The Joy of Spontaneity

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. and I reached my goal Saturday morning!

Some of the best times in life are those that are not planned and just happen as the day progresses.

The only thing that I had planned for the weekend was cleaning the house and getting some of my son’s belongings from the apartment he had shared with his girlfriend.

My husband and daughter number one, A, took care of the latter job while I started on the first. As it turned out retrieving my son’s belongings didn’t take long at all and my daughter called to arrange for me to meet her and my husband for breakfast.

As I was driving to the designated location for nourishment, A called me and asked if I would pick up her partner, J from the house so that she could join us for breakfast. The four of us ended up having a delicious meal in a very funky and popular yet unpretensious location.

I announced to my family that I had reached my goal that morning and my husband joked about celebrating by eating whatever I wanted. I wasn’t tempted. I ordered an omelet with cheese and herbs, a small side salad and a delicious cup of Americano. No potatoes, no toast.

As we were sitting in the booth (comfortably by the way even though it was pretty small) we talked about the large bag of pears my husband received from one of his clients. He wanted to make pear butter and put it in jars (there were so many pears).

The discussion soon turned to how we could all get involved and maybe we could pick up some tomatoes and make sauce as well. Hmmm….we had no idea how time consuming this would be.

The girls and I headed for the hardware store to pick up more jars, a food grinder and a propane burner to cook the sauce outside. We couldn’t find everything we needed in the first store so we decided to drive to a famous Italian store on St. Claire that catered to the Italian community, specializing in kitchen supplies. They had everything we needed except the jars and the pots were pretty expensive so we decided to continue our quest and we headed west. So far we had only purchased the food grinder.

After numerous discussions back and forth on our phones with K we decided to buy the propane burner at Canadian Tire where they were on sale. This particular model included the pot. Actually it was advertised as a turkey deep fryer. Guess how we’re preparing our turkey this Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately the first store had sold out but the Canadian Tire close to the house had 9 of them in stock. Back in the car. We made a couple of detours and stopped in a small cheese store where they make their own fresh ricotta everyday. What a treat! It was so fresh that it was still warm. The second detour was another cheese store. Have I ever told you that I love cheese.

We finally had all the supplies we needed for making the pear butter. In the meantime K picked up a bushel of plum tomatoes (another project for another day).

It was mid afternoon before we actually started making the pear butter. Turns out I had to make another trip to buy star anise, lemons and fresh ginger. It took us about 4 hours to cut up the pears, cook them, grind them and then cook them some more.

Pear butter after 45 minutes.

The actual cooking time for the butter to reduce was about 2 hours. As it cooked the sauce went from this light yellow to an amber and after processing it in jars it turned a pink colour.

After 2 hours.

For the recipe go to:

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pear_butter/

The final product. Delicious on ricotta cheese and toast.

After supper we were ready to put the pear butter into jars. We got the water bath ready and K volunteered to watch the last step so that the girls and I could go for a long walk with Frances. The rain that was forecast for the day was over by the afternoon and the wind blew the clouds over the city and to the east. An interesting sky.

The girls and I walked for about 45 minutes. We passed a house where the owner was selling fresh vegetables from his driveway and A and J bought a bag full of corn, potatoes and cheddar cauliflower. When we got home the girls packed up their goodies, including jars of pear butter and I drove them home.

The best part of the day was spending it with my husband, my daughter and her partner. None of this had been preplanned. It was an adventure and even though it was a lot of work it was very rewarding. What about those tomatoes you ask? Well that’s another story for tomorrow.

Frances guarding the tomatoes for Sunday’s sauce.

Abandoned Beach Chairs

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. signs that summer is almost over

Late Sunday morning as I wandered down to the beach with Frances I was taken aback by the isolation. It was after all the Sunday of the the last long weekend in the summer. It was the Labour Day Weekend.

I expected people to be lapping up the last rays of summer, playing with their summer toys, using up the gas in their motor boat or sea-do, going out for one last sail. The conditions were perfect. Where was everyone?

The only signs that human beings used the beach were the unused beach chairs. Some looked like they were waiting to be used momentarily, neatly lined up, facing the water or arranged in a circle for imminent conversation.

Others were already folded and stacked, ready to be put away until next summer. While some looked as though they hadn’t been used in a very long time as beach grasses reached up through the slats and around the legs. Peeling paint and blistering wood scar the surfaces, resulting from years of exposure to the blazing sun, the drifting sands blown about by the off shore winds, to say nothing of the rain and snow.

Is this the end of summer? For many it is, as they head back to school, back to their 9 to 5 jobs. For others it is the best time of summer, the shoulder of summer. For those lucky few I envy you, for you have some of the best days yet to come. Get out there and use those chairs. They await you.

