On Sunday, we drove out to JL & E's home on the Mornington peninsula, on the outskirts of Melbourne. We had not seen E since they were living in Whistler, BC, so it was wonderful to be with her, JL, and their boys again. Even more fun was meeting the latest addition, a 15 month old elf boy with strawberry blonde hair and a wicked smile.
After giving the boys their books (In Flanders Fields for the oldest, Roche Carrier's The Hockey Sweater, and Robert Munsch books for the other two) I showed them all pictures of their cousins and our grandchildren on my iPad. We caught up on family, homes, jobs and so on. And enjoyed watching the boys with their grandparents. Then we piled into two cars and went to Sorrento.
From what I could understand, Sorrento is further up the Mornington peninsula out toward the coast. As we came into the town along the waterfront, we saw small colorful buildings side by side along the beach. These windowless structures are privately owned and are used to store umbrellas, buckets and whatever might be needed for a day at the seaside. At first I thought that these were the beach homes that we had come to see. But that was far from correct.
We drove through town and out to a park, then continued on foot - three boys, one toddler in a stroller, parents, grandparents, and us - the aunt and uncle - until we came to a dirt road that headed toward the water. At the end was a path that led along the cliff on the public allowance at the edge of lands overlooking the coves and the jetties below. These properties are substantial, to say the least, with beautiful homes and gardens, some with matching boathouses on the docks. It was a challenging walk, up and down and uneven, but worth every step. At the end of it, we came to a path that went down to a sheltered beach where we found seashells and more of the beach huts.
The boys explored every inch, built sand castles, and helped look for shells. Even though we were wearing a few layers against the cool air, the wee one was stripped down and had a bit of a splash at the edge of the water until he did a face plant into the sand. That was the signal that it was time to go back to the cars and find a restaurant. We ate at place with a large dining room, a bar, a generous seniors menu, and a playroom for the kids. It was amazing how easy going the meal was until the little guy took off at full speed around the dining room with me in pursuit. I finally corralled him in the playroom and delivered him back to his Mom and Dad. We said goodnight, goodbye, thanks for the great day, and tired from the long walk and all the fresh air, L, B, J and I headed back to our hotel.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Making Pie in Canberra
L & B have a new kitchen with lots of big drawers that close automatically at the touch of a finger. There is an induction stovetop that works like magic and a new conventional oven. Sort of conventional. The lower element is hidden by the floor of the oven. L ignored the warning to avoid putting anything on the oven floor and now has strips of foil welded to the blue-black enamel. There is a Function button that allows the chef to choose from a preset menu of settings for temperature and type of cooking - grilling fish or chicken for example.
I decided that the fall apples on offer at the market would be perfect for my new apple cider pie recipe, which would give me a chance to contribute to the meals. A search for fresh apple cider yielded apple crush. The hunt for lard for the pastry was a little more difficult but finally turned up in the cooler section at a supermarket. B pointed out that it was right in front of the stock boy who had insisted that the store had no such thing and that the alternative of vegetable shortening was not available either. I found everything else that I needed in B's pantry and mixed up a batch of plain pastry. Later that day, I pared and cut the apples and then prepped the filling. That involved a bit of cooking to carmelize the cider sauce without cooking the apple chunks through. I left it to cool.
It was our first Saturday in Canberra. K's grandson Ben and his indie band, Ben Wells and the Middle Names, were playing at a small club called The Phoenix at 10:30 that night. We arrived on time but too late to get in. B begged the bouncer but he said that if he let us in there would be a riot in the line at the door. We would have had to arrive at 8:30 or 9:00 and the night was too cold and rainy for that. Not that you would know from the mini-dressed, high-heeled, giggling young women that we passed on the street. I have no issue with the fashion as it reminds me of the late '60s and early '70s. The wonder is why they don't know enough to put on a coat overtop to keep off the cold or what they are using for fuel to keep themselves warm. Ach! Old age. Anyway, we gave up, went back to the car, and went home.
So it was already 11:00 pm when I began to roll out the pastry. I lined a deep ceramic pie plate, poured in the filling, and topped it with a well-vented crust. I pinched the edge together carefully, making sure that it was sealed. Then I pressed the oven function button until it read Pastry (muffins, pie) 230 C (that's about 450 F). After 15 minutes I turned it down to 180 (~350 F) as I usually do. Fifteen minutes later it did not look as if anything was happening in the oven so I turned it back up to 230 C as per the recipe, which says to cook at that temperature for 45 minutes. I figured it needed another 30 minutes but after 15 minutes I heard a veritable roaring from the oven. I rushed into the kitchen and found the pie boiling like mad, the top crust sitting a good two inches above the pie plate, molten caramel apple filling bubbling below it.
