So, as I write this, the leaders of the world are meeting in Copenhagen to discuss solutions for global warming etc. Yet here, today, we have matched the record low for December 14. This record was set in 1964 . . . -37.2C. Okay, Environment Canada says it's only -36C at the airport, but the thermometre at the Credit Union (a mere five blocks from my house) says it's -37C. I'm going with the closest temperature reading.
Certainly, it does seem that globally, temperatures have risen, and this summer was quite warm - when it wasn't raining - but every winter, when the temperature matches or exceeds previously set record lows, I have to wonder about this global warming. Because it defninitely doesn't seem warmer here!
Not that I'm complaining. I like winter. Its almost always sunny, when its incredibly cold. I don't even mind these frigid temperatures too much, providing I don't have to go out and about too much. Like yesterday, taking the girls to their recital. Worrying about their hair actually took a back-seat to worrying about whether to shut the truck off while we were at the Cultural Centre. In the end, because my truck is a 2003 and still has the original battery, coupled with the horrid screaming noise it made when I started it up (and yes, I'd had it plugged in for 2 days), I decided to leave it running. No way was I going to be stuck down there, 11 blocks from home, in below -40C temps with a windchill of God-only-knows how low, with 3 children. And no way to get home should my truck not start.
The truck was nice and toasty warm when we got back in it. We only stayed until the intermission. The girls were done, and I really didn't want to leave the truck running - plus, our Tiny Tot was pooped after her very first recital, and wanted to go home.
It's days like this, in December, that make me wonder if the global warming people really know what they're talking about. If it was January, and this cold . . . not a biggie. That's par for the course up here. December, hardly even the middle of December, seems just a bit early to me.
Or maybe, its just "local warming" we're not experiencing?
Never fear, by the end of the week, its supposed to warm up again. I heard -6C . . . good weather for skidooing! Just in time for the kids' Christmas vacation too - they can go outside and play if its going to be that warm. I hate holidays when they have to stay inside for 2 weeks because it's too cold to go out for more than 10 minutes. Everyone, not just the kids, go stir crazy when that happens.
Oh, for a little bit of global (or local) warming to stave off the cabin fever!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
And again, we find rejection
Well, if this just doesn't stink.
Finally got a letter back from Second Story Press. Lovely rejection letter, as far as rejections go, and I've collected quite a few in the past 5 or so years. However, it's delivery was extremely unprofessional. And I'm not talking about our nice mail lady.
First of all, it's November now, right? Hmm, the letter is dated August 10. Secondly, it wasn't even sealed, and it's a freaking self-sealed envelope. All they had to do was peel and stick. Sheesh. But wait, I'm not done yet!! At one point, it was taped shut, and then opened?!! WTF is that all about???
Oh yeah, and it's not Canada Post's fault that it was over 3 months in transit . . . the post mark says it hit the post office in Toronto on Remembrance Day. Complete with blurb "Lest We Forget".
Okay, so you don't like my book. Fine. But for chrissake, be a little freaking professional in your rejections. Or at least mail them in a timely manner. You can't tell me someone didn't do a Timmy's run in the middle of August and couldn't have dropped it in a mailbox on the way!
Ricidulous.
And to top if off, due to SSP's lack of ability in finding a mailbox, I now cannot submit my m/s to the Unhanged Arthur, because submissions closed a couple of weeks ago.
ARGH!!!
I should really phone that chick up and give her a piece of my mind. Or not. Hmmmm . . .
Finally got a letter back from Second Story Press. Lovely rejection letter, as far as rejections go, and I've collected quite a few in the past 5 or so years. However, it's delivery was extremely unprofessional. And I'm not talking about our nice mail lady.
First of all, it's November now, right? Hmm, the letter is dated August 10. Secondly, it wasn't even sealed, and it's a freaking self-sealed envelope. All they had to do was peel and stick. Sheesh. But wait, I'm not done yet!! At one point, it was taped shut, and then opened?!! WTF is that all about???
Oh yeah, and it's not Canada Post's fault that it was over 3 months in transit . . . the post mark says it hit the post office in Toronto on Remembrance Day. Complete with blurb "Lest We Forget".
