My Flog for August 31 + How Dangerous Can A Restaurant Get..

Okay. One night before my next new (I hope) number and DH decides he wants to go to Pizza Hut for dinner. I knew if I vetoed his idea he would sulk for probably three days, and it's sort of tough to have someone not talking to you and ignoring you for three days (although there are times when I would relish it) -however - we went.

We both brought home doggie bags. His contains one-half minus one piece of a Supreme Medium, and mine contained about half of a Chicken Pomodoro. Just now checking the nutritional value for that - and the first two numbers on that particular line are 727 and 1200. Oh Goodness, I ponder - would that be fat grams and calories? Hope not. Let's have another look - Crap. I thought pasta with tomato, garlic and olive oil and grilled chicken would be a lot friendlier that this. The 727 is weight in grams. I think that's about 1 3/4 lbs. Sure hope they weighed the plate too. 1200 is  calories. And the amount of fat grams? 69. I thought I picked the least fatty one, I didn't pick an Alfredo as they described it as creamy, so of course I thought it was cream based, but I definitely shouldn't have picked the one I did. The only good thing? (besides the taste, of course, as it was positively yummy) is that it contains 60% of the day's iron requirements. As far as sodium, I'm not going near that one. Is Pizza Hut trying to kill its customers? Crap. Thank heavens I only ate half, and the half in the fridge is going somewhere, anywhere but in my belly. I still can't believe I ate almost a pound of pasta/sauce.

So here I am, loaded up on fat and calories and sodium, and tomorrow is coming very quickly. Thanks, Howard. Thanks a lot.

Meanwhile, each of Howard's slices of pizza were 310 calories and 14 fat grams. He had 5 slices...let's see...mmmm...1550 calories and 70 fat grams. Well. I don't feel quite so bad now, although if I told him his intake he wouldn't give a damn. He doesn't care how he looks in a skirt.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Half a Veggie Sandwich, sparkling water with orange juice (San Pelligrino)
• Dinner - Pasta (600 calories and 35.5 fat grams approx) plus 2 small pieces of Garlic Bread
• Snacks - Yogurt w/Fruit on the Bottom, Banana, Grapes, Diet Pepsi

My Flog for August 30 + My Past Life

Garbage out, Cardboard and Glass/Plastic Recycling out, and Food Scrap Bin out. Dishes soaking in hot soapy water in  the sink ready to be washed and rinsed, and a big queen sized bed only partly taken up by a snoring restless sick husband waiting. Hopefully the Diet Pepsi I'm drinking won't keep me awake half the night, because I'm pooped. 

I remember past Augusts, when I would be so anxious to get back to school. That would be school as teaching, not school as learning. I would be bugging the janitor to get my classroom done first, so I could spend my August days getting it ready for another batch of kidlets. We did some really neat things between these four walls, and  tons of happy memories (plus some strange ones) flit through my mind at the oddest times. 

As well as looking forward to the stomp and patter of little feet, it was always great to see the teacher friends I missed over the summer holidays. I wish I could thank every one of them - well, almost every one of them - for the good times, and thank some of them for helping me through the bad times. 

I'm maudlin due to an email I read today from one of my FB pages, from a student from long long ago. I hope he doesn't mind if I copy it here -  because I'm going to. For those of you who only know me since 1994, I did have a life before that!

Miss Vokey it has been a lot of years, but I would like to thank you so much for the love you gave us all over the years. some people come into our lives and we have become kinder for it. Tamar you were that sunshine that we needed on days that were not so kind. I would like to take this time to thank you for all the kindness you gave us kids. and I hope each time you step out on a bright day and feel the sun. that is us all giving back to you. thank you Ernie G


Thank you, Ernie G. For all the kindness I gave you kids, I got a thousand times back. 

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Half a Veggie Sandwich and an Iced Mocha
• Dinner - Pork Chop and Oven Fries
• Snacks - Yogurt w/Fruit on the Bottom, Banana, the largest 1/4 of the four parts I cut a baby watermelon in - never thought you could get stuffed on watermelon. Burp.

My Flog for August 29 + Hi Ho Hi Ho etc

A long day at work. Now, we get a list of stuff to do for each person on that day. Which isn't really working out well, when one person is only on for 4 hours, and that includes an hour of breaks between both people on board, plus the occasional customer that needs help - or demos for the ruffle yarns. I'm sick of doing ruffle yarn demos. Really.

So now, instead of one long list with almost everything done, there are three lists of which neither are done. Well, I almost finished off one co-worker's list, but that meant my list isn't finished. The other list involved a ladder and my knee didn't want to climb it. Once again I dread going to work tomorrow morning, when my manager may wonder why not enough got done.

The best thing about today was getting two beautiful Sockeye Salmon for $20. They are lying in state in our freezer, and maybe some will end up on my plate when Howard stops being really sick and cooks some.

By the way, Howard is really sick with the laryngitis etc that Shannon had a couple of weeks ago. He has to whisper. Poor guy. His major wants are Halls and Ice Cream.

However - only two more days and I'm off for three. I think I can manage til then!

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee. Still munching that whole grain bread, but still would like a couple of slices of that good old white stuff. Oh well. 
• Lunch - Veggie salad from Subway with Sweet Onion Dressing, Yogurt
• Dinner - Habitat Pea Soup - about the only can left in the cupboard after Shannon packed away their stuff. Howard and I don't buy much canned stuff, only for his Earthquake Kit, which as far as I know has some canned goods in it but no can opener. Also pasta with no pot. And I think one tin of Vienna type sausages. No one need worry about us if an earthquake happens. We'll be fine.
• Snacks - Iced Mocha, Banana, Grapes, Diet Pepsi

My Flog for August 28 + New Beginnings

Here we are, in an emptying house. I came home from work to see lots of carpet in the living room and dining room, the result of Neil and Shannon moving into their new place in Ladner. It's so exciting for them, they have a beautiful new home, and it's always exciting to start again. I know.

They have until midnight tomorrow night to move everything, or else it will all be on the sidewalk. (I bet you all think I'm kidding. Actually I am.)

