The Year is Almost Done

It hard to believe that December is almost over and we will be heading into a new year...how the hell did that happen?

Today we had the family over and it was a really nice day.  I have a small little family but we are close and feel nice and relaxed together.  Last night we went to Chad's family function as well and had a good time, the fun gift exchange had some silly moments.  I totally wanted the Chia pet but my number was too low and I didn't get to steal!  Chad's young cousin passed away very suddenly from cancer just after xmas last year and although it must have been hard, his parents and siblings came and celebrated with the family.  I saw a few tears but I  admire their courage to move forward in spite of such a terrible tradgedy.

This year wasn't terribly eventful for me which is what I like.  My closest friends had some highs and lows this year.  The lows are difficult but often they can be used as an opportunity for a fresh start.  The highs are great as I get to see friends fulfill some of their dreams.

On a personal note, I found work this year really challenging.  The account I work on and people I work with are great, but the level of stress was high and the level of satisfaction was low.  I am one of those people that is motivated more by client satisfaction than by money and I feel that client satisfaction is becoming an oxy moron.  Is anyone happy with anything anymore?   Too many days I felt like I was running an uphill battle.  O well, I gave myself the "suck it up princess" talk and will go with my plan to just Giver.

I have gotten back into reading this year in a big way.  A friend turned me on to the Wheel of Time series of books.  I started with "New Spring", and then got rolling on the full series.  I am now well into book #7 of 13.  The 14th and final book is coming out January 8th!  Very exciting, although I will not be done the rest by then.  These books have been wonderful and an excellent escape from all of the work crap.  Other than the first 16 chapters of book #6, I have loved all of it.  I have even seen Cliff's word - "Miasma" - used on a number of occasions in the books. (ie. A miasma of evil bubbled up through the earths surface).

All l in all its been a pretty good year (other than the work thang) and I look forward to 2013.  I am always grateful for my health and try never to take for granted all that I have.  Life can be so hard for lots of people and in the scheme of things I have nothing to complain about.

Time to go read some more in bed in our new - "micro fleece sheets".  Man those things are soft!!   Like I said, its the little things : )

Mists of Panderia Cinematic

The Mist of Panderia - World of Warcraft game expansion is coming out September 25th.   This is the fourth expansion of the game.  So far there has been:

World of Warcraft - (or vanilla as people often refer to it)
The Burning Crusade
Wrath of the Lich King
Cataclysm
Mists of Pandaria

With each new expansion Blizzard creates a new cinematic for the game.  They are usually really impressive and this one is no exception.  It is quite funny too!

Bird is the Word

One of the things I like to do besides garden is to make stuff.  I have a bit of a creative side that needs to get out now and again, so I find different projects to make.  When I was on a garden tour this year I saw a concrete leaf one of the home owners made and I thought I can do that!

So I went and bought some concrete at Home Depot and looked for just the right rhubarb leaf for the task.  My friend Steve and his wife just bought a lovely home and he mentioned he would like to get a bird bath for his yard.  I thought I can try and make him one...if it fails well we aren't out much. 

I got a board and mounded a bunch of dirt on it and then put the leaf down on the dirt face down.  Mounding the dirt helps to achieve the shape of the leaf you want.  Then I sprayed cooking oil on the back of the leaf to help the leaf come off later.  I mixed up the concrete and patted it onto the back of the leaf...you need to make it fairly thick.  I covered it with plastic and let it dry, then peeled the leaf off and wala! 

One thing I didn't realize at the time was that the back of the leaf has a split shape which cut into the water holding capabilities.  So to resolve this I made a little decorative ball of concrete and cemented it in place.  I glued a little dragon fly pin to the ball for effect as well.  I sprayed the concrete with a sealer and here it is holding water.  I am giving it a final test before I take it to Steve tomorrow.

Hope Steve and his birdies like it!

(Challenge Post Day #22)

Sunday

Today was a great day, nothing special but just a nice day to hang at home before starting another busy work week.  We had to go for groceries today as we seemed to be out of most everything.  We took the opportunity of having an empty fridge to clean it out.  There are always those few things that get pushed to the back that need a swift heave ho into the garboge!

We washed all the shelves and bins in the fridge and put away all the food.  It looks so shiney and organized! 

Then I went outside and finally cleaned out the shed that sits behind our garage.  I forget about it most of the time but decided its time to sort it out.  I have so many plastic pots in there from all my flower purchases.  I washed most of them up and threw them into the blue bag to be recycled.  I kept a few but most I know I will never use.  I am the opposite of a hoarder...I hate crap lying around that I will never use.  I also made a fire in the pit and burnt a bunch of wood from the garage and dead branches from the big trees. 

