Well hello, my lovelies!  The end of the week-end is nigh!  I almost feel like I need another.  No, make that I know I feel I need another!

Before I get started on regaling you with my week’s happenings, please let me first thank Diana from Part-Time Monster for hosting this little gathering of story tellers.  If you click on the image above, you will be brought to her site where you can read her story and if you click on the blue frog, you can check out others and, if you are so inclined, to add your own!

If we were having coffee, I might suspect you would prefer decaf; it is after all past 9 pm.  Maybe you’d prefer a glass of wine or beer?  A cup of tea?  I want you to be happy, so please, don’t be shy…  I would tell you that my week was ridiculously tiring.  As mentioned in past posts, I started working at Pier 1 Imports and on Monday had my first 7-hour shift.  May I just say that I have a new respect for all those people who have been working in retail for years and years, standing on their feet all day?  I make sure I change shoes each shift but still end up with pained feet. To ensure I not only have sore feet, I ended up at the cash with no mat on the floor so my knees were not happy campers either. Yesterday I was kind enough (won’t be in the future) to help close up.  Yeah.  No.  Never again.  I have enough toilets in my own house to clean, will not be helping to close at the store again.  Blech.

I managed to find time to clean my oh-so-disgusting oven.  I’ve been using it so much lately, I just couldn’t find an overnight time to do it.  I used to say I wish I had a self-cleaning oven and my sister Tracy would say: “You do!”  “What?  No I don’t!”  “Yes”. she’d say, “it’s Mick!”  How right she was.  I was spoiled by him.  He figured the least he could do for getting all his yummy meals was to clean it for me.  Sigh.  Another thing taken for granted!  But oh, my, look how she does sparkle!

I tried a few recipes this week and surely hope my customers like them!  Jamaican Chicken Stew – lucky me, there was extra for us, Pork Chops with peppers (gasp!  Just realised I totally forgot to take pictures!) and made a few standards such as Blade Roast and Eggplant Parmesan (kinda wish I made myself one!)  I even made the boys some Pumpkin-Cranberry-Pecan cookies.

If we were having coffee, I’d let you know that I usually go out with a friend during the week but was frankly so tired, I elected to just stay home and relax.  Relaxing should mean sitting on my butt and reading a book or watching TV but no, I cleaned the top of my stove, made the cookies, cleaned two of my three outside lamps on my lamp post… third one has a stripped square head screw and I was unable to take the bloody thing apart.  Will need to use a special bit – which I am positive I have but have no friggen clue as to what it looks like.  Will be needing some neighbourly or brother-in-lawyly help!  One more light to go after that one.  The one at the front door that anyone over 6’2″ (David?) inevitably hits their head on…  It amases me just how so many bugs and whatnots get in there!  Next day off is this coming Wednesday. Weather permitting, it will be done.

If we were having coffee, or like I’m doing now, a glass of wine… I’d tell you just how much I appreciate my crock pot!  It was used in four of five meals for my clients.  But I did learn a valuable lesson.  Do NOT put it on overnight.  You see, I set it up in the garage, on a very conveniently placed counter so that is is not in the way.  The problem is, is my bedroom is directly above the garage.  How in the hell is a person supposed to sleep when delicious scents of pulled pork are teasing their nostrils?  2:30 in the morning I was sniffing it!  Not good.  Not good at all.  But lesson learnt!

I was asked to make a special cake for a new birth (Mia) and also to celebrate a bunch of December birthdays.  It was a challenge I was most up to and was a cute one to boot!  Nancy needed the cake for this Sunday morning between 10:00 and 11:00 am and so I told her I would deliver it as I needed to be able to work on it between my other job!  She was pretty pleased to not have to come and get it and she told me I’d be lucky enough to see the rest of her family that I happen to know and have vacationed with!  It was so fantastic to see Sophie and Karl and their kids Tommy and Naomie.  We’ve camped with them in Cape May and Florida as well as gone on a cruise with them.  It was lovely to see Karl’s brother Mario and his wife Marie-Eve and their daughters, having camped with them also in Cape May.  These people have to be the kindest, sweetest people ever.  They immediately asked how the boys and I are doing, realising that a difficult anniversary is coming up.  They all came for Mick so I left there a tad teary-eyed and feeling a mixture of love and sadness.

Image desired

Cake received

And, if we were having another coffee or glass of wine, I’d tell you that the reason I am so late in posting is because I was invited to dinner…at my house!  Paul Chow, special Mick friend was missing his buddy (as was his daughter, Thalia) and so he sent me an email saying how much he’d like to see me and the boys and invite us to dinner; however, his apartment was too small, so would I be willing to invite him over and he’d bring the food and wine!  How could I possibly resist authentic Chinese cuisine?  Unfortunately, Anik (Paul’s girlfriend) and Chloe (Paul’s eldest) could not come.  We were served a most delicious Crispy Skin Duck, Pork and tofu and Chinese Broccoli in Hoisin sauce.  I made some plain white rice to go with.  Can you say delicious?  Oh yum.   Just as we were patting our stomachs and deciding to wait for dessert (I made a “Dad’s Wacky Cake” and crème anglaise), Paul got a call that Anik had locked herself out of her apartment!  Well that cut the evening short.  Bummer.  Oh well, we did get a good three hours-worth of catching up so it was still a fabulous evening.  And to top it all off, Iain offered to do the dishes.  No complaints from Mom, that is for sure!

Aidan, Iain, Thalia, Paul

Duck, Chinese cabbage, Tofu and Pork, White rice

Dad’s Wacky Cake

I hope I’ve not bored you to tears with my week’s happenings, or that you’ve fallen asleep from too much wine!  I truly enjoyed spending this time with you and it looks like another busy week is coming my way.  I shall hopefully set aside some time to just sit and be.

I wish you all well and hope your week is full of love, happiness, laughter and joy!