Hello Everyone,
With a Halloween party being planned by my class (which for those teachers out there equals complete mayhem for the duration of the planning period)and parent-teacher conferences right around the corner, and report cards around the next, I was thinking that was as full as I wanted my plate to be. You see, every since University I've been trying to find ways of trimming from my plate rather than making everything more complicated and stressful than it needed to be.
For instance: At UVic, I was determined as a 1st year student that the only way to study, was to TYPE out notes from the textbook. So what I ended up with, was a binder full of notes, that were really an abridged version of the textbook.
So #1: Why spend $150 on something when you can breach the Copyright and type out your own? Plus a whole ink cartridge to replace the one I used up printing?
#2: How many great (potential) social hours did I spend typing those notes? I really thought sacrificing a weekend would make me attend classes. Nope didn't always work
#3: I think guilt from not attending classes made me type those notes.
So a few years later, I've trimmed trimmed trimmed. I can let dirty dishes stay in the sink for longer than a few days (although that's not what Stewart would agree to). I let my family and social life be a priority over work. I don't let annoying parents irritate me anymore. I TRY not to let really bad drivers (because of course I'm not one of those aggressive commuters--haha ha) get my goat. No one fingered salutes here folks. I now have cereal nights (much to Stewart's dismay) at least a few times a week. I go for regular runs and try to appreciate all the great family, friends and life I have. Especially, I've tried to accept myself for what I am -- a quirky, caring, stubborn, difficult person who lives passionately for what she believes in, and lastly, to make peace for mistakes I've made, people I've hurt and things I wish I'd done differently. Da-da-da-daaaaaaaaa!
But all this positive thinking brings me back to the point about a balanced plate. Now an unbalanced plate.... So, this morning one thing was added, not by me, but by the plumbing in our building. At 5:30 am our bathtub was gurgling like a happily fed newborn and pretty soon there was a deluge of water bubbling forth from our drain. Going the WRONG way. So, Stew stayed behind and bailed the water out with a pink bucket lent to us from Dawn (thanks again for that)for the remainder of the day, while the Property Manager and Building Manager and whoever else tried to figure out what to do (quite valiently might I add). Now, if anyone has a shower in the building or tries to sneak a quick wash-down, we have the remainders of that experience bubbling up into our tub. And so sleep tonight will be like watching a baby or taking care of a baby, except this kind you don't cuddle, you just down the watery soup down the toilet. I've really got to laugh... but the next story is also real, also fresh and wish I had a picture but... I'm sure you can imagine. Hugs,
Amanda
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
In Honour of Diane Milliken
Hello Everyone,
It is with profound sadness that I write this very delayed blog (6 months actually) on such a somber and serious note. Our family matriarch, Diane Milliken (previously Diane Swan) passed away suddenly this week. It has caught us all off guard, and I am in a state of shock, almost numbness, to what has happened. So, I wanted to write about Auntie Diane, as I always so affectionately referred to her as -- to honour a great woman who has shown countless numbers of people the true value of family, friendship, loyalty and service. Please feel free to post a comment and share your thoughts about Auntie Diane, or something about her life that will bring a smile to our faces.
When I was young, ADiane would spoil Alexis and I rotten. She'd let me have extra sugar in my cereal (when my Mom & Dad weren't looking), she'd send us special Valentine's packages, she'd bring us out to the Calgary zoo a thousand times, and every time she would act like it was her first. Sort of like seeing life through the eyes of a child. We'd also beg and beg to go to the "Pool with the Waterslides" (I actually don't know the real name) and ADiane would organize it and off we'd go. She'd pack a lunch and give my Mom a break from all those things a young mother deals with, whining children and sibling rivalry. These every day little things defined ADiane, because she did these things not only for me and for my family, but for family of friends and friends of family. Stewardship of life, I suppose, was her calling, and she doled it out to anyone she came into contact with. This wasn't without the reminders to e-mail, call and be in touch. She loved hearing from her family and, she expected us to! If we'd been wayward in communication, she would let us know... "Oh, haven't heard from you in a while! I'd love to hear your news." And now, I understand, it's because she loved us within every inch of her soul, she loved us with true compassion and dedication to keeping a family connected and in touch. As Janice Gibbs said the other day, "She was our Pipeline [of information]." Even if I hadn't talked to my family in the East or West, to Marilyn or Rudy, to Alice and Dwayne, to the Crazy Ladies (I never got to meet everyone, just a couple, but I feel like I knew them, somehow) to.... the list is endless. All of these people are going to miss her calls, e-mails (yes at 74 she was more computer literate than me!!!) and her Cards.
