A CUP OF HAPPY

 A dear friend of mine gave me this cup for Christmas:

Nothing like a good hot cup of coffee topped with frothy milk and sprinkled with cinnamon to make things right! Now, if only life were that simple. If I could just hand you all a cup filled with happiness. 

I've had a sharp learning curve this year, thanks to a Pandemic. 

This time last year seeing people wearing masks was absolutely foreign. Now it's the other way around and I can whip on a mask in no time. In fact, I'm working on a one-hand only technique!

I've learned how much I miss hugs, and the busy hum in the office that always went up a level at closing time on Fridays or before a holiday. 

I've learned the almost impossible trick to opening those plastic produce bags without licking my finger first! 

I've learned a lot of things I never even thought about.  We all have! 

But back to that cup of Happy. Along with a few new skills, we have all experienced a level of grieving, some of us very deeply. 

After this past year of reset, we are all ready for fresh hope and beginnings. Here's to 2021- I wish you a full cup of health, happiness and lots of Hugs. 

THE OLD GIRL'S STILL GOT IT!

 About a week go my hubby helped put together a new cupboard for my parents. Gushing with gratefulness my Mom wanted to pay him, which he refused. 

"Make me some of your shortbread and we will call it even!" was his request. So a couple of days later my Mom arrived with a dozen of her shortbread. 

"I hope they're OK...the old girl isn't what she used to be", said Mom as she handed them over. They were perfect - I have the recipe yet they never taste quite as good as hers. The Old girl's still got it!

With COVID and all, I was feeling a little pouty about baking, feeling what's the point and all. But my daughter encouraged me that now more than ever is a good time to bake and even try new recipes! Besides, I remembered: you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...

So, here come the pics. I was busy in the kitchen this weekend!

This creamy Gnocchi soup was a new recipe for me, but will probably be a staple for cold winter nights! Rich and warm and has comfort food written all over it!

Then I made Rumballs a traditional item on my list. Like a good wine they have a smooth finish that warms your tummy with that rummy aftershock!

Randi came over and we made Ginger Cookies and "Split Seconds". Split Seconds are a basic dough with jam and are so quick and easy and one of my son's favourites. Wish he was here to enjoy them..(be careful, I'm falling into the pouty zone again). 

But there is always FaceTime! 

Like my mother, I'm getting on. But this weekend I tried some new recipes along with old standbys. I'm happy with the results 

 - the Old Girl's still got it!

COMFORT IN THE CONSTANTS

I went to the mall a few days ago. I have not been in the mall for months, probably not since pre-Covid times! As you can imagine, things have changed. Everyone is masked and hand sanitizer is priority #1 before any shopping in any store. 

But, some things have stayed the same; some things are constant. And I find that comforting. 

The train set, the SAME train set is up and running. There is the little parade, and the dinosaur day care. Several trains are chugging along on different tracks, like nothing had changed from last year. And in that little world, encased in glass for easy viewing, nothing has. It still delights little and big humans; noses pressed to the glass, watching the trains go by. 

Today my daughter came over to bake cookies. This is another constant. We have been baking cookies together practically since she arrived on the scene and changed my world. We made chocolate covered wafers and decorated with crushed candy cane and sugar sprinkles and some with toffee bits. 

As you can see, she is expecting her second little one due in March! My third grandchild and another world changer! 

This is Randi back in 2016 baking shortbread

These were the cutest little cubes

We first tried these cookies back in 2016. They were so good and easy, we've made them yearly.

We all need some constants in our lives, things that are consistent and give us a sense of comfort in their familiarity. Especially in 2020! For me, Christmas baking with my children and now grand children is a great comfort. 

And knowing the trains are still chugging around the tracks at the Mall helps too!

 

ANYTHING GOES IN 2020

 So, clearly, this is not your average year. Like most of you, I just had my first COVID birthday. Now on a typical year, my birthday consists of a cold, dark gray November day, possibly snow on the ground and a fine dinner in a warm restaurant with friends and family. 

But there’s a pandemic at the moment so...anything goes!

We’ve had a record breaking run of warm and sunny weather. I figured I might as well take advantage of it and have a picnic! For my Birthday! Anything Goes!

I made arrangements with “The County Picnic”(find them on Facebook) to pick up my basket of goodies complete with a blanket and all the necessary accoutrements for a perfect picnic.  

