good supper!

Tonight we ate very well indeed.
I made a Beef Bourgogne - recipe found here.
I used my very own bouquet garni from our herb garden.


And we drank a very yummy wine.

sorting through

Sharpening the pencil crayons and sorting through colours - part of the summer organization plans.

the Tempest

We viewed the Tempest last night. It was another fabulous production. So far, we are two for two this year. There were some very strong performances and despite the rather inclement weather we enjoyed ourselves.

dying to one's self

IT IS KILLING ME!

a rainy day

My first day of vacation and it is raining. Actually pouring. I am not too terribly upset. We could use some hydrating. The only down side is we are heading off to Bard on the Beach tonight to see The Tempest. But, we lucked out last time; maybe the rain will stop by then.

I am off to the library later today.

We have ordered Band of Brothers to watch over the next couple of weeks.

Monday was tidy up day.
Kitchen tiles were scrubbed - nothing else got done. Oh. I went to Pilates. Need to start doing more aerobic activity.

introducing the beatles

The summer of 2008 shall be the summer my children embraced the Beatles. They knew of certain songs before -Octopus' Garden, Yellow Submarine....but have never really expressed an interest in delving any deeper. But, they have been watching "Across the Universe" for days now and the ipods are loaded up with complete albums and we have long discussions over which songs they like the best. They are incredulous at the volume of work the Beatles produced.

For some reason I am delighted by this.

the last day

My last day of work for two weeks. I thought this day would never come.

I came home from work yesterday and found good friends on my deck. It was their 16th anniversary of marriage. We ate steak and lobster and drank some good wine. They are very dear to us and I cannot imagine navigating the lives we live without them. Knowing that at the end of a particularly rough week we can sit down and debrief is salvation.

I have books to be picked up at the library.

I have received word that other good friends have arrived at their destination in Ontario and shall be setting up their new life.

Off I go.

flumoxed

Yes we are.
We are back having freedom and responsibility conversations AGAIN.
Consequences for behaviour.
I don't get my daughter these days.
Call and let us know when you will be late.
Do not give us cause to worry.
No reasonable explanation why you didn't call.
Grounded.
Takes dog for walk on pretense. Meets up with friends. Busted.
Now what?
Why don't we like her friends?
Nothing to do with your friends. Everything to do with you.
Lord have mercy.

making plans

The final countdown to my holidays. I am thinking about what I want to accomplish over the next two weeks.

*maybe go camping
*visit the Okanagan and pick up some new wines for the winter
*read
*extend the deck ( I will be in the supervisory role)
*visit with friends
*organize the children's rooms in preparation for entry into grade 8

I very much want to have time to relax - I don't want to be rushing here and there.

the tide turned

Sometime after lunch yesterday the tide turned.

I finished a project that had been started the previous Friday. It was exhausting and fraught with all kinds of near misses... frenzied emails and terse phone calls. But, it is done.

My goal over the next couple of working days is to clean off my desk of all things that have been lingering about.

I chopped off my hair. I have a chin length bob with a fair bit of layering to avoid the mushroom head... I may need more layers as I am very particular about not wanting a mushroom head.

Happy Friday to all.

debrief

Yesterday had to be one of the WORST days since I switched locations. But, the day finally ended and I came home to my good friends on my deck and we had a drink together. I think I had two!



They had sold their house and are moving closer. This is no small feat in this new housing market. It is a huge relief and now the fun starts. They need to find a new place to live.

My hair is driving me nuts. I had booked a hair appointment for today - it is my pilates day but I have to cut my hair. The question is just how short shall I go. I have had very short hair. I don't think I am willing to go that short. But, short enough so that I don't have to pull it back in a pony tail. So, that happens tonight at 6pm.

We have such a good turn of weather. I am hoping and praying that it holds for my holidays.

Crows - an old rhyme

One is for bad news,
Two is for mirth,
Three is a wedding

Four is a birth,
Five is for riches,
Six is a thief,
Seven is a journey,
Eight is for grief,
Nine is a secret,
Ten is for sorrow,
Eleven is for love,
Twelve is for joy tomorrow.

