The Big Apple

New York City has been on my "list" for a long time and after last weekend, I could put a check beside NYC.

My first trip to the Big Apple was a swirl of skyscrapers, people, a Naked Cowboy and hot dog stands. It was four days that were jam-packed with as much New York as we could fit in!

We arrived at JFK and headed to our hotel (in Queens) on the subway. Seemed like a good idea at the time. We purchased the unlimited pass making getting from the hotel to Manhattan a breeze. However, getting from the airport to the hotel with our luggage....not such a breeze. Augh. So many stairs! But, eventually we made it.

We headed to Times Square and it was exactly as I thought. HUGE! Everywhere you looked, super-sized advertisements. And within moments of arriving...we saw Naked Cowboy! (for those of you that are not familiar, he is an institution in NYC) We hit a few stores and got some big city pizza. Our first evening, we did a trip over the Brooklyn Bridge...and finally hit the hotel, exhausted.

Day 2 started early, but we had lots to do! We hopped on our "Hop on, Hop off" bus and headed to Central Park. Wow, it's absolutely huge...and beautiful! I love how New Yorkers just go there for chilling out, rollerblading, cycling, picnics, etc. Across from the park on the west side, we saw the Dakota building. This is the building where John Lennon lived (and Yoko Ono still does) and also where he was shot.

Not far away, we stopped by Tom's Diner, of Seinfeld fame. (also the song of the same name) We took the obligatory photos and then had lunch. The interior is nothing like Seinfeld, but it was fun. I had a grilled swiss cheese and rice pudding. I was aiming for typical diner food!!

...stay tuned...

Irises

I happen to live in an awesome neighbourhood for walking. I'm surrounded by huge century homes that are beautiful to look at as I pass by. Along with the homes, the gardens are lovely as well. Right now, my all-time favourite flower is blooming everywhere!

Irises are just so beautiful. Three ruffly petals rise up in the middle, three more petals turn down slightly, as if to reveal their friends. They are large yet delicate and sit on top of a lofty stem. Really quite a marvel. And the colours are stunning! All shades of purple, yellow, white...

I need some of my own I think!!

The ABCs of NY

A brief summary of my weekend trip to New York City, as compiled by the alphabet game played in the car waiting for 2+ hours at the border!!

A    Apple (the big)
B    Broadway
C    Cupcake
D    Deli
E    Empire State Building
F    Ferry
G   Greenwich Village
H   Hotdog in Central Park
I     Insane breakfast nook (at the hotel)
J     Jersey
K    Kelsey Grammer
L    Late nights
M   Magnolia Bakery
N    NBC
O    Outrageous Naked Cowboy
P     Pizza
Q    Queens
R    Regis
S    Subway
T    Tickets (Rock of Ages)
U    Unused umbrellas
V    ....the game stopped as we reached the border!!

My Mum.

Last week, it seemed appropriate to write a post about my mum. Sunday was Mother's Day and it was also Nurses' Week. Sadly, the week escaped me before I could "compose" myself.

I like to think I have a special relationship with my mum. Part of that comes from being the youngest. Youngest kids always have a special bond with their mum. Moms tend to be a little sentimental with them as they know it is the last time they will go through each stage. In addition to being the youngest, I share my name with my mum. Well, my middle name is her first name. I think that's pretty cool.

When writing my card for Mother's Day, I was reflecting on my Mum and what she means to me. I started to think of what she has done over the years, not just for me, but for all of her children. Wow. What a self-sacrificing woman.

So many hours were spent listening to us fumble our way through piano lessons, helping construct science projects, patiently explaining concepts and helping us to learn through mnemonic devices. Making lunches, making dinner, making the beds. A mother's work is truly never done!

That motherly nature also comes through in her career as a nurse as well. I am always moved when I see that compassionate side shine through. She has worked with aging people as long as I can remember and she always treats them with dignity and respect as well as comforting them and their families in difficult times.

