Headache Update.

Well, there isn't really one. 'Cos I haven't had a headache since staring my new eliminate-every-food-I-love diet.

The big issues for me have been avoiding caffeine, cheese, yogurt/sour cream, nuts, onions, and citrus. During week one, I cut back to one cup of coffee a day, and today is my first morning completely off the pot, so to speak. Plus no more diet crack, no more regular tea. The diet guru doesn't even want you to drink decaf products as they still have a little caffeine in them (apparently). So I've switched to ginger ale (Vernors) and rooibos tea.

No chocolate (other that white) is a little sacrifice, although truth be told, I'm not really a chocolate fiend. I have hidden a little box of Petit Lu white chocolate biscuits for when I have a craving (and to keep my children's hands off them.)

Cheese is killing me. I'm allowed cream cheese, ricotta, and other unripened cheese. But cheddar? Cambozola? Brie? Ix-nay. This IS really killing me. Particularly with a vegetarian in the household, cheese has become a staple protein here.

And no nuts. No peanut butter. No oranges. I've replaced onions with shallots which are acceptable (weirdly), but you need a heck of a lot of the little things to make the equivalent of a diced onion.

Okay. Enough whining. The fact of the matter is that I have been waking up every morning without the tiny headache that sometimes went away after I've had breakfast (read, coffee) and sometimes escalated into a migraine. My energy level seems much more even. I still have a little sinus tightness, but not nearly as bad as before.

So I will stick with this diet for a couple of months and then slowly add back in some of the eliminated foods to see what I can tolerate. And in the meantime, if I get a migraine, I know that I can count on my new wonder drug.

Is it Monday already?

Monday: (Leftover) middle eastern bean soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on herb bread.
Tuesday: Rotini with vegetarian meat sauce, salad, biscuits.
Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fried with broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, on rice.
Thursday: French toast (using frozen leftover baguette slices), ricotta cheese, maple syrup, veggie sausages, and fruit salad.
Friday: Antipasto pasta salad, homemade pizza.

Headache Update.

Well, there isn't really one. 'Cos I haven't had a headache since staring my new eliminate-every-food-I-love diet.

The big issues for me have been avoiding caffeine, cheese, yogurt/sour cream, nuts, onions, and citrus. During week one, I cut back to one cup of coffee a day, and today is my first morning completely off the pot, so to speak. Plus no more diet crack, no more regular tea. The diet guru doesn't even want you to drink decaf products as they still have a little caffeine in them (apparently). So I've switched to ginger ale (Vernors) and rooibos tea.

No chocolate (other that white) is a little sacrifice, although truth be told, I'm not really a chocolate fiend. I have hidden a little box of Petit Lu white chocolate biscuits for when I have a craving (and to keep my children's hands off them.)

Cheese is killing me. I'm allowed cream cheese, ricotta, and other unripened cheese. But cheddar? Cambozola? Brie? Ix-nay. This IS really killing me. Particularly with a vegetarian in the household, cheese has become a staple protein here.

And no nuts. No peanut butter. No oranges. I've replaced onions with shallots which are acceptable (weirdly), but you need a heck of a lot of the little things to make the equivalent of a diced onion.

Okay. Enough whining. The fact of the matter is that I have been waking up every morning without the tiny headache that sometimes went away after I've had breakfast (read, coffee) and sometimes escalated into a migraine. My energy level seems much more even. I still have a little sinus tightness, but not nearly as bad as before.

So I will stick with this diet for a couple of months and then slowly add back in some of the eliminated foods to see what I can tolerate. And in the meantime, if I get a migraine, I know that I can count on my new wonder drug.

Is it Monday already?

Monday: (Leftover) middle eastern bean soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on herb bread.
Tuesday: Rotini with vegetarian meat sauce, salad, biscuits.
Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fried with broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, on rice.
Thursday: French toast (using frozen leftover baguette slices), ricotta cheese, maple syrup, veggie sausages, and fruit salad.
Friday: Antipasto pasta salad, homemade pizza.

On the bright side, I've found a good (car) body shop...

I bashed my driver's side mirror while trying to park at the vet yesterday. I don't even want to explain how I did this but suffice it to say that it has to do with the ubiquitous narrow lanes between buildings here in Toronto.

I drive a fully-loaded 2001 Accord. Which I love. I have been hit a couple of times and have had body work done before, both times in the US. In neither event was I at fault. The first time, I was parked at Pier One in a suburban strip mall and a church secretary hit my right front light and surrounding parts. The second time, I was on the third and last day of our drive from Ottawa to Atlanta and I was rear-ended right outside of Charlotte NC as we (I and the driver behind me) approached an accident scene. I saw it. He didn't. Nobody was hurt but my laptop, which was sitting at the rear of my trunk, has never quite shut the same. I thought the car would be a write-off but it was repaired for just under $10,000.

This time, it was just me and a narrow lane. I found a CAA-approved body shop not too far from me so I dropped in for an estimate. The gentleman ("Rocco") who helped me was the original owner who has since passed the business on to his son, but still works there. The original quote to replace my power-and-defrosting mirror was about $450 but by calling around, he found a used one that will save me $120, even taking into account that they will have to paint it. Bless his heart.

It's amazing how much you (try to) use the driver's side mirror. I duct-taped it in place so that it wouldn't dangle in the breeze, but it points to the ground and has two big cracks so it's pretty much useless at the moment.

