Suburban HELL

Just after drafting that last post we had 2 "incidents" with neighbours.

Cami and his cousin decided it would be GREAT FUN to slide down the short, grassy side yard of our up-street neighbour. I could hear them squealing happily from the front yard and caught them in the act. Apparently the wet grass (and now mud) makes a terrific slip 'n slide effect. Oh man!!!! As if there isn't enough tension with the damn dog being accused of stepping in their new veggie plot! And long before that my dog (before neutering) urinated on their fuzzy lap-dog (funny to me but embarrassing to the extreme - she was a very angry lady for a while). But I digress... Now their side yard is a mess.... and it's MY kid's fault.

He has been told MANY times that he is NOT to go in their yard!!!! They are empty nesters and past the age of being tolerant to kid-related destruction. They are exhausted coming home from their night shift work and try very hard to have a pretty front yard area (hanging baskets and garden fairies galore). Not really kid-proof, nor should it have to be.

I'm not sure what to do about that short of an electric fence!

I left a note on the neighbour's door admitting the damage, and offering to reseed and water until it was better, apologizing politely and firmly stating my heartfelt regret. The husband came home while I was outside so I ran over to talk to him about it. He was very kind and thanked me for telling me. He said he wasn't thrilled about them doing it, but no real harm done, the grass would grow back on its own. He told me not to sweat it. (thanks!) So I was more upset than the neighbour... phew, that's a relief.

THEN just as we were preparing to wind down for the evening, T gets called over by our down-street neighbour. Apparently MORE of their plants have been crushed. Since they actually caught Cam doing it last winter, it HAD to be him.

Tim came in all angry at Cam for the infraction of the don't-go-near-those-neighbours rule -- for the second time today. But Cam was at my sister's for a cousin sleepover, so I called him and asked him if he had been on the other side of the tent trailer. I got my sis to ask her son (separately) if they had gone to the other side of the tent trailer too. That way we had 2 stories and no time to collaborate. They both were confused by the odd question and said they did NOT go over there at all. So T went back to tell the neighbours that though he could not prove that Cam didn't do it, Cam said he didn't, and they really shouldn't be accusing him if they didn't see it happen either.

Then the gentleman of the house (who had obviously been drinking) went on to tell T that the gazebo on his back patio keeps getting taken apart, and that the "vandalism" stopped when he put up a note saying "Cameron, if you keep coming back here I will call the police".

B-U-L-L-$-H-!-T

(Cam can't even get back there, the crazies have it all barricaded! Besides it has been WINDY lately... MAYBE the wind is wiggling that stupid hunk of trash apart -- maybe?)

THEN -- the man CONTINUES, by saying Cam's attitude has changed for the worse lately (Cam is scared of these weird people) and that he "feels for us" as parents and that he bets we'll have a lawyer on speed-dial by the time Cam's a teen. --- WHAT?

The sad part is they are really pleasant to everyone else on the block. They reserve their unreasonable wacko-ness for us.

Tim told them as he was leaving that they were both MENTAL and stormed home.

So I went on line and looked up what we could do about false accusations like this. It looks like we can't do a thing to get them to stop slandering us to the neighbourhood. The only suggestion any lawyer made was to get a surveillance camera (to prove my kids DON'T cause any damage). That sounds like a valid plan to me. It would keep our driveway safer and hopefully keep the neighbours quiet.

One thing FOR SURE is that the tallest fence allowed by the city will be installed ASAP!!!!

What's the deal? Why are our kids (and dog) the focus for all this agression? Do we really come across as irresponsible and "bad" to people? This is a new and disconcerting angle to my self-perception. I am not comfortable with this, and I don't have a clue how to fix it. Not a clue.

Time to PURGE again!

Middle top house surrounded by trees with the "green" pool is my latest anguish.

Stay with .19 acres (about .08 of which is usable) and a lovel house in a lovely neighbourhood... and very decent timeline left on the payments....

OR

Almost 4 acres of limitless potential with a crusty house and way longer and bigger financial commitments in a rather shady neighbourhood (in places)......?

Security or Adventure? Stay where its safe or risk a dream?

+++++++++++++++++++++

BUT ASIDE FROM THAT.....