After hours in the yard, I hobbled with sore feet into the house and had a hot bath.  When you feel gross and smell like old smokey a bath is wonderful!  So here I am...its only after 6:00 p.m. and I am already in my Jammies and having a cup of tea.

 I still have some putzing to do.  I just made a batch of Quinoa so we have a side ready for dinners during the week.  I also did up a batch of Roasted Chickpeas.  These make really yummy snacks that are actually pretty good for you.

Well that's it for my day, time to go and enjoy the evening before the dreaded alarm tomorrow.  Have a great evening all!



(Challenge Post Day #21)

Debt

When I was 18 I moved out of my parents house and couldn't wait to get my first place.  It was a very plain jane ground floor apartment by Westmount, but I couldn't be happier.  I was so excited to move in my old crappy hand me down furniture.  I set up my cinder block bookshelves and put my "stereo" on it.  It was all sooo exciting.

I had an old car that I bought with money I earned from working part time at Agnew shoes.  It wasn't very fancy but it was mine. Once on my own I needed/wanted some new things like furniture, so just as most young people do I went to the Brick and got some with a don't pay a cent event.  I remember having good intentions of paying it off before the date the payments were due..but of course did not. 

As I went through my 20's I purchased a few other things here and there with credit.  I was never one to use credit cards much but I did get loans for various household items.  Over time I realized that it was better to put money away for things rather than use credit.  I started taking some of my money every month and having it directed to money market account (after tax fund).  It was only about $25 taken off my cheque each time but eventually it added up.  Now if the fridge went and a new one was needed I could dip into my fund and pay cash for it. 

Since then I have gotten into this habit for almost all things I purchase with the exception of the mortgage or a vehicle.  Once you get into the mode of saving first, buying later it becomes pretty easy.  Mind you as you get older you also should get to the point where you don't need to keep buying so much stuff.

Having said that, some people never get that message.  They keep spending and spending and spending.  I am not sure at what point they will be happy with what they have.  I believe there are many who just get a thrill out of acquiring stuff.  I see families with boats and quads and campers and bikes and, and, and.  You rarely see them using or enjoying what they have, they are just getting more stuff.  The "more" they get is purchased with credit.  Now money that you haven't even earned yet has been spoken for. 

In IT I work with people that make really good money but save none.  They tell me they will just work till they are 75.  First of all, who the hell wants to do that? Secondly, how do you know you will be healthy enough to work then even if you want to?  That's not a chance I want to take. 

I absolutely don't want to work forever and I don't want to have any debt as I get older.  We now just have our mortgage and we are very focused on paying that in the next 5 years.   Canadians are racking up record debts and we need to take some lessons from the United States.  Just because things are rosey at the moment (in Alberta) they may not always be and if you are in a precarious situation already, it will only get worse. 

We all need to do a better job living within our means and using cash rather than so much credit.

Wellington Garden Centre

I love greenhouses.  One day on my vacation I dropped into the Wellington Garden Centre.  You would hardly know it is there, all tucked in behind the North Edmonton Theatres. 

Once you get inside it is like you are not in the city anymore.  There are perennials, trees, shrubs, flowers and fountains.  They have incredible fountains all running and making soothing sounds.   Some are large and beautiful like the ones you see in Europe in the center of a traffic circle.  They also have nice statuary like gargoyles and pagodas.  I often go for the perennials but also like to just walk around and enjoy the scenery. 

Inside the walls of the garden centre the birds are always chirping and you don't even hear the noise from the busy streets around.  This is really a lovely place to check out.

The Front Yard

Anyone who knows me knows I love gardening.  Our yard is always a work in progress and I am glad for that as it gives me a reason to go outside.  I love to putz in the yard, my head just clears and I can focus on whatever I am doing rather than thinking about the stresses of work. 

Since moving to this house I have been gradually changing things up and keep trying to add more flowers.  I love flowers and color and flowers : )  I have a number of junipers that were put in by the original owners.  They didn't like yard work so put in low maintenance options.  These are nice and green but eventually they get massive.  I prefer more perennials and showy plants.  It is hard work and costly to replace all at once so I have gradually been ripping things out and putting a new plant here and there.  One thing that is great about our front yard is the rock that covers part of the lawn.  Not that I am a huge fan of the red rock but it was here already.  It does however reduce the amount of lawn to cut and the amount of water needed to maintain the yard.  I have started to put perennials and grasses within the rock here and there. 

