My new regime

It seems to me that I've posted something along these lines before.  Possibly multiple times.  But my pants are all tight (not counting the ones that I just bought) and the scale is a lying b*tch.  Possibly not.  All this means reigning in my fleshly tendancies to gluttony and sloth.

I installed FitDay on my computer last night and will go back to keeping a Food and Activity log. There is a free online version at FitDay.com, but I bought the install-to-your-PC version (FitDay Desktop) a couple of years ago and still had the registration info, so was able to download it to my new computer last night for free.  

FitDay tells me that to get 23 pounds off, which would bring me into the not-overweight BMI range by Christmas, requires 2 pounds a week.  Not too strenuous.   Except that it means I need to keep to 1400 calories per day!  Aack!  That's crazy!  I believe the system lets you "buy" calories with exercise, so I'll be doing a lot of dog walking, lucky Wilson.  I have also been contemplating the Couch-to-5k running plan, but I need new sneaks and inserts as mine are flat as cardboard and it hurts my shins and arches to run.

It probably means I need to give up cream and maple syrup on my porridge.  And cream in my coffee.  I have been using light (5%) cream but FitDay has made it obvious that I will use up half my calories on just breakfast if I keep that up.  Fie.  I will retain cream for my coffee and just get used to porridge with skim milk.  Gag.

I am sitting here at 10:15 in the morning and I'm hungry.  My cheerios, skim milk, banana, and two cups of coffee cost me 300 calories and they only held me four hours into my day.  It's back to porridge tomorrow.

Dreary days

Z and Michael have colds.  Michael missed school yesterday, but is on the mend so returned this morning.  I don't think he's ever missed a day of school for sickness, so it was strange to have him here during the day.  Luckily, his copy of Brisingr arrived in the mail yesterday morning so he got a good start on that.

I can't remember the last time Z was really ill.  He stayed home yesterday, but did a full day's work, his usual grind of 10 hours of back-to-back conference calls.  He took two hours off in the afternoon and we watched Tivo'd episodes of Mad Men and Weeds, and then he returned to his basement lair for more calls.

Today, I was firm with him and said that he needed to take the day off.  He doesn't seem to be getting better and has taken more Tylenol in the past 48 hours than in the past 5 years. (He does not believe in taking meds....most of the time.)  He spent 15 minutes on the phone with his boss, and then has one hour-long call this morning, and then that's it.  Everything else is delegated/cancelled/postponed.  I think.

I will make some lentil soup for dinner tonight.  Soul food for my middle-eastern sweetie.

My new regime

It seems to me that I've posted something along these lines before.  Possibly multiple times.  But my pants are all tight (not counting the ones that I just bought) and the scale is a lying b*tch.  Possibly not.  All this means reigning in my fleshly tendancies to gluttony and sloth.

I installed FitDay on my computer last night and will go back to keeping a Food and Activity log. There is a free online version at FitDay.com, but I bought the install-to-your-PC version (FitDay Desktop) a couple of years ago and still had the registration info, so was able to download it to my new computer last night for free.  

FitDay tells me that to get 23 pounds off, which would bring me into the not-overweight BMI range by Christmas, requires 2 pounds a week.  Not too strenuous.   Except that it means I need to keep to 1400 calories per day!  Aack!  That's crazy!  I believe the system lets you "buy" calories with exercise, so I'll be doing a lot of dog walking, lucky Wilson.  I have also been contemplating the Couch-to-5k running plan, but I need new sneaks and inserts as mine are flat as cardboard and it hurts my shins and arches to run.

It probably means I need to give up cream and maple syrup on my porridge.  And cream in my coffee.  I have been using light (5%) cream but FitDay has made it obvious that I will use up half my calories on just breakfast if I keep that up.  Fie.  I will retain cream for my coffee and just get used to porridge with skim milk.  Gag.

I am sitting here at 10:15 in the morning and I'm hungry.  My cheerios, skim milk, banana, and two cups of coffee cost me 300 calories and they only held me four hours into my day.  It's back to porridge tomorrow.

Dreary days

Z and Michael have colds.  Michael missed school yesterday, but is on the mend so returned this morning.  I don't think he's ever missed a day of school for sickness, so it was strange to have him here during the day.  Luckily, his copy of Brisingr arrived in the mail yesterday morning so he got a good start on that.

I can't remember the last time Z was really ill.  He stayed home yesterday, but did a full day's work, his usual grind of 10 hours of back-to-back conference calls.  He took two hours off in the afternoon and we watched Tivo'd episodes of Mad Men and Weeds, and then he returned to his basement lair for more calls.

Today, I was firm with him and said that he needed to take the day off.  He doesn't seem to be getting better and has taken more Tylenol in the past 48 hours than in the past 5 years. (He does not believe in taking meds....most of the time.)  He spent 15 minutes on the phone with his boss, and then has one hour-long call this morning, and then that's it.  Everything else is delegated/cancelled/postponed.  I think.

I will make some lentil soup for dinner tonight.  Soul food for my middle-eastern sweetie.

I'm loving my new driver

Well, of course, you say.  He is your son.

But he can drive now.  In the past week, he has driven his brother to karate, picked his father up at the subway, driven himself to youth group, driven us all home from mass, and just generally been more independent and dare I say it:  helpful.