Part should arrive and be painted today and they'll install it while I wait tomorrow.

On the bright side, I've found a good (car) body shop...

I bashed my driver's side mirror while trying to park at the vet yesterday. I don't even want to explain how I did this but suffice it to say that it has to do with the ubiquitous narrow lanes between buildings here in Toronto.

I drive a fully-loaded 2001 Accord. Which I love. I have been hit a couple of times and have had body work done before, both times in the US. In neither event was I at fault. The first time, I was parked at Pier One in a suburban strip mall and a church secretary hit my right front light and surrounding parts. The second time, I was on the third and last day of our drive from Ottawa to Atlanta and I was rear-ended right outside of Charlotte NC as we (I and the driver behind me) approached an accident scene. I saw it. He didn't. Nobody was hurt but my laptop, which was sitting at the rear of my trunk, has never quite shut the same. I thought the car would be a write-off but it was repaired for just under $10,000.

This time, it was just me and a narrow lane. I found a CAA-approved body shop not too far from me so I dropped in for an estimate. The gentleman ("Rocco") who helped me was the original owner who has since passed the business on to his son, but still works there. The original quote to replace my power-and-defrosting mirror was about $450 but by calling around, he found a used one that will save me $120, even taking into account that they will have to paint it. Bless his heart.

It's amazing how much you (try to) use the driver's side mirror. I duct-taped it in place so that it wouldn't dangle in the breeze, but it points to the ground and has two big cracks so it's pretty much useless at the moment.

Part should arrive and be painted today and they'll install it while I wait tomorrow.

Menu Plan Monday

With my new headache prevention regime, I will have to pay more attention to ingredients and recipes going forward. Here's my plan for this week:

Monday: Poached salmon, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes
Tuesday: WW Pasta and sauce, steamed green beans
Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fry on rice
Thursday: Parent-teacher interviews over dinner hour - order in/dine out.
Friday: Chickpea curry on rice.

Menu Plan Monday

With my new headache prevention regime, I will have to pay more attention to ingredients and recipes going forward. Here's my plan for this week:

Monday: Poached salmon, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes
Tuesday: WW Pasta and sauce, steamed green beans
Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fry on rice
Thursday: Parent-teacher interviews over dinner hour - order in/dine out.
Friday: Chickpea curry on rice.

My new anti-headache regimen

Coincidentally with seeing my doctor and getting new headache meds, I picked up a book I'd put on hold at the library: Heal Your Headaches: The 1-2-3 Program, by David Buchholz, M.D.

After reading it pretty much cover to cover, I am convinced that I need to make some significant dietary changes to try to avoid migraine triggers. These include caffeine, chocolate, cheese and alcohol as well as a number of other things (full list here). Now, the four items I mention are things from which I derive an immense amount of pleasure, and while I have read suggestions in the past to give them up, this book really impressed upon me the role that dietary triggers play in migraine. I'm going to do a 2-3 month trial and then slowly add back in some of the foods. Unfortunately, I am probably going to have to give up caffeine for the long term, at least until after menopause when migraines tend to be greatly reduced in women.

MSG is also a trigger, and I will need to add it to my food label list of ingredients that nix foods (high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils are the other two).

I'm going to wean myself off coffee over the next week. I really only drink it in the morning, but I often down 2-3 mugs. I'll limit myself to one mug this week and stop any other caffeinated beverages, diet crack coke being a biggie for me. I'll probably need to find some tasty herbal tea for those times I crave a warm beverage. Cheese is going to be heartbreaking. Chocolate not so much. Alcohol? Well, vodka and white wine are low on the trigger list so these will be my back-ups. But no more red wine, champagne, or dark distilled spirits.

It may all be worth it....we'll see.

My new anti-headache regimen

Coincidentally with seeing my doctor and getting new headache meds, I picked up a book I'd put on hold at the library: Heal Your Headaches: The 1-2-3 Program, by David Buchholz, M.D.

After reading it pretty much cover to cover, I am convinced that I need to make some significant dietary changes to try to avoid migraine triggers. These include caffeine, chocolate, cheese and alcohol as well as a number of other things (full list here). Now, the four items I mention are things from which I derive an immense amount of pleasure, and while I have read suggestions in the past to give them up, this book really impressed upon me the role that dietary triggers play in migraine. I'm going to do a 2-3 month trial and then slowly add back in some of the foods. Unfortunately, I am probably going to have to give up caffeine for the long term, at least until after menopause when migraines tend to be greatly reduced in women.

MSG is also a trigger, and I will need to add it to my food label list of ingredients that nix foods (high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils are the other two).

I'm going to wean myself off coffee over the next week. I really only drink it in the morning, but I often down 2-3 mugs. I'll limit myself to one mug this week and stop any other caffeinated beverages, diet crack coke being a biggie for me. I'll probably need to find some tasty herbal tea for those times I crave a warm beverage. Cheese is going to be heartbreaking. Chocolate not so much. Alcohol? Well, vodka and white wine are low on the trigger list so these will be my back-ups. But no more red wine, champagne, or dark distilled spirits.

It may all be worth it....we'll see.

The future is flashing before my eyes

We drove down to visit the University of Waterloo yesterday, a top choice for Alex who hopes to study mathematics in a year and a half when he finishes high school. He'd been asking to start visiting universities and although perhaps it's a little early, the experience was well worthwhile.

