Mood Music... by Barbara (Ruth)

According to the omniscient Google, there are ten songs called “In the Mood”, starting with Glenn Miller’s classic Big Band version in 1940, then some lesser known musicians and bands in the 50s, and all the way through the 70s with Rush and Bette Midler (not together – can you imagine?), the 80s with Robert plant, and finally in the 90s with Chicago.

Most of them are about being in the mood for love, but it’s Robert Plant’s version that captured my intention when I thought of this post title:

I'm in the mood for a melody

I'm in the mood for a melody

I'm in the mood

I can make you dance - I can make you sing

I can make you dance - I can make you sing

If you want me to

Music and mood. I don’t know about you, but for me these two things are unquestionably intertwined. Mood can certainly impact which music I choose, but I can also (if I feel like it) influence or change my mood with music.

There’s a new app called “Mood Agent”. It’s pretty clever, and differs only slightly from the Genius function in iTunes in that you can program your present mood using sliders – happy, angry, sensual, and tender – and the app builds a play list accordingly.

So in my music library it might build these types of playlists:

• Sensual: Lost Without You (Robin Thicke), Hush (LL Cool J), You’re Just Too Good to be True (Lauren Hill)
• Tender: Hallelujah (the Canadian Tenors), I Will Play a Rhapsody (Burton Cummings), Beautiful (Carole King), Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel), How Deep is Your Love (Bee Gees)
• Happy: Island in the Sun (Gorillaz), Dancing Queen (Abba), Rio (Duran Duran), Saturday in the Park (Chicago), Viva la Vida (Coldplay), Say Hey (Michael Franti),
• Angry: I Can’t Win (Default), In the End (Linkin Park), Head Like a Hole (Nine Inch Nails), Renegade (Styx), Bawitdaba (Kid Rock), Rolling (Limp Bizkit), Fake It (Seether), Lose Yourself (Eminem)

Like I said, clever, but I don’t think it goes far enough. I’d like to add some categories:

Sad and you want to be sadder in a pathetic, feeling sorry for yourself way: All by Myself (Eric Carmen… a la Bridget Jones Diary), I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (U2), Why Does it Always Rain on Me (Travis), I’ll Say Goodbye to Love (Carpenters), Big Girls Don’t Cry (Fergie), Fix You (Coldplay), The Prayer (Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli… this probably isn’t a sad song, per se, but it always makes me cry)


Psyching Yourself Up During the commute to work (musical caffeine): Enter Sandman (Metallica), Sweet Child o’ Mine (Guns n Roses), Sure Shot (Beastie Boys), Radioactive (Kings of Leon)

Stressed During the commute home after a long day (chillax): Dreamboat Annie (Heart), Summer Girls (LFO), American Girl (Estelle f. Kanye West), Put Your Records On (Corinne Bailey Ray), Music 
& Wine (Blue Six), American Baby (Dave Matthews), The Moment I Said It (Imogen Heap)


Depressed and staring at the Treadmill when you’d rather be eating ice cream: I’ve Got the Power (Snap), If We Ever Meet Again (Timbaland f. Katy Perry), Starlight (The Superman Lovers), I Don’t Feel Like Dancing (Scissor Sisters), Firework (Katy Perry), Damn Girl (Justin Timberlake – perfect beat for ab workout)


Annoyed because you are trying to keep car passengers awake and engaged on a roadtrip (i.e. you want them to want to sing along even though they don’t know the words): Rockstar (Nickelback), Janie’s Got a Gun (Aerosmith), Blame It (Jamie Foxx), Take on Me (A-Ha), Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey), More Than a Feelin’ (Boston), Grace Kelly (Mika), Telephone (Lady Gaga & Beyonce), Teenagers (My Chemical Romance)

Bored on a solo roadtrip and you need to stay awake (i.e. need to sing along to songs others would only mock): Red and Black (Les Miserables), Oklahoma (Oklahoma – duh), Lida Rose (Music Man), Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel), Lovely Day (Bill Withers), Reminiscing (Little River Band)

Dockside on a perfect summer day: Heaven (Psychadelic Furs), I Like It (Enrique Iglesias), Carry Out (Timbaland f. JT), Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield), Party in the USA (Milie Cyrus – don’t judge), Virtual Insanity (Jamiroquai)

I could go on, but I’m not in the mood. And I don’t think there’s a song for that. 

Mood Music...by (Angela) Jean

Ruth picked today's twofer topic and I thought I would take the opportunity to share the current favourite recording around our house.

Tyler Yarema is a Toronto piano player/singer. He and His Rhythm have been a staple of the downtown jazz & blues scene for more than a decade. His regular gigs on Tuesday and Saturday nights at the Reservoir Lounge on Wellington Street are a must-see if you're in town for a visit, and if you happen to live in Toronto and haven't been, you're missing out. The place has a fun vibe, great food and amazing acts all week.

Tyler's music is "jazz-blues man meets the Beatles" and set lists are comprised of tunes from artists ranging from Professor Longhair to Duke Ellington to the Beatles to Motown. The current cover of I've Just Seen a Face is haunting me right now and I find myself humming it throughout the day.