It will be strange to live in a quiet house again, if only for 4 weeks. I know we'll just get used to the sounds of silence when we'll be off to move in with Steve and Nikkie for a few months, and then KAPOW - we'll have to get used to another way of life. Because Howard's hand is giving him trouble again, he will probably need surgery in the near future, so we decided not to sign any lease on a new place until he starts getting his really old age pension in January - then we'll decide what to do after that. The best scenario is that we will win a lottery, and everyone will live happily and richly together forever and ever.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Veggie Sandwich, Iced Mocha
• Dinner - Veggie Soup
• Snacks - Grapes, Yogurt w/Fruit on the Bottom

My Flog for August 27 + The Reason Grandparents Don't Have Babies Any More

Today? Not much done. I watched Jack Layton's Celebration of Life this morning, and thought it was one the most beautiful things I've watched on TV in ages. I'm not much into politics, but this man was well loved and respected by thousands of people, and I hope his vision lives on forever.

Other than that, I was looking after three grandsons, so between "Nanny, I want a drink," and "Tanner poked me in the eye," and "Nanny I'm hungry," and "Clayton pushed me off the slide," and Dominik very vocal without words, it was a very long and busy day. Now Dom's down for an illegal nap, but he fell asleep in my arms and it is so hot in here, I had to put him in his crib. The other two are playing some sort of video game on TV and Poppy is asleep. I don't know why he's so tired, he certainly didn't help me out much today.

Hopefully I'll be able to stay awake til the paternal units come home. Yawn.

• Breakfast - Toast and Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - 2 egg omelet in a Whole Grain sandwich
• Dinner - KD, banana
• Snacks - Coffee, Yogurt, Rubbery Fruit Candy things, Nectarine, another Banana, 1 spoon of Ice Cream

Thank heavens for tubal ligations
for tubal ligations are swell
if I hadn't had one a long time ago
I'd still be popping out babies, i know.


When I need more naps than the kids I am sitting
I know that this job is the one that needs quitting!

My Flog for August 26 + Moving On

It's hot. Even though The Weather Network says it's only 22, it's actually 28 in the shade in the backyard, Coffee didn't help. One of the problems - it's a bit too hot to knit, to have that heavy acrylic stocking lying in my lap. Even the white 'snow' of the snowman is hot.

I was looking through Craigslist ads for apartments to rent, even though we're pretty sure we're moving in with Steve and Nikkie for a couple of months when we leave here at the end of September. One ad listed a basement apartment in Surrey, but stated it was only for a Punjabi family. Can you imagine that? I would have no problem renting a basement apartment to a Punjabi family if I had a basement apartment to rent. I would rather ask that a potential renter would be a non-smoker, or a non-pot-grower, or a non-gang-member. But that's just me.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - 1 slice of Whole Grain bread with Peanut Butter, Grapes
• Dinner - 2 BBQ wieners, beans, soft serve Ice Cream Cone - I am sooooo full, rest assured I won't be eating anything else until I get breakfast.
• Snacks - Banana, Yogurt w/Fruit on the Bottom, Diet Pop, Peach

I was so hungry. I don't know why I was so hungry, unless it's because I'm not eating a lot. But I'm not losing any weight, so I must be eating enough - hence, why was I so hungry? Maybe I'm just bored. After eating dinner and an ice cream cone, I'm not bored any more. Now I'm going to settle down with my Christmas Stocking knitting and Coronation Street. 

My Flog for August 25 + Another Reason to Save Your Air Miles

Sock #1 done, all knitted, anyway. Now I have about a hundred loose ends to sew in, then sew the darn thing up the back and embellish it with whatever Christmassy thingies I can find lying around. Only 6 more to go.

I don't know why I can go to work and put in a half decent day of work, but when I'm home all I seem to manage is very minimum. At least I got a line of laundry sun-dried and put away. Well, folded, anyway, and placed carefully in the hamper, where it would probably stay nice and neat if nobody went rooting around in it for a pair of socks.

I saw on my Yahoo today that there is a chain of full service funeral homes that now offer air miles. However I don't know if you can use your air miles for their services or not. I can't imagine saving up my Safeway air miles to pay for my urn. Although come to think of it, I don't want an urn. A cardboard box would be fine as long as no one leaves it out in the rain before the contents (me) gets thrown in the water of Spaniard's Cove. (Sheila, you better outlive me.) Maybe I'll even have enough air miles saved up to buy my passage back home in the plane's glove compartment.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt and Peach
• Dinner - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Cheese Bread 
• Snacks - Peach, Mars Bar, Diet Pop

No wonder I was hungry all day. 

My Flog for August 24 + An Old Story

What a hot day in the store - outdoors the wind tempered the heat of the sun somewhat, but the little fans in the store weren't really making a difference. Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter, but at least I don't have to work, I can just sit or lie around the house all day and sweat.

A customer came in to buy some birthday candles just before I closed . She made a cake for her daughter, and was surprised that a 17 year old wanted 17 candles on her cake. I was surprised that she never thought to put 17 candles on the cake. So I sold her some birthday candles and sparklers, and reminded her if she didn't put candles on her daughter's cake, then she would be unlikely to get any on hers in the future. It reminded me of a story I wrote a few years ago, my first Rose story, and you may enjoy reading it if you haven't already -  http://tamarsdayoff.blogspot.com/p/roses-stories.html

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Veggie Sandwich on a half whole grain baguette, Yogurt w/Fruit on the Bottom
• Dinner - Dinner was a mixture of good things with bad things: Boiled Potatoes....with gravy, Corn on the Cob with salt and Becel, Green Salad with Thousand Islands Dressing....plus asparagus
• Snacks - Iced Mocha, Diet Pepsi, Grapes

My Flog for August 23 + What I've Been Doing Instead of What I Should Be Doing

Here is my new addiction. Once I figured out how to play it, that is ...  http://worldofsolitaire.com/ ... try it out if you have a few minutes, or a few hours - or a day off.

We had a beautiful summer day today, which made up for and made us forget the torrential rains of yesterday. Crazy weather. I had to work, lots of customers who wanted demos for our new ruffle yarns. I'm getting sort of tired of demonstrating these yarns, but that's just too bad for me. There ain't no pity in this neck of the woods, let me tell you.

