Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
On My Way & Frugal Questions
And today I broke down and got some spa treatments. I travel tomorrow and where I am going it is very dry. I decided to have a hydrating facial and paraffin treatments for the hands and feet. I haven't had a facial in about a year and half. That is really too long a period and my skin was quite clogged even though I wash religiously, exfoliate and don't wear facial make up.
I've never had a parrafin treatment for the feet before. Just once for my hands. It was a little tricky lying on a masseuse table with my face and eyes covered in gauze and a facial mask while the aesthetician is saying "stick your foot deep into the oil. put it in, put it in" and I couldn't see the darn thing!! The wax was also too hot but all in all when it was done it felt good to feel the smoothness of the skin after winter's dryness. I didn't get a pedicure this time although this is something I usually do get. All the treatments were part of a well priced spa package which also included a half hour massage. I got the lady to concentrate on my lower back and upper neck for the massage. Wow! I did not realize how tight my upper neck was. After the work was done, I felt a bit groggy and tired but in a nice way. I will sleep well tonight and travel tomorrow in a relaxed manner.
It feels nice to treat myself after a long period of self imposed austerity. If any of you are of the frugal mindset, I'd love to know whether you ever treat yourself to mani/pedis, body massage, facials and the like? If so, do you feel guilty doing it or do you consider it as something you do for your well being and health? Are there things you do in between to prolong the benefits of your facials, mani/pedis or hair treatments so that you don't have to go to the salon every month? I'd be interested in your tips and what you've learned for saving the precious hard earned dollars while at the same time looking well.
I will be traveling over the next week or so. If I have time before I leave, I will schedule a post or two to publish in my absence. Failing that I will post from my destination.
Here is a picture of where I'm going.
Stay well.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Moon Light
One night as Dick lay fast asleep,
Into his drowsy eyes
A great still light began to creep
From out the silent skies.
It was the lovely moon's, for when
He raised his dreamy head,
Her surge of silver filled the pane
And streamed across his bed.
So, for a while, each gazed at each-
Dick and the solemn moon-
Till, climbing slowly on her way,
She vanished, and was gone.
By Walter de la Mare
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Winner of the Giveaway
*Drum roll* please........
the Happy Sparrow in Australia.
Thank you everyone for entering the giveaway. I had fun hosting it.
I hope you will take a few moments to read my posts on Haiti and Kenya.
Please don't be shy to leave comments too!
Note: I hope no one minds but I changed the cut off date by one day to have time to send the parcel before I go on my trip.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
These are Kenya's Children
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Some of you know that I have a friend in Kericho, Kenya who is a youth pastor. I am always trying to let others know of his work in the hopes that others would come along side him and help him with his ministry to the orphans and widows in his village and further abroad.
Since the January 2008 elections in Kenya there have been many more refugees added to the countryside. My friend and many of his colleagues go out and minister to these internally displaces people as they are enabled. You can read about his last visit to a refugee camp in the post below the photo. If you can help in this work, please let me know and I will give you the information you need. Otherwise you can pray for the people and their needs as well as the ministers and agencies who try to help. I know that many of you are focused on Haiti right now and that is a good thing. But at the same time, let us not forget about the many others who are also homeless and without food.
I am sitting here and my mind is far away. I have been praying for those in Haiti and thinking about the sights and voices there that I see on the news.
Here in Kenya, I am thinking of those who are in the internally displaced people camps (IDPs). Their tents are torn and leaking. It is sad that we have a cruel world.
I am saddened more with the sight of the children, crying for help, and not knowing the dangers of over exposure to cold and bad weather. The worst thing is that they don't have enough clothes to cover them.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Gazing in Gastown
If you were to fly in to Vancouver, stop into port on a cruise ship or stay at one of the downtown hotels, one of the key places you would likely visit is Gastown. I had to go there today as I was looking for a particular kind of Valentine's Day cards for my niece and I haven't been able to find them. Yesterday, I had one more recommendation as to where I might find these cards so off I went to Salmagundi's in Gastown. Unfortunately the shop didn't have the cards I was looking for but it made perfect sense to stop there as it was enroute to the St. Paul's Hospital where my cousin's daughter is having major heart surgery tomorrow morning. I wanted to stop in at the hospital and sit with my relatives for awhile before the big surgery event later this morning.
