What.. Where...How? - Tuesday 4 Meme

What.. Where...How?

It's time for Tuesday 4 and we're back with our host Annie at Cottage by the Sea.

Let's ask ourselves some questions.

1. What was the worst date you ever went on?

I can't quite recall his name but I think it was Phil. It was a blind date and we met up for the one and only time at a coffee shop rather than at a restaurant. I didn't want to do dinner in case things didn't go so well. 

I was actually looking forward to meeting him but he started off rudely by telling me I looked nervous instead of saying something nice.  I thought to myself if he was a good man he wouldn't point out my discomfort if he noticed anything and instead he would say something to put me at ease.  I wasn't actually even really that nervous and certainly not obviously since I have quite a bit of experience with small talk and meeting strangers in general.  I just wanted things to go well enough even if it didn't work out for the longer term and that the experience would be useful for dating in general.

But the next thing he did was bore me to tears for about 2 hours and a half hours. He'd brought along several of his photo albums and proceeded to show me every single photo and describe everything in each of them. I did my best to be polite but seriously???  I didn't know him or anyone in the photos and it was excruciating to sit through a description of every photo especially since they were not what I would call 'artsy' photos but simple day to day kind of photos.  I wouldn't have minded at all if he'd selected a few photos to introduce me to people in his life and if kept his explanations of them to the point.  That way I might actually learn something about him.  It would have also been nice if he'd bothered to ask anything about me and my life since I didn't take photos along, lol. When I finally had enough I made my excuses and said my goodbyes. Needless to say I never contacted him again and he made no effort to contact me.

2. How was the nicest date you ever had?

In my early years I had nice dates but not with anyone I could really connect with as a life partner.  I can recall going to a coffee shop with one teacher. It was a romantic setting with candle light coffee, good music and good conversation.  Though I wasn't attracted to this man, he later stayed a friend and I did enjoy the ambience and folk music at the venue. There were dates with other over the years.  But life was very busy and demanding with many responsibilities and I didn't have much time for dating and building a relationship.  When I did take time out I found I enjoyed romantic dates or doing simple things like a quiet  dinner out, a stroll on the sandy beach under moonlight, or riding around in a sporty car, top rolled down and the wind in my hair.

I'm a romantic at heart but I need more than romance or a good provider or adventurer. I wanted a love connection with someone who was also deeply committed to God and who followed a Christian lifestyle.  It has always been important to me to find a man who had a deep faith.  It took many years before I finally did meet the man I am married to now.  We met while I was on a missions visit to Kenya.  We had many challenges to overcome (family illnesses, commitments to jobs/projects/dependants and so on) before we could be together even after we were married.  But we hung in there and we are together now.  Over time, as we courted and got to know one another we also did simple things.  There wasn't a lot of free time as we were also working but from time to time there was time for romance and just doing the simple things of life.  My DH is not, by nature, a romantic man but once in awhile he gets inspired. I remember strolling on a boardwalk under the African moon with hippos in the adjacent river nearby.  It was also somewhat exciting because African wild animals were close by and hippos are also quite dangerous.  I also remember another time when he introduced me to Ethiopian food at a wonderful restaurant in Nairobi.  We chose to dine al fresco in an area nicely decorated with Ethiopian decor. We fed each other beef tibs, took photos and laughed a lot that night.  Neither of us had experienced being fed by someone else since we were babies, so it made us giggle.

3. Where did you grow up and how did you like it? Are you far away from there now?

I grew up in the far north in Dawson Creek and Ft. St. John. I now live in Vancouver which is about 1200 km south of where I grew up.  The cities in the north are very small and in those days there were very few amenities.  Winters were long and cold with an excess of snow.  I liked it enough but always knew I would leave one day to gain new experiences.  Small town living far away from the big city isn't really my thing. The people I went to school with and my age mates were not interested in travel or furthering their education though things have changed.  People now travel a lot more and many go away for further study though often returning to the north to live.  It is still cold up there but it seems like there is far less snow. 

4.  What did kids do for fun and dates you were young?

We children went to church a lot. We were not allowed to date until at least 16 if not 17 and to be honest, I wasn't even that interested in dating.  I was rather reserved, shy and a homebody. When I started dating I was almost ready to go away to university.  My first real boyfriend was a very nice and respectful person and my parents liked him for that reason.  We didn't have much in common though and and we didn't date very long because I was planning to leave and go to university.  He knew that and he had no similar plans. We didn't do much except hang out with age mates and drive through the small town to people watch. Driving through town was a favourite activity of our age mates.  Other times my boyfriend and I would simply sit and talk outside my house with mom and dad and the siblings all inside. There really wasn't much to do besides drive around or go to a movie. Back then young people didn't have a lot of extra money to go out dining like they seem to do today. If they had extra money they were usually saving to buy a car, buy clothes or move into their own place, that kind of thing.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday 4 - Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

 

a 1939 Living Room

 Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

This week the subject is Your Home.

1. What kind of home do you have and does it need repair or improvements this year?

I have a smallish condo (986 square feet and a deck that is 518 square feet) in the heart of the city. It's handy to everything I need.  I can walk or take a short bus ride to where I need to go and this is a major factor in why I purchased the place.  