It was midnight by this time. I ran into the lounge - "B! B!," I called softly. She was asleep in front of the TV. I ran to our bedroom - "J! J!," I called. He slept on. I ran to their bedroom. "L!," I cried, "I need help in the kitchen!" I ran back to the kitchen. He jumped out of bed and hopped through the kitchen door in his boxers. I opened the oven door. "Oven door is open!" read the oven and turned up the heat. The pie boiled higher! L reached for the pot holders. "No, no," I warned, "Don't touch it! Where is a cookie sheet?" While L found a cookie sheet, I turned off the oven and left the door open to reduce the heat. We put the tray on the lower rack, left the door ajar, and went to our respective beds.
The next morning the pie looked fine. However, all attempts to remove the final layer of baked on apple pie filling met with failure. The warning obviously means that any splashes or overflows onto this oven floor must be prevented. The next evening, surprisingly, the pie was fine. It was firm and the crust was in tact. It lifted out of the pie plate beautifully and tasted especially great with vanilla ice cream.
I decided that the fall apples on offer at the market would be perfect for my new apple cider pie recipe, which would give me a chance to contribute to the meals. A search for fresh apple cider yielded apple crush. The hunt for lard for the pastry was a little more difficult but finally turned up in the cooler section at a supermarket. B pointed out that it was right in front of the stock boy who had insisted that the store had no such thing and that the alternative of vegetable shortening was not available either. I found everything else that I needed in B's pantry and mixed up a batch of plain pastry. Later that day, I pared and cut the apples and then prepped the filling. That involved a bit of cooking to carmelize the cider sauce without cooking the apple chunks through. I left it to cool.
It was our first Saturday in Canberra. K's grandson Ben and his indie band, Ben Wells and the Middle Names, were playing at a small club called The Phoenix at 10:30 that night. We arrived on time but too late to get in. B begged the bouncer but he said that if he let us in there would be a riot in the line at the door. We would have had to arrive at 8:30 or 9:00 and the night was too cold and rainy for that. Not that you would know from the mini-dressed, high-heeled, giggling young women that we passed on the street. I have no issue with the fashion as it reminds me of the late '60s and early '70s. The wonder is why they don't know enough to put on a coat overtop to keep off the cold or what they are using for fuel to keep themselves warm. Ach! Old age. Anyway, we gave up, went back to the car, and went home.
So it was already 11:00 pm when I began to roll out the pastry. I lined a deep ceramic pie plate, poured in the filling, and topped it with a well-vented crust. I pinched the edge together carefully, making sure that it was sealed. Then I pressed the oven function button until it read Pastry (muffins, pie) 230 C (that's about 450 F). After 15 minutes I turned it down to 180 (~350 F) as I usually do. Fifteen minutes later it did not look as if anything was happening in the oven so I turned it back up to 230 C as per the recipe, which says to cook at that temperature for 45 minutes. I figured it needed another 30 minutes but after 15 minutes I heard a veritable roaring from the oven. I rushed into the kitchen and found the pie boiling like mad, the top crust sitting a good two inches above the pie plate, molten caramel apple filling bubbling below it.
It was midnight by this time. I ran into the lounge - "B! B!," I called softly. She was asleep in front of the TV. I ran to our bedroom - "J! J!," I called. He slept on. I ran to their bedroom. "L!," I cried, "I need help in the kitchen!" I ran back to the kitchen. He jumped out of bed and hopped through the kitchen door in his boxers. I opened the oven door. "Oven door is open!" read the oven and turned up the heat. The pie boiled higher! L reached for the pot holders. "No, no," I warned, "Don't touch it! Where is a cookie sheet?" While L found a cookie sheet, I turned off the oven and left the door open to reduce the heat. We put the tray on the lower rack, left the door ajar, and went to our respective beds.
