All posts by sammee44

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About sammee44

I am a West Coast Reader and Writer who enjoys the big and little things in Life. My philosophy is--if you don't enjoy those precious moments and savour the joy, then how can you appreciate the little things that crosses your daily path?

Smash Magnet

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I’m convinced I’m a “Smash Magnet” and by golly, I would rather be a “Babe Magnet” or any other kind of magnet than what I’m destined to be.

When we bought the spanking new, blemish-free, silver Volvo station wagon  home, I was thrilled until I heard Hubby utter those ominous words, “This is our last car, Honey.  We’ll drive it until we can’t drive it anymore.” I think Hubby meant until we’re too old to drive.” I don’t think he meant when the car starts to look like a battle zone.

It really isn’t my fault that someone spitefully gouged one side of the car with their keys. Or, someone else ran their grocery cart into the Volvo’s rear end. Or that someone actually raced away when they backed into the Volvo, causing a caved-in rear corner. It’s almost as if the “Car Gods” were having a field day, chortling and jabbing each other in glee as I carefully drive away on my errands–in my repainted scrapes, carefully patched “wounds” on the Volvo. Even if I parked miles away from anyone else, the car will have new scratches and dents when I return. Honest to God—all those times were not my fault!

Two weeks ago, I made it home without a scratch until the concrete wall of the Condo’s underground parkade reached over and grabbed the Volvo. There was no one to blame except “Yours truly” and I was so angry you could fry doughnuts in my “sizzle.” How the heck did I ever do something so stupid?  The poor car really looked like it came from a fierce battle and lost, with its deep scratches and a huge dent along the length of the passenger side, that’s the right side. A phone call to the insurance adjuster and a visit to the body-shop followed. It didn’t help that the body-shop guy took one look and said, “Holy crap, that’s really bad!” and with a gleam of $$$ in his eyes, started tallying up the damages.

My “Loaner” was a Toyota Corolla that had just been returned by a person who had dented, scratched and mashed the front. With a straight face, the body-shop guy told me, “We didn’t fix it yet as it’s the only car we have left as a loaner.”  Huh! I knew it. My one-time  meeting with a concrete wall had me permanently labeled  as a “Smash Magnet.” If by any chance, someone runs into this Loaner car with their grocery cart or car keys, please note, this car already needs to be repaired and a few more bumps and scrapes won’t matter.

Meanwhile, I am beginning to become fond of this battle-weary Corolla—it reminds me of my beloved Volvo, still recovering in the car hospital.  Next time–yes there may be a next time—I’m picking out a truck, one of those big, solid testosterone  pickup monsters no one dares pick a fight with. . . .

DOUGHNUTS

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Doughnuts are Mankind’s perfect non-food. Non-food because dieticians call it empty calories. As you can probably tell, next to chocolate, the dark kind, I love doughnuts.

Americans have their Krispy Kremes, but Canadians have Tim Horton’s or “Timmy’s” as the locals call it. It’s the Canadian go-to store for doughnuts of all types. Timmy’s does make nourishing soups, healthy muffins, sandwiches and blender drinks, but I go for the doughnuts. There are the traditional round doughnuts with the hole in the middle that has about a thousand and one different kinds of toppings such as sprinkles, coconut, mini-smarties, a simple glaze and always, one with chocolate.

My favourite is a cruller, lightly drizzled with a glaze on a fluffy, airy doughnut blob that simply melts in your mouth. There is also the traditional Bismarck, the plump doughnut without the hole and filled with raspberry jelly–sometimes a lemon filling or blueberry or cherry jam. Most people know this as a jelly doughnut. There is also an apple fritter which is a little more solid with chopped apples and cinnamon studded throughout. And, then there’s  the deliciously decadent Long John’s, sometimes filled with a light custard filling or not–with a topcoat of dark chocolate along its length. Lately, I’ve been doing research on Long John’s at any place that makes fresh doughnuts on the premises. I discovered my closest supermarket, a Save-On, that is a mere 3-blocks walk from where I live–makes Long John’s early in the morning and if I time my morning walk right,  I can purchase warm, custard-free Long John’s with its topcoat of melted dark chocolate. I always buy 2 so I can share with my Hubby. Of course, he knows that I know that he doesn’t eat doughnuts, so I get to enjoy both. His loss, my gain, in more ways than one!  Safeway, another supermarket that use to be on the Save-On site, also had a big bakery and made doughnuts too. At that time, the Safeway baker also made “Orange Twisties,” a decadent piece of twisted doughnut drizzled with tiny bits of grated orange peel in a light orange-flavoured glaze–sweet, satisfying and so not-good for you! Safeway disappeared and so did their Orange Twisties.