Over the past year I've made some cosmetic changes to refresh my home (painting, changing out door knobs, bathroom shower curtains/cabinet knobs and towels).  But major improvements are needed in both the kitchen and master bathroom.  I would like to replace the kitchen cabinets and counters and convert the master bathroom tub to a shower but it's doubtful those changes will be made in 2023.  I would also like to change out the flooring throughout the condo but the other changes are more important. 

New shower curtain and of course new towels are coordinated with the colours.

New door knobs. The old ones were gold colour that had worn off.

2. How do you accessorize your home inside and out?  Plants, art, books, wall hangings, maybe music in the background?

I do accessorize my home both inside and out. Outside it is primarily with an outdoor dining table and chairs for enjoying an outside meal or relaxing. I also plant a lot of container plants.  

In the front rooms the colours are mainly earth tones (beige, orange, gold, deep red an pops of black) whilst in the master bedroom and bathroom the colours are various shades of blue and some complementary colours (white, burgundy, rose pink).  Basically I kept the same colours that were in the unit when I moved in though it has been repainted a few times over years.

Inside I try to have plants but there isn't enough warmth or light for most of them to survive, let alone thrive.  The plants are always changing because I buy more when they eventually die off even though it is a waste of money.  Lately I've been wanting large artificial plants to fill some corners. Though I did buy one it turned out to be far too big so I returned it and my search continues. I also have ethnic art, wall hangings like soapstone plates and calabashes from Africa, mirrors, lots of books and a few knick knacks.  I love music but no longer play it for the home since the CD player went the way of the Dodo bird.  My computer doesn't have a good stereo set up to play the music for the home so I mainly just listen with headphones whenever I have some down time.  I have a lot of crafting supplies and so they are stored in every nook and cranny or bin I can find. It is a challenge and I've been trying to pare everything down but still save what I hope to use one day in the not too distant future.

 

 3. What objects reside on your coffee table? Night stand? Side tables? Kitchen/Dining table?    

I had this ladder custom made and ordered it wider than their standard.

Artificial flowers with fairy lights fill the space in a dark corner.

The side table holds the phone and a place for pens, paper and coffee/drinks. I also have some storage containers on the other side of the sofa which has space on top for someone else to place their refreshments when visiting or relaxing. The dining table is always covered with a tablecloth and usually has a centrepiece of some kind. At the holidays, the centrepiece is usually a seasonal one.

A Christmas display of artificial flowers.

 

4.  Do you like your kitchen organized and with counters cleared off or do you prefer to have  the things you use often out on counters?     Do you mind  what some might see as clutter or do you hate having to dig out tools and appliances  when it comes time to use them? and prefer to have them within easy reach?

above : a 1940's Kitchen.

I dislike clutter and am doing my best to get rid of it. If I had adequate space in the kitchen I would prefer to have everything organized and put away but with easy access to tools and appliances since it's a pain to get them out and put them away if you use them often.  For now the kitchen hasn't been my priority for decluttering but eventually I will get rid of a lot of dried goods and things I haven't used for a long time. In future I hope to also be more selective about what I buy that needs to be stored. It's been a process of learning as I've also been making so many changes to diet and cooking over the years.

Thanks for visiting. I hope to read you soon!

Tuesday 4 ~ The West

Howdy Partners... welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Today let's talk about  the West.

1. Got some favorite Cowboy or western movies or TV shows you have liked? 

I grew up in an agricultural region where there were a lot of farmers and cowboys. Most men worked out on the land and wore jeans and cowboy hats. With this background, listening to country music and watching western movies or TV shows was second nature. I watched a lot of western shows but oddly don't remember a favourite movie.  I do remember a few television shows I liked such as Bonanza, Big Valley, High Chaparral, Gunsmoke and Davey Crockett. I liked them all. I also remember a lot of cowboy movies starring John Wayne which I enjoyed but cannot remember the names of the movies. I still watch any of these if and when I can catch them.

2.  Ever been to a rodeo or horse show of any kind?

Definitely. Without fail the entire town and several surrounding towns, would attend the annual rodeo and fall fair. Bare back bronco riding and chuck wagon races were especially popular with most people but I liked the barrel racing best. The fair had carnival rides, snack foods, baking, sewing and handcrafts and all kinds of produce and animal exhibits.

3. Can you ride a horse or would you like to try?

I have ridden a horse.  Someday I'd like to try again however I am far from being a natural horse woman. In fact I had trouble getting on a horse the few times I rode one.  I'm the type of person who needs a stool to assist getting on the horse and have difficulty swinging my leg over the horse's back.

4.  How would a vacation on a dude ranch suit you?

Yes, it would suit me however it isn't on my 'must do' list. I grew up amongst cowboys and respect them.  However this lifestyle was never really my cup of tea. Fortunately if I change my mind there are dude ranches in my province that are easily accessible.

Tuesday 4 ~ January 2023

Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to Toni Taddeo's first Tuesday 4 in the new year.   

January is named for  Janus the two faced god who looked into the past and future. Some believe he

was Noah who may have been worshipped by his progeny. He certainly looked into the pre flood world and the new world.  The Anglo Saxons called this month Wulfsmoanth.   Let's talk about January.