Andrea will set you up right!

A gorgeous, sandwich with cheese and a spicy tomato sauce

And a basket full of cheeses, jams, hummus, bread, crackers, olives, pickles, apples and other goodies, all locally sourced from Prince Edward County

And instead of Birthday cake - Birthday donuts! Works for me!

We enjoyed our picnic with our good friends Tom and Jolie, who have journeyed life with us for about 30 years.

Coffee to go!

Tom and Jolie happen to live in a beautiful area of Prince Edward County. For picnics, location, Location, LOCATION is important!

Me, and the Old Man (but for the record, I’m the older one..)

I’ve never had a birthday like this in November and likely I never will again. But, there is a pandemic going on. It’s 2020. Anything Goes!

ALL THINGS OCTOBER

 It's been a weekend filled with All things October!

Like raking leaves.....Lots of leaves....

And since I was raking leaves might as well have a fire going

And since I had a fire going, I thought I would try my hand at roasting chestnuts! You have to score them first because your options are a gentle bursting or a possible chestnut explosion!

They come out, after about 20 minutes on the fire, to look like this:

And, since I was raking leaves, and roasting chestnuts on an open fire, might as well toast a few marshmallows (cause there was an open fire)! Even better, let's throw those toasted marshmallows into a chocolate chai!

Now we are talking All Things October: raking leaves, fire-roasted chestnuts  and a chocolate chai with toasted marshmallows! 

But wait, there's more...it just happens to be October 31 

aka Halloween! 

So, let's throw in a few adorable grandchildren in costumes:

Caleb as Donald Duck (the cutest ever)

And Soren getting his first real Trick or Treating experience as one of the Paw Patrols (the cutest ever).

Crunchy leaves, trick or treats, jack-o-lanterns, fires, chestnuts and chocolate chai - time to head inside and bake up a batch of gingerbread cookies.

All Things October!

GRATEFUL

 

If I were to ask you what "grateful" means, what would you say? It's a feeling, a deep sense of thankfulness; it's an emotional experience to feel grateful! In the world today, it's important to cultivate and identify things that produce the oil of gratefulness to help you with the rough patches. 

Sheldon and I are back (and presently quarantining) from a trip to Vancouver to meet our second grandson, Caleb, and spend time with our son Adrian and his wife Carolyn. 

Here's the new Little Prince!

He presently excels at smiling, general chit-chat and has mastered the "B" sound!

I'm so grateful to be able to meet and hold this little precious bundle. 

Adrian and Carolyn are working through all the joys, all the surprises and all the struggles of figuring out how to raise another human being.

I'm grateful for them and their deep love for Caleb. I know they will do an amazing job. 

Travelling is not something we are doing a lot of right now so it was a privilege to visit Vancouver and take in its beauty. 

Mighty towering trees

And mountains kissing the clouds

The gardens still hold flowers, long gone in Ontario. 

Even the statues are trying to capture a pic!

We did not have any sushi this time round but the coffee is amazing and there were always treats to go along with it.

Does this cinnamon bun look delicious? It was, believe me!

I'm back home now and got the greatest, wiggliest welcome from Lulu. 

I'm very grateful for the opportunity to travel to Vancouver. I'm also very grateful to be home. Life has its share of frustrations, pain and roadblocks, but searching out the many things I have to be grateful for makes my perspective balanced. 

DINNER FOR TWO

It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and really one of the most beautiful times of the year in this part of the earth. The air is crisp and the leaves take centre stage

It was a very quiet one for me! Thanks to the second wave and the plan to soon take a trip to Vancouver and meet our new grandson,  we are limiting our interactions. So no raucous family dinner this year!

But still, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went for a walk in the woods

How gorgeous is that!

We have much to be thankful for here even under the current circumstances.

This wagon load of carrots caught my eye

As did this decoration of flowers and corn stalks

And even though there were just two of us for dinner, I still wanted to make it special. 

Cornish hens with fresh herbs in a lemon garlic sauce

I accompanied these babies with potatoes, roasted squash, brussel sprouts and the last of the fresh corn to be had.

Dessert was my first attempt at a pear almond tart

Which was not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

Thanksgiving is a time to take stock of all the blessings we have. Like beauty and peace, good food in abundance, warmth, colour and love. Even in the middle of a pandemic, we can still find much to be grateful for.