+++++++++++++++++++++

With the moving-bug gnawing furiously at my leg, I am feeling the overwhelming urge to purge!

It's a 2-fold reaction actually.... firstly my home feels cramped, therefore I want to move. So I purge to be less cramped.

Secondly, if this feeling doesn't go away, and we DO move we'll need to have the home in viewable condition (less cluttered) so it's a win-win situation really!

Kind of the opposite of nesting.

PS: as the end of the month draws near I found not buying anything brand new for JUNE rather painless and easy. Other than the jeans for T's work, I did buy a tick-puller-- it's been a bad year for the nasty little parasites and I figured I better got the right tool for the job.

I am much more ruthless than usual with my decision making.

Steamy weekend!

Get your minds out of the gutters, it wasn't THAT kind of steamy!

The forestry museum in Duncan had a special steam celebration this weekend and we all went for Sunday. It was AMAZING! Of course there were steam locomotives and steam rollers and steam tractors that were all incredibly powerful and fascinating.

I had no idea there were so many different steam powered CARs out there! They were very quick and surprisingly quiet.... and oh so pretty!

(Stanley Steamer!)

We HAD to go on the train ride around the museum, the steam locomotive that is a regular fixture there is celebrating it's ONE HUNDREDTH birthday this season, and it still pulled us tourists around, no problem.

(the steam whistle is very loud)

but the one machine that blew my mind was the steam powered pumper/fire truck. Exquisitely beautiful and mesmerizing to watch work.... this photo doesn't do it justice at all...

It was a very interesting event... these antiquities were not only on display, they were rolling around, showing off their power, speed and strength for all to see. It was an experience I will not soon forget.

And everyone was willing to answer questions and show how things work (Cameron is here asking the engineer how the boiler makes the piston move). T was in 7th heaven, and the boys were suitably curious and impressed. Nice day (even if it did rain a bit).

June's Mission Update

"No new clothes, no new gadgets, no new music, movies NOTHING NEW for one month. "

Not 100% success so far. But I'm doing quite good!

I went to Costco with my mom today and bought my husband BRAND NEW work jeans. They were $14.99 each -- I got 2 pairs -- and his other work jeans have holes. Not exactly wasteful spending, but it felt like cheating. I walked past all the new books, movies games, gadgets and toys without even an urge to browse.... ((patting myself on the back))

Other than those jeans for T, I have been VERY GOOD! (Remember- food doesn't count, I got LOTS of food).

Feeling bored with my aged summer wardrobe (some of my summerdresses were bought PRE kids, thats 13 years ago) I did not go to the mall, I went to the Thrift Store -- on a Tuesday so I could get the 30% family discount. I found a couple of really charming, name-brand tops and a pair of denim Capris that fit perfectly and sporty, calf-length black yoga pants that look fairly flattering! I even found a handmade dress with a cut that was super-comfy and almost sophisticated looking!

All second hand,
All adding up to less than $20.

With my one-in, one-out rule, there are a few things for my sister to reclaim if she wants and a set of PJs being converted to rags.

No new resources were exploited in the expansion of my wardrobe, I am happy with the quality of the garments and REALLY pleased with the price.

Trying new things

I had a MEAN craving for HUMMUS yesterday, so I dove into my pantry and whipped up a batch that was my best one yet (slightly adapted Original Moosewood Cookbook version w/o the tahini and adding olive oil).

• 1 big can of chickpeas
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• juice of 2 medium lemons
• 3/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 packed cup finely minced fresh parsley FROM MY GARDEN
• cayenne pepper to taste
• olive oil to blend

food processor it all to smooth consistancy. better flavor if made ahead of time.

I had some flatbread for the occassion, and enough veggies to make a deluxe spinach salad (with a Greek twist). Then I realized that I had thawed out ground PORK by accident (I intended on beef). So I had to improvise my dinner plan. When put in these situations I turn to the internet.


I searched for "ground meat kebabs" and found a fantastic idea for Morroccan kebabs!


Kefta Kebabs (it called for beef, or lamb, but I could just tell these flavours would be good for the pork).

• About 1 1/2 pounds of ground pork
  1/2 c minced parsley FROM MY GARDEN
• A few sprigs of cilantro, FROM MY GARDEN minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c fine breadcrumbs,
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  
• Mix thoroughly and form around pre-soaked bamboo skewers.... grill on med-high heat on BBQ until done.

