats how his FAMILY found out! It was all over the media before the police even could call next of kin. Sick and wrong, that.
Heath Ledger was never my favourite actor though I do not dispute the fact that the man had massive talent. With so much life, film opportunities, his daughter's life, etc ahead of him, his time is over. It really is such a waste. Sad sad sad.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

OSCAR says Canadians Rock!

Ok..maybe not precisely like that but come on! Sarah Polley is nominated(or at least her film is) and Ellen Page and Jason Reitman are in Juno, which is nominated for Best Picture. Whats strange about Juno's nomination? Its a COMEDY. Thats almost unheard of, a comedy getting nominated for best picture.
Ok..now, why do I even care? Technically I don't so much. My cinophile tendencies are getting pretty watered down as the years go by, no longer a wanna be actress...no longer working in video stores...You know how it is.
Ok..back to why I am interested in Juno's nomination... Ellen Page is the actress playing Juno, the lead character in the movie of that name. She is a mere 20 years old and already her career is kinda WOW (Pit Pony, Marion Bridge, Hard Candy, X-Men Last Stand)! and...AND......
SHE is from Halifax, Nova Scotia!!!!!!! Yeah baby!
Ellen Page's family must be flippin' out with excitement. Halifax? Can ya's hear them screamin'??
Betcha registration at The Shambhala School goes up cuz of this. heh heh

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Yummy!

In A Panic salad:
I am calling it this because I had supper going when HM called and it turned out he didn't pick up the spiced potatoes at Adonis like I told him to. Yes I did tell you. So what to do but throw on some rice and make a salad...but out of what?? A fridge search scrounged up this........

Red Onion (OR sweet spanish onion) thinly sliced in half rounds
Plum Tomatoes thinly sliced
English cucumber thinly sliced
fresh Cilantro leaves chopped
Olive oil, Red wine vinegar, a drop or so of honey, salt and pepper.
Slice the veggies and throw them in a bowl. Chop the cilantro ( a goodly amount)and toss that in with the veggies.
Into a clean jar Put oil and vinegar enough for your salad and add to it a drop or so of honey, just to take the edge off, and salt and pepper. Shake well and pour over the other ingredients, tossing the salad with your hands until slices are all separated and coated and mixed up.
Serve with meal.


I sit here and hour and a half eating the leftovers. Gods this is good.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Friggity Diggity Doo

Which is exactly what I got done today...nothing. I slept in, talked to my mom, got ready to go to the ski hill, knit in the bar after we got our pass photos done (got almost nothing done thanks to Frak ups following my mitten chart). Came home and made an Indian recipe from my Xmas Gift cookbook for supper while HM got the kids KFC. They never in a million would eat Minced Lamb and Peas with saffron rice and raita. It was very good and also very easy if you have all the spices etc. Next time I will up the chili powder or green chilis. I used the last of my cumin seed too and they weren't real fresh so they lacked a certain sum'n sum'n.
Now I am tired. I stayed out too late last night. It was Friday night knitting at Effiloche and after I drove my knit pal Dana home, we had a vissie at her place just the two of us. It was nice to see her apartment and borrow her knitting book, see her stashlette. I paid for it though because after I got home, I couldn't go right to bed (it was way after midnight) and I stayed up reading until after 2 am. I am tired and cranky because of PMS too. Oh, the heads I could have joyfully torn loose from bodies today for practically NO REASON except I had a low simmering rage going all afternoon. Awful. Sorry for being me , World. Tomorrow will most likely be better.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Diary of a lazy slacker: Day..ummmm