1.  January 1, 1892 Ellis Island opened it's doors.  Did any of your relations enter the United States through Ellis Island?  If not, do you know your family's history?  My family isn't American so no relations entered through Ellis Island or any part of the USA. Fortunately I do know my family history but many of my extended family members do not.

2. January's birthstone is garnet and the flower is the carnation.  Do you have favorite gem stones or flowers? The garnet is a very pretty gem but I've never been a big fan of carnations. My favourite gem stones are sapphire and turquoise. I'm not sure I have a favourite flower but if I have to pick one it would probably be the rose in any colour because they smell wonderful and there are so many varieties and colours for any taste. I do like many kind of flowers though so if we met up in person I'd probably ooh and aah over any beautiful, colourful flower in the garden.

3. January 6 is Epiphany. Many take that day as the final day of the Christmas celebration and take down their decor.   What about you?   I take down my decorations before the Epiphany otherwise they might stay up for several more weeks and that wouldn't do. I like to keep them up until New Year's Day then they come down the next day. This year I almost took them down on December 27th. I think it's because for the very first time in a long while I put the tree and decorations up at the end of November and so a few weeks is more than enough.

4. There is some evidence that January can set the tone for your entire year. What do you think of this? Do you make resolutions, etc?  I'd be interested in what you mean by 'evidence'. Have there been some scientific studies on the subject?  It does make sense to me that January can set the tone for the year. My maternal grandfather always used to teach us, and mom carried on the teaching, that we must set our home and our family matters in a good and positive way before the New Year comes and on the eve of the New Year and on the first day, we should be doing positive things and activities that will 'follow' us throughout the year. In other words, no fighting and division amongst family and friends and no negative activities. I adopted this as the way I live my life in general but also at the close and beginning of each New Year. My family also liked to gather together at home safe and sound rather than be out and about and we stayed up visiting and watching television festivities waiting for the New Year to be rung in at midnight. Then we would hug and kiss and wish one another a happy New Year. Following that the phone would start to ring and/or we would make phone calls to wish loved ones far away a very Happy New Year. Sadly, no one really does this anymore but I loved it. Today I do still stay up until midnight to wish my immediate family a Happy New Year and have a small toast. I hope to continue this tradition even if it is only with one person. 

Update: After reading what others have posted in answer to this question I came back to expand on my answer in case there was any confusion by what I meant.  I want to clarify that my maternal grandfather was not a superstitious person and nor was my mother. We were/are all Christians and the idea about the positivity was to set the tone of what would follow in the new year. It was not magic, nor a ritual but an intentional decision as to how we would live out the day, the transition to the New Year and the New Year itself. We were in gratitude, if you will for each day and moment that the good Lord has gifted us and were deliberately choosing our attitudes about the gift of more time.

Last but not least, I don't make resolutions but I do adopt a theme word for the year. A few years ago I did more detailed goal setting but this takes more thought and work to be ready to post it at the end or beginning of each year. The goal setting works well for me when I'm able to do it. The theme word also works well and gives me more flexibility in the activities I'm carrying out throughout the year.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be paying your blog a visit soon!

Tuesday 4 ~ The Four Seasons

Glad to have you back for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

The idea is to promote blogging and friendship and allow you to get to know yourself and others through 4 questions asked each week.   

Let's talk about the seasons. Summer has just passed and we have begun our journey into autumn.

1. How would you describe each of the four seasons? 

 

Fall - crisp, cosy, nature, gold and orange, long shadows, bare branches, layers, spice, hot beverages, heavier food, busy, sad because winter is coming

Winter - cold, rain, heavy rain, gray, very little sunshine, short days, unpredictable, indoor activities, heavy clothes, anticipating spring

Spring - renewal, joy, new shoots, leaves unfurling, wonder, green, colourful, birds

Summer - heat, sunny, too much watering of the garden, unpredictable, wildfires

2.  How do you generally feel during each season? Do you suffer allergy, feel tired, sad, happy, energized? What does each season do for you?

 

Generally I feel a lot of joy and energy as soon as spring arrives.  I also feel a bit of anxiety because I'm always behind in getting the house in order and the gardens planted in readiness for summer season. I usually get behind no matter how I try. Though I love the autumn season it is also when I suffer the most with physical ailments such as cold, flu, aches and pains and stuffed nose due to allergies. I also suffer from stuffed nose and congested sinuses during spring when all the new growth happens.

 

Despite the physical discomforts I love both spring and fall best. Sadness also attends me (and many other locals) in the fall season because I'm sad about the coming winter.  We get very little light in our winter months and the sky seldom breaks clear.  I feel tired for much of the winter season due to the lack of light and I make a special effort to get out to concerts and movies and other social events so that I don't stay in the house for too long a stretch.  Outings are not that affordable any more but still I look for special events that are doable & affordable.  I also try and get friends to join in with me for a social outing.

3.  If there is to be only one season for you to live in, which one would it be and why?

 

Probably the spring season. I absolutely love the joy and happiness I get from the reawakening of nature all around me, the end of gray and dark skies, arrival of the longer, sunny days and people out and about after a winter of hibernation. It is also my favourite time of year because of the cherry blossoms that happen in April. The blossoms are just stunning and one of the great joys I look forward to each year.