We registered online for the regular 1:30 pm tour. We were a group of about 25 parents and students and were walked around the campus for two hours, visiting most faculties, the Student Life Centre, Physical Activities Centre, and a dorm. Our guide was an enthusiastic fourth year student who gave us a little history of the university and lots of good information about programs, admissions, and life at Waterloo. He was funny, sensible, and energetic....an excellent combination for leading around a group of people on what must have been one of the coldest, windiest days of the year.

After our tour ended, we were met by a student from St. Jerome's University which is a Catholic university federated with U Waterloo. They offer Arts and Math programs and students who register there are Waterloo students, have access to all Waterloo facilities and courses, and get a Waterloo degree, while enjoying the smaller community (inclusing residences) offered by St. Jerome's. Our tour guide was a second year Math student and she walked us through the SJU buildings and dorms.

After we were finished, we attended the 5:00 pm mass at STU, grabbed a quick dinner at a local Korean restaurant and were back in Toronto by 8:30 pm.

Alex was clearly taken by his experience and enjoyed seeing the campus. I think it kind of motivated him to work harder to ensure admission, and possibly an entrance scholarship. He spent much of the evening at home half-watching a hockey game and mostly reading the brochures we'd picked up and talking with me about university life.

I suddenly understood what so many moms before me have gone through: for me, yesterday's visit enables me to very clearly picture myself and Z dropping him off at his dorm in a year and a half, feeling kind of weepy, and then returning to a quiet house with only one man-child left at home.

I've joked a lot about how I'm looking forward to having the boys leave home, but it all seems too real now, and somehow not quite at attractive....

Sweet pain relief

I saw my doctor on Friday to get some bloodwork done for a medication I'm on, and decided to chat about my headaches while I was there. I've had them for years, all my adult life really. I'd tried a migraine med years ago (Imitrex) but got weird side effects (sort of a heart attack sensation in my chest) and so my then-doctor prescribed some pain pills and they'd been serving me well.

Then I started getting a weird skin-related side-effect from these little beauties, so annoying that every time I'd get a migraine, I'd weight the pros and cons of pain vs. big lesion on my face. My current doctor suggested that perhaps the fact that these pills were LONG out of date could be causing the side effects, and by the way, had I tried any other migraine meds? The Imitrex I'd tried 6 or 7 years ago was an early generation drug that caused that heart-attack feeling in about 30% of users and there were new, similar-acting but less intense meds that might work. He gave me samples of a couple of different types to try.

I took my first Maxalt RPD (rizatriptan wafer) today. Within 5 minutes, I could feel this relaxed sensation in my upper body and head. Within an hour, my headache was mostly gone and my facial pain was much lessened. By two hours, I was feeling completely back to normal, without the residual muscle pain that I typically have, even after a headache has disappeared. All this with one tiny, melt-in-your-mouth pill.

I have an overwhelming sense of relief. Almost weepiness. I realise that I have felt so controlled by these headaches that happened at least monthly. Now I wonder why I hadn't discussed this with anyone sooner.

The future is flashing before my eyes

We drove down to visit the University of Waterloo yesterday, a top choice for Alex who hopes to study mathematics in a year and a half when he finishes high school. He'd been asking to start visiting universities and although perhaps it's a little early, the experience was well worthwhile.

We registered online for the regular 1:30 pm tour. We were a group of about 25 parents and students and were walked around the campus for two hours, visiting most faculties, the Student Life Centre, Physical Activities Centre, and a dorm. Our guide was an enthusiastic fourth year student who gave us a little history of the university and lots of good information about programs, admissions, and life at Waterloo. He was funny, sensible, and energetic....an excellent combination for leading around a group of people on what must have been one of the coldest, windiest days of the year.

After our tour ended, we were met by a student from St. Jerome's University which is a Catholic university federated with U Waterloo. They offer Arts and Math programs and students who register there are Waterloo students, have access to all Waterloo facilities and courses, and get a Waterloo degree, while enjoying the smaller community (inclusing residences) offered by St. Jerome's. Our tour guide was a second year Math student and she walked us through the SJU buildings and dorms.

After we were finished, we attended the 5:00 pm mass at STU, grabbed a quick dinner at a local Korean restaurant and were back in Toronto by 8:30 pm.

Alex was clearly taken by his experience and enjoyed seeing the campus. I think it kind of motivated him to work harder to ensure admission, and possibly an entrance scholarship. He spent much of the evening at home half-watching a hockey game and mostly reading the brochures we'd picked up and talking with me about university life.

I suddenly understood what so many moms before me have gone through: for me, yesterday's visit enables me to very clearly picture myself and Z dropping him off at his dorm in a year and a half, feeling kind of weepy, and then returning to a quiet house with only one man-child left at home.

I've joked a lot about how I'm looking forward to having the boys leave home, but it all seems too real now, and somehow not quite at attractive....

Sweet pain relief

I saw my doctor on Friday to get some bloodwork done for a medication I'm on, and decided to chat about my headaches while I was there. I've had them for years, all my adult life really. I'd tried a migraine med years ago (Imitrex) but got weird side effects (sort of a heart attack sensation in my chest) and so my then-doctor prescribed some pain pills and they'd been serving me well.

