Preparing for the long, cold days ahead...

Sir Alec Guinness as Richard III, Stratford, Ontario, 1953.

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York;

And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;

Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;

Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,

Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.

--Richard III (I, i)

I went from being hunch-backed to happy in one hour-long appointment. Amazing what a good RMT can do for one, non? Thanks so much for your kind, concerned words yesterday. I'm happy to report that my short run as King Richard is now over, and I'm feeling much more jovial and hopeful, now that my neck is finally feeling so much better...

Rather than use the winter of MY discontent to plan any kind of murderous revenge, or to overthrow the monarchy any time soon, I've decided to make today the day that I begin preparing FOR winter, instead. (I hope that sets your mind at rest, Painted Maypole... especially since I DO happen to have two very delightful little nephews who live close by...)

Yes, it's getting chilly and blustery outside this weekend, which is quite a change from the humid, thirty-plus degree (Celsius) temperatures we had for Canadian Thanksgiving, just seven short days ago. For the past day or so, the temperatures have been down near freezing, and I'm thinking that tonight, for SURE, I will have to rush outside with a big pile of old sheets and cover up the more delicate annual bedding plants out in the Garden. The potted plants will all have to be brought inside (and don't worry, I'm enlisting The Husband to do all the heavy lifting. He's going to be thrilled, let me tell you).

Although it's only early October, there are a few other things I like to make sure I've got close-at-hand, to help our family get through the damp, chilly days before the deep-freeze finally sets in for "good".

I'm a winter wuss, I fully admit it. Above all, one of the things I find nearly unbearable is the feeling of being cold. I'm not talking just "chilly", here. I'm talking about that horrible sensation you get when the cold and damp grab hold of you, and settle somewhere deep within your very bones. I think it's actually the dampness that nearly does me in. Usually, I tend to feel the cold more at this time of year than I do in, say, February, when everything is bone-dry and frozen solid. And so, come this time each year, I begin the Annual Quest for comfort items that will see us through till spring...

Here are a few of my favourites:

1. Many, many pairs of fuzzy socks. I am a sock junkie. I absolutely confess it. Perhaps this is because, with three small children to raise, I simply cannot afford to buy ridiculously expensive shoes, and substitute shwanky hosiery, instead. MOST likely, however, it is purely for the sake of warmth and comfort. Basically, if my FEET feel good, I wind up feeling good. (These particular items are my socks-of-choice for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.)

2. The Hot Sheep. It's not as kinky as it sounds, trust me. This is simply a traditional hot water bottle, in a beautiful little fleecy, zippered "jacket". It looks cute, protects the person cuddling it from excessive heat and potential dampness, and also insulates the hot water bottle, thus keeping it warm longer. Each of my children and I take a "hot sheep" to bed with us every single night, once the weather gets cold. It's especially nice if someone tucks the sheep into bed about ten or fifteen minutes ahead of each child (or grown-up)...

3. The Mitten Dryer. This is just simply a flat piece of plastic with hollow tubes jutting out of it, that is designed to fit over a hot air vent on the floor... Every time we walk in the door, we pop our hats and mitts onto the hollow tubes, and everything not only dries out as the warm blows up into them, but also heats up in preparation for the next trek out into The Elements. It doesn't exactly make me look FORWARD to heading out the door into the pelting sleet, but starting out with a nice warm head and hands certainly helps to cheer me up.

4. The Warm Rails Towel Bar. My English Granny had one of these when I was growing up... There are few things more wonderful than to step out of a hot bath or shower, and into the sweet embrace of a warm, thick, cotton bath towel. The Husband bought me a Hot Rails Towel Bar for our anniversary a few years ago (we were married in December), and I swear, if the house were on fire, I'd run back into the flames to save it, once the family was all safely evacuated. I feel THAT passionately about it.

5. Goofy slippers. Sometimes the best way to get kids (and grownups alike) to wear slippers is to make them a SERIOUS fashion statement. Or should I say, a NOT-so-serious fashion statement. My girlies have had ladybug slippers, bumble bee slippers, train slippers, and even cellphone slippers (complete with push-button sound-effects)... But my own personal trademark is the Big Bunny Slipper. Just ask Georgia the Cat... she's completely terrified of them.

6. The fuzzy bathrobe. I discovered my favourite bathrobe in a local clothing shop last fall, although not exactly on purpose. While I was in chatting to the owner of the store, who is a good friend of mine, I suddenly looked down towards my feet where Child Number Three had been patiently standing, only to discover that she was no longer there. My friend and I bolted around the small shop looking for her, and she was quickly discovered, standing in a corner next to a display of fuzzy bathrobes. She had her trademark pacifier in her mouth, and a corner of the bathrobe in her hand. She was rubbing the soft material against her cheek, and had just about lulled herself into a stupor... I then realized that the bathrobe was made from the same material as her favourite baby blanket. The bathrobe was subsequently purchased, and both Wee Three and I have enjoyed snuggling in the rocking chair, late at night, with this beautiful robe wrapped around us.