The next morning the pie looked fine. However, all attempts to remove the final layer of baked on apple pie filling met with failure. The warning obviously means that any splashes or overflows onto this oven floor must be prevented. The next evening, surprisingly, the pie was fine. It was firm and the crust was in tact. It lifted out of the pie plate beautifully and tasted especially great with vanilla ice cream.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Week One in Canberra
Our first week was easy going, a kind of a low-key-to-lazy vacation at our brother and sister-in-law's home in Canberra. After lunch at her sister's that first day, B went off to walk K's dog with her and then K joined us for dinner. B made a most delicious potato and celery soup that night and a day or so later made pumpkin soup - what we would consider squash soup. We puttered about for a couple of days, looking after household bits and pieces and catching up with one another. The weather is coming on to fall, mostly warm clear days with cold nights. The temperature drops rapidly as the sun sets and it sets early, of course. But it is not freezing the bird bath overnight like it did four years ago. On that last visit we would wake up to see the cockatoos trying to break the ice on their bath. However, the colder nights make running to the bathroom in the middle of the night an attempt to set a land speed record - there is no heat in the loo and the window remains open! Nonetheless, without central heating I tend to sleep more soundly once the space heater has been turned off for the night. How odd to hear that there is a heat wave back home.
We are seeing more than cockatoos of course...galahs, mynas, eastern rosellas, king parrots, rainbow lorikeets, for example. We have also spotted kangaroos, sheep, and cattle. But no luck so far in finding koalas, although we passed through a section on the highway between Canberra and Melbourne where signs were posted indicating koala territory. Our outings in Canberra have primarily been for family shopping. But that has included a number of trips to various groceries and markets. The range of fresh local produce is fantastic, even as the fall approaches winter. B and I did go out to find her a new jacket before they set off to Sydney on Monday for B's cousin's funeral. We did not go with them. S came over and took us to lunch at a cafe. We sat outside and ate Fried Flake & Chips and a Lamb Burger. Delish!
We spent a day with L at the War Memorial, a truly outstanding museum documenting Australia's history of combat from South Africa through to Afganistan. The museum sits atop a long incline rising up from Lake Burley-Griffin across from the Parliament Houses. It is the sort of noble prospect that should be due the great architecture in any major city. It was a privilege to visit the museum with L, a knowledgeable and experienced veteran. I wore my knee braces and took my walking stick but still needed to take a break before the guys were ready to quit. Fortunately, there was a handy cafe offering good coffee and something called a mud cake.
Going to The Glassworks was great fun. I bought a "Scrabbled Egg" cup, blown glass with a glass E scrabble tile on the side of the cup - E for Egg, for my egg collection. The exhibit was delightful and the works were in a fascinting old power plant. We watched a glass blower teach a young student how to gather glass and shape a paperweight. B has signed up for the same session but we will be gone by then. Behind the works is a huge market for produce and crafts which we hope to visit later.
One morning we headed out toward Yass and the Yass Valley to visit L & B's friends on Manton's Creek. T & J were wine merchants for many years but closed their shop when the mall was redeveloped. They have moved out of the city onto 100 acres of land. They are in the process of building their new home on the top of a low hill with an almost 360 degree view of the breathtaking surrounding landscape. We were invited to see the building blocks that comprise the frame of the spacious new house. A team of men had raised half the walls in only a couple of days using these oblong bricks of compressed polystyrene held in place and reinforced with rebar. Once the walls are constucted, a cement truck will come and fill the bricks resulting in a strong concrete wall pre-insulated by the polystyrene shells. Tres cool! It will be a beautiful place once the building is complete.
Between day trips we watched and encouraged while L & B planted their winter garden in several raised beds along the end of their back yard. They have broccoli, peas, onions, garlic, squash, etc. All ready to grow in their winter. Go figure! If we planted broccoli outdoors in November we would end up with green mush after the first deep freeze. Laundry done, linens changed, cat care set up, and we were off to Melbourne. That's our second week here and that is another story.
We are seeing more than cockatoos of course...galahs, mynas, eastern rosellas, king parrots, rainbow lorikeets, for example. We have also spotted kangaroos, sheep, and cattle. But no luck so far in finding koalas, although we passed through a section on the highway between Canberra and Melbourne where signs were posted indicating koala territory. Our outings in Canberra have primarily been for family shopping. But that has included a number of trips to various groceries and markets. The range of fresh local produce is fantastic, even as the fall approaches winter. B and I did go out to find her a new jacket before they set off to Sydney on Monday for B's cousin's funeral. We did not go with them. S came over and took us to lunch at a cafe. We sat outside and ate Fried Flake & Chips and a Lamb Burger. Delish!