I know that this phase will wear off, but I like it so far!

Menu Plan Monday

Gotta get back in the saddle on this one.  We've been eating ad hoc meals for a while, or shopping right before dinner which is a pain.

• Monday (today):  Pasta with arrabbiata sauce, salad, honeydew melon.  (Sauce is from September issue of Chatelaine magazine.)
  
• Tuesday:  Stir-fried shrimp with veggies in szechuan sauce, rice, pear tart.
  
• Wednesday:  Lentil soup, grilled cheese sandwiches.
  
• Thurday:  Four cheese ravioli (from costco...yum-my!) with vodka sauce, salad.
  
• Friday:  Z and I out for dinner and Jersey Boys!  Lads on their own with visiting niece.  Will probably give them $$ for Subway or sushi.
  
• Saturday:  Hmmm...probably out at Markham Fair.  Candy apples?  Corn dogs? 
  

A Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday September 29, 2008...

Outside my window… it's grey and damp

I am thinking…about visitors and celebrations over the next couple of months.

I am thankful for… the opportunity to sing with a great parish choir

From the kitchen…I have just made a large batch of Arrabbiata sauce from beautiful Ontario tomatoes and my own fresh basil

I am wearing… black workout pants, light purple hoodie, running shoes

I am creating… more space in my house by decluttering

I am going… to the grocery store this afternoon to shop for the week

I am reading… Second Honeymoon by Joanna Trollope (how did I miss this one?)

I am hoping… that Z and Michael feel better soon

I am hearing… the kettle starting to boil for tea

Around the house… I have a lot of things to put away: laundry, gifts, recycling

One of my favorite things… is having my sweetie working from home (although NOT that he's sick)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: our niece arriving for a visit on Friday, tix to Jersey Boys, Nuit Blanche on Saturday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

In honour of St. Michael the Archangel on his feast day, a painting by artist and writer Michael O'Brien

See more Simple Women's Daybooks for today.

I'm loving my new driver

Well, of course, you say.  He is your son.

But he can drive now.  In the past week, he has driven his brother to karate, picked his father up at the subway, driven himself to youth group, driven us all home from mass, and just generally been more independent and dare I say it:  helpful.

I know that this phase will wear off, but I like it so far!

Menu Plan Monday

Gotta get back in the saddle on this one.  We've been eating ad hoc meals for a while, or shopping right before dinner which is a pain.

• Monday (today):  Pasta with arrabbiata sauce, salad, honeydew melon.  (Sauce is from September issue of Chatelaine magazine.)
  
• Tuesday:  Stir-fried shrimp with veggies in szechuan sauce, rice, pear tart.
  
• Wednesday:  Lentil soup, grilled cheese sandwiches.
  
• Thurday:  Four cheese ravioli (from costco...yum-my!) with vodka sauce, salad.
  
• Friday:  Z and I out for dinner and Jersey Boys!  Lads on their own with visiting niece.  Will probably give them $$ for Subway or sushi.
  
• Saturday:  Hmmm...probably out at Markham Fair.  Candy apples?  Corn dogs? 
  

A Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday September 29, 2008...

Outside my window

… it's grey and damp

I am thinking

…about visitors and celebrations over the next couple of months.

I am thankful for

… the opportunity to sing with a great parish choir

From the kitchen

…I have just made a large batch of Arrabbiata sauce from beautiful Ontario tomatoes and my own fresh basil

I am wearing

… black workout pants, light purple hoodie, running shoes

I am creating

… more space in my house by decluttering

I am going

… to the grocery store this afternoon to shop for the week

I am reading

… Second Honeymoon by Joanna Trollope (how did I miss this one?)

I am hoping

… that Z and Michael feel better soon

I am hearing

… the kettle starting to boil for tea

Around the house

… I have a lot of things to put away: laundry, gifts, recycling

One of my favorite things

… is having my sweetie working from home (although NOT that he's sick)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week

: our niece arriving for a visit on Friday, tix to Jersey Boys, Nuit Blanche on Saturday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing

...

In honour of St. Michael the Archangel on his feast day, a painting by artist and writer Michael O'Brien

See more Simple Women's Daybooks for today.

Choir report

Turnout for choir was pretty light today, so we did some unison stuff.  During the Offering, we sang  Peace Prayer (John Foley, SJ) in unison.  It's in one of the hymnals in the pews so the congregation was invited to join us.  During Communion, we sang The Call.  Both the music (R. Vaughn Williams) and text (by George Herbert) are gorgeous.   Here's an mp3 of a soloist singing this piece.

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

The processional hymn was Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (tune: Hyfrydol).  I noticed a funny wording change that I think doesn't work.  Orginally (at least as I have always sung it), the third line of the first verse goes "Fix in us thy humble dwelling."  In our current hymnal (Catholic Book of Worship III), the line reads "Fix us in thy humble dwelling."   Is it just me, or does that not change the meaning of Wesley's beautiful words?

The recessional was O Praise the Lord, Sing Unto God, sung to Ellacombe.

Choir report

Turnout for choir was pretty light today, so we did some unison stuff.  During the Offering, we sang  Peace Prayer (John Foley, SJ) in unison.  It's in one of the hymnals in the pews so the congregation was invited to join us.  During Communion, we sang The Call.  Both the music (R. Vaughn Williams) and text (by George Herbert) are gorgeous.   Here's an mp3 of a soloist singing this piece.