At the annual Classic Car Show, the Rotary Club sells mini-doughnuts. I love these too as they roll off the conveyer belt and scooped into paper bags–still warm and lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar. Timmy’s has the larger version of Cinnamon-Sugar Old-Fashions” and if you’re really worried about the sugar, you can also get them plain.

Thinking about doughnuts does have its pitfalls. It’s late at night and your mouth and tummy is more than ready for a doughnut  and all you have are healthy wheat-thin crackers. . . . Bummer!

MEN AND CARS

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This is reposted from my previous Red Room blog to celebrate new first-time grannies, Annie, Trish and Shelby, who were all blessed with precious grandsons.

I’ve often been baffled by men and their cars. Don’t get me wrong. I adore any male who knows how to handle an ornery car. That takes talent and artistry and a confident craftsman to deal with automotive problems. I’ve seen calm, gentle men go into shock-mode when confronted with the family car—battered and scraped from the war-zone of a parking lot. Me? I just want my car to take me from Point A to Point B without any hassles. And yes, returned safely too, without any new scrapes from careless shopping carts.

I have seen baby boys grasp their teddy bears and their tiny cars. It’s hard to say if the tiny cars take precedence over “Teddy” but you can bet your accelerator that the cars play a large part in their genetics.

My stepson has always been attracted to cars. Ever since I knew him as a sixteen year old car junkie, he always had his head under the hood and his hands around the engine, dealing with some doohickey that didn’t sound right, while his girlfriend obligingly stepped on the gas pedal for him. When my grandson was barely old enough to cling to the coffee table, he had a tiny toy car in his hand, making that sound like an engine starting up as he circled around the table. I remember that because our table still has the grooves his tiny car made as he laughed and made car noises.

I am convinced that all boy babies have a genetic gene that is labeled “cars/trucks.” Little girls aren’t born with this gene even though they do learn about cars from their dads and/or brothers. But little boys are definitely born with the car/truck gene.

At Home Depot, I’ve seen those shopping carts with the toy cars attached to the front. While little girls sit like princesses, little boys, as young as 18-months, instinctively steer the wheel, push buttons and pull levers. See, it’s in their genetic make-up.

Two blocks from our condo, there’s a huge construction site on the corner. A little guy, not quite 2 years old, was totally mesmerized by the huge bull-dozer tearing up the corner lot and tossing huge shovelfuls of dirt into the back of a waiting dump-truck. He had such a gleeful expression on his face, simply seeing the action from across the street.  I’ve seen that same expression on a 4 year old who watched the fire-truck pull into the library parking lot. When the fireman noticed the little tyke’s fascination with the fire-truck, he asked the little guy if he would like to come and sit beside him. I have never seen a little face light up so joyfully.

Try this on any 3-months old baby boy. Hold a toy car in one hand and a soft stuffy in the other. Watch which one his eyes travel to first–90% of the time, he’ll reach for the toy car.  Congratulations!  You have probably activated  his car/truck gene and set the wheels in motion.  Darn it, how can you not love a dedicated male and his car?

A Lazy Saturday

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I love slow, easy-going Saturdays. It’s a rare day when someone in the family isn’t needed somewhere or has a chore or errand that has to be done now. Today was one of those rare, relaxing Saturdays to be lazily savoured to the fullest. We began with our favourite breakfast omelette of sautéed onions, sliced celery, parsley, sliced mushrooms and baby shrimps, served with crisp, chunky panfried potatoes and slices of fresh mango. A large pot of coffee plus the bulky weekend newspapers completed the lazy Saturday breakfast ritual.

The morning sun streamed through the glass patio doors and with blue skies, soft breezes beckoning, we decided to go for an early morning walk before it got too warm. Strolling down our quiet neighbourhood street, we met several dog owners with their mini-poos, terriers and one Norwegian Elkhound. It was like meeting the parents of your children’s best friends because we recognized Minka, Sophie, Sally, Willie and Dolly before we saw the owners!