7. Chai Latte Mix from Timothy's Coffee. Once it gets cold outside, I always try to keep two cans of this heavenly stuff in my tea-cupboard at all times: the one that's in use, and one for emergency back-up. Looking at the ingredients, it is actually neither tea nor coffee, and has enough sugar in it to blow just about any diet. However, when made with steamed skim milk, it is actually not TOO unhealthy... and it tastes exactly like you're drinking pumpkin pie. Yummmmm...

8. President's Choice Green Fire Logs. (I believe they're called "Java Logs" in the USA) Would you believe that these things are made out of recycled coffee grounds, mixed with molasses and wax??! Love, LOVE, LOVE. I was thrilled to discover this alternative to burning real wood, or ordinary chemical logs, in our fireplace. They have a pleasant scent, burn brightly and cleanly for about three hours each, and keep us toasty.

9. And, last but not least, THE CROCK POT. This little beauty has been the savior of busy people for decades, now. But, with the newer, more sophisticated models on the market, you don't have to settle for overly-stewed, mushy meals for dinner anymore. Crock pots now have a few different heat settings, to avoid overcooking food, and some even feature TIMERS, so you can safely keep meals warm once they've finished cooking. Now that school and extra-curricular activities are in full-swing once again, I love being able to prepare dinner earlier in the day, and have it waiting for us when we all finally straggle through the door at night. I make everything from soups to roasted meat in our trusty crock-pot... But, my absolute FAVOURITE recipe?? Three words: Hot. Buttered. Rum. The recipe will be one of my gifts to you all closer to Christmastime... and once you have re-gained consciousness, you will thank me for the rest of your days.

It's officially autumn in Ontario, people... What do YOU do to get through the chilly days of fall?

Bought today...

Spooky socks for EVERYBODY!!

(Because fun socks are one of my major weaknesses...)

On awards, and two roles I was apparently born to play...

Yesterday was a difficult day.

I woke up to discover that during the night, all the muscles in my neck had seized up, and my left shoulder had mysteriously become attached to my left ear. It was an extremely painful situation. As a result, my normal walk turned into a strange kind of "lollop" that apparently made me resemble the fabled Quasimodo.

"Wow! You look really AUTHENTIC!" exclaimed my clearly oblivious husband, as I made strange motions to hustle the children through their early-morning routine. "You'll have that down pat just in time for Hallowe'en!"

Great. Just great. Twenty-odd years pursuing a career in theatre, and it turns out that all it actually takes to make me believable in a leading role is a severe muscle spasm. Actually, I think it was partially my screeching about being late and missing "THE BELL" that clinched it for him...

Needless to say, I was NOT in the sweetest of moods when I returned home from seeing the kids through their classroom doors. The task of shovelling out the heap of rubble that is our home loomed before me, as did the mountain of paperwork on my desk.

Procrastination (and a couple of Advils) seemed a far better alternative, so I inched my way to my desk, and flipped on the computer screen.

This is what met my eyes:

Shauna, dear girl, to say that you brightened my day with this award would be the understatement of the century. I am honoured to be counted amongst your favourite blogs... I hope you know how much I love you right back.

And now it's my turn to spread the love around a little further... And while I'm at it, I'll take the opportunity to pass on THIS, as well:

A few weeks back, Whymommy passed this lovely button on to me, and coming from a person like HER... well, let's just say the compliment was pretty overwhelming.

After much thought, I've decided that the BEST way to sort this whole thing out is to do a bit of a "swap", if you will.

And so, Shauna, from "Up In The Night", upon you I bestow the "You Make Me Smile" award. I can think of few people who are more deserving. Shauna is a wonderfully entertaining writer, and the tales of her adventures raising three busy little kids never cease to amuse me. However, on top of all of that, Shauna is showing incredible class and dignity during a difficult time of transition in her life. Her words are always carefully chosen; she is clearly a sensitive, kind person, as well as one hell of a mother. These are qualities that REALLY make me smile. And they are also qualities that guarantee her immense success and happiness in the future.

Whymommy, I know you have one of these already (and most likely even more than one), but I honestly can't think of a more perfect recipient of the Blogger Reflection award than you. Your daily posts always make me stop and think. Most recently, it was your post about the BIG "little achievements" in your life that made me reflect upon my own... Because of you, I have paused each night this week as I put my children to bed. I have reminded myself to be conscious and in-the-moment with them, and more fully appreciative of the fact that we are able to share such precious time together. Your intense gratitude for the BIG "little achievements" has made me stop to reflect upon how much I miss by rushing through life, rather than savouring the experiences of my girlies' daily routine. You never cease to teach and to amaze me... You help to make me a better mother, and a better person. Thank-you.

And finally, I absolutely mustn't forget to mention my ancient friend, Shawn, from "Prairie Preacher". (Because, if I'm an old friend, then you are DEFINITELY ancient, boy...) Thanks for second-ing Shauna's vote yesterday... I'm very grateful that The Power Of The Blog got us re-connected, and even more so that you helped to inspire me to start "I-Can-Fly"-ing in the first place. No doubt, the "arguments" will continue for many, many years to come... And I'll be damned if I let you win a single one of them!!