I'm too lazy to work out the math of what day of my existance it is...especially what with leap years and shit.
Went knitting last night and enjoyed my time. Got a bit done on sleeve one of Cameron's sweater, now I am done the increases. Got a bit done on my second sock. Both are stockingette boredom mindless knitting but switching was actually a relief thanks to the different gauges and colours.
Mitten experiment continues slowly when I have the focus to follow the graph. Its sooo puuuurrrrty.
Of course since I am bored with projects I itch to cast on something new and interesting. Must..resist..startitis... The siren song of the stash calls to me "Try a new sock pattern with a nicer heeeelll, Alison...." " What about those felted mittens you bought me fooorr?... "
Be quiet, voices from behind my chair!! Shush or I'll release some moths!!
This morning was lovely. Ben woke early and not only made his own breakfast (toast and peanut butter) and got dressed before I even came downstairs but he also fed the dog, put her out AND lined up all the morning pills. That sounds awful doesn't it...my morning phamily pharmaceutical round up... Ben has a prescription, and then there are the vitamins and EFA supplements that I make the guys take each morning and Cammie's Nasonex spray when I remember. See?? I am not supermedicating my kids,...really! The number of vitamin jars would be reduced by one if the boys took the same vitamins but I have Flintstones for picky eaters for Ben and sour gummi Flintstones for Cameron because he specially requested them and he is not such a picky eater. They take different EFA capsules too. Super duper dose for Ben (to try and help with the ADD and the fact he eats a very limited variety of foods) and Junior formula in easier to swallow size for Cammie (who eats a MUCH more varied diet than Ben but can't swallow the capsules Ben takes, or i'd give them the same ones). This is the second morning in a row that Ben has been cheery and bright and helpful and its absolutely delightful.
What made today even better than yesterday was that by the time I got downstairs after an apres alarm clock snuggle with Cameron, he too had gotten dressed and made himself a bowl of cereal for breakfast!!! WTF!? I stood there...with nothing to do but dole out the pharmacopia and give many hugs and kisses and praises for such a wonderful surprise. My mornings are usually full of wheedling, coaxing, demanding,, threatening, and finally screaming in order to get the boys ready and out the door on time, paired with breakfast preparations and chore reminders (feed the dog). Is this what it will be like when they are teens and I'm not supposed to have to herd them through morning preparations??? Its awesome. They were out the door this morning with time to spare for a cold walk to school with happy dispositions. Oh it was magical. Le sigh.........

Monday, January 14, 2008

Oh sweet frakking Jeebus

If I here Hello Delilah one more time today I will really get very cranky!!!!!
Although today there was parody on the radio called Hey There Jemima. It was about pancakes. Yum.

Last one


This is the sampling of my yarn haul...one skein of each type I got. The "blue" variegated in the back is actually a purple. Stupid camera. The variagated with orange is also featuring purple, not blue.
The brown sock yarn by "lifestyles"(hee hee isn't that a condom brand???)has a soft ballerina pink and aqua/turquoise in it that just made me go crazy for it. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

More pics







Sunday had me out and about with Marla then on Tuesday my family gathered to give best wishes to my nephew Trevor and his bride to be. My sister Jessie recieved the biggest poinsettia that I ever saw EVER. Her hubbie's biker pal brought it from where he works where they were preparing to THROW THEM OUT!!! Holy tax write off/wasted money. Isn't amazing????

NS Trip





My trip to NS was great. I had a wonderful chatty lunch with friend Karen on the Dartmouth waterfront on the Friday then we went for a walk.
Saturday saw a snow storm but that didn't stop me and Barb from our Yarn crawl and hooking up the the Halifax KOL crew. More pictures to follow!

better late than never:Xmas Morning Pics




Sunday, January 13, 2008

New funny


I have just got hooked on "The Pen". If you are fond of sheep and New Zealand and sheepish New zealander humour, this might be for you too. Cooincidentally Flight Of The Conchords member Jemaine Clement plays Robert.
http://www.myspace.com/robertandsheepy

Saturday, January 12, 2008

I Am LongCat!!


Your Score: Longcat


64% Affectionate, 45% Excitable, 46% Hungry



Protector of truth.

Slayer of darkness.

Loooooong.

Longcat may seem like just a regular lengthy cat, but he is, in fact, looong. For proof, observe the longpic.

It is prophesized that Longcat and his archnemesis Tacgnol will battle for supremacy on Caturday. The outcome will change the face of the world, and indeed the very fabric of lolcatdom, forever.

Be grateful that the test has chosen you, and only you, to have this title.

To see all possible results, checka dis.

Link: The Which Lolcat Are You? Test written by GumOtaku on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
View My Profile(GumOtaku)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Ok....

I may regret it but I am creating a 72 stitch mitten using a chart for a ram's horn motif and the cuff instructions for "Pirates". Yarns? Cherry Tree Hill in Foxy Lady and Briggs and Little sport in white...on 2.75 needles. Its a little looser than most would knit but my 2.5 s are busy.
May I just say that the Cherry Tree Hill makes me want to weep with its beauty. If I and said mitten survive they will be exquisite.