Okay, so you don't like my book. Fine. But for chrissake, be a little freaking professional in your rejections. Or at least mail them in a timely manner. You can't tell me someone didn't do a Timmy's run in the middle of August and couldn't have dropped it in a mailbox on the way!
Ricidulous.
And to top if off, due to SSP's lack of ability in finding a mailbox, I now cannot submit my m/s to the Unhanged Arthur, because submissions closed a couple of weeks ago.
ARGH!!!
I should really phone that chick up and give her a piece of my mind. Or not. Hmmmm . . .
For the love of coffee
Bonjour, je m’appelle Phoebe La Mange and I am the new guest columnist at the bRokEn TypEwriTeR.
After 40 years of eating and enjoying, or not, the food, I have found my true calling in praising the noteworthy culinary establishments around the city.
So, in true French fashion, I will begin with the analysis of coffee in our humble city.
For such a backward, redneck city, I find it refreshing that there are so many choices when it comes to finding a tasse du café. Clearly, it is not all about the beer here.
It was the talk of the town when Starbucks opened in the Safeway store, for years I have had to listen to people bemoaning the lack of a Starbucks in the city, and certainly, they make bon café. But how do you decide what to order? The list of choices is longer than my brother Henri’s prize-winning baguettes! I, myself, prefer the white chocolate café mocha, which is, as they say, to die for.
The other most-populaire coffee house, is also a member of a chain (the citizens are showing their redneck roots now, frequenting chains, not true cafés) – Tim Horton’s. There are two of these locations in the city, with a slightly shorter list of choices than Starbucks. More like Henri’s French bread, not the baguettes. The café is very similar to Starbucks, but I have noticed that many devoted Starbucks drinkers cannot stand Tim’s. Each to his own.
But whatever you do, do not take the deep breath when going up to the drive through window at Tim Horton’s!! Sacre bleu!! It is often like getting a blast of the parfum of dear old Pepe! The stink, it is horrible!
I have to say, my favorite café is Cosmic Grounds. Again, a list of choices comparable to Starbucks, but not part of a chain. It is a true café, with a pleasant atmosphere, homemade foods, if one is feeling a bit peckish, and above all, delightful, rich smelling, delicious café!
After 40 years of eating and enjoying, or not, the food, I have found my true calling in praising the noteworthy culinary establishments around the city.
So, in true French fashion, I will begin with the analysis of coffee in our humble city.
For such a backward, redneck city, I find it refreshing that there are so many choices when it comes to finding a tasse du café. Clearly, it is not all about the beer here.
It was the talk of the town when Starbucks opened in the Safeway store, for years I have had to listen to people bemoaning the lack of a Starbucks in the city, and certainly, they make bon café. But how do you decide what to order? The list of choices is longer than my brother Henri’s prize-winning baguettes! I, myself, prefer the white chocolate café mocha, which is, as they say, to die for.
The other most-populaire coffee house, is also a member of a chain (the citizens are showing their redneck roots now, frequenting chains, not true cafés) – Tim Horton’s. There are two of these locations in the city, with a slightly shorter list of choices than Starbucks. More like Henri’s French bread, not the baguettes. The café is very similar to Starbucks, but I have noticed that many devoted Starbucks drinkers cannot stand Tim’s. Each to his own.
But whatever you do, do not take the deep breath when going up to the drive through window at Tim Horton’s!! Sacre bleu!! It is often like getting a blast of the parfum of dear old Pepe! The stink, it is horrible!
I have to say, my favorite café is Cosmic Grounds. Again, a list of choices comparable to Starbucks, but not part of a chain. It is a true café, with a pleasant atmosphere, homemade foods, if one is feeling a bit peckish, and above all, delightful, rich smelling, delicious café!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Bite the bullet
The Rednecks of Canada have triumphed! Yes, indeed, hunters and long gun collectors can soon breathe a sigh of relief. More than 10 years after the federal Liberals came up with the idea of a gun registry for rifles etc., the Conservatives, along with some of their more redneck-minded colleagues in other parties have succeeded in voting down the dreaded legislation.