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

The processional hymn was Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (tune: Hyfrydol).  I noticed a funny wording change that I think doesn't work.  Orginally (at least as I have always sung it), the third line of the first verse goes "Fix in us thy humble dwelling."  In our current hymnal (Catholic Book of Worship III), the line reads "Fix us in thy humble dwelling."   Is it just me, or does that not change the meaning of Wesley's beautiful words?

The recessional was O Praise the Lord, Sing Unto God, sung to Ellacombe.

A new driver in the family

Alex got his G2 license yesterday, which is a somewhat restricted driving permit*, but allows him to take the car out on his own.  He took driver's ed over the summer, and practiced with his father and I.  Yesterday, I picked him up from a subway station after school and drove him to the DriveTest centre where I waited anxiously while he did his test.

We let him quit his partime job at the end of the summer to focus on this last year of high school, so he will need to earn his driving-keep by running errands (for example, taking his brother to karate.)   His insurance is an additional $1000 per year on our policy.  I shudder to think what it would be if he had his own car.   But I'm proud of him for passing the first time, and it's slowly sinking in that, in a year, he will likely not even be living at home anymore.

* Restrictions:

• Zero blood alcohol and working seatbelts for all passengers
• The number of young passengers that teen G2 drivers can carry is limited from midnight to 5 a.m.  For the first six months, G2 drivers 19 or under can carry only one passenger aged 19 or under.  After the first six months, and until the G2 driver earns a full G licence or turns 20, they can carry only three passengers aged 19 or under.

Plum Torte

There have been gorgeous blue Ontario plums in the grocery stores for a few weeks now, and last night I made this easy plum torte for the second time this season.  The recipe came from the Atlanta Journal Constitution (September 2004), and I remember thinking the first time that I made it that is was an almost magical dish, turning even slighly underripe or overripe plums into a wonderful dessert.

Try it out!

Plum Torte

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

pinch salt

12 Italian prune plums, halved and pitted

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp granulated sugar

• Cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar.  Add flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt, and beat to mix well.  Spoon batter into a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.
  
• Cover top with plum halves, skin side down.
  
• Mix cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar together and sprinkle over top of torte.
  
• Bake 40-50 minutes in 350 degree oven until a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.
  
• Serve at room temperature.  Heat if desired.
  

A new driver in the family

Alex got his G2 license yesterday, which is a somewhat restricted driving permit*, but allows him to take the car out on his own.  He took driver's ed over the summer, and practiced with his father and I.  Yesterday, I picked him up from a subway station after school and drove him to the DriveTest centre where I waited anxiously while he did his test.

We let him quit his partime job at the end of the summer to focus on this last year of high school, so he will need to earn his driving-keep by running errands (for example, taking his brother to karate.)   His insurance is an additional $1000 per year on our policy.  I shudder to think what it would be if he had his own car.   But I'm proud of him for passing the first time, and it's slowly sinking in that, in a year, he will likely not even be living at home anymore.

* Restrictions:

• Zero blood alcohol and working seatbelts for all passengers
• The number of young passengers that teen G2 drivers can carry is limited from midnight to 5 a.m.  For the first six months, G2 drivers 19 or under can carry only one passenger aged 19 or under.  After the first six months, and until the G2 driver earns a full G licence or turns 20, they can carry only three passengers aged 19 or under.

Plum Torte

There have been gorgeous blue Ontario plums in the grocery stores for a few weeks now, and last night I made this easy plum torte for the second time this season.  The recipe came from the Atlanta Journal Constitution (September 2004), and I remember thinking the first time that I made it that is was an almost magical dish, turning even slighly underripe or overripe plums into a wonderful dessert.

Try it out!

Plum Torte

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

pinch salt

12 Italian prune plums, halved and pitted

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp granulated sugar

• Cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar.  Add flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt, and beat to mix well.  Spoon batter into a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.
  
• Cover top with plum halves, skin side down.
  
• Mix cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar together and sprinkle over top of torte.
  
• Bake 40-50 minutes in 350 degree oven until a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.
  
• Serve at room temperature.  Heat if desired.
  

Back in the (choral) saddle

It was great to sing at mass yesterday, the first Sunday back for the choir.

It was an easy sing, as we had our first rehearsal in the hour and a half before mass, so we reprised a couple of pieces from last season. During the offertory, we did Sing My Soul by Ned Rorem, and then Rutter's Gaelic Blessing during Communion.

The entrance hymn was to be Hymn to Joy but the traditional words were on  a different page from the harmony in the choir hymnals, so we ended up singing the words that begin "God the Spirit, Guide and Guardian" which seems to be an exhortation to priests and leaders.  It just wasn't the same.  The closing hymn was All My Hope on God is Founded (CBW III, 479) with which I was not familiar.

Mass setting was Marty Haugen's Mass of Creation which has apparently been used at this mass all summer.  Not my favorite.

It was truly great to be singing in a group again.  We started rehearsing some music for upcoming masses, including a gorgeous five-part Tudor setting of The Lord's Prayer by John Sheppard and a choral setting of J.S. Bach's Sheep May Safely  Graze.