Thanks for all that you have done and all that you are Mum. 1-2-3.

Fun with Madison

My sister Connie recently opened a tearoom and I've been helping her with some design stuff. So, on Sunday afternoon I was working on my computer at a table by the window while Connie was in the kitchen whipping up some wonderful dessert. Steve & Madison had gone to get some groceries and when they arrived to deliver them, Madison sprang into action.

It was so adorable to watch! She appeared at my table with a tray and an order pad & pen. She informed me that her pretend name for the day was "Queen" and I needed a name. I chose "Ivy". Then she told me that it was my pretend birthday and she had some special treats for me. She proceeded to take my order on her pad and disappeared into the kitchen.

When she arrived back at my table, she had a plate with 3 small desserts drizzled with chocolate sauce (had a little help from Mom) and wished me a happy birthday! Ha ha. Hilarious. She was very particular about placing everything on the table and carrying her tray. She could almost step in and work there this summer!

Later on, I stayed with Madison while Connie & Steve went out for a bit. We had such a great time! We started out playing "Go Fish". When we were done, I suggested we play again and have a tournament. After I explained what that was, she went and found a paper and pen and wrote both of our names without any help. And then she had the idea that between our names she should put VS. I don't think she knew what that meant, but she knew it should be there.

We went on to play Uno and Wheel of Fortune. (she LOVES Wheel of Fortune) When we got it out of the box, she informed me that she would be Pat and when I guessed an "E" she told me that I had to say that I'd like to buy a vowel. What a smart little cookie.

So, little Madison is growing up but I've gotta say she has become such a neat little girl.

The Yellow Effect

Why does yellow make me blue? Good question. I'll give you a hint... the beetle.

Each time I see a yellow beetle on the street, I feel a pang of melancholy. Seems silly, I know. To most people, a car is a means of getting from point A to point B. But to me, my yellow beetle became a part of me. It was an extension of my personality and I loved driving it.

Even before Volkswagen introduced the "new" beetle, it was my dream car...especially in yellow! Buying my yellow bug was a dream come true. It was also a step in declaring my independence. Knowing that my "domestic car" family wouldn't like a foreigner joining the ranks, I researched, test-drove and purchased that car all on my own.

So, when my partnership with my beetle ended abruptly last summer it had more impact (no pun intended) on me than someone that was in an average car accident. I had to make a quick decision to replace my car.

At the time, I made the decision based on my emotional attachment to the yellow bug, and I bought a silver bug. It was newer, less kilometers and even had a sunroof. It had my mechanic's stamp of approval and he gave me a really great price, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. The interior was basically the same, so all the buttons and controls were already familiar.

All went well...until I saw my first yellow beetle. I dare say it was a bit of jealousy! My new beetle is boring old silver. Silver. Ninety percent of the cars out there are silver! OK, if not it seems like it. In my yellow car, I stood out in the crowd. In the silver car, I blend in. It's been an adjustment that I'm still getting used to.

Spring has sprung!

Each year I marvel at how quickly spring comes upon us. I know this year has been an early start of sunny days and warm temperatures, but it still surprises me how the trees are brown and barren one day and the next day are bursting with colour. I love going outside and being surrounded by green!

I am fortunate to live in a lovely old neighbourhood of the city. When I go for walks I gaze at the gorgeous old homes with frilly pink magnolia trees and perfectly manicured lawns. I can't believe the size of some of the homes. Wow.

There is a really pretty tree outside my front window. I'm not sure what it is, but it is quite beautiful. Currently there are 2 daffodils and a handful of yellow tulips that have sprouted up too. I meant to take a photo when they first popped through...but I kept forgetting. Oops. But, now I will post these and say Happy Earth Day!

Friends Like Family

On Sunday I had lunch with some good friends. I have worked with Duane and Debby since I started at /A\ almost 11 years ago. They have been like family ever since.

