Merry Christmas

Not sure if I will have another chance for blogging before Christmas Day so I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Don and I are spending Christmas Day with his cousin from New Brunswick that is here in the park, Gerry and his wife Stella. We will be having a traditional turkey dinner. Christmas Eve we are having a couple over for hor'dourves and eggnog and/or tea after early church service. We are going to another cousin from New Brunswick (niece of Gerry McGraw) Marie and her husband Lou for New Year's Eve. I am going to have to have the whole bunch over here for a meal, maybe Ukrainian Christmas Eve. I think that is the 6th of January.

Dinner on Dec 9, 2007

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless skinless chicken Breasts

4 thin slices deli ham (I used black forest)

4 slices Swiss cheese

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1 cup crused corn flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1-2 tsp. Essence (recipe below)

Flatten chicken to 1/4" thickness. Season one side with garlic powder, pepper, and parsley. The other side with Pepper and Essence. On the Essence side place a slice of the ham and the slice of cheese. Roll up, tuck in the ends and secure with toothpicks.

In a small bowl , wish egg and milk. In another bowl put your crumb. Dip chicken in egg mixture then roll in crumbs.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 40-45 min or until chicken juices run clear.

Discard toothpicks beofre serving

ESSENCE

5 TABLESPOONS SWEET PAPRIKA
¼ CUP SALT
¼ CUP GARLIC POWDER
2 TABLESPOONS FRESH GROUND BLACK PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS ONION POWDER
2 TABLESPOONS CAYENNE
2 TABLESPOONS DRIED OREGANO
2 TABLESPOONS DRIED THYME

COMBINE WELL AND STORE IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER IN YOUR SPICE CABINET FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS

It is Autumn for sure in South Western Ontario. We have had our first frost, the leaves are falling fast and it is getting cold. That all means the I am starting to think "Florida" You bet I am wanting to leave here before that white stuff that starts with an "s" begins to fall.

With the cooler weather comes the urge for comfort food and a nice pot of homemade stew just seems to warm up the whole house. Top it off with some biscuits and it's enough to start a person purrrring. My husband just loves it. Nothing fancy but boy was it good.

Happy Birthday to Me

It isn't for another 10 days but my husband has made me a beautiful oak desk for my computer. What a man!

No Rest for the Wicked

New Door, New Floor, Who could ask for More!

Wow, I'm a poet.

Don is hard at work with hardwood.
He is so pleased with it so far.

The door was put in about a
week ago and looks really nice

Home Again, Again!

It has been a rough few weeks. I no sooner got unpacked from my month out in the Okanogan than I had to repack. Sad occasion this time, my Mother (almost 86 years) passed away June 23. She knew her time had come, she was ready and I had just spent a whole month with her so I also was ready to let go. I was unable to be right with her when she died, but all my siblings made it there and I'm sure that was a great comfort to her. On the right is me with My Mom on Mother's Day 2006. This was before she got real sick. On the left is Mom and I on June 3,2007. The date on the camera was wrong so I'll have to see if I can somehow remember the date a few years from now. She was the best Mom anyone could ask for. I hope I have been half as good for my kids as she was for me.

Anyway, now I am home, my husband says I'm grounded for awhile. He needs me too. He did a wonderful job of taking care of the house, yard, garden and flowers while I was gone so much. I think I'll even wait a couple of weeks before I start having the grandchildren over. My annual camping trip with 4 of the grand kids that was to have been July 2-6 will now happen in Aug. I'm sure they all understand.

I am planning a memorial garden for Mom, consisting of a tree, a shrub, and 2 rose bushes (to start). The tree is a Sunburst Honey locust, the shrub is a Tamerisk, and the roses will be a Chrysler Imperial and a Talisman. The tree and bush are my favorites that grow on the grounds of Park Place where Mom lived for many years and the roses were her favorites. When she and Dad still lived in their house she had the most wonderful Rose Garden. I would never be able to do as well as she did, but I am going to give her favorites a good try.

I found a real good flight for my daughter to come back to Toronto from Florida in Nov. anyone ever heard of SunWing Airlines? They fly twice a week Totonto to St. Petersburg. Real good flights and prices. Diane is going to drive down with me in November and fly back and Don will fly down on the 30th of Nov. out of Detroit. Coming back in the spring my friend Lois is going to do as she did last year and fly down and take a 2 week sabatical and then drive back with me so Don can fly home. He does not like the 2 day drive. Eventually we will get a car and leave it down south and both of us will fly back and forth. Not yet though.

That's about it for now. I'll have to do something interesting before I can write any more.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my Husband Don, my Son Michael, My Brother-in-law's Don and Bill, My Brother Richard, My Step Son's: John and Steve, My Son-in-law's Rick, Dennis and Stephen. It is a Special Day and you are all or have been an important part of my life. Sorry I don't have pictures of all of you, but you are membmbered today even if you never were a Dad.