No regrets!

Served with lightly grilled flatbreads, the hummus, plain yogurt and the salad, they turned out very very yummy as a meal. My youngest boy even helped make them (they were so easy). I WILL be making these again!


A new use for a cheap source of protein -- hooray!

I love trying new things with food!

"Cheap and Cheery"

"Cheap and Cheery" Well, that pretty much sums me up!

Or, could I be so bold and say I'm "Frugal and Fabulous" or "Savvy and Sensational" ?

I'm getting carried away. I'm happy sitting and watching the bees in the flowers, listening to the birds or reading my thrift store novels in a quiet corner.... genuinely happy.

Alas, sometimes I need to go shopping. When deciding to make a purchase, there are a few questions that run through my brain before I pull out my wallet:

1. Do I already have it? Or something that will do?
2. What will it contribute to my life/the life of my family?
3. Can I afford it?
4. Do I have room for it? Where will I keep it?
5. If I wait to get it later, will it matter?
6. Is it selfish, wasteful?
7. How long can I expect it to be a part of my life?
8. How much extra time do I have to work to justify this extra expense?

All this happens VERY quickly. If all the questions are answered favourably, then it's a no brainer and I buy it. If some of the answers are iffy but I really want it, then I'll likely buy it with only a little remorse. If I feel like I need to get it even if the answers are skewed or another family member pressures me, then I will likely have loads of remorse. That is life.

The truth of it is that I put a time/energy value on my money. I always have and probably always will. What this means is "just $20" for something had better give me something I value as much as about 4 hours of billable labour. If it does, then I will happily shell out the 20 bucks!

That's part of the reason the idea of moving is so PAINFUL for me. All the things I wish we had i our next house do not reasonably outweight the huge expenses, hassles and other losses that will happen if we move on. So we stay. Hating the driveway, living with the cliff, tolerating the grouchy neighbour, enduring the location that is not ideal for our lifestyle. When for a mere $20,000 or so out of pocket (realtor fees, mortgage fees, property transfer tax, moving expenses, inspection, lawyers, etc...) and perhaps a much bigger (or at least longer) mortgage we could move to a very different house that is older and not have the features we have learned to love here.... only with a better riding location and more space outside.

This frugalness also affects my social life. I don't see movies, I don't just "go out with the girls" order take out, or shop at the malls, go to sporting events, get my hair done or do the pedicure thing.... at least only once in a blue moon. I enjoy my life without these things, I don't feel deprived and the truth is my plate already feels very very full so I don't see how people even have the TIME for such things regularly!

I'm a happy person; my life is full of love, good food, warm hugs and decent second-hand purchases.

*** PS, I'm looking for a "mates/captains bed for Cami, does anyone know of where I can get one cheap? Or feel confident enough with carpentry to help me make one? Also we are selling the boys' BMX bicycles. Good quality, suitable for racing. ***

It's BAAAAAACK!

Oh my feet are itchy again! I have the "moving bug" again, and it's particularly bad this time around with the neighbours being annoying and the boys with their school troubles and Steve heading to highschool next year. All you that know me knew it was going to happen again...

Sure I love my little veggie garden, sure my home is lovely in it's own way (and more than 1/2 paid for). But I feel like we need more room to be noisy and rambunctious outside. Steve loves his pellet gun and the range we have out back is very tiny, too tiny to even use his slingshot! They love jumping their bikes and the cul-de-sac is getting too small for that (and I'd be happier if it was in dirt instead of on the road).

And then there was last weekend: T wanted to replace the clutch in our big truck. BUT the garage is too short to fit a crew cab full-box pickup in it and the driveway was too steep to even think about using (the neighbours would probably rat us out anyways). So he had to find another place to do the job which meant calling in a favour and a lot of extra running around with tools, etc. It stressed him out considerably and when he is stressed out we all are!

oh the agony of house lust!

Peddling Backwards

Do you ever feel like you are just spinning your wheels?

I just finished a volunteer project for my oldest son's class. It took me about 16 hours all together, and myself and 2 other moms worked very hard to make it something special.

The Class of 2010 yearbook.