Then I started getting a weird skin-related side-effect from these little beauties, so annoying that every time I'd get a migraine, I'd weight the pros and cons of pain vs. big lesion on my face. My current doctor suggested that perhaps the fact that these pills were LONG out of date could be causing the side effects, and by the way, had I tried any other migraine meds? The Imitrex I'd tried 6 or 7 years ago was an early generation drug that caused that heart-attack feeling in about 30% of users and there were new, similar-acting but less intense meds that might work. He gave me samples of a couple of different types to try.

I took my first Maxalt RPD (rizatriptan wafer) today. Within 5 minutes, I could feel this relaxed sensation in my upper body and head. Within an hour, my headache was mostly gone and my facial pain was much lessened. By two hours, I was feeling completely back to normal, without the residual muscle pain that I typically have, even after a headache has disappeared. All this with one tiny, melt-in-your-mouth pill.

I have an overwhelming sense of relief. Almost weepiness. I realise that I have felt so controlled by these headaches that happened at least monthly. Now I wonder why I hadn't discussed this with anyone sooner.

Menu Plan Monday

We have very full cupboards these days, stuff leftover from the holidays, and items purchased on a whim. So we're gonna try a week (or two) of pantry/freezer cooking with purchases limited to fruit, vegetables, and dairy.

Monday: Shrimp scampi, mashed potatoes (leftovers), vegetables, apple pie.
Tuesday: Lentil soup, herb bread, cheese.
Wednesday: Tuna macaroni casserole, peas, bread.
Thursday: Whole wheat penne with rose sauce, roasted root vegetables.
Friday: Vegetable egg rolls.

Menu Plan Monday

We have very full cupboards these days, stuff leftover from the holidays, and items purchased on a whim. So we're gonna try a week (or two) of pantry/freezer cooking with purchases limited to fruit, vegetables, and dairy.

Monday: Shrimp scampi, mashed potatoes (leftovers), vegetables, apple pie.
Tuesday: Lentil soup, herb bread, cheese.
Wednesday: Tuna macaroni casserole, peas, bread.
Thursday: Whole wheat penne with rose sauce, roasted root vegetables.
Friday: Vegetable egg rolls.

Dinner Party

Twenty years ago, Z was best man at the wedding of his mother's cousin Ghassan (Gus) and his wife Elaine.

For the first time in twenty years, we live in the same city as they do, so we were happy to be able to host them for an anniversary dinner chez nous last night.

Our four (between us) children are all pretty close in age and were happy to eat pizza, watch a movie, and make videos of our dog jumping over various barriers in the basement.

The four adults enjoyed a leisurely meal, including:

• Antipasto - country peppercorn pate, prosciutto, selection of olives, tapenade, cherry tomatoes, homemade french bread, and an Italian sparkling wine (Prosecco)
  
• Pork tenderloin in a sauce of mango chutney, white wine, and cream, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, accompanied by an Australian Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon (Wolf Bass).
  
• Red leaf lettuce salad with almonds, mandarin oranges, and shaved Parmesan
  
• Cheese plate
• Caramel Dacquoise from Dufflet

Gus and Elaine brought their wedding albums over and we enjoyed looking at our 20 years younger selves.

To twenty more!

Choir Report

The entrance hymn was When Jesus Comes to Be Baptised, which was sung to the tune I normally associate with On Jordan's Bank (Winchester New).

During the Offertory, we sang O Nata Lux de Lumine by Thomas Tallis and we managed to stay in pitch and on tempo, which we had great difficulty with during the warmup. For communion we sang R. Vaughn Williams' O Taste and See, another a capella piece with only a wee introduction on the organ.

The recessional was Baptized in Water, sung to a slightly modified "Fairest Lord Jesus". I had never heard any other words set to this tune, and changes to the rhythm in the last phrase made for some amount of confusion on my part. But it was lovely and liturgically appropriate, so what more can I ask?

Dinner Party

Twenty years ago, Z was best man at the wedding of his mother's cousin Ghassan (Gus) and his wife Elaine.

For the first time in twenty years, we live in the same city as they do, so we were happy to be able to host them for an anniversary dinner chez nous last night.

Our four (between us) children are all pretty close in age and were happy to eat pizza, watch a movie, and make videos of our dog jumping over various barriers in the basement.

The four adults enjoyed a leisurely meal, including:

• Antipasto - country peppercorn pate, prosciutto, selection of olives, tapenade, cherry tomatoes, homemade french bread, and an Italian sparkling wine (Prosecco)
  
• Pork tenderloin in a sauce of mango chutney, white wine, and cream, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, accompanied by an Australian Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon (Wolf Bass).
  
• Red leaf lettuce salad with almonds, mandarin oranges, and shaved Parmesan
  
• Cheese plate
• Caramel Dacquoise from Dufflet

Gus and Elaine brought their wedding albums over and we enjoyed looking at our 20 years younger selves.

To twenty more!

Choir Report

The entrance hymn was When Jesus Comes to Be Baptised, which was sung to the tune I normally associate with On Jordan's Bank (Winchester New).

During the Offertory, we sang O Nata Lux de Lumine by Thomas Tallis and we managed to stay in pitch and on tempo, which we had great difficulty with during the warmup. For communion we sang R. Vaughn Williams' O Taste and See, another a capella piece with only a wee introduction on the organ.

The recessional was Baptized in Water, sung to a slightly modified "Fairest Lord Jesus". I had never heard any other words set to this tune, and changes to the rhythm in the last phrase made for some amount of confusion on my part. But it was lovely and liturgically appropriate, so what more can I ask?