4. What color(s) do you associate with summer, winter, autumn and spring?  Example: maybe summer is green, winter is white..etc.

 

Fall - orange, gold, yellow, red, brown, tan

Winter - gray, blue-ish gray, brown, earth tones

Spring - white, blue, light pink, dark pink, red, yellow, lavender and so on.

Summer - every colour of spring, various shades of green,blue of the water and mountains

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Books to Films

Once again it is time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo. Today's subject is books turned into films.

Here we go:

1. What book turned into a film did you enjoy?

I enjoyed The English Patient very much and The Life of Pi as movies. I'm sure I've enjoyed a few more books turned into films, like Out of Africa (more on that later) but I cannot remember them at the moment. 

2. Did you ever find the film version of a book to be better than the book or was the book better than the film and which book was it.

The English Patient was a book that for my taste was a far better film than book.  I guess I watched the film to see if it was any better than the book and it was!

3. If you could decide what book should be a movie, which would it be and who would you get to play the main characters?

I've enjoyed so many books over the years and many of them have been turned into films which I've enjoyed.  Generally I find that books are better than the movies. But sometimes I am surprised.  For example, the movie, Out of Africa is based on bits and pieces of several books by the author Karen Blixen (pen name Isak Dineson) rather than one book.  The movie puts all the relevant pieces of the author's life together for you to enjoy a cohesive story.  After seeing the visually appealing and emotionally touching movie, I read all of Karen Blixen's books about her time in Kenya and also several books by other expats living in Kenya.  They were all very interesting and enlarged my understanding of the nation of Kenya, especially her colonial past.

An interesting book to turn into a film would be  The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's a highly unexpected kind of book from the author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My pick for the main character would be Jenna Coleman, the British actress. She played Queen Victoria in the historical mini-series of the same name. I think she would bring a great depth of character to the female protagonist in The Signature of All Things.  Another book I'd like to see turned into a film is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I don't have suggestions for actors but I think all the roles need to be played by South Asian actors.

4. Have you watched a movie and then had to go read the book or has the opposite occurred and influenced you to see the movie?

Yes indeed. I've both watched movies then read the books and also read the books then watched the movies. Out of Africa is probably the most impactful movie causing me to do a lot more reading of books by expat authors in Kenya and also Kenyan authors and authors from other African nations. Probably the most famous or well known of these is Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I thoroughly enjoyed several of her books especially Half a Yellow Sun which tells the story of the Biafran War.

Well that's it for this week.

Thanks for joining in and come again next week!

Tuesday 4 ~ Bug Out!

 

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

Welcome to October and welcome once again to Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo, hosted by her good friend Annie of Cottage by the Sea.

Where I live we are still in summer mode and the autumn hasn't really arrived yet. Perhaps in another week or so. In the eastern part of Canada and USA there have been high winds, tree splitting winds and buckets of rain and several hurricanes. Since the east coast is experiencing hurricanes and tropical storms let us explore the topic.

 1. Expert survivalists and weather experts say it is wise to have a bug out bag handy in case of evacuation, hurricane, earthquake or any emergency. You can see online how to create one. Do you have an emergency kit or bug out bag?

Yes, I have an emergency kit consisting of a small suitcase and a backpack. The backpack has the barest essentials if there is no time to grab both bags.  Where I live we are likely to experience emergencies relating to wild fires, flooding or earthquakes. Hopefully we will never have to deal with any of it but being a bit prepared takes some of the edge off the possibility (just a little anyway).

 2. Do you have plans with your family on where to meet and what to do in case of emergency? 

 

Whatever plans we had need to be revisited and updated because family composition has changed since I last updated the kit.

 3. Do you keep your phone well charged and your gas tank topped off ? Is your flashlight kept fresh with batteries? Do you have a list of what to go where to go? 

 

Yes and I try to keep the power bank charged up. I have so many flashlights and battery operated lamps. I need to invest in more batteries as I seem to be low on what I need.

 4. How about a little stash of emergency goods and foods to last a week or two? They say it pays to do this.. do you?

I have meal bars and water from the emergency packs you buy at the store and I added a bit more. These need to be changed out from time to time as they get old but I don't change them as often as recommended.  I figure that they will still be "good enough" in a pinch even if the taste is not quite as good. I'd like to buy some dried foods but whenever I've looked into it it seems like they only come in very large quantities. It's probably time to look on line again to see what is available. Update:  I found a Canadian company called Good2GoCo that has a wonderful selection of foods and other items in small and large quantities. The foods and water have a very long shelf life so I think this is where I will be purchasing from soon. The food is sourced from Augason Farms which is based in Utah and so you can purchase from a number of retailers (Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, Winco or from Augason directly).

 

In other news, I haven't blogged about the Kenyan missions.  While Jonah and I have been busy getting organized we have also tried to continue with some missions efforts from afar. I hope to provide a short update in the not too distant future.  If anyone would like to contribute to the work the donate button on the right hand side of this blog is always open. If you should experience any problems/issues with it, please let me know and I can try to resolve it. Thank you and God bless!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Tuesday 4 - Autumn Trip

Welcome back to Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo. Thank you for stopping by to visit and for (hopefully) leaving a comment. Enjoy your week ahead!