There. All caught up.

Now, I'm off to search out my well-thumbed copy of Richard III... Because if this neck-thing keeps up, I'm clearly going to need to have an encore performance prepared. "I Gotta Hunch I'm Gonna Be King" would no doubt get me a standing-O from the family at breakfast tomorrow...

Stocking up for Hallowe'en...

And it really stinks that there's a zillion times more packaging for me to have to rip open, when I eat all the candy myself, WELL before the Big Day arrives...

(**burp**)

Look who showed up for Thanksgiving Weekend...

Yes, folks, this is a bug. A very BIG bug. And you KNOW how I feel about bugs in general.

Ew.

But actually, THIS insect was cause for great excitement in our household, because THIS bug... this four-and-a-half inch bug, is a fully-grown Praying Mantis.

Earlier this year, I wrote several posts about pest control in my garden. I'm not a lover of pests, but I'm also not a lover of using pesticides in the place where my children play.

I confess, when my friend Bill over at Sheridan Nurseries suggested that I purchase a Praying Mantis egg sack and hatch it in a bug-house in my backyard, I initially thought he was well and truly bonkers.

However, Bill has never, ever steered me wrong in the past, and so this Green Gardener (in more ways than one) carefully brought the precious package home, plonked it down in the flowerbed, and waited.

And WAITED.

It took weeks and weeks of letting it sit out in the sunshine AND the rain, but finally, one morning while I was out at the patio table drinking my morning coffee, I happened to look over towards the poppies and pincushion flowers... and caught sight of THIS:

It's hard to believe that one of these wee, creepy-crawly babies can grow into a honkin' critter like THIS:

But, as Bill told me, Praying Mantes are not just "bugs". They are Insects With Serious Attitude, and a penchant for ingesting all other critters that are a nuisance in the garden. Well, except raccoons, that is... but, looking at this fully-grown son-of-a-gun, I actually wouldn't put it past him to take a swing at Rocky and The Boys, just for fun.

Thanks for everything, Horace (yes, that's what the girlies decided to name him). You did a superb job this summer, and my garden and I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to doing business with your offspring next year...

A Woman's Best Cosmetic...

Yeah... right.

Except maybe for

Physician's Formula Under-Eye Concealer.

Now, THAT stuff gives me Joy.

We need your help... Please spread the word!!

Wonderful news!!

Remember my friend Kim, from The Merits of the Case, whom you saw here in a Thanksgiving post this past weekend? Kim is a wife, mother of three, law student, and is also fighting breast cancer.

Today, I received an email from Kim, telling me that she has been nominated for a very special award. The prize is a $10,000 academic scholarship, and I am hoping that with all of your help, we can help this very deserving woman, and blogger extraordinaire, WIN. Wouldn't it be a wonderful way to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, if we could all help this Survivor complete her law school education?!

I have cut and pasted a posting from her blog this evening, and I urge you all to read it, and then click on the button at the bottom to cast your vote for the amazing Kimberly Klein. If you would like to help even MORE, please encourage your family and friends to do the same... Either copy this post to your own blogs, and/or email the information to your friends and family.

Thank you!!

And now, over to Kim:

I Need Your Vote!

I haven’t written much about the financial aspect of cancer, but as you can imagine it plays a very big role in all of this. We are very lucky that we have private health insurance that so far has covered a large portion of my medical expenses. And the costs are astronomical. Insurance hasn’t covered it all, however, and we have had to make major adjustments in our spending and budgeting in order to keep our heads above water. We have dipped into and used most of our cash savings and have had to resort to other sources of funds such as college and retirement savings in order to make this work. People don’t talk about this part of it very much because as a society we don’t talk about money, but it has caused me a very high level of stress throughout the entire ordeal. I can’t even imagine how people who do not have insurance deal financially with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

I am going to law school to fulfill a dream, but there are practical reasons for my choice, as well. We always knew that in order to send three kids to college and to be able to eat when we retire I was going to have to return to work at some point. Right now I am on track to graduate from law school the same month that Karly graduates from high school. That means that in 2009 our mailbox will contain both my new paychecks and new tuition bills. Perfect timing. In addition, I will have to begin making payments on my student loans, which will be in the range of $80,000-$100,000.

Not long ago I stumbled upon a link to a website that was offering a $10,000 Blogging Scholarship to a post-secondary education student blogger. Since I fit the application profile I thought I would go ahead and submit my blog just to see what happened. What happened was that my blog was nominated as one of 20 finalists for the $10,000 scholarship. Needless to say, this scholarship would be an immense help to my family and to me right now.

While I am amazed and ecstatic that writing these posts for you has garnered such a nomination for me, I can’t win it without your help. Twenty blogs have been nominated, but it’s up to the voting public to choose the winner. That’s right…$10,000 will be awarded to a winner chosen by the internets. It’s kind of like American Idol but instead it’s Blogger Idol.

