Is Anyone There?

Hello.

Hello?

Is this thing on?

You should see the re-darndiculous number of posts started and not finished in the last few weeks.  CRAZY.

Much like the weather of late.  It is currently -19 but he windchill makes it feel like -35.  Which I must say is darn cold.  Especially when the boys were playing in the park in shirt sleeves two weeks ago.
So I'd like to blame my lack of postings on the cold weather.

Or maybe I could blame it on my cookie. I'm still eating my COOKIE.  

Whatever.

However, I feel I owe you all something.

So, here is actual conversation with a young son who shall remain nameless.  (Because it won't take you long to figure it out.)

"Buddy, it's really cold out today.  You need to wear a long sleeve shirt.  Not short sleeves, but long sleeves."  As I am saying this, I am touching his arms to indicate where the sleeve should end.

"What kind of a shirt should you wear today bud?"

"Long sleeved."

"Good job.  Get going."

Any guesses as to what he showed up in 3 minutes later?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Hint.  My head popped right off my shoulders.

And now I need to go get a cookie.

*The dude in the video is the head of Health Services in Alberta.  For now.

A Teeny Tiny Bit of a Rant

There was a big Hullabaloo on Twitter yesterday regarding a very bad book and a large Internet retailer that was carrying it.  All kinds of people were Up.In.Arms that the large retailer would dare to carry such a horrid book.

And make no mistake, I think it is a horrid book.   HORRID.  The fact that someone would write something like that offends me right to the core of my being.

But I think the very large retailer is fully within it's right to carry that book.

Freedom of speech does not just apply when we agree with a person.  It also applies when we think the person is a big fat wacko.

And quite honestly all the sensation yesterday was SCADS of free publicity for the very large retailer and for the awful book.

And while the very large retailer bowed to public pressure and removed the book, I wonder at what cost.  I think these things because I am part of a "religion" that says things that offends people.   Not everyone is offended, but some of my beliefs collide sharply with those around me.

I am SO lucky to live  where I am allowed to express thoughts and beliefs that are different from others and maybe even different from the mainstream without fear of recrimination.  So I get very nervous when those rights are restricted.

To me, a better way to deal with the very bad book is to ignore it.

Totally.

Let's face it.  98% of society is NOT going to buy that book.  They are going to be offended.  They are maybe even going to choose another retailer, one that does not sell that book.

No matter who carries it, the book will not sell well.  If we ignore it, the author will get no free publicity or even much public acknowledgement and the whole thing will fade away.

And that would be the ultimate in justice.

Notes From a Sleepy Momma

Time change happened last night.

Which meant that this morning at 4:30 Spud and I were having a little cuddle. Because really, who needs to sleep past 5:00? Not my kids.

Which meant by 4:30 tonight I was one grumpy-pants momma. All plans I had for a big night of thought provoking blogging are gone, along with a sizable pile of fun-sized chocolate bars from my freezer.

Note, Aero tastes even better frozen. Twix, not so much.

So, I was delighted to see this meme on Nicole's blog.

1. What's on your Christmas Wish List?

Quite often I have a hard time coming up with anything I really need. However, I have been spending more and more time in the kitchen as we slowly wean ourselves off of processed food and this year I have all kinds of goodies I would like.

So Santa, if you are listening, I would like a micro-plane grater, a dutch oven, a pizza stone, a pizza peel, an immersion blender, and new slippers. Look at me, all I need is a pearl necklace and bam, I am a 1950's housewife.

2. Do your boys have a hand held video game?

Nope. They haven't even campaigned for one. Which would be sort of a lost cause. We have an iPad and I can control the gaming on that. No other gaming for at least a few more years. Yes, I am one of those moms. We also don't have a x-box, play station or whatever gaming thing-y is popular today. I have enough trouble getting Spud active. Handing him a hand-held device would ensure that he never moved again.

3. What's your favourite type of cookie?

Whatever is being offered to me at the time. Except oatmeal raisin which do not deserve the name cookie. It's basically a baked lump of porridge. But other than that, cookies are goooood.

4. Coffee or Tea?

Tea. Lots and lots of tea. Green tea, herbal tea, and orange pekoe with a splash of milk and a bit of sugar. And tea lattes. And iced tea. Tea good. Coffee bad.