The latest recording features a stellar band of Toronto's finest jazz musicians. Michael Carson, bass, William Sperandei, trumpet, Jesse Barksdale guitar, Richard Underhill, Scott Neilson & Alison Young, sax, and some mighty fine drumming by Mark Marish and Shawn Abedin.

The album was recorded at Canterbury Studios over a very short time period and has that fresh feeling of a live recording. It manages to capture the party-like experience of  being at the Res on a Saturday night. Best of all, and perhaps most importantly, it's just plain fun. These guys make it sound easy and effortless. If you can listen to any of these tunes without getting up and dancing or at least tapping your foot, you have no soul. 

There is nothing quite an uninhibited as a child dancing. They have no fear and no shame. They can feel music deep down, in a way that as we age we forget how to do, and it moves them. This music is in no way designed or intended for children, but my kids have responded to it in a way that surprised us. It is currently beating out Raffi as #1 on our playlist. This recording gets them movin and shakin and I know you would love it to.

And guess what? It's your lucky day. You can purchase the whole recording, or just your favourite parts, on iTunes.

If you are planning a trip to the Res, let me know. I'll come with!

Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm playing an outdoor event on Canada Day, 2011

Back and Forth... by Barbara (Ruth)

Back and forth, back and forth. Like the tarnished brass pendulum in an old clock, a metronome tapping out the rhythm for a piano student, or a magician's watch swinging from his gloved hand as he hypnotizes you.

The phrase "back and forth" brings to mind something monotonous and repetitive. Our Canadian readers may have heard the Longo's grocery store radio commercial in which a monotone female voice says, "you get up you wake up the kids you get dressed you wake up the kids again you have breakfast you drive the kids to school you go to work..." And it goes on, until the woman goes to Longos and buys Italian cheese that reminds her of that vacation twenty years ago where she met Octavio! And then it goes back to the monotonous drone of her day, back and forth between work and home.

I guess we all have a bit of the "back and forth" syndrome in our lives. I know I do. But there is one "back and forth" that I complete a dozen or more times each year, and it is neither sleep-inducing nor monotonous, although it could be.

I'm referring to my trek from Toronto to our family cottage in Muskoka. Now if you're not a cottager (or an equivalent - a weekend camper or a hiker, perhaps) you probably think people like me are completely nuts. Spending hours in traffic each weekend, burning through gas, seeing the same boring scenery fly (or crawl) by, just to turn around a few days later and reverse the process - well, that is clearly not everyone's cup of tea.

This kind of traffic isn't really ANYONE'S cup of tea.

But don't mind the trek. For a few reasons. First, I know that this is waiting for me at the other end. The dock is the most peaceful place in my world, and I instantly feel the tensions of the week seep away. The water is calming, the sunsets are glorious, and the frogs and the loons sing me to sleep. I sleep VERY well at the cottage.

And anyway, I kind of like the back and forth of it. You can make it all about the traffic, or obsessively timing yourself to see if you can beat your record (2:18). Or you can set yourself little milestones along the way, and note the quirky little sights that make cottage country so loveable.

No road trip is complete without a passenger, and this is usually mine. She's pretty good about it too, and a "must have" at any woodland cottage prone to mice.

My route can be very boring if I'm in a hurry - straight up the 400 pretty much all the way. Not a whole lot to see except the amazing Muskoka granite in shades of pink and grey. My Mum and I used to marvel at how the engineers cut through it to build the highways - it was only a couple of years ago that the 400 completed its two-lane construction all the way to Parry Sound.

I much prefer the route that veers off of the 400 at Barrie, taking you along Highway 11 through Orillia, Gravenhurst and Bracebridge and into my little village of Rosseau. There is always something new to see, and as I thought about this post today, I took a few extra pics from the car (pardon the quality). Someday I'm going to write about yet another route home - the things you see if you're paying attention!

Anyway, here's a taste of my back and forth route to heaven on earth.

Dad always said "the Severn bridge is where we enter the North". It's not, of course.
It's  "central" Ontario, or as we call it, "the near north."

In 1963 Weber's hamburger joint opened along Highway 11 inArdtrea, Ontario. Soon it became a mecca for cottagers both to and from the cottage, creating serious traffic issues as people crossed 4 lanes of traffic for a burger and fries. In 1981 the government fixed that by installing a barrier down the centre of the highway. In 1982 they added a chain link fence to stop people from climbing over the barrier. 

In 1983, Webers bought this bridge that had been a pedestrian walkway
to the CN Tower in Toronto. Now customers could get across the highway
safely. Genius.
 

This rock formation awaits me as I round "my corner" in Bent River. It's a hairpin turn that leads me to my first glimpse of Lake Rosseau, and means I'm only about 15 minutes from my destination.

The view from the bottom of the rock formation.

The first view of the village of Rosseau.

c. 1874. One of my favourite places. Ever. The screen door slams, the wooden floors squeak,
and there's an ice cream stand that serves ENORMOUS scoops.

The gravel road leading into my lake.

The driveway leading into our cottage.

Home.

My Go-to Meal... by Barbara (Ruth)

The idea for this Twofer-Monday post came to me the other night when I was wondering what meal I could put together really quickly if some friends came by for dinner. Everyone has one of these meals, I imagine - you know, you've made it so many times that you don't have to think or plan, and you pretty much have everything you need on hand.

