It didn't rain, but she got wet just the same

The past weekend was a quiet one at our house; Friday night we did in fact go for a pub meal with Robert and Dawn. The evening passed quickly as it usually does when we are curled up on one of the sofas in our local, enjoying a few beverages and first rate companionship.

Andy worked both Saturday and Sunday, which must have been exciting for him. Me? Well I tidied the house, walked Molly, watched way too much TV and spent over an hour on the phone with my sister for a much needed talk. And that was only Saturday. Try to curb your excitement for me ok?

Sunday was the better day weather wise so I decided to take Molly for a long walk at one of her favourite locations. Because it’s been rather humid round these parts recently and my girl has been suffering from an aggravating itch (which is finally subsiding due to antihistamines) she didn’t wait before jumping into the stream at an area where I normally don’t let her because of the wildlife. She’s normally so well behaved but there was no holding her back from that first plunge.

I did however manage to get her out quickly, and keep her out of the water near this lovely little family:

It’s great to see the babies up and out of the nest.

When we got to the area where she is allowed to swim, she barely tolerated me telling her to wait and wouldn’t look at me, her whole body saying ‘come on already, let me go’:

Of course, once she’s in she’s completely pleased with herself:

The rest of the walk was filled with me chucking a stick into the stream for her, as we both cheerfully enjoyed our afternoon jaunt, despite the threatening rain clouds.

When I got back to the car, I lowered all the windows and prepared to leave my soaking companion for five minutes while I dashed into the shop for a salad. It was at this moment that I had the bad fortune to realize I must have dropped my bank card along our route. (I had taken the card as I didn’t have any change.) It must have fallen out of my pocket at a moment when I was pulling my phone out to capture a photo. There was nothing to do but go back and retrace our steps. As the whole circuit takes about 45 minutes (when not stopping to play), I wasn’t looking forward to it. Molly on the other hand, couldn’t believe her luck. Another walk that would also allow for one more swim… Why should she be anything other than keen? So off we went, one happy dog and one frustrated Jody. Of course I didn’t find the card. I managed to look on the bright side though: both Molly and I had plenty of exercise.

I cancelled the card immediately and it will take 3-5 working days for a new one to be sent. Good thing I have a husband with another card to the same account.

That Friday Feelin

Today has been the first five day work week I’ve had in a while and surprisingly it hasn’t passed to slowly. I don’t have much planned this weekend other than a trip to the hair salon and exercising both myself and Molly.


To wrap my week up I’m going to highlight what’s made me smile, and on the flip side, what's made me frown.

What I’ve been smiling at:

• I have been working out more regularly and feel better for it. I also feel better that I haven’t let myself down by not going to the gym.

• My husband has been working local for the last few weeks and I’m enjoying having him home in the evenings.

• The pita wrap I had for lunch yesterday made with sundried tomatoes, avocado, olives, pickle and cheese – yummy!

• A new British program I’ve been watching called Sirens that made me laugh out loud a few times;

• Sitting in the hot tub after a hard work out, there is no better way to sooth sore muscles.

• I haven’t had a glass of wine since the 3rd July (gasp) and I’m not even craving it. Why I’m smiling about that is beyond me – do I even know who I am anymore?

• My new navy wedge heels from Clarks

• Listening to my mom tell me she was out with her sisters both Saturday and Sunday night until past 2:00 am.

• This evening we are meeting friends at the local pub for a few drinks and a something to eat and if the weather holds Molly and Carter might even be able to come with us.

What I've been frowning at:

• Despite working out and eating healthy (never mind not drinking any wine), the scales told me I gained three pounds. Those scales are lucky they didn’t get thrown out the window – argh!

• The idiot cyclists in this town – some guy almost drove his bike right into my moving vehicle this morning.

• Molly’s itch is back again, and it’s chronic. Instead of taking her to the vet, I’m starting her on a round of antihistamines; when taken daily I’m told these will help.

• Finding out that my bike is not fit to ride anymore, when I haven’t even been on in it! (kids eh?)

• The smell of manure in the air due to the farmers spreading it all over their fields… it’s not been the best summer we could ask for, however this week has been muggy and having to keep the windows shut at dinner is just friggin perfect. At least the worst of it seems to be over today.


I hope most of you have had more smiles than frowns this week. Feel free to share any anecdote's that might make the rest of us smile too.

A letter to my younger self

Dear Younger Self,

There are so many things that I wish I could have shown you before you had to live them for yourself, to spare you some of the heart-ache you are going to suffer; either at the hand of other people, or as a result of something stupid you will do. And I don’t want to frighten you, but girl, you are going to make a lot of asinine mistakes in the coming years.

I’m not going to say that I would point you in a different direction to the path you chose to take, because the paths you have taken in life have made you the person you are today; besides, you do have a lot of fun along the way.  Anyway, I’d like to think you grew up to be a pretty good woman. A person who has learned some very hard lessons that I wish you could avoid, but as the old cliche goes (the 2nd one I’ve used in this paragraph), there is no going back.