Now I got to put on coffee for the morning and make egg salad and slap it between two slices of bread for Howard's lunch tomorrow, then it's off to bed for me and my computer-tired eyes.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - A Chef Salad from IGA's deli
• Dinner - Slow Cooker Chicken with Oven Potatoes and Dressing and Gravy
• Snacks - Iced Mocha, Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt, Peach

And that's all she's writin' - Good night all!

My Flog for August 22 + Raindrops Kept Falling On My Head

This morning brought a huge surprise - tons and tons and buckets of rain. I got soaking wet waiting for the bus, but that didn't hurt me. Much. I got a hot chocolate on my way to the store, and that was nice and warm in my belly. Then I had to figure out where to put all the sidewalk sale stuff inside the store, as the sidewalk outside was busy puddling up the raindrops. Then I had to vacuum. And the owner thinks all we do is have fun.

I was lucky enough to get some fresh Sockeye Salmon from one of the gals who works in the Lumber Yard behind us. Yummy. Can you smell it? Howard is frying some up now for our dinner.

I am really tired...so I think after dinner and after we walk (or hobble) to the store to get bread for lunches tomorrow, I will probably go to bed. Yawn. My knee hurts now, especially after Howard tried to run me over with his great big truck and I had to hop out of the way. He said it was my fault, but I think he just wants an excuse not to buy me a birthday present.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Veggie Soup, half a Veggie Sandwich (leftover from yesterday's lunch, hope the mayo didn't go bad)
• Dinner - Salmon
• Snacks - Hot Chocolate X 2, Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt  

And by the way - RIP Mars Bar - You were very nice, I'm glad you had a long life in the coolness of my fridge door, but I am gladder that you gave up your life to make my tummy happy.

My Flog for August 21 + Sweet Dreams

Woke up in our little twin sized home-made bed in the corner of Steve's basement early this morning, after a fitful night sleep. It was so hot in Surrey yesterday, finally cooled down a bit outdoors, but Howard being the furnace that he is made it difficult to cool down in bed. Then I dreamt about big scrunchy bugs crawling up the leg of my jogging pants, and a school for girls where they were punished by sending electricity through their bodies, and God knows what else - I don't know what fueled these dreams, but it wasn't S'Mores, as we didn't have any. Anyway, it was hard to wake up fully - when I heard Howard say we were leaving in five minutes, I figured I'd better get out of bed and get sort-of dressed so I could get home, hop in the shower and head for work. 

It was so hot today and yesterday. It's cooling down a bit now though, only 26c at the airport, but that's still not good for 6:41 in the evening.  We are finally getting summer weather, now that summer is almost over. It may rain tomorrow - that would be nice actually. 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Half a Veggie Sandwich, San Pelligrino (orange flavoured sparkling water)
• Dinner - Small Fish'n'Chips from Pajo's at Garry Point Park
• Snacks - Strawberries, Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt, Iced Mocha, and a rasher of Neil's fried bacon ... yum, almost as good as a Mozza Burger...

My Flog for August 20

Big PARTY Day in Surrey - ton of food, snacks, etc etcet, so there is no formal flog today, just a list of grazing buffet stuff. As far as 7 pm - there may be Smore's in the future, not sure though

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Grazing - Watermelon, Grapes, Diet Pepsi, Chips, Cookie, Muffin, 2 slices of veggie pizza....no wonder my tummy feels so upset...crap.....

My Flog for August 19 + Thinking Christmas

I think if I'm going to go off my Eating Plan for a few days, I should start soon, as so far I'm just eating the same way as all summer. Mmmmmm.

Just got back from Zellers, where two of my favourite Crafts'n'More customers caught me going through checkout with cheap acrylic yarn. Oops. But  I have 7 Christmas stockings to knit, and one cannot use nice soft acrylic yarn for that, or they would stretch to the floor when Santa stuffs 'em. So yes, for this, one needs the squeaky kind that sort of chafes one's fingers as one knits. 7 Christmas stockings - I don't know where my mind was, I have to learn to say "No." Well, one is for our little Dominik, and his mommy and daddy want me to put a donkey on the front, so I guess I'll have to dig up my designer skills for that one. I'm hoping a slight change to my reindeer chart will work, as long as I change colours, subtract the antlers, and add soft floppy ears and a dark cross on the back...wish me luck.

4 stockings from last year's batch

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt, Banana
• Dinner - Half a Thai take-out from Landsdowne Food Court - it wasn't very good, so Howard helped me out by eating what I didn't. Sometimes he's just as good as a doggie where left-overs are concerned. Don't tell him that though.
• Snacks - A few Jelly Beans from the 25 cent machine at Zellers while I was waiting for him to visit the Little Boys' Room, Diet Pepsi 

My Flog for August 18 + My New Resolve

I have made a huge decision - I am going to take a few days off regarding my new undiet regime - it seems it's not working very well any more, even though I'm basically doing the same things I did in June. Although I probably should go back and check on that - my memory isn't great any more. Even though it seems I have huge dinners, I actually have very small potions on my plate - just ask anyone who eats with me. I think I may have to rethink my Iced Mochas. After this week. Starting today, I'm going to eat sort of normally. I may even have a chocolate bar. I already had a muffin.

All the blood tests the doctor ordered came back really good, so maybe I am lacking chocolate. Being a trooper, I shall give it a try. Meanwhile, I've just got to haul myself together and get over this slump of wanting to laze around all day and get nothing accomplished. 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Sandwich - Panini Bun w/boiled egg, lettuce, tomato, green onion, mayo and mustard, Orange/Cranberry Muffin, Diet Pepsi
• Dinner - Drummies in Chipotle Marinade, Mashed Potatoes, Rice-A-Roni (a San Francisco Treat)
• Snacks - Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt, Banana, and a bunch of grapes....ha ha

Well, so far today, and it's only 2pm, I have done 3 loads of laundry, two of which are on the line, one is dried and folded, and I have walked to IGA and Shopper's Drug Mart, which was very game of me as my cane is hanging on a peg at the Craft Store, and I have cleaned about 1/5 of the kitchen counter, plus the toaster and coffee pot. Not too shabby, eh? Oh, and I made my half of the bed, as Howard made his half when he got up.

Much later: Dinner cooked, eaten, and cleaned up after. Hope everyone has a safe night - like the Mars Bar snuggled in the butter compartment in the fridge door!