One of the moms was able to take the file to the school district printers. And the book that came back completely disregarded the mock-up and page layouts that I put all that time and effort and consultation into. I don't know why I even tried to make the pages make sense, they just got bound together in any old way, and the result is an amateurish layout and over-saturated muddy colours. I have never had such a mess with my name on it before! -- And yes my name is on it, proudly supporting our 2010 graduating year. The only good news is that all the CONTENT is still there (only a little out of order).

Bah. Why should the printing place print the file as I gave it to them? Why would they LOOK at the hard-copy mock-up I spent 2 hours assembling for them (because they prefer one)? Why did I even try?

I am bitter about it, but at the same time, it isn't TERRIBLE as a finished booklet -- it's just half-assed looking. And that doesn't sit well with me at all whether anyone else notices or not.

If you could see me now, you'd see a big pouty lip sticking out and a sniffle breaking loose (like a kid that's dropped her ice cream cone).

BUT other than that little black cloud, my week has gone okay. Thunder showers followed by amazing sunshine! My PAYING work seems to be going well and my menu plan for the week is yummy yummy and more yummy!

How to Cook at Home

I love cooking at home. It's cheaper, faster and better for me than eating out and I'm happy to say my family tells me my cooking TASTES better than restraunt food too!

When I started cooking I worked around the staples of my childhood family kitchen: mushroom or tomato soup, hamburger, noodles, potoatoes, onions and frozen veggies were always on hand to whip up something. Now that my palette is more sophisticated, my kitchen essentials list has grown.

There are a couple secrets to successful home cooked meals on a regular basis:

#1 keep a well stocked kitchen.

#2 menu plan for the week.

Let me expand on #1.

My freezer is full of the "base" ingredients for most of my meals. There is chicken, pork chops, hamburger and a few cuts of beef -- the starting points for an infinite selection of menu choices! I also have frozen fruits, berries and many vegetables for the times when fresh is not available.

Also, my pantry is never without certain non perishables that make these meals possible : the previously mentioned soups (for a wide variety of comfort-food sauces from stroganoff to creamy mushroom chops to, caccatorie) canned tomatoes, tomato sauce (for italian and mexican dishes), broth, asparagus, olives, artichoke hearts, spagetti sauces (to cheat for quick lasagna's) and a few varieties of our favourite italian and chinese noodles. And of course potatoes and onions, garlic, flour, sugar and enough spices to keep it interesting (chili powder, pepper, dried mustard, curry, cumin, oregano and basil spices are used the most in my house) and a few different oils and vinegars for their own distinct flavours.

My fridge is loaded with mustards, sauces and other flavour boosting ingredients, and I always have plain yogurt (for indian dishes), sour cream (for mexican an russian dishes), cottage cheese for snacks and lasagna, and eggs, parmesan, mozza and cheddar cheese.

Okay I'm probably overwhelming those that aren't used to cooking regularly, but honestly, these items can be accumulated gradually as you get more comfortable with different recipes. And once you have them, they are waiting for you to make something yummy!

#2: With my pantry and freezer ready to offer up dozens of helpful ideas the menu planning is easy! I look through my favourite grocery store's flyer to see what fresh produce is on sale that week and generally base the meals around that. Asparagus and leeks on sale? Then we are having grilled chicken breast and a grilled vegetable salad with olive oil and pumpkin seeds and a side of couscous or quinoa at some point this upcoming week! Tomatoes on sale? Then we are definitely having tacos one day (especially if avacados are on sale too). Mushrooms on sale? We are having straganoff, stuffed vegetarian zucchini casserole and maybe a frittata for 3 dinners. Cucumbers? Greek salad, tzatziki, and greek style skewers! Red Peppers? Then we are having black bean and grilled red pepper quesadillas, and/or maybe a balsamic vinegar-grilled veggie salad or they can go diced in the soft tortillas or sauted in the fajitas with some onion and chicken! And almost any vegetable can go into a stirfry, though some taste better in an indian curry or a thai soup... yummmy, the possibilities! I always seem to have broccoli, carrots and spinach in the house, they make excellent snacks and sides raw or cooked. Eggs on sale? I make quiche or frittatas (especially good for using up limp asparagus or leftover bacon or tomatoes or ham or shallots or odds & ends of cheese)

On the days when the veggies are not interesting, or I have run out I generally make something almost entirely from canned goods: chili and spaghetti are good examples. Stew happens when the beef I am using is starting to get freezer burned (though that's getting rarer) and/or my potatoes are starting to sprout. The stew makes an even playing field of all the flavours and everyone loves it in my house (especially if I make dumplings in it).