Here is the entrance into Gastown from the western side of this tourist area. You can see the pavers on the sidewalk, the Gaslight style street lamps and the cobblestone streets. This is one of the oldest parts of our city. It is a beautiful area with character buildings, tourist shops, interesting shopping experiences with both a local and a global flavour and some excellent restaurants. You will also find a wonderful collection of northwest coast art and other native handcrafts, as well as a lot of other uniquely Canadian creations. For example, you will find smoked salmon pate and lox as well as the world famous maple syrup and maple sugar candies.
One day a man named Jack Deighton came to town. His nickname was "Gassy Jack" because he loved to talk and could spin a lot of tales. He arrived with a barrel of whiskey and he promised the mill workers that he would serve them drinks if they would build him a saloon. It wasn't long before a saloon was built in the area. Thus Gastown was born.
Just down the street from where the first photos are taken is a steam clock. It was first built and erected here in 1977 after the area underwent a revitalization. The clock was designed and built by Canadian Raymond Saunders. His clocks are also displayed in several other Canadian cities as well as Otaru, Japan and Indianapolis, Minnesota in the USA. The clock is a great tourist attraction in this part of the city. Visitors come from all around to watch the steam emitting from the clock; much like they flock to Prague's Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square.
In the photos below, you will see a small sample of the many tourist shops that sell memorabilia to remind visitors of Canada and their stop in Vancouver.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Wings of Eagles
Isaiah 11:12
Did you know that there are Jews in Ethiopia? I did not know that until the first time Israel flew black Ethiopian Jews from Ethiopia to Israel many years ago in approximately 1984 . In that year, Operation Moses airlifted 15,000 Jews who had fled to refugee camps in Sudan to escape starvation and took them to Israel. Then in 1991, Operation Solomon, flew 20,000 Ethiopian Jews from Ethiopia to Israel. There are still a few thousand Jews left in Ethiopia and they all want to return to their biblical homeland.
Today I watched a television fund-raising program with Rabbi Eckstein on this very issue. In the process of watching I learned more of these dear people and their desperate situation in Ethiopia.
As I watched I could not stop sobbing with a deep groaning for these people who for so long have been "lost" in Ethiopia. I literally could not stop even if I wanted to. The tears simply flowed.
The Ethiopian Jews have fled to the northern reaches of Ethiopia to escape persecution and death. In the north they live desperate lives of poverty and disease but they continue to practice their Jewish faith. These people are said to be the descendants of the lost tribe of Dan and though many have been returned to their biblical homeland, many others remain behind in Ethiopia.
I was deeply moved by the scenes of these Jews practicing their faith after generations of exile and their deeply held hope of getting home to Israel. Scenes of rescued Jews, dropping to the tarmac and kissing the ground once they landed was also very moving. The sadness and grief I shared over the heart wrenching goodbye scenes between friends and family members was very real. Not everyone gets to go to Israel from one family at the same time due to the lack of funds.
Many have waited a decade to be able to go to Israel. In that time, untold numbers of people have died due to sickness and disease aided by poverty. Once they say goodbye to their loved ones, they do not know when or if, they will ever see one another again. This kind of knowledge is simply overwhelming. Not just to me but more so to the people who must experience it.
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is working hard to raise funds for the repatriation of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. If you can help another Ethiopian Jew to return to Israel, to their biblical homeland, please do so. You can do so here and when you do, I am sure that God our Father sees you and is well pleased.
I leave you now with a story of one young man's return to his biblical homeland and his experiences in Israel. This excerpt comes from the IFCJ's website.
Naga: Returning from Exile
Naga, 23, came to Israel with his parents from Gondar, Ethiopia. Despite the fact that there were few Jews in Gondar, his parents always stressed the importance of their faith. “My grandfather used to tell us stories about how our people were exiled from the land of our ancestors and that one day we would return,” he says.
In Ethiopia, Naga and his family faced much anti-Semitism. “People called us ‘strangers’ and ‘exiles’, and looked down upon us,” he says. “My father remembers during his childhood that people refused to drink from the same cup as him because he was Jewish.”
Because of this persecution, Naga says that Ethiopia never felt like home. He always dreamed of living in Israel – and, thanks to your support of On Wings of Eagles, that dream came true.