So I am asking for your help and for your vote. Voting is open from now through midnight on October 28, 2007. In order to vote, you can click on this link. On the webpage that comes up you will see a list of 20 names with radio button next to them. My name is 7th on the list and you can see that I have some serious competition. Will you vote for me, and will you ask your friends to vote for me, too? Thank you.

A great way to work off all that Turkey Dinner...

The treadmill just got WAAAY more interesting...

The pies are in the oven...

It tastes even better if you do the cheer. Trust me.

Giving Thanks...

Kim

I've been thinking a great deal about all the things I am thankful for, as our Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend approaches. And this afternoon, when I sat down to read my daily list of blogs, I came across a remarkable post that I encourage all of you to read.

My friend Kim, from The Merits of the Case, is a wife, mother and law student. She is also battling breast cancer. And, although Kim is an American citizen, and therefore will not be partaking in a formal Thanksgiving ritual this weekend, she has written a beautiful piece about a group of people for whom she is deeply thankful: the amazing nurses who care for her, and all the other cancer survivors at her treatment centre.

Kim is an astounding individual. She is a strong, warm, beautiful, classy woman. She is also one hell of a writer. She moved me to tears when I read this post, entitled "Treatment #6".

Thank-you, ladies, for taking such good care of Kim, and all the other patients whom you gently nurse each day. Your loving care and heartfelt compassion means more to them, their families and their friends, than you will ever know.

There ARE angels here on earth. And as it turns out, a lot of them are nurses.

Thanks for Giving...

It is the day before the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend kicks off...

So you can just IMAGINE what The Goddess will be doing today...

Yes, it is the dreaded day when I venture off to the grocery store, armed with lists and recipes, to do the Great Shop. I'm sure that many of you are, at this very moment, hunched over YOUR extra-large cups of coffee, and bracing yourselves to do the same.

My children have just reminded me to take along the enormous paper sack that was delivered to our doorstep, sandwiched in the middle of our newspaper earlier this week. Because the Daily Bread Food Bank here in town is running painfully short of supplies right now, and it is up to every one of us to help them out, if we possibly can.

Please, if you are able, remember to purchase a few extra nutritious, non-perishable items for your local food bank this weekend. Here in Ontario, contributions are being collected at all our major food stores (and even the not-so-major ones), at our public schools, and fire stations. The items that they are MOST in need of include soup, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats and milk, peanut butter, beans, lentils, and noodles. A few times each year, my girlies and I head out to our local drug store, and collect a bag full of baby formula, baby food, pablum, and disposable diapers, and deposit it in one of the food bank's enormous bins. Because infants are some of our most needy and helpless citizens.

Thanks, everyone. Thanks for giving. Have a wonderful, blessed holiday weekend.

Why Santa Claus Doesn't Drink.

From this morning's newspaper:

Oktoberfest Reveller Stuck in Chimney for 12 Hours

Berlin-- A German man who had been drinking heavily at Munich's Oktoberfest beer festival got stuck in a chimney for 12 hours while trying to climb into a friend's apartment, police said.

After finding his friend was not at home, the 27-year-old climbed onto the roof of a neighbouring building at about 2am last Thursday and headed for what he thought was a gap in the wall between the two houses. He found himself sliding almost 30 meters head first into a chimney, a spokesman for Munich police said. An 82-year-old janitor from the hotel next door eventually heard the man's calls for help and he was rescued at around 2pm by fire brigade officers who knocked a hole into the side of the chimney to liberate him, the spokesman said. He had managed to turn around and had removed his clothes to help him squeeze back up.

"Miraculously, he was only slightly injured in the fall, sustaining just grazes and bruising," police said. The man was taken by helicopter to hospital.

Oh, man. (**wipes tears from eyes**) I would have bought a ticket to see THAT rescue...

Cruel of me to laugh, I know... but the poor guy wasn't actually very badly HURT... I grew up a little too close to Kitchener, Ontario, which is the Oktoberfest Capital of Canada. I am all-too-familiar with the results of a little too much autumnal revelry!

Kitchener's Oktoberfest celebrations were the inspiration for the following magnificent dish, which is another gem from my mother's kitchen. It is hearty and warm and filling, and just right to take the edge off your hunger (or a hangover) on a chilly October evening!

Kitchener Special

3/4 lb large farmer sausages
4 oz wide egg noodles
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard (My favourite is "Keene's")
1/2 tsp white sugar
A 20-oz can of whole tomatoes
1/2 c water
1/2 c grated cheese

Cut up the sausage into 1-inch lengths. Fry slowly in a deep-dish skillet over medium heat, until nicely browned. Drain off all fat in the pan, then add the uncooked noodles, onion and celery. Stir everything up together in the skillet, and then sprinkle the sugar and other spices over the top.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes (with the juices), water and cheese. Pour this over the sausage and noodles in the skillet, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water to the pan, if you think it is necessary during the cooking.