Back in the (choral) saddle

It was great to sing at mass yesterday, the first Sunday back for the choir.

It was an easy sing, as we had our first rehearsal in the hour and a half before mass, so we reprised a couple of pieces from last season. During the offertory, we did Sing My Soul by Ned Rorem, and then Rutter's Gaelic Blessing during Communion.

The entrance hymn was to be Hymn to Joy but the traditional words were on  a different page from the harmony in the choir hymnals, so we ended up singing the words that begin "God the Spirit, Guide and Guardian" which seems to be an exhortation to priests and leaders.  It just wasn't the same.  The closing hymn was All My Hope on God is Founded (CBW III, 479) with which I was not familiar.

Mass setting was Marty Haugen's Mass of Creation which has apparently been used at this mass all summer.  Not my favorite.

It was truly great to be singing in a group again.  We started rehearsing some music for upcoming masses, including a gorgeous five-part Tudor setting of The Lord's Prayer by John Sheppard and a choral setting of J.S. Bach's Sheep May Safely  Graze.

Shaw Festival Redux

I just got back from three days at the Shaw Festival.  Z and I spent some time there in early August, and I decided to take my mom there this fall.  She had been a regular Festival-goer for years, but hadn't been there for a while.

She took the train in from Ottawa, so I picked her up at Union Station on Tuesday shortly after noon, and we drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake.  We checked in to the lovely Harbour House, where Z and I had stayed, and had an hour or so to relax before our dinner reservation and first play.

We ate at Zee's Patio and Grill.  It was fine, but not as good as my previous dine dining forays in NOTL.  The crab cakes were thick with breading and rather bland.  The organic beef tenderloin was a little tough.  But we had a nice chat and a glass of good wine, and headed off to see Getting Married.

This play was a fun dissertation on married life, although I was very sleepy and possibly missed a few bits.  It had been a long day of travel, topped with a big meal.  The theatre was absolutely freezing which was probably a blessing and kept me awake.

Wednesday afternoon we saw Belle Moral by the uber-talented Ann-Marie MacDonald.  This was my favorite of the four plays we attended, a clever and stunning comment on the contrasts and contradictions of the Shavian era.  The text was fast and smart, and I managed to pick up a copy of the play at the Shaw Shop as I want to read it and pick up the stuff that I missed.  Unfortuately, it was a bit fast for Mom who, even with her hearing aids and excellent seats, had trouble catching a lot of the dialog.

We had a quick rest before dinner at The Charles Inn, a favorite of my previous visit to NOTL.  My only quibble with the meal was that my veal was undercooked.  I haven't ordered veal for probably 20 years, for ethical reasons, but I was seduced by their offering of Veal Oscar.

Canadian Veal Tenderloin Topped with Pieces of Nova Scotia Lobster and Herbed Hollandaise. Accompanied by Potato Purée, Jumbo Green Asparagus, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Baby Spinach. Finished with a Cabernet Red Wine Jus. 

After dinner we saw An Inspector Calls, the well-known play by J.B. Priestley.  I had never seen it before, nor read it, so it was an enjoyable evening.  The set was dreary and industrial and while it made a statement about the era, didn't really evoke a household drawing room.  The only annoyance were the large numbers of coughers in the audience.  It was in the Festival Theatre, the largest of the three rooms at the festival, and it was jam-packed with sickies. 

On Thursday just before noon we saw The President, a one-act/one-hour play by Ference Molnar.  A terrific piece, even faster than Belle Moral, almost Groucho-Marxian in the level of zaniness.  Fun, fun, fun, although again, Mom had some difficulty following it because of her hearing and our seats, which were up in the balcony of the Royal George.  This play has been completely sold out but we managed to snag a couple of returned tickets, so had no choice in where we sat.

After the play, we grabbed some bakery items for lunch, dropped into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for some swag to bring home, and were back in Toronto by 3:00 pm.

A fun and cultural little excursion, and a great break for both Mom and I.

At least I was dressed...

Deborah over at Ukok's Place has this up.  So here goes:

Here are the rules:

1. Take a pic of yourself right now
2. Don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair…. just take a pic
3. Post the pic with no editing
4. Post these instructions with your picture.

Luckily, I was up and dressed, having dropped Michael off at the subway on his way to Japanese school. I simply used the webcam in my computer and the low resolution hides a multitude of sins (namely, unkempt hair).

If you decide to do it, post a link in the comments.  

Shaw Festival Redux

I just got back from three days at the Shaw Festival.  Z and I spent some time there in early August, and I decided to take my mom there this fall.  She had been a regular Festival-goer for years, but hadn't been there for a while.

She took the train in from Ottawa, so I picked her up at Union Station on Tuesday shortly after noon, and we drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake.  We checked in to the lovely Harbour House, where Z and I had stayed, and had an hour or so to relax before our dinner reservation and first play.

We ate at Zee's Patio and Grill.  It was fine, but not as good as my previous dine dining forays in NOTL.  The crab cakes were thick with breading and rather bland.  The organic beef tenderloin was a little tough.  But we had a nice chat and a glass of good wine, and headed off to see Getting Married.

This play was a fun dissertation on married life, although I was very sleepy and possibly missed a few bits.  It had been a long day of travel, topped with a big meal.  The theatre was absolutely freezing which was probably a blessing and kept me awake.

