About Me

I just added an About Me page and decided to add some of my favorite random posts.

As I was selecting posts at random, I realized that sometime since now and last year I've lost my humor.  Or oddness.

Humor or oddness, I'm not sure which I had, or which I've lost, and I'm definitely not sure where "it" went exactly.

Nevertheless, here is my random selection of posts I included that show that I was once humorous (or odd) at one point in time:


Hairstyles of the Big and Brawny

I got a little carried away on my trip to Mount Rushmore and I took a gadzillion pictures of the buffalo there.  After uploading my pictures I began to notice an uncanny resemblance to Dave Navarro:

 

I also love that if you google "hairstyles with less volume" you will eventually find a link to this post.  Ha!


Blackened Chicken on Delicious Pizza Dough

After buying my Nikon d90 I found myself doing strange things like running outside with my blackened chicken to capture the last rays of the day.  I'm awful at remembering to put recipes up, but when I do I guarantee they will be good.

Something in Your Teeth

I added this to feature my handsome, but daft dog-child Max. He's much better at posing than my cameraphobe teenager.  

I May Be a Little Weird . . .

This post definitely highlights my weirdness and oddness, and I may have crossed the line in sharing too much, but if your curious check it out.

VD

Find out my ideal BF and my ode to my special someone that I posted on FB on valentines day.

Confessions of a Beckarazzi

I'm not sure what got into me that day at the co-op, as I stalked little old ladies (LOD's) in the produce section, but you can read all about it.

Boys!

This has got to be one of the most embarressing things that has ever happened to me at church, or as a mother.  Read this post to partake in my embarrassement.

Check out my About Me page and have a great weekend!

~b~

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenters

My friend assembled a League of Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenters this weekend to work on some reno's.  Like most projects, it started with replacing the stairs to the deck, which led to the discovery of water damage to the side of the house.

We spent the day removing the deck and replacing the damage to the house.  Being the sole woman on the Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenter Crew, I helped out by prying and hammering and displaying my extraordinary first aid skills when someone stepped on a nail.

I guess, if I could sum up this weekend's reno project, I'd have to say:  It's all fun and games until someone steps on a nail.

~b~

Strawberry Cream Cheese Wontons

The Tasty Kitchen Blog featured a Nutella and Banana Wontons Recipe a while back.  The warm gooey inside contrasted with the crispy sugary outside made a very good treat (okay, okay, I actually made this for supper).  

I used plain old peanut butter instead of Nutella.  I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter, so I got to thinking of other combinations that could be made and came up with strawberries and cream cheese, sprinkled with icing sugar:

  

Here is my version:

1 package of Wonton Wrappers
Canola Oil
1 package of cream cheese
Strawberries, sliced thinly
1 egg, beaten
Powdered Sugar

Line a cookie sheet with the wonton wrappers.  Place thin slices of cream cheese and strawberries in the center.   Wet two adjoining sides of the wonton square with the beaten egg.  Fold the square and press the seams together to seal the wonton wrapper.

Pour enough oil in a frying pan to cover the wonton wrappers.  Set the burner on high and heat the oil.  When the oil is hot, fry each side of the wonton wrapper, to a golden brown color.  Remove wontons and place them on a paper towel.  Sprinkle with icing sugar and let them cool a bit before biting in.

For step by step instructions and photo's click HERE.

Enjoy!

~b~

In The Moments

I think Sunday August 29th was the best day in August.  But it didn't start that way.  I really hate to admit this, but I had a cry that morning.  And not just a stray tear that starts by welling up in my eyes and then spills over, rolling down my cheek.  It was an ugly deluge of tears and sobs that left me exhausted, red-eyed, and with a throbbing headache.  I was tempted to stay at home that morning from church in fear of sobbing through the entire service but I went, and aside from a few sad faces and a cracked voice during worship, I soon started to feel better.  