As we walked up the next hill, we passed a family of deer–a mother and her two fawns–in the front garden of a house on the other side of the road. The fawns were nibbling at the roses which they liked and spitting out the bits of geranium, which they didn’t like. Mother deer went on full alert as we passed, but sensing nothing dangerous, she went back to nibbling the wild parsley. Two gray squirrels scampered across the road and dashed up the gnarly trunk of a nearby oak tree. The tail end of a fat raccoon disappeared under the cedar hedges that lined the road. Fitz, the marmalade cat, passed us to slip through an opening between the chain-linked fence and corner of thick cedar shrubs that guarded his backyard. We saw a few Monarch butterflies that had been absent but were now returning to a few neighbourhood gardens. Briefly we caught the flash of blue from the noisy blue-jay, who was surveying his kingdom from the branches of the birch tree. Overhead, the raucous honks of the wild geese, practiced their formations before migrating south.

It’s amazing what we see–I mean, really see, when we’re not in a hurry to be somewhere else. I love these lazy, leisurely Saturdays. . . .

. The fawns were

WILD AND FREE

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Nature is having a tough time surviving in this 21st century. With new developments claiming virgin forests, untamed wilderness and spectacular scenery, the wild life are being pushed out of their natural habitats and forced to forage in urban and rural areas for their survival.

Victoria is synonymous with gardens. No matter where you are or where you look as you roam the city, gardens and flowers are everywhere. Now, there are signs  for something new. By the scenic road that winds past the prestigious Victoria Golf Club, there are signs that warn motorists to watch out for Mama Duck and her numerous babies. Mama tends to lead her ducklings across the road at the worst moments and always, there is the rebel duckling with his/her own sense of where it wants to go. Lately there have been new signs popping up around the city. These signs show the silhouette of a Mother Deer and/or Rabbit with their off-springs. It is a warning to motorists that these wild-life frequently cross the road. It made me stop and ponder how the deer, raccoon, rabbits, squirrels and occasional cougar can survive in urban settings.

I use to work in an acute-care hospital outside the city limits and built on a piece of cleared wilderness. It is a strategic location for highway or industrial accidents happening north of Victoria. It is also a great dumping place for pet rabbits no longer considered cute after Easter came and went. The few existing wild rabbits were no doubt rapturous at meeting such an abundance of eligible bunnies. The rabbits did what rabbits do when meeting their soul-mates. It didn’t take long to notice hundreds and hundreds of cute bunnies hopping, nibbling and doing what rabbits do, literally covering the massive grounds above and tunneling beneath. It is a marvel of bunny engineering the hospital foundation didn’t sink due to all the hundreds of interconnecting tunnels proliferating underground!

There were occasional cougar sightings. These wild cats ventured down the highway, crossing city limits in their search for food. It seemed ironic they had missed the best feeding grounds enroute to the city. It may seem cruel that these plump furry bunnies could have been some cougar’s dinner, but this is Nature’s way of culling the rabbit population. Humans spent months on agonizing debates and discussions to decide how best to cull the rabbits. Volunteers raised the necessary funds and labour to humanely capture thousands of rabbits that were supposedly shipped to a “rabbit refuge” somewhere in Texas. A few “escapees” found their way to the University of Victoria’s undeveloped and wooded areas where they happily settled to do what rabbits do best–creating the same problem in a different location.

When Hubby and I moved to our house, we were amazed to see our first deer stroll casually past our front yard. Initially, it was a novelty to be so close to something wild as it ventured into our neighbours’ yards to nibble at the roses, azaleas and daisies. I’m talking about an established and developed urban neighbourhood, well within the city limits. In the past few years, the deer problem became very real and very serious.

Like the rabbits, there have been numerous committees, discussions and debates on finding a humane solution to the deer problem. For every person against shooting or trapping the deer, there is someone vehemently for. At the moment, the deer have been left alone. This is not as humane as it seems for these beautiful animals are literally starving from human kindness. If they had been left to survive in the wilderness, it would be by survival of the fittest. Left to survive in urban surroundings, there is not enough food to sustain these animals and their constantly expanding families. The deer are becoming aggressive and extremely territorial if any humans cross their path. They are merely protecting whatever “turf” they have managed to keep in their daily fight for survival.