A Very Long Walk

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….we decided to walk extra far today instead of doing our usual run.

I got ready for my walk/run today without the usual coaxing from my husband. Instead I had to light a fire under him to get us moving today.

When we got to the rugby pitch we decided to forego the run and walk further along the path than we would normally. Frances was not pleased. She kept pulling toward the pitch and then toward the lake but we persevered and moved on.

This is what Frances wanted to do today. We did let her have a short swim at the beach in Marie Curtis Park before we turned around to come home.

We walked past an area in Toronto where the homes sit on the lake. Some are the original little cottages that were built there almost 100 years ago and others are massive monster homes that have slowly been replacing the cottage-like dwellings. I can’t blame people for tearing down some of the older homes. Property values on the lake are through the roof. I do have a problem with homes that don’t fit into the neighbourhood because of poor design or little regard for the vernacular of the neighbourhood.

The Old Cottages…..

Anyway the walk was long and Frances was not a happy puppy. When I got home I went to gmap-pedometer and mapped out our route. We walked 8.75 km. It seemed longer for some reason.

I’m leaving for the cottage today or early tomorrow morning so I won’t be posting for a few days. I’m looking forward to my long walks on the beach and through the woods and getting in a few last swims before the end of summer. Can you believe it’s almost September? Boo-hoo!!!

…..replaced by monster homes like this!

The old places definitely need work but the new monster homes have so little character.

Some of the renovations are stunning and I’ve included some of my favourites. They still have that cottage feel and look but are obviously larger and have more modern amenities. They’re also beautifully landscaped. You be the judge.

Diving for Frisbees and Fuzzy Caterpillars

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….. more fun things from the cottage

After 23 years, I finally got my staircase to the second floor. No more ladder. Hooray!

My cousin and his girlfriend spent 3 days at the cottage with us. PW helped the guys with building the staircase while M helped with the meals.

After the staircase was finished K and I had time to enjoy the beach.

Our crazy dog, Frances. loves to chase and retrieve her yellow frisbee. Unfortunately if the frisbee is right side up it sinks in the water. NO problem. Frances dives for it until she finds it and then surfaces and brings it back to shore.

Unfortunately the video would not upload to this site without the upgrade. Check my Facebook page for the video.

PW and I continue to experiment with our cameras. On Sunday a little caterpillar joined us on the picnic table. It was tricky taking his picture because he was constantly moving. These were taken with my Lumix Panasonic DMC-FH1 on the macro zoom setting.

I Did What I Said I Would

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. running

After writing my blog this morning I set the table for my guests, put on my running shoes and headed out the door. The sun was shining but the clouds in the distance were ominous. I wish I had brought my camera with me.

Frances was nowhere in sight this morning so I headed out without her. I walked to the rugby pitch in a nice steady pace. When I arrived at the college grounds I saw that the rugby pitch was actually being used for rugby this morning. So instead of running around the pitch I stayed on the path and ran a different route.

I decided that I would run as far as I could before switching back to walking. I was surprised how long I was able to run. When I got back into to the neighbourhoods I walked for 3 blocks and then ran the remaining distance home.

I have admit that I was a little disappointed when I tracked the distance on the computer. I ran about 1.2 km without stopping and then another .8 km on the last stretch home. When I walked in the door I noticed that my guests were still sleeping and Frances finally emerged from her bed.

I buckled Frances into her harness and set out again. This time I walked to Rotary Park and added another 1.5 km for a total distance of 4.6 km of walking and running.

I stopped at my friend, M’s house for a chat and a coffee before heading home to check on P and M. While sitting on her front porch the clouds opened up and the rain fell again. This happened all day off and on. I was glad I got my run in when I did.

Looking forward to another run tomorrow.

Back From Paradise

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. so why would I come back you ask???

I love it at the cottage but occasionally I have commitments back in the city that bring me home for a few days. This time I have a cousin from Germany, who’ve I’ve never met, and his girlfriend coming to visit me. They’ve been in Canada since last October, doing odd jobs in Vancouver and the interior of B.C. and travelling up and down the west coast. They are now on their way back to the east coast to catch a flight back to Germany so that they can return to school. On their way here they made a stop in Calgary and stayed with my baby sister for about 5 days before boarding a bus for Toronto. They should be arriving tomorrow evening.