Today we're planning a lovely vacation through New England to see the Autumn leaves.  Money is no object and we have all the time we would like or need for the trip.

1. How many days and  nights would you like to be away?

For my trip to New England I would love to have at least 2 weeks to enjoy the lovely countryside, spectacular autumn leaves, historic sites and beaches. For accommodations we would prefer to stay at some of the lovely historic B & B's but at the ocean front we would love a beach house, preferably a bungalow all to ourselves so we can relax, unwind and come and go as we like to the beach front.

2. What kind of car would you like to take on this trip? Maybe you would enjoy the train? Would you sail up the coast in a yacht?

Most likely we would take a car or rent one after flying to the airport at our first stop. It is so nice to be able to have the freedom to come and go as one wishes to either see the sites or take in dinner and events. If we had a friend who owned a yacht and lived on the east coast, we would most certainly love to spend some time sailing with them up the coast.  Alas we don't know anyone who fits the description so we'll stick to the land by car.

3. Would side trips be on your agenda? Perhaps to Mystic, Connecticut, Salem, Massachusetts, Plimouth, (yes, they spelled it with an "i" ) Massachusetts, Walden Pond, Lizzie Borden's home or maybe the home of  Emily Dickinson, etc.

Side trips are most definitely on the agenda. I absolutely love the autumn season and would love to see as many places as possible. I've spent a short amount of time travelling through some of New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts & Connecticut) on the way to New York City several years ago.  However it was a real drive through trip travelling back to the Province of Quebec in order to board our flight back to the west cost of Canada. It was late spring or early summer and the leaves hadn't yet turned colour. On this trip I would love to spend time and visit Walden Pond and the home of Emily Dickinson as well as visit some of the historic sites like the Freedom Trail. I would also love to spend several days enjoying the Cape Cod seashore and stay at a lodging along the seashore. Last but not least it would be fun to see Yale and Harvard up close as I've heard so much about these institutions of higher learning. However, all in all, the main purpose would be to enjoy the autumn leaves which I find are more plentiful and vibrant in the eastern part of Canada and the USA.

 4. Lobster roll, chowders, boiled dinners, brown bread, baked beans,  pancakes with real maple syrup, blueberry muffins, Parker House Rolls (well loved by Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,  the Kennedy clan.), Toll House Cookies, Red Flannel Hash, Tourtiere  pork pie, (Recipe here)— what native foods catch your attention?

Any and all the food sounds wonderful. I like to sample the local foods wherever I travel. I think the Tourtiere Pie would be so tasty and lobster rolls, chowders and baked beans sound just right for the season.

Tuesday 4 - Questions

Joining in Tuesday 4 Meme today in memory of Toni Taddeo.

1. Are you happy with the way your life is going?

My life is always changing and I do my best to roll with things. Currently I am undergoing major changes due to a new-ish marriage and the fact my husband joined me all the way from Kenya.  We are both adjusting well and Jonah has been very busy with work and studies. We have a lot we hope to do in future and desire that our plans be aligned with God's plans.  We are off to a good start and look forward to more to come. Apart from these major changes, I'm in the midst of trying my hand at home improvements and though I'm slow I'm happy with things so far.  Last but not least, I am taking 2 short courses this fall and so I expect to be even busier from now until Christmas.  Keeping reasonably busy always makes me happy and moving forward.

2. Are you planning any trips in the future?

I had hoped to have a short trip this summer but it didn't happen. I have no specific travel plans in the near future. Instead I've been trying to see things in my city that I've never seen before. A few weeks ago it was going out to different suburbs near and far and spending some time at one of the parks. 

This morning, after a seminar I attended downtown, I strolled to the Waterfront stopping along the way at Christ Church Cathedral. I've never been inside the cathedral before and have wanted to do that for quite some time. Today was the day and in addition to touring the cathedral I was able to participate in a prayer service at noon.  I also signed a book of condolences for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. There were congregants on hand greeting visitors and they were very welcoming and engaging.

After that I continued my walk down to the Waterfront where I had a late lunch of calamari.  I took some photos from the Pan Pacific Hotel and then continued my walk to Simon Fraser University's downtown campus and one of the few fabric stores in the city, The Dressew.  They didn't have what I was looking for but they kindly pointed me in the right direction.

I was struck by how many tourists there were today.  Many of them struggled with their luggage as they made their way to pick up points to catch a bus to the airport, while others studied their maps and tried to figure out where they were heading. It was lovely to see and hear so many accents today and most of them were from England and India.

You can't quite make out the yellow colour of the pile of sulphur on the right.

 

The sky is quite hazy from the wildfires burning all around us including Washington State to the south of us.

Outside park area with waterfalls at the food court near the Convention Centre.

The brick building is the 1930s Art Deco inspired Marine Building.

I was surprised to see the sun come out. There were a lot of tourists at the waterfront but there was no cruise ship in the harbour today unless it sailed much earlier.

View from Pan Pacific Hotel next to where cruise ships dock.

One of the docking points for cruise ships. Left is the new Convention Centre.

