My Flog for March 31

This is a close-up of my poor poor little pinkie, the one I need for typing and knitting - it used to be my only tension finger, now I have to rely on my ring finger to do that job, and it's just not the same. Not only is my pinkie knuckle all swollen due to early-onset arthritis (believe that if you will,) yesterday I jammed it between the bathroom sink and the mop. I did learn my lesson, though, I'll stay away from mops in the future. It was a mop I was using when I tripped over my kitchen stool a couple of years ago and broke my poor little toe.

This is a truly weird picture, if I hadn't told you up front what it was, you probably would be thinking all sorts of strange things by now.In fact, I shouldn't even leave it here, as I know how some of you think. But I will, because I am innocent in my flogging.

• Breakfast - Toasted Raisin Bread and Coffee
• Lunch - downtown Vancouver, at Ricky's Diner - 2 Egg Cheese Omelet and 2 Pancakes. Definitely not worth the money, but at least I didn't have to clean up after. Howard had Fish 'n' Chips, and was so disappointed they used Fish Plant fish - he would never buy it from a store. Nothing like Dave's Fish and Chips or Pajo's in Steveston, where they get 'real' unprocessed fish
• Dinner- leftovers, of course. Chicken Pie and veggies for me. The Steak and Kidney Pie is free on request, just come and get it. Please. 
• Snacks - Reese's Peanut Butter Crispy bar, diet Coke, a Lemon Tart

My Flog for March 30

What is the stinkiest thing in the world?

• a litter box that's gone uncleaned for a year
• a jug of milk left out in the sun for a month
• 100 farts in a closet
• beef kidneys

If you chose the last, then you are definitely correct. I did everything I was supposed to, I think - soaked 'em in salted water for a few hours, rinsed, rinsed and rinsed some more, and still they stank.

I mean - how disgusting is that?

Even fried up with steak, mushrooms, and tons of onions, they still reeked - although I'm sure the mushrooms didn't help. Oh my. I didn't even know if there was enough seasoning in it, as I couldn't bring myself to test taste it, and certainly asking Nikkie to was just a waste of breath. She won't test taste anything unless it's Brownies, Kraft Dinner, or French Fries. 

The last time I saw my big brother, which was a few years ago, he mentioned how much he'd like to sink his teeth into a Steak and Kidney Pie, and I made sure this visit he would have one. Well, he got one, but I couldn't imagine him eating it. Blech. 

I did make a Chicken Pot Pie, and that was one delicious pie, even though I was worried about my attempt at pastry. I just hoped it would stretch to feed everyone once the Steak and Kidney Pie went down the toilet.

Yummy chicken - it looks yummy and it smells yummy and it tastes yummy.

Also on the menu: Mashed Potatoes, Turnip, Broccoli, Coleslaw, and Corn Bread. I had to have lots of sides in case we somehow lost a Pie down the toilet. Then for dessert, Cherry Tarts, Lemon Meringue Tarts (frozen tart shells, what a cheater) and Strawberry No-Bake Cheese Cake, which was delicious. Too bad it didn't set well. Oh well. I'm not a chef.

It's been a long and busy day, and of course not much turned out the way it was supposed to (according to the recipes.) The pies bubbled over and drowned half the pastry. The Cheese Cake didn't set, thanks a lot, Rachel Ray. I overcooked the carrots. As I said, I'm not a chef - I guess I'm just a Tryer.

• Breakfast - Raisin Bread, toasted on the ring. Now that was good, in fact that was just plain delicious, and of course, Coffee
• Lunch - Raisin Bread of course, and a Yogurt
• Dinner - Some of the above, but no Steak and Kidney Pie. I don't even like to think about it.
• Snacks - No time for snacks today, busy busy busy

Now the evening is over. David almost swooned (do people still swoon? Did men ever swoon?) when he realized there was a Steak and Kidney pie on the table with all the other food. I still couldn't bring myself to eat it, but everyone else had some - well, everyone had some on their plate, but Steve wasn't a big fan of it. If everyone else was being honest, it was a fine pie. I'll never know for sure. Everything else was fine - I just waited until everyone had lots of wine before I brought out the runny cheesecake, and then that went over great, too - it was truly a really delicious dessert, just a tad runny. As in, "Would you like a glass of Cheesecake?" 

However, it was a great night of reminiscing and story-telling. I so wish my family lived closer together, but we are separated over the width of this big country, and we rarely see each other. I guess that makes the rare times we do get together even more special.

Howard and David

Syl, Nikkie and Steve

David and Darleen

Howard, Steve, Syl, Darleen, David, and Tamar

Steve, Nikkie, Syl, Darleen, David, and Tamar

My Flog for March 29

Yawn, yawn, double yawn. Just waiting for the Raisin Bread I baked to cool down so I can bag it and freeze most of it, then it's Sack Time for me. I've been on the go all day, it seems.

I decided to get my Stereo Cassette Player out of mothballs, and take it to Walmart with me this afternoon. I stuck in a Willie Nelson tape, but it sounded as if I were playing a 45 rpm at an LP speed. Wasn't sure if it was poor old Willie, or the pre-MP3 artifact. So I popped in Paul Simon's The Rhythm of the Saints tape, and lo and behold, the beat was right on. And the first song was very suitable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMtWc_zulQ&feature=fvst
as Paul sang "I can't run but I can walk much faster than this" into my ears. I thought to myself, 'Well, that's too bad, Paul, because I can't walk any faster than I'm going, sorry buddy.'

We did finally make it to Walmart though, and on the way home, pushing $100 worth of groceries in my buggy, as it was too heavy to haul it behind me, I had the answer to this one down pat -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS9_ipu9GKw
and the answer was 'YES, damn it, I have, in fact I am seeing it RIGHT NOW, bloody big drops of it, and my feet are getting wet.'

