Round and round she goes

keeping up with myself

2010-03-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

well, i've not been great at consistency, which is not really a shocker but this time i actually really tried, i really really did, and it just didn't work. i guess i can't force myself.

but anyway, today is gorgeous and that usually inspires me to go do some king of writing or connecting with something, so here i am, with my butter pecan coffee (tribute to grandad) and my bay city rollers on the speakers. i should be lesson planning, specifically ancient greece geography lesson planning, but it's so hard when all i can think about is what i want to make for the BBQ i am planning on having tomorrow. i am thinking watermelon sorbet, buckets of beer, grilled portobello with sage (would that even be tasty? i don't know) and crusty bread dripping with olive oil. this blog is slowly becoming about my obsession with food. sorry. but i don't think i really had a route that i was planning to go in with this, so maybe i'm not sorry.

i'm about ready to give up teaching and become a stay at home domestic goddess. i would have been wonderful as the wife of an alcoholic writer in in 1960's france, a la james jones. through my cocktail induced haze i'm sure i would have been genius at putting together midnight feasts (at least, coming up with the ideas and getting the servants to put it together, then taking credit of course).

anyway, the coffee is nearly finished and the sun is disappearing around the corner of the balcony so i think it's time to actually do some lessons.

someday, stuffed strawberries with almonds and cream cheese and icing sugar. some day.

over and begin again

2010-02-25T10:24:00.001-08:00

semester two of the BEd finished today, and ahead is a week of rejuvenation before the 2nd internship starts. well really it's a day or two of rejuvenation, then i have to complete a project and start planning my poetry unit. but until then...

it's pyjamas and fluffy duvets and delicious fruit smoothies in the morning, sun spattered patterns on the walls, dates to the theatre, books upon books of words and rhyme and gift cards to spend at the art store. and on top of this, probably a lot of prepatory baking thrown in on top.

the best news is that my cold seems to be over and i'm feeling healthy again. a good thing too, because the gym is calling my name...

family roadtrip

2010-02-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

the cousins

i've always loved...

2010-01-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

pleeeeeeeeeeease somebody!

2010-01-24T08:17:00.001-08:00

i need these!

the yummy

2010-01-24T07:20:00.000-08:00

cayenne powder in your nose is a wonderful way to start sunday. sunday is my "get things done" day. sunday morning, specifically. the boyfriend is still huddled under the covers, dozing and making those huzzy noises you usually only hear in old labradors, and i am alone with a chilly apartment and winter sun coming through the windows. there's a second of time freeze before new week reality sets in and i remember the readings and reflections and portfolios that need to be attended to, and it's in this second when i GET THINGS DONE. it's a breathing in and out and renewing my energy for the week. and making chili.

sunday morning chili - a whimsical hodge podge of what is left in my fridge and cupboards covered in earthy spices (please someone send me some smoked paprika from st georges market!)

today we have:

3 cups of spiced and diced tomatoes
2 cups of kidney beans
2 cups of chickpeas
1 cup of peaches and cream corn
1 cup of chunky onions

throw all of this into your favourite giant pot (you know the one, the one you pull out of the cupboards when you're craving that soup that will keep you warm after a day in the snow) and mix around with a spoon. a GOOD spoon. a real, strong, "this is a man spoon but it's not, it's my woman spoon" spoon.

pour in some boiling water, i never measure, just pour it in until you have the soupiness consistency you like. add some (about a tbsp) beef bouillion (or veggie, if you're veggie...i'm not, even though the next step is to use soya mince).
throw in 1 cup of dried soya mince.
or you could use some regular mince, i'm not fussy, it's just that my mum sent over a bag of dried soya mince and i haven't had it in a while. but if you use regular mince, just brown it in a pan first.

then!

gather your spices. i don't care which ones you use, as long as there's cumin and chili in there somewhere. i change all the time. today was cumin, chili, onion powder, cayenne and basil. there's a scary lack of garlic, due to me not having any garlic powder and also being too lazy to chop some of the frozen garlic i keep in the freezer. anyway.

don't bother measuring your spices. just put some in until they smell good and chili like. (okay, this usually means you should lightly cover the top of your chili with cumin and chili powder, at least. the rest of the spices don't matter, just put them in. you're going to test it later anyway, at which time you can always add more.)

mix this all up, cover your pot, turn down low and let it simmer all day, filling your cozy little apartment (or whatever shack you live in) with gorgeous warm spicey fragrance. mmm.

and if you're feeling particularly energetic (like i am today, because this is the first day in a week that i've had a good night's sleep and not woken up dying of tonsillitis), i'd recommend a tray of johnny cake (or cornbread, as it's not called in my family).

photos to follow when the yummy is done.

2010-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Things To Be Excited About:

2010-01-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

It's finally the weekend! Week 2 of the 2nd semester of my BEd is done.

I have a job! I'm now working at Curves and what does that mean? Basically I'm being paid to go to the gym. Also Curves is a really wonderful place and I'm excited to get to know all the great ladies there.

Tomorrow I'm interviewing some more great ladies about emotional and behavioral problems in children for my Exceptional Learners class, which I'm in love with. This is the most interesting class I've taken so far this year, and pretty much the only thing that makes me get out of bed in the morning and face another day of learning (should I say that if I want to be a teacher?).

I am going to clean. Not usually something to be excited about, but I'm in organization-mode and just want everything to be neat and tidy and in order, and I feel so great when all of that is done.

Recipe for curry cashew nuts.

In general, life is kind of awesome today. Possibly because yesterday I was in the worst mood I've been in for a long time for no conceivable reason, and when I woke up this morning it had lifted, so yay for being happy again.

2010-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

Reasons to like my boyfriend more than your boyfriend

2010-01-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

when i force him to make me hot chocolate, he stops and thinks about which cup i would like best, and chooses the one with the cupcakes all over it

On crying....

2010-01-07T09:30:00.001-08:00

Last night in my Exceptional Learners class, our professor read us a book entitled "Jasper's Day" by Marjorie Blaine Parker. It should have been titled "Jasper's Last, Very Sad and Upsetting Day, Use Caution When Reading". The altered title should clue you in to what the book was about.

Jasper is a beautiful golden retriever living the last day of his doggie life. The story is narrated by his owner, a little boy named Riley. Riley goes through all the wonderful things they do for Jasper before taking him to the vet to be put down, as cancer is now consuming him and he is ready to go. Full summary here.

I don't know if the book only affected me because I've gone through putting a dog down (a 13 year old, crippled, extremely loving and affectionate yellow lab), or if it's really just a sad story. I was trying to pay attention to how the author used language, and if it was well written or just riding the coattails of emotion that it tapped into. Either way, it was a sweet book, and any tears that leaked out were cured afterward when our professor read "Heaven", by Nicholas Allen. This book was so adorable that I just wanted to run out and buy a dog and name it Dill. Which I probably will do, someday.

Anyway, if you're a dog aficionado, check these out.

Something to See

2010-01-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

Lovely!

I need to watch this.

Different trailer.

on a winter's night with you

2010-01-03T15:42:00.000-08:00

a new year, time to regenerate and restart. what better place than a cosy apartment on a winter's night, complete with a bottle of red and a soft blanket?