I do however wish I could tell you not to fret about a lot of the stuff that is causing you anxiety, that I could share some of the confidence that you have now as an adult. Actually, I wish that you had been born with this confidence that comes easily now, after putting on such a good act, for so very long. It’s true what they say, if you fake something long enough you can make anyone believe it, even yourself.

I wish I could tell you as a young girl, to stop obsessing about your weight, teeth and skin. You aren’t overweight, stop comparing yourself to the other girls who are all much skinner than you. One day, when you have finished school you will see that you were not that unappealing and that as a 30-something year old, you've aged a lot better than most of the girls in your school. The boys who want those girls now will come to realise that you are someone worth getting to know but for them, it will be too late. You will eventually lose interest in them, and rightly so. And those boobs that you hate so much for bringing you the wrong kind of attention? You will learn to make peace with them and even grow to begrudgingly like them, even though buying clothes will never get easier. However moving to the UK (something I bet you think you will never have the courage to do) will be the best thing that could happen in regard to your boobs (amongst other things); the selection of bras, at very reasonable prices is much better than what you get in Canada. It’s not only the small busted that get matching bra sets in brilliant designs in the UK. It’s understood that big busted girls need la variety of choice too, at affordable prices. Oh, and you grow into your teeth, and although they aren’t perfect you learn to accept them too, and actually start to believe that they add character; You grow to admire people like Barbara Streisand, for not changing what so many others would. Perfection isn’t what you will strive for as an adult. Self-acceptance and a healthy lifestyle is much more important, trust me on this one.

At 13 you are a 140 pound, 5’7” girl with big breasts, not fat by any means; I wish you would stop comparing yourself to your sisters who are much, much thinner. You are built differently; maybe this has something to do with mom feeding you homogenised milk when you were a baby, but maybe not. It’s just what it is. And to this day, I’m still proud of you for standing up to your Aunt, the one who used to poke your belly while commenting on the fact that you should be skinnier (although that doesn’t happen for another five years). I just wish you wouldn’t let moments like those, and a few others, lead you down the road that you are going to take. I wish you were a stronger person (which isn’t fair, you are just a kid) because as a result of your insecurities, combined with more than one devastating event, you have a long hard battle in front of you that still hasn’t been completely resolved. I’m sorry for this. I really am. I feel like I’ve let you down.

If I could encourage you to do anything Young Self, it would be that you spend more time with your sisters, because now that you’ve outgrown playing barbies with them, you don’t have a lot of time for them; most of your time is taken up with your friends and pining after boys. You will be sorry about that when you are an adult, but the adult you knows deep in her heart that you aren’t a lot different to any other teenage girl; there will be time enough for becoming close friends, best friends even, with your sisters when you are fully grown.

Your obsession with boys and all things social isn’t doing you any favours at school either, but you can’t say you haven’t been told about that already. I have a sneaking suspicion that you wouldn’t listen to me anyway, no more than you listen to anyone else (you might be happy to know that some things will never change and younger you isn’t a whole lot different to older you… especially your brilliant sense of humour ;)

I wish you weren’t so interested in sex either… that you would forget about losing your virginity in a few years time, like so many of your friends. It’s much more important to find someone who really cares about you, but then again, that’s something you aren’t going to learn until after the fact. You eventually learn not to settle for less than you deserve. It will take time and you will have to go through a bit of heart-ache, but you do end up with someone worthy of your love, someone who has a bigger heart than any other guy you will ever meet, even though he tries to keep that a secret. Someone who is worth all your crushes combined. And you probably aren’t surprised to learn he lives abroad; but then again, maybe you are… I don’t think you develop your penchant for foreign men until you are at least 15 ;)

Younger self, you will go through a whole series of events in your life, some that will really test you. But you will get tougher as the years go on. You are going to make some hard decisions, some that will trouble you for longer than you expect, but you will be ok. You have always had the capacity to make friends with ease, and that hasn’t changed. I bet you aren’t surprised to learn that some of the friends you have now will still be your friends in 25 years. Amazing eh? Time, distance or life hasn’t gotten in the way of those true friendships.

Right now you probably aren’t thinking past the weekend and what you will be doing, which will likely be spending it at your best friends house, hoping to see Stephen Chaisson, whom you have had a crush on for far too long; hoping that this might be the weekend where you end up in the dark with him for ten minutes. (Although now that I look back, I really can’t understand how that boy held your attention for so long.) Troy Pennell, him I can understand. He was a great guy, and in another few months, you will transfer your attention to him for a short period. I’ll let you in on another secret; in grade 12 you actually make out with him one evening after a party, even though you have long outgrown your junior high crush. I’m telling you, things start looking a lot brighter by high school.