At long last, we, the residents of the backwoods, the frozen North, can venture forth with our guns and plunder wildlife to stock our freezers for the long, cold winter. No more can the government, in its dubious wisdom, regulate our methods of procuring meat - except by issuing hunting licenses. No more will honest hunters and farmers have to live under a cloud of discrimination imposed upon us by big-city dwellers, who believe that criminals will, a) use rifles or shotguns more often than not; b) will actually register these weapons; and c) that anyone who owns, or wants to own, a gun must be a criminal.
So, to the hunters of Canada, I say: Grab your rifles and get you some tags . . . deer season opened on the weekend, and the freezer is empty!! Go forth, and hunt!!
At long last, we, the residents of the backwoods, the frozen North, can venture forth with our guns and plunder wildlife to stock our freezers for the long, cold winter. No more can the government, in its dubious wisdom, regulate our methods of procuring meat - except by issuing hunting licenses. No more will honest hunters and farmers have to live under a cloud of discrimination imposed upon us by big-city dwellers, who believe that criminals will, a) use rifles or shotguns more often than not; b) will actually register these weapons; and c) that anyone who owns, or wants to own, a gun must be a criminal.
So, to the hunters of Canada, I say: Grab your rifles and get you some tags . . . deer season opened on the weekend, and the freezer is empty!! Go forth, and hunt!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Undergoing some changes
Yes, my blog will be experiencing some changes in the next few weeks. First of all, I intend to actually blog regularly, rather than continuing in the sporadic manner of the past year or so.
The bRokEn TypEwriTeR, which originally began it's life on the internet as a writer's blog, will still focus on writing, in a sense, but not as I began. It's become clear to me that the novel I wrote, is probably my only book ~ I just can't seem to get going on the next one, or the other next one, although I thought, at the time, that I had some good ideas. The current project, Dead of Winter, is pretty much dead in the water - the first chapter is awesome, in my opinion, but the rest stinks. So, onward and sideways is the route I shall be taking.
Oh yeah, and I think I'll dispense with the political commentary, unless something really riveting catches my attention. I won't name names, but certain people in our local political arena really get up my nose, as do some other political wanna-be's. However, I don't want to spend the next phase of my writing career continuously bitching about their political machinations, so I simply won't. Unless, as I said, something riveting comes up. Something I can't resist.
Anyhow, I hope you will all look forward to the new and improved bRokEn TypEwriTeR, which will be coming soon to a computer near you!
As always, thanks for reading!! ;0)
The bRokEn TypEwriTeR, which originally began it's life on the internet as a writer's blog, will still focus on writing, in a sense, but not as I began. It's become clear to me that the novel I wrote, is probably my only book ~ I just can't seem to get going on the next one, or the other next one, although I thought, at the time, that I had some good ideas. The current project, Dead of Winter, is pretty much dead in the water - the first chapter is awesome, in my opinion, but the rest stinks. So, onward and sideways is the route I shall be taking.
Oh yeah, and I think I'll dispense with the political commentary, unless something really riveting catches my attention. I won't name names, but certain people in our local political arena really get up my nose, as do some other political wanna-be's. However, I don't want to spend the next phase of my writing career continuously bitching about their political machinations, so I simply won't. Unless, as I said, something riveting comes up. Something I can't resist.
Anyhow, I hope you will all look forward to the new and improved bRokEn TypEwriTeR, which will be coming soon to a computer near you!
As always, thanks for reading!! ;0)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Progress IS a good thing.
Finally, after literally years of waiting for the City to complete the sidewalk from the traffic lights down to our street, or put a sidewalk on our block (the only block of our street on this side of 100th Street without a sidewalk), we are connected to the trail network which loops the city. The guys are out there right now - a week after the first snowfall - laying the asphalt for the trail.
And they told my neighbour it would be done before it snowed. Yeah, right. Just like the guys twinning the Highway as far as Charlie Lake, that's not finished yet either. And construction season is pretty much over.
Still, the kids are looking out the window, enjoying the sight of the paving machine and the steamroller . . . although it is quite late in the year, its a bit more dramatic than it would've been back in the summer (when they should've done it) - the cooler air accentuates the steam from the asphalt.