This is lovely with a frosty glass of good, strong German beer...

However...

If you've just been freed, stark-naked and acutely hung-over, after spending 12 hours stuck in a chimney, you might want to stick to iced water.

I said NO, Sugar...

Late this afternoon, I was poring over paperwork at my desk, while my youngest daughter was enjoying a half an hour with Mister Rogers on tv.

She suddenly appeared at my elbow:

Child Number Three: (hopping up and down) Mama? I have some chock-it milk?

Me: (gently) No, Shrimp. You had chocolate milk at lunchtime. How about plain milk?

Child Number Three: (grimacing) NOPE!! I wan' chock-it milk. How come I not have some MORE? Pleasepleaseplease???

Me: (looking straight. into. her. eyes.) No, sweetheart. No more chocolate milk. Chocolate milk isn't really good for you. It has too much sugar in it, so you should only have a little bit. You can have plain milk, instead, if you like.

Child Number Three: (pinning me with her best "Paddington Bear" VERY HARD STARE) Mama... You dwink LOTSA coffee. COFFEE not good for you...

**gulp**

Me: (turning towards the kitchen) Right. So, how many spoonfuls of Nesquick did you say you wanted in it?

Please feel free to de-lurk yourselves...

Greetings, dear readers!

It's officially "De-Lurking Day" in the blog-o-sphere! I look at this day as a wonderful opportunity to finally meet you, as well as hearing from some of my favourite people, who have left comments on my blog in the past.

So, go ahead!! You know you want to...

Feel free to de-lurk yourself!!

Hope to hear from you soon, CGF xo

Make the time STOP, already...

Overheard in the Loser Cruiser this afternoon, while driving home from school:

Child Number One: (out-of-the-blue) How old is Hannah?

My eldest child was referring to the amazing teenager who flew in from British Columbia to spend nearly three weeks with us this past summer. She is not only a Mother’s Helper Extraordinaire, and my Mostly Companion every August, but she is also Child Number One’s idol.

Me: Hannah is sixteen. Why do you ask?

Child Number One: Is Hannah allowed to date yet?

Me: I don’t think so… I think that she and her friends go out together in a big group.

Child Number One: When will she be allowed to date?

Me: (wondering where on EARTH this conversation with my eleven-year-old is going) Oh, I really don’t know. Any boy who wanted to go out on a date with Hannah would have to be able to get past Hannah’s dad and his great, big shotgun, first…

Child Number One: Ha, ha. (Innocently…) Mum, when will I be allowed to date??

Me: (absolutely flummoxed… I pause to think for a moment before answering… cautiously…) Is there a boy in school that you are interested in dating?

Child Number One: (suddenly embarrassed) Noooo!!! Eeewww!! I just think... I’m growing up too fast, that’s all…

Me: (thankfully, able to breathe again) You have NO idea how glad I am to hear that… How about we say that you will officially be allowed to date when you turn sixty-nine?

Child Number One: (laughing nervously) Why sixty-nine??

Me: (stopping at a stop sign and resting my forehead on the steering wheel in front of me) Because, all the tough, stubborn little Scottish women in my family live to be about ninety-five, and since I’m twenty-six years older than you, I’m pretty sure I’ll be at LEAST unconscious by then…

It was piano lessons tonight...

Ah, if only it were really THIS easy...

Child Number Two has started tap dancing lessons...

...and now I'm a Patron of the Arts with a Migraine...

Bunny Muffins

It's a beautiful, sunshine-y Sunday morning, and my kids are already dressed and out helping their father rake up leaves in our back garden. And you know what I mean by "helping", don't you... It means that my husband spends about an hour meticulously raking up a big flurry of leaves. And, as soon as the pile is large enough, and he goes off in search of yet ANOTHER brown paper yard-waste bag... the girlies come whipping out from around the corner of the house, where they've been hiding. Quick as lightning, and accompanied by three piercing shrieks of "COWABUNGGGAAAAA!!" ... Well, let's just say the leaf pile is rendered a Pile-No-More.

Leaf-raking in my garden is a seemingly endless project every autumn. It's right about this time, each year, that The Husband comes storming into the house, and announces that I have OFFICIALLY PLANTED THE LAST TREE ON OUR PROPERTY. ("Got that??!! NO. MORE. TREES. Enough shade, already!! Please??!")

I confess. I'm a sucker when it comes to beautiful trees. I'm a dryad in disguise. The trouble is, I'm a dryad with allergies and a nasty case of asthma. So, when it comes time to rake all the leaves those trees drop in the autumn, I'M the one who has to sit inside. Or, should I say, GETS to sit inside. And no "leaf-blowing" apparatuses on my property. Not EVER. Those things are just one great big fatal asthma attack waiting to happen, and I won't even go INTO my tirade about the excessive racket they produce. Noise AND air pollution, all in one little hand-held machine. Let's just say that in my humble, slightly wheezy opinion, there's nothing like the scriiiitttch-scriiittch sound a rake makes when tackling a lawn-ful of leaves. ESPECIALLY if I'm not the one getting blisters on the other end of the rake.