What I guess I'm trying to say, is that all in all you are a typical, albeit naive (although many adults comment on how mature you are) 13 year old girl. Although I know you look forward to growing up, I wish in some ways I could go back there with you, if only to be that dreamy girl again; or maybe just to whisper some answers in your ear.

(I apologise for the length of  this post, yet I highly recommend this project to my fellow bloggers - writing it was very therapeutic.)

A baby, Jamie Oliver, and more than one nasty swan...

Friday morning I caught the train down to Nottingham spend Friday with Alison and Daisy.  Since I arrived at lunch time, we met Scott at Jamie Oliver's restaurant - Jamie's Italian;  I was impressed by the ambiance in the restaurant (the decor is fantastic) and even more so by the food; we had a few different samplers of starters for our lunch, alongside a variety of bread and olives on ice.  It was perfect.  I would have wanted to love it no matter what, as I have a bit of a soft spot for Jamie Oliver, but I had to fabricate nothing. I loved the whole experience.

Daisy was a little gem and slept throughout the whole meal, leaving us adults to chat.  Ali and I spent the afternoon browsing around the shops;  and again Daisy was a star.  I think she is gong to be an impressive shopper one day.  She will certainly have the experience behind her.

I took this picture when Daisy was getting ready for bed.  Her mom wants a copy of this as it will look great in her bedroom :) I love what my camera can do with colour effects.

She's a little beauty, for sure;  and those legs! Ridiculous chubby eh?

I was happy to give Alison and Scott a night off, in order that they could both get a good night's sleep.  They didn't need asking twice and cheerily made their way to bed by midnight and didn't appear until just after 8 a.m., rested and ready to go for the day.

Me?  Well lets just say I didn't get much sleep.  This could be for a number of reasons:

a) I often don't sleep well the first night or two I'm away from home

b) Miss Daisy is a restless sleeper; she kicks the mattress repeatedly in her sleep. (How those legs stay so fat is a mystery :)

c) I constantly had one ear tuned in to the baby which is silly because it's not like I wouldn't hear her if she woke up (which she did once, at 2:30, but only for a moment).

d) When I did cat nap I had ridiculous dreams.

And still, when she woke at 6:00 am I couldn't be grumpy with her because the smile that meets you first thing in the morning could melt a glacier.

Much later in the morning when we were all up, we stopped for coffee and then got on the road to Clumber Park where we met Andy Connor and Molly.  Andy swapped Connor for me as he will be staying with his Aunt and Uncle until Wednesday. 

Here are a few pictures from our walk through the park.

If there is a tree that needs climbing, Connor will find it:

Connor, me and Ali: 

Me and Alison:  

Scott and Andy with the pram:  

The swans were in abundance; they didn't like Molly at all; and boy can they hiss, the beguiling little buggers:  

I'm not sure why Molly isn't in any of these pictures... she was probably too busy trying to figure out ways of sneaking past the swans into the water.  (Although we didn't let her swim on this walk as the last time she was in fowl-filled water she came down with an irritating itch.)

 Baby was enjoying her walk :

I spent the rest of Saturday feeling a little punch drunk, and because it was just me and Andy in the house, Molly and I were able to catch a two hour nap later in the day. 

Summer, where are you?

May was a month that seemed to be full of discord and distress in our house… although it carried over into June, I worked hard to ensure it didn’t affect our lives more than it needed to, especially since my brother was visiting.

July has been a busy month, yet at the same time I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished very much. I would sum this up to the fact that I was feeling low with my chest infection, which I’m happy to report is now behind me. I went back to the gym on Saturday morning and have promised myself that I will work out at 3-4 times a week. If I don’t make it to the gym, I will take Molly out for an extra long walk, or go on a bike ride.

Andy and I have been using tennis rackets to bat a ball back and forth on the field for Molly on fine evenings – it’s great exercise for her, and not bad for me either, as I often race Molly for the ball if I miss (which I do more often than I like to admit. I won’t be making it to Wimbledon next year that’s for sure.)

I think I’m fed up because we aren’t having much of a summer here; I know most of my Canadian friends and family are (finally) experiencing a proper summer and Ontario is actually having a heat wave (nothing new there); I don’t feel sorry for those who are complaining, as I would love to feel some good, proper heat. When it gets too hot here (a very rare event), I don’t have a beautiful beach like Crystal Crescent to go to,

but what we have is good enough.  At the moment it's sunny and about a comfortable 20c but that will probably change in 30 minutes.

(I can only day dream of this place until next summer)

I haven’t been trying out very many new recipes lately as I’m trying not to overeat. Last night, after working out I did make a summer strawberry and almond crumble for Andy. My plan was to not have any at all, but then how can I deny myself a wee taste of something that I have made? So I did. And it was scrumptious if I say so myself. I only had a small bowl and wasn’t too hard on myself regarding the extra calorie intake as I haven’t had a glass (or bottle) of wine since the 3rd July. That’s 24 days. 24 Days... I don’t know why I’ve gone off wine. Not a bad thing I guess, as I was drinking too much of it. I’m sure most of you are aware of this, but for those of you who aren’t, wine has a lot of calories. Calories I don’t need.