We don't live in a fancy neighborhood but it does have lots of big trees which we love.  Our house was built in the 70's and those across the street from us our from the 1950's.  All of the houses are at that age where they need some love.  Some have been updated and some not. It makes for a interesting neighborhood with a variety of yards and landscapes.  We often get comments on our yard which is great and I hope to keep making it nicer. 
Today I was in the living room and a very old couple came down the street.  The man was pushing his wife in a wheel chair, she looked fairly frail.  They stopped for a bit and enjoyed the yard before continuing their outing.  That's the thing when you take some time to make things look nice, it gives other people pleasure as well.  That makes me feel good that all the effort is worth it : )

(Challenge Post Day #18)

Humpday

Today was just a frustrating day.  We have recently delved in head deep into Microsoft Project Server for all our timesheets and project management.  I do see some of the benefits for the company but as a user I have not been impressed.  I understand it's here to stay so I need to get over it, but today the performance was unacceptable.  The "must be a network" issue excuse gets kind of old after a while when the person next to you on the same network is smoking along and you can't open a screen.  Well thanks to my incessant whining and some smart cookies around me that desperately hate whiny women (I don't blame them), they figured out a solution to the problem.  It turned out that the issues were only with Windows 7 desktops, of which I have.  A simple config and the months of  "f" bombs is over. 
Anyway, at the end of the day I was bitter that my entire day was spent accomplishing nothing and watching "loading" icons.  Well I digress...

My BFF has had a similar week so we decided to meet for a coffee and vent and chill a bit.  We met half way between our places at the Enjoy Centre.  It's getting better, I won't rant like in a previous post, but it has restaurant/bistro that we can meet at and have a wine or a coffee.  Tonight we had a coffee and shared a dessert for our dinner  : )  We walked around the enjoy centre for a bit and then went our separate ways.  It was a nice little break to end day.  Tomorrow I have my annual physical so I decided to make a vacation day out of it so I get to take the day off.

Well that's all I have for tonight.  I have finished my "Eye of the World" book, it was most excellent!  I want to be an Aes Sedai except the training part would suck..ha ha  Now I have downloaded the next one which is called The Great Hunt.  It's a lot of pages, but if I finish before this challenge is over I will tell you about it.

(Challenge Post Day #17)

Project Management

I never set out to become a Project Manager, yet through my career it has kind of ended up on my doorstep.  Our account team provides IT development and support for our government client.  My focus used to be more on the day to day management of team members who did mostly maintenance on our portfolio of over 30 applications. 

But more and more our clients are needing new systems built to handle their many initiatives.  This is good stuff as it gives us the opportunity to design and construct new sophisticated applications from the ground up.  I used to be the one who did the design and prototypes, but now that gauntlet has been passed on.  Instead of working in Macromedia and Photoshop, my tools are Project Server and Word....oooo exciting!!

It's not all bad but certainly doesn't float my boat like the design part did.  However, it has to be done and it helps our company generate a lot of revenue for which we all benefit from in the end.  Like most everything I do, I use the fly by the seat of my pantelonies method of learning the art of project management.  I have had the odd course here and there but really learn a lot by doing.  Every project I manage I learn from.  Each time I sit back and think what would I do differently next time?  What worked and what didn't?  Here is what I have learned:

Just because the spreadsheet says this is the plan...plans change on a daily basis.  Spreadsheet Project Managers often fail in my opinion.  Sitting at your desk, ignoring your team and clients and stroking MS project on a daily basis helps no one.

Just because a Developer tells you he is done does not mean he is done.  He may not be trying to deceiver you but likely his definition of "done" and yours are two totally different things.

Client's need to be managed.  You need to be perceptive and see the shit flying out of the fan before it hits the wall.  You are the PM, its your job to stop it from hitting the wall. 

You need to identify potential problems early on.  This one has been a challenge for me as sometimes it is hard to tell clients the truth...(YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!)  You have to find a way to nicely but firmly say this project won't finish on time because your Tester is never in the office even though they agreed to the project schedule.  I now say this is not a problem however a Change Request will be forthcoming that will adjust the project end date and add additional costs.  The threat of additional costs often gets their attention.

Milestones can be effective.  Many people can't seem to absorb a giant project schedule but if they have specific objectives and milestones to work towards then it seems to help.  Also going back to the "I am done" thing...I have milestone show and tells along the way.  This really helps to see just how well things are going and also catch that someone is struggling or misinterpreted a spec.

Pre-schedule meetings.  We often have to discuss important decisions along the project life cycle which often requires meeting with a large group of clients together for consensus.  If you leave the planning of these key meetings too late you can't get them together and your schedule gets impacted.  I book way in advance to get their time committed and then forward documents and agendas closer to the meeting date.