*****
there is a most lovely book illustrated by Heidi Holder - it is one of my favourites.

patio drinking

This is one of my favourite wines to drink in the heat of the summer. It comes from Hungary. My father is Hungarian. For some reason that delights me. We are fortunate to have a lovely deck. Our flowers are finally in bloom - thanks to the sunshine. The only "fly in the ointment" are the mosquitos. Seriously. These had to be created after the Fall. And they are big. And they land and it takes a good whack to displace them. I mowed the lawn Wednesday and I felt as though I was under siege. I make every effort to sit outside each night and enjoy our deck as I longed for those moments in the darkness of the winter but the mosquitos are a hassle. I am constantly shifting and waving my arms and lighting citronella candles...

But, in the grand scheme of things - life is good.

dream on

I am reading this fabulous book. A couple whose last child leaves for university - they by a winery and move to Oregon.

It is timely. I have found a beautiful house on 13 acres. Not overly priced for the amound of land the quality of house. It has been on sale for at least 3 weeks. That is how long ago I discovered it. Each week I check to see if it is still listed for sale. We could never buy it unless someone, somewhere unloads a whole lot of cash-ola into our lives... but part of the land is planted in blueberries... whilst I was in dream mode I thought I would plant some grape vines....how fantastic would that be. Pretty darn fantastic I think.

It is a lovely read. Inspiring and interesting. I love wine. I love learning about it and drinking it. The novel brings back memories of when I worked in at a winery whilst going to university. I was in charge of the tasting room and the nursery. I tended baby grape vines daily and served the public wine and talked to them about the process of wine making. It was a most wonderful time in my life.

post party

Yesterday we had a bunch of friends over after Liturgy, and the "Goad"s hockey practice. It was a lovely afternoon, the mosquitos were managed. Some people did not show up and extra's came. There was plenty of food to go around.

I spent time in the kitchen preparing food with the support of good friends. We had two wonderful desserts to offer. A beautiful cheese cake and a mexican chocolate cake.

No photos though. Why didn't we take photos?

Today brings -

*finish packing for camp (the son leaves tomorrow)
*the son and the papa are cleaning the boat
*pilates for me
*ballet camp for the daughter
*some reading in the garden

september 7th baby!

12th Night

We had the pleasure of attending Bard on the Beach last night. We left in the rain - the first time in 5 years of our attending these plays when the weather was a bit dodgy. But, by the time we lined up for our tickets the sun was shining. We thoroughly enjoyed the production and it pleased me to look over and see my children's faces alight with laughter. I hope they remember these evenings as fondly as I do.

saturday

I am off for three days. Yeah. Then I work for 14 more and then I am on holidays. Not that I am counting or anything like that.

Today should be a good day.

I am going to a garden party baby shower for a friend. (Currently it is pouring rain so that might indicate that the garden party will no longer be in the garden!) The party is held by a event planner so it should be well organized and quite lovely. I will get to hold a wee baby - and hand him back.

We are off to Bard on the Beach tonight - to see 12th Night.

Somewhere in between all that we need to do some housecleaning as we are having a BBQ after Liturgy tomorrow. I think we might need to make a run out to the liquour store.
What shall we eat?

I am trying to post a flickr badge on my blog - without much success - I have totally messed it up twice now. It is very frustrating to me that I can't seem to figure it out.

in love

I love my Pilates instructor. For the first time in a month I have woken up relatively pain free. You have no idea what a difference that makes to my overall ability to cope with the day to day challenges life throws my way.

Acute chronic pain is the absolute worst thing ever. I don't think there is anything worse. Maybe the panicked feeling of post traumatic stress - that is pretty bad too.

Anyway... I can feel myself come out the other side and there is hope. I am now going to Pilates 2x week. I am committed to becoming stronger and lighter as I head towards my 50's.

for the Q-ness

new month

It has been a very social weekend. Warm. Hot actually. Quite lovely save for the mosquitos which have been horrific. Sunday evening we were chased in off the deck because we could not eat in peace.

This morning I pulled out my spinach which has gone to seed already.



I have watered my flowers and garden. And replanted spinach and thinned out my radishes.







I have a book of short stories - I will delve into that. We are invited to the in-laws for dessert and celebrating the end of grade 7.

I think I hear my daughter being dropped off. She has dance camp at noon. We have heard the most exciting news. This year the school is sponsoring a trip to Russia for the senior girls. They will study ballet in a Russian school for 2 weeks. My daughter is too young this year but in two years she will be able to go - I will go as a chaperon - we shall start saving our pennies.