Wednesday afternoon we saw Belle Moral by the uber-talented Ann-Marie MacDonald.  This was my favorite of the four plays we attended, a clever and stunning comment on the contrasts and contradictions of the Shavian era.  The text was fast and smart, and I managed to pick up a copy of the play at the Shaw Shop as I want to read it and pick up the stuff that I missed.  Unfortuately, it was a bit fast for Mom who, even with her hearing aids and excellent seats, had trouble catching a lot of the dialog.

We had a quick rest before dinner at The Charles Inn, a favorite of my previous visit to NOTL.  My only quibble with the meal was that my veal was undercooked.  I haven't ordered veal for probably 20 years, for ethical reasons, but I was seduced by their offering of Veal Oscar.

Canadian Veal Tenderloin Topped with Pieces of Nova Scotia Lobster and Herbed Hollandaise. Accompanied by Potato Purée, Jumbo Green Asparagus, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Baby Spinach. Finished with a Cabernet Red Wine Jus. 

After dinner we saw An Inspector Calls, the well-known play by J.B. Priestley.  I had never seen it before, nor read it, so it was an enjoyable evening.  The set was dreary and industrial and while it made a statement about the era, didn't really evoke a household drawing room.  The only annoyance were the large numbers of coughers in the audience.  It was in the Festival Theatre, the largest of the three rooms at the festival, and it was jam-packed with sickies. 

On Thursday just before noon we saw The President, a one-act/one-hour play by Ference Molnar.  A terrific piece, even faster than Belle Moral, almost Groucho-Marxian in the level of zaniness.  Fun, fun, fun, although again, Mom had some difficulty following it because of her hearing and our seats, which were up in the balcony of the Royal George.  This play has been completely sold out but we managed to snag a couple of returned tickets, so had no choice in where we sat.

After the play, we grabbed some bakery items for lunch, dropped into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for some swag to bring home, and were back in Toronto by 3:00 pm.

A fun and cultural little excursion, and a great break for both Mom and I.

At least I was dressed...

Deborah over at Ukok's Place has this up.  So here goes:

Here are the rules:

1. Take a pic of yourself right now
2. Don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair…. just take a pic
3. Post the pic with no editing
4. Post these instructions with your picture.

Luckily, I was up and dressed, having dropped Michael off at the subway on his way to Japanese school. I simply used the webcam in my computer and the low resolution hides a multitude of sins (namely, unkempt hair).

If you decide to do it, post a link in the comments.  

Finally: A youth group for our parish

When we joined our parish a year ago, it was a disappointment to Alex that there was no apparent way for him to get involved with other youth.  

A newly ordained priest has just been assigned to our parish and he is starting a chapter of The Dead Theologians Society for young people in the parish aged 14-18.  It looks like a fantastic program and I couldn't be happier.  Alex has already been in touch with Father D., and as soon as the swag has arrived from the US, they'll start planning meetings.  

The motto is "Mortuum Mundo. Vivum In Christo" or  "Dead to the world, alive in Christ!"

And in getting-out-of-the-house news...

I've signed up for a short course at a local Catholic university.  It's on Teresa of Avila.  From the description:

Over six sessions, we will look at Teresa’s life against the background of religious history, considering such themes as the Spanish Inquisition, Jews and Moors in Spain, the rise of Protestantism and the conquest of the New World, and the place of women in society and the Church. Our goal is to understand her significance as a writer, a saint, and a role model for women both for her own time and for us.  The principal text will be her Life.

Sounds cool, eh?  There is a second part that will be held in the winter term, but we'll see how this one goes.

Finally: A youth group for our parish

When we joined our parish a year ago, it was a disappointment to Alex that there was no apparent way for him to get involved with other youth.  

A newly ordained priest has just been assigned to our parish and he is starting a chapter of The Dead Theologians Society for young people in the parish aged 14-18.  It looks like a fantastic program and I couldn't be happier.  Alex has already been in touch with Father D., and as soon as the swag has arrived from the US, they'll start planning meetings.  

The motto is "Mortuum Mundo. Vivum In Christo" or  "Dead to the world, alive in Christ!"

And in getting-out-of-the-house news...

I've signed up for a short course at a local Catholic university.  It's on Teresa of Avila.  From the description:

Over six sessions, we will look at Teresa’s life against the background of religious history, considering such themes as the Spanish Inquisition, Jews and Moors in Spain, the rise of Protestantism and the conquest of the New World, and the place of women in society and the Church. Our goal is to understand her significance as a writer, a saint, and a role model for women both for her own time and for us.  The principal text will be her Life.

Sounds cool, eh?  There is a second part that will be held in the winter term, but we'll see how this one goes.

Falling in Love

Browsing through some old starred posts in my RSS reader, I came across this at Civilization of Love:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is,
than falling in Love in a quite absolute way.
What you are in love with,
What seizes your imagination,
Will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
What you will do with your evenings,
How you will spend your weekends,
What you read, what you know,
What breaks your heart,
And what amazes you in joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.

Attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

Falling in Love

Browsing through some old starred posts in my RSS reader, I came across this at Civilization of Love:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is,
than falling in Love in a quite absolute way.
What you are in love with,
What seizes your imagination,
Will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
What you will do with your evenings,
How you will spend your weekends,
What you read, what you know,
What breaks your heart,
And what amazes you in joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.

Attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

Film Festival: Who Do You Love?

Z and I were invited to attend a Gala screening at the Toronto International Film Festival by one of his business contacts. In the two years we've been in Toronto, we hadn't managed to make it to a single screening at either the '07 or '08 festivals so this was a great opportunity to get ourselves dressed and down to Roy Thomson Hall.

There was a dessert reception before the screening where I enjoyed a couple of flutes of champagne, one shortbread cookie with a sugared violet on top, and a cone chocolate filled with pine-flavoured cream.  I have recently given up desserts as my weight is hitting a new personal worst, so this was a tiny cheat.  (I haven't given up booze or fruit, just unneccesary sugar, the category of the cookie and chocolate.)  Just prior to the screening, the servers passed out bottles of water (check) and boxes of popcorn (no thanks...it just seems wrong to eat popcorn in Roy Thomson Hall.)

We saw the world premiere of a terrific film by Jerry Zaks called "Who Do You Love?", about Chess Records and the brothers who started it.  Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and Etta James all rose to stardom thanks to Chess, and the film was a great testament to the brothers' risk-taking and eye for talent.  In attendance were Zaks, some of the of actors (including Alessandro Nivola (Leonard Chess), John Abrahams (Phil Chess), and David Oyelowo (Muddy Waters)), and the Leonard Chess's real-life son, Marshall.  Introduced by Cameron Bailey before the screening, Zaks made a short speech and invited the cast members onto the stage. 

A terrific evening out.

Film Festival: Who Do You Love?

Z and I were invited to attend a Gala screening at the Toronto International Film Festival by one of his business contacts. In the two years we've been in Toronto, we hadn't managed to make it to a single screening at either the '07 or '08 festivals so this was a great opportunity to get ourselves dressed and down to Roy Thomson Hall.

There was a dessert reception before the screening where I enjoyed a couple of flutes of champagne, one shortbread cookie with a sugared violet on top, and a cone chocolate filled with pine-flavoured cream.  I have recently given up desserts as my weight is hitting a new personal worst, so this was a tiny cheat.  (I haven't given up booze or fruit, just unneccesary sugar, the category of the cookie and chocolate.)  Just prior to the screening, the servers passed out bottles of water (check) and boxes of popcorn (no thanks...it just seems wrong to eat popcorn in Roy Thomson Hall.)

We saw the world premiere of a terrific film by Jerry Zaks called "Who Do You Love?", about Chess Records and the brothers who started it.  Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and Etta James all rose to stardom thanks to Chess, and the film was a great testament to the brothers' risk-taking and eye for talent.  In attendance were Zaks, some of the of actors (including Alessandro Nivola (Leonard Chess), John Abrahams (Phil Chess), and David Oyelowo (Muddy Waters)), and the Leonard Chess's real-life son, Marshall.  Introduced by Cameron Bailey before the screening, Zaks made a short speech and invited the cast members onto the stage. 

A terrific evening out.

Did he really say that?

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail in an article titled A Message of Hope or Pressure to Keep the Baby?

But others fear Ms. Palin's emergence as a parental role model sends a different message. As a vocal opponent of abortion, Ms. Palin's widely discussed decision to keep her baby, knowing he would be born with the condition, may inadvertently influence other women who maylack the necessary emotional and financial support to do the same, according to André Lalonde, executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Dr. Lalonde said that above all else, women must be free to choose, and that popular messages to the contrary could have detrimental effects on women and their families.

"The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada," he said.

If I am reading this correctly, and if the Globe and Mail has accurately reported his comments, it would seem that Palin's very act of giving birth to Trig will encourage other parents to forego abortions.  That  their "freedom to choose" must not be sullied by the actual experience of parents who choose NOT to abort.  

Sigh.  

These comments got picked up by the LATimes.  Read it and weep.

Did he really say that?

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail in an article titled A Message of Hope or Pressure to Keep the Baby?

But others fear Ms. Palin's emergence as a parental role model sends a different message. As a vocal opponent of abortion, Ms. Palin's widely discussed decision to keep her baby, knowing he would be born with the condition, may inadvertently influence other women who maylack the necessary emotional and financial support to do the same, according to André Lalonde, executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Dr. Lalonde said that above all else, women must be free to choose, and that popular messages to the contrary could have detrimental effects on women and their families.

"The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada," he said.

If I am reading this correctly, and if the Globe and Mail has accurately reported his comments, it would seem that Palin's very act of giving birth to Trig will encourage other parents to forego abortions.  That  their "freedom to choose" must not be sullied by the actual experience of parents who choose NOT to abort.  

Sigh.  

These comments got picked up by the LATimes.  Read it and weep.

Tales from school

Part 1

In response to me asking Michael whether anything good happened at school today.

Michael: "There was a guy at school and he was throwing out half his waffle! And it was covered with chocolate! So I ate it."

Me: "Did you know the guy? Is he one of your friends?"

Michael: "Well, I've seen him around. I just went up and asked him for it as he was about to put it in the garbage."

Part 2

From his English assignment, in which he was to describe a food. He chose the kiwi. The paragraph ended something like "it goes down smoother than a bottle of vicodin followed by a frosty cold one."