Home Again!

Arrrived back in Ontario at 7 p.m. MOnday but didn't fly out of Toronto airport until almost 11. Got home just before midnight. Not much sleep. It will take awhile to adjust to time difference.

Yesterday I had lunch with The Red Hat Group that I belong to. We are called The Heart T Hatters and have a wonderful time when we get together. 14 of us had lunch a a small place in Essex called "The Daily Grind" Cafe. Quaint setting and good food makes for a good time when you are with friends. I had a soup and sandwich combo. A cup of Chicken/Broccoli/Cheese Chowder and a Turkey sandwich with cranberry vinigrette on grilled sourdough bread.

This morning I went for an hour's exercise class at the Good Neighbor Club. It was a good work-out.

Tonight (Thursday) Don and I went to Bingo at the church hall. He lasted almost to the end and then left to wait in the van. Tension headache that had started earlier , sort of got better, but came back. We did not win anything, but it was a nice evening out. Too bad about the headache, I know they hurt.

Tomorrow I hope to get in a few games of ping pong over at the Center before we go to check out our newest great-nephew. We're going to Amhurstburg to the new grandparents and then over to see the baby. A late lunch/early dinner will be in the plans. No cooking tomorrow. I made Pizza soup for lunch today. It was excellent. Dinner was chicken done in the oven with Cream of Chicken soup, celery seed, garlic and some fresh parsley. I did fresh green beans with lemon juice and butter, and to top it off.. Chicken Rice a Roni. **I just didn't feel like doing real rice, or cooking potatoes.** I know it's a cop out, but it was good anyway.

New Week, new project

This is my mascot. I call him "Big Toe" He lives on my veranda.

This morning I did something I have not done since public school, and that is about 45 years ago, maybe more. I went to the senior's center and I played ping pong. An elderly gentleman from my church that has Parkinson's goes 3X a week and plays with whom ever shows up to play. I did not realize that it would actually give me a good work out. A friend and former neighbor had come to visit just as I was leaving so she came along and also played for awhile.

I have always said that when I retired I would do something to help the seniors in the community and I think that by taking part in some of the activites at The Good Neighbor Club as well as visiting former neighbor's that are at Chez Nous nursing home and taking them on outings or shopping I will be doing my bit.

Church yesterday was good. Our new minister is a good speaker. Other members of the congregation call him the "Hippie" minister. He is about 60 and has long grey hair. I don't mind long hair and grey goes along with being 60 I guess, for some people anyway, as long as it's clean it's ok.

Several people brought goodies for "afters" and we had a selection of strawberry/pineapple angle food cake, pound cake with candied fruit, butter tart squares as well as the regular cookies. Coffee tastes so good with a sweet, don't you think? I am thinking it must be about my turn to cough up a tray of goodies.

Yesterday afternoon we attended an afternoon dance and then a dinner. Excellent Roast Beef. We had worked up an appitite by dancing several times. We are definitly out of practice.

It was a good week-end, and I'm sure this next week will be equally as good. Tomorrow is my exercise class, Wed. I have a doctor's appt. in the city and then off to a Red Hat Luncheon at a new cafe in Essex (The Daily Grind). I might even get a picture or two taken. I should have time on Wed. night or Thursday to post again.

Another Day another $4.00

I went to the Big Bingo at the Seniors Center today. I won $4.00 WOW! It was a good afternoon. Don spent the afternoon digging through the cement to move the opening in the fence so he can get his riding lawn mower through. Cement floor for the shed will be poured on Friday. Maybe I'll get a picture of it and post it. Right now our yard looks like Sanford and Son.

Spoke to my niece over in Glasow and she told me how to add a picture to the posting. I'll try it. This is a picture of our house. We just moved in last Sept. but with being in Florida for the winter we really haven't had time to get much work done to it.

April 17, 2007

Tis a day like many others...Blue sky, 61 F. or 16 C. if you prefer. We have actually had 2 days without any rain or snow. I guess being back from Florida is o.k. after all.

Don and I signed up today to be a host family and billet some of the Whatoto Children's choir that will be perfroming here, hosted by our church in July.

I had to do a bit of juggling with grandchildren, other commitments, etc. but did manage to fit everything in. It will be an experience. The chldren are all African orphans and they are touring Canada.

This is my first Blog posting and I hope to keep it like a journal. I may not write something everyday, but will when I can.

Introduction

I am going to try this Blog thing out. It can't be too hard since millions do it daily.
I do have some free time, not much but some.
To introduce my self to those of you who have forgotten me, My name is Barbara, or if we are related it is Aunty Barb, or maybe even Mom.
I do not live anywhere exotic. I am small town, Ontario Canada. I can walk from one end of town to the other in less than half an hour.
I am a grandmother, a mother, a wife, and a host of other things that matter.