Everyone keeps saying they can't imagine a world without ADiane. She shepherded us through childhood and adulthood, and encouraged us even when she knew we were being crazy and out of control (ahhhhm I have quite the little temper and have been known to be rather opinionated). In particular, she took great pride in her home and her husband, Uncle Jim. And of this were her two daughters Julie and Janice. Her grandchildren, consequently, were a source of joy for both she and Jim, and those kids could have burped the wrong way when they were babies and laughter, smiles of amusement and pampering would have ensued. ADiane is almost a piece of olden days values, when time was slower and a woman's castle was her home. She worked tirelessly her whole life for others, and now, she is in a better place with her mother and father, Nanna and Gramps, and she is free to smile upon all of us and see EVERYTHING that we are doing without those e-mails and phone calls. But for us, we are weary from our loss and barely coping with not having her around to love us, pester us, encourage us and laugh with us. We can't see her, but she has built for us a beautiful thing, a family quilt of love and honour. In turn, we will honour her gifts to us by taking care of each other, and passing down her generosity of spirit and love for life to future generations. And not one family dinner will go by, I'm certain, without some mention of Auntie Diane.
May your soul rest in peace Auntie Diane, and until I see you again, all my love.
Love Amanda
xoxoxoxox
Monday, May 5, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Cooking for Over 100 is Reallllyyy.....
Hello! Happy New Year to all. And Happy New Year to all teachers and educators, as technically, our year is officially halfway through. That's what the end of January means when you are associated with a School Board. So a few new developments...
We had a great Christmas. I am now acting upon New Year Resolutions that actually began in September: walk, bike or jog to work whenever possible, complete with blinking LD lights, reflectors and anything else that draws attention to self-sustaining human transport on early, dark mornings in rainy Vancouver. My ourfit is the same everytime -- and, my umbrella in hand (when on foot) as I march onward like a parade of army ants. But I'm only an army of one. I like to assert my place on the sidewalk. But I won't go up against dogs -- nope -- Only one scary dog incident to report, and I now avoid that house like the plague and have deferred to the dog. I have gone the same route so many times that I now know if I am late/early by the other "regular" pedestrians I see on my way to work. That's pretty neat - human activity clocks. Who said you need a watch anyway? Said tongue in cheeks as I am from the White (ahhhhm) family -- sorry Dad.
So, the title of the entry. Were you wondering? Well, cooking for over 100 people (125 to be exact) is realllllllllyyyyyyy interesting & suprisingly non-stressful. With everything (ingredients) jumbo size, lots of helpers and industrial equipment, anything is possible. How do I know this, you wonder? Well, Stewart & I have been taking "en masse" cooking classes, learning about how to cook for large crowds. We have then been practicing and honing our skills once every couple weeks for Out of the Cold, a program that feeds some homeless folks. We provide a main dish with protein, a starch (rice, potatoe), salad, bread, and dessert. We have really been enjoying it and I've got to say that four people working together can do some amazing things in the kitchen! What I can't get over, is that I spend triple the amount of time prepping for a dinner party for 10, but yet we can feed 125 people and make it look like something you can do in your sleep. No disasters yet, but I'm lacking the serving skills. I tried to serve the Enchiladas once but I butchered the poor little guys by accident. I've also learned that when you are serving food to people you don't know, they are not polite enough to take the butchered ones your friends might say a reluctant "ok" to (He- he- he). The people who don't know you want the nice, untouched cheesy one in the corner and aren't afraid to demand it. Enchilada serving 101? Check.
We bought the groceries for dinner (125 people) from the Superstore, and this is the grocery list to the tune of our $400 budget, and many stares later, especially when we cleared out the chicken section:
- 18 packages of large chicken thighs
- 3 flats of condensed mushroom soup
- 2 5lb blocks of Mozza cheese
- 14 boxes of Stovetop Stuffing
- 10 kg bag of rice
- large block of butter
- 6 bags of ready to go salad
- 6 Red Peppers
- 6 red onions
- 6 large cans of cooked chickpeas
- 5 flats of yummy Nanaimo bars (28 per box)
- 3 giant tubs of chocolate ice-cream
From the list, you may gather that calerie counting has not been considered. We've been instructed that the heartier the meal for these folks, the better. So that's what we did. Thanks Mom for the Chicken recipe! It was a hit! And now, it's time for bed after cooking the afternoon away...
