Walking

Walking is good for the soul sometimes. It was a bit nicer out today. I was getting stifled with being in the house reading. Just kind of low. Getting out for a walk with Ares was like medicine. We went down to the sea, and then took a detour home, through a park with huge trees, where a bunch of kids were doing some kind of science experiment, speaking French. We saw two playful black dogs on the beach. We saw two large, white poodles in the park. We passed a nervous lady, and Ares behaved herself. I took in the rain drenched green neighbourhood, that is still abundant with flowers and greenery. Some of the trees are turning red now. The smell of crushed leaves mixed with the freshness after rain brought me a feeling of aliveness.

Bed-Head Ramblings

I have been sleeping in like crazy for these past few days. I got a cold several days ago, and so I feel the extra sleep is warranted. But now I am mostly on the mend. It's Thanksgiving Monday. I'm home with TJ, we're both plugging away at school work.

There is the sound of a fire crackling, thanks to our faux fire, fuel-in-a-can device. Our laundry is still hanging in the back porch, not quite dry. I have bed-head and am wearing my favourite red jeans and a grey turtle neck. We had a lovely thanksgiving meal with Pascal and Becky last night, where we played Jenga and Mennonite madness. I had fun cooking and tidying yesterday, listening to Neil Young, Unplugged, and my favourite other song by him: "Bandit". I made cranberry sauce, which is very easy. My gramma taught me how to make it, but lo and behold, the recipe is actually on the bag of cranberries. Just mix one cup water with one cup sugar (although, I only use half a cup of sugar). Boil for five minutes, then add the cranberries and boil on low for another five to ten minutes. The cranberries will pop and crack open. My gramma told me you need to boil it for a little longer than it says, to thicken it a bit more, and then you mash the cranberries a bit at the end, and let it cool.

I hope to facetime mom and dad tonight. I hope to try out my beeswax and collage idea later.

A Renter's Life

Introducing....our new kitchen light fixture! Ta Da!! Yes folks, that's it. We've been waiting for two months for this to be installed, and, well....it's a little anti-climactic. Oh well. It is sufficient. It does the job. We finally got our kitchen sink fixed today, too. No more terrible leaks all over the place!

Renting is kind of a relief, in many ways. Our landlord told us this house is over 120 years old, and that his dad bought the house in 1920!! Mine and TJ's house was over 80 years old, and it was a handful to keep up. Old houses, while beautiful, take a lot of effort and money to maintain. It's a nice feeling to not have to worry about putting our own money into fixing things when they break!

Little Things

I had to go to a staff meeting at work yesterday morning, so I was downtown, and had a chance to finally go to the green thrift store you see in the left hand corner of this photo. It was nice to enjoy being out and about in the morning, even though I was sick with a cold.

I like my job, but think I might start looking for a second job (to supplement) if I don't start getting more shifts by Christmas. It's hard to say, with being casual. I think the more shifts I accept, the higher I am on the seniority list. I guess all I can do is my best, and see what happens.

TJ made a wonderful stew this week. He got the recipe from post punk kitchen, after we had a delicious meal at Pascal and Becky's last week, and Pascal told us the recipe was from the site. The stew was so wonderful, I just had the very last of it for lunch today.


I just wanted to post a picture of my favourite mug. I got it in the spring when Beth and I went to Vancouver. We stopped in Field on the way back to Edmonton, and browsed in the pottery shop. I could not resist buying it. It brings me happiness every time I use it.

TJ and I went for a nice walk yesterday with Ares. I like walking with him. I find this weather recently very agreeable. It's not hot, it's not cold. It's just wonderful, mild and enjoyable.

Sunrise Market !

So we finally made it to Sunrise Market (which is actually only one block from my work, but open 8-6, so if I'm on nights - 7 pm to 7 am - I can't go). Sunrise is actually the same company that makes Sunrise tofu.

Anyways, the deals were amazing. Let me list all that we got:

7 Nectarines

1 Bunch of Bananas

2 Mangoes

5 Apples

2 Large Carrots

1 Head of Cauliflower

1 Large bag of Organic Onions

5 Lemons

1 Bunch of Leeks

3 Avocados

1 Small Bag of Potatoes

2 One Litre Cartons of Organic Soup Broth

1 Package of Organic Quinoa

1 Can of Pinto Beans

3 Heads of Garlic

1 Jumbo Bag of Purple Taco Chips

1 Bag of Kettle Chips

1 Bag of Marjoram Spice

1 Bag of Fennel Seeds

All for a grand total of.....$33.36

The last 8 ingredients on the list alone would come to at least $30 in any other store, especially here at my neighbourhood Safeway or Capers....

Pretty great, huh??

It's a bit of a bus ride, but great if you bring along reading. The atmosphere is great, i.e. I was asking TJ if he wanted some corn on the cob (8 for $1) and a passerby told me it was terrible and not to buy it. And there are a ton of interesting products, AND a great variation of produce, AND organics are available, plus lots of tofu to choose from!! Also, it's kitty-corner to a great little independent meat shop for when we decide to get a good cut of meat once in a while. It is safe to say that this is our new go-to grocery store.

G-I-N-G-E-R snap diversion

This paper of mine is not done yet. It's taking the energy out of me. It's too personal. I'm not liking that. Usually I am fine with personal. But right now it's draining. Ah well. I made ginger snaps as a distraction. TJ went out to Safeway and got me the missing eggs I needed to make them.

So, here I sit with a belly full of ginger snaps and milk. Waiting until my next cysto on October 18. Waiting for a call from work. Stretching out finishing my paper. Still kind of homesick.

Tomorrow, unless I get a call from work, I will get out of the house for a bit. I will go to Sunrise market. I will buy my beeswax to start my collage. These are kind of pointless posts right now. I just want to stay connected to whoever reads this, and I know some of you do. So, thanks. Throw me a hello if you are reading!

Ocean Therapy

Not necessarily a morning person, I did get myself rolled out of bed this morning to go for a walk down to the beach with TJ and Ares. Although the pictures don't look too warm, the sun was out. Since the forecast is calling for rain the next six days, I'm glad I did get out. Being at the ocean is very centering. It is very lovely and peaceful.

Also, been doing a lot of school work this past weekend. I haven't been at my job for a few days, which is working out well, as I have a paper that is due on Tuesday. But I did have an urge to make vegetable soup and biscuits this afternoon. The soup was kind of a strange concoction of what was left in the fridge: a few potatoes, carrots, celery, ginger, an apple, and some ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vegetable stock, all blended up. Then, Scott's biscuits.

This weekend was good because we got to see and visit with friends - first Josh and Jessica, who stayed with us for a night!!! And then we met them again at the Art Gallery on Saturday. Then dinner at Pascal and Becky's yesterday evening! It's a good feeling to visit and really talk with people.

My brain has been filled with so many thoughts lately on religion, personal psychology, and great, lofty philosophical debates with TJ, with my school, internally, and with friends. So, my brain is done for now.....well, actually, there is just enough functioning left to finish up my paper tonight, and then hopefully gaze at the rainy ocean tomorrow with a cup of hot coffee or something. Ciao.