However, I did get home eventually, after saving two worms from drowning. Have you ever tried to pick up wet worms from rain-covered pavement? It's extremely difficult. I had passed so many bloated drowned wormy carcasses on the path, when I came across some wriggly ones that looked like they may not make it across the watery way, I thought I would rescue them by tossing them back on the grass, where they may have a chance to eat and poop some more wonderful soil. After realizing how hard it was to pick them up, I quit after two. (Hmm...I hope I remembered to wash my hands before I started to make the bread .... )

So home it was then, to start a stew for dinner, and knead up some Raisin Bread for a Real Treat, then some Beer Bread for a side dish, as I was too tired to do veggies. And then, a bus trip to The Great Canadian Super Store for some Beef Kidneys. Yech. Steve came to my rescue and brought me home, as by the time I found everything I needed and stood in line behind a lady buying over $400 of groceries, it was dark.

And that is why my blog is late tonight.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Pea Soup
• Dinner - Beef Stew and Beer Bread
• Snacks - Pudding, 2 cookies, Diet Pepsi

And last, but not least - A huge THANK YOU to Barb for sending me a copy of the March Downhome. 

It was so cool to see this in print!

My Flog for March 28

What an extraordinary busy day I had! I got up around 5:30 and made toast and drank coffee. Then I watched the last episode of Coronation Street, so now I'm all caught up until next Sunday. Then, wondering what was going to happen with Carla and  Frank, I went on an English site, and spent the rest of the day reading daily updates - as we in Canada are lagging behind by about 3 months, now I know a heck of a lot more than the average Canadian viewer. If you'd like to join me in my vast knowledge of things to come, just click this - Coronation Street Updates

I did make a pot of really good Split Pea Soup, even though I didn't have all the stuff I needed. I had purchased a Pork H.... a Pig Leg yesterday, so I threw that in the pot with about three cups of yellow split peas, three chopped-up onions, salt and pepper, and let it boil, then simmer, until it thickened up nicely and started to stick to the bottom of the pot - about three hours. Then I transferred it to another pot, and added a whack of my frozen Veggies - corn, peas, carrots, and green beans. I usually put carrots and turnip in - the real ones you grow in the garden (or buy at the produce department), and wash and chop, but the frozen variety did well, and the soup is really good. Even Steve, who doesn't really like Pea Soup, ate some of this and didn't complain (much.) Howard didn't have any soup - unlike me, he's not a Soup Lover - but he did eat all the meat off the Pork Ho .... Pig Leg.

I don't think I did anything else, besides making the Salmon Cakes and cleaning up after dinner. What a wonderful day! However, tomorrow I will have to make up for it, as I have very special people coming to visit on Friday! So excited!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Sausage Roll, and Pea Soup
• Dinner - 2 Salmon Cakes
• Snacks - 2 cookies, vanilla pudding and an orange ... and yes, a few candy.

Reading comments on the Richmond Tourism facebook page regarding the bog position for 365 days of eating in Richmond restaurants is a bit depressing, as there are so many established food bloggers vying for this super job, so I have decided not to go there any more, reading their wonderful recipes, drooling over their wonderful pictures of mouth-watering food, and seeing all their fans insist their food heroes get the job. Makes me feel a tad under qualified, to say the least. Thank goodness I have my own little fan club to read my nightly ramblings!

My Flog for March 27

Glad the day is over, glad the work week is over, and now my extended weekend begins. Nice

The ride home was horrid. We had an overflowing bus, tip to toe full of people, when a huge scooter came on. The gal had no idea how to steer it, and came on front-wise, and tried to turn it around on board. It would have been comparable to turning a transport trailer in your kitchen. (I assume none of you have huge kitchens.) Anyway, after several tries, which included bumping into people's knees and causing feet to seek refuge under our benches, she backed off, whacking everything in sight, got on the sidewalk, turned around and backed on the bus, again bumping into each side of the bus as she zigzagged her way toward the handicap area. Bus driver was saying, "Straighten up your wheels," and "Just back up straight," and she would turn her wheels until she ran into the side, then turn her wheels the other way, and so on and so on. Finally, she got strapped in and we were on our way, about twenty minutes later.

Then as we neared the skytrain station, she kept telling the people who were standing in front of the bus to back up, back up - she wanted the front section all clear before the bus stopped so she could be first one off. I don't know where she expected the people to go - some were standing for almost an hour on the bus, and it wasn't because they wanted to, but she was there with her hands in the air trying to herd people back, and pouting because they wouldn't try to squeeze into the other standees behind them. 

Sometimes, grown ups just need to act grown up.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Soup, a slice of Lemon Loaf
• Dinner - Ham, Cheese and Lettuce Sandwich on a Portuguese Bun
• Snacks - Hot Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookies, Iced Mocha, Orange

My Flog for March 26

Got off work and headed for the bus stop, where one 410 was a'waiting and another one pulling in behind. First driver said, "The other one's going first." Second driver said, "I didn't think so, but I guess I am." So we all got on the second driver's bus. And that's when the next (and third) 410 came zooming along, slowing down enough to let us know he was actually the 'going first' bus ... there he was, going going gone, and there we were, waiting ten more minutes to start our long commute. Kinda sucks, don't it, now?

However - not a bad day at work. At least I only had one ruffle yarn demo, unfortunately it was for a customer who had just ingested a meal of garlic, so it was done very quickly and with the least amount of oxygen necessary to stay standing. I hope so much to get this Richmond Tourism Blogger gig, so the garlicky person could be me. However, since they are trolling the whole word wide web, my chances are very slim. Even if I'm not (thanks partially to my strict QC testing.)