A decade ago, the city belonged to humans. It was rare  to see any wild animals strolling through the neighbourhood. Today, deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and the occasional cougar are a common sight because people are driving them out of their natural habitat. It really makes you reconsider that dream-house with the spectacular view and the woodsy backyard. Which Nature’s  creatures was evicted from their wilderness home to give you yours?

Dark Chocolate Heaven

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I love chocolate.  If it’s Belgian chocolate, 70-72% dark, that’s really great. But if it happens to cover small pieces of dried mangoes or tart cherries with roasted almonds, that’s the absolute best!  Costco is my favourite place for sourcing out any Belgian dark chocolate fruit or biscuit. Their supply seems to change all the time.

The big jars of 70%  Belgian  Dark Chocolate Clusters of Tart Cherries with Roasted Almonds, were available for at least three trips to Costco, before these jars disappeared forever. It was replaced with 70% Belgian Dark Chocolate Dipped Slices of Dried Mangoes and believe me, there was nothing “dried” about the mangoes. The entire chocolate treat was tasty and the fruit was moist enough not to taste like dried shoe leather. But then again, how can anything dipped in dark Belgian chocolate taste awful?

The mangoes simply disappeared one day to be replaced with 70% Belgian Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with almond slices sprinkled generously throughout the thin chocolate slabs. These almond treats were packed as thin pieces inside a sturdy paper bag. Needless to say, these replacement treats were too deadly to ignore. This involved several trips on the highway to replenish the dark Belgian chocolate supply of almond bark, but on that last trip, there was also a 70% Belgian  Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Bark as well. It too was deliciously decadent.

I was at Costco yesterday and the almond bark, as well as the pumpkin seed bark, has disappeared to wherever the cherry almond clusters and the mango slices in dark chocolate retire to. In a prominent place on the aisle, there were bags and bags of—yep, you guessed it–70% Belgian Dark Chocolate Dipped Figs. Figs? Yes, figs. And let me tell you, I’m not especially fond of figs, but in my case, I think you can chocolate dip a lima bean and it would be great—as long as it’s dipped in Belgian 70% Dark Chocolate.  Um-mm, anyone heading to Costco. . . ?

PLASTIC REWARDS

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I just realized something—plastic is the 21st Century mode of monetary exchange and rewards. I have my credit cards from the major department stores, the debit card from my bank and my Visa card. I also have each of my vendors” “Reward” cards, of which I counted at least six.

Reward cards are rather annoying, but does have its positive side too. For my “Air-miles” card, it’s good because this is flashed each and every time I head to my favourite grocery store. I actually do accumulate points which eventually gets me a minimum of $10 off my grocery bill. Often, certain products in the store will give you 2, 5, or 10 extra points just for purchasing—and, of course, the store’s wily marketing expert makes sure it’s a product that needs to be tossed in the shopping cart. With the extra points collected, the total needed for the discount gets accumulated faster.

I  have a reward card for another grocery competitor. It, too, works in much the same way, but instead of actual money being deducted off your bill, “cashing” in some of your points will net you “free” merchandise such as breads, milk, eggs, butter, veggies, etc. including travel tickets. Since I don’t have teenagers to boost my food bill, it takes longer for my Hubby and I to build up enough points for any  travel tickets. A number of my friends, who have growing teenage grandkids, have had enough points accumulated for several airline trips.

I also have reward cards to two pharmacies. One is a national chain and it doesn’t take long to accumulate enough points to take $10 or $20 off your bill. It helps if you have to purchase your meds there. The other pharmacy is also a chain but with individual owners, so my reward card is for one location only. Needless to say, this pharmacy, plus the others in the chain, is much more than a drugstore. One has to traverse through half the store before you actually reach the serious pharmacy stuff. BUT, it is always an adventure to slowly traverse through the fun stuff like unique pieces of frivolous, costume jewelry, fun magnets, funny mugs, unusual decorative knick-knacks, colourful silk scarves and so much more to stop you in your tracks—definitely a distraction from the serious stuff.

I have a plastic rewards card from my Esso station. Points are accumulated each time I fill my gas tank and eventually sufficient points gets me a free tank of gas. That one took me a year to achieve. In the meantime, one can cash in the lesser points for free cups of caffeine, lottery tickets or snack foods.

I also have a reward card for my favourite stationery store. It gives a discount each time I purchase my paper, pens, ink cartridge for my printer and so much more.