After Debby came back from maternity leave, she worked a lot of weekends and different shifts than myself and has since moved on to other pursuits. So, I have worked a lot more with Mr. Duane. I consider him to be like my brother. He is not, in fact, like my actual brother John. They are very different. But, I relate to him like he's my brother.

Anyway...on Sunday I went to their church and we all went for lunch after at Tiger Jacks. What a fun experience with the kiddies - Emma (8) and Colton (6). Colton was pretty excited to see that I drive a beetle and got to ride with me to the restaurant. He didn't stop talking the entire trip. We became fast friends. The jibber-jabber didn't let up even when our food arrived. Hilarious!

On the way back it was Emma's turn for a ride. She was considerably less talkative, but I did manage to find out that she plays hockey and her team party was that afternoon. Once we arrived home, we took a few snaps with the camera. Ironically, we have a very similar photo of me & Emma on the day I got my yellow beetle. I picked up the car, learned how to drive it (it was a standard and I needed lessons!) and stopped by to show Debby who was home with a pretty new baby Emma. She took these photos. And eight years later...see how we've grown. Even my car has matured...it's gone gray!

People Watching

People watching is such a fun thing to do. Each individual is different than the next and sometimes observing human behavior and interactions is so fascinating.

Last week I was having coffee at Williams with my friend Murray. About half way through our time there, a young man in a business suit came in the door beside where we were sitting. Not an uncommon occurrence. However, the young woman following him with a sizeable camera snapping photos drew my attention. They continued through the cafe and found a booth.

I tried to forget about this guy and continue my conversation but he was just so distracting! He was walking around talking to "himself" as he had a bluetooth in. He certainly was drawing attention to himself. So, we carried on...and then I noticed it. He was strolling around the cafe in his suit, talking on his bluetooth in his BARE FEET!

Now, I love the feeling of no shoes & socks and once sandal season hits, I don't look back. Walking around your home or even in the park in your bare feet, I can understand. But walking through a restaurant in bare feet? I thought that was kinda gross. And why? Why was he not wearing socks and shoes? Was he wearing them when he came in? Or did I just not notice the lack there-of? And why was someone snapping photos of him? Who is this guy? Is he famous? Finally I had to leave for work and none of my questions were answered. But, it made for an entertaining visit to Williams.

April Fool's Day

Wow, I have been totally slacking off my blog lately. But, I feel like I have a good excuse! I'm very close to finishing off the 2 classes I've been taking at Fanshawe. So, I've been busy with final projects, quizzes and assignments. More about that later, but for now...that is my excuse.

So, where to begin? Well...I have a great story from April Fool's Day to share. If you watch "The Office" (and if you don't...you should!) you might familiar with this prank. When I watched the episode where Jim puts the contents of Dwight's desk in the vending machine, I thought it was pure brilliance. I was determined to play that prank.

My first thought was to get my friend Duane. He is always teasing me and giving me a hard time, so I wanted to get him back. The trouble was... he didn't really have a lot of desk content to put in the vending machine. And, he wouldn't find it as hilarious as me. Nope, bad choice. Perfect choice? Laurence! Laurence is another co-worker that was made for this prank for a number of reasons:

• he loves The Office
• he has many many desk toys/action figures, etc.
• he has a great sense of humour and would totally appreciate the prank
• he arrives in the morning and the timing would be perfect

So...I had a quick chat with the woman that fills the vending machines and getting the keys was a piece of (hostess cup) cake! I made my way downstairs with a box to collect Laurence's belongings. A lot of the pieces were too big to fit in the machine but I was able to find a few.

Ironically, Laurence has bobbleheads of Michael, Dwight and Kevin (The Office) on his desk. Perfect! I put Michael & Dwight in the machine and left Kevin on the desk with a speech balloon saying "I'm Hungry". This was supposed to point Laurence towards the vending machine...but apparently it took a lot of help from his coworkers to find his way.