Amanda :)
We had a great Christmas. I am now acting upon New Year Resolutions that actually began in September: walk, bike or jog to work whenever possible, complete with blinking LD lights, reflectors and anything else that draws attention to self-sustaining human transport on early, dark mornings in rainy Vancouver. My ourfit is the same everytime -- and, my umbrella in hand (when on foot) as I march onward like a parade of army ants. But I'm only an army of one. I like to assert my place on the sidewalk. But I won't go up against dogs -- nope -- Only one scary dog incident to report, and I now avoid that house like the plague and have deferred to the dog. I have gone the same route so many times that I now know if I am late/early by the other "regular" pedestrians I see on my way to work. That's pretty neat - human activity clocks. Who said you need a watch anyway? Said tongue in cheeks as I am from the White (ahhhhm) family -- sorry Dad.
So, the title of the entry. Were you wondering? Well, cooking for over 100 people (125 to be exact) is realllllllllyyyyyyy interesting & suprisingly non-stressful. With everything (ingredients) jumbo size, lots of helpers and industrial equipment, anything is possible. How do I know this, you wonder? Well, Stewart & I have been taking "en masse" cooking classes, learning about how to cook for large crowds. We have then been practicing and honing our skills once every couple weeks for Out of the Cold, a program that feeds some homeless folks. We provide a main dish with protein, a starch (rice, potatoe), salad, bread, and dessert. We have really been enjoying it and I've got to say that four people working together can do some amazing things in the kitchen! What I can't get over, is that I spend triple the amount of time prepping for a dinner party for 10, but yet we can feed 125 people and make it look like something you can do in your sleep. No disasters yet, but I'm lacking the serving skills. I tried to serve the Enchiladas once but I butchered the poor little guys by accident. I've also learned that when you are serving food to people you don't know, they are not polite enough to take the butchered ones your friends might say a reluctant "ok" to (He- he- he). The people who don't know you want the nice, untouched cheesy one in the corner and aren't afraid to demand it. Enchilada serving 101? Check.
We bought the groceries for dinner (125 people) from the Superstore, and this is the grocery list to the tune of our $400 budget, and many stares later, especially when we cleared out the chicken section:
- 18 packages of large chicken thighs
- 3 flats of condensed mushroom soup
- 2 5lb blocks of Mozza cheese
- 14 boxes of Stovetop Stuffing
- 10 kg bag of rice
- large block of butter
- 6 bags of ready to go salad
- 6 Red Peppers
- 6 red onions
- 6 large cans of cooked chickpeas
- 5 flats of yummy Nanaimo bars (28 per box)
- 3 giant tubs of chocolate ice-cream
From the list, you may gather that calerie counting has not been considered. We've been instructed that the heartier the meal for these folks, the better. So that's what we did. Thanks Mom for the Chicken recipe! It was a hit! And now, it's time for bed after cooking the afternoon away...
Amanda :)
Monday, December 17, 2007
Something to Wonder, Laugh & Cry About
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Ho-ho-hooooooooo!! Happy Holidays!
Ok, I won't overdo it, but for me, Christmas is Christmas. For some, it's Winter Holidays. For others, X-Mas time. For others, Hanukkah. These are all good things. But for me, Christmas is a special time and though I am decorationally challenged (definitely NOT Martha)though the rest of my family Decks the Halls on November the 1st at 12:00 am, I love this time of year. Regardless of religion, regardless of background, this is a time to reflect, give, receive and look ahead to a new year. I'm not getting sucked in by all that marketing either. Nope, I'd rather eat goodies and have to suck my waist in instead, and spend the next two months feverishly walking/running/panting off those 5 pounds you're never supposed to gain over the holidays because-your-doctor-said-so. Sigh! So, to those of you who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! To those of you who don't, Merry Christmas anyway!
Sidenote: But saying Merry Christmas to people has almost become a thing to be done carefully (especially in schools) so you don't offend anyone, kind of like when you drop the line about how cute babies are to someone you think might be pregnant but you're not sure because they might be a little robust in nature and you don't want to ask outright if they're pregnant so you drop the hint... and wait for them to say "Oh, I'm 3 months pregnant." Or whatever. Sometimes being PC is sensitive, isn't it?