In other exciting news, I’m now sleeping a bit better as I have finally booked myself an appointment with a  dentist. I have been a bit picky since moving to England in relation to finding a dentist – the few I have seen have suggested pulling a tooth rather than fixing it (not the answer) and as the dentist my husband and his children go to is definitely not up to my standard, I had been opting to visit the dentist on my trips back to Nova Scotia. However I haven’t seen that dentist in forever (I’m not telling you how long it’s been because of the shame) and I’ve decided that not seeing a dentist at all is worse than seeing a mediocre one. After looking around I have found a reputable, good dentist and have an appointment in a few weeks; And I will try my damnedest to not compare. I know they likely won’t have a hygienist clean my teeth and definitely won’t have a TV in the ceiling (mine back home didn't either, so that's ok) but if the cleaning last’s longer than ten minutes, I will not complain.

I was also delighted to stumble across two great blogs whilst searching for something completely unrelated: Ea-pea Dave's Terra Nova and Better After

The first appeals to me because of my Canadian roots, the 2nd because I can only ever dream of accomplishing the wonderful feats that are displayed over there and I might just get a little inkling of inspiration.

The Law of Averages

I’ve been living with a chest infection now the past 10 days and therefore haven’t been able to go to the gym. Meaning the last time that I had any good exercise, was the day we hiked Mount Snowden in Wales (which was a spectacular workout, even though we hiked down, not up). That makes it 12 days since I’ve worked out. It’s driving me nuts. Funny, but when I can go to the gym, I have long debates with myself about whether or not I should go; you take the option away from me and what’s the first thing I want to do? Work out. You would think I was three, not 30 something. My mom, who works out regularly and by this I mean daily, has said that there is nothing I can do about it. I know that she is right in the fact that if I were to go for just a short spin on a stationary bike at this point in time I’m likely to have a set back, thus delaying my return by even longer. Not only have I been living with bronchitis for about 25 years, my mother has been dealing with me. So I will listen to my mother and give it another few days, especially now that the antibiotics are starting to kick in.


I tried to explain to Andy this morning that I will let him know when I’m returning to the gym, that his asking me is only making me feel worse. Yes, I know that I mentioned I would try to get back to the gym yesterday, but I was only fooling myself and he should have known that… I mean you would think that after nearly 10 years together he would have the ability to read my mind! I guess he’s only developed the ability to see through my clothes. Oh wait. He’s told me that when he’s staring at my chest he’s willing me to take off my top, that he doesn’t have x-ray vision. I suppose the fact that after all this time together my husband still has thoughts of my boobs isn’t a bad thing, but then again, they are spectacular if I say so myself. Yup that’s right. Even with all the inconvenience they’ve caused me, I love my boobs. But how can I not? When more than one female in my family has battled breast cancer what other option do I have? I wish more women would appreciate the boobs they have – big, small, droopy or wrinkly, because once you are faced with the option of losing one, or both, I think it sheds a different light on the situation.

So, boobs and chest cold aside, I’m just going to have to sit back and wait this bugger out for a few more days. I’m hoping that by tomorrow, or realistically, Thursday, I will be able to get on the cross trainer again. Spinning will have to take a back sit till at least the weekend.

I’m trying to keep myself distracted by reading and watching TV, without over-eating. Yes, I’m not feeling the best but there is not a damn thing wrong with my appetite.

My friend is coming over tonight to help keep me distracted and those of you who know me will have a good laugh at what she has planned; she’s bringing her math homework with her so I can help her study for her exam tomorrow. For those of you who don’t know me, let me clarify what my family and friends are probably wetting themselves with laughter over: I had to take math 5 times in three years to ensure I graduated high school with the rest of my class. It’s going to take my friend five times longer to figure it out with me helping her, I can assure you.

A Lyrical Little Country

I've only been at work two days this week - Monday and Wednesday.  I took Tuesday off as John was catching his train to London to begin his backpacking journey and I thought I'd have the afternoon off as I've been exhausted lately, with a hacking, annoying cough.  Work Wednesday was a bit of a struggle as I was constantly coughing - the more I move and talk, the more I cough.  So I decided to have today and yesterday off to rest, because I know that when I get my bronchitis, rest is best.  I will go to the doctor this afternoon just in case I need antibiotics.  I know I'm not well though when I'm not interested in long hot baths or cold crisp glasses of wine (I haven't had a glass of wine in two weeks, I seem to have gone off it at the moment, try not to be to shocked, this is a temporary situation I'm sure.