On Wings of Eagles not only funded aliyah (immigration to Israel) for Naga and his parents, it provided them with klitah (resettlement) assistance that helped them become full, productive citizens in their new home. Upon arrival, Naga and his parents were brought to live in an absorption center with other Ethiopian families. There are social activities as well as counselors who teach them how to use modern technology and integrate into Israeli society.
Naga is deeply grateful to The Fellowship’s On Wings of Eagles partners. “Coming back to Israel is something people have worked for their entire lives, and have even died for,“ he says. “I know that your donors are working hard so that every Jewish person can come home, and I am so grateful.”
There are still many Jews in Ethiopia and around the world like Naga who dream of one day coming to their biblical homeland, where they are free to worship as Jews. Please give to On Wings of Eagles today – and help that dream come true!
I Ran out of Bread
Matthew 4:4
Friday, January 22, 2010
Moose Stew
Nowadays so many of the people that hunted and that I knew are no longer alive. Sadly with their passing, the knowledge and skills or interest in hunting has also dramatically decreased in my community. That basically means I get very little wild meat to eat and when I do it is a real treat.
Moose is a very lean animal and when you cook it you must be careful not to dry it out. The moose is a very large animal. I've posted a picture below (I didn't take this photo and I'm not sure who did) and you can learn more about this beautiful and wild animal here.
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Apparently the picture was much coveted by another woman at the church raffle and she was very disappointed that a stranger won the prize she coveted, lol. It turns out she was the woman who donated the wild meat for the food hamper. Unbeknownst to me, Rose approached this woman and told her I might be interested in a swap. Indeed I was if it meant I got to have some wild meat!
Long story short, I got the meat and the other woman got the picture she wanted. I guess she wanted it for a Christmas gift for one of her grandchildren. In the bag of meat there was minced moose (like hamburger or minced beef), a package of moose stew meat and some bear chops. I took the bear chops to mom at Christmas and next time I visit I hope to cook them up.
Yesterday, I got to use the moose stew meat in a simple recipe but it was so delicious.
- about six cups of water to boil
- pieces of moose stew meat (about 1.5 pounds)
- 3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons of vegeta (vegetable seasoning) to taste
- salt to taste
- flour as needed (approx. 1/2 cup) to coat the meat before frying and to thicken the stew
- coconut or other shortening/oil to brown the meat before stewing
- freshly cracked peppercorn for garnish
First chop up the stew meat into small cubes about 1/2 -3/4 inch square; coat with flour and brown in a hot frying pan until nicely browned. Most of you have already made stew but just in case you haven't, make sure you turn the meat so that it doesn't burn and so that the loose flour in the pan doesn't burn.
In a stew pot, boil some water and add the salt. Once boiled put in the chopped veggies (carrot, onion, pototoes and the browned meat). Let the mixture boil and then reduce heat slightly until the vegetables are cooked.
In a small bowl mix, remaining flour with a few tablespoons of water until it is a mixture of medium consistency. You don't want it too thick or too thin. Add the vegeta or vegetable seasoning to it and slowly stir the mixture into the stew mixture. Stir the post constantly so that no lumps of flour form in the broth.
Cook (the now completed stew) for another few minutes. Serve in a bowl and add freshly ground pepper for garnish.
Note: I just learned that vegeta has an ingredient called monosodium glutamate (MSG). Not a good thing for many of us with MSG sensitivities. I'm going to have to find a substitute. I actually have other seasonings like Mrs. Dash.
I know that there are many reports that say MSG is safe, however for those of us with sensitivities, even small amounts can be unsafe or lead to symptoms which we do not need. For example, I find when I eat Chinese food with MSG, I break out in hives under my eyes. Fortunately the MSG in the vegeta seems to be a small amount. The only real side effect I've experienced is some swelling, which is bad enough really, isn't it? So please, if you try this dish with another kind of meat, you might want to consider your seasoning.
Reminder: Don't forget to enter my giveaway here
Thursday, January 21, 2010
My First Giveaway
One of the things I've learned about, and participate in with glee, are the giveaways that various bloggers sponsor. I think giveaways are fun and I always try to participate to show bloggers that I am paying attention to what they write. I think it also shows gratitude for what they do to develop reader participation.
The winter Olympics will be here in a few short weeks so I thought it would be fun to giveaway one of the Olympic mascots. There are actually three of them and I like Sumi best so Sumi is part of the giveaway.