So, as long as it doesn't rain or snow tomorrow (fingers crossed), the kids and I are going to go for our first ever bike ride on the west trail, starting from our house!! We've been on it before, of course, but such a pain it was, trying to safely navigate the gravel shoulder of 100th Street, block after block, just to get to the trail. Now however, it will be smooth pedalling . . . I think winter could hold off a bit longer, just so my neighbours and I can fully enjoy all that this long drawn out project has to offer! Although the progress has been slow, it is much appreciated.
Speaking of transportation within the city - walking and cycling on the trails being 2 methods of transportation - has anyone noticed the sudden appearance of many new bus stops around town? I have, and although I have never actually ridden on a bus in Fort St. John (school buses don't count), I think this is an awesome development. There are even 2 or 3 stops on my street - fantastic! This means that there are better stops near the elementary school, for the high school kids and others, who no longer have to walk 10 blocks to get to a bus stop. If you're going to walk 10 blocks, you may as well walk the whole way.
However, apparently one of the people who lives on my street, doesn't share my enthusiasm. In her usual outspoken manner, she was the lone complainant at a recent city council meeting, according to what I heard on the news. Bitching and moaning about the bus driving past her house, creating noise. Well, I wonder if she's noticed that in the mornings, there are usually around 5 kids waiting at the bus stop, less than 100m from her front door. Are they going to appreciate having their stop taken away? Are they going to want to walk 10 blocks to a bus stop, again? Especially when it gets to be -40 in January? With regards to the needs of the community, which apparently the complainant doesn't care about, I think the needs of these 5 kids, supercede those of one woman.
I used to walk to school in -40 degrees, because there was no bus from my house to school. I had no choice. I would've preferred to ride in the relative comfort and warmth of the bus, rather than freezing my nose-hairs, having my eyelashes stuck to my hair with ice etc. Perhaps it made me tougher, or less whiny, I don't know, but it certainly has given me an appreciation for the expanding bus routes in the city - and I, for one, am most definitely not going to get up in front of council and complain about progress.
That's what the expanding bus routes are, not noise pollution, not a safety hazard, not something which is going to cramp your style . . . progress. And progress is good.
And they told my neighbour it would be done before it snowed. Yeah, right. Just like the guys twinning the Highway as far as Charlie Lake, that's not finished yet either. And construction season is pretty much over.
Still, the kids are looking out the window, enjoying the sight of the paving machine and the steamroller . . . although it is quite late in the year, its a bit more dramatic than it would've been back in the summer (when they should've done it) - the cooler air accentuates the steam from the asphalt.
So, as long as it doesn't rain or snow tomorrow (fingers crossed), the kids and I are going to go for our first ever bike ride on the west trail, starting from our house!! We've been on it before, of course, but such a pain it was, trying to safely navigate the gravel shoulder of 100th Street, block after block, just to get to the trail. Now however, it will be smooth pedalling . . . I think winter could hold off a bit longer, just so my neighbours and I can fully enjoy all that this long drawn out project has to offer! Although the progress has been slow, it is much appreciated.
Speaking of transportation within the city - walking and cycling on the trails being 2 methods of transportation - has anyone noticed the sudden appearance of many new bus stops around town? I have, and although I have never actually ridden on a bus in Fort St. John (school buses don't count), I think this is an awesome development. There are even 2 or 3 stops on my street - fantastic! This means that there are better stops near the elementary school, for the high school kids and others, who no longer have to walk 10 blocks to get to a bus stop. If you're going to walk 10 blocks, you may as well walk the whole way.
However, apparently one of the people who lives on my street, doesn't share my enthusiasm. In her usual outspoken manner, she was the lone complainant at a recent city council meeting, according to what I heard on the news. Bitching and moaning about the bus driving past her house, creating noise. Well, I wonder if she's noticed that in the mornings, there are usually around 5 kids waiting at the bus stop, less than 100m from her front door. Are they going to appreciate having their stop taken away? Are they going to want to walk 10 blocks to a bus stop, again? Especially when it gets to be -40 in January? With regards to the needs of the community, which apparently the complainant doesn't care about, I think the needs of these 5 kids, supercede those of one woman.
I used to walk to school in -40 degrees, because there was no bus from my house to school. I had no choice. I would've preferred to ride in the relative comfort and warmth of the bus, rather than freezing my nose-hairs, having my eyelashes stuck to my hair with ice etc. Perhaps it made me tougher, or less whiny, I don't know, but it certainly has given me an appreciation for the expanding bus routes in the city - and I, for one, am most definitely not going to get up in front of council and complain about progress.