Have a good laugh by going to the following link (make sure you give the clip at least 2 minutes to run):
The male competitor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y4keqTV6w
The female competitor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iys86OcXPY8&feature=related
For you baby fans out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Rw_3ky-uo&feature=related
For those of you who are interested in becoming involved with supporting Vietnamese children who have special needs and who are living in poverty, this is a good website I found & it seems to be a very worthy cause:
http://www.hscv.org/
Love Amanda
Ok, I won't overdo it, but for me, Christmas is Christmas. For some, it's Winter Holidays. For others, X-Mas time. For others, Hanukkah. These are all good things. But for me, Christmas is a special time and though I am decorationally challenged (definitely NOT Martha)though the rest of my family Decks the Halls on November the 1st at 12:00 am, I love this time of year. Regardless of religion, regardless of background, this is a time to reflect, give, receive and look ahead to a new year. I'm not getting sucked in by all that marketing either. Nope, I'd rather eat goodies and have to suck my waist in instead, and spend the next two months feverishly walking/running/panting off those 5 pounds you're never supposed to gain over the holidays because-your-doctor-said-so. Sigh! So, to those of you who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! To those of you who don't, Merry Christmas anyway!
Sidenote: But saying Merry Christmas to people has almost become a thing to be done carefully (especially in schools) so you don't offend anyone, kind of like when you drop the line about how cute babies are to someone you think might be pregnant but you're not sure because they might be a little robust in nature and you don't want to ask outright if they're pregnant so you drop the hint... and wait for them to say "Oh, I'm 3 months pregnant." Or whatever. Sometimes being PC is sensitive, isn't it?
Have a good laugh by going to the following link (make sure you give the clip at least 2 minutes to run):
The male competitor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Y4keqTV6w
The female competitor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iys86OcXPY8&feature=related
For you baby fans out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Rw_3ky-uo&feature=related
For those of you who are interested in becoming involved with supporting Vietnamese children who have special needs and who are living in poverty, this is a good website I found & it seems to be a very worthy cause:
http://www.hscv.org/
Love Amanda
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The Onion Lady at the Superstore
Hello Everyone!
I suppose that a delayed post is better than none -- how life can get busy. But I can happily say it is not due solely to work that I am delayed in writing this post. It is due to being happy being outside, exercising, baking, going to/having parties and seeing family and friends and... you get the picture!! So, just a commentary about bagging those onions, at the Superstore folks.... BEWARE! My experience with the onion lady will never make me think the same way about bagging onions again!
We had just said goodbye to my sister, Alexis, as she went off on her adventure to the UK. It was bittersweet, happy to see my sister go off on her adventure, bike in box, cute clothes and computer in hand. Sad because we'll miss her lots and lots and lots. So the family had gone for a walk, and that was good. We dropped off at the Superstore to pick up a couple things for Butter Chicken and then......
Mom bought a bag of onions in the mesh bag. You know, and the little oniony bits go everywhere. And she had put the mesh bag in a plastic bag to prevent the oniony bits from going everywhere. At the checkout, the cashier huffed and puffed and almost blew her black conveyor belt away because she was trying to access the tag. My Mom, being the eternal polite saint, said to the hostile cashier, "Oh, Sorry!". And me, being the non-polite non-eternal saint said infront of the cashier, (**erroneously**) "Mom, you don't have to say sorry for putting your onions in a bag, because otherwise the oniony bigs go everywhere."
Well, this cashier would have leaped over and throttled me if she could have (I think this might have been her pet peeve -- people putting the mesh bag in the plastic bag) but instead she made it clear that her efficiency depended on people not bagging things unnecessarily. ????? ?This is a grocery store folks? Okay. But now to my back peddling.
I could see this lady was ready to pop out her eyeballs with irritation. So I explained that we apologize for way to many things in Canada. Back peddle back peddle. That we meant no harm by bagging the onions. Back peddle back peddle. That clearly she would understand about the oniony bits. Back back back peddle.
No, the cashier didn't understand my POV and she didn't understand my opinion on Canadians being too polite and apologizing for everything. Furthermore she appreciated my mother apologizing. Dig dig dig. The lady looked like she was ready to take out a Ninja sword and shuffle me right out the door.
So, on a scale of 1 to 10, that customer service experience ranked a minus 2, though the Ninja-like anti-bag-your-onions-in-another-plastic-bag lady certainly should be given 10 points for knowing how to put a customer in their place. On a scale of 1-10 for humour, this experience was definitely a 10 because the Onion Lady gave us a lot to laugh at. Oh, and I practiced my back peddling!! Yes, it was a good lesson for me, on how to stick your foot in your mouth and try to sidestep/hop your way out of it (unsuccessfully) with the remaining injured and hobbling foot.
Well, it's approaching Christmas, so before you bag those onions for your stuffing and all those delightful appies, remember, the Onion Lady might be watching....