I really worry about what his teachers think goes on in our household. His father had to ask me what vicodin is. I should probably cut the boy off television.

Part 3

Thursday: We buy him a $14 lunch bag. He takes complex lunches (as a tall 13 year-old male vegetarian) and needs a big container for all his stuff.
Friday: Lunch box gets lost. He has no idea whether he started home with it and left it on the street car/subway/bus, or whether it's still in his locker.
Monday: Yay! Lunch box is apparently still in his locker, but he forgot to bring it home.
Tuesday: Lunch box is no longer in his locker. Perhaps he *started* to bring it home on Monday but left it on the street car/subway/bus.

At least he knows where the lost and found for public transit is. He will be heading there tomorrow if the lunch box has not reappeared in his locker.

Repeat a modified version of the above regarding math textbook. We have taken him to the Central library twice so that he could borrow a copy from the reference desk and copy the homework questions. He is currently keeping an eye on Fr. Malo's office where stray books are supposed to end up.

He asks AT LEAST three times per day: has anyone seen my iPod? It's actually a miracle that he has not lost his iPod, cellphone, or wallet at any time in the past 12 months. If the lunch box and the math text don't turn up, he will be in debt to me until Christmas.

Tales from school

Part 1

In response to me asking Michael whether anything good happened at school today.

Michael: "There was a guy at school and he was throwing out half his waffle! And it was covered with chocolate! So I ate it."

Me: "Did you know the guy? Is he one of your friends?"

Michael: "Well, I've seen him around. I just went up and asked him for it as he was about to put it in the garbage."

Part 2

From his English assignment, in which he was to describe a food. He chose the kiwi. The paragraph ended something like "it goes down smoother than a bottle of vicodin followed by a frosty cold one."

I really worry about what his teachers think goes on in our household. His father had to ask me what vicodin is. I should probably cut the boy off television.

Part 3

Thursday: We buy him a $14 lunch bag. He takes complex lunches (as a tall 13 year-old male vegetarian) and needs a big container for all his stuff.
Friday: Lunch box gets lost. He has no idea whether he started home with it and left it on the street car/subway/bus, or whether it's still in his locker.
Monday: Yay! Lunch box is apparently still in his locker, but he forgot to bring it home.
Tuesday: Lunch box is no longer in his locker. Perhaps he *started* to bring it home on Monday but left it on the street car/subway/bus.

At least he knows where the lost and found for public transit is. He will be heading there tomorrow if the lunch box has not reappeared in his locker.

Repeat a modified version of the above regarding math textbook. We have taken him to the Central library twice so that he could borrow a copy from the reference desk and copy the homework questions. He is currently keeping an eye on Fr. Malo's office where stray books are supposed to end up.

He asks AT LEAST three times per day: has anyone seen my iPod? It's actually a miracle that he has not lost his iPod, cellphone, or wallet at any time in the past 12 months. If the lunch box and the math text don't turn up, he will be in debt to me until Christmas.

Declutter: Week of Sept 5.

Marcia over at Organizing Queen is encouraging us to keep up our decluttering progress, so here's a recap of my week,  a short one as we spent the long weekend (most of it, at least) in Montreal at a wedding.

But I did get a start on my books.  It's REALLY difficult for me to weed these out, but I'm trying to use these criteria:

• Have I already read it?  If not, am I likely to?  
• Is it in good, readable condition?  I have some older, yellowing penguins that my forty-something eyes would have difficulty with.
• Am I likely to read it again?  If so, can I get it at the library?
• Are my children likely to want/need to read it sometime in the future?
  
• For non-fiction/reference:  does the information exist easily on the internet?  Do I still need/want easy access to this information in a book form?

I got two boxes together and have taken one to my local book exchange where the owner pulled out the ones she was willing to take, and I took the rest to Goodwill.  I will do the same with the second box next week.

I need to have another go through my closet now that the season is changing.  However, there was one item that I have been pondering giving away for some time.  I wore this suit (dress and jacket) to two weddings but will not likely wear it again, so it's been carefully folded up and given to Goodwill.

With the lads back to school this week, we recently had to replace their grey uniform trousers as they had both grown out of last year's.  So I sent four pairs of grey trousers off with the suit to Goodwill.

Finally, as I disclosed previously, I did some organizing of school supplies a couple of weeks ago.  This box housed our supply of pens and pencils, but was really too small to hold all the tools the boys need to have on hand for homework, so it's off to Goodwill as well.  I'll miss the "Gracious Living" branding on it though.  I can only dream.

Declutter: Week of Sept 5.

Marcia over at Organizing Queen is encouraging us to keep up our decluttering progress, so here's a recap of my week,  a short one as we spent the long weekend (most of it, at least) in Montreal at a wedding.

But I did get a start on my books.  It's REALLY difficult for me to weed these out, but I'm trying to use these criteria:

• Have I already read it?  If not, am I likely to?  
• Is it in good, readable condition?  I have some older, yellowing penguins that my forty-something eyes would have difficulty with.
• Am I likely to read it again?  If so, can I get it at the library?
• Are my children likely to want/need to read it sometime in the future?
  
• For non-fiction/reference:  does the information exist easily on the internet?  Do I still need/want easy access to this information in a book form?