That's what the expanding bus routes are, not noise pollution, not a safety hazard, not something which is going to cramp your style . . . progress. And progress is good.
Friday, September 4, 2009
What I did this summer . . . since I haven't been blogging.
First of all, I got the braces off! And my teeth are absolutely fabulous!! Seriously, they are. Flossing is kind of interesting, in that I have permanent retainers on behind my teeth - they're just tiny bits of wire cemented onto my teeth. In order to floss where the retainers are, I have to use a floss threader and poke it between my teeth at the gums and pull the floss through. It was a bit goofy at first, but I've gotten used to it.
And the things I've been able to eat!! The raw carrots and corn on the cob are my favorites, although the celery hasn't been too bad either. Mostly it's so nice to be able to eat and not have to worry about mung being stuck all over my teeth/braces afterwards. Sure, there's the occasional bit of debris, but at least I can carry on a conversation (when I don't have food in my mouth!)!
Other than that, I've been working on the vege garden quite a lot and trying to toilet train our three-year old. Each has its good and bad points.
She now seems to have embraced the toilet, less than a week before preschool starts - she is adamant that she will not wear pull-ups or plastics pants over her panties. She's wearing panties and pants or shorts like the other kids, and that's that. "I won't pee," she says. She actually starts crying if I try to make her wear the plastic pants over top - apparently they're crunchy, they put lines on her legs and they make her bum feel sweaty. I can see how that could happen. She even wants to wear panties to bed, but I make her put the pull-up on. Just in case. She's usually dry when she wakes up, which is awesome, but guaranteed, the day I let her wear panties to bed, will be the day she'll pee twice in the night! Not that I'm being pessimistic or anything, but after toilet-training two other kids, I'm very familiar with how Murphy's Law works!!
The garden. Well, it has been a productive growing season. Once again the spuds taste great, and this year, the carrots turned out fabulously and we have been eating them regularly, and I've been freezing them too - I think I have 11 pounds in the freezer at the moment, and quite a bit more still in the garden. I peeled and sliced 37 carrots the other day (6 lbs) and got a blister on my thumb! The peas were great, the beans seem to be a bit slower to grow than last year, I think I might've planted a different type by mistake. But there's a lot of those, so I think I'll be freezing some of those shortly too. Good eating this winter.
This year, I tried a different experiment. Last year's was squash and that was a dismal failure. This time, I tried corn. And although the plants grew well, there's something wrong with my corn. It's all white and shrivelled looking. I have no idea if it's past being ready, because the silk only just turned brown. But it looks weird. Maybe I didn't fertilize it enough. Or maybe it was the lack of heat at a crucial stage in development. Who knows. I think I'll try it again next year, maybe with a different type of corn. Might even grow it in the greenhouse for a bit and see if that makes a difference.
Oh yeah, the greenhouse - that has been a saga and a half. I ordered a greenhouse from Home Hardware on April 3rd. It'll be in in 2 weeks they said. Not so. After calling them repeatedly and getting the run-around, do you know when it arrived?? In time for my birthday. In June. Not good. But then, we had a problem with regulating the heat inside the greenhouse - apparently, shade is required to keep the plants from cooking. Totally makes sense, but I had no idea. So the greenhouse was another experiment - along with the tomatoes which were supposed to be growing in it - which failed. However, once I get this shade business sussed out, I'm sure it will be fabulous. Also, greenhouses require constant attention - according to The Greenhouse Expert, a wonderful book I found, which has pointed out to me, the extent of my mistakes in the greenhouse. The greenhouse doesn't get the attention it needs with me living 10 km away from it. Thank God for the well and water timers, eh? Turns out, water cools it down as it evaporates. I had no idea.
Clearly, this gardening etc., is an on-going learning experience.
But I have to share my biggest success with regards to my various experiments - I made jam and it's good!! I made strawberry jam and what was supposed to be plum jam, but it turned out I bought some funky new fruit called a Pluot, which is a plum-apricot hybrid. But it's tasty. I took photos, which I'll add in later, of the cooking and the finished product. So now, I have 12 little jars of jam in the pantry. Made by me! Fabulous!!