My Flog for August 17 + Anniversary Thoughts

37 years ago, we had a little wedding, and strangely enough, it lasted. I guess there's something to be said about opposites after all - for we were and still are about as opposite as you can get. Which is why I can write all sorts of stuff about my husband, because he will never read my writing, and is probably one of the reasons we still are married....and the wheel goes round.

August 17, `1994 - at mom and dad's house in Traytown

In 37 years, the best thing we did was to have babies, one, two, three...wonderful boys who brought us three wonderful girls and more wonderful babies. It's amazing that one kiss can travel so wonderfully through the years.

Now don't get me wrong. There have been times when we both probably would have enjoyed pushing the other off a tall building, but thankfully these moments passed by with no tall building nearby. I don't know whether it's love that's keeping us together, but he's the only one who knows me inside and out, and he's the only one I would have the patience to train - so I have no desire to start over again. I'll stay with the devil I know - and hope he decides to do the same thing!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Veggie Soup and Veggie Sandwich
• Dinner - Pork Chop, Scalloped Potatoes, and Pasta Salad
• Snacks - Orange Pop (because the soup was so bloody spicy), Cranberry Orange Muffin (in lieu of Anniversary Cake), banana, grapes

I don't think I will ever start losing weight again. Sort of sucks. If I was eating the stuff I ate before June, I would be as big as a house by now, I don't know what's going on. However, I'm not gaining, which is one good thing. One of these days....

My Flog for August 16

Crummy day. Started off with a doctor's appointment, but at least I found out what was going on with my knee - seems like there is damaged cartilage, torn ligament, plus the arthritis I knew was there anyway. It only took six months to find out what was wrong. Hope it doesn't take that long to fix it. I also had a whack of blood work done, but according to that everything about me is good. Just wish I could have one good day where I feel great and can accomplish lots of stuff.

But enough about me. Not really. I decided I needed a treat today, so my flog is crazy.

• Breakfast - A restaurant breakie for my first treat - bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast and coffee
• Lunch - Half veggie sandwich on whole grain half-baguette, San Pelligrino
• Dinner - Burger bbqed by Neil - thanks, Neil
• Snacks - Coconut Cup Cake w/Coconut Buttercream Frosting

Well, that's is, actually. It doesn't look so bad when I write it down. 

My Flog for August 15 + Boring Boring Boring

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Ceasar Salad
• Dinner - Chow Mein, a wee bit of Sweet and Sour Pork
• Snacks - little bran muffin (thanks Pauline,) a San Pellegrino, Yogurt w/Fruit, Iced Mocha

It has been a really loooooong day at work, and I am pooped. Tomorrow morning I go to the Doctor, and hope he can tell me why I'm feeling so tired and boring and just plain yucky. I think it's one or more of three things: thyroid medication off whack, low iron, or low potassium. One thing is, results from blood work here is so fast, if I have it done tomorrow morning, I'll get the results by the next day at the latest, maybe even tomorrow afternoon.

When my body starts working right, hopefully my mind will start working right again, and I will have more interesting flogs. Be patient with me.....

My Flog for August 14 + Nothing Much Else

Well, I got through the day, but I'm not sure how. Every bit of me ached, every bit of me lacked energy, and every bit of me just wanted to go home and go to bed. Which is what I'm going to do very shortly, even though the sun is still shining and Wee Willie Winkie is nowhere near starting his rounds in our neck of the woods.

I SHOULD go to the store as I don't know what Howard's going to eat for lunch tomorrow, but I can't even think about walking up the road. I hope to find something with no green parts that I can slap together and call a sandwich. And if I make two of them that should get him through the day. 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Veggie Soup, Veggie Sandwich on Whole Grain Bread
• Dinner - 2 Slices of Pizza, 1 Cheese and 1 Hawaiian
• Snacks - Yogurt w/Fruit, Iced Latte, Pelegrino (flavoured water, yummy), Pop Chips (really good, not fried, not baked - I guess they are popped....1.5 grams of fat and 50 calories per bag, for anyone who's counting, I'm not), Diet Pepsi

My Flog for August 13 + Ria and Tamar do Vancouver

Well, I'm actually too pooped to do this flog justice, but I will try not to forget most of the trouble we got in. Or I got us in.

Ria was waiting on the corner for me as I hobbled to the bus stop, and we both watched as the bus whizzed by, but that was okay as we knew there was another on the way. This guy came over and asked, "Was that our bus?" and I answered, "Obviously not, or we would have been on it. Our bus is the next one." We only had to wait a few minutes, though, so everything was fine. A short ride to the Canada Line station, and then a few minutes wait for the train - and there we were, ready to start our Vancouver adventure.

Seem like nothing much was on the go at nine-thirty in the morning, but Granville Street was closed to traffic, albeit not very festive in any manner. We decided to walk to Canada Place, since this is ingrained now in every one of my cells, and I had to check out the Cruise Ships to report back to Howard. Then we walked around the new (well, it's not as new as it was last year) Convention Centre, and found people setting up for a festival of sorts that was due to start in the early afternoon, so we planned the rest of the day around that.

First we went looking for Chinatown, and the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Park. However, we sort of had to just walk in what I thought was the general direction, as my map and game plan page was sitting on my desk back home, and after turning a few corners too many and going up a few streets too many, we finally found the Golden Gates and the beautiful peaceful sanctuary in the middle of downtown Vancouver. Weeping willows, koi ponds, and we think Lychee trees, water lilies...nice.
http://www.venturevancouver.com/dr-sun-yat-sen-park-chinatown-vancouver

After visiting a Terra Cotta Soldier gift shop where the staff kept trying to sell us stuff at 50% off, we finished our tour of Chinatown by walking up and down the smelly sidewalks in front of fish, dried yucky things, and strange looking fungi stuff shops. Don't know how Chinese food can be so yummy when all the ingredients in a Chinese market are so bloody stinky. My apologies to my Chinese readers, but I have to tell it like I see (or smell) it.

Ria and Me - in front of a mirror at a very famous building in Chinatown - underneath our feet were public baths many years ago. How exciting is that?