I got two boxes together and have taken one to my local book exchange where the owner pulled out the ones she was willing to take, and I took the rest to Goodwill.  I will do the same with the second box next week.

I need to have another go through my closet now that the season is changing.  However, there was one item that I have been pondering giving away for some time.  I wore this suit (dress and jacket) to two weddings but will not likely wear it again, so it's been carefully folded up and given to Goodwill.

With the lads back to school this week, we recently had to replace their grey uniform trousers as they had both grown out of last year's.  So I sent four pairs of grey trousers off with the suit to Goodwill.

Finally, as I disclosed previously, I did some organizing of school supplies a couple of weeks ago.  This box housed our supply of pens and pencils, but was really too small to hold all the tools the boys need to have on hand for homework, so it's off to Goodwill as well.  I'll miss the "Gracious Living" branding on it though.  I can only dream.

Glenn Gould (and the charcter he inspired)

Go here and watch him play. Read the excerpt from Grace Andreacchi's novel. I want to read (and hear) more.

Glenn Gould (and the charcter he inspired)

Go here and watch him play. Read the excerpt from Grace Andreacchi's novel. I want to read (and hear) more.

Peggy Noonan on Palin

From her column in the Wall Street Journal today:

Because she jumbles up so many cultural categories, because she is a feminist not in the Yale Gender Studies sense but the How Do I Reload This Thang way, because she is a woman who in style, history, moxie and femininity is exactly like a normal American feminist and not an Abstract Theory feminist; because she wears makeup and heels and eats mooseburgers and is Alaska Tough, as Time magazine put it; because she is conservative, and pro-2nd Amendment and pro-life; and because conservatives can smell this sort of thing -- who is really one of them and who is not -- and will fight to the death for one of their beleaguered own; because of all of this she is a real and present danger to the American left, and to the Obama candidacy.

She could become a transformative political presence.

Peggy Noonan on Palin

From her column in the Wall Street Journal today:

Because she jumbles up so many cultural categories, because she is a feminist not in the Yale Gender Studies sense but the How Do I Reload This Thang way, because she is a woman who in style, history, moxie and femininity is exactly like a normal American feminist and not an Abstract Theory feminist; because she wears makeup and heels and eats mooseburgers and is Alaska Tough, as Time magazine put it; because she is conservative, and pro-2nd Amendment and pro-life; and because conservatives can smell this sort of thing -- who is really one of them and who is not -- and will fight to the death for one of their beleaguered own; because of all of this she is a real and present danger to the American left, and to the Obama candidacy.

She could become a transformative political presence.

There's something about Sarah....

...and David Warren's figured it out.

I don't always agree with Warren, but more and more, I find him right on the money.

There's something about Sarah....

...and David Warren's figured it out.

I don't always agree with Warren, but more and more, I find him right on the money.

Freedom of conscience

If anything would prompt me to leave my home and native land again, this is it.

Freedom of conscience

If anything would prompt me to leave my home and native land again, this is it.

August Declutter Challenge

I participated in a month-long declutter challenge over at Organizing Queen. Each week, I posted pics of the stuff I'd decluttered, and it was a great experience!

I have a lot more work to do in this house. As most of my readers know, we moved from a larger, suburban home in Atlanta to a smaller in-town place here in Toronto, and didn't really downsize all that much before we moved. We have MUCH less storage space here, and so we are paring down our stuff across the board.

It feels really good to become lighter as a household. In many ways, it's similar to losing weight. There are huge psychic benefits to getting rid of stuff, both the hidden, stored things and the visible, out-in-the-open possessions. The house is becoming calmer and more inviting. It's certainly easier to clean and maintain, although we wont' see the full benefit until a lot more clearing out takes place, particularly of some furniture items that we are realizing simply HAVE to go.

I also need to make a more concerted effort to get rid of books and craft supplies.

I will likely continue to post my weekly efforts as the documenting of my activity is very motivating. For those who'd like to join me, there is an excellent decluttering calendar over at My Simpler Life in the sidebar. She suggests an area of the house each day to focus on. This is great particularly if you're feeling overwhelmed about the extent of the clutter issue.

August Declutter Challenge

I participated in a month-long declutter challenge over at Organizing Queen. Each week, I posted pics of the stuff I'd decluttered, and it was a great experience!

I have a lot more work to do in this house. As most of my readers know, we moved from a larger, suburban home in Atlanta to a smaller in-town place here in Toronto, and didn't really downsize all that much before we moved. We have MUCH less storage space here, and so we are paring down our stuff across the board.

It feels really good to become lighter as a household. In many ways, it's similar to losing weight. There are huge psychic benefits to getting rid of stuff, both the hidden, stored things and the visible, out-in-the-open possessions. The house is becoming calmer and more inviting. It's certainly easier to clean and maintain, although we wont' see the full benefit until a lot more clearing out takes place, particularly of some furniture items that we are realizing simply HAVE to go.

I also need to make a more concerted effort to get rid of books and craft supplies.

I will likely continue to post my weekly efforts as the documenting of my activity is very motivating. For those who'd like to join me, there is an excellent decluttering calendar over at My Simpler Life in the sidebar. She suggests an area of the house each day to focus on. This is great particularly if you're feeling overwhelmed about the extent of the clutter issue.