And now I am off to sleep.

Night all.

Fast Food in Your Kitchen

As I tweeted the other day, Way Cooler is home for supper every night this week. For those of you new here, he is a shift worker and thusly I only have to make real supper about 50-60 % of the time. The rest of the time it is veggies, fruit and muffins.

I used to make hot supper for the boys and myself but spending 40 minutes cooking to then spend 40 minutes trying to force food down Sprout's throat and then have to put them to bed on my own is not my idea of a good time.

So I apply the KISS principle of dinner preparation and everyone is much happier.

This week however, I feel like a normal wife. I have a menu and everything. Look out Martha. Next thing you know I will be decorating something.

Oh, stop laughing. It could happen. Most likely in a parallel universe, but it could.

ANYWAY, Monday night's supper was such a huge hit (and is usually) that I thought I would share it with you. There will be no pictures as me taking a picture of myself cooking is as likely as me advising my sister-in-law on fashion. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

Anyway, we had homemade fish and chips. It is relatively cheap, easy and kicks Captain Highliner's butt in the taste department.

Fish Nuggets

(Adapted from a Light and Tasty recipe by LaDonna Reid)

I use cod, but you could use any firm fleshed white fish. Except catfish. For the love of all that is good in this world, please do not feed that nasty stuff to your family. Yes, I'm talking to you Texas.

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup crushed cornflakes (throw a couple of big handfuls in a ziploc and work out your aggression - you want them fairly fine)

3 TBSP Parmesan cheese (the powdered stuff from the can, this is not fine dining)

1/4-1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (depending on your liking of the stuff)

1.5 lbs fish fillets, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 egg, well beaten

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, cornflakes and lemon pepper. In a separate bowl, beat egg well. Dip fish into egg and then roll in crumb mixture.

Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray (do not be like me and forget to skip this step, unless you like scrubbing cookie sheets all night) and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Home Fries

I go by guess and by golly on these ones. I cut up a few potatoes into sticks (I go a little larger than traditional fries) and soak them in cold water for a half hour or so. (This step is not essential, but it seems to make them crisper.) Then I drain them well and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle or two of sea salt. Throw them on a cookie sheet and if you are baking them with the fish you will need to bake them for 4o minutes or so. If you can have your oven at around 425 they will cook much faster and get nice and brown. But since I only have one oven and do not wish my fish to resemble shoe leather I do it this way.

Serve with a nice salad and your family will rise up and call you blessed. Or maybe rise up and do the dishes. Which would be even better.

A little Re-Cap If I May

I actually have a free evening. And while there are things I really need to do, you should SEE the state of my front hall closet, the creative side of my brain is BUZZING with words. I need to let some of them out.

Post haste.

So, I will bore you a little with a Halloween re-cap.

I'd insert pictures but then you all would want to steal my ever so adorable children. And we couldn't have that. Well, we could have had that on Friday in the midst of the BIGGEST TANTRUM EVER, but normally, no.

So you will have to paint a picture in your mind of the world's cutest Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

Woody was actually not even here. He got to go on his very first solo trip to Poppa and Nana's house. And then on a road trip with them to the cousins. He was almost popping out of his skin with glee. And his brother was popping with jealousy. Which may have lead to the BIGGEST TANTRUM EVER, but I really do not want to go there. So I won't.

So it was up to Buzz and I to paint the town black and orange. And that we did. We trick or treated twice. As soon as church was done we headed to a mall in town and hit up the local merchants (when we were not shooting them with our fake laser) and then that evening a certain Mr. Lightyear sprinted from house to house for an hour and a half.

If you are at all familiar with trick or treating on the Canadian prairies you will know that it is usually DARN cold. More often than not snow is involved. This year, was different. It was 10C. TEN.

We could have stayed out all night it was so balmy. Last year we had four kids visit our house. This year it was more like forty.

Spud's haul of chocolate alone filled two large freezer bags. Why yes, I do freeze my kid's chocolate bars. This way I get to dole them out all year long. They will still have treats in January for lunches this way. This works well for the cheap control freaks who do not wish to pay for fillings.

It really was a blast. I LOVED the joy that Spud got out of being Buzz. He actually asked me to call him Buzz instead of Spud all day. He WAS Buzz. He WAS childhood joy. It WAS perfect.