We spent a day with L at the War Memorial, a truly outstanding museum documenting Australia's history of combat from South Africa through to Afganistan. The museum sits atop a long incline rising up from Lake Burley-Griffin across from the Parliament Houses. It is the sort of noble prospect that should be due the great architecture in any major city. It was a privilege to visit the museum with L, a knowledgeable and experienced veteran. I wore my knee braces and took my walking stick but still needed to take a break before the guys were ready to quit. Fortunately, there was a handy cafe offering good coffee and something called a mud cake.
Going to The Glassworks was great fun. I bought a "Scrabbled Egg" cup, blown glass with a glass E scrabble tile on the side of the cup - E for Egg, for my egg collection. The exhibit was delightful and the works were in a fascinting old power plant. We watched a glass blower teach a young student how to gather glass and shape a paperweight. B has signed up for the same session but we will be gone by then. Behind the works is a huge market for produce and crafts which we hope to visit later.
One morning we headed out toward Yass and the Yass Valley to visit L & B's friends on Manton's Creek. T & J were wine merchants for many years but closed their shop when the mall was redeveloped. They have moved out of the city onto 100 acres of land. They are in the process of building their new home on the top of a low hill with an almost 360 degree view of the breathtaking surrounding landscape. We were invited to see the building blocks that comprise the frame of the spacious new house. A team of men had raised half the walls in only a couple of days using these oblong bricks of compressed polystyrene held in place and reinforced with rebar. Once the walls are constucted, a cement truck will come and fill the bricks resulting in a strong concrete wall pre-insulated by the polystyrene shells. Tres cool! It will be a beautiful place once the building is complete.
Between day trips we watched and encouraged while L & B planted their winter garden in several raised beds along the end of their back yard. They have broccoli, peas, onions, garlic, squash, etc. All ready to grow in their winter. Go figure! If we planted broccoli outdoors in November we would end up with green mush after the first deep freeze. Laundry done, linens changed, cat care set up, and we were off to Melbourne. That's our second week here and that is another story.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Very Thought of You
This is the song that has been in my head all day as I celebrate Love, wishing love to everyone for family, friends, lovers, all. Hardly profound and yet brilliant and beautiful. Here it is, Ray Noble's The Very Thought of You as sung by Nat and Doris and Vaughn and others:
The very thought of you and I forget to do
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though that may seem
To me that's everything.
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go til I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love.
I made the best biscuits I have ever made this morning, and topped them with fresh raspberry sauce and clotted cream for breakfast. Then had a glorious pedicure at Soleil Salon. We headed into town and had fun with Mom (98.5 years old) singing along at the party and for the special dinner - lobster bisque and prime rib no less, which she dressed for in beautiful reds. Top form after a long day that included lunch with my sister and brother-in-law. We were the ones who had to leave right after dinner! Then we dropped off valentine books for our local grandchildren. Their Mom and Dad celebrate their union on Valentines Day - 20 years! We are having them for dinner on Saturday. I wish we could have seen the rest of our family but we did think of them. Definitely a day full of love.
The very thought of you and I forget to do
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though that may seem
To me that's everything.
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go til I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love.
I made the best biscuits I have ever made this morning, and topped them with fresh raspberry sauce and clotted cream for breakfast. Then had a glorious pedicure at Soleil Salon. We headed into town and had fun with Mom (98.5 years old) singing along at the party and for the special dinner - lobster bisque and prime rib no less, which she dressed for in beautiful reds. Top form after a long day that included lunch with my sister and brother-in-law. We were the ones who had to leave right after dinner! Then we dropped off valentine books for our local grandchildren. Their Mom and Dad celebrate their union on Valentines Day - 20 years! We are having them for dinner on Saturday. I wish we could have seen the rest of our family but we did think of them. Definitely a day full of love.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Holiday in St. Lucia
Here it is the week before Christmas and this blog has been silent since Thanksgiving. I will fill in the details for the past couple of months in a future blog. Today, I had more to write about our holiday in St. Lucia than I could fit in a tweet. After four gloriously sunny days, rain clouds rolled in over Smugglers Cove last night bringing us intermittent downpours throughout this Friday morning. The advantages are two-fold: it encourages us to take it easy after yesterday's exhaustive and exhausting tour of land and sea (more later), and the rain also brought out the land crabs. The tunnels that house these creatures have been intriguing us since our arrival and this morning we finally found them perched at the openings of their houses along the gardens and pathways of the resort. They range in size from 2-4 inches, grayish to bright orange. The slightest movement sends them dashing underground so it took a great deal of stealth to photograph them.