3. Are you reading anything at the moment or do you plan on reading something interesting?

I just completed an interesting book on bees called Bee Time:  Lessons from the Hive, have just started reading Homo Deus: A Brief History of  Tomorrow and awaiting a book from the library entitled The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

4. What's for supper tonight at your house?

I'm making a late supper of roasted chicken breasts, tater tots with pico de gallo and green salad.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday 4 - House & Home

Hello and welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 hosted by Annie who writes a blog called Cottage by the Sea.

Today's these is home secrets for keeping house and person clean. Maybe we will learn a few tips from one another.

1.   What household tool or appliance do you rely on a lot?

Like most western households these days I have many household appliances. I use most of them on a regular basis but I rely on the washer and dryer and the vacuum cleaner the most. During heat waves I also rely on several fans because I have no air conditioning.

2.   Which laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dish detergent work best for you?

I've always used Palmolive for hand washing dishes because it was the sole dish detergent featured in television commercials back in the day. I still use it but now I also use Dawn.  Sometimes I also use Ivory.  I  interchange between these 3 with Dawn being the primary dish detergent I use.  I  also use several kinds of liquid laundry detergent: Purex, Arm & Hammer and  Freshex (1st and 3rd one are free of dyes and perfumes). To be honest, I have not researched to see how environmentally friendly any of these products but in a quick search I see there are concerns about both Palmolive and Dawn.  I'll need to investigate further but slowly I am moving toward using fewer chemically based products. When I had a front loading washing machine I made my own powdered laundry soap but now that I now I own a front loading HE washer, I buy liquid soap for such machines.  I don't use fabric softener but I do use fabric dryer sheets. I sometimes use wool dryer balls instead of fabric sheets and plain white vinegar in the rinse cycle to deodorize towels and linens.

3.   What soap do you like to use?   Where do you have soap in your home... bathroom, kitchen, shower?

I use liquid  castille soap which I use only for body soap in the shower, not for household cleaning.  Castille soap is made of plant oils — coconut, hemp, sunflower seed, jojoba and olive. I used to buy Dr. Bronner's brand but it is quite expensive. Now I buy exclusively at a place called Soap Dispensary where they sell oils, soaps and many products in whatever amount you want and they dispense everything into recyclable containers which you pay for on deposit. You get your deposit back when you take the container back for cleaning and reuse by another. I also use bar soap from time to time, primarily soap made with Shea Butter, Goat's milk or Olive Oil. I also use Ivory bar soap from time to time. I keep liquid hand soap in the bathroom, castille liquid soap in the shower, dish detergent in the kitchen and laundry detergent in the laundry closet.

4.   What is the secret to a clean home in your opinion?

The secret to a clean home is not to leave things undone each day. Everything needs to be picked up and put away or folded and put away or washed (like dishes). The other thing is to take care of "hot spots", places that accumulate clutter. For me it's my desk and dining table, for others it may be the kitchen counter and so on. A few minutes each day, or a set time each week, to tackle such things will go a long way to keep everything tidy.  Regular decluttering will also help. As I've aged I've faced various health challenges and taken on possessions of loved ones who passed on.  Now I have a huge job to get things to a cleaner, tidier state and in better working order. I've been working away for a long time already to get things in better order.  Slowly I'm getting there but it is a challenge.

Washing dishes is my least favourite chore but I like a clean sink.

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Have a great week ahead.

Restaurants and Eating Out

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo and hosted by Annie at the blog, Cottage by the Sea.

Today's theme is restaurants and eating out.

1 Do you like eating out with friends or would you rather have them over for a meal?  

 

I would love to host friends for a meal but I no longer have the energy to do all the cleaning, shopping, food preparation and cooking, hosting guests then cleaning up. So whenever possible I meet up with a friend for one on one casual dining or coffee dates. I save the hosting for the odd holiday meal but the past few years of course I haven't had anyone over for any meal.  When I finally complete downsizing, organizing and refreshing my small home I may enjoy hosting again.  But then again, maybe not.

Vietnamese Pho Soup

2. Let's go out to eat. You pick.  Where are we going ?

 

If it's possible I like going to a lunch buffet where each of us can choose the things we like, take our time and savour all the goodies. But the hotel I liked to go to for buffet lunches hasn't reopened the service since Covid and I doubt they will again. It means I'll likely choose an ethnic restaurant (Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, African, primarily Ethiopian or Kenyan). I also like western food but these days it's hard to find such a restaurant. Sometimes I get to Denny's for their salads and sandwiches and there is the odd restaurant that serves the mom and pop style food I like.  Yesterday I had a Clubhouse sandwich for the first time in years. I don't eat out so frequently anymore unless I'm travelling. Then I eat almost all my meals out unless I stay in an Air BnB and it is properly equipped for cooking. I occasionally eat lunch or dinner out when I stay in an Air BnB and cook the odd meal. It's nice to have a place to make simple soups and meals and to have a place to put fruits and drinks.  It's a lot easier on the budget and eating out several times a day also gets boring.

3. What are you going to order tonight?

 

Normally we order chicken wings, pizza or Chinese food. All of these tend to be more economical than other foods. If we dine out we often go for steak, ribs, Greek food or Vietnamese food or other ethnic foods. My DH likes beef, chicken and fish in that order, pork less so. He isn't adventurous enough yet to try the type of fish we serve on the west coast of Canada.  I  prefer chicken when eating out and I also cook a lot of chicken.