By the time we headed back to Howe Street in search of food vendors, our tummies were rumbling and the need for delicious street food was great. Howe Street, according to Vancouver's Eat Street web page, had several food trucks, including East Indian and BBQ Brisket, so we figured we'd walk along until we found one or the other. So we walked. And walked. And walked. We were lucky enough to find a Tourist Info place, and when I inquired about food trucks, one of the guys there said they didn't often work on weekends. Nice to know. But there may be one on Robson, the next street up, so we continued our search.

Well, there was one on Robson, but it was a hot dog one, which I have on my NeverEatAgain list, after suffering severe stomach upset after the hot dog I bought from a vendor last summer. So we cut across to the next street and walked down to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where Hallelujah - we found the BBQ one we were searching for. However, there were two groups of about 20 people each waiting to be served, and it was getting so hot, and we were so hungry, we just decided to find a regular place to dine - Scoozi's, a nice little Mediterranean restaurant with a nice little patio table just for us - even though it was on a sloped part of the sidewalk and we ate on a downward slant, we had an excellent meal.
http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/scoozis

Next we headed back to the Festival, which was getting in full swing. It turned out to be the 9th annual Vancouver Sawan Mela festival, sponsored by SAFA - South Asian Family Association - which turned out be, I think Indian, but not East Indian, I'm not really sure. Maybe East Indian. What do I know. Would south of Asia be the same as east of India? We listened to a really great singer, Will Blunderfield, who is also a yoga teacher, and his co-teacher did a yoga style dance to his music. The background view couldn't have been more wonderful, those beautiful mountains and blue sky. It was great. Check out the link - he sang Hallelujah, and it was excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOBa2Iwcg0c&feature=related

Then a group of guy dancers came on dressed in pink and fuschia and bright blue and bright green with tons of rhinestones and to tell the truth I wouldn't care if I never saw them again, even though they were supposed to be really really good and came in second at some contest in Texas. Mmmm. I guess I'm used to manly men, and found it hard to picture my sons or husband dressed in bright pink or pale pink wriggling their hips and kicking their legs in unison. I figured maybe this style of dress/dance must have come about when the belly dancers went on strike. Just not sure about it.

We walked around the rest of the festival grounds and visited the market where people were selling their wares, beautiful skirts and caftans and jewelry, all Indian themed, and then we decided to call it a day. We must have walked probably about a hundred miles in all, and some of our joints were starting to ache.

Now for some reason, I feel really really tired and am ready to hit the sack. At least tomorrow I'll be back to work and will be able to rest up a bit.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Egg/Spinach/Tomato Deep Dish thingie - it was really really delicious
• Dinner - 1 piece of Church's Chicken and a few fries
• Snacks - Coffee, Diet Pepsi, Iced Mocha from Tim Horton's

..and that's all she wrote.

My Flog for August 12

I finally broke down and made a doctor's appointment again. Since finding my fingernails have wicked vertical stripes up and down them, like little mini washboards, I think I may be lacking something in my food intake. Hopefully it's chocolate. It may be why I have no energy or get-up-and-go, too. When I'm at home, I just can't get into a do-it state, but at least I can push myself when I'm at work. The only difference is when I'm at work, even though I'm getting paid to have so much fun (according to the owner), I am getting paid.

Tomorrow, my friend Ria and I are doing Vancouver. Maybe you'll see us on the evening news. We're going to walk around until we get lost, and hit as many street food vendors as our tummies can manage. I'm hoping to find Chinatown somewhere - the thing is, Howard isn't coming with us, so we have no navigator, but I'm sure we'll do fine. As long as I'm back by 10 Sunday morning because I have to go to work. 

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Heinz Maple Beans - they are so good - how can you just eat one-third of a can? Huh? I'm not saying exactly how much I ate - I lost count at 132...let's just say, I had enough. I may not be hungry for a while. 
• Dinner - Oven baked seasoned fries. Half a corn on the cob (I didn't eat the cob part, just the corn, where all the Becel and salt was.) I had all my protein at Lunch. Now it's time to hit the carbs. Life is good.
• Snacks - Apple, Diet Pepsi

Shannon said that an apple followed by beans was what probably gave me a bad tummy, so hopefully fries and corn will ease that a bit. I think I have to start eating more veggies though....maybe after tomorrow. Can't wait to hit these food trucks, and if there are any Chocolate Ones there they will definitely be on the list.

Now it's just to clean up a dinner service...and off to bed!

My Blog for August 11 + Thankyou to My Faithful Readers

Can you believe it? As of right now, this very minute, there have been 909 visits to Tamar Loses It. I think that's pretty amazing. Thankyou.

I had a pretty crappy day, feeling blue and on the verge of being sick and not knowing what's wrong. Spent most of the day lying down, now I have to make Howard's lunch and put coffee on for the morning fix, and I think I'll just crawl back in my big comfy queen again.

I did put on my cleanest dirty Tshirt and let my husband persuade me to walk to A & W, where I indulged in my favourite indulgence, no names mentioned right here. Now I feel like there's a rock in my tummy. You'd think I'd live and learn, wouldn't you?

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - 2 Pancakes - well actually, it was one big one, but would be the same as 2 small ones.
• Dinner - Mozza Burger Combo
• Snacks - No snacks. Just lots of naps and dozes.

My Flog for August 10 + A Delicious Corn Bread Recipe + A Raise Doesn't Look Promising.

Soooooo -The winner in the Can You Believe He Actually Said That category for the year is the owner of the store where I work, when my manager requested raises for the staff:

"I could have closed down the store several times over the past few years, but I know how much fun you guys have working there."