I realized there's another interpretation of the title - your "Go-to" meal could be what you eat when you just don't feel like cooking. In that case, I would be writing about either a bowl of cereal (Raisin Bran and Cheerios being my favourites) or the perfect PB&J (cheap grocery store white bread, Kraft extra creamy peanut butter, and Welch's grape jelly, accompanied by a tall glass of cold milk).

But that would be a short post, so I'll stick with my original intention.

Those of you old enough may remember that one of the fads of the 70s was cooking with a wok. At least it was in our house, along with making your own yogurt (can you even get yogurt makers any more?). Using a wok was actually an unusual thing for us, being a very old-school, "Waspy", meat-and-potatoes family. But somehow my Mum discovered the wok, and our meals were never the same.

Over the years I became the de facto stir fry cook in our family, experimenting with different flavour combinations, sauce variations, and using different rices and noodles. At this ripe old age, I've decided it's all a matter of taste, and there really is no wrong combination. In fact, you don't even have to use a wok - a deep frying pan will do.

Although there are hundreds of recipe books with stir fry recipes from all over Asia, my own stir fry depends on what I have in the fridge. I cook with either chicken or beef (never cared for tofu, although you could certainly use that), and use whatever veggies I have available. If I'm particularly lucky, I have "exotic" things like cremini mushrooms, fresh ginger, or maybe some shrimp.

I try really hard to make it colourful and flavourful, but have certainly failed on both accounts from time to time (those are the nights when I should have had Raisin Bran).

If my stir fry is chicken based, I tend to make a sauce with a gingery citrusy mustardy flavour, often using combinations of these types of sauce ingredients:

If it's beef based, I will go with more of a dark, tangy sauce with a teriyaki or spicy bent to it, using some of these things:

Regardless of what the meat is, I always use these:

Spices can be anything that tempts your tastebuds - you might like a coriander-cumin type combination, or perhaps ginger-dill. Maybe cayenne with Chinese five-spice powder would be what you crave one night.

The same goes for what you use as your starch - rice isn't just rice anymore. You can use brown, basmati, jasmine, or sticky. You can use cous cous or quinoa. You can use egg noodles, rice noodles or even plain elbow macaroni - it all depends what is in your cupboard and what suits your mood.

As for a recipe? Well, I'll give it a shot below, but after 30 years I don't really measure anything! I just pour, stir, taste, and adjust. Eventually, I get something like this:

Let me know what your favourite combinations are - I would love to give it a try!

Ruth's Simple Stir Fry (Chicken & Shrimp base with Jasmine Rice)

1. Start by cooking the rice, as it will take longer than cooking the entire stir fry
2. Wash and prep veggies and meat so they are ready to add (I chop everything in big chunks, vs. the fancy shmancy styles in restaurants - it's faster, and more satisfying to eat)
3. Heat a couple of Tb of sesame oil in a wok or frying pan.
4. Add onions and garlic, sauté
5. Add chicken and partially (mostly) cook, remove from pan (it will continue cooking after removed from the pan, so don't over-cook at this point)
6. Add more oil if required
7. Add hardest veggies (carrots, usually)
8. After a few mins, add next hardest veggies, and so on
9. Mushrooms and tomatoes last
10. While cooking veggies, add cilantro, coriander, ginger
11. Remove veggies from pan
12. Create sauce - add about a cup of Orange Juice, a couple of Tbs each, of oyster sauce, honey, and Dijon mustard. Also add Worcester or soy sauce to taste.
13. Add a little cornstarch (optional - depends if you want the sauce really thick)
14. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning
15. Add back chicken and veggies
16. Add shrimp
17. Heath through and stir gently til sauce thickens and meat and shrimp are cooked through
18. Serve over rice
19. Sprinkle with sesame seeds

My Go-To Meal...by (Angela) Jean

Friday night at our house is pizza night.

It's not that I don't love to cook. I do. I really do. But sometimes, it's just better to order out.  And it's not that I can't make my own pizza either. I have tried many ways of making my own pizza, some more successful than others. I've made my own fresh dough. I've used frozen raw dough. I've made pizza on naan bread. I've made pizza on tortillas. I've used foccacia and cibatta bread. Once I even made pizza on rosemary and sea salt turkish bread.

I've topped my own pizza with goat cheese and fresh buffalo mozzarella. I've grated romano, and parmigiano (and even that rock-hard, super-amazing-super-strong cheese my Zia smuggles back from Montefalcone) to sprinkle on top.

I've used my own homemade tomato sauce and sometimes I've gone sauceless and made olive oil and garlic pizza.

But sometimes, like on Friday night, after a long week, it's just better to order out.

When I order out I prefer thin crust pizza. The floppy kind. The kind that you can't really hold in one hand. The kind that if you're not careful all the toppings will slide right off. For the last 50 years, my Uncles have owned the best pizza restaurant in my home town. For me, it's the gold standard for pizza. I've never been able to find pizza quite as good, and believe me, I've tried. I lived in Toronto for 12 years and searched high and low. The closest I came was a family owned pizzeria on Oakwood Ave near our old apartment. Whenever I go home, I try my best to find a way to squeeze in one of my Uncles' pizzas. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

I can't get Capri pizza here, but we are on the hunt for the perfect pizza in Oakville. I'll keep you posted.