4.  Are you going to have dessert?  

 

It depends what we eat. I likely won't add dessert unless I'm going for lunch and taking hours to eat because eating the meal is filling enough.  The one place I used to go quite frequently to meet friends is no longer open for buffet but they used to have many different desserts on offer and they were all good. You could take a sliver of each item you liked if you didn't want to over do things or you could simply have one item of your choice. I'm always amazed at how much some people can eat and they always seem to be the skinny ones!

 

Tuesday 4 ~ Light

We are experiencing a heat wave this week and Tuesday will be very hot. After that it will cool a bit each day. I'm not sure what the rest of the summer holds since our warm weather came very late this year unlike last year where we battled constant heat and wildfires or smoke from wildfires. It seems that kind of weather has moved on to central an eastern Canada, parts of USA and Europe. Please stay safe and cool wherever you are.

~~~~

 Welcome to another Tuesday 4 by Toni Taddeo.

 

Let's talk about light, okay? You light up my life.. shine a light in the darkness, Miller Light. All kinds of light but how about at home?

1. Are you afraid of the dark? Is night or day your favorite time?

I'm not afraid of the dark in general; only if I am alone walking in the dark anywhere. Late at night or very early in the morning are my favourite times because it tends to be cooler and quiet. 

 2. Do you have night lights in your home?

I have a night light that plugs into the socket in my bathroom. When I use it I don't have to turn the hallway lights on if I get up in the middle of the night. I don't always use it though because light keeps me awake.

3. How low do you set your air conditioning?  Do you adjust it through the day?

I don't have any air conditioning though I wish I did. I do have a few fans and I turn them on and off all day long during hot summer days or when the air is stagnant.

4. Do you keep any outdoor or indoor lights on all night?

I don't keep lights on outside all night. In fact, it is forbidden by the strata by-laws to have light bulbs outside. I pretend I don't know that and I have a few solar lights in the garden to enjoy at night when I look out. Inside I only have the bathroom light which only throws light once it's dark. I don't use it all the time as light tends to keep me awake when it filters through the cracks around the door.  

Late at night I read or knit and sometimes watch TV. It seems I concentrate better when virtually everyone else is sleeping. (The photo shows 3 books I'm currently reading).  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday 4 - Which One?

 Welcome to Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo.

Which one do you prefer?

1. Picnic by the water or backyard BBQ?

I absolutely love the waterfront and would choose the venue for a picnic if there weren't a lot of people around. I love to have peace and quiet and just enjoy the picnic with family or loved ones. A backyard BBQ is attractive because you won't have a lot of noisy people around plus you don't have to schlep your food and other accoutrements very far.

2. Spring or Autumn? Got reasons?

This is a hard one because these are both my favourite seasons. If I have to choose one I guess it would be spring. The reasons are that it brings so much joy and colour after a cold, long, gray season of late autumn and winter. I do love fall too because of all the beautiful colour and the cool, crisp air after a hot summer. I find crisp air so invigorating.  But I would have to choose spring just because it gives my spirits a lift and I look forward to growing season. When fall rolls around I get a bit melancholy because I know it won't last long and winter is around the corner. If I could only have fall and spring, I would gladly do away with winter and summer.

3. Cup of Tea or Cup oCoffee?   'splain it to us Lucy... if you don't mind!

I love coffee best. Probably because when I was a child almost every one drank coffee when they visited one another and there was a lot of visiting going on. Tea was usually only brought out for a one on one afternoon visit. I really love the smell of coffee too and I have fond memories of the coffee aroma wafting it's way to my nose whenever mom or dad would make morning coffee.  Nowadays I drink coffee in the morning and early afternoon. I switch to decaf or herbal tea late at night to keep me warm and I also drink a lot of water.

4. A weekend at home or one spent out and about?

It depends what one is doing out and about. If it is going to see some naturally beautiful spots or spending time with a friend  then I will go for being out and about. I also like to go out and about once or twice a week just to spend quiet time on a walk or running a few errands, maybe reading a book over coffee. Otherwise I would much rather stay home relaxing or doing things around the house. 

Dockside, a local restaurant to which a friend introduced me.

A friend took me to the above restaurant which was quite special because it is marina side and it wasn't very busy at noon. I enjoyed it because I don't really like crowds especially when trying to visit with a friend. Of course if you go to some events you expect it to be busy and then you don't really visit but simply enjoy companionship while taking in the sporting event, concert, movie and so on.

As December Arrives

Hello and welcome to my post in memory of Toni Taddeo and the Tuesday 4 kept in her memory.  

December is a month filled with religious significance for so many. Christmas (Dec 24-25) and Chanukah (Nov 28-Dec 6). Christians speak of the light coming into the world at Christmas and Chanukah is the festival of lights when the light was returned to the newly cleansed temple in Jerusalem. So they have a common connection: the light of God in the world. 

Today's post is about December and what it has in store for us.

 

 1.  How much importance do you place on December holidays?  Do you plan and prepare? Is that part of the fun for you or would you rather dispense with it?