Unfortunately I could not be there for the big reveal, but I did get an email from Laurence telling me about the awesome prank someone had pulled on him. I think he was "feeling me out" to see if it was me. I didn't let on. In fact, he didn't know it was me until I arrived at work and told him. I wasn't going to and let the mystery continue to surround it...but it was so good...I wanted to take credit! In hindsight, it would've been better had I taken all the items out of the machine but I wasn't sure just how far I should take it.

Comments

Sometimes I wonder who exactly reads my blog. It is out there in cyberspace for anyone to peruse and I'm curious who my readers are! If I depend on the "comment" section alone, it would seem that it is mostly my dear old mom that is my faithful following. But, once in a while, someone will say "oh ya, I read that on your blog".

So, although you may not feel like you have a "comment" for any particular post, this post is all about the comments! If you read my blog on a somewhat regular basis, leave me a comment to let me know! It's a pretty easy process...if my MOM can do it, I'm sure you can too! It will be fun to see who's reading and where they are in the world.

Thanks for participating!!

The Cupcake Courier

Check out this awesome CUPCAKE COURIER I got for my birthday. It can carry 36 cupcakes in one convenient swoop.

Originally, I had planned to buy this cupcake carrier at Michael's. I had looked at them and decided it would meet my needs of transporting cupcakes to work for various birthdays. It seemed good enough...2 levels for 24 cupcakes. It had little ridges to help the cupcakes stay in place...

But then, my sister told me about the cupcake courier. www.cupcakecourier.com She had read about it on a mom's discussion group and the consensus was that the courier was far superior. I checked it out online and it did seem to be the bee's knees of cupcake transport.

So, imagine how excited I was on my birthday to receive a cupcake courier from my sister Jo-Anne! And, it was just in time for my St. Paddy's Day potluck. Perfect timing.

The courier is perfect because the cupcake sits down in the hole...like a muffin tin. There is no room for accidents while transporting. And, it makes decorating convenient too. The ones I made yesterday are so adorable! I iced them in green and the stuck a chocolate coin under an icing rainbow. Cuteness? I think so.

Birthday Girl

March 16th marks the passing of another year. It was on that date I entered this world! So, each year on that date, people sing to me, give me cards...even gifts!

On Sunday I showed up at my sister's house for dinner with the fam, only to find 2 little boys "decorating" for my "party". Too cute. Jesse was all about ripping off his own tape while Liam just ran around with the helium balloons. After we were properly decked out for the party, Jesse played me a pretty rockin' rendition of "Happy Birthday Auntie Janice" on his guitar. (his guitar was a cardboard box with elastic bands that he made that afternoon) Wow, birthdays with kids are so fun!

Today, on my actual birthday, I met a friend for breakfast at Cora's. Not a bad way to start the day! Then I decided to finally use the gift certificate I've had on my fridge for the past YEAR (yes, got it for my birthday last year) and get a manicure/pedicure. I got green on my phalanges...for St. Paddy's Day!

I tried to keep the birthday on the down-low at work...but that didn't last long. In fact, because Nick (our resident town crier for such events) was off today, he called in on speakerphone to lead a round of Happy Birthday. Nice.

Thanks to everyone that made my day a great one!

Adventures with Laurie

One week ago I had a rare but delightful evening out with my dear friend Laurie. In December we went to see Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe. One of his musical guests was a Matt Anderson. We were so taken with his powerful voice and stage presence, that when we discovered he was returning to Centennial Hall in March, we decided to snatch up 2 seats right at the front.

Since Laurie lives in Brights Grove our friendship is unfortunately mostly online. So, it was so great to spend some real face time together! We headed out for a little dinner and "catch up" at Cafe One on Richmond Row. When true kindred spirits are together, the conversation is easy, the laughs come from the belly and the time passes far too quickly. Soon enough we had to head out for the show.