Long Time

Its been days since I posted and I have my reasons, laziness being one, but also stuff has been going on etc .
The HusbandMan called from work last Friday to announce we had to discuss something. Of course I felt that minute panic of "oh crap he saw how much yarn I bought in Halifax" but then I relaxed because I didn't buy THAT much. Turns out he'd found out about a job opportunity back home in Halifax and should we consider it. That filled my head space for the entire weekend..should we? ...shouldn't we? Yes? No? Looked at real estate just incase... Finally he talked to his higher up about it on Monday and while moving back would be great, it doesn't feel like this would be a most secure move. We moved here for some job security, such as it can be. Even if this job he has now was a dud, a large metropolis has more employment opportunities at HM's level than back in the Maritimes. To move back there to a position that is precarious at the moment and have no back up opportunities is very scary. So the decision is we stay the course, and thats fine. Mostly. While I see the need to be secure and like it very much, I still miss home. Not as much as I used to, but still... So I am glad the question is resolved as it is but have some residual sadness.
The boys are back to school this week and the daily bitching and complaining began immediately. "I hate school!" "I'm too tired!" "Drive us!!" " I'm not eating that for breakfast/lunch!!" "I don't want to do my homework!!" Blah blah blah. Oh structure how I've missed you! NOT!
Yesterday, it was very windy here. the morning wasn't so bad but the forecast for blustery day proved correct. TOO correct. We are no tempo-less. A tempo, for those outside Qc., is a temporary shelter for ones car. A seasonal garage consisting of a steel framework and a fitted cover of tarplike materials tied to it. One weights this mother down with concrete blocks and also stakes it to the ground. Yesterday in the blusteryness, our tempo went tits up into the front yard..totally turtled!! Pieces of the steel frame were twisted and bolts snapped, concrete blocks lay where the dropped, my pretty lampost was sheared off and needs to be replaced in the spring when the snow is gone to expose the rest of it. Holy moley! I had called my husband at work once earier on, when it was kinda funny how the tempo was filling with wind occassionally like a hot air balloon. He was very busy and not as interested as I was. Then I called back later and said " I know you are really busy and I'm sorry to call again, but I have a Holy Shit situation on my hands and have no idea how to proceed!" He replied that he was on his way! I took pictures so he would see how bad it was and just incase we were to put the damage through insurance. My neighbor came over aNd started dismantling the structure for me while I dealt with lunchtime kids and then together we had it partially dismantalled and totally uncovered so the wind couldn't move it anymore.
The weird thing? I'd gone out for a few minutes in the car earlier and decided to park on the other part of the driveway when I returned about 15 minutes before the tempo hit the fan. How's that for being watched over??! We would have had SERIOUS car damage if I had parked under the shelter as usual.
As soon as I can I will post the pictures.
On the knitting front I am very discontented. I want to start new things but when I try to decide its never right and things get ripped over and over. I am on the gusset decreases of sock 1 of my first pair for ME. I'm using Lismore Sheep Farm sport weight (single ply) that I hand dyed this summer with candy colours on white. Plain vanilla sock pattern though. Cameron's sweater draaaaagggggs on through stockingette wasteland. I have a sleeve on the go for that too. I tried to start a double knit mitten for Ben but its been ripped 3 times. Maybe I'm just bored? sigh. I haven't started Bird in Hand because I think its too hard for me plus I cannot settle on a colour combination. I want to make Norwegian mittens so badly but I don't have a pattern that doesn't have some fussy cuff edging besides the Pirate mitten...maybe I could take the pirate mitten and use its cuff with another graph...? sigh. HELP!!

Thursday, January 03, 2008

I'm Back and its Next Year!!!

Holy crap. I went away for a week and when I returned it was the next year! 2008 is here. Time space continuum something or other, or too many Yellowbirds at my sister's house? Hmmm......
I had a great time in NS visiting with friends Barb and Marla and the 902 area code knitters that showed up at The Wired Monk coffee shop on the 29th for some yarny companionship. Hollah, home girls!!!!!
Anyhoo, I return with gifts of the Debbis Bliss book How To Knit which has been on my WANT list because of its concise instructions for cables etc. I loooovvveee yoooouuuu Baaaarrrrb! Also, yummy chocolates were delightful and are all gone. I also returned home with some stash enhancement and ANOTHER bookshelf addition, Ann Budd's sweater pattern book. These and the Christmas offerings of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Opinionated Knitter and Knitting Workshop make for a pretty full shelf.
On the stash enhjancement we have Lion Brand variegated wool, Paton's variegated wool, Paron's Krpy sock yarn, and LifeStyles by Zircon (?) sock yarn in subtle pale pink, beige, turquoise/aqua, and brown. LOVE it. The photo (to be published later) only shows one skein of each addition. Trust...there is more.
Tonight HM returned home from work bearing a gift. He neglected to purchase the first season of Flight Of The Conchords as a gift and the guilt/nagging/bitching/pouting was really getting to him so he hunted Montreal and Laval after work for a copy and brought it home to me. YAY!!! So, once the kids go to bed, you know what time its going to be. That's right.
Its gonna be time for Business Time.