Welcome to Moe's (Part 2)

Alex and I went to Moe's at Yonge and Eglinton last night for dinner. I mentioned Moe's a couple of months ago as a favorite Atlanta fast food haunt, and now they're in TO!

Alexa posted that she'd been there a couple of nights ago and so it seemed an obvious choice for our Friday night order-in/eat-out routine, so off we went. As it turns out, she was at a whole diff'rent location out in the west end, so they must be moving in on the Canadian food scene (okay, Toronto at least).

I had my usual (Ruprict, or vegetarian nachos for the uninitiated) and Alex had Joey Bag of Donuts (honkin' big burrito). The tortilla chips were saltier than those in Atlanta, but otherwise the food was a clone. And that's a good thing. I probably had an order on average every two weeks over a four year period, so I feel that I can speak with some authority on the food. It was great.

Welcome to Moe's (Part 2)

Alex and I went to Moe's at Yonge and Eglinton last night for dinner. I mentioned Moe's a couple of months ago as a favorite Atlanta fast food haunt, and now they're in TO!

Alexa posted that she'd been there a couple of nights ago and so it seemed an obvious choice for our Friday night order-in/eat-out routine, so off we went. As it turns out, she was at a whole diff'rent location out in the west end, so they must be moving in on the Canadian food scene (okay, Toronto at least).

I had my usual (Ruprict, or vegetarian nachos for the uninitiated) and Alex had Joey Bag of Donuts (honkin' big burrito). The tortilla chips were saltier than those in Atlanta, but otherwise the food was a clone. And that's a good thing. I probably had an order on average every two weeks over a four year period, so I feel that I can speak with some authority on the food. It was great.

I want this office

DSCN2948
Originally uploaded by maryearly75

I am currently working on a small table in my living room. I am right next to a large bookcase. This could be MINE.

Seriously, I don't have a permanent work space. I just plop my laptop somewhere and there I am. But I think I could do this without making my living room look office-y.

Hmmm....

I want this office

DSCN2948
Originally uploaded by maryearly75

I am currently working on a small table in my living room. I am right next to a large bookcase. This could be MINE.

Seriously, I don't have a permanent work space. I just plop my laptop somewhere and there I am. But I think I could do this without making my living room look office-y.

Hmmm....

First Things on "Juno"

Great piece on the film Juno.

Going out for the team

The school snowboard team tryouts are today, and so I made the 6 a.m. drive to meet the bus in the school parking lot with Michael and his gear.

Short moment of panic on the way home when I could not recall any ski-socks having been packed, but a quick call to Michael confirmed that he was in fact wearing said socks, so he was okay. He did however forget his mp3 player so he will likely nap on the bus on the way to the resort.

He is the only grade seven student trying out, and he hasn't been boarding very long, so who knows what will happen. But kudos to him for being there. This is very much encouraged at the school...try out for anything in which you are remotely interested.

In the morning there will be a clinic with a pro, and then the time trials are in the afternoon. So it certainly won't be a wasted day (not to mention the "side benefit" of missing a day of school.) Not sure about the snow conditions with all the rain and mild weather, but at least it's a level playing field. They'll arrive back at the school around 4:30 this afternoon, likely very tired and rosy cheeked. Which is great.

First Things on "Juno"

Great piece on the film Juno.

Going out for the team

The school snowboard team tryouts are today, and so I made the 6 a.m. drive to meet the bus in the school parking lot with Michael and his gear.

Short moment of panic on the way home when I could not recall any ski-socks having been packed, but a quick call to Michael confirmed that he was in fact wearing said socks, so he was okay. He did however forget his mp3 player so he will likely nap on the bus on the way to the resort.

He is the only grade seven student trying out, and he hasn't been boarding very long, so who knows what will happen. But kudos to him for being there. This is very much encouraged at the school...try out for anything in which you are remotely interested.

In the morning there will be a clinic with a pro, and then the time trials are in the afternoon. So it certainly won't be a wasted day (not to mention the "side benefit" of missing a day of school.) Not sure about the snow conditions with all the rain and mild weather, but at least it's a level playing field. They'll arrive back at the school around 4:30 this afternoon, likely very tired and rosy cheeked. Which is great.

Found poetry

Alex's literature teacher asked each student to come up with an example of "found poetry". We were talking about this last night while the New Hampshire primaries were on television in the background.

During a lull in the conversation, we heard

across the state
the candidates are broken down
town by town

Assignment complete.

Found poetry

Alex's literature teacher asked each student to come up with an example of "found poetry". We were talking about this last night while the New Hampshire primaries were on television in the background.

During a lull in the conversation, we heard

across the state
the candidates are broken down
town by town

Assignment complete.

Heavenly Podcast

I had been having problems with my old iPod. The wheel was wonky and so I really hadn't been using it much for the past couple of months.

Over the holidays, through a twist of fate, I was blessed with an iPod touch, quite a fabulosity I must say, and my children are quite jealous.

Anyway, I'm catching up with all the podcasts I'd missed over the past weeks and want to once again recommend Two Edge Talk, a very interesting Catholic podcast (although definitely NOT just for Catholics) put together by Cyndi, a homeschooling mom and, Deacon Tim, a father of 6 and former director of Catholic Charities in his diocese. They always have an interesting discussion and I listened to three of their weekly shows this afternoon while running errands and cooking.