So since I am sitting at home on this beautiful day, not doing much but watching tv and reading, (in between sleeping) I thought I'd post some photos of our trip to Wales with John last week.

On Wednesday we visited Conwy, with its beautiful castle and walls that surround the town:

They don't exactly look like knights, but they are all mine ;)

 The smallest house in Britain (It costs a £1 to enter, John wasn't sure if somene really lived there)

We also stopped in at Llandudno, my other favourite Welsh town, home of the Great Orm, a little mountain we have climbed more than once....

Next time we go back to Llandudno, I'm hiking around the mountain - this road is amazing. 

On Thursday we did Snowdonia, which was breathtaking, no pun intended.  (I will post the photos over the weekend, as we have a number of fantastic shots). 

John can't believe how gorgeous Wales is and said he would never have even gone to this little British gem if we hadn't taken him; a lot of people don't realize that Wales is a country separate from England and has an astounding beauty that must not be overlooked.

Canada Day BBQ 2011

Saturday was beautiful and sunny, without the high winds that can often blow throughout our area.  Andy was up early putting the finishing touches on our garden, and whilst he and our great friends, Dawn and Robert were setting up the tent and putting out the chairs, John and I nipped to town for a few last minutes bits.  

We had a fantastic turnout and all went off without a hitch despite a few of our friends showing up a few hours earlier than expected  And on into the wee hours of Sunday morning it continued.  Oh, and my brother was a big hit, naturally. 

I have had some of my best Canada Day celebrations since moving to England... go figure eh?

Here are just a few of my favourite photos from our Canada Day in England, 2011:

Dawn and John

 Dave, Abby and Tasha (with Sarah playing Jenga in the background :)

Me and my baby brother

Beautiful Madelana

Competitive Andy R

Zoe, Tasha and Wendy

 Me and the Gallivan Girls:

Around the Fire Pit

Tasha and Andy:

Jayne, Dee and Me ;)

Den and his sausage :)

Roasting sausages on the fire pit always goes down well...

This is a cool one of Rodders 


It was an awesome tribute to my country and I love how my English family and friends love to come together each year to help me celebrate the country I may have left behind physically, but is always in my heart...

Jupiter's Cock

Most of you know that when we have family or friends visiting us here in England we love to take them touring around, showing them some of our favourite places.


On Friday I will be taking John to see Lincoln, a city that has yet to leave any of my guests unimpressed. It’s not a big city, but it’s big on personality and history as well as breathtaking beauty. Being from a small city myself gives me an appreciation for such places.

We also like to throw a party or two, and as previously mentioned. I love the fact that the biggest party we throw each year for Canada Day will be attended by my brother. I had debated making this year’s party a themed party; a gladiator theme to be exact. (Not to be confused with a toga party.) I discussed the idea with a few friends and although a few were keen I decided to forgo it as not everyone likes to dress in costume. So Saturday will be the usual Canadian theme minus the Canadian Beer (I wasn’t willing to pay £48 for a case of 24 Moosehead.) Can’t blame me for that eh?

Besides, I should probably save the Gladiator Theme for a night when my in-laws aren’t going to be around, or Tasha. Andy’s daughter (as most daughters) is uncomfortable at the thought of her parents as sexy beings. And I can’t promise that if I saw my hubby in a Gladiator skirt, walking around our garden with those long legs of his bared, I would be able to stop myself from jumping on him then and there. (After Andy reads this he will probably turn up dressed like a Gladiator on Friday in the hopes that I will do just that… a man can dream eh?)

Ironically, I had taped a series called Spartacus Blood and Sand a few months back. I hadn’t watched it yet and it turned out that John was up for watching it with me. Initially neither of us were sure about the graphic scenes that mimicked a gory video game, nor the acting ability. However by the third show, we were both gripped. We finished the series on Monday night, watching four shows into the early hours of the morning. It was a very dark, sexy program that sometimes even had us laughing out loud. A common phrase used was ‘Jupiter’s cock’, used in the way we would say Judas Priest, or holy shit. John thought they were using the term incorrectly as he was sure the god Jupiter was a woman. Obiously not! I did laugh every time they said it though, and have to refrain from saying it myself; at least at work. Besides, it’s an inside joke between my brother and I that other people probably wouldn’t understand.

So, back to the reason behind this post… when we have company, we love to show our guests a great time, visiting scenic places and enjoying pub lunches; however one of the best things about having my siblings with me are the moments when we kick back on the couch and watch old movies, or a whole series of a program over the span of a few nights. It’s definitely one thing we all have in common and I love nothing better than those nights where we pass the time lost in a show, but sat there together.

Keep the good times rolling

Yesterday was a roasting hot day here in the north east of England… Driving home yesterday the temperature was at 30 degrees. I don’t remember the last time it was that hot here. And the humidity was crazy; the kind of humidity where you just know a thunder storm will follow. And follow it has. Today at work we watched lightening, heavy rains and even hail crash down outside; the thunder was louder than I have heard in a long, long time. I rang home today to make sure Molly was alright. I knew John would have his hands full keeping my little pup calm. Like fireworks, she abhors thunder. It frightens the heck out of her.