Projects always require some give and take.  You need to find the line between managing your scope and being clear about expectations and throwing in things that come along that are no biggie.  The PM can really set the tone for the project, so you need to always try and keep your composure and learn the art of negotiation.  This is probably one of the main areas I have grown in over the years.  I have gotten a bit tougher and more direct, but also realize I have to make sure everyone understands what is expected of them up front as well.

Food can lighten things up.  If you have a contentious meeting sometimes bringing some treats can break the ice and remind people we are really all on the same team working towards the same objective.  It is in everyone's best interest to come up with resolutions to issues and keep things moving forward.

Well I am sure I have a ton more things I have learned but that is my list for tonight. I never stop trying to learn and improving my methods and communication skills.  PM courses can give you some great ideas and a good foundation, but nothing is as good as experience.

Chalk it Up

I really like making stuff and I like design and decorating as well.  A while back I blogged about a little project I did to make a bulletin board for the kitchen wall.  For me it was a partially decorative endeavor.  Something that could add a little flair to the kitchen. 

But regardless of that it has turned out to be a great little asset.  We like to try and cook home made meals as often as possible, and being successful at this is really dependent on having the right ingredients handy.

I know that sounds easy but its not really.  How often do you go to the grocery store and walk the isles in a fog?  You grab a bunch of miscellaneous stuff and then get home and can't think of a damn thing to make as you seem short of something for every recipe.  Well now with our handy dandy blackboard this rarely happens.

As we are cooking or baking and run out of an ingredient we write it on the board.  There is no fumbling for paper, the chalk is handy and it goes up.  Then when we are ready to go to the store we transfer the list to our iPhone app and bob's your uncle!  This also helps to keep you focused at the store so you get what you really need and not a bunch of impulse items.

This little board was made with some chalkboard spray on a scrap piece of wood and some cheap trim I had in the garage for a frame.  I used some acrylic paint I had and painted a couple of peppers on it but you could personalize one anyway you like.

(Challenge Post Day #15)

Shadow Man

We have two cats, Thor and Princess Fuzzbutt.  Thor is the big orange male that we got from the shelter.  From the moment he came into the house he became my shadow man.    Chad has a few other nicknames for him too...but I won't go into those ; )

He follows me from room to room, sleeps beside me on the bed and wants hugs fairly often for a cat.  I have had cats in the past, and most have been your typical aloof type of guys.  Usually in the  near vicinity, but not at all that interested in much attention.

Well Thor is not one of those cats at all.  A while ago I noticed he was drinking quite a bit of water so I took him to the vet.  They called me and he was seriously diabetic.  It was such disheartening news, but once I got over it I thought well, he is a member of my family and I will do what I gotta do.  So we went to the vet office and she showed me how to give him injections of insulin.  The good news it is really easy to do, you just go under the skin in the scruff of the neck.  He never even notices it, but the bad news is it became a twice a day commitment.

So after a while of this routine I researched more about feline diabetes.  I read a lot about raw diets and low carb alternatives...after all cats are carnivores.  I had Thor on the low carb food from the vet but realized it was still high in carbs.  I did some research and started him on a Taste of the Wild dry food blend.  I would prefer to give soft or raw but he isn't at all interested in either of those options...another weird trait of his.  Within 3 months of this new food I was able to stop giving him needles.  How wonderful that was.

He has been in remission for almost 2 years now, but a reading recently showed it creeping up again.  So back to the internet to research again.  I have since found that the food I was giving had no grains but still things like sweet potatoes and peas which have carbs as well.  So now I have changed food again.  The lowest dry food out there I can find is Innova EVO.  It has only 8% carbs.  To give you an idea many of the quality dry cat food it at 30-40% carbs.  I found a helpful chart to help me breakdown the ingredients.

He has been on the new food for a week and he is dropping back down close to normal.  I am not sure how long I can keep solving this with food but every year he gets reprieve from the disease is wonderful.  Many cats are likely not as sensitive to carbs as he is but changing foods is a pretty easy thing to do for my little shadow man!

(Challenge Post Day #14)

Thunder Lake

Today we drove out to Thunder Lake to join Chad's family.  They have been camping there for a few days so we took a drive out and had a great visit.  It is a provincial park so it's nicely maintained, has good bathrooms, showers, etc.  The camping spots can be reserved and they have various sizes and shapes. You don't see too many tents its seems...lots of big RV units seems to be the norm.