My regular readers know I live in Canada and that I am a proud Canadian so I thought it would also be great to provide a few souvenirs of my country. These few gifts will go in a reusable tote bag with the word "Canada" embossed on the front. This is in homage to the many people out there who I know are into the simple life and want to keep our planet free from as many plastic bags as possible.
Here are a few photos to show you what will be in the Canada bag.
In order to participate, please leave a comment and let me know what you would like to learn about Canada or Vancouver. I then hope to feature a blog post on the winning subject in a future post.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Bathroom Ruminations
A. A. Milne
Another day has come and gone and I'm happy to report that the decluttering and reorganizing project continues and much progress has been made in the bathrooms and in organizing the master bedroom.
The master bathroom does not have enough cupboards and drawers to keep everything nice and neat. In this country you will rarely find adequate closet or bathroom storage. I'm guessing this is the case where you live as well, especially if you live in some of the older buildings in Europe.
Years ago, I purchased a kitchen pantry unit to address this deficiency in bathrooms. Currently the unit is standing in the master bedroom to keep things organized and out of sight. The pantry unit has served me well for a number of years in this way. It is a simple, plain white pantry. I could paint or stencil it but I like in its simplicity in white.
I also placed a wing chair in the corner of the room. My plan is to add a lamp and make a cosy reading nook. The wing chair was one of my excellent thrift store finds. It is in perfect condition and only cost $35 (Canadian). The chair was previously languishing in the front room until I found a good spot for it. Here is a photo of it along with my cherished Pendleton blanket.
All the bed coverings, except the floral one in the photo, have sentimental value or have been purchased as investment pieces meant to last a lifetime. That means they will likely remain as part of the decor. This also means that I won't have to spend more money on bed covers.
The main bathroom in the photo below is going through the final stages of re-plumbing, as are other areas of the apartment. The light fixture above the vanity will be changed to a brushed nickel light fixture in a more traditional look. It looks a lot like this 4 light vanity fixture here. This fixture can take energy efficient light bulbs. Yeah! I hope to purchase another one like this for the master bathroom. The old fixtures can then be recycled by taking them to the thrift store.
The bathroom tub and floor tiles, towel bar, toilet paper holder and vanity were all replaced in September and new towels purchased in shades of teal blue, gray, and tan. We still need a waffle weave shower curtain which will likely be purchased in a tan colour (I may sew a contrasting colour like teal blue on it to brighten the room and blend with the towels). The previous towels in this bathroom were all about 16 years old so I think they have served us well. The shower curtain which was a green/burgundy/tan floral and the green soap dish, were still in good condition and they have been taken to the thrift shop.
I will tackle the final two unpacked boxes in the living room and the other two in the master bedroom later this week. Once the plumbers are gone, the master bedroom closets can really be culled and a home found for the remaining photos and pictures which have not yet been re-hung. At the end of the month, the master bathroom will be re-grouted and re-caulked and some minor updating done to the fixtures. Then I can see about painting, changing the light fixture and adding new linens. So you have a few weeks to let me know if you have any suggestions. I hope to hear from you!
By the way, watch this blog as soon I will be posting about a giveaway. It will be my first one and I think I have just the right thing in mind. I'm excited and will be telling you more soon.
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Monday, January 18, 2010
A Prayer for Haiti
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Dear Lord,
I ask you to be with the Haitian people. Many are wounded physically and scarred emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I ask you to heal them today in every way.
I pray for many labourers in the field who would help the needy in Haiti and for many prayer intercessors from afar who would step into the gap to pray.
I ask also for your ministering angels to protect, strengthen, comfort and preserve the sick, the weary and the wounded. I ask for the creative miracles and other miracles of healing for those that need it and cannot get medical attention in time. I pray for protection and safety for the living from any possible outbreak of disease caused by so many dead people. I pray you will help the dead to have a name Lord and not to be "lost" because of mass burials. It is so tragic for their loved ones who may be left behind. I know You do not forget these dear ones Lord no matter who else does.
I thank you so much that you are a loving and healing God and that we can call upon you any time, night or day, and you are always there. You never sleep or slumber. We can be assured that you are there to hear us when we pray.