Today's project, since it's raining, is to pickle some beets. I have 5 giant ones ready to be cooked. The smaller, sweeter ones are still in the ground, but I"m not picking any of those today - the garden will be a mud pit after the awesome thunderstorm we had last night! Maybe tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just pick beans and peas tomorrow.
As always, thanks for reading!
And the things I've been able to eat!! The raw carrots and corn on the cob are my favorites, although the celery hasn't been too bad either. Mostly it's so nice to be able to eat and not have to worry about mung being stuck all over my teeth/braces afterwards. Sure, there's the occasional bit of debris, but at least I can carry on a conversation (when I don't have food in my mouth!)!
Other than that, I've been working on the vege garden quite a lot and trying to toilet train our three-year old. Each has its good and bad points.
She now seems to have embraced the toilet, less than a week before preschool starts - she is adamant that she will not wear pull-ups or plastics pants over her panties. She's wearing panties and pants or shorts like the other kids, and that's that. "I won't pee," she says. She actually starts crying if I try to make her wear the plastic pants over top - apparently they're crunchy, they put lines on her legs and they make her bum feel sweaty. I can see how that could happen. She even wants to wear panties to bed, but I make her put the pull-up on. Just in case. She's usually dry when she wakes up, which is awesome, but guaranteed, the day I let her wear panties to bed, will be the day she'll pee twice in the night! Not that I'm being pessimistic or anything, but after toilet-training two other kids, I'm very familiar with how Murphy's Law works!!
The garden. Well, it has been a productive growing season. Once again the spuds taste great, and this year, the carrots turned out fabulously and we have been eating them regularly, and I've been freezing them too - I think I have 11 pounds in the freezer at the moment, and quite a bit more still in the garden. I peeled and sliced 37 carrots the other day (6 lbs) and got a blister on my thumb! The peas were great, the beans seem to be a bit slower to grow than last year, I think I might've planted a different type by mistake. But there's a lot of those, so I think I'll be freezing some of those shortly too. Good eating this winter.
This year, I tried a different experiment. Last year's was squash and that was a dismal failure. This time, I tried corn. And although the plants grew well, there's something wrong with my corn. It's all white and shrivelled looking. I have no idea if it's past being ready, because the silk only just turned brown. But it looks weird. Maybe I didn't fertilize it enough. Or maybe it was the lack of heat at a crucial stage in development. Who knows. I think I'll try it again next year, maybe with a different type of corn. Might even grow it in the greenhouse for a bit and see if that makes a difference.
Oh yeah, the greenhouse - that has been a saga and a half. I ordered a greenhouse from Home Hardware on April 3rd. It'll be in in 2 weeks they said. Not so. After calling them repeatedly and getting the run-around, do you know when it arrived?? In time for my birthday. In June. Not good. But then, we had a problem with regulating the heat inside the greenhouse - apparently, shade is required to keep the plants from cooking. Totally makes sense, but I had no idea. So the greenhouse was another experiment - along with the tomatoes which were supposed to be growing in it - which failed. However, once I get this shade business sussed out, I'm sure it will be fabulous. Also, greenhouses require constant attention - according to The Greenhouse Expert, a wonderful book I found, which has pointed out to me, the extent of my mistakes in the greenhouse. The greenhouse doesn't get the attention it needs with me living 10 km away from it. Thank God for the well and water timers, eh? Turns out, water cools it down as it evaporates. I had no idea.
Clearly, this gardening etc., is an on-going learning experience.
But I have to share my biggest success with regards to my various experiments - I made jam and it's good!! I made strawberry jam and what was supposed to be plum jam, but it turned out I bought some funky new fruit called a Pluot, which is a plum-apricot hybrid. But it's tasty. I took photos, which I'll add in later, of the cooking and the finished product. So now, I have 12 little jars of jam in the pantry. Made by me! Fabulous!!
Today's project, since it's raining, is to pickle some beets. I have 5 giant ones ready to be cooked. The smaller, sweeter ones are still in the ground, but I"m not picking any of those today - the garden will be a mud pit after the awesome thunderstorm we had last night! Maybe tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just pick beans and peas tomorrow.
As always, thanks for reading!
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