I’ve been at the cottage for almost a week. The Saturday of the long weekend had to be the hottest day I’ve experienced at the cottage this summer. It was also the busiest. I had 10 guests arrive around noon, 6 adults and 4 very busy boys (ages 5 to 9). My daughter A, and her partner, J invited J’s sisters and brothers-in-law and their children for a day at the beach. They couldn’t believe that they were in Canada when they saw the beach and their apprehensions about going to a cottage without electricity soon vanished. I love guests that pitch in and do most of the cooking and cleaning. They’re welcome back anytime.

J and A with the 4 boys. As you can see they have a hard time sitting still even for a picture.

My husband K and Frances after our company left. Enough said.

Time to Celebrate

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. so many things to be thankful for, but the best is that “there are no more cancer cells to kill” according to K’s doctor.

The day started off with a 1/2 pound weight loss on the scale and I can now say I’m officially down 13 pounds. Not as much as I had hoped for but I’ll take it.

I took the day off work to be with K for his first day of chemo in this last round. He rode his bike to the hospital and I drove to school to drop off a few things that needed to be dealt with today. When I got to the hospital my husband had already had his blood work done and the doctor decided to wait for me before she shared the good news.

All K’s organs are normal again, the lymph nodes have shrunk significantly and there are only a few small nodules here and there that don’t seem be a concern. We couldn’t believe it when she told us that this would be the last round because there were no more cancer cells to kill.

Apparently there is no permanent cure for CLL but K’s quality of life should be significantly better for some time to come. After this round it will take him about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks to feel better. We are over the moon with joy. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

I didn’t get out for a walk this morning with Frances but I did go for a long one after dinner tonight. I love the route we take and I brought my camera to share with you what we see on our walks. These are 2 more things that I’m thankful for: being able to walk 5 to 6 km and love it and for living in one of the most beautiful areas in Toronto.

Life is good! Enjoy every minute of it.

Beginning of Week 5

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Mama Cormier

… 4 weeks down

I can’t believe that I’ve been doing this for 4 solid weeks. When I weighed myself this morning I was down another 2 1/2 pounds since yesterday. That makes a total of 12 1/2 pounds. My goal was to lose 20 pounds before the 5 km race on Father’s Day. That leaves me 4 more weeks. I think it’s very possible.

Today I spent hours in the garden, weeding and planting. My husband managed to start his vegetable garden but his energy levels are very low these days. When he says “he’s done”, he means it. I’ll be glad when his last round of chemo is done at the end of the month. I’m not sure when he’ll start feeling better. Each round has been different but it has taken him longer each time before he feels somewhat normal again. When K doesn’t have the energy to take Frances for a walk you know he’s not feeling well.

It looks like it’s just you and me again, tonight, Frances!

Raised vegetable bed, ready for planting

Vegetable plants waiting to be planted.

Trying something new, celeriac.

A little colour in the front yard!

More colour!

: One of the air-plants that I bought on Saturday.

4.6 km Walk

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. Frances wouldn’t go any farther

I shouldn’t blame the dog for not wanting to carry on but she was pulling in the wrong direction and frequently put on the brakes.

It felt good to get in a long walk today. So far the knee feels good. I really thought I had done at least 5 km but according to gmap-pedometer it was only 4.6 km. I’ve posted the map.

gmap-pedometer.com

Yoga, a great way to combat Stress

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Mama Cormier

….. that nagging pain in the knee was back again today

It amazes me how much a little discomfort in your knee can affect your mood. I had a good night’s sleep but I was rushed this morning to get to soccer practice. Arriving a little late and then getting side tracked by my colleagues didn’t help. Most of the morning I spent on the field with students supervising the long jump so most of my planned lessons for the morning didn’t happen.

I think walking on the uneven grass for hours aggravated my knee. Every movement in the afternoon seemed like a chore. The worst part of my day though was trying to deal with all the planning and work that needs to be done in the next two weeks. I’m also the go to person when things go wrong with the computers in the school and when people need a sounding board.

So my biggest fear and nemesis on my weight loss journey is Stress and I’m about to experience a lot of it. Years ago I regularly visited a naturopathic doctor to give me advice on weight loss. After months of sessions my doctor concluded that all my significant weight gains over the years happened when I experienced a lot of stress, i.e. my mother’s death, dealing with a difficult principal, conflict with an angry colleague, my husband losing his job, etc.. I think you get the picture.

Tonight I could easily have backed out of going to yoga but I knew in my heart of hearts that it would do me a world of good. It did. I was able to completely relax and stretch out some tired muscles. Even my knee cooperated and it only complained once over one of tonight’s moves.

Sorry Frances, but no walk tonight. We’ll see how the knee feels tomorrow. No point in ‘stressing out’ about not walking. Besides I walked a lot of steps this morning on the field and I did just complete an hour and a quarter of yoga.

Cheers