It's available at iTunes (free) as well as directly from their website.

Heavenly Podcast

I had been having problems with my old iPod. The wheel was wonky and so I really hadn't been using it much for the past couple of months.

Over the holidays, through a twist of fate, I was blessed with an iPod touch, quite a fabulosity I must say, and my children are quite jealous.

Anyway, I'm catching up with all the podcasts I'd missed over the past weeks and want to once again recommend Two Edge Talk, a very interesting Catholic podcast (although definitely NOT just for Catholics) put together by Cyndi, a homeschooling mom and, Deacon Tim, a father of 6 and former director of Catholic Charities in his diocese. They always have an interesting discussion and I listened to three of their weekly shows this afternoon while running errands and cooking.

It's available at iTunes (free) as well as directly from their website.

Knitting update.

The Irish hiking hat is finished except for the fleece lining that I need to sew in. It's a little lumpy over the crown and blocking hasn't seemed to help, but perhaps the lining will improve it.

I've finished the first of two fingerless gloves using a nifty pattern from Carol Naimath called "Fetching". I'm doing them in Filatura di Crosa's Zara extrafine merino wool which is fabulous to work with. Glove number two should be done in a couple of days.

Next up is a pair of socks in Austermann Step.

Back to school

Tomorrow, the boys head back to school and Z heads back to work after 2 weeks off.

To mark the end of a wonderful family vacation, we decided to see a movie and have dinner out. They boys had mentioned that they wanted to see Juno after watching Letterman interview Ellen Page so we headed out to the late matinee this afternoon.

What a wonderful piece of filmmaking. The casting was spot on, the dialogue was smart and well-delivered, and the overarching messages re Life, Best Friends, and Marriage led to some excellent dinner table discussion.

Page should get an Oscar nomination for this.

Knitting update.

The Irish hiking hat is finished except for the fleece lining that I need to sew in. It's a little lumpy over the crown and blocking hasn't seemed to help, but perhaps the lining will improve it.

I've finished the first of two fingerless gloves using a nifty pattern from Carol Naimath called "Fetching". I'm doing them in Filatura di Crosa's Zara extrafine merino wool which is fabulous to work with. Glove number two should be done in a couple of days.

Next up is a pair of socks in Austermann Step.

Back to school

Tomorrow, the boys head back to school and Z heads back to work after 2 weeks off.

To mark the end of a wonderful family vacation, we decided to see a movie and have dinner out. They boys had mentioned that they wanted to see Juno after watching Letterman interview Ellen Page so we headed out to the late matinee this afternoon.

What a wonderful piece of filmmaking. The casting was spot on, the dialogue was smart and well-delivered, and the overarching messages re Life, Best Friends, and Marriage led to some excellent dinner table discussion.

Page should get an Oscar nomination for this.

Family Game Night

For the past two nights, we've thrown the green velvet game cloth over the kitchen table and played a number of rounds of Scattergories. At 16 and 12, the boys can pretty much hold their own and it's been great fun. Z seems to be the master of bluffing though, and insists on pulling out his computer to see if there really is a beer called O'Brian's. (There is, but it's gluten free and the rest of us believe that he just MADE IT UP in searching for a beer that starts with the letter "O". This is where google is just annoying.)

Out of modesty, I won't mention exactly who won every game in every round....

Another depressing call centre chat

Our internet service has been bad for the past week. We've been getting download speeds of 67 Kb/s which is appalling for the level of service we buy. For a few days, the phone company website said that there were issues in the network affecting high speed service, so we just sucked it up and didn't call in.

When I checked today, there were no issues reported so I reluctantly started an online chat session with a highly scripted call center professional (HSSCP). After some introductory info exchange, he asks me to connect directly to my modem rather than through the router. As I'm pulling the cable, it occurs to me that this will terminate the chat session. Sho' nuff.

I start online chat session number two with new HSSCP. He apologizes for dropped session, says that he will help me, and then asks "Are you near to your computer?" Um. Yes. I am chatting with you ONLINE using my computer. Even though I had explained that this drop in service was new, that nothing in my setup had changed, we had to go through all the trouble-shooting that I had already done on my own. Then he has me ping yahoo and tell him the loss (0%). Then empty my temp files. Then he asks me to run MY OWN speed test (I use DSL Reports) and give him the results. Finally, he tells me it's a line issue and gives me a case number with a promise that it will be resolved in 48 hours. Which is all I wanted in the first place.

This is all reminiscent of last summer's interaction with an HSSCP. Our internet service had never worked after we moved in and after multiple calls, I finally got someone to escalate the issue. At the end of the call, the HSCCP reminded me that I could have used www.phonecompany.ca to get help. Yeah. If I had internet service, that would have been dandy.

48 hours to download heaven? We'll see.

Family Game Night

For the past two nights, we've thrown the green velvet game cloth over the kitchen table and played a number of rounds of Scattergories. At 16 and 12, the boys can pretty much hold their own and it's been great fun. Z seems to be the master of bluffing though, and insists on pulling out his computer to see if there really is a beer called O'Brian's. (There is, but it's gluten free and the rest of us believe that he just MADE IT UP in searching for a beer that starts with the letter "O". This is where google is just annoying.)

Out of modesty, I won't mention exactly who won every game in every round....