Smugglers Cove Resort and Spa is on the north west end close to Castries, the largest city. It is situated on an estate of 65 acres of well-kept gardens, six pools, and is self-contained within the cove with a sheltered sandy beach including a snorkeling reef. The all-inclusive services offer bars, lounge, band and stage, a large buffet restaurant for all three meals plus three table service restaurants for dinner reservations. The fresh fruits and vegetables are in endless supply. The dinner menus have been very good - my favourite so far being the 10 spice duckling at Cafe Asia. I had anticipated a lot of shellfish, which I love, but surprisingly that is not the case. The fish is barracuda, tilapia, mahi mahi, and other meaty fish. Chicken and pork dominate the menu, and I love the spices used. The water is luxuriously warm and buoyant for swimming even when the breakers are too rough for snorkeling or small boats. The heat and sun assist the sensation of slowly melting into a healing stupor as the day passes: breakfast, walkabout, beachwear before lunch, lounge chair and reading under a tree or umbrella before a swim in the sea, stroll up to the top pool for the swim up bar and a drink by the cascade fountain as the sun declines, shower and dress for dinner, drinks and entertainments, collapse in sleep to prepare for the next taxing day. All in glorious surroundings of flowering plants, palms, and birds. Too sweet.
We have been overwhelmed by the beauty of this little island nation. The flag is blue for sky and sea, I believe, with three triangles overlapping - the smaller for Petit Piton is yellow as the sun, the next largest for Gros Piton is black, and the largest for the tallest peak Morne Gimie is white. These colours represent the St. Lucians themselves. The land is lush with indigenous and imported plants, agriculture largely bananas for export to the UK, industry the production of rum and cocoa. The shore is a convolution of cliffs, bays and coves, perfect of the development of resorts, spas and hotels for the ever increasing tourist industry. We experienced most of this during Thursday's Land and Sea Tout. We hit the highlights in Castries and two fishing villages enroute south to Soufriere. We drove through rainforests as we crossed over mountain passes, stopping at breathtaking outlooks to take photos, buy fresh coconut and souvenirs. We drove into the volcano to survey the smoking sulphurous centre, visited waterfalls, and botanical gardens. When we arrived in the harbor at Soufriere, we boarded a boat which transported us to a secluded beach. A generous and delicious lunch awaited. On to a beach between Pitons where we snorkeled and sunned for awhile. As the sun descended, we boarded again for the final leg of the tour, a boatride back up the coast to Castries. On the way, we stopped at a bat cave, Marigot Bay, and the tunnel of love used in Pirates of the Caribbean. The tour began at 9 am and we arrived back at Smugglers Cove after 7 pm! What a fabulous day.
We had hoped to see a dear friend while here, 95-year-old Betty, our Thanksgiving guest for 10 or 12 years before she moved here permanently four years ago to join her daughter's family. They are a branch of the Devaux family that stretches back to the eighteenths century. We have been privileged to meet and be hosted by Betty's granddaughters. Her daughter Pam gifted us with a book by Robert Devaux OBE, her husband, an island historian. They Called Us Brigands is the saga of the freedom fighters at the end of the 18th century who inhabited the rainforests and mountains in the interior of the island, claiming their emancipation in opposition first to the French Aristocracy and the Royalist planters and later to the British conquerors who sought to reestablish slavery. Very interesting, putting the place names and the creole language into clear context. We also came away with Pam's homemade cookies and a jar of chutney. Thank you, Robert and Pam! Well, that was Tuesday at Gayle and Carlos' lovely home and clinic, where we met granddaughter Tracy as well as a number of great grandchildren and other family and friends. Gayle and Carlos are naturopaths who also produce in house the NatMed line of natural treatments and the Caribbean Blue Naturals cosmetic products. I am looking forward to trying the lovely soaps they gave us. On Saturday, we are invited to cocktail hour at Maran and Richard's where we hope that Betty will be able to join us. If not, I will print out and send the pictures I brought for her on my iPad and be happy with having met most of her wonderful family. Otherwise, this week is one to kick back and relax.