December holidays are very important to me (as are Easter and Thanksgiving).  I enjoy Christmas because it reminds me of the birth of Christ and the plan of salvation for all mankind. It is a chance for me to be quiet, spread some cheer and love to family, friends and sometimes strangers.  It is also time to give thanks for what God has done for me.  I also enjoy the happy mood that I sense in people when I go about doing my errands. Most people are smiling and very pleasant at this time of year though it is a bit different in pandemic times since I hardly get out to the shops except for essentials.

Although Christmas gifts are probably the least important of the Christmas preparations, I do love to plan and prepare all year for the small gifts I might want to give.  I like to take time to think about what to buy or make and spread out the purchasing all through the year.  Of course if I'm making gifts it also requires starting much earlier and I'm not always organized enough to get the crafts underway on time.

A gift I finished early this morning.

I also like giving and receiving Christmas cards and mail. This of course needs to be done in advance:  notes and parcels prepared, stamps and cards purchased and everything shipped on time.  As the years go by my Christmas list has shortened.  I think that is true of almost everyone I know who sends cards.

Although I loved inviting guests to dinner during pre-pandemic times, I don't enjoy the cleaning and tidying that goes into getting my small home guest ready.  Under normal circumstances this might not seem like such a big deal but with advancing age and health related issues I find this more of an issue.  Especially since I am in the midst of trying to downsize and get rid of clutter so things are not where they should be, or as clutter free as they will be in due course.  I'm happy to report that I'm finally getting to the point where I see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of getting rid of excess.  It's taken much longer than it should largely due to my involvement with Kenyan missions needs and my own health limitations.

Last but not least, I enjoy the Christmas carols, concerts and special services at church and in the community when we are permitted to gather. The Covid restrictions have made it impossible except for brief periods of time but I still try to enjoy through You Tube.

 2. Food is a big part of the holiday season.  Which foods and treats do you most look forward to having?

During the holidays we indulge more than at any other time of the year. I'm not really into baking seasonal treats but I do try and make a batch of Dream Bars or Christmas (Almond) Bark. On Christmas Day and New Year's Day we always have a traditional dinner of stuffed turkey with all the trimmings (or glazed ham)  and the popular side dishes like roasted brussels sprouts/beans/mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes, green salad, gravy and buns. etc.  This year I'm thinking we might have something different like salmon topped with cranberries. I have yet to decide.

For dessert we usually have a pie of some sort with ice cream or a Hawaiian salad (one of my all-time favourties). If I have baked any traditional Christmas cookies like Christmas crinkle I will put those out too and maybe some store bought Christmas cake. Drinks are non-alcoholic and include a variety of sodas and fizzy fruit drinks (like San Pellegrino) as well as tea/coffee and store bought egg nog. Snacks include things like: deli meats, gherkins, dips, cheeses and in former days cheese balls and a pineapple appetizer tree.  I grew up in a household where my late mother was very good cook and she loved being hospitable especially at the holidays.  She/we made a lot of food at the holidays and many relatives and friends would drop by at any time, all day long to enjoy food, drink and conversation. I think it is a wonderful way of keeping a sense of community but this wouldn't work where I live now. The large menu ideas I've posted are for when we are having a larger group of people over and we scale it down if there are no guests.

Hawaiian fruit salad, photo credit: Campfire Marshmallows

 3. It is a season for family, friends, guests and giving.  Would you write a bit about how it all comes together for you in December?

I very much enjoy being hospitable over Christmas in particular.  Since Covid all this hospitality and visiting has completely stopped. I'm not sure I will pick it up again if ever we get a chance to do so because of decreasing energies and all the work it takes to prepare and clean up afterwards. I actually prefer one on one hosting so this part may continue.

 4. Life changes and traditions alter due to those changes. Has anything changed for you and if so how? If not, would you mind sharing your traditions with us?

Christmas has always been about spending it with family, particularly my late mom and sister and also my special needs niece. I can no longer visit my mom and my sister physically and so things have changed a lot. Now (my brother and nephew and) I like to focus on making Christmas special for my niece.  But for two years now we cannot even visit her in person. Last year, it was because Covid travel advisories strongly urged us not to travel.  This year, the atmospheric river and storms have totally decimated parts of the province and shut down the major highway connecting Vancouver to where my niece lives. There will be no travel in the foreseeable future. It is quite devastating but not as devastating as the many who lost homes and businesses and the few who also lost their lives due to the flooding and landslides.  Christmas has also been about hospitality to friends and to newcomers to Canada. This too will change drastically as I explained above though I do hope to continue something on a much smaller scale. 

 

In about the year 2007 I started a tradition of helping the grassroots villagers near Kericho, Kenya. I try to help them all throughout the year but at Christmas it is nice to remember them with a bit of money so they can prepare a Christmas meal.  This is usually a modest meal compared to our feasts in North America.  It includes chicken; either in a stew or as the main part of the meal served with greens and ugali (a very thick porridge made of maize flour). A more luxurious meal includes mbuzi (goat). If you would like to join me in helping feed a village family in Kenya this year, there is a link at the side bar on the right of this blog for your donations. Thank you in advance.

I'm linking up with Tuesday 4 today. Thank  you for stopping by!