It turns out my cathartic cry was just what was needed because when I went to bed that night I could hardly fall asleep, I was that happy.

And I thought about why my day would have been such a good day.  The cold crisp air and hot cup of  coffee in the morning was a perfect combination, but that wasn't why I was so happy.  My clean kitchen floors, my organized spice drawer, and my afternoon nap did make my day more enjoyable, but that wasn't why I was so happy.  The anticipation of a busy fall schedule is something I am definitely looking forward to, but that wasn't way I was so happy.

And I realized that my entire day was filled with people that I wanted to see.  I spent some time visiting with family and old friends.  I chatted with new friends who I am just starting to get to know and I had the chance to catch up with people I haven't seen all summer.  My day was filled visiting, laughing and enjoying life, in the moment.

In the moment sharing dreams of the future.  In the moment with jazz hands and a sabers dance rendition at Sunday's brunch.  In the moment watching babies smile.  In the moment getting to know people better. In the moment planning a grand kitchen design.  In the moment singing happy birthday at a surprise party.  In the moment watching people talk and laugh together.

As I fell asleep that night, I thought of each and every person I saw that day and I was thankful to have them in the moments of my day.

~b~

Books

I think I've read more this year than I have in the past 10 years.  To circumvent immense boredom that is bound to occur if I posted a blog on each book I've read, I thought I would compile a book list using an assortment of random categories.

Lakeside Reading

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

• The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson

Books that Made Me Think

• Counterfeit Gods - Timothy Keller

• Now, Discover Your Strengths - Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton.  This book comes with an online assessment that highlights your five main areas of strengths.  After reading mine I certainly make a lot more sense to myself and I feel kinda dumb that I couldn't see this in myself before.  It's like when I "discovered" I had straight hair - seems kinda obvious now, but I was naively oblivious before.  

•  A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - Donald Miller

LL's Author Recommendation

• Saturday - Ian McEwen  A incredibly "knowledgeable in all things English" friend of mine recommended McEwen to me.  I have always enjoyed her recommendations and so I started with Saturday.  

Most Surprising Page Turner

• The Host - Stephanie Meyer.  This was a two night read for me.  I'm not into teenaged vampire love and would have never read this had it not been recommended by two co-workers.  Plus, I didn't realize who the author was until night two.    

Short Stories

• Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle  You can download this Sherlock Holmes App (Sunscroll) and read Sherlock Holmes for free.  I did at times, however, get annoyed with Watson's constant praise of Holmes intellect.

• My Best Stories - Alice Munro.  I thought I enjoyed the short story genre.  So I read this well known Canadian author.  Turns out I don't like story's of small towns and Canadian history.  

Most Disappointing Read

• An Echo to the Bone - Diana Gabaldon.  This is the seventh book in the Outlander Series.  These are long books and seven books makes a long series, but I've developed a literary crush on the main character.  I thought this was the last book in the series and was looking forward to the ending.  But the ending was left open ended and was not at all what I expected.  Plus, sex between fictional characters in mid life just isn't as hot (at all) as when they were in their twenties.  

Books I Bought For My Son and Then Borrowed

• Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation - M.T. Anderson

• The Lost Symbol  -Dan Brown.  I've always enjoyed reading a Dan Brown novel, not to be confused with the New York Times best-selling author Dale Brown.  A mistake I made when I ran into McNally on afternoon and grabbed some books to bring with me to the lake.  

(Not So) Secret (Anymore) Author Crush

• Blue Like Jazz- Donald Miller.  

Further Reads on Spirituality

• Plan B:  Further Thoughts on Faith - Anne Lamott

Non Fiction

• Empire of Illusion  The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle - Chris Hedges

• Hot, Flat, and Crowded - Thomas L. Friedman

• How to Be a Better Foodie a Bulging Little Book for the Truly Epicurious - Sudi Pigott

• Memories, Dreams, Reflections - Carl Jung

• The Age of the Warrior: Selected Writings - Robert Fisk

Book That Did Not Disappoint My Expectations

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot.  