A lot of applicants for this job have great blogs, but they are only about food - restaurant dishes and recipes. I, however, can write about absolutely anything, and as this flog proves, I can also write about absolutely nothing. Which should count for something.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Soup and Sandwich share-time
• Dinner - Cheerios w/Milk, and a Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Snacks - Orange, and Day Three of Quality Control testing - still delicious - this QC stuff is really fine, I must say- just a wee bit of Brownie and a skinny slice of Lemon Loaf

My Flog for March 25

Work. Enough said about that. One thing I do love about Sunday mornings is the view from the Alex Fraser Bridge as the big blue truck takes me to Steveston. This morning the sun was shining on the snow covered mountains, and my phone-camera really really tried to captivate the image for you all. The colours aren't as brilliant, and the city viewscape is lost altogether, but at least you can see the mountains. Just colour the sky a deeper blue, and draw in hundreds of city stuffs, like houses, and you'll have it. 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee - but not just any toast, Barely Molasses and Raisin Toast, toasted on the ring, and I'm glad to say, it was DELICIOUS!
• Lunch - Soup (still working my way through my frozen supply - I'm sure a new one pops up when I take one out of the freezer), 3 Cookies
• Dinner - Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Veggie mix - another deja vu moment from last week, but still really yummy. I'm not cooking after work, so sorry - it was still after 8 o'clock by the time I heated that stuff up, and ate it, and cleaned up after everyone - and I mean everyone. Steve helped, so thanks Steve!
• Snacks - Jello, and part 2 of Quality Control Operations: Is everything just as good on the second day as the first? Yes, it is, and some of it is even better. QCO will probably remain in place until the platters, cookie jars, and Saran Wraps are wiped clean.

My Flog for March 24

Breakfast seems so long ago, but I finally get to sit down and relax. I spent the day baking, mostly disasters, but at least they look good. Especially with frosting on top. And the burned stuff in the garbage. I HATE this new stove, I'll never get used to the stupid oven. I took the bread out, and wondered if the first loaf was cooked - then tipped out the second one, and it was burned. Miserable miserly landlord getting a stove at the Dollar Store.

However, first things I baked were the Lemon Loaves, as I had promised Son #2 one, and he never lets me forget promises.

You may notice one has been cut, just so you could see the beautiful texture and colour. Also so Steve and I could do some Quality Control testing. Neil's remains intact, and will be in no danger until the first one is all gone. Burp.

Next was a walk to Walmart, as I had run out of eggs, butter, vanilla, raisins, yeast and milk. Hard to bake without these. I was pretty tired even before I got there, but the day was so beautiful and sunny - a gift.

... a hydro lady reaching into the blue sky - the kids call them Power Towers ...

I was so tired, whenever I stopped walking, my shadow lay down for a while. Lucky shadow.

Back home to some soup and Diet Pepsi - I put a Toonie in the slot at the $2 Pepsi machine at Walmart and got a Diet Pepsi and 4 quarters back. Another gift. Or, knowing I got the pop for only a dollar, was it stealing? Nah. It was another gift.

Next came cookies. Bloody oven. Same cookie dough, same batch on same cookie tray (of course) and some of them were burnt on the bottom, others were just about perfect. What the heck? Filled my cookie jars with the best of the good, and partially filled my garbage can with the worst of the bad.

Chocolate Chip Cookie, anyone?

Or would you prefer a Peanut Butter Cookie?

A wee break for dinner, and here come the Brownies - again, oven troubles. The edges cooked first, the middle took forever to cook. So to even things out and at least get them to look good, I covered them with Chocolate Frosting. They are still warm, so there has been no test tasting yet ...

 Guess I spoke too soon - I knew Howard had a bit of a bedtime lunch, but thought he had got into the cookies ...

No complaints, no choking, and no clutching mid-section and flailing on the floor. So I guess they passed the taste test.

Last but not least, the bread got a chance to go in the oven. Now this is made from scratch, my mom's recipe, for Molasses Raisin Bread. I call mine Barely Molasses Raisin Bread, as Molasses was the one thing I forgot to check before I went to the store, and when the yeast was rising and everything else was waiting, I realized I only had half enough molasses. I certainly couldn't take the time then to walk back to the store, so  I just made do with what I had. It didn't rise very much, but I was so tired by the time I put it in the oven, I didn't really care. Not sure what the test taste for this will discover, but I'm not too enthusiastic or optimistic about it. But it does look good - if you don't look at the burned side.

And that's about it, folks. Tomorrow is back to work, and once again, I'll be glad for the rest. However, I am still looking forward to my next 4-day weekend!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Soup, some canned Oranges
• Dinner - Chicken Breast, Fries
• Snacks - Quality Control testing, Orange, Diet Pepsi

My Flog for March 23

- thinking of our mom on her birthday -

Even though it was one of the nicest days of the year so far, I still didn`t go out anywhere, just stayed in and this`n`thatted, which included, but was not limited to, knitting, watching downloaded Doc Martin, and cooking a nice fattening dinner.

One more day off - this 3-day work week is starting to wear me out. Especially since this past week I only worked 2 days, due to this wicked spell of something I picked up. Seems the virus comes quickly and leaves slowly - now I have a horrid cough that makes me feel I`m going to expel part of my lungs. My asthma inhaler is back by my side, after a really long hiatus. However, other than that - I`m fine!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Spaghetti (left overs from a couple of nights ago, just call me the human recycling bin)
• Dinner - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies, and Raisin Pudding with Dream Whip - pure comfort foods all the way. 
• Snacks - a slice of Nikkie`s yummy Banana Bread

If you`d like to know what was happening to us on this day last year, check this link - http://tamarsdayoff.blogspot.ca/2011/03/xrays-sperm-and-granny-pantiesgotta.html - needless to say, lots of things are better than then. My knee ended up self-healing, and my cane has been on vacation since last October.  Howard`s wrist was fixed with a magic injection from the specialist he was seeing, although he has to be careful about how he moves it sometimes. For example, he can`t put weight on it when he`s crawling. Thank heavens he learned to walk at a really young age.

So even though you may hear us complain from time to time, don`t pay any heed. We`re both in pretty good shape - for the shape that we`re in!

My flog for March 22

In some people's minds, I would have had a very boring day - knitted dolls' clothes, helped put together 24 and 48 piece puzzles (I'm getting better at them), watched downloaded Monarch of the Glen, swept (we were missing a puzzle piece, so I moved all the living room furniture and swept the whole damn floor looking for it - found it at the foot of the stairs, guess it fell out of the box when I brought it upstairs for the kids), and made dinner. I wasn't bored at all.