Note: The photos in this post are not my own, but are courtesy of a Google image search and better photographers and chefs than I.

What My Planters Say About Me... by Barbara (Ruth)

If you are a regular reader, by now you are detecting patterns in what Barbara and Jean like to write about. Both of us can tug on the emotional heartstrings from time to time, and we both love the occasional cooking and gardening posts. But Jean (aka Angela) REALLY loves her garden (hence tonight's Twofer Post Theme), whereas I am only just getting into the whole idea of gardening.

I bought my house 7 years ago, and I was determined to have a nice garden to make the house look nice. I didn't enjoy the gardening, the watering, the fertilizing... but I knew it had to be done so my house would have curb appeal.

Over time, I started to enjoy my garden, spending more and more time on it each year, figuring out which plants are happier where, deleting those that didn't cooperate, and coddling those that made a valiant effort.

This year, I am happier with my garden than ever before, and I know it will be a good year for it. But now I have to worry about the planters, which are like the accessories to any good garden. And in a garden like mine, planters play an important role of filling in difficult gaps. But I just can't be bothering fussing with them too much. I was recently at Sheridan Nurseries, and was SO tempted to purchase some of their "ready made" planters, but I decided that $50 - $75 (each!) was a bit rich. So.... here are my planters and "what they say about me". Try not to judge. Maybe in another 7 years I'll love them as much as I love my "regular" garden:

This one says that I'm forgetful. My clematis

did not last the winter, and I forgot to buy
replacements. Trust me, this is very pretty
when it has climbing flowers in it.

This one says I tire easily. I ran out of ideas
and threw the last few annuals I had into
a spare planter. God willing, this will be lovely
coleus and copious impatiens by summer.

These are my favourites. They say I am whimsical, and I like
pizza (that's basil at the back).

This one says I'm ruthless. If you can't be colourful and do
what you're supposed to do without constant attention,
then to heck with you. These pansies have been coddled,
and still look like crap. They are headed for the garbage soon.

This one says I can be merciful. This is my favourite old
planter and over the winter it cracked and the bottom
fell out. I could have thrown it out, but instead I put it right into the ground and planted
one of my faves (dahlias) in it.

And this speaks to my ability to copy. Every nursery
worth its salt has something like this one!

Most of the planters are out front, and will look gorgeous!
I just have to give it time. So I guess as a collective, these
say I can be patient. When I have to be. :)

What my Planters Say About Me...by (Angela) Jean

Last year I had beautiful Martha Washington geraniums in my patio planters. This year I am trying something completely different and I'm using my planters as an extension of my veggie garden.

What does that say about me?
I'm always game to shake things up.

Patio planter #1-Fagiolo Rampicante. Haricots Verts. Climbing Legumes.

What does that say about me?
I'm always striving to reach new heights? More likely that I'm full of beans.

Patio Planter #2-Sweet peas

What does that say about me?
I aim to peas?

Patio Planter #3-Cayenne Pepper, Ciliegia Piccante, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Rosemary

What does that say about me?
I'm a girl who enjoys cultivating a little spice in her life? Either that, or I've got too much thyme on my hands.

Patio Planter #4-Two varieties of Barese cucumber seeds which have yet to germinate.

What does that say about me?
I can see the potential others may overlook? Either that or I'm setting myself up for disappointment.

Let's Review.
What does this post say about me?
I'm a big nerd. But hey, if you've been reading the blog you already knew that.

Running With Scissors... by Barbara (Ruth)

I actually don’t run with scissors. That’s just stupid. But I have, on occasion, stood in front of the refrigerator door, wide open, just staring and wondering what to eat. To my knowledge, I did NOT refrigerate the entire neighbourhood.

Have you ever found yourself doing things that you would NEVER have done as a kid? I don't mean bungee jumping or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro... I mean little stuff that would most certainly have garnered (GW) a correction from one or more of your parents. But now that you're a grownup... you're in charge! (As long as no one is looking.)

This post is dedicated to those things, mostly domestic in nature, that I do as an adult which still, at the age of 46, make me feel like a rebellious child because they go against my upbringing. These things include (in addition to the refrigerator door activity mentioned above):

1. Drinking straight from the milk/orange juice/sodapop container. I know! Gross, right? But sometimes I just want a little, and I live alone, so really… who cares!?
2. Leaving the house without making my bed. I read somewhere that’s healthy, actually, but I just feel like a slob when I do it.
3. Putting pots, wooden spoons, and plastic containers in the dishwasher. When I grew up, only the regular cutlery, dishes, and glasses or mugs went in. Everything else you did by hand. Now I say – pfft! They all go in, and I’ll buy new stuff if they get wrecked. (So far nothing has met its doom by being incorrectly washed.)
4. Putting away clean sheets and tea towels without ironing them. I used to for a while, but I’ve become substantially lazier. I will admit, however, to ironing the top edges of sheets if guests are coming, so I can fold them down and make everything look “just so”.
5. Using a cleaning service. My parents never had that luxury, but I suppose they did have four kids who could get a lot done in a Saturday morning cleaning session. My mum thinks it’s awesome that I have a cleaning service now – she taught me that there are far more important and time-worthy things to do these days. One of her favourite expressions is “let the dust bunnies roll”!
6. Throwing out food I don’t like. You have to remember that my parents grew up in the Depression. Socks were darned, brown paper was folded and reused, and food Was. Not. Wasted.
7. Planting tall grasses in my garden. Oh I can hear my mum – “grasses belong in the prairies!” Two years ago I planted three bunches and felt quite reckless doing so! I planted petunias close by (her favourites) to compensate. And I hate petunias.
8. Eating raw cooking dough. Actually, I did do that when I was a kid, but only when licking beaters. Now I actually buy that cookie dough in a tube from the refrigerator section, and eat it with a spoon. Oh yeah. It rocks after a bad day.