Of course she was alright with her new best friend. Since my brother has arrived he has taken great joy in walking her every day. He even took her for a walk after everyone had eaten at Tasha’s 21st Birthday BBQ on Saturday.

It’s not just Molly that is enjoying having John to stay; we all are. I’ve been seeing Connor more than usual as a result; Most of my friends who have met John have taken a shine to him, and of course the family and he are getting along famously. But why wouldn’t they? They, as well as my brother are an easy going bunch. I was pleased that John got to see Alex for coffee on Saturday morning and is hoping to see him again before he leaves for Europe in a few weeks.

We have been keeping fairly busy and I’ve picked a few of my favourite pictures from the last ten days to share with you:

John and Connor on the London Eye:

At Cafe Rouge:

 On Tower Bridge:

We celebrated Tasha's 21st Birthday on Saturday:

John and Archie riding the train Archie constructed:

Champagne and a hottub:

On Sunday John and I headed out to York...

it was a fantastic day:

It's recommended you do this with a friend...

My friend Alison received a cook book for Mother’s Day; it’s not written by any of the well known chef’s like Nigella or Delia and it has a lot of non-typical recipes. One of them involved cooking sirloin of beef wrapped in a dishcloth in a fire pit. WTF? How is this supposed to work? Although as soon as she showed me the recipe, the same thing popped into my head that she had been thinking… we have a fire pit, and both Alison and our husband’s are big beef eaters, so we decided to give it a try.

Saturday night I picked Ali and Dave up (with a multitude of supplies and alcohol). Ali informed me that the recipe called for a lot of salt (both table and rock) which had me concerned as I don’t normally use very much salt at all, often never, even if a recipe calls for it. I told her not to worry about it as I had a few boxes of both on hand. I had no idea that we would need nearly one whole box of table salt and 1 ½ boxes of rock salt. But I’m digressing here… We got back to my house, cracked a few beers and set to following the recipe. I captured it in photos to share with you because I think you have to see it to believe it (sorry in advance to all my vegetarian readers).

The initial prep:

(The limes weren’t part of the recipe they were just garnish for the beer. The beef was the best you could buy, trust me on this, it was not cheap but we went splits.)

We had to use a lot of table salt to boil the dishcloth in for ten minutes. I believe this was key to the dishcloth not catching fire later. We then had to wait for the dishcloth to cool before completely coating it in table salt.

I could feel my arteries hardening just watching all that salt being poured…

We then covered the salt in plenty of roughly chopped garlic and a ton of fresh picked rosemary and thyme before rubbing the beef with pepper:

This is one big hunk of meat... (I think it was over a kilo):

It was time to cover the beef completely before wrapping it and tying it with string that had also been boiled in very salty water. (We also added a few safety pins just in case the rope burned – which some of it did!)

Then we just had to place it in the embers and let it cook for 15 minutes each side (we left it in for 20 minutes each side just to be on the safe side):

The discloth was mostly charred, but the beef was safe:

The result was absolutely amazing!

It was so tender and juicy, infused with the flavours of the herbs and garlic. Not one bit salty. It was cooked perfectly, medium rare in the middle, perfect for those who liked it that way, and the outer edges were medium well.

I missed the unwrapping of it as I was busy getting the grilled vegetables sorted, however it was easy to see (and taste) that it wasn’t infused with salt, as most of it was brushed off after it was unwrapped. Again, we believe that the truckload of salt is vital to the dishtowel not burning.

I don’t eat a lot of red meat so this was definitely a treat. Not only was the meat scrumptious, we had a fantastic time preparing it, and then eating it with grilled veg and fresh bread washed down with wine;  later on, after eating by the fire, we chilled out in the hot tub.

Not bad for a Saturday night eh?

It might not be something you want do on a regular basis due to the cost, (and maybe the salt and beef overload) but we did agree that we will have to do it again before the summer is over.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

I wish I could say that yesterday I set out to complete all that I had on my list of ‘things to do’. Although my only real plans had been to go on a long walk with Molly, make sure all the bedding was washed and hung out to dry, followed by the gym at tea time while Andy watched the Montreal Grand Pre. (I know, I have a rough life!) Well the rainfall put a stop to the bed linen getting sorted and it discouraged both Molly and myself from venturing out (my water loving lab abhors the rain… go figure). I’ve pulled a muscle in my hamstring so that put me off the gym (it doesn’t take much on some days). Excuses you might say? And I might agree in full. Eventually I might find some of the conviction that my sisters have; they are working so hard to ‘reinvent’ themselves and succeeding; I wish I could be the girl who doesn’t let any excuse get in the way of achieving all I set out to do. I often set out with the very best of intentions at the beginning of each week and sometimes I manage to do everything… and then some weeks I don’t.