I did a bit of a spa day on Wednesday with a back and foot massage and facial. And tonight we plan a trip into Gros Islet for the Friday night street party that has been ongoing for 21 years or more. It is reputed to be a blast. I will have to work on staying alert long enough to get there. We leave Sunday morning, to arrive back in TO on Christmas Day at about 6 pm. Fortunately, the usual dinner bunch are occupied elsewhere this year. We are ordering in Thai for them on the 27th this time around. We will be at the big family gathering at Mom's on Boxing Day, thankful that we do not have to deal with jet lag after this trip. In the meantime, we wish all of you the best of Seasons Greetings whatever your mid-winter celebrations, and of course, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Smugglers Cove Resort and Spa is on the north west end close to Castries, the largest city. It is situated on an estate of 65 acres of well-kept gardens, six pools, and is self-contained within the cove with a sheltered sandy beach including a snorkeling reef. The all-inclusive services offer bars, lounge, band and stage, a large buffet restaurant for all three meals plus three table service restaurants for dinner reservations. The fresh fruits and vegetables are in endless supply. The dinner menus have been very good - my favourite so far being the 10 spice duckling at Cafe Asia. I had anticipated a lot of shellfish, which I love, but surprisingly that is not the case. The fish is barracuda, tilapia, mahi mahi, and other meaty fish. Chicken and pork dominate the menu, and I love the spices used. The water is luxuriously warm and buoyant for swimming even when the breakers are too rough for snorkeling or small boats. The heat and sun assist the sensation of slowly melting into a healing stupor as the day passes: breakfast, walkabout, beachwear before lunch, lounge chair and reading under a tree or umbrella before a swim in the sea, stroll up to the top pool for the swim up bar and a drink by the cascade fountain as the sun declines, shower and dress for dinner, drinks and entertainments, collapse in sleep to prepare for the next taxing day. All in glorious surroundings of flowering plants, palms, and birds. Too sweet.
We have been overwhelmed by the beauty of this little island nation. The flag is blue for sky and sea, I believe, with three triangles overlapping - the smaller for Petit Piton is yellow as the sun, the next largest for Gros Piton is black, and the largest for the tallest peak Morne Gimie is white. These colours represent the St. Lucians themselves. The land is lush with indigenous and imported plants, agriculture largely bananas for export to the UK, industry the production of rum and cocoa. The shore is a convolution of cliffs, bays and coves, perfect of the development of resorts, spas and hotels for the ever increasing tourist industry. We experienced most of this during Thursday's Land and Sea Tout. We hit the highlights in Castries and two fishing villages enroute south to Soufriere. We drove through rainforests as we crossed over mountain passes, stopping at breathtaking outlooks to take photos, buy fresh coconut and souvenirs. We drove into the volcano to survey the smoking sulphurous centre, visited waterfalls, and botanical gardens. When we arrived in the harbor at Soufriere, we boarded a boat which transported us to a secluded beach. A generous and delicious lunch awaited. On to a beach between Pitons where we snorkeled and sunned for awhile. As the sun descended, we boarded again for the final leg of the tour, a boatride back up the coast to Castries. On the way, we stopped at a bat cave, Marigot Bay, and the tunnel of love used in Pirates of the Caribbean. The tour began at 9 am and we arrived back at Smugglers Cove after 7 pm! What a fabulous day.
We had hoped to see a dear friend while here, 95-year-old Betty, our Thanksgiving guest for 10 or 12 years before she moved here permanently four years ago to join her daughter's family. They are a branch of the Devaux family that stretches back to the eighteenths century. We have been privileged to meet and be hosted by Betty's granddaughters. Her daughter Pam gifted us with a book by Robert Devaux OBE, her husband, an island historian. They Called Us Brigands is the saga of the freedom fighters at the end of the 18th century who inhabited the rainforests and mountains in the interior of the island, claiming their emancipation in opposition first to the French Aristocracy and the Royalist planters and later to the British conquerors who sought to reestablish slavery. Very interesting, putting the place names and the creole language into clear context. We also came away with Pam's homemade cookies and a jar of chutney. Thank you, Robert and Pam! Well, that was Tuesday at Gayle and Carlos' lovely home and clinic, where we met granddaughter Tracy as well as a number of great grandchildren and other family and friends. Gayle and Carlos are naturopaths who also produce in house the NatMed line of natural treatments and the Caribbean Blue Naturals cosmetic products. I am looking forward to trying the lovely soaps they gave us. On Saturday, we are invited to cocktail hour at Maran and Richard's where we hope that Betty will be able to join us. If not, I will print out and send the pictures I brought for her on my iPad and be happy with having met most of her wonderful family. Otherwise, this week is one to kick back and relax.