They have a decent beach, they have brought in sand so there is a kind of sandy area people can lay on.  Its a bit rockier sand, and the other drawback is the geese come ashore and do their business freely on the beach to go barefoot at your own peril.  Currently Thunder Lake is plagued with the algae bloom that you hear about on many other Alberta lakes.  It is recommended you stay out of the water, but still there were kids dipping and diving.  Wonder if they will get some serious diarrhea for their activities.

All in all we had a nice day.  El Michimo (our brother in law) was doing some serious cooking over the fire.  We had a great steak dinner with baked potatoes and corn on the cob.  We were all teasing him because he was seriously tending to his fire.  Something about a camp fire that brings out the "me make fire" in men.  Well we didn't complain, he kept it rolling and made us a nice meal.

There was a nice breeze today so the mosquitoes weren't as bad as they could be, but they sure are pesky little buggers...or "Hungry Guys" as our niece says.

So now time to post my blog and go read for a bit before bed.  Good night!

(Challenge Post Day #13)

Maybe My Jobs Not So Bad

Today is Friday...yay! 

I got into work a bit early and got some things done.  I decided to treat myself to a Friday scone.  I was sitting at my desk having my scone and coffee and daydreaming looking out the window.  Suddenly I see a window washer cage start to repel down my window.  It stopped about mid way kind of swaying in the breeze.  It made me think...good lord I could not do that job!

Although I suspect some of the views can be beautiful and there would not be a lot of stress, I couldn't do it.  I am really afraid of heights and the thought of being in that little rickety metal cage that moves in the breeze would make me hurl.  I would be laying in the bottom of it clinging to the floor like a baby.  I don't even like being on high balconies.  If on one I will stay back against the wall and not venture to the edge of the balcony.

Whenever I fly I often think that being a flight attendant would also be my most hated job.  I can't imagine being in the air all the time.  I do fly as I like to go to nice places but I don't like it one bit.  I get motion sickness on top of my fear of heights so I hate it.  My favorite moment in the plane is when we are landing and those wheels hit the tarmac.  Once I am back on the ground I am really relieved.  I have found ways to cope like taking gravol or Dramamine and also focusing on a picture or something in a magazine.  I don't look out of the window much as it reminds me where I am.

I am always so envious of those on airplanes that seem oblivious to the movement or the turbulence.  They are having another drink, not at all fearful of the possibility of plummeting from the sky.  It's funny, I am not even afraid of death..its the plummeting BEFORE death I want no part of!

Anyway...I finished my scone and coffee and went back to work on my Computer, safe and sound with my ass on a chair and my two feet on the ground!

(Challenge Post Day #12)

Change

Tonight I don't have a ton to say, however I thought I would share a quote that I really like.  It's pretty straight forward and can apply to almost anything.  It is crazy how often we all complain about something but then continue to do the exact same action that keeps us getting the exact same result. 

Let's all go to the Labby

Well it's time for my annual under the hood inspection.  Those of us that are women are very familiar with going for their annual physical.  Some men do as well, but mostly doctors aren't interested in juggling mens bits until they are a bit older.  And from what men tell me, they have no interest in having them juggled either!!! 

We women folk often start going to the doc at a young age, especially if you seek out birth control.  I had an over active thyroid when I was about 18 which had to be surgically removed, so needless to say I am now committed to my annual appointments.  No doctor visit, no thyroid medication for me...and I will have to take replacement hormones the rest of my life so I best get used to it.

I actually have a great Doctor so I don't mind at all.  It's just the process of going to the lab and getting time of work to go.  Today was my blood work and the all exciting pee in a tiny cup thing.  Now adays you get to transfer your own pee from the tiny cup to the even tinier test tube.   All females understand that the trying to hold the cup and get your pee in "mid-stream" is a trick.

Anyway next week is my actual physical where I get all the results of my tests.  I now ask my doc for a printout of my results so that I can review my numbers.  We discuss them together but I like to compare them to the year before to make sure there is nothing going awry.  Once time doc Oz said everyone should know their numbers.  He meant things like blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure.  I think that is good advice! 

Unless there are some genetic factors at play, many things can be controlled with diet and exercise.  If you see something going in the wrong direction, you can learn about it and make improvements to your lifestyle.  So far my levels are all really good but I do get anemic and need to watch my iron levels. 

So I hope to go for my appointment, get my annual prescriptions and not have to go back to the doc for another year...that's my goal!   Sorry Doctor Dunbar, your an awesome guy but I really would rather not see you any more than I have to.