Centennial Hall was just across the way with Victoria Park standing between us. It seemed like a good idea to stroll through the park. At the time, we didn't know what was before us! It was dark and it seemed like the paths we needed to take were blocked with piles of dirty snow. We ended up tiptoeing our way through through the bumpy semi-frozen terrain of the park!

The concert was great and so was the company. Love ya Laur!

Saying Good Bye to Aunt Mary

On Saturday I said good bye to my Aunt Mary. I was honoured that the family asked me to say a few words at the funeral. I wrote down what I wanted to say and thought I had composed myself. However, when I stood at the front and looked into the front row and saw Mary's son Roy and his wife Elaine, and their 2 children Wendy & Dan, well, that's when my voice got a little wobbly. I did make it through and this is what I said:

When I was small, Uncle Cliff and Aunt Mary lived just down the road. That was a long time ago and too long ago to remember any details. But, I do remember enjoying Mary's company. I think it's because she was an adult that acted like a kid.

Around the time they left for Tobermory, Mary gave me a small book. It was called "My Jesus Pocket Book of Nursery Rhymes". It contained a collection of classics with a slight twist. I loved that book and nearly wore it out! I still have that tattered and taped little treasure.

When Cliff & Mary moved up north, it was the beginning of a long standing pen pal relationship. What a thrill to check the mailbox and find an envelope addressed to me in that familiar scrawl. Without fail, it was written on the same multi-coloured paper and following the numbers at the top was a must as they were never in order.

Each letter contained the same information: a weather report, a description of her animal friends and an assurance that she was thinking of me, talking to me and praying for me. I will truly miss her.

My Special Aunt

This is my aunt Peggy. She is one special lady. 

When I was growing up she lived just a few minutes away, so I saw her all the time. In fact, I clearly remember her babysitting the day Charles & Diana got married. Through the years, I've spent a lot of time with Peggy and discovered she is an amazing person.

She was born prematurely, and as she likes to say...they used a man's handkerchief for a diaper! Her given name is Cathleen Irene, but when an Irish neighbour came to visit, he said that was too big of a name for such a small little baby. He determined that she needed a good Irish name like "Peggy".  Well, the name stuck and 85 years later that is how she is known in family circles.

Peggy has such a kind heart and giving spirit. She would do anything for just about anyone. For many years she has put others before herself and never complained once. She has a strong determination that has kept her living at home, by herself and driving her own car...and she just turned 85!

In January, she fell through the night and broke her hip. I was really upset when I heard the news. I could not believe my eyes when I stopped by the hospital the next day. She was sitting up in a chair and telling me how good she felt! The nurses all agreed that she was a feisty one! In fact, over the past few years, whenever a trip to the hospital was required, I was always amazed at her attitude and how well she recovered!

After suffering a heart attack, she was flown to London in a helicopter. When I popped into her room to see how she was doing, she told me it was pretty exciting to be in the helicopter, but more importantly her attendant was a "very good looking fellow". Ha ha...so cute.

She has made great improvements since her hip surgery and is now back home. She is not letting this slow her down and I'm glad. I am proud to call such a lady my aunt. Can't wait to visit for some salmon sandwiches Peggy!

Pancake Potluck!

Last Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day/Mardi Gras....it has a lot of names and quite honestly, not a lot of people know what any of them mean. However, if it means eating pancakes...I'm in!

My idea started by wondering how I could make pancakes at work for my dinner break. This expanded to include co-workers and blossomed into a full-fledged potluck party!

As I pitched the idea to people on the evening shift ...it was met with great enthusiasm! We've never really tackled this kind of event before and people were pumped for pancakes. Everyone was assigned something to bring, including 5 griddles!
As soon as the news was over, everyone sprang into action - moving tables, pulling out extension cords, setting up griddles, rearranging extension cords when we kept tripping breakers and finally frying up the bacon, sausages and pancakes! It was fantastic! We had three flavours - banana, blueberry and chocolate chip...and plain if you prefer. Somebody even brought in a latte machine to complete the whole "breakfast experience".