Besides the plastic cards, I do have a cardboard reward card from one of my bakeries.. You have to purchase 20 large loaves of any of their breads and when the card is filled, you get one large loaf of your choice free. And, I do have a flower card that is punched each time you purchase a $20 bouquet. When this card is filled, you get back a free $20 bouquet.

In case you think I’m a push-over for reward cards, I did refuse a few reward cards that are entered into the computer, eliminating the need for you to carry the card with you. I figured these computerized cards will track your sale preferences, where you are and so much more. Those marketing Pooh-Bahs definitely know how to do their jobs!  However, even though my other reward cards probably do the same thing, it’s much more rewarding, don’t you think?

Color-Blind, Thoughts on Harper Lee’s Novel

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Annette Laine’s commentary on Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman” is a fascinating look at a beloved character, lawyer Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mo0ckingbird.”

annettealaine's avatarAutumn Leaves

First let me say that I had no second thoughts about reading Harper Lee’s previously unpublished first novel, Go Set a Watchman. I read To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time in high school. Mrs. Susan Peters did an outstanding job dissecting the novel’s theme and bringing out the finer points.

I’ve re-read Mockingbird many times as an adult, always recalling Mrs. Peters’ reminder of who narrates this story. That is an important point to remember when comparing Watchman to Mockingbird- both narrators are the same.

I want to recommend another book, The Mockingbird Next Door, (Marja Mills),  which gives an excellent background on Nell Harper Lee’s life, especially her time in New York and her eventual return to her hometown. Most Lee fans know she modeled Maycomb after her own hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. Lee’s sister Alice was partially the model for Atticus as was their father. Many…

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Oreo Thins

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It’s a catastrophe of monumental proportion—Oreo cookies are made thinner.  Thinner?  Yes, that is the horrific announcement in this morning’s paper. Horrific enough to make you grab your cup of caffeine, gulp it down and grab another.

Oreo cookies have always been my favourite to twist apart and eat the chocolate cookie first before eating the side with the white filling. The filling is probably not good for you but heck, that’s all part of the Oreo appeal..  According to the article, these new Oreos are thinner and meant for adults who don’t twist their cookies apart to eat the two halves separately. These adults probably don’t dunk their cookies either.

I have never seen anyone trying to make thinner carrots or broccoli or Brussel sprouts, although there have been plenty of miniature veggies out there.

What’s with this crazy obsession with calories and that F-word? Remember when we were kids? Oreo cookies and chocolate bars were much bigger back then. Come to think of it, everything was much bigger back then except for people. People were too busy building and working and raising their families to worry about being too fat or eating too many calories.  Oops, I said the F-word. Anyway, we were all much more active and any extra calories never lasted long as it was burned off very quickly.

So, what happened? I think we should boycott the idea of thinner Oreo cookies because as soon as it gets thinner, sure as God made little green apples, Oreos will be much smaller. And, don’t fall for that old ploy that smaller is better and there will be more Oreos in the package. I have yet to buy a bag of cookies that are filled to the top. I am definitely not buying smaller or thinner Oreos in a bag that is only 2/3 full.

Mr. Christie–I don’t want thin and I don’t want small. Just leave me my supply of regular-size Oreos ’cause I still love to twist and dunk!

Summer Heat Wave

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Heat does weird things to people. Let’s face it–all of a sudden, the temperature and climate is Summer and we literally have a heat wave. Since last October, we’ve been looking forward to warmer weather. Our conversation was always peppered wistfully with “Remember when the temperature hit the 80s and it felt so good?”  Of course, this was back in December when we ventured out in blustery freezing winds with icy raindrops and dressed in sixteen layers of clothing.

Now, here we are in July, wearing the thinnest of tees and shorts AND still feeling like we are overdressed!

Don’t get me wrong–I love Summer. Where else do we get fresh, local blueberries and cherries earlier than usual? We’ve been feasting on juicy nectarines and fuzzless peaches and plump juicy Rainier cherries and gorgeous mangoes. The mangoes are from Mexico but oh-so-good! Local blackberries, raspberries and yes, even more strawberries are all out there. I love our baby nugget potatoes and fresh baby carrots and all the varieties of local lettuce plucked off the farm trucks. Summer is the absolute best for eating healthy.

But now, I want a little less heat, a bit more of a breeze and a hunky Magic Chef to cook for me. Is that too much to ask?