But I digress.

The point I'm trying to make is, I'M SITTING INSIDE on a beautiful morning.

And what better way to pass the time than to make a great big pan of really delicious muffins. Muffins that are chock-full of nutrition, and will fill my kids up after a good, long stint of decimating leaf piles out in the fresh air.

This is a recipe that my kids call "Bunny Muffins". And before anyone gets all snaky on me (yes, I'm talking to YOU Travellor, wherever you are today, AND YOU, Shawn-- I don't want any disappointed comments from EITHER OF YOU), let me make one thing clear:

THE INGREDIENT LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE A DEAD RABBIT.

Just carrots. LOTS of carrots. A good-for-you vegetable that is usually rawther difficult to get into my children on a regular basis... but in this disguise, they wind up eating plenty, without any fuss!!

Bunny Muffins

In a medium-sized bowl, blend together:

2 c all-purpose flour

2/3 c brown sugar

1/3 c white sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a separate bowl, combine:

1/2 c melted butter (you can also use Becel's olive oil margarine as an alternative)

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c milk

1 c shredded carrots

1/2 c raisins

1/2 c chopped pecans (or walnuts... but pecans are my favourites)

Combine the "wet" ingredients with the "dry", and stir until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups, and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

This should make about a dozen large muffins.

Your family will thank you... and so will Peter Cottontail.

Lesson Learned by Wee Three...

At least it wasn't her hair, right?

Today at the Terry Fox Run...

Well, TODAY was the big day, folks!! Our public school's annual Terry Fox Run. My three girlies and I ran in honour of Whymommy this year, as you can see from the signs we made for our stroller...

Number Two (age 6), Number One (age 11, kneeling down) and

Number Three (age 3). We all wore our hot pink t-shirts!

Child Number Three decided to make her very own sign. She said that the yellow parts are "Whymommy's happy face!"

Our school backs onto a large park. When the starting whistle blew, the entire school population shot towards the trails, which wind around a pond...


Child Number Three decided to walk the whole way...

The weather couldn't have been nicer, and with all the leaves beginning to change colour, the scenery was just beautiful. I carried copies of Whymommy's blog post in my purse,

and handed them out to any parents or teachers who asked questions.We're not yet sure how much money we raised for the Terry Fox Foundation this afternoon, but it was certainly an enjoyable, successful run!!

The Basics of Motherhood... In Under 3 Minutes!

Now, if I could just carry a recording of this around with me to play to my kids all day, it would save me NO END of time and trouble...

Thank you again, Whymommy...

***********

Well, she's done it again... That Whymommy. Just when I think she can't overwhelm me any MORE, she goes and does something ELSE:

Apparently, I make this extraordinary woman smile. I simply cannot think of a higher compliment. Thank-you AGAIN, Whymommy...

And, in case you all are wondering, Whymommy is doing GREAT THINGS these days...

Hopefully, many of you went out and bought October's Parents Magazine, as they did a feature on Whymommy and provided information about Inflammatory Breast Cancer (yes, amidst treatments and recovery, and on top of spending quality time with her beautiful family, she found the time to GIVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW... Trust me, people, it's worth the read).

Her cancer is also responding to treatment, which is the most incredible news!! In her words:

I didn’t know I’d live to see the Fall.

When I was diagnosed on June 16 (a date that will be forever etched in my mind, as the day my world came crashing down) it was somewhat of a death sentence. Although the outlook is not as bleak as it once was, survival rates for women with my cancer — inflammatory breast cancer — are only 25-50% at 5 years; survivors at 10 years are still recounted by name (”Well, there’s Susan D, and Sally X, and they did it!” said in a falsely chipper voice). 90% of IBC survivors will suffer a recurrence. Treatment is an ardous melange of chemotherapy, masectomy, more chemotherapy, perhaps a prophalactic masectomy on the other side, and radiation. Often, the treatment goes in cycles, with survivors fighting the cancer and surviving chemotherapy for the rest of their lives.

Sometimes, there is no rest of their lives. Because of delays in diagnosis and treatment, it is not uncommon for IBC survivors to not make it 3 months past diagnosis.

I have survived 3 months. I am doing … well, I suppose, in that today I am not worse off than I was when I had my first chemo treatment. I’m no better yet, but the spread of the cancer since diagnosis has been stopped (whoo-hoo!), and the inflammation is on the retreat.

I am tired. My arm and upper chest hurt, from nerve damage or sheer muscle fatigue of hauling around this heavy cancerous tumor that once was my right breast. My hair is gone. My arms are bruised from the weekly needle sticks and IVs that are essential for the treatment and monitoring of the treatment. (I don’t have a medi-port put in, for valid reasons having to do with the spread of IBC through cut skin. It would make treatment easier, but perhaps less successful. The survival rates for this disease did not rise from zero until they stopped cutting first and started treating with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which means chemo first, then sugery. So I have chosen not to have a port put in, to improve my chances.) My fingernails are discolored and weakening. My gums are dry and tender. My eyebrows are falling out.