I want to give you all the praise and glory Abba Father for you have been so good to me. I would like it so much if these desperate people could know some of the joys and hopes and dreams that you have given me. I pray for them to have a hope and future as your word says in the book of Jeremiah. Let your glory be revealed in the Haitian people; our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers, our grandfathers and grandmothers; for you love them so very much. I pray the world would see how you want to bless these people abundantly because you love them so much.
I pray and I ask all things in the name of your Son Jesus; the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.
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Saturday, January 16, 2010
Kitchen Declutter ~ Before & After
Og Mandino
Decluttering, downsizing and simplifying. Those words are my mantra these days though I am still a long way off from my goal of implementing these ideas in full. I am part of a Christian Women's Group that is using the month of January to declutter and we are encouraging one another so I feel I am making progress. The Og Mandino quote above is not so much about decluttering the house but decluttering one's life. My feeling is that one needs to declutter and simplify one's surroundings (home, office,private spaces) before one can declutter a life and focus on fully seizing the precious moments in life.
Here is a little project from the weekend that involved cleaning out my kitchen drawers and lower cupboards. It involved purging the "junk" and reorganizing things to make the drawers and cupboards tidier as well as more efficient.
The cutlery drawer was not organized as such but was cleaned. Now I'm thinking I would like a new cutlery tray. I don't even remember where I got this cutlery tray but it is truly ancient and I don't even like brown. I have a knife block but I find I like to keep my knives in their sharpening holders (the white things on the right). There is also block for knife sharpening at the back of the drawer.
I decided it wasn't tidy enough and it looked like it would quickly get disorganized again, especially when my roommate rummages around. To remedy this, I went to purchase some inexpensive plastic baskets to keep things better organized. This is what the drawer looks like now.
You might wonder about the blue plastic. It came as a "gift" in the plastic baggie box. It is a reusable plastic cover for bowls. I know that many in the frugal movement would not use plastic and/or disposable wraps, etc. I agree that reducing usage and reliance on disposables is an excellent idea. I do it in other areas of my life. For example, I use re-usable totes for food shopping and other shopping. Where I have to rely on store provided plastic bags, I re-use these rather than toss them as part of my overall "reduce, reuse, recycle" effort. These days I seldom have to use a plastic shopping bag as I usually have my own with me. Once I've simplified my life, I can perhaps make some reusable wrapping products or I can buy some here. At least it is something to think about.
This drawer is a catch all for hammers, screwdrivers and pliers, as well as some bungee cords and various weights of string for packing. We also keep our flashlights here for those power outages that occur from time to time. I do have a small tool box which I keep in a closet as well but it doesn't hold much and it isn't handy for those quick jobs that always need doing around the house which is why I keep the tools in the drawer.
Here is the final After photo of the same drawer after adding one plastic tray. It might still look a little cluttered but everything is neatly stored in zip-log baggies (like-with-like) to keep them from spilling all over and getting jumbled.
The lower shelf has two plastic trays. I've placed one in the very back where I've put my new dish cloths and tea towels. In the front, I have my apron and another daily use table cloth, as well as the electric beater.
The cupboard on the other side (pictured below) is used for food storage. The upper food shelf is for canned goods as well as dried items like legumes, beans, etc. The lower shelf (at back) is for baking items (like sugar, coconut, specialty flours) and small baskets of potatoes and onions/garlic. This side of the cupboard will need more organization but for now this clean up will do.
I have much more de-cluttering and organizing to do in the apartment over the coming weeks and months and the kitchen is not entirely done yet. But I have made some good progress this month.
Later this week, I will tackle some of the unpacked boxes in the living room. I also hope to begin going through some of the unpacked boxes in my bedroom. Some of you who follow my blog will remember we had a fire in May 2009. We were lodging in a hotel for several months. Now that we have moved in and have a lot of new furniture (replaced by insurance) I have a lot of things I want to eliminate. I was contemplating a major de-clutter project before the fire but after the fire, I didn't have any choice! Now that I am retired I can also get rid of boxes and boxes of files and papers I no longer need or wish to keep.
As we enter into 2010, I find many people are de-cluttering. How about you? What de-cluttering projects do you have underway? If you are like me, clutter makes you feel disorganized and somewhat overwhelmed. Cleaning up the clutter frees up my mind as well as my spirit and makes me feel so good!
Good luck with your de-cluttering.
Autumn Reading ~ Tuesday 4
Autumn Reading H appy September friends and welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. The Autumnal Equinox is September 21 and i...
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