It was an overwhelming success with emails flying about the next day wondering what our next themed potluck should be. Good times. I love that I work with such awesome people :)

Maple Leaf Cookies for Elvin

Check out these adorable cookies! I made them for my friend Elvin's birthday. Usually when one of my coworkers has a birthday, I make cupcakes. But I decided to try something different this time. Since my Christmas cookie experience, I've been wanting to practice my icing techniques.

Elvin loves the Toronto Maple Leafs. To say that he loves them is an understatement, really. So...I remembered the maple leaf cookie cutter I got for Christmas and thought it would be perfect!

I made the sugar cookies, rolled them out, baked them and let them cool. I mixed up a 1/2 batch of royal icing and filled the icing bag. I was using the new tip I got. It was a size up from the plain round one I tried to use at Christmas. I thought this would make piping the icing easier. However, when I started outlining the cookies, the icing wasn't sticking to the cookie. It was frustrating as there were a lot of corners and each time I changed direction, the icing would come off the cookie. Augh!

After consulting some fellow bakers, I decided to add a little water and try again. Worked like a dream! After outlining them all, I mixed up the blue icing. It was a little "baby blue" for my taste, but it's the best I could do. Getting the icing on the cookie, in each little nook and cranny can be tedious and messy.

After doing a little googling, I decided to purchase a squeeze bottle. Wow, what a difference! So, here are the finished cookies. They were a big hit with Elvin and pretty much everyone else at work.

Madison Turns 7

Today is my niece Madison's 7th birthday. I can't believe it! Madison came into our lives in an unexpected and wonderful way.

Madison was adopted at the age of 3 months. But due to some unusual circumstances (knowing the foster parents), I met her (as did Connie & Steve) when she was just 3 weeks old! When we realized she was going to be part of the family, we were all ecstatic!

Watching her change and grow, explore and learn has been so cool. What's really neat is when someone tells Connie how much they look alike  ...and it's true!

Madison loves to bake with Mommy, watch Wheel of Fortune, use the computer, Webkinz, swimming, and becoming bilingual! (yes, she's in french immersion)

So, happy birthday Madison!

Crokinole....or Crouch as they say

While at my parents' place this weekend, my niece Kaelyn was visiting. I found her conversation to be so amusing I wanted to post about it. She is five and it the most hilarious kid I know!

My curiosity was peeked when she asked Grandpa if they could play "crouch". Dad just looked at her, puzzled. She said it again and he looked to me for help. Something clicked and I said "do you mean crokinole?" "Yeah! That's what I mean!"

So, we got the card table set up and the crokinole board out. Kaelyn & Dad were partners and Mom & I were a team. My dad is a crack player, so Kaelyn was happy to have such a good teammate. I was rather impressed with her knowledge of the game.

When she saw that the "white" team (her and Dad) were consistently winning, her comment was "Grandpa is the best player in the house and you guys are kinda suckin'."  Imagine this coming from a five year old. Hilarious!! At one point, Mom missed a shot and Kaelyn let her know that it was ok as long as she was trying her best. There was lots of encouragement from her...nice try, good try, etc. Then she informed us that she had to "concentrate" while making her shot. :) After missing her target, Dad couldn't help but ask "were you not concentrating?" Her response: "Oh, I accidentally forgot to concentrate that time." She was totally cracking me up!

At one point we were talking about the "kids" (grandkids) having a sleepover at Grammie's house. I asked if I could come and she agreed that I could because I'm an adult-kid which is kinda like a kid.

On the way home we were discussing Aunt Peggy and how she had to be in the hospital because she had fallen and broken her hip. Then she informed my mom that she was glad that she was a nurse because she could tell people what was wrong with them and they didn't have to go to the doctor. UNLESS Mom needed surgery because she can't operate on herself. Then she'd have to go to a doctor.

Hahaha....I enjoyed my time with the munchkin as she kept me laughing most of the time!!