Grandma Made My Lunches

Recently, while making a sandwich using home-made bread, I thought of my Grandma and her home-made bread. There was a year when my family lived with my grandparents on their farm.

My sister Tracy wasn't in school yet, but I was entering Grade 1. I remember the yellow school bus that would drive down the dusty gravel road to pick us up every morning. I say us, because at the time, my Uncle Bob was in Grade 12, and we rode the same bus to school. Mirror Elementary was my school and my teacher's name was Mrs. Getz. I remember she was nice, but also kinda scary. She reminded me of my Great-Grandma for some reason.

I don't remember a lot from that time, and actually, I wish I could remember more. A few things come immediately to mind... catching the bus, collecting eggs from the hen house, the milk truck coming twice a week to pick up milk, following my Uncle Les around the farm and 'helping' with chores (as much as a six year old can help anyway), and Grandma wrapping our lunch sandwiches in wax paper. It's funny, the things that stand out after all the years.

And that's when it hit me - one thing my Grandma made that hasn't tasted the same since the memory. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches. I don't know if it was the home-made bread, if she knew exactly how much of each ingredient to add, or if it was the brands of peanut butter and honey (you can't get either brand anymore), but they were always so delicious. Thinking of them now just makes me smile.

And that brought back memories of going to town (Stettler) on Saturdays for groceries, helping plant potatoes at the other place, Grandma's stories (what she called her soaps), and learning how to candle eggs. Sleeping in the dishwasher room under a heavy handmade quilt, playing with Laddie; and then later with Frosty, Saturday pancake lunches when most of my cousins (aunts and uncles too) at the time came out for the weekends, and the smell of baking bread.

And while I'm grateful for the memories, I wish I could taste a sandwich like that again.

Showing Support

Here's an interesting article from today's Journal. More after the jump.

Of course those with loved ones in the military would be uplifted upon seeing these decals. I live very close to the base here in Edmonton, and I see those magnetic ribbons all the time. But for people to mandate they be on municipal vehicles? Ludicrous.

I have nothing against our troops and know they have a hard job to do, but statements of this nature are best left to the public. Buy a ribbon and place it on your vehicle, tie a yellow ribbon around a tree in your yard, but don't expect municipalities to endorse your way of thought. Besides that, our cities employ Fire and Police Department members who put their lives on the line also. Shouldn't municipalities create ribbons in support of members of their own departments?

I'm all for showing support, but I believe municipalities should support those things they have control over. Not something like a military campaign, which is a Federal issue to begin with.

Besides, aren't things like reduced prices at certain businesses part of how we support our troops? Does an enlisted person's mother really need to see her local Fire Engine decked out with a support ribbon? Does it make that much difference whether she sees the ribbon on a private vehicle vs. a public one?

Ask one. I bet there's no difference.

Public Transportation

I freely admit the last time I took a bus was during my University years. Or rather , I should say year, because after less than one year, I vowed never again to use public transit. And for the most part, I've been able to. I've occasionally used the LRT to get to and from K-Days and concerts, but never again as a regular mode of transport.

This month I gave up my underground parking spot in the core of downtown and bought a bus pass. I drive to the LRT Park N' Ride in Clareview and take that downtown. The trip takes no more than 20 minutes. As an added bonus, I'm not fighting traffic morning and night. I used to come home very stressed after the drive. Not anymore!

Cost of my parking spot: 160 dollars.
Cost of the bus pass: 59 dollars.

After a week, I noticed I had used an eighth of a tank of gas. I would normally be down to less than a quarter of a tank of gas. If my gas consumption stays the same, I should be able to eliminate 3 fill ups per month!

Total gas saving: Between 100 and 150 dollars (depending on price).

Total savings overall: Between 200 and 250 dollars.

Not bad... The LRT is quick, the incidence of smelly and/or scary transient people isn't what I thought it would be. I'm sure I'll be cursing public transit when the next flu season hits, but for now it seems like a pretty good deal.

Extra Bonus! The walk from the terminal to my destination is also a good bit of daily exercise, and that's never a bad thing!

Fantastic Four

Ok, not the same four as in the movie opening tomorrow, but still nice to look at.



Thanks to Liz for the pic!

Enjoy!

Aqualad

Enjoy!

Those Were The Days...

I was thinking about my favorite Halloween candy and what immediately came to mind was Rockets. Each cylindrical tube of compressed powder had different colours. There was white, pink, purple, green, yellow, and orange (though to be fair, yellow and orange sometimes look the same so maybe there's only five rather than six) and each colour had a specific flavour. My favorites of the bunch (and this is true for all powdered candy type candies) were always cherry (pink) and grape (purple). Even in Flintstones vitamins, the pink and purple are the best flavours, what can I say?

I used to open the package and sort the flavours before eating, that way I could eat all the cherry ones at once. I used to sort my Smarties too, but not because they tasted different, just because it was fun.

When I was a kid, we were able to buy whole packages of cherry, grape, or assorted flavour SweetTarts. Lik'em Stick flavours were the same... Remember those? They were the candy stick that came with two different dipping powders. I never cared for the lemon or orange flavours, but loved grape and cherry. Except they always sold the good flavours with a crappy one. Grape would be packaged with orange, and cherry with something else.

Now I'm told that SweetTarts have a slightly different taste and you can only get them in assorted flavors.

And still on the topic of candy, during our last trip to California we learned that Rockets are called Smarties. They're packaged like the Rockets we know, but with Smarties as the name (in the same font!) Ok, I admit it, I bought some and they taste identical to Rockets.

Too bad they couldn't make that kind of candy sugar-free...

Believe It Or Not!

This just in...

http://cbs3.com/topstories/topstories_story_162114001.html

Really? Doesn't this sound like a scheme from one of the cheesiest super-villains around?

There's that oxymoron again... Military Intelligence.

Enough Already!

I am not a fan of Paris Hilton. I often think her parents had little influence in her upbringing and Paris Hilton's personality is what happens when you let the house staff raise your kids.

If I was her parent, I would be supporting the judge wanting to throw her boney ass in jail. I'd make her take responsibility and grow up a bit. Do your time... 45 days and you're free you little crybaby. Most people live with far less than this spoiled, self-centered little C*NT. (Yes, it's that word. She's earned it.)

She didn't even have a cellmate, so what the hell is so wrong with her that she couldn't take 45 days with herself? Might it be the realization that she has absolutely nothing of substance or value to offer the world?

The only reason this is news is because the skank comes from a rich and powerful family. A family who thinks her behaviour is acceptable. A family who believe they are above the law and perhaps above reproach. Just goes to show money doesn't buy common sense or basic intelligence.

The drama surrounding this whole non-story is almost unbelievable... but then I recall the O.J. chase and realize it's just the latest in the strange world of celebrity.

Aqualad

Enjoy!

Superboy

Ok, I'm totally ripping off another site, but I love the idea and it's just plain fun!



Makes you wanna try for for a lacrosse team, doesn't it? :-)

Enjoy!

Facebook

Ok,

I am not into the social networking part of the internets. But I'm dipping a toe into the water and signing up for a Facebook account. I've been convinced I should try it out and so I'm going to give it a week. After that, I'll either close the account or keep it going.

Should be interesting...