Threat? Now I can't actually say what I feel regarding this remark, as this blog has become so popular he may be eagerly awaiting tonight's post, but I imagine my close friends and relatives know the thoughts and words lingering between my two ears. On one hand, I guess it's nice of him to keep the store open solely for the fun-ness of the staff, so we can check in every now and then and just have the frigging times of our lives. On the other hand, it seems the store is doing really well and is probably padding his bank account slightly if not more - and a raise for us would probably lessen that pad. Sucks, doesn't it? I wonder how much fun I would have working somewhere else...or just retiring....oh my. All I know is, we work our butts off to make the store a great place to visit, and our customers would be very upset if he closed it down. I wouldn't put much past a bunch of little old ladies and their knitting needles. It could be a very prickly situation.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Subway Chicken Noodle Soup and Yogurt w/Fruit
• Dinner - Yummy. Chicken Breast, marinated in Chipotle Marinade and baked in the oven, teeny tiny new white and red potatoes boiled in salted water, and my first ever attempt at Corn Bread, which was a big hit and will definitely not be my one and only time making it. And I almost forgot - my first try at Roasted Beet. Now this might not sound all that good, but they are truly delicious, just chop 'em up, toss 'em in Olive Oil and sprinkle with Sea Salt, and roast in the oven until  they are tender. 
• Snacks - a few grapes, Iced Mocha 

If you'd like to try the Corn Bread, check out the link to the recipe - you won't be sorry!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homesteader-Cornbread/Detail.aspx

That"s it. Good food, now only two pots left to clean, and it's off to bed I go. Tomorrow is the first of three day offs, and I will do what I want to do, when I want to do it. Until Howard comes home, that is. I'm going to try and get a Chinese Takeout Dinner for tomorrow night - wish me luck!

My Flog for August 9 + TV Shows + Our Weekly Date

I was lucky this morning to get a ride to work in a great big tow truck - thanks, Neil, really appreciate it. Since I arrived an hour early, I put in a free hour of work - why not, I was there anyway. I'd rather hang up embroidery floss than sit or stand on a crowded bus.

• Breakfast - Toast w/Jam and Coffee
• Lunch - Veggie Sandwich from Steveston Coffee Co - lots of yummy veggies w/mayo and mustard on half a whole grain baguette, Iced Latte (I think. I thought I ordered an Iced Mocha but this was definitely not an Iced Mocha, so I probably ordered an Iced Latte instead. At least now I won't have to wonder what an Iced Latte tastes like - it's actually pretty crappy)
• Dinner - A 2-egg omelet and 2 slices of bread - aka an egg sandwich! ..and diet Pepsi
• Snacks - A slice of Iced Lemon Loaf - now that's a change from Yogurt and Fruit, although technically, lemons are fruit, 2 grapes

I sorta kinda would like something different to chow down on, but I think I'll be going to bed soon, so maybe I'll just dream about a chocolate buffet or something like that.S'mores would be good but I don't think there will be a fire tonight, and even if there was, I would probably be asleep anyway.

I have two favourite new shows - well, they are not really new, they are old, but new to me. One is The Big Bang Theory, and one is The Sopranos. I think I relate to Big Bang because it is about smrt people with no social skills (like Young Me when I'd be sober) and to The Sopranos because....well, I can't really think of a reason I would relate to a Mafia family. I just like the show. I'm beginning to realize that Americas Got Talent is crap, Cupcake Wars has to be fixed - come on now, who can bake 1000 cupcakes in 2 hours, get real, and who can build an elaborate fixture for displaying them in same amount of time. I guess I am just getting cynical in my old age.

However, since it is Tuesday night, my hubby and I have a standing date to carry out the garbage and recycling, so .....to all a goodnight!

My Flog for August 8 + Bus Manners (or Lack of Manners) + Cravings

Up and at 'em early this morning, one of those 'I'd better get up before Howard goes to work because if I don't get up I will probably sleep in and miss my bus and be late opening the store' mornings, which kinda sucks, really, especially when one has to get up before one is truly awake. I know he tries his best to wake me up, as he turns on his bedside lamp so it shines on my face. Personally, if it were me, I would just let me sleep, as I tend to get a bit touchy when the lamplight hits my eyelids.

Anyway, after wondering just how many bus riders went to Kindergarten, or should I say, passed Kindergarten - at least two this morning must have flunked as they had no idea the last to arrive shouldn't worm their way to the head of the line and be the first (or second) to slide onto the bus - I spent my bus ride imagining myself inserting a McDonald's Sausage and Egg McMuffin with Cheese into my salivating mouth, and it took all my will power to prevent my feet from carrying my mouth to the southeast corner of Moncton and No 1 Road. I went instead to Subway, and imagined myself eating one of their pathetically horrible breakfast sandwiches, and that helped a bit, so I bought a Yogurt and Fruit Parfait instead.

It was a really busy day at the store, too many things to do, and too many customers getting in the way. Now I'm home and feel real crappy - I think maybe an early night.

• Breakfast - Toast with Jam, and Coffee
• Lunch - Pea Soup and Veggie Sandwich  -  I don't mean a Pea Soup and Veggie Sandwich, but a bowl of Pea Soup plus a Veggie Sandwich on the side, just in case you're wondering who on earth would order a Pea Soup and Veggie Sandwich, and how one would keep it from getting really soggy befoe one ate it - from Steveston Bakery. Yum squared.
• Dinner - Roast Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Corn - thanks Shannon.
• Snacks - Yogurt w/Fruit, Cherries and Strawberries, Iced Mocha

My Flog for August 7 + A Weary Traveler + Sharon's Most Delicious Waikiki Meatball Recipe

I'm the weary traveler. Before I started work this morning, I made two trips out to Surrey, and one to Burnaby, driving through New Westminster of course. Then I went to Steveston an hour and a half before I had to open the store, and I walked around for a bit - checked out the Farmer's Market, got a yogurt from Subway, and an Iced Mocha from the best coffee shop in Steveston, aptly named Steveston Coffee Co.

Work was mad, so many people swarming all over the place, buying all sorts of stuff, wanting all sorts of demos. In between I spent time adding up never-ending inventory numbers, but I'm happy to say that piece of labour will soon be done. I hope I can find a number big enough to use for the amount of yarn in the store, though.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee - and a bit of Elizabeth's jam, thankya, it is really yummy, makes the seeds and grains and bits of chaff in the Whole Grain Bread slip down a bit easier - don't get me wrong, really love the stuff.
• Lunch - Veggie soup from Steveston Bakery, Yogurt w/ Fruit from Subway
• Dinner - Half a veggie sandwich from Steveston Bakery - I saved it from my lunch, and since Shannon was being quiet, I gave her the other half, one of Steve's meatballs - his Auntie Sharon's recipe, which has been very well received from Coast to Coast - just scroll down to find it!
• Snacks - Cherries - sweet Cherries from the Farmer's Market, a few Strawberries, also sweet, Iced Mocha, Diet Pepsi

You may be wondering by now why I went to Surrey twice this morning. Once was to keep Howard company when he went to pick up Steve, who had a landscaping job in Richmond, and once to go back to pick up my purse that I left there the first time. I accompanied Steve to the landscaping place to get half a pickup load of stones for his job, then to Home Depot to get the wire fencing  he needed.