But I — me — the I inside — am doing well these days. I’m up and around and going to playdates. I’m holding my baby and hugging my child. I’ve cared for my kids myself the past several days, with WonderDaddy’s help but not all the time. I even cooked last night.

I’m getting better.

To top everything off, Whymommy has just announced that she will be taking part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Hunt Valley, Maryland next month! I would give my eye teeth to be there with her (and given my psychotic aversion to dentistry, this is really saying something, people).

Although I confess to wistfully looking into babysitting, arranging passports and airline flights... I know in my head that it will take something akin to magic to actually get me to Maryland for a weekend next month.

So, my girlies and I are taking matters into our own hands. Tomorrow is our public school's annual Terry Fox Run, which raises money for the Canadian Cancer Society. We have decided that we are going to do the run, all four of us, in honour of Whymommy. We're getting a big pink sign ready to pin to the front of our stroller, and I will be fully prepared to answer any and all questions I get from parents, teachers and students alike, about our own little "Team Whymommy". Because spreading information about Inflammatory Breast Cancer, its signals and symptoms, is an enormous part of the life-saving process.

We're running for YOU, Whymommy... Because you're not just fighting for your own life, you're fighting for ALL of us.

Thank you... We love you--

xo CGF and Girlies 3

Because it's been THAT kind of a morning...

Spoken JUST like a man without children...

Ten bucks says that little mountain climbing jerk had a sherpa to carry everything FOR him...

"At The Crease"

by Canadian Artist, Ken Danby

1940-2007

I will always remember that an enormous print of this painting graced a wall in my small-town Ontario junior public school... The only other major work of art (that was not done by students) was a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II! You can guess which image we Canadian kids preferred to look at...

Mr. Danby passed away on Sunday at the age of 67, while canoeing in Algonquin Park. He was an enormous part of Canadian culture, and will be terribly missed.

"My paintings explore my first-hand experiences.

Yet, what you see is not simply what I saw...

but how I want you to see it."

--Ken Danby

Après gardening season...

It's even worse when The Husband thinks

I'm wearing wool socks...

My Mother's Pastry, and other legends...

I pride myself on being a fairly good cook.

I love food. I enjoy entertaining, and feeding people. Perfectly prepared food has incredible power: it excites the senses and brings people together. It can comfort and soothe the troubled soul. It nourishes on many, many levels.

I am always interested in combining different ingredients to create new variations on recipes, and creating different taste sensations. But, I have also discovered that there are some recipes that just can't be improved upon, because they have already reached their ultimately perfect potential. And the majority of those recipes come from my mother's kitchen.

My mother is, bar none, the finest cook that our family has ever produced. She can do it all, people. She can perfectly scramble an egg into a light, fluffy, yet slightly creamy consistency (don't ask me how she does it, I've been watching her technique for YEARS, and still can't get it exactly right). She can coax the most beautiful, pneumatic cheese souffles to arise out of a casserole dish, and serve it to a brunch crowd before it's had the slightest chance to deflate. She can create the most enormous, crusty loaves of bread, and the aroma produced while they bake has been known to rouse small children from their sleep (the dough takes half the day to knead and rise, and so batches of bread at my mother's house bake far into the night). And every year, she concocts the most sinfully decadent multi-layered chocolate cake for my birthday. It is made with pounds and pounds of solid chocolate and a vat of sour cream, and is so rich and delicious that the mere THOUGHT of it makes me want to lie down on the floor and roll around for awhile.

And then there's her pastry.

My mother claims that her pastry recipe originates from the back of a Crisco box, but none of us actually believe her.

WE believe that the Food Gods must have whispered it into her ear one night while she was sleeping. Then, they gifted her hands with magical powers to create no-fail perfection whenever the impulse to bake a pie strikes her.

Well, okay, maybe that's taking it a BIT too far.

But suffice it to say this:

A few years ago, my father arrived to stay at our house for a weekend. He was in need of a little company while my mother was away on one of her "Crumbly Tours". Just so you know, a "Crumbly Tour" doesn't actually have anything to do with pastry. Or food of any sort, for that matter. A "Crumbly Tour" is what we used to call the little holidays that my mother would take a couple of times every year, to visit all of the very elderly relatives in our family. She would get on a plane and fly out West, and then dot back across the country, and stop in to spend a couple of days with each aged "Crumbly", until she finally reached home again.

ANYWAY.

My mother was away, and my father packed up and came to stay with my crazy brood for a weekend while she was gone.

And, as I do for all people who come to stay at my house, I cooked for him. In fact, I made a special point of cooking recipes of my mother's that I happened to know he particularly enjoyed.

After the Saturday evening meal, my father sat contentedly at my table, enjoying his coffee, with a small, satisfied smile on his face.