I did want to walk to the store in the morning, but just didn't feel up to it. How I wish I could wake up one morning and be full of zip - I really want a Skip-a-Dee-Do-Da Day. Oh well, maybe that will happen soon. Til then I'll absolutely bore everyone with my little mundane life.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Beans and Bread
• Dinner - Pepper Steak w/Rice and Potato Salad (can't throw out these mashed potatoes from two nights ago, now, can we?, and Fruit Crisp (found some strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and rhubarb lying in the bottom of the freezer - got to make room for the new crops, eh?)
• Snacks - a bit of this, a bit of that - nothing big and nothing plentiful

My Flog for March 21

I thought maybe today I would be back to my so-called normal, but no luck there. About the most strenuous thing I did all day was laundry, and I feel like I've climbed a mountain. Oh well. I found some energy at the end of the evening to mix up and pop a Cherry Cake mix into the oven, rig up the coffee pot for the morning brew, and make a sandwich for Howard's lunch tomorrow. Now to bed.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee ...... and scrambled eggs and bacon!
• Lunch - guess I missed the boat on that one
• Dinner - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce - thanks to Nikkie for cooking tonight
• Snacks - a little bag of chips, and a couple of wafer bars

I'll bid you goodnight and leave you with this little pic I took over the winter - a poor little tree who just couldn't let go of her fruit, even though the leaves have all gone.

So, how do you like them apples? 

My Flog for March 20

It was so very cold this morning, even though today is the first day of Spring. However, I did remove my thick,warm, wooly gloves after I got off the bus, so I could share this pretty sight with you all.

It was Show Down at OK Corral later in the morning, when an Asian couple, who had spent about an hour walking around the store, brought up a basket of discounted yarns. I was only too happy to ring up the sale - just over $100 - but Wifey questioned the total.

"A dollar each?"

"No, $5.47 each." I showed her the red sale sticker on each label.

"No, a dollar each." She insisted. "Sign on bin. Everything in bin dollar."

"No, some yarns may be a dollar, but not all. These are not."

"But sign on bin."

So I stalked around the counter, and went to the bin. She followed, and pretended to look all over for a sign that had obviously evaporated within the previous five minutes. No sign. Not even the slightest sign of a sign.

Ha. Can't pull the wool over my eyes! (Get it? Wool? Huh?) Back to the cash register, a finger poke on the subtotal void button, and a "Bye bye" to the yarnless couple.

I love my job, I love my job, I love my job ......

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Soup, Orange
• Dinner - Left over Pork, and hallelujah, I finally got my Mashed Potatoes. I had to mash them myself, of course, but at least they were cooked. Almost. 
• Snacks - Hot Chocolate, 3 cookies, a couple of candy, Sparkling Water, and a Diet Pepsi

The day ended on a good note - I got a ride home from work with Neil and his family, so I didn't have to subject my tired and achy body to a bumpy, noisy, smelly, crowded bus and train ride. And there was heat in the van, which was a really nice change from drafty buses and chilly trains.

After we got home, Clayton treated my eardrums to a few beats of the not-distant-enough-drums

And then his Uncle Steve showed off for a few minutes, while I went inside to stuff my ears with cotton.

... he was a very quiet child ....

My Flog for March 19

I honestly don't know what planet our customers came from today, but I was sure glad when 5:30 rolled around. Poor Marina, always so patient, came and begged me to switch jobs with her for a while - she was being "drove nuts" at cash. I was pricing and putting away, and unbeknownst to her, being "drove nuts" on the floor.

For example:

He: Do you have any double-sided tape?

Me: Yeah. Do you want like Scotch tape, or mounting tape, or carpet tape?

He: Scotch tape, I guess.

So we go and I get him the double-sided Scotch tape.

He: Maybe I'll look at the mounting tape.

Me: Sure, down here...

He: Mmmm. Do you have sticky back Velcro?

Me: Yeah .. that's over here ...

He: How much is it?

Me: $6 per metre.

He: I'll have 3 metres of that instead.

So I measure out 3 metres of Sticky Back Velcro, and he asks:

How much will that be?

Me: Well, it's 3 metres, so it'll be $18.

He: $18? That's way too much. I'll just take the tape instead.

Me: The Scotch tape or the mounting tape?

He: Nah, I'll just go to the hardware store.

And he left. 

Before I left for work this morning, I thought I'd be really smrt and stick a Pork Roast in the slow cooker - meat, lots of onions, a pack of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, a cup of water, salt and pepper. I thought for sure someone would peel a few potatoes and pop a few frozen mixed veggies in a pot of boiling water to finish off the meal.

Howard feigned ignorance. He said he didn't know there was meat cooking, even though I could smell it as soon as I hit Surrey Central station. Steve said he didn't have time, because he had to pick me up. And Nikkie was asleep.

Now I'm just waiting for a Chocolate Cake to cool off enough so I can slap some frosting on it before I hit the sack, and my hubby will have a treat for his lunchbox in the morning.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Soup (home-made), Muffin (cafe-made)
• Dinner - Pork, Macaroni Salad
• Snacks - Orange, Hot Chocolate, Baileys w/Milk

My Flog for March 18

Well, I've gone from two days horizontal to one day partially vertical, feeling a lot better and, sadly to say, ready and able to go back to work tomorrow. I even did a bit of housework today - I cleaned our room, which basically means picking up and organizing my stuff, did a load of laundry, and made a dessert for supper. I feel like I'm totally neglecting my family in the baking department.

Because I haven't been out since our trip to Richmond on Thursday, I have nothing exciting to write about. I could tell you about cleaning Kitty's litter box, or listening to Steve practice his new Drum Set (where's the Tylenol, by the way?), or once again looking for a map of Surrey for Howard. But I'm sure nobody's interested in that.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - passed on that
• Dinner - Chicken, Pasta Salad and Dressing - not a lot, but some of each - and Apple Crisp w/ Ice Cream - not a lot, but some of each
• Snacks - Sparkling Water Beverage (words directly from the label), 3 Graham Wafer biscuits, and an Orange 

Since the days are still cold, and spring seems to be lagging, I'm sharing a pic from last March 30 - just a reminder that warmer weather is on the way.