In Progress

• The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells. I miss reading to my son at night, so I've started to again and I don't care that he's a teenager and not a little kid anymore.  I'm gonna read, and he's gonna listen.  

• Beloved - Toni Morrison

• Searching For God Knows What - Donald Miller

• Sundays at Tiffeny's - James Patterson

~b~

Blackstrap

After coming home from the city after August Extra Long, my friend drove straight to Blackstrap and set up her RV.  I had to return to work, but the weather was just too nice and so I made a brief appearance at work on Tuesday and then headed back out of the city.

The campsites at Blackstrap were nice and large and the campground was fairly quiet.  The nicest part was that because Blackstrap is so close to the city a number of friends ended up coming for evening BBQ's, an afternoon of tubing, or to stay and camp for a few days.  

The weather was beautiful and after a week of rain, I'm glad I took summer holidays when I did.  

We went fishing one morning:   

This is me "fishing" . . . I did manage to catch a pike, to reward my hard effort and all.  

When I returned from fishing, I found this note waiting for me back at the campsite:

One of my favorite memories is getting together with friends and preparing a meal together.  It wasn't anything fancy, just a mix of leftovers from both campsites.  But I loved spending time making a meal and sharing it together.  Plus, I was very happy that I didn't have to make the fire.  

~b~

August Extra Long

I'm not really sure when time started to fly, but if feels like it was just a few days ago that I headed out of the city to the lake, and somehow, it feels like forever ago that I was at the lake.

I had taken the friday before August Long off, to make it an extra long weekend.  I had just gotten over a horrible week of being sick so I decided not to go camping.  Instead, I planned a Friday morning breakfast date and a quick trip out of the city on Saturday.  By lunch I was sitting outside reading a book and soaking up the warm sun, when my friend phoned and again, asked me to go to the lake.  I listed off my excuses as why I shouldn't go and as I heard myself speaking I realized how lame I was really sounding.  I told her, I would think about it.  One nap later followed by a few hours of picking up supplies and packing and I found myself in the passenger seat of a Pathfinder, heading off to Atton's Lake.

I wasn't too impressed with the park itself and the facilities took some getting use to.  The sites are open and the nights were loud.  But the beach was nice, the water was warm, and the lake bottom had no sea weeds.

After over a week sick in bed, it was nice to spend a lot of time outside.

I met some nice cows.  They were one cute posse, but they kept advancing on me, eyeing me up and down, so I didn't stay long enough to find out their names.

We drove into North Battleford one afternoon and watched the chuck wagon races.  I loved how the announcer yelled "Hwheel to Hwheel they race" (think Stewie saying Cool Hwhip) and "It's hotter than Arizona pavement here".  I loved how the outriders held onto the chuck wagon horses and then did this quick hop which bounced them onto the backs of their horses.

Close to Atton's lake is Little Bushy Lake where my friend's significant other's brother's, father-in law lives.  He knows all the good fishing spots and we spend some time catching perch as the sun drifted slowly into the horizon.

Poundmaker Reserve is also on part of Little Bushy and they have set up a Historical Centre and Teepee Village.

We got up early one morning and I discovered the joys of drinking a morning coffee while sitting out on a boat catching fish.  I'm sure it helped that the fishing was insane.  We caught 65 perch between the two boats in just a few hours.  I found myself popping out little fish eyeballs (With my bare hands!) so we could continue using bait to fish.  I did try to find the "most dead" fish (ie, the ones not flopping around) and then gave them a little rap on their little head on the side of the boat.  And I did silently hope that these fish were in fact truly dead, or at least had no feelings of pain.  I think I've come a loong way: from not being able to put the bait onto my own hook (lest my hands get all gooby), to popping out fish eyeballs.

I'm glad I headed out of the city, I had great weather, great company and a great time fishing.

~b~