I did a bit of a spa day on Wednesday with a back and foot massage and facial. And tonight we plan a trip into Gros Islet for the Friday night street party that has been ongoing for 21 years or more. It is reputed to be a blast. I will have to work on staying alert long enough to get there. We leave Sunday morning, to arrive back in TO on Christmas Day at about 6 pm. Fortunately, the usual dinner bunch are occupied elsewhere this year. We are ordering in Thai for them on the 27th this time around. We will be at the big family gathering at Mom's on Boxing Day, thankful that we do not have to deal with jet lag after this trip. In the meantime, we wish all of you the best of Seasons Greetings whatever your mid-winter celebrations, and of course, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Off to TIFF tomorrow
Two plum tartes and two peach pies are baked and cooling. One of the peach pies is for a friend who cannot eat lard so I used Crisco all vegetable shortening. But you know, it just doesn't make as good a crust as the Maple Leaf lard. I'm sorry, that is simply the truth. And Crisco has changed its formula or something. The crusts are too soft. They tear easily. So the pie fillings leak around the edges - gimme lard any day. But, here's the thing... I am off to TIFF tomorrow morning for a couple of days. So I think the neighbours are going to have to share in the pies while I am gone. It is just as well because I do want to lose some weight. But still, the peach pies are made with Loring peaches, my favourite.
Well, I will make it up by watching new movies for the next two days. My friends and I have tickets for 1:30 and 8:30 tomorrow. I am going in early to pick the tickets up at the box office and try to find a third film between these two. The first is The Silver Cliff, in Portuguese, from Rio. The evening film is Lena, in Dutch and Polish, from Amsterdam. We love the foreign language films but need a break from reading subtitles and hope to find an English language film starting at around 5.
Between times we will visit the Bell Light Box. My TIFF membership grants me entree to the Bell Blue Lounge (I think that is what it is called) so I hope my friends will be able to join me there for a drink. We will be having lunch with my mom first and seeing a couple of my sisters who may join us for the evening film. It is going to be fun as always! And it is going to be on school days this year - more fun for me.
Well, I will make it up by watching new movies for the next two days. My friends and I have tickets for 1:30 and 8:30 tomorrow. I am going in early to pick the tickets up at the box office and try to find a third film between these two. The first is The Silver Cliff, in Portuguese, from Rio. The evening film is Lena, in Dutch and Polish, from Amsterdam. We love the foreign language films but need a break from reading subtitles and hope to find an English language film starting at around 5.
Between times we will visit the Bell Light Box. My TIFF membership grants me entree to the Bell Blue Lounge (I think that is what it is called) so I hope my friends will be able to join me there for a drink. We will be having lunch with my mom first and seeing a couple of my sisters who may join us for the evening film. It is going to be fun as always! And it is going to be on school days this year - more fun for me.
Friday, September 09, 2011
First Week Not So Fabulous
OK, let's be honest here. The lazing about was more than that. It was fatigue, which was understandable, I'll grant you - my first real week off with nothing to do but what I will. But I did take a chill in the pouring rain at the contra-ribfest on Sunday. And that rain did go on! Suddenly fall weather: chilly, windy, rainy and grey all day everyday since Sunday. What kind of weather is that for my first week of retirement? Crying out loud. The first few days were so humid that my knees killed with arthritis. And sleeping with the windows open simply blew in the allergens from the squash leaves growing moldy in the garden under our bedroom window. So by midweek the lazing about in wooly socks and sweat shirt with lots of tea was really me fighting off a sinus infection and bit of a cold from allergies and bone deep chill. How great to see the sun come out last evening and the clouds finally part. Today I feel great and energized. I have put the cards away so I am not tempted to play my thousandth game of solitaire. I went to the market today and bought peaches, plums and corn warm in the sun. The slight agitation and anxiety that accompanied the lazing about may have to do with the few last strands of school stuff still waiting for my attention. I will get to them this weekend between making pies and tomato marmalade and going to the South Side Shuffle in Port Credit and packing for TIFF. I have tickets for Monday and a place to stay in town. Life is about to begin.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
No Back to School for Me
Yesterday everyone went back to school. I did not. In fact, I slept in until 10:20 and after groggily making a cup of coffee, I sat and watched the last half hour of the Marilyn Denis Show. Then I watched Murdoch Mysteries and played solitaire until noon. I managed to get showered and dressed and was finally beginning to consider my To Do list by mid-afternoon. First: call the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre to find out how I can enrol my granddaughter for a class. Second: visit a neighbour to pick out a few films for our first day at TIFF next Monday. Hmmm. Dinner time. Cooked so much for the neighbourhood contra-ribfest that I really didn't feel like preparing food. At all. I put some potatoes on to boil and raced up to Longos for a BBQ chicken. We had it with the new potatoes, leftover green and yellow beans from the garden, leftover marinated salad and the last of the pies I had baked for the fest. The leftover pulled pork will do for tonight. Later, having tea in front of the TV, I got out my iPad and logged onto TIFF. I found out that, although I can buy up to 4 tickets per film on-line, most of those we chose are Off Sale. But if we get tickets for one of the evening performances, we can work backward from there and will probably end up at the box office taking our chances that morning. Checking my gmail, I was sad to learn that the Edible Arrangement I had sent to CALC for the Ed-Vance staff meeting had not arrived on time. It was waiting for the principal afterwards. That shop will hear about this from me. I did want to send a tasty little greeting to the staff to wish them a good year. Just so happy that I did not have to be there and could simply laze the day away.