(Challenge Post Day #10)

Friendship

When I saw this news story my heart just grew and I had a good cry.  What a lovely story to see the love that this man and his dog share for each other.  They are truly companions and this fellow is helping his old friend through the pain that old age can bring.  This dog is apparently 19 years old which is incredible for a large dog. 

In order to help his stiff old bones he takes Shep down to Lake Superior. Shep falls asleep every night when he is carried into the lake. The buoyancy of the water soothes his arthritic bones. Lake Superior is very warm right now, so the temp of the water is perfect.

This photo reminds me of my old girl Lady that was a beautiful blonde shepard/husky.  She was a wonderful dog that I had for 15 years.  She too was getting stiff and sore in her last years but her spirit and desire to live kept her going.   Unfortunately there comes the day that you have to make the hardest decision ever.  She had a cancerous tumor that ruptured and so it was time.

I understand how this fellow feels about his old friend. 

  (Challenge Post Day #9)

Silver Balls...Silver Balls

Public Art...it's such an objective thing.  When ever the City of Edmonton talks about spending 5 cents on something esthetic we get annoyed.  Heaven forbid we spend money on something that isn't directly related to fixing a pot hole in a road.  Now don't get me wrong, I drive those roads too and appreciate a good driving experience that doesn't include the bottom of my car falling out.  But...I think it's important to also beautify as we go and make the city a nicer place to live, this includes how it looks.

So a while ago I had heard a fuss about a silver ball sculpture.  I thought perhaps people were being a bit harsh and were just being typical Edmontonians.  Then one day as we were driving through the river valley going to Fort Edmonton Park, I saw them.  What the hell is that???   Seriously?

I have to say that they look really ridiculous.  I have nothing against big shiney balls in a pile, they might look just fine in one of the downtown areas squares..but where they are?  You drive through the river valley and you see lovely trees and valleys and other natural elements.  And then that~   It seems to just be plunked there with no real thought or relevancy to what is around it?

Sure the art snobs will say I don't understand, but I am/was a designer and I have somewhat of a creative eye.  They don't add a shred of interest other than a big giant...HUH?

So take the balls and put them somewhere else.  I work downtown and there are lots of spot that they go to add some visual interest. 

(Challenge Post Day #8)

Pizza Crust Loaf

I like to watch the Food Network and other cooking shows.  A lot of what I see I would never make as the ingredients are a little too adventurous sometimes.  I usually look for things that have been lightened up a bit if possible as well.  Usually if I am making a recipe I will make all of the components from scratch but from time to time it's OK to use some helper ingredients.

This is an example of that...it calls for store bought pizza dough.  The recipe that was shown on TV used the pizza dough to make a braided dough around some ground beef and other ingredients.  I thought I could take the same concept and put my own fillings inside.  

Take a roll of pizza dough, like the Pillsbury kind.  Open it up and roll it out a bit more.  Leave a section in the center about three inches wide for filling and cut slits on both sides.  Then put in your fillings.  I used some dijon mustard and then a nice smoked lunch ham.  I caramelized a bunch of red onions and dropped those in.  Then I put some montery jack cheese and some herbs or whatever floats your boat. 

I then folded the sides over the center to make a kind of braid.  You can brush the dough with some egg wash and then put some poppy seeds on it for extra pizazz.

Bake it for about 20 mins in a 400 degree oven.  It is really yummy and would be great to serve for a games night. You could use almost anything inside for filling.

So that's my easy cheat recipe, give it a try.

(Challenge Post Day #7)

Rock n August Rolled Down our Street

Last night we were hanging out in the house when all of a sudden we heard a car go by..and a honk.  Then another and a honk and another.  I looked up and noticed and old car go by, then another and another.  I went out out front and looked down the street and a huge line of old cars were parading down our street!  Every kind of car you can imagine.  Corvettes, thunderbirds, all kinds of convertibles, chevettes, mustangs!  There were also some old trucks, Model T's and cars of all type and vintage.  In all over 200 cars went by...honking, waving. 



Everyone came out of their houses and sat on their steps and enjoyed the awesome show.  It turned out to be the Rock n August Show that they hold in St. Albert every year and raise money for diabetes.

I guess usually they go downtown but with one of the main streets closed for construction, our street became the new route!  What a great thing that was.  Now I am not a car junkie but I can certainly appreciate the cool cars, some with the most amazing paint jobs. 

The drivers were having such a good time..young and old.  Some hippy types, some with giant mustaches, the odd mullet, a fair number of old guys, some riding with their kids and dogs.  There were also a few women driving some of their rides as well.

One of the highlights was the "Hearse" club.  About 20 old hearses, some with crazy decorated rides, vintage curtains insides, some with ghost like etchings on the windows. 

 After the parade all of the cars went just down the hill by the river to park at Lions Park.  So today we went through the cars to the downtown and I took some pictures.  Lots of people were walking about and enjoying the show.  They are also having a dance and concert with bands like Harlequin and Doug and the Slugs.

Anyway I hope you enjoy some of the pics, I know we really enjoyed the impromptu parade right down our street!  Maybe next year I will take my dad to the show, he probably would really enjoy it.

(Challenge Post Day #6)

Mission: Fun and Games

Most of the nerds reading this probably have a favorite games store that they like to go to.  We have one called Mission Games that is within walking distance from us.  We went there a few times to look around and it was amazing the amount of stuff crammed in every corner of the store.

I am new to these establishments so I find them rather fascinating.  All of the books and figurines and of course the games.  Mission had a wall of games for almost every occasion.  For kids on road trips, for couples doing a mixed games night, some really basic, others fairly adult and of course the collector versions.  I recall the giant pirate chest looking container that was the Settlers of Catan.  Not for the weak of wallet either.

Well recently this games store moved after 15 years in their current location to a new one.  An old restaurant called Krickets closed down on St. Albert trail and the Mission Games folks purchased the building.  I can see why, it would give them a ton more space for inventory and their game tournaments.  What I found cool though was how they transformed their building.  Maybe it's kind of literal, but why the hell not!  If that's your business then flaunt it.  Here is a before and after picture.  A local mural artist painted the building and here is a link to his site where you can see the progression.

They just opened for business and will be having a grand opening in October.



 
(Challenge Post Day #5)

Constant Cravings

This is the time of day when I am sick of sitting at my desk.  I start to get fidgety and restless and HUNGRY!  Am I really hungry or is it just that I want to nom on something?  Sometimes I will go and grab a coffee or a tea from our coffee room.  Our company seems to be a bit coffee crazy.  We have K-cups at our disposal which are free so that is good, bur for some reason we seem to have no less that 25 varieties of coffee/tea and hot chocolate.

I am not complaining but for a place that can't seem to afford a decent work chair, I don't get it.  Anyway..here is our beverage centre extravaganza!


Sometimes a coffee just doesn't cut it...so that is when we wander down the hallway to our Resource Manager's office.  We are like a pack of cats that hear the dish tinkling....except she serves up sweet and salty goodness for everyone...all the time~!  And don't worry about her running out...noooo.....she has an extra stash.

So if you wonder why IT people often put on the pudge...this is why!  Damn you little penut butter cups of chocolatey goodness...DAMN YOU!!!!

O well, time to get back to work.

(Challenge Post Day #4)

Be a Local Yokal

Quite often with friends we reminisce about the "good old" days.  Now depending how old you are they may not be really that old but regardless we share similar memories. 

Running like mad to catch the Ice Cream man who salaciously tinkled his bike bells...I have ice cream kiddies ; )  Or the local bakery that made the best long johns you could ever hope to eat.  Or the Chinese fellow named Sandy who owned the local corner store that had a counter full of every kind of candy known to man.  You would hop on your bike and pick up some string licorice, even a pack of fake candy cigarettes...ah the good old days.

What that all has in common is it was all local.  All things you could get right in your very own community.  In those days my mom didn't drive and didn't have a car at her disposal even if she could.  So if something was needed it was send the kid to the store with a list and some money.    You really got to know the people who ran those businesses and they knew you too. 

Then things changed.  Everyone got more vehicles, giant malls cropped up...followed by big box stores and big box store areas...ala South Common.  Now, although much of this is convenient, it just doesn't have the same feel that your local store did.  As a result many of the various down towns and local stores all but curled up and died.  Now there is no where you can walk to...you have to get in the car and go to the store "zone". 

But there is hope, the local movement is fighting back.  One of the main fighters are the farmer's markets.  These collection of vendors are bringing people back into the various neighborhoods with their quality wares.  Suddenly people are excited to get back to quality over quantity and for hand made, hand grown products and produce. 

We live in St. Albert and their farmers market can attract 10,000-15,000 people every Saturday!    This helps the local coffee shops and stores and helps to remind people that there are independent businesses that need their support. 

A few more businesses have opened up lately and we have been trying to support them.  On our holidays we walked to the farmers market and also to the local restaurants rather than drive to chains for food.  This gets us off our asses for some exercise (sorely needed) and helps the business as well.

Hopefully people will keep checking out the little guys.  I don't really just want a society of Walmarts and East Side Mario's. Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name...and their always glad you came....