Another depressing call centre chat

Our internet service has been bad for the past week. We've been getting download speeds of 67 Kb/s which is appalling for the level of service we buy. For a few days, the phone company website said that there were issues in the network affecting high speed service, so we just sucked it up and didn't call in.

When I checked today, there were no issues reported so I reluctantly started an online chat session with a highly scripted call center professional (HSSCP). After some introductory info exchange, he asks me to connect directly to my modem rather than through the router. As I'm pulling the cable, it occurs to me that this will terminate the chat session. Sho' nuff.

I start online chat session number two with new HSSCP. He apologizes for dropped session, says that he will help me, and then asks "Are you near to your computer?" Um. Yes. I am chatting with you ONLINE using my computer. Even though I had explained that this drop in service was new, that nothing in my setup had changed, we had to go through all the trouble-shooting that I had already done on my own. Then he has me ping yahoo and tell him the loss (0%). Then empty my temp files. Then he asks me to run MY OWN speed test (I use DSL Reports) and give him the results. Finally, he tells me it's a line issue and gives me a case number with a promise that it will be resolved in 48 hours. Which is all I wanted in the first place.

This is all reminiscent of last summer's interaction with an HSSCP. Our internet service had never worked after we moved in and after multiple calls, I finally got someone to escalate the issue. At the end of the call, the HSCCP reminded me that I could have used www.phonecompany.ca to get help. Yeah. If I had internet service, that would have been dandy.

48 hours to download heaven? We'll see.

Vacation continues...

The boys were invited for a day of snowboarding with some extended family, so they headed off to Horseshoe Resort at 7:30 yesterday morning. Z and I did some work around the house, a little shopping, and then I folded laundry while we watched Mr Smith Goes to Washington that had been picked up by Tivo.

The boys were delayed returning because one of their cousins twisted her knee quite badly and they all headed to the hospital closest to the resort and spent a couple of hours there waiting for tests to be completed. They were exhausted when they finally got home, and crashed pretty much immediately.

I've started on a new knitting project, an Irish Hiking Hat. It will use up a leftover ball of Rowan Plaid yarn and is my first foray into cabling. It's lined with fleece which will mitigate the scratchiness of the yarn. I need to pick up some circular needles today to finish it off, and then I'd like to start a pair of socks.

Vacation continues...

The boys were invited for a day of snowboarding with some extended family, so they headed off to Horseshoe Resort at 7:30 yesterday morning. Z and I did some work around the house, a little shopping, and then I folded laundry while we watched Mr Smith Goes to Washington that had been picked up by Tivo.

The boys were delayed returning because one of their cousins twisted her knee quite badly and they all headed to the hospital closest to the resort and spent a couple of hours there waiting for tests to be completed. They were exhausted when they finally got home, and crashed pretty much immediately.

I've started on a new knitting project, an Irish Hiking Hat. It will use up a leftover ball of Rowan Plaid yarn and is my first foray into cabling. It's lined with fleece which will mitigate the scratchiness of the yarn. I need to pick up some circular needles today to finish it off, and then I'd like to start a pair of socks.

Williams Sonoma fest!

My mother gave me a very generous gift card for Williams Sonoma for Christmas and so today, Z and I headed to the mall to pick out some loot. My original intent was to replace all of our mismatched and stained kitchen towels and cloths. We had some extra left over, and this is what I got:

• 8 dish towels (3 lemon, 3 light green)
• 8 dish cloths (same colors)
• Silpat baking sheet liner
• Pan for baking French bread
• Two reusable wine sealers (cork replacements)

My new breadmaker (from my brother and his wife) is fabulous! I had tried without success to make whole wheat bread in my old breadmaker but it always turned out heavy and dry. The recipe that came with the new breadmaker involves vital wheat gluten as well as yeast, and boy did my first loaf rise! I will need to reduce the amount of yeast as it hit the window on the top of the machine.

With my new french bread pan, we'll prepare the dough in the machine and let it do its final rise on the pan before baking.

Knitted gifts

Now that gifts have all been opened, I can post pictures of the scarves that I worked away on in secret through the month of December.This was the one I did for Z. It's in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, a lovely soft wool/cashmere blend. He had requested a yellow scarf and I am really happy about how this turned out. I used a reversible rib, which is essentially K3-P1 repeated endlessly but staggered on either side.

The second scarf was for Alex. Same pattern, but using Rowan Plaid, a discontinued chunky wool. It's a little rough on the skin which is unfortunate for a scarf, but I'll try washing it gently to see if it softens up.

Williams Sonoma fest!

My mother gave me a very generous gift card for Williams Sonoma for Christmas and so today, Z and I headed to the mall to pick out some loot. My original intent was to replace all of our mismatched and stained kitchen towels and cloths. We had some extra left over, and this is what I got:

• 8 dish towels (3 lemon, 3 light green)
• 8 dish cloths (same colors)
• Silpat baking sheet liner
• Pan for baking French bread
• Two reusable wine sealers (cork replacements)

My new breadmaker (from my brother and his wife) is fabulous! I had tried without success to make whole wheat bread in my old breadmaker but it always turned out heavy and dry. The recipe that came with the new breadmaker involves vital wheat gluten as well as yeast, and boy did my first loaf rise! I will need to reduce the amount of yeast as it hit the window on the top of the machine.

With my new french bread pan, we'll prepare the dough in the machine and let it do its final rise on the pan before baking.