"That was very nice. Thank-you," he said, as he pushed back his chair and began clearing the table for me.

"But I must ask you..." he continued, as he ran hot water into the sink and added soap. "Have you learned to make your mother's pastry??"

Pastry, according to my father, is my mother's crowning achievement. She is, and always has been, the perfect woman, wife, and mother to his children. But the fact that she is capable of making pastry that renders him almost incapable of coherent speech is clearly the BONUS in his marriage that he never suspected he'd be lucky enough to possess.

This pastry recipe is very, very simple. Deceivingly so, in fact. Because I will write it down, just as she did for me, using HER words... But it will take you time and practise to perfect it. You will learn that this pastry MUST be made with a light, cool hand. I'm not kidding about that: your hands actually MUST be cool. If your kitchen is warm, and your body temperature is too high, then it is important that you don't actually touch the mixture with your hands at all. Go out and purchase a pastry cutter-- one of those little U-shaped wire things that mashes shortening into flour, without allowing your skin to come in contact with the ingredients. In the wintertime, I always prepare pastry on the counter space that is directly under an open kitchen window. It sounds goofy, and more often than not I freeze my butt off, but it is worth it. It makes THAT MUCH of a difference. Temperature and over-handling is what causes the consistency of pastry to become "tough".

The recipe I am going to give you is for a double-crust pie, and in this case, an apple pie. But, if you are making a single-crust pie, like pumpkin, or a quiche, or simply covering a pot-pie, you can divide the amount in half, or make two single-crusts and then freeze one (either roll it out flat on parchment paper, or form it into a pie plate and freeze the whole shebang).

It's officially autumn, everyone. It's Time for Pie!

Canadian Apple Pie

Pastry:

2 c white flour

1 c Crisco shortening (NOT lard, or anything else. CRISCO.)

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp ice-cold water

Mix the flour, salt and Crisco with the fingers (or a pastry cutter) until it is the size of small peas. Add the cold water, and knead lightly.

Divide the dough (1/3 and 2/3 if you're making a double-crust, OR 1/2 and 1/2 if you're making two singles).

Roll out the bottom crust, and place it in a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edges.

(Okay, I have to interject again, here, because I have discovered the answer to rolling out the pastry without touching it too much. Take a very large piece of parchment paper, and tape it to your countertop with scotch tape. Then dust it with a little bit of flour, and roll your pastry out on top of it. When you are ready to transfer the pastry to the pie plate, centre the pie plate upside-down on top of the rolled-out pastry. Then un-tape the parchment paper from the counter, lift everything up and quickly flip over the plate, pastry and paper, so that the pastry is on top of the plate. Peel off the parchment paper, and press the pastry into the pie plate. Voila!!! You might have to trim the excess pastry from the sides of the pie plate before you can crimp it with your fingers... Just add the extra to the other lump of pastry before you roll it out.)

Filling:

Peel and cut up enough apples to fill the pie shell. (My mother always uses Macs, but I have used Courtlands and Galas, with spectacular results. Make sure that your slices aren't TOO THIN, or the filling will be mushy. You want a little bit of texture in there. And pile the slices up a bit-- everything flattens out during the cooking process, and you want a bit of height.)

Pour 3/4 c of sugar over the apples, then dot the top with small pieces of butter. (That's all she wrote, folks. Just apples, sugar and butter. No messing around with spices to take away from the perfect flavour of the apples.)

Roll out the top piece of pastry, and place it on top of the apples. (My mother carefully shapes this piece in a circle, and then "floats" it on the top of the apples. She doesn't crimp the pastry top into the pastry bottom, which allows steam to escape from the pie better while it bakes. Do cut a few little slashes into the top-crust to allow for steam to escape the centre of the pie, as well)

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, and then lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for another 40-50 minutes.

And now, I'm going to give you the ULTIMATE secret to serving a perfect Canadian apple pie... Are you ready for this? Pay attention:

This is a wheel of Aged Cheddar Cheese. And THIS, people, is the only food substance that should accompany a perfect slice of Canadian Apple Pie on a plate. Not ice cream (and I know, I know... I hear all you "a la mode" lovers out there... CHEESE IS BETTER. You'll just have to trust me on this one). It's even better than a big slurp of warm custard drizzled on top. And THAT'S saying something, considering I come from a clan that swills custard like drunken savages.

Apple pie with a great big wedge of sharp cheddar cheese... Now, THAT'S what autumn is all about, people.

Thanks, Mum.

The Woman Formerly Known as Mummy...

... is back in The House.

And the children are very, very relieved about it.

After all, who would want THIS kissing them goodnight??!

Not me, that's for damn sure...

Another Motherhood Milestone...

Well, The Goddess has conquered another Milestone of Motherhood... I have finally managed to completely "potty-train" my third (and last) child.

The Major Accomplishment finally happened this evening, and let me tell you, people, it was not only a big, stinkin' deal for Wee Three, but for me, as well.

Just goes to show, you can have weird hair, and still be a pretty damn good mother.