Yesterday I could say I let myself down in a big way, yet I didn’t. I chose to snuggle in bed all day with Molly  as I caught up on some TV, snoozed and had a long, hot bath all the while a steady rain was falling. Andy wasn’t up for much either, but he at least he got dressed and did some yard work in the morning.


Maybe this is one of the reasons I don’t become super stressed, am what a lot of people refer to as ‘laid-back’; many of my friends say they wish they could be as relaxed as me. I won’t lie, I know how to do ‘nothing’ well, but try not to do it too much. I also like keeping busy and I think the gym is great, I love nothing more than an awesome work out. Nothing makes me feel better… but sometimes a lazy Sunday afternoon in your pj’s is required, especially when you have a few busy weekends coming up. Molly didn’t seem to mind either, if the constant stream of snoring coming from her all afternoon was anything to go by.

BBQ's, beer (and nudity is not an option, sorry)

Hugh Grant said it well in the opening lines of Love Actually: "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport. General opinion makes out that we live in a world of hatred and greed - but I don't see that - seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there: fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, none of the phone calls from people on board were messages of hate or revenge; they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love, actually, is all around.”

This time next week, my brother will be landing in London and I will be waiting in Heathrow Airport for him to come through arrivals. This time next week, it will be a sister and a brother reuniting.

We are fortunate to have a lot of great moments from each year, even the few incredibly crappy years. Andy and I are strong enough to be able to remain smiling through some of the hard times; grey hairs and frown lines might be in abundance but boy do we know how to carry on through a bad situation. We are a great team that way, one of us often bolstering the other up when the need is required. Despite the crappy times, and let's face it, who goes through life without sh*t hitting the fan occasionally, we have a great life;  We just wipe the sh*t off and carry on. We are unlucky enough to be surrounded by his children, and his family; we have lovely friends and the most awesome dog in the world (we do, it’s true). We are comfortable enough to be able to travel and although we don’t have all that we want in life, we have enough.

Aside from my first year living here, at least one member of my family (including extended) has come to visit each year. Some years have brought more than just a solo traveller. I don’t think any trip I take gives me more excitement than the morning I stand in the airport waiting for my loved one to come through arrivals. That first hug feels better than almost anything.

We have a number of events on the agenda during my brother’s stay (between the sight seeing trips). Almost every Saturday is going to be taken up with BBQ’s, as Andy’s daughter Tasha has decided to have her 21st birthday at our house. When it comes to Tash, we have definitely come full circle and are so thrilled she has chosen to come to ours for the party that will launch her into world-wide legality. I think Ursala (the hot tub) just might being playing a small role in this ;) Either way it should be a great night. I don’t think my brother will complain too much about having a group of young folk in their early 20's in the house. There has to be some balance as most of my friends are in their 40’s.

Of course we will be throwing our annual Canada BBQ on the 2nd.  I love nothing more than when I have another Candadian on site. Mom and John are already helping me out with the party planning and this year I will actually have a bit more Canadian themed party supplies. Now if there was only a way I could order a big stash of Canadian Beer like Alexander Keith’s (Lite). Hmmm I would even settle for Molson Canadian. Apparently there are a number of fellow Canucks that have moved into town to teach at Connor’s school. I wonder what they will be up to on our nation’s birthday? I don’t think I will send out the banners to them though, as I seem to have enough people invited and my conservative gorgeous husband had a hard enough time getting his head around the fact I agreed to a colleague pitching a tent in the back yard. (Although I must say, if you're willing to host your daughter's 21st, I think you should be up for anything).  I think it’s shaping up to be one of our best yet.

Like my mom reiterated during one of our phone calls: it’s the one night of the year I like to celebrate and really get my party on (not her words exactly, but you get the gist I’m sure.) I’ve learned to be a mature adult for all other fun occasions like birthdays and Christmas; Besides, my older and much more mature friends love the opportunity to let their hair down at our annual BBQ as well. It’s not just me and Connor that love a dance around the fire pit.

Here are a few pictures from previous years (I noticed from looking back over my blog for pictures, that the words ‘get our party on’ resounds quite frequently):

July 2007 - we had Longbottom (aka Dawn M) with us that summer:

Last year, July 2010:

Giving the kids a little fun!

I'm not sure what direction this year's party will go in;  let's just hope everyone leaves their clothes on! 

Get me off this bumpy ride...

It seems that my emotions have been scattered in every direction this last week; they are all over the place which in itself is making me moody and I’m not really someone I like to be in the company of. The problem is, I can’t get away from myself. It’s a shame I can’t develop a drug that could achieve this. Wait a moment, that’s already been done; I’m just not willing to develop an addiction for Heroin. I’m sure most of the mood swings can be attributed to the fact that I had my period last week (yes I just said that, propriety is not high on my agenda at the moment) or perhaps because there has been an awful lot of unrest in the house due to various situations with the kids.