You may have guessed we are not a "meat and potatoes" kind of family. I LOVE making colourful foods and try to keep it interesting from day to day when I can. I feel terrible guilty if I serve the same type of food more than once a week, thankfully my family appreciates it, and my kids will always try it. Usually the flyer determines what we are having, that and what will expire first (always important to keep track of that to reduce waste)

I hope this has been helpful!

Here comes the sun!

Wow, what a difference! Today is stunningly beautiful and toasty warm like June should be. I have taken advantage of this so far by getting up early and tackling the weeds that have been enjoying all the rain of late. My gardens are looking lush, but not every plant is wanted.

There is something nibbling mercilessly at my veggie seedlings. Poor things, there isn't that much left! I am now SOL for cucumbers and half the zucchini's and only a few beans and peas have gotten past the 4 leaf stage. I'm not sure what is eating them, so I'm not sure what defense I can make! I don't like pesticides, I'd rather go without a garden this year than poison my ground, so I guess I just have to learn to share.

Poor beans...

This zucchini looked pretty fine a week ago! (5 others got eaten to the ground... waaaah)

Back to it.... more weeds to pull while the sun is shining!

Must be the weather

I had a screamer of a headache by 1 pm yesterday. It started with a halo around 9:30, and as my errands for the day were carried out, it just ramped itself up. Thankfully by 4pm it seemed to have gotten under control. Tylenol, a calm walk in the fresh air and avoiding the flickering monitor must have helped.

I don't really think it was a migraine though. Some symptoms were similar, but it felt different (and was so short). This morning T has a headache, and he NEVER has headaches. We shared some symptoms the last few days as well... fatigue, stiff neck, gut unrest. I think something's going around. BEWARE the mysterious stiff neck!

But for the good news, the weather seems to be improving.... where are we, the Amazon Rain Forest?

Between squawls of rivers running down the street, there have been BEAUTIFUL periods of sunshine.

Not warm yet, but they are promising an improvement for the weekend!

Trip in Pictures: Day 2: London

My day in London! Starts with a real English breakfast... the egg was so greasy that my "brown sauce" (aka HP sauce) was slipping off it. Those brown & red things are tomatoes. I confess that I gave my sausage to Nick.... but the bread was VERY fresh and good!

Then my sis and I started walking and quickly stumbled accross spotting the Millenium foot bridge... and from there I saw the London eye -- I squeaked with glee at how easy it was to find a sight!The hour was early. So the eye was not yet open for the day. But the wind was brisk so we kept moving along the wide promenade along the river Thames.... withing sight of the Eye was this postcard perfect view!

As we got closer, the light struck gilded Big Ben beautifully!

And as we crossed the bridge for a closer look at the Parliment Buildings and Big Ben, I was dumbfounded by the exquisite detail on those buildings... just stunning!

Next to the HP, there was the Westminster Abbey, and next to that was a "small" Romanesque church called St. Margeret's... free admission, and very pretty!

The weather was getting very cold by now... and though we hmmmmed and hawwwed about the admission price we decided to go into the Abbey where so much history is buried.

We weren't allowed to take photos inside, too bad because the architecture! Grand foyers, glass, woodcarvings, and chapels and so many different nooks and crannies where royalty of the ages is remembered as well as nobility, anf famous artists, poets, writes, etc.... amazing stuff!

I did take some photos in the chapter house... it was off down a hallway, and really unique. Round, vaulted and bare of furniture....

Soaring above, the ceiling was a marvel of brick and ribs!

Here is the cloister hall... (I posted that archway looking into the cloister already)

And a door to the little cloister...

And after hours of browsing memorials, reading many dozens of plaques, gawking at corridor after corridor of marvels and soaking in the massive amounts of historical signifigance that went on in there... we stumbled out onto the brisk London Street once more.

Our destination being the Museum of Natural History.... from the outside it's almost as impressive as the Abbey, and inside they let us take pictures! Admission is free! WooHoo! Here is the foyer, a nice big dinosaur to greet us.