Amanda
I suppose that a delayed post is better than none -- how life can get busy. But I can happily say it is not due solely to work that I am delayed in writing this post. It is due to being happy being outside, exercising, baking, going to/having parties and seeing family and friends and... you get the picture!! So, just a commentary about bagging those onions, at the Superstore folks.... BEWARE! My experience with the onion lady will never make me think the same way about bagging onions again!
We had just said goodbye to my sister, Alexis, as she went off on her adventure to the UK. It was bittersweet, happy to see my sister go off on her adventure, bike in box, cute clothes and computer in hand. Sad because we'll miss her lots and lots and lots. So the family had gone for a walk, and that was good. We dropped off at the Superstore to pick up a couple things for Butter Chicken and then......
Mom bought a bag of onions in the mesh bag. You know, and the little oniony bits go everywhere. And she had put the mesh bag in a plastic bag to prevent the oniony bits from going everywhere. At the checkout, the cashier huffed and puffed and almost blew her black conveyor belt away because she was trying to access the tag. My Mom, being the eternal polite saint, said to the hostile cashier, "Oh, Sorry!". And me, being the non-polite non-eternal saint said infront of the cashier, (**erroneously**) "Mom, you don't have to say sorry for putting your onions in a bag, because otherwise the oniony bigs go everywhere."
Well, this cashier would have leaped over and throttled me if she could have (I think this might have been her pet peeve -- people putting the mesh bag in the plastic bag) but instead she made it clear that her efficiency depended on people not bagging things unnecessarily. ????? ?This is a grocery store folks? Okay. But now to my back peddling.
I could see this lady was ready to pop out her eyeballs with irritation. So I explained that we apologize for way to many things in Canada. Back peddle back peddle. That we meant no harm by bagging the onions. Back peddle back peddle. That clearly she would understand about the oniony bits. Back back back peddle.
No, the cashier didn't understand my POV and she didn't understand my opinion on Canadians being too polite and apologizing for everything. Furthermore she appreciated my mother apologizing. Dig dig dig. The lady looked like she was ready to take out a Ninja sword and shuffle me right out the door.
So, on a scale of 1 to 10, that customer service experience ranked a minus 2, though the Ninja-like anti-bag-your-onions-in-another-plastic-bag lady certainly should be given 10 points for knowing how to put a customer in their place. On a scale of 1-10 for humour, this experience was definitely a 10 because the Onion Lady gave us a lot to laugh at. Oh, and I practiced my back peddling!! Yes, it was a good lesson for me, on how to stick your foot in your mouth and try to sidestep/hop your way out of it (unsuccessfully) with the remaining injured and hobbling foot.
Well, it's approaching Christmas, so before you bag those onions for your stuffing and all those delightful appies, remember, the Onion Lady might be watching....
Amanda
Monday, September 24, 2007
Martha Stewart Unplugged
The truth of it all is, I love to bake and am what people now refer to as "self taught." Trust me, if you saw the picture of the cake in my cookbook, and compare it to my final product, you would know the definition of "self taught". A whole lot of fun,planning,dreams about a fantastic centerpiece on my Mom's table to celebrate my Auntie Diane's visit -- vision vision vision. A great time on a Saturday morning, knowing someone will like a nice slice of yummy cake. Here's the reality: Oopsie #1: Forgot oil for cakemix. Oopsie #2: Always re-grease cake pan after pouring batter in/out in/out after oil mishap. Oopsie #3: When those cake people tell me to use a flat metal spatula, a flat metal flipper isn't synonymous with the metal spatula. Real vision: Mumbling under one's breath about why the recipe doesn't give more specifics to the depth of chocolate squiggles or the specific piping tips required for that depth, that chocolate chips cannot be substituted for melting wafers in the instances of making chocolate collars, that the circumference of the parchment paper has to be exact otherwise your bavarian topping spills out everywhere becuase there's nothing to hold it in (sin) OR you waste nice yummy Bernard Callebaut chocolate (an even greater sin). When I put the "still pliable" (according to recipe) collar around the cake, the pliability was taken to a whole new level as the collar became a cake topper. Yes, it's amazing what 12 bamboo skewers can do to hold up an overly pliable, semi-wet and sticky chocolate collar.
You know, Auntie Diane loved that cake. And together we named the cake, instead of "Rasberry Bavarian," the "Wholely Elliptoid Leaning Tower of Pisa" Cake. And seeing a family member enjoy an aesthetically displearurable culinary delight was worth every oopsie.
PS: School is great... I love my Grade 4's.
Love Amanda
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