Friday, September 02, 2011
Last 2 Days at CALC
I was happy to go back to CALC on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, to lend a hand to my replacement and help out a bit with registrations. It gave me a chance to share a few insights with the new VP regarding the way things work at the school and to share a few docs that she will need over the next few weeks. I had offered to come in for the entire week as I don't mind giving a little back. But I was really needed only for the two days. What a relief! As much as I enjoyed helping out, seeing some of the staff and students, and managing a bit of a visit with some colleagues, I went home exhausted at the end of the day. If I learned nothing else, the experience confirmed for me that my decision to retire had been the right decision, meaning both correct and best. I was so glad that I did not have to go in today or any day in the future. I slept in, watched CityLine and the Marilyn Denis Show while playing a lot of solitaire, and then went for a pedicure and got my hair cut. By the time I got home it was late afternoon. Just time to harvest the ripe tomatoes and tidy up the flower arrangements before going to get the seniors special at the fish and chips shop. Tonight, I kicked back in my recliner and watched movies on TV while I played another dozen hands or so of solitaire. Husband is busy in his office prepping his college classes for this fall. He starts on Tuesday. I don't. I almost felt retired today. Oh, wait. I forgot. I picked up some information on Tango lessons after my hair appointment. Yeah. I am retired.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Beginning to get the feel of it
I danced a little hula around the dining room this morning, singing "I am beginning to feel it." "It" being "retired." Husband cracked up when he caught on. It seemed late again when I got up at 9:30 today. But last night I did not sleep solidly as I usually do. The night was punctuated by restlessness, coughing, a strange bird cry flying down the hydro cut, irritating fabric in my new pajama pantlegs, pain in my injured rotator cuff making comfort impossible, the Guernsey book calling to be finished which I managed by moving to the couch, the mantle clock striking 3:00 and then insisting on tick-tocking noticeably instead of silently. I returned to bed and slept from 3:30 to 9:30 - sort of. And yet when I did get up, I was elated by the lack of agenda, at least any outside agenda, dictating how I would spend my day. I had to look over a letter to be sent with the documents required for an audit of last year's medical expenses claim on our taxes. Other than that, I got the pot of beans put together by 11 to cook for 8 hours in a slow oven. As it turned out, they were not quite the right beans after all and cooked a little quickly so they were ready in 6 hours. I made us some toast for sandwiches at lunch - slicing half of a bright yellow tomato for mine. Past mid-afternoon I tackled the trimming of three shrubs in our front garden. It went quickly because I was not pruning them, just giving them a bit of a haircut. Nonetheless, by the time I finished I was hot and tired and ready to put my feet up. As I sat in my recliner, I sorted through bundles of receipts and statements and enjoyed a vodka and soda. Supper was simply a bowl of the baked brown beans with bread and butter, followed by sliced strawberries. Yum! Frittered away the rest of the evening playing solitaire while watching an old Video of Brigadoon. Van Johnson, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. What could be better? A fat packet of receipts, summary statements and a fine cover letter is ready to send off to the Tax man, no great thanks to me (I did make encouraging and approving noises as well as find a couple of receipts and proof the letter). Oh, and alas, our daughter called and we told her that due to her dad's summer cold, we could not possibly come to the cottage tomorrow. It will have to wait until Saturday. Good thing. I'm not packed.
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