Even the stairwells were marvellous!

Here is the mammal exhibit....

Blue Whales are HUGE, like reallllllly big!

I was blown away by the foyer... the details in the columns, all patterns in nature, animals climbing the colomns and crouched at the bases, vaulted glass ceilings, broad stone and iron stairs.... just so awesome!

By this point we were pretty hungry, so we went to Wagamama's on Kengsington. My friend Wolfgrrrl recommended it highly. Oh ya!!! It was SO INTENSELY YUMMY! And the decor was refreshingly minimalist after the amazing experiences og the morning.

Back onto the streets.... quaint buildings and bicycles at every corner.

We hopped on and off of busses with our passes, and really enjoyed getting back to the trainstation (below) where we were to meet our host after work to get back to their home for the evening. It had been a long, full day!

The sun made another appearance on the long commute home... it made the rapeseed fields glow!

A late dinner of curry take-out (mmmmmm....) and we hit the hay, visions of cobblestones, stained glass, red busses and other sights in my head as I quickly drifted to sleep.

So far, so good.

Welcome to Monday June 7th. My "no new things for June" is going well!

Cami's 9th birthday was an adventure. The friends got to our house at 6:00pm and the pizza got there at 6:30, just exactly right! We had a banana split buffet for dessert: 3 scoops of icecream, a banana whipcream and an assortment of colourful sweet toppings and syrups to choose from! They had fun with that (thankfully the weather was good enough to have them outside on the patio).

(Here is my nephew with his sweet creation....)Then Cami opened his presents, they rolled around the cul-de-sac on their bikes and they played video games together (we borrowed another controller so all 4 could play at once). Next thing I knew it was 10 pm!!!! So I set up the mattresses in the livingroom and sent them to "bed". That's when our lovely plan fell apart..... one boy was very fearful, and really good at getting the others worked up too. This freaked out 8 year old was very educated on all the ghosts, goblins, monsters and movie-freaks out there (Chucky, Sasquatch, werewolfs, vampires, Chupacabra, Jason, Nightmare on Elm Street, poltergiests...... this kid knew them all!) He managed to keep everyone awake until well past midnight (I was NOT impressed -- nobody was having fun). Finally it was quiet out there, but it was short lived because they were all up by 6 am. sigh..... T made a yummy breakfast for everyone with cheesy scrambled eggs and potato patties and bacon.... mmmmm..... Then I had all the boys get dressed, and pack their stuff and go ride their bikes until the parents showed up at 9:30am.

We took all of ourselves to T's mom's and there we gave Cami his real present... A KICK-BUTT BIKE! What a sweet ride that thing is! He loves it! Then we all went to Tim Horton's for this new thing called coldstone icecream. Crazy gourmet tasty stuff.

( 5 seconds after getting the bike, he's already scaring me!)

After icecream T took the kids to a skate bowl with the bikes and I went home to prepare the family Birthday dinner. I was thankful for the time to get things done, and pre-prepped as much as I could and repaired the residual chaos from the sleepover. I have to be honest.... I was in A MOOD!!!! Oh I was grouchy! Time alone was the best for everyone.

Dinner went well, Cami was feeling the love from the family. We had Hamburgers (by Cam's request) and a gourmet potato salad and caesar salad. Since 5 of our guests were vegetarian, I made some home-made veggie burger patties for them, and they actually turned out pretty good!!!!

For dessert Cami had requested plain pound cake with whipped cream and berries. No argument there!

All in all the birthday event was tiring, but successful.... My baby boy is NINE YEARS OLD!

(No more booster seats!)

HERE IS THE RECIPE (in case you like veggie burger patties)
Here is that recipe:

4 minced mushrooms (can be more)
1 minced green pepper
1/2 minced sweet onion
2 minced carrots
1 egg
3 Tbs red miso paste
1 tsp cumin
ground black papper

1 can black beans (drained, rinsed and mashed)
precooked quinoa
fine bread crumbs (optional)

Food processor the veggies until finely minced
Add egg and miso and cumin and pepper
Add mashed black beans and enough quinoa to hold together
Oil cookie sheet and make patties
put in 300 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes until set but not dried out
** finish on BBQ basted with olive oil.