These stores aren't nearly as much fun as the one where I work.

Aunt Sharon's Waikiki Meatballs

 

1 lb ground beef

1 cup cracker crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ginger

1 chopped onion

 

Mix above ingredients together and form into balls. Either cook in frying pan or in oven.

 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1 tsp soya sauce

Pineapple tidbits and juice

 

Mix cornstarch with brown sugar, add vinegar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Bring to a boil - it should thicken - and and add meatballs and pineapple. Serve hot with Fried Rice.

 

Aunt Sharon's Fried Rice

1 onion

1 green pepper

2 stalks celery

2 eggs

2 cups Minute Rice

Soya Sauce

 

Chop veggies and saute in oil. Add eggs to scramble. Meanwhile prepare rice as directed. Add to veggie/eggs with soya sauce to taste. (I stop cooking when I add the rice & soya sauce.)

My Flog for August 6

Had a strange day, no energy, not much life in me at all, lots of siesta time. Our staff from Crafts'n'More had a dinner meeting at the Keg - lucky us - forced myself to eat a delicious meal, and now I'm heading off to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day, as I have to work.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee and Pills
• Lunch - Whole Grain Bagel w/Peanut Butter
• Dinner -  Teriyaki Chicken Breast, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Pineapple Salsa and Coffee - AT THE KEG! Yummy Yummy Yummy
• Snacks - Diet Pepsi

My Flog for August 5

This day started off rottenly, as my back was so sore I found it hard to even roll out of bed. Don't know what I did with it, maybe I lifted a truck in my sleep. However, stumbling downstairs and downing my daily Aleve seems to have remedied that problem.

Walked to IGA strip mall and had my hair cut, thinking it might help lower the number on the scale. But it didn't. Checked my blood pressure at Shopper's Drug Mart and at least that's normal, even if the rest of me is off-kilter.

I had another cookie before I went to bed Thursday night and forgot to put in on the Flog. In punishment I went up 2 1/2 pounds from Thursday morning's incredibly nice number, but it is still less than August 1's number, so I think I'm finally over my massive plateau.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Beans
• Dinner - I think I went to bed early and forgot all about dinner - not feeling the greatest
• Snacks - Diet Pepsi, apple, apricot and orange

My Flog for August 4 + Internet Recipe Tryouts - Wish us Luck...

• Breakie - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Beans (love Heinz Beans, but I didn't eat the whole can - just less than half! Oops. Beans are the only food I would ever eat out of a can - not sayin' I did, just sayin'....
• Dinner - Sloppy Joe Pie w/Oven Baked Fries  - http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/9459/oven-baked-potato-chips.aspx and I'll post the link for the pie when I figure out how to do it right - or at least better. The bottom part was great, but the top - not so much. But Howard et al simply loved the Fries - guess there's a lot of chopping in my future
• Snacks - Grapes, Diet Pepsi, a big fat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookie, and wine gums....oh well, I walked about 2 1/2 miles today - that should even out the calories from the cookie.....maybe....

After eating Beans for lunch, I have such a full tummy, I don't even want to think about food. Sigh. I was going to buy ramen noodles for lunch, actually, since I haven't had them for ages, but after checking the nutrition label I changed my mind. The numbers were based on half a pack - I tell you, who only eats half a pack of these instant noodly things with little bits of cardboard veggies and bouillon package? Huh? - and I got as far as seeing 29 grams of fat..in half a pack. If I was going to eat that, I would rather just go for the Mozza Burger.

So I walked up to IGA to get stuff to make dinner, and am trying out 3 new recipes I found online. Not a lot of cooking/prep work for a hot day, but I'm going to make some Chocolate Chip Cookies now and see if I can hide them before Shannon gets home with the boys, so it will be a surprise dessert. Although if Neil drops in unexpectedly, the surprise may be on me when I look for them after he leaves. My problem will be doing a taste test and stopping at one - that's been my lifelong downfall, stopping at just one cookie.

Well, after another (unexpected) trip to IGA for butter, the cookies are now being baked - and the kids are home. Tanner was rather pleased when he saw the first batch cooling on the table, so I had to tell him they were broccoli-potato-scallop-onion pancakes. He seemed fine with the first three ingredients, but the onion part sent him off sadly.

`"Nanny, I thought they were cookies."

I`m such a bitch sometimes. It's a wonder anyone loves me at all.

Feeling so bad - I gave everyone a cookie, and everyone, including me, loved them, except Shannon. She said they were bland. Huh. I'll post a link to the recipe so you can try them yourself, and I will definitely make them again. I think they are really healthy too, as they don't have any white sugar in them (smile.)
http://www.eaglebrand.ca/recipes-details.aspx?rid=1858

So that's it for today. I will hopefully enjoy my dinner - it's bubbling away in the oven. To tell the truth, it looks like we may have to get something delivered, the pie looks a bit strange - but we will see. I'm going to assume it will turn out the way it's supposed to, and if I close the blog post now I won't eat anything else until breakie. I promise.

My Flog for August 3 + A Recipe for Potato Salad (A Yummy One)

Another day of adding up numbers for store inventory. I must say, some of our counters were very inventive in their interpretation of the inventory guidelines. Unfortunately, that meant I had to fix quite a few errors as I went along, making a long job even longer.

Three day offs! Yahoo!