Knitted gifts

Now that gifts have all been opened, I can post pictures of the scarves that I worked away on in secret through the month of December.

This was the one I did for Z. It's in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, a lovely soft wool/cashmere blend. He had requested a yellow scarf and I am really happy about how this turned out. I used a reversible rib, which is essentially K3-P1 repeated endlessly but staggered on either side.

The second scarf was for Alex. Same pattern, but using Rowan Plaid, a discontinued chunky wool. It's a little rough on the skin which is unfortunate for a scarf, but I'll try washing it gently to see if it softens up.

New Year's Eve

We ushered in the New Year with extended family here in the city. One of Z's cousins Tony invited us to spend the evening with his family, along with another cousin and his family. The eight adults and four teenagers enjoyed pool, blackjack, Arabic music played expertly by Tony's son on a specially equipped keyboard/arranger, a big spread of middle eastern food, and lots of wine. We cracked a bottle of champagne at midnight, and headed home in the first snowfall of the new year around 1:30 am.

A fun and relaxing evening was had by all.

Urban parking

Living (once again) in an urban area, we deal with on-street parking issues. Our house, being on a corner, is blessed with space for 2+ vehicles. Most houses in this area have space for one car; city bylaws only permit one car to be parked in a driveway in front of a residence. Many lots share lanes to the rear of the houses that are too narrow to permit parking at the behind the house. Some houses have no off-street parking at all. So the city issues a limited number of on-street parking permits to residents.

Without a permit, street parking is time-restricted and, in the winter, overnight parking is not allowed, presumably for snow removal purposes.

We have been aware of a late-model vehicle parked across the street from us continuously for at least the past three weeks. It was there before the first major snowfall this winter and had not moved since. It was effectively blocked into it's spot with the snowbanks created by the snowplows .

A couple of nights ago, cars without permits all down our street were ticketed, including the plowed-in vehicle across from us. I had worries in the back of my mind that it belonged to a neighbour who was ill or worse, or perhaps it was a stolen vehicle that had been dumped there. It was a one of the auto makes that frequently appear on the "most stolen vehicles" lists. So we jotted down the plate number and I emailed our police division about it. I have never felt like such a busybody. I do NOT keep track of my neighbours comings and goings, but for whatever reason, this vehicle had been pressing on my psyche for some time.

Within four hours of my email, the vehicle had disappeared. We didn't notice a tow truck or individual come to drive it away, but the snow banks appeared undisturbed so it's not even clear how the car was removed, other than driven/towed down the sidewalk.

I guess we will never know why such a nice car had been left in the cold for so long. I don't even know for sure that it was the police that dealt with it. But why does it feel so weird to look out my kitchen window and NOT see it anymore?

Update: Got an email from Police Services this morning stating that the car is not listed as stolen and that they will look in to it. I replied stating that the car was now gone, and thanking them for their reply. Hmmm. Guess it was some cosmic coincidence that car owner retrieved his vehicle when he did.

New Year's Eve

We ushered in the New Year with extended family here in the city. One of Z's cousins Tony invited us to spend the evening with his family, along with another cousin and his family. The eight adults and four teenagers enjoyed pool, blackjack, Arabic music played expertly by Tony's son on a specially equipped keyboard/arranger, a big spread of middle eastern food, and lots of wine. We cracked a bottle of champagne at midnight, and headed home in the first snowfall of the new year around 1:30 am.

A fun and relaxing evening was had by all.

Urban parking

Living (once again) in an urban area, we deal with on-street parking issues. Our house, being on a corner, is blessed with space for 2+ vehicles. Most houses in this area have space for one car; city bylaws only permit one car to be parked in a driveway in front of a residence. Many lots share lanes to the rear of the houses that are too narrow to permit parking at the behind the house. Some houses have no off-street parking at all. So the city issues a limited number of on-street parking permits to residents.

Without a permit, street parking is time-restricted and, in the winter, overnight parking is not allowed, presumably for snow removal purposes.

We have been aware of a late-model vehicle parked across the street from us continuously for at least the past three weeks. It was there before the first major snowfall this winter and had not moved since. It was effectively blocked into it's spot with the snowbanks created by the snowplows .

A couple of nights ago, cars without permits all down our street were ticketed, including the plowed-in vehicle across from us. I had worries in the back of my mind that it belonged to a neighbour who was ill or worse, or perhaps it was a stolen vehicle that had been dumped there. It was a one of the auto makes that frequently appear on the "most stolen vehicles" lists. So we jotted down the plate number and I emailed our police division about it. I have never felt like such a busybody. I do NOT keep track of my neighbours comings and goings, but for whatever reason, this vehicle had been pressing on my psyche for some time.

Within four hours of my email, the vehicle had disappeared. We didn't notice a tow truck or individual come to drive it away, but the snow banks appeared undisturbed so it's not even clear how the car was removed, other than driven/towed down the sidewalk.

I guess we will never know why such a nice car had been left in the cold for so long. I don't even know for sure that it was the police that dealt with it. But why does it feel so weird to look out my kitchen window and NOT see it anymore?

Update: Got an email from Police Services this morning stating that the car is not listed as stolen and that they will look in to it. I replied stating that the car was now gone, and thanking them for their reply. Hmmm. Guess it was some cosmic coincidence that car owner retrieved his vehicle when he did.