 To add a little balance, I should really include a few things that I still do in accordance with  my upbringing. And I don’t mean traditional things, like which recipes I use at certain times of the year. I mean habitual, domestic things, like:

1. Using the exact same heavy cast iron pot and wooden spoon to make porridge that my Dad used, every single winter morning. (This pot is also the only proper pot for making molasses sugar cookies, which will be the topic of a future post.)
2. Folding hand towels and face cloths in thirds, and hanging them with the folded side out (therefore looking nicer than if the edges were facing out).
3. Hanging out laundry with all "like" things grouped together. (All the washcloths together, socks together, shirts together, etc.) This is something my maternal grandmother was really picky about I guess - a story my mum shared with me many a time when we hung out the laundry together.
4. Putting fresh sheets on the bed with “hospital corners”. Sometimes the cleaning lady puts on the sheets without the proper corners, and I have to re-do it. Is that a sign of OCD? Don’t answer that.
5. Tapping the barometer (yes, I have a barometer) every morning to see which way the pressure is going. I don’t actually DO anything with this information, but my Dad did it every day, and therefore so do I.
6. Choosing plants like astilbe, spirea, sorbaria, hydrangea, and sedum for my garden. Most of them actually came from my mum’s garden, actually. I love my garden, but it's pretty darn similar to my mum's garden... and my sister's garden...
7. Eating maple syrup. Plain. By itself. In a spoon (or straight from the jar). This is something that my Dad taught me, actually. Every night that we had pancakes or grapefruit (both of which call for maple syrup), Dad and I made a show of tasting the maple syrup as if we were connaisseurs. The best was from New Brunswick.
8. Saying my prayers. Still do it. Every night. It works.

My Dad tells a story of visiting his mother shortly before she died. She looked at him and said, "David, you need a haircut." Dad laughed and said, "Mother, I'm 55 years old!" Her reply? "Never mind, you'll always be my little boy."

It doesn't matter how old I get. These little things I do (and don't do) will always make me feel like a kid inside. And that's where it counts!

Running with Scissors...by (Angela) Jean

Normally, it's me who's the sentimental, nostalgic one around this blog. But, Barbara (Ruth) picked tonight's double-post topic, Running With Scissors.
The way I understood it, we were to write about the things we do now that are in keeping with the 'way we were raised' and the things that are...well, not.

Let's start with the not, shall we? The nots are always more interesting.

I grew up in a very clean house. Very. We had four kids in our family and occasionally things were untidy, but they were never, ever, dirty. I don't remember there ever being dirty dishes in the sink. I don't remember a night when the kitchen counters weren't scrubbed, the floors swept and everything put in it's place before we went to bed. We were all expected to pitch in, but I know my mom did more cleaning than the rest of us. I have distinct memories of my mom taking all the crystals off of the chandelier and washing them. Rugs were regularly taken outside and beaten with the mattenklopper. I also remember my first realizations that not everyone lived this way. When I became a teenager I started to babysit and saw all kinds of homes, some clean enough, and some well...not so much. I chuckle to myself when I think of what those parents must have thought when they came home from a night of mixed doubles bonspiels, to find that I had organized their playrooms, washed all their dishes and dusted their electronics. No wonder I got so many gigs....

My house today does not meet my mother's standards. The only time it comes close is when I know she's coming over. I shudder to think what would happen if she 'dropped in'. Luckily she lives 2 hours away so even if she called to say she was coming I would have enough time to at least run around like a maniac and clean. Don't get me wrong, my house is not a pigsty, at least not on a regular basis, but my standards are lower than my mom's. For instance, I do not clean my shower with tile cleaner after every use. Sometimes (gasp) there is hair on my bathroom floor. I don't swiffer my stairs every day, I can't remember the last time I dusted, there are usually finger prints on my patio doors, and I don't even own a mattenklopper. If you came over right now and lifted one of my couch cushions I would be nervous.

Sigh. I feel like I've outed myself. You're all judging me now, aren't you? Fine. I'm coming to look under your couch cushions.