• Breakie - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Split Pea Soup and a Veggie sandwich on Whole Grain bread - both from my favourite Steveston Bakery, and I'm proud to say I didn't buy a Swiss Apple Tart, or an Eccles Cake, or any other of the delectable treats on display. Shit, now I want one. Of each.
• Dinner - Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Salad - thankya Shannon. Now I'm stuffed to the gills.
• Snacks - Ice Mocha, Coke, Grapes

BEST EVER POTATO SALAD

(from the Cream of the West Cookbook with my Little Tweaks)

(don't worry, you don't have to put any tweaks in it)

(my Tweaks are in RED)

In a small bowl, combine:                                                   

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise      (a big glob of Miracle Whip)                      

3 tbsp sweet pickle juice             

1 tbsp mustard

2 tsp salt

pinch of pepper

In a large bowl, combine:

8 cups cubed cooked potatoes  (just chop up enough spuds for your dinner)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery  (I don't usually use celery)

1/2 cup chopped green onion  (I use plain yellow onion)

1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes  (nope - but I do add cubes of medium cheddar cheese instead)

1/2 cup chopped gherkins  (or a big spoon of sweet relish if you don't have or want to chop gherkins - or you can use sweet pickles, even better)

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped (put them in the cold water with the potatoes -when the potatoes are cooked, so will the eggs - be cooked, that is)

Pour dressing over veggies & eggs, and toss gently. Chill at least 3 hours. (Or eat warm - why not? It's delicious. Don't forget to lick the spoon.)

My Flog for August 2

To amend yesterday's blog, think of me as Bob Cratchit in a skirt, and not in shorts. May make a prettier picture.

Today was adding numbers before lunch, then adding numbers after lunch. In fact the only time I wasn't adding numbers was while I was eating lunch. Meanwhile, Pauline was kept hopping at cash, which meant we had another good day at work. I'm definitely asking for a raise next week, when I work with the manager again. Wish me luck. Wish for a miracle. I'll probably need a miracle more than luck.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Beef and Barley Soup and half a Veggie Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread
• Dinner - The other half of the sarnie, Yogurt w/Fruit
• Snacks - Ice Mocha, Orange Pop

My knee was a bit of a torture chamber today as I forgot to take an Aleve this morning, but I took one as soon as I came home, plus used an ice bag that Shannon stuck in the freezer for me, so now the pain is very manageable. Thanks, Shannon. I'm going to have an early night though, as last night was Sleepless in Richmond, due partly to my knee, and partly to my silly cat.

My Flog for August 1 + Not Much

A day off, back to work tomorrow and Wednesday, full-time days when most of the minutes will be spent adding inventory numbers. Hopefully it won't be too hot in the back room, where I will be stuck, just imagine Bob Cratchit in a pair of shorts.

• Breakfast - Tim Horton's coffee on the way home, Toast when I got home. Notice: No Timbits, Donuts, or Muffins for me - yet - although we brought home a 40 pack for Clayton and Tanner and their mom and dad, so who knows what may happen before bedtime comes
• Lunch - Diet Pepsi, Whole Grain Bagel w/Becel & Peanut Butter
• Dinner - Teriyaki Chicken Breast, Teriyaki Noodles (it comes in a dry pack, figured we'd give it a shot, but actually it was pretty bad), new little boiled potatoes, and peas and a strip of red pepper
• Snacks - Banana, Orange, Apricot, A&W Coffee - now, one may wonder why one has a hot coffee at 3 o'clock in the afternoon when the temps are over 22 degrees and the sweat is virtually pouring off my brow - it's because we walked to IGA and Howard had to go pee so bad he had to stop at A&W and I felt bad going in there without buying anything, and their fountain pop is crap and as far as the Mozza Burger goes..well, we won't go there, lthough that's probably why my number this morning was such a used number -and that's why I had coffee.

Just finished dinner, I'm sitting here with a lump in my tummy. I was so hungry I sorta kinda wolfed my meal, and my brain hasn't had time yet to tell me I'm not hungry any more. I got ice-cream for my two big grandsons, and now I'm hankering some, I may lick out their bowls when they are done. Danger Zone. (I'm only kidding, if I really wanted some, I would get some of my own.)

When the parental units come back, I'm going to go to bed, even though it's gonna still be early, I think...I hope. Up early in the morning because I have to open the store...oh crap, I guess I'm back to the prepare the coffee and the hubby's sandwich before I get to hit the sack...

Man may surely work from sun to sun, but whoever said a woman's work is never done said the truest words of all times.

AUGUST 1 - A Used Number

169

Now, we can come with many reasons why this number isn't the best number in the world, but the main reason would be that it is exactly the same number I used on July 1. I think the main reason for this is the fact I woke up in Surrey, which is really no surprise since I slept over there last night, and had toast and coffee and was up almost 4 hours before I slithered onto the scales in my bathroom. Of course, another main reason may have been the Timbits and Donuts and Fish'n'Chips..etc etc etc.

However - the bright side? I went a whole month without adding any weight. Other diets I've been on have usually ended up with me zipping quite rapidly up to and above my original weight. So I think this is a good sign. (I'm trying to put a positive spin on this...)

Anyway, August has rolled out  a carpet of 31 days at my feet - I would almost bet you all that I'll have a new number at the end of it, and I won't have to bow my head in shame when I tap it out on September 1.

My Flog for July 31

Well. I thought I had started this yesterday morning - July 31 -and was just going to update it after dinner last night - but my brain stopped functioning after Inventory, so now I will try and remember everything. No promises on the accuracy, but I'll do my best.

• Breakfast - Coffee in Surrey, Toast in Richmond
• Lunch - Inventory Dinner - One piece Fish 'n' Chips, Cranberry Juice - mmmmm - Can't turn down a fish 'n' chip dinner from one of the best Fish 'n' Chipperies in Steveston, especially when work is paying for it.
• Dinner - BBQ chicken, Potato Salad - (thanks, Shannon, it was good, wasn't it? Now you know one more of my culinary secrets), and Pineapple Salsa (gotta find a better recipe before I post it here though. Gotta find one closer to the Keg's version, which was so utterly yummy.)
• Snacks - Diet Pepsi

After a morning counting and guesstimating and recording numbers, and a nice lunch with a few stressful moments, we finished at the store about 3 o'clock, then headed back to Surrey for the night. A trip with Steve to the grocery store, then after eating our purchases, I guess the previous 30 days finally caught up with me, and I just lost every bit of energy and brainpower I had remaining. I had no choice but to have An Early Night, and I was asleep a few minutes after my head hit the pillow, and didn't wake up until about 7 this morning, which was really nice. Now I'm back in Richmond, and have tons of stuff to do before I head off to work tomorrow morning.