(Challenge Post Day #3)

My Book Report

Earlier in the year Liam had written about a few books that he had read and his intent for others he wanted to get to.  I realized years had passed me by without reading a single book.  The computer and TV had taken over as my entertainment sources and books just never got my time.  So I decided to incorporate some reading into my life and promised on Liam's blog that I would read 3 books this year.  Not soo impressive but a big leap from none at all.

Usually my book reading is limited to vacation time and since I don't go on winter vacations every year my reading has been limited.  I think part of it is I am a huge multi-tasker.  My mind is always in overdrive and it takes a lounge chair, a beach and a boozy beverage for me to actually settle down long enough to focus on a book.  Once I do I can read like no body's business and get into the zone. 
The beach books are often quick reads of sudo trashy fiction.  Why not read about Lucky Santangelo and her ball busting ways as she runs her corporate empire.  Spice it with some mafia murders and sex and you have yourself a party!

So now back at home I needed to have a tad more content to keep me interested.  None of these are classics by any means but I have really enjoyed them.  Here is my list to date.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy
I had heard a lot of good things about the book and the movie was due to come out so I thought I would give it a try.  I really like Stiegg Larsson's writing style, although a few times he went off on a bit too much historical background for my taste.  Actually, the first book was just as much about writer Mikael Blomkvist as it was about Lisbeth Salander. 

Even though the first book was a bit more stand alone, the second and third in the series were not.  As soon as I finished the last page of The Girl who played with Fire, I had to start The Girl who kicked the Hornets' Nest to find out what happened to Lisbeth.  


Hunger Games Trilogy
After reading this series I was talking to James who was into the Hunger Games trilogy.  He really liked it and brought me over the books when he came for a games night.  Even though the main character is 16, the books had a much more adult feel and of course the topic was a bit grittier, with the whole killing of kids in the games and all. 


Divergent / Insurgent
I was reading some reviews that said if you like the hunger games you may like Divergent and it's follow up Insurgent.  The main character was also 16 but this story was about Factions.  When you turn 16 you have a choosing ceremony and can either stay with your own faction or you can go to another.  Each faction has qualities and roles the world.  If you choose a different faction you must go through an intense initiation that you may not survive and you may also no longer see your family.  Being a Divergent is a dangerous thing and you would have to read the book to understand why.  These were a good couple of quick reads and I liked the main character a bit more than Katniss of the Hunger Games.

Gone Girl
This book is about a woman that goes missing and her husband is the suspect.  It is written from both of their perspectives.  I usually like mysteries but this one is just not working for me yet.  When I take a few weeks just to go through a few chapters that is telling.  I have abandoned it for now and may go back to it.....but it wasn't grabbing my attention quickly enough.  (this one doesn't count in my read total)

New Spring
One of the fellows in our Guild recommended this book to me.  When I mentioned it to Chad he said that Liam and Cliff had read some of these books written by Robert Jordan. It sounds like there are a LOT of books in the series, but it was suggested I start with this one.  I really like it and I am almost done.  The first part was a bit slower as it was about the whole process of going from Accepted to Aes Sedai, the teachings, the politics, the pecking order of the White Tower.  The focus is on a young Accepted named Moiraine who become Aes Sedai and wants to find the Dragonmount Reborn.  There is also an intriguing character named Lan who is just now getting more focus in the book.  They have now met and are just trying to figure each other out.  I should be done reading this one in just a few days and will likely be moving on to the next one in the series.

So that is my book report and I am happy to say that I have exceeded my 3 book pledge.  I have read...drum roll please....NINE books this year!  My very own personal best and I hope to finish a few more before the year is done.

(Challenge Post Day #2)

Blog Challenge - So It Begins!

Well the summer blog challenge is here.  I have been going back and forth about participating this year.  I have faithfully completed all of my blog posts the last few years, but my content variety dwindled from the first year of the challenge.  I think I will give it a try although I am not sure that they will be huge in length.  Maybe that's OK, at least I will post something every day.

Expect photos, with my new iPhone it is really easy to whip up a picture of whatever.  Of course you will see some themes.  I like food, movies, animals and I have opinions...boy do I have opinions.  I usually try and hold them back but maybe I will find my inner Cliff and let them flow.  I will share some recipes as I have getting a bit more experimental with food lately.   I will share my gardening porn and some of the projects I have been working on.  It's not all titillating but it is my life and it suits me just fine.
 
Unfortunately many of the original bloggers are not posting any more which is too bad.  The thing of the challenge I enjoy most is reading other peoples posts. 


But hey...the gauntlet has been cast and I am picking it up!  So day 1 down, day 2 here I come.