There are some things I do, that would make my mother proud. Like laundry, for instance. I am very good at laundry. I won't let my husband help. In fact, I have been doing his laundry since our first date. Not a word of a lie. (Shawn, my editor,  says this is an exaggeration). I have very specific sorting criteria: pure whites (excluding delicates), delicate whites, lights, brights, pinks (I usually have at least one full load of pink a week), darks, pure black, bedding, and tea towels (I have a full load of these a week). Each category has a corresponding water temperature and wash cycle as well as a specific detergent. Some things are hung to dry, some things go in the dryer, but again: Very. Specific. Criteria. I love folding clothes and ALWAYS do so as soon as they come out of the dryer. I only do the laundry when I know I have time to fold. I hate folding cold, wrinkled clothes. Folded clothes are sorted by owner and put away neatly. Unlike lifting my couch cushions you are welcome to do spot checks on any drawer of clothing in my house. I iron stuff too....not clothing so much, but weird stuff, like table cloths and tea towels, bed sheets and pillow cases. Always.

Now that I've told you my deepest darkest secrets I must go. My mother is coming over tomorrow (it's true she really is!) and I have a lot of work to do before I go to bed.

Things I Want to Do This Summer... by Barbara (Ruth)

Angela picked a cool topic for this week's "Twofer Monday" Blog. I like to think of it as a proactive version of "things I did on my summer vacation". Perhaps it appeals to the planner in me, perhaps it's because I'm so happy that warm weather is on the way. Whatever the reason, I like it! So here are five things I'd like to do this summer:

1. I want to buy a kayak. In 2006 I went on a week long sea kayak trip in Georgian Bay with Blackfeather Wilderness Adventures. We started out just north of Parry Sound, and travelled about 115km to Killarney. I think it was the hardest physical thing I ever did, given that 5 of the 7 days were spent paddling into strong winds (3-6 foot swells), and at night we slept on granite, with only a thin pad to soften it a bit. But it was beautiful - like traveling through a Group of Seven painting - and being a paddler (not a fan of motor boats, Seadoos, or anything noisy on the water), it appeals to me. So, I plan to buy a kayak for the cottage this summer, and spend time exploring the shoreline and finding the beaver dam. (Or mansion. With the number of trees decimated (GW) by the beavers this winter, the dam should be spectacular!)

2. I want to learn Italian. A few years ago I bought the Rosetta Stone DVD on eBay. It's been sitting on the side of my desk forEVER, and I haven't even cracked it open. Lazy, I guess. I have a good ear for languages, I love the sound of Italian, I have loved Italy each time I've visited, and I know I'll go back. Plus, it's good to learn new things to ward of dementia. It's true. 

Nel mercato di Rialto a Venezia.

3. I want to organize a block party on my street. I live on a cul-de-sac (dead end, really, but cul-de-sac sounds better) with about 20 houses on it. It's a perfect street for kids to ride their bikes and scooters, and for parents of said kids to sit outside together with a frosty beverage and chillax. There are a couple of families that I enjoy very much, a couple of, ummm... how shall I say it... interesting neighbours, and a whole host of folks I don't know other than to smile and say hi when they pass by. I think it would be great fun to organize a BBQ at the end of the summer - I've been saying it for years, so perhaps this will be the year to do it! (Kristy - they wouldn't do THAT in Burlington. Just sayin'.)

4. I want to get back into shape. I know, I know, I've said it before (most recenlty, in this post). This winter was, I'm sure you'll agree, a tad long. And due to some rotten health issues I had to deal with (successfully, I hasten to add), I was pretty much a sloth. A couch potato. A ne'er do well. But about 3 weeks ago I had an "a ha" moment when I realized I was better, and with the sun shining and spring bursting, I'm itching to get back outside and get healthy again. I will do it. See item number one above, and item number 5 below. Those two things, plus my gardening, my walking, and the abundance of fresh Ontario produce inspire me. 

5. Finally, I want to spend a lot of time here:

Doing this:

And of course this:

And this:

And just breathing in this:

Because this is the most wonderful place in the world. And it's full of the sounds and laughter and memories of these people. Even when they're not there.

The original six Hendersons, plus offspring

Things I want to do this summer...by (Angela) Jean

Last summer we were spoiled.

I was still on maternity leave, and since my husband is a high-school teacher, he was home too. We had 9 weeks of summer together with the kids before I returned to work in September. Glorious. We had the luxury of being able to get lots of work done on the house and in the garden without feeling like we were missing out on 'fun time' or 'family time'. We didn't need to do a lot of holiday planning in advance. We could plan outings spur-of-the-moment, if we wanted to. Like I said, spoiled!

This summer will be a different story. I am working full time, and my husband has taken an unpaid leave of absence to stay home with the kids. He has regular gigs on the weekends, and picks up extras when they are thrown his way. I have booked a few weeks of vacation spread out over the summer months, but if I want to fit in all of my plans we are going to need to be strategic.

As I may have mentioned before. I love making lists. A lot. This is my summer wish list.

I think I need some categories. 1) Around the house 2) Around the garden 3) Family stuff

Around the house 

1. Switch the kids' rooms. For a combination of reasons, the kid with the bigger bed, more furniture, more clothes, and generally more stuff, ended up in the smaller room with the smaller closet. I really enjoy a good room switch-a-roo so I'm pretty excited about this. This plan includes sewing new curtains for both rooms, sewing Otis a big-boy quilt for his big-boy bed and possibly some painting.