My Flog for March 17

Breakfast - Toast and Coffee

A few sips of Diet Pepsi, and a couple of Graham Crackers and a Yogurt

My Flog for March 16

Things I planned to do today:

1. Laundry
2. Baking - Lemon Loaves, Brownies
3. Not much else

Things I actually did today:

1. See Number 3 above

It's not actually my fault. I have been sick before, and now I am sick again. My left knee and four of my ten fingers seem to be unaffected by the horrid virus, or whatever it is, but as we all know, we writers must write, come hell or high water. Or fever or nausea.

I imagine I will be ill for one more day, as the following day is Back To Work for another 3 days. Woe is me. You don't have to feel sorry for me, or wish me better, or anything like that, because I feel so crappy I won't appreciate your kind thoughts. I will just be envious that none of you are feeling as miserable as I do right now, sitting here on the edge of my bed with a standing-by bucket.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Soup, a slice of bread - no miraculous cure there
• Dinner - 2 Gravol
• Snacks - Orange, Apple

My Flog for March 15

It was a busy day, even though I didn't get a whole lot accomplished. Woke up real early (before daylight) with chills and sweats, then couldn't get back to sleep. I hate being sick. It's not like being sick when I was a little girl, and I could just lie in bed all day and my mom would bring me medicine and a hot water bottle. Or being sick when I was a teacher, because at least I'd know I'd still be on the payroll, so it was sort of like getting paid to suffer - unless of course I had just called in sick and tired for the day.  Now it's just carry my aches around with me, make my own chicken soup, and go to the drugstore and buy my own drugs. Mmm. Drugs.

However, enough tender memories. I had made a doctor's appointment for this morning, not knowing I was going to be sick, and since I was feeling so rotten last night, and it was another Pouring Buckets kind of day, Howard agreed to stay home from work and drive me to Richmond so I wouldn't have to go by transit. I don't think I could have done the transit thing this morning anyway. So we both went to Richmond, and he drove me around to wherever I wanted to go - clinic, the craft store to get my check, Richmond Centre to get my knitting magazine, grocery store to get tons of groceries - then he drove around to where he wanted to go - the liquor store for beer,  his workplace for his check - then home again. I put a pot of dead chicken bones and veggies on the stove top for a soup stock, then I crashed for a few hours. 

Then it was dinner'n'dishes, and now I'm soon going to crash again. 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Left-over Cheese/burger Pasta (I think I'm becoming a human garbage bin. Seems I eat a lot of things that otherwise would get thrown out.)
• Dinner - Chicken Soup and Bread, Cake
• Snacks - Diet Pepsi, Banana

My Flog for March 14

Woke up at five with a throat that must have spent all night swallowing broken light bulbs. No matter how much I wanted to bitch and complain, I couldn't, so we all had to suffer in my silence. Actually, I think I was the only one suffering.

As the day progressed, my throat began to feel a bit better, but the rest of me soon caught up. I slithered through some housework, not much, a load of laundry, a sweep of floor, a wash of dishes - just the general stuff. And after lunch, I walked to Walmart, as my choices were either to go get onions, or listen to Howard complain that were no onions in the Mysterious Chicken. It was drizzling when I left, so I just wore my nice warm red Hoodie, plugged in my ear buds, and off I went.

Didn't need a lot of stuff, in fact, I only brought 9 things through the 12 item only lane. However, the greeter decided I looked guilty, so she checked everything in my buggy against my receipt. I was so pissed off. I just emptied my cart on the floor, shook my empty bags upside down in the air, and then when she went to pick up my stuff to put it back in my cart, I just "gently" pushed her arm away and told her not to touch it, I would do it myself. Then I couldn't get it to fit right. I had to make sure the flour wouldn't get wet if I got caught in rain (ha ha ,that's a good one ... just keep reading,) or the eggs didn't get slapped under the onions, or the dishwashing detergent wasn't near the bananas. Didn't matter about the tin of milk. 

I guess she didn't know that a couple of days ago, a customer left a wallet full of money on the counter - I was helping someone else, and when I went back to cash her out, there it was, sitting wide open in front of me. Even though there was no phone number in it, I tracked her down and called her, and she was glad to get it - and all her money. I'm just too honest. I could have been rich.  And that Walmart person thought I stole a bag of candy or something. 

Anyway, to put the icing on the cake (which I did after I got home and baked a cake), when I left the store the rain was pissing down in buckets. I waited for a few minutes but it didn't seem to be letting up, so I just bowed my head and jumped it, arriving home half an hour later with jeans soaked to the thighs, sneakers squeaky, and Hoodie no longer warm and snuggly. 

Oh well. Now I'm all set for an early night - tomorrow must be better. Maybe I'll have a Baileys in a minute.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Cheese Sandwich
• Dinner - Surprise Chicken and Rice -  I didn't tell Steve what the surprise was, but he still really liked it, so he said. You all know what the Surprise is.
• Snacks - little piece of Cake (taste test), Big Turk candy, Diet Pepsi

My Flog for March 13

This Columbia Sky Train Station is really bugging me, but I think I have it figured out. In the mornings, I try to get a seat near the front of the train, because when the train stops at 22nd Street, the front of the train is very near the stairs leading down to the bus exchange. However, in the evenings, I ride at the back of the train, because when the train stops at King George, the back of the train is very near the stairs leading down to where Steve awaits in the Big Blue Truck - unless of course the train changes tracks just before King George, and then the front of the train would be nearer the stairs, but I have no way of knowing that ... however. I do believe when the front of the train stops at Columbia in the evening, that end is beneath the sky, but the tail end remains under concrete and vice versa in the morning.  Maybe I'm making too much of this.

However, I did see something pretty amazing on the way to Steveston this morning, and my trusty camera-phone helped me share it with you.

Snow Geese at Thompson Community Centre - I guess they are on Spring Break too!

I made it big so you could see it better - my trusty camera-phone doesn't have a zoom, and the bus driver wouldn't stop so I could get out and take a better shot. She wouldn't even slow down - if she never had a red light for a few seconds, I wouldn't have been able to get this pic. Not bad though, through a dirty bus window. Or a bus's dirty window. Whatever. The snow geese reminded me of a moan'n'groan I wrote a few years ago - if you're interested, click here to read it. http://smrtgals.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-would-choose-snow-geese-tamar.html

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Macaroni and Cheese. I did get an Egg Salad Sandwich from Subway too, but it was so disgusting I threw it out, and ate the Mac and Cheese I brought from home.
• Dinner - Hamburger Macaroni - I would have told Howard I was getting tired of pasta dishes, but if I did, he would never cook anything again, so I just grinned and ate it - it was good, though
• Snacks - One of these days, this category will be empty. But not today. Hot Chocolate, 2 cookies, Yogurt, Maltesers and Diet Pepsi

My Flog For March 12

The Sky Train is confusing me. Last night (and tonight too) on the way home, I noticed the Columbia station was open to the sky. However, this morning, it was all closed in with concrete. So I deduce one of the following is correct:

1. Someone pulls a street or building over the station in the night to prevent burglary or dew
2. The way here is in a different dimension than the way there - or
3. There are two tracks, parallel, one sort of on top of the other.

To tell the truth, I know there is more than one track, as Columbia has a connecting train that goes somewhere else. If I'm not careful (I was already not careful twice), and I board the wrong train at 22nd Street Station, I could be whisked away to God Knows Where. Thankfully, both times, I was alert enough to switch to the correct King George Train before Columbia Station.

It was such a windy and rainy day today, and also too cold for March. The poor Cherry Blossoms that are beginning to pop out of their buds had a hard time staying on the branches - and we passed one poor old tree that just couldn't take it any more and broke off in the middle. There were a lot of power outages in the Lower Mainland, and even though I prayed hard all day that we would lose the power in the shop and I could go home early, it never happened. It was sort of fun this morning though, watching all the garbage cans and lids rolling down the street, and knowing ours were safe as our garbage day is Tuesday. I thought at first all the walking crows were walking because it was too windy to fly, but I guess they were just tracking the food trail.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/High+winds+Vancouver+topple+trees+knock+power+photos/6290270/story.html?id=6290270

I guess one has to live in Calgary to find out what went on during the wind storm ... go figure!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Beef/Veggie Soup, half a Panini crappy sandwich
• Dinner - Howard's famous Macaroni and Cheese and crappy bologna
• Snacks - Here we go, with today's Killer Delights - a Peanut Butter Cookie, Hot Chocolate, a few Toffee Candy, Yogurt, and a Bran Muffin

My Flog for March 11

Oh carbs, oh carbs - how much I love thee! So far the scales are hovering in the right direction, so I'm just wondering what morning in the future I'll wake up and there will be enough to make two of me. Really really must get back in the groove. This baking kick I'm on is crazy.

It was really good today to get home in pure daylight. I never realized the SkyTrain station at Columbia is open to the sky - the train enters by tunnel and leaves by tunnel, but at the stop itself it's just buildings and sky. Weird. Also got great views of the Patullo Bridge and the regular train bridge beside it. I know it was a regular train bridge because there was a regular train on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattullo_Bridge

Pretty amazing views, right? The mighty Fraser River, and the Coastal Mountains in the background.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee, beautiful gorgeous home-made bread toasted on the top of the stove...
• Lunch - Ham and Cheese Sandwich (more b g h-m bread .. mmmm )
• Dinner - Pork Chop with Pasta Salad and Pickled Beet, and of course - bread!
• Snacks - Yogurt, Diet Pepsi, Hot Chocolate, Butter Tart Square, 2 cookies

My Flog for March 10

I had a terribly lazy day, however I did finish catching up with Coronation Street. I think I'm in Doc Martin withdrawal, as I downloaded and watched 4 seasons of it before I realized there were 5 seasons. Now I have wait a week or so while season 5 downloads. Sucks. If you haven't seen Doc Martin, download and watch. You won't regret it, I promise.

Tomorrow it's the start of another 3 work days, and the sun is supposed to come back. That makes sense. It poured buckets today, so even if I had wanted to go out, I wouldn't have.

And tonight the times go ahead. It will be really nice when it's time to close up the shop for the day, but I'm dreading Monday morning at 5 o'clock. Zombie-ville.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee. Toast made from store-bought white bread just isn't the same as toast made on the stove from home-made bread. Which is only one reason I made bread today - 7 big loaves and 2 little ones. That should last us until my next day off anyway.
• Lunch - A Hot Dog. Chips. Diet Pepsi
• Dinner - Chicken Drummie (left over from last night, no one wanted to cook dinner tonight, so no one did.) Fresh bread, warm from the oven, with Strawberry Jam. You don't even want to know how good that was.
• Snacks - A few candy, and they are all gone now, so either : a) no more to tempt me, or b) time to go buy some more. We'll see. Apple. Bailey's and Milk, which is right now my Bedtime Drinkie Poo.

My Flog for March 9

Today I applied for this wonderful job - http://www.thinksocialmedia.com/assets/365dod/JobDescription_dist.pdf - which I think would be a wonderful way to spend a year. Let me know if you think I'd fit! It would be a continuation of my present lifestyle, only I wouldn't have to buy the groceries and cook the food. 

One of my wonderful nieces informed her FB friends today that she is going to get a bunch of chickens in a few weeks. I remember when we were little, my mom and dad had chickens, and I used to help gather the eggs, putting my hands under the warm bony little tummies to get them, and I often wish I could still have that experience. However, she isn't going that route - no, she's going to raise those chickies for the slaughter. I would have been extremely distraught if I had seen my Mom or Dad wring a feathery neck, and would have been even more distraught if a 'pet' ended up sitting on the dinner platter surrounded by potatoes and turnip.

Which is why I know for sure all our chickens were kept only for eggs. Except for Cassie, our true pet hen who we used to push around in an old baby carriage, her little hen head on a pillow, and a blankie pulled up around her little hen neck. Now that was cool. I'm pretty sure she met her demise in a snow and dog-related incident - my memory is spotty. I imagine Cliff could fill in the gory details. I hope we didn't eat her. If so, I guess I could have put her on my "most exotic dish" blank on the above application.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Ham and Cheese Sandwich
• Dinner - Chicken Drummies - first oven-roasted with salt, pepper and Garlic Plus, then simmered in a Hickory BBQ Sauce - and Veggie Fried Rice, and Warm Chocolate Brownie Pudding with a fake Whipped Something Product that looks like Cream But Isn't
• Snacks - apple, candy, cranberry juice

My Flog for March 8

Another chilly day, which I spent indoors. Attacked laundry, blogs, and Doc Martin episodes, and cooked a really great dinner. Right now, I'm more concerned about keeping my nasty number stable than not eating a substantial piece of Chocolate Pie. I know I'll soon jump into the salad and soup scene again.

As you know, I did buy a step counter, as Penny suggested. I clipped it on my sneaker the day I went to White Rock, and found out why I should have used the little strappy thing that came with it - it would have prevented it from disappearing somewhere between here and there without me knowing. That's not the reason I didn't go walking today though. It took all my energy this morning to stumble up stairs, so stiff and sore, I was almost doing a robo dance step. Don't know why, I haven't done this lately.

http://ca.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=richard+simmons+sweatin+to+the+oldies

Maybe I should.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Ham and Cheese Sandwich
• Dinner - Ribs, cooked exceedingly well in a General Tao cooking sauce - (smelled horrid at first, but simmered down to deliciousness at the end), Oven-Baked Fries (with Chili Powder, Paprika and salt - and Potatoes, of course), and Corn Bread. So yummy. And Chocolate Pie ( cooked chocolate pudding and poured it in a baked pie shell. Much tastier than the pie with 4 and 20 blackbirds - I would think.)

My Flog for March 7

Day Off #1 - I headed off to Ladner after a morning of doing this'n'thats. Because I couldn't scrounge up enough bus fare to bring me to Surrey Central, I had to walk. A quick trip to Zellers for a game and a bit of cash-back at the till, and then to Black Bond Books for a couple of - yes, you guessed it - books. Not actually books, actually - a magazine and a Puzzle and Sticker book. Just a little birthday present for a brand new 6-year old boy.

Then it was Skytrain to Scott Station, and bus to Ladner, a very cold and shivery commute. I did however see a field of snow geese, and a heron, so that was nice. Couldn't take pics though - the bus was travelling down the highway and I only had my cell phone camera.

Lunch at Shannon's, and then we played Pig Goes Pop (something like that - actually that sounded like I felt after eating the potato skin chips) for a while. Walked to Safeway with the gang, then headed back home, first in a people-stuffed bus, then on a people-stuffed train, then finally in another people-stuffed bus. The weather is just a little too cold for my liking, to tell the truth. I don't think I should have to wear woolly hats and gloves in March. Poor little daffodils.

 

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Egg and Cheese Sandwich and a piece of Tanner's birthday cake! Happy belated Birthday to Tanner!
• Dinner - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Soup
• Snacks - TGIF's Cheese and Bacon flavoured Potato Skins - and they are the yummiest salty and crunchy snack you could ever find. Cookies. Pudding. Diet Pepsi

Last but not least - the last sweater I finished - isn't that pretty? or should I say handsome? .. whatever...

My Flog for March 6

Day 3 of work under my belt, thank Goodness. No nervous breakdown again this week. Today is Tanner's 6th birthday, and I'm heading to Ladner tomorrow to help him with a belated celebration.

We finally got the new stove (after the oven caught on fire while I was baking Peanut Butter Cookies last week,) so after work and after dinner, I found the rest of the cookie dough, which was hiding in the depths of the fridge, and baked it into cookies. Hubby Dearest thought they needed less butter and more peanut butter, even though the first batch I baked last week were supposedly 'all right,' which is indeed a compliment when it comes from his lips. He told me that he didn't spend 40 years cooking without knowing what he was talking about. I'm still laughing (inside.)

Bus notes. If you have one of those shiny looking puffy jackets that looks like someone blew up a heavy duty garbage bag and quilted it, you should sit carefully on the vinyl seat of the bus. Because if you move around, people will think you are farting a lot. However, if you are indeed farting a lot, and are just wearing the jacket to cover it up, then please don't sit in front of me. The ride home this evening was most horrid, as there was an incredibly smelly guy standing right in front me, the kind of smell you get when someone who sweats a lot doesn't shower often. I spent half an hour breathing into my sleeve, which was a vast improvement. Gross. From now on I'll take my chances on the puffy jacket guys.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Pepper Steak and Mashed Potatoes - left overs from last week, and I'm not sick yet, so I guess they were still okay
• Dinner - Macaroni and Ground Beef w/Spaghetti Sauce - our version of Goulash (even though I read somewhere that Goulash is really a soup, who'd a thunk it?
• Snacks - Hot Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie (taste test), something called a Macaroon Madness, and it really was madness to eat it, but I did, yogurt and apple. I'm having an apple because I can't remember if I took my pills this morning, vitamin included - so just in case. (I'm sure I did though....probably....)

My Flog for March 5

Nothing new, just early early morning, and work all day. Just a couple of things to do before bed - clean up the kitchen, make lunch for the man, and put tomorrow morning's coffee on. Yawn.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Chicken Noodle Soup and Turkey Wrap - a shared lunch with Pauline, at work. Yummy.
• Dinner - Hamburger, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, and Roasted Corn Salad. Homemade burgers and PriceSmart made salads. No one wanted to cook after a long day at work - however the two people who went to the store to buy groceries didn't want to do that either, but Steve and I did anyway. I made sure he didn't go near the Pork Hocks.
• Snacks - Yogurt, Pudding, 1 slice of Lemon Loaf, Hot Chocolate, and 3 candies. No wonder I felt fat today - or should I say fatter. One of these days I'll get back on the healthy wagon again, right now I'm just a carboholic and loving' it.

My Flog for March 4

A busy day at work, with 54,987 requests to do bloody ruffle yarn demos. Reminder to me: make sure they pay for the bloody yarn first, and not take up my time then sneak out when I'm not looking, so they know how to knit the bloody yarn they bought at another store.

Another reminder to me: Be very careful about conversing with Steve at the grocery store. As we passed by the meat department, I picked up a Pork Hock, and I said to him, "I think you can use this to make Pea Soup, if you don't have a Ham Bone."

And he said, "What is it?"

"A Pork Hock."

"Huh?"

And he got me. "It's a Pork Hock." (Just say this 3 times quickly and you'll know exactly what I mean.)

And he says: " I wouldn't have thought they were that big." 

And I still didn't get it. But when he started to laugh, and the tall guy beside him started to laugh - then I got it.

I just walked away - after I reminded him I was his Mother. He was still laughing. Very funny, Steve. Very funny.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - left over Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes, Pudding
• Dinner - Chicken and fries
• Snacks - Yogurt, 3 cookies, 4 candies

Just a note for those of you wondering why I have so many blogs on the go. I do have my reasons.
Tamar's Day Off - for fiction, if I ever get around to writing any more of it
Tamar Loses It - the food one, which has turned into a journal, I suppose, and a lot of fun to do - usually
Tamar Shags Off - my travel and adventure one -
and I don't think I'm quite finished yet, as I want to do one with just my recipes, which I will probably call
Tamar Gets Stuffed. What do you think? This would just be my recipe file so I'd have them all in one place and wouldn't have to search for them when I'm craving Corn Bread or Pulled Pork.

My Flog for March 3

Today has been a really blah day, not feeling great. Back to work tomorrow though, so whatever bug I've got better be gone by then. I wrote some, knit some, read some, watched Doc Martin some - and that's about all it took to send the day away.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Scrambled Eggs and Toast
• Dinner - Fish and Chips
• Snacks - a few cookies, I never counted them, a pudding, and the bottom part of Chris's yogurt

My Flog for March 2

I got up late this morning, after 9 o'clock, as a matter of fact. Of course, I had been up at 5 for breakfast, then I just went back to bed for a few snoozes. While I was doing my morning routine - exciting stuff like checking email, Facebook, Blog, and taking pills, our little ray of sunshine came to visit.

A puzzle kept her happy though - a Disney Princess puzzle by my little princess. Now, about 10 hours later, she's sick with a fever and a 'sore head' and she's fast asleep.

I left late morning to go to White Rock, and that's another story - 

http://tamarshagsoff.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-trippin-white-rock.html 

- met Steve, as he was working on a site there, and he treated me to the Fatburger experience for lunch, then I headed off in the direction for the beach. I know today wasn't really a beachy kind of day, as it was cold and rainy and windy, but I needed an ocean, so I went for one.

Back home exhausted (too many hills), then we went to the store, and had dinner. Then Chris came to visit me.

Chris and I managed to put together a 70 piece Buzz Lightyear puzzle. He's a bit better at in than me, though. Now we just have to finish watching The Snowman video, and he'll be heading up to bed, and I'll be heading into bed. According to my sore parts, I'm gonna be stiff tomorrow!

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - half a Fat Burger, orange pop
• Dinner - Grocery BBQed Chicken, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, and 1 slice of bread
• Snacks - Coffee and Blueberry/Lemon Scone, Cookie, yogurt

My Flog for March 1

Well, the day didn't improve much after the terrible fiasco with the scales this morning. Seems like jumping on them, banging them against the wall, and dipping them in the toilet didn't change the Number. And most of my plans for the day went down the drain too. Oh well. So much for planning a good day.

First of all, I didn't walk to the store to get milk, Crisco, chicken, and whatever else caught my eye. Instead of baking a cake, I decided to bake cookies. The Chocolate Chip ones were great, but the Peanut Butter ones managed to catch the oven on fire and only one batch got (mostly) cooked. The rest of the dough is in the fridge waiting for a new stove (which hopefully will have an oven) this weekend. (It was actually the bottom element that caught on fire, and I never even panicked when I opened the door to check on the cookies only to see a blazing bonfire in there. Just removed the cookies and turned off the oven.)

So, instead of Chicken for dinner, I had planned to make a Meat Loaf as we had a huge chub of ground beef in the fridge that needed splitting for the freezer. Couldn't bake a Meat Loaf with no oven, so I brought out my handy dandy electric round cooking thingie, and put the Meat Loaf in that. Worked well. At least, when I asked Howard if he liked it, he said it was Okay, which is a really high compliment for him. And when I asked him about the Peanut Butter Cookies (as I'm trying out different recipes looking for the right one,) he said, 'Well, there's nothing wrong with them.' So I guess I've found my perfect Meat Loaf and my perfect Peanut Butter Cookie recipes. The day wasn't all bad.

• Breakfast -Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Roast Beef Sandwich
• Dinner - Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Veggies
• Snacks - a Cookie, and a Pudding

I have decided on a couple of New Month Resolutions:

1. use more of my day offs for me
2. same as #1

So hopefully I'll stick to these, and do some more writing and more exploration. Life's too short to spend it picking up laundry.

A Nasty New Number for March 1

161 (+1/2)

Well, just so you know I am true to my word, and I did not lose the required 5 pounds in February - probably because it was such a short month, and I was depending on those extra 2 days ( if it was a regular month like January or July.) I did indeed take a picture of me in a bathing suit, scanned it and here it is. I know I have a bit of a round tummy, but then again, the bathing suit isn't really flattering.

Oh come on now, you didn't really expect me to do a real-time one, did you? Don't you know me better than that?

And if it weren't a Leap Year, with that extra day, I would be writing this on February 28, when my new number would have been 159. Sucks, don't it?