Either way, I’m up and down, and every which way mood wise and I have decided to share my various feelings with you and the reasons why I think I might be experiencing them. Tons of fun for you, I’m sure, but here I go just the same:

Melancholy: because the beautiful, listed Inn that Andy and I got married in burnt down on Saturday. Luckily no one was hurt, but it’s such an awful feeling and I know I’m not the only past bride/guest feeling this way. It’s a good thing I don’t believe in bad omens.

Despondent: Work is piling up and my get up and go is so gone. Because I’m feeling the way I have been, I seem to have no drive and lack the motivation to do anything. Not good at all, especially when I look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done and all my procrastinating is doing nothing to speed the process up.

Annoyed: because blogger won’t let me comment on any of your blogs that require word verification. Trying to be supportive is hard when you lose your ability to comment.

Enthralled: because of a program that has captivated me from the beginning, Game of Thrones. I can’t believe it’s not a movie or mini-series that hasn’t come to an end yet. Better yet, it’s a program that Andy and I both love, a rare event in itself. If you haven’t checked it out, I suggest you give it a go.

Aggrivated: My head seems to constantly hurt and I think this could be due in part to the excess of caffeine I have been ingesting. I know copious amounts of this drug are bad for me but at the minute I don’t seem to care. I’ve just always been proud of how I’m not addicted to caffeine and I don’t want this to change. I don’t know why I even started drinking the stuff after 37 years of avoidance.

Disappointed: this is because I haven’t been going to the gym nearly enough. When I don’t go to the gym I feel worse, both physically and emotionally. I reckon my headaches will improve when I get myself back to the gym. Which I plan on doing tonight, enough excuses already. If I’m going to continue eating the way I have been, I need to move a lot more or else I won’t fit into my jeans. And then I will be even more moody, something that really doesn’t need to happen.

Expectant: I’m thrilled my brother is coming next Friday morning and I think that he is going to be the tonic this family needs. I’m not going to let the stress that has been affecting us all this last month and a half put a negative spin on the trip my brother has spent the last two years saving up for. Next Friday morning can’t come soon enough.

Proud: because the youngest of our family, Connor is 15 today and I’m so impressed by how laid-back and downright amusing our young man is. I hope he has a brilliant day and that he continues to remain the ray of sunshine he has always been. 

It would seem the more ‘negative’ emotions are outnumbering the more light hearted feelings; I am putting a lot of stock in the fact that after I force myself back to the gym today I should start feeling more optimistic. I usually do after I’ve burned a few hundred calories.

I wanna go far away...

With everything that has been happening at home I don’t know who is spending more time thinking of a holiday somewhere hot and warm, Andy or me.

Myrtos Beach - Kefalonia

I was perusing cheap holidays yesterday on the internet when Andy emailed me wondering if I was interested in going back to Kefalonia in September.

We are so often on the same page with each other you would think we write with the same pen.

Of course I would love to head out to Kefalonia in September. It’s one of our favourite Greek Islands. We know the location, we love the accommodation and it’s very comfortable. I don’t even want to think about the food or I will be drooling all over my keyboard.

Garbis Villas - where we love to stay...

There is a part of me though, that wants to try somewhere new, maybe add another country to the checklist on my map. However I don’t know if this is the year to do that or not due to time, expense, etc. I like the fact that I don’t have to use up a huge chunk of my leave on travelling, even if it means I won’t get home again this year. It’s nice to have the time to just take a day here and there when required.

As I might have mentioned more than once, my brother is coming and that will be like a holiday in itself. We could definitely incorporate a mini trip in with him as I know he is thinking of heading to Ireland this summer before heading off to Europe. I love the thought of exploring the Irish countryside as we’ve only ever visited once, and that was only Dublin for a few days (not nearly long enough). Andy and I had also been toying with the idea of visiting our friends in Italy… Italy is expensive though and I’m not sure if we can fit it into our budget this year.

We have a decision to make though and it’s a tricky one because we’d decided when we agreed to buy a hot tub that we wouldn’t need a holiday this year; this was before the teenager that used to live with us turned our hair a lighter shade of grey.

We have already determined that we will take some time off to explore the UK with John, but I also think a little beach break might be in order. We are mentally exhausted and quite frankly want to get away. If we do go in September it gives us something to look forward to, if nothing else.

In all seriousness, I would board a plane tomorrow for a week if we could find the right deal.

What I am focusing on though, is that John will be with us in just over two weeks. It will awesome to have him here, for him to meet my friends, Molly and the rest of the family. To show him this beautiful country and know that because we live here he had the added incentive to plan his tour of Europe. It’s been a long time coming, but finally, my baby brother is coming to the UK. Oh yeah!