Around the garden

1. Plant a fantastic veggie garden. I have started some of my crop from seed this year so I'm off to a good start already. I promise to post more details about the garden soon.
2. Fix the fence. This is not sexy, or fun in any way, but it needs to be done. I hate those kind of projects.
3. Do 'something' with the area around the large tree in our front garden. I don't have a clear plan for what this might be, but I have put a call in to my Dad landscaping consultant and I am hoping he can come up with something brilliant.

Family/Fun Stuff

1. Big. Birthday. Party. Both of my kids and my husband have summer birthdays so we usually do one giant backyard party. I love having everybody here and doing it up right. This is one of my favourite events of the summer.
2. Get a family membership pass to either the Halton Region Conservation Parks or Provincial Parks. 
3. Take the kids to their first Jays Game.
4. Day trip to Centre Island. We had a great time there last year and I'm excited to go again.
5. Annual trip to Grand Bend to hang out with the Goossens Clan.

 I'm sure that other things will pop up, but those are my "must-do's". What are your plans for the summer?

Voting...by (Angela) Jean

As Canada heads to the polls today, Barbara Jean is musing on the topic of voting.

I grew up in a family where voting was taken very seriously, but party politics was rarely, if ever discussed. I'm sure my parents must have spoken to each other about their political choices but they never told us kids who they voted for. I remember asking on several occasions and being told straight out that "it was a secret ballot".

As a child I always wished that my house had one of the big signs out front. I didn't care what colour it was, just that we had one, but nope. No signs at our house.

Both of my parents were municipal civil servants so I'm sure that was part of it. They had to work directly with the elected officials after they came into power so advertising their preferences on the front lawn probably would not have been wise.

Even when I turned voting age and began to form my own political values my parents wouldn't influence me one way or the other. We often discussed values and what we felt were important qualities in leaders in general, but I still, to this day, am not sure which political party they support, if any.

Now, as a civil servant myself, I wonder if they felt the way that I do. I know that the political party in power has influence over the way that tax dollars are distributed, and how policy and programs are developed, but I also know that the day after the election, thousands of bureaucrats will go back to work and continue to keep the government running. They will deliver the services that the country needs to function. They will write the policies that determine how those services are delivered and they will look for ways to improve those services with the funds that have been allocated.

Civil servants can get a pretty bad rap sometimes, but in my experience, and really that's all any of us can speak to, I happen to have worked with several brilliant, dedicated and hardworking people who have a calling to make government work better.

But this post wasn't supposed to be about government, it was supposed to be about voting.

The act of voting has always been a very emotional experience for me. I get a lump in my throat when I enter the school gym, or local church basement. I look around at all of my neighbours who have taken the time out of their regular routine to stand up and be counted. I always think about how lucky we are to be able to do that, when in so many other places in the world the people have been silenced.

Voting day itself always reminds me of my dear friend Derek. Growing up, he was the person I knew who was most interested in politics and history. He knew the names and backgrounds of all the world leaders and loved a good debate--qualities that were extremely rare in my small town high-school circle. We would talk on the phone while watching the CBC coverage with Peter Mansbridge (in fact Mr. Mansbridge is associated with most of my memories of major world events...but that's another post entirely).

For the last 13 years, voting is something that my husband and I have done together. Each and every election day we walk to our local polling station to cast our ballots. Today, for the first time we went on our own. It just didn't work out, trying to juggle two kids, and my long day with commuting. I have to admit, it was not the same going by myself.

My wish for this voting day is that all my Canadian friends and family take the time to stand up and be counted. I believe that voting is not only our right, but also our responsibility.

Voting... by Barbara (Ruth)

John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States, said "Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."

Tonight is a big night for Canadians, although a disturbing and alarming number of us may not think so. Tonight we are choosing between 5 major political parties (or 4, if you're the debate organizers) for the right to govern our country in this time of political, economic, social, and environmental unrest.

I wouldn't want the job.

I also don't want ANY of the party leaders to have the job. Party platforms aside, I am dismayed by the antics and mud-slinging engaged in by the party leaders. I am sick of scandal, bad hair and bad eyebrow jokes, "targeted" ads (haven't yet seen one targeted at singles), unanswered questions and unsatisfying debates.

I also don't really like the parliamentary system, if truth be told. Although it has its flaws too, I much prefer the US system where voters choose local, state, and federal representatives separately. I'd love to have the choice to vote for a Liberal MP and a Conservative Prime Minister (not that I would!).

 But this is the way our country works, for better or worse.

The voter turnout in the US in 2008 was 56.8%, the highest since 1968 (when Nixon was elected). Of course 2008 was a pretty exciting election - I predict the same for 2012. In Canada in 2008 we had 58.8%, which sounds high but represents a fairly steady decline since the '80s when it was in the 75% range.

I'm really concerned that this election campaign has not inspired people to get out there and have their say. For the past few days I've been talking to just about anyone who will listen to get their views, and I am shocked by the number of well-educated, successful adults who feel that there is absolutely no point in voting because either a) it won't make a difference, b) there's no point any more, or c) they are too disgusted by the choices. One friend told me that two elections ago she voted green, the next she spoiled her vote, and this time didn't vote at all.

I asked one man what he thought would happen if all these people who think voting is a waste of time actually went out and voted. He said, "probably nothing. They would split the vote and then what's the point."

Am I too naïve? Is it really too much to think that a large group could make a difference?

I hope not. Rick Mercer, one of Canada's favourite political satirists, challenged Canadian youth to get out there and make their voices heard. You can learn more about the resulting "vote mobs" here in a blog written by a friend of mine. There are about 3 million students in this group - surely if they go out and vote it will make a difference and not just "split the vote". If this is true for the student vote, then it must also be true for the apathetic vote.

I'm not ashamed to say I voted Green tonight. One friend told me I wasted my vote. I don't think I did. I am tired of the "same old, same old" choices on election night, and I want another voice at the table. Do I want Elizabeth May? No. But right now, I want anyone who can to challenge the status quo, and I know that every vote the Green Party gets gives them $1.75 towards their future campaigns. I'm not sure how else to get the issues heard and discussed - I sure wasn't going to vote for the Marxist-Leninist candidate in my riding (!!). So for me it was (and has been for the past few federal elections) a considered choice.

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like tonight's results, no matter what they are. But when people all over the world are literally dying for the right to live in a democratic society, I can't imagine NOT voting.

I am not sure what we can do about it. Anyone have any ideas? Maybe someone out there knows Ryan Reynolds, and can get him and a bunch of other Canadian stars (c'mon, there are some) to do a video like this:

I hope you voted.

Surprise...by (Angela) Jean

This post is an homage to a blog I have recently come across. The author wrote this post a few weeks ago and I have been thinking about it ever since. Since it was my turn to pick this week's topic, I chose "surprise".  Here are (a few of) the things that surprise me.

I am always surprised by what I don’t know.

I am always surprised by what I do know.

I am always surprised when people can tell exactly how I’m feeling by the look on my face.

I am always surprised when people can’t understand how I feel when I have been trying to tell them for years.

I am always surprised at how secretive people are about their personal life.

I am always surprised when people finally tell the truth.

I am always surprised when people pretend to be something they’re not.

I am always surprised when people show me exactly who they really are.

I am always surprised when people choose to be unhappy.

I am always surprised when unhappy people enjoy making others unhappy too.

I am always surprised when people say 'sorry' when they're not.

I am always surprised when people refuse to apologize when they know they are wrong.

I am always surprised by how much planning it takes to get something done.

I am always surprised when a small thing completely derails the plan.

I am always surprised by how much time and effort it takes to keep the house clean.

I am always surprised by how quickly it can turn back into a mess.

I am always surprised by how much grey hair I see in the mirror.

I am always surprised by how few wrinkles I see in the mirror.

I am always surprised by how many toothpaste splatters I see on the mirror.

I am always surprised when people comment on my pink coat.

I am always surprised when people tell me they prefer to wear black.

I am always surprised by how delicious cold beer looks in a pint glass.

I am always surprised when I take a sip and realize I don’t like beer.

I am always surprised when I hear about accidental pregnancies.

I am always surprised at how difficult it is to get (or stay) pregnant.

I am always surprised when people tell me how much they dislike children.

I am always surprised when I realize how few children I genuinely like.

I am always surprised by how patient I am with my children.

I am always surprised at how impatient I am with my children.

I am always surprised at how loving my children are with each other.

I am always surprised how jealous my children are of each other.

I am always surprised at how little my children listen to what I say.

I am always surprised when my children quote me back to myself.

I am always surprised at how long winter is.

I am always surprised when I wake up and it’s spring.

Surprise! ... by Barbara (Ruth)

I have been struggling with this post subject because Angela picks hard topics because I have always stated quite emphatically that I am not, in any way, a fan of surprises. It comes down to three reasons:

1. I don't like feeling stupid. And if you are able to surprise me, then I must have missed something. Ergo, stupid. 
2. I am VERY jumpy and I don't like being scared. I can't stand scary movies, I usually scream or swear (or both) in a suspenseful movie when something explodes/jumps out/leaps on something. My friends know that sneaking up on me will illicit foul language and anger in swift order. They still think it's funny.
3. I would rather anticipate happy events than be surprised by them - it makes the enjoyment of them last longer. For instance, if my bff in Vancouver showed up on my doorstep, I'd be thrilled of course. But if I knew about it in advance, I'd be able to look forward to it and savour the fun we'd have. And to be honest, I'd be able to plan. I'm a big fan of planning.

Last year on my birthday my department decorated the area outside my office, got me to wear a Princess sash and tiara, had fancy cupcakes, and generally did a lovely job making me feel special.

This is me, peaking around the corner to check for
any "surprises" that might cause me to say something
"office inappropriate".

This year they toned it down - I came out of my office at 11:30 and found 20 or so of my team waiting for me with the Best Birthday Cake of All Time (Baskin Robbins Jamocha Almond Fudge) and a card. It was wonderful! And yet... like last year, I felt a tad awkward.

Jamocha Almond Fudge. There is no better ice cream cake IMHO.

This is what I think people are like when they REALLY REALLY like surprises:

So I figured it out. What I really like is serendipity (GW): the occurrence or development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. By definition, there's no potential for negative here. For instance, I love being surprised by good news, a unique and/or unexpected gift, running into a friend in an unexpected place, or finding money in last spring's coat pocket. Those are all surprises in a way, but a subset, I suppose.

But mostly? This is the only kind of surprise I think is funny: