The Daily EO: March 29, 2012

Grocery shopping has never been a chore for me.  I love the clean lines, shiny packages, and bright coloured fruits and vegetables.  I stroll the aisles looking for new products, check the sales (and those awesome 50% off stickers), and generally plan meals while in the store.  I tend to shop at the Independent because I try to buy as many organic and natural products as I can.   Somebody has to save the planet with all you people leaving the water running while you brush your teeth!

Emile ruins the system: wandering all pell-mell, distracted by the bright colours, putting things in the wrong section of the cart, and tempted by all the things chocolate.  But yet, I like taking him along for some time together.  I particularly like grocery shopping in the middle of the week during the day.  It’s me, the stay at home parents, the seniors and the staff.  Usually no line-ups, lots of stuff on the shelves, and no near misses with carts coming around the corners.

I headed into the Independent to pick up a few things and I was confronted by this sign:

I had to read this several times to understand it.  What?  You don’t take anything except debit and credit cards?  Huh?  In fact, so distracted and horrified by the first paragraph, I didn’t even notice the spelling of “inconvenience” until I posted this picture into this blog.

Earlier that day, I just read this blog about texting and how our children can no longer spell, use punctuation or understand basic grammar.  I too am guilty of using “u” instead of “You”, and “ive” instead of “I’ve” when I am texting on my phone.  But when presented with a keyboard, I type it out fully.  Yes, okay, I struggle with “passive voice” issues, and sometimes not totally use whether to use “whom” or “who”, but I’ve got the basics down.  I run spell checks, I try my best.  I hadn’t expected to see proof of the blog’s assertions so quickly!

I entered the store and asked a girl about the ETA of the systems being back up.  She didn’t know, but another person told me it was ALL of the stores.  Can you imagine?  All of the Loblaws (presumably) could not ACCEPT debit or credit cards yesterday for a some period of time.   Galen must be terribly upset.

I had $10 and a $10 Canadian Tire Gift Card on me, and I certainly wasn’t paying a $1.50 to use the PC Financial ATM.  And I was affronted by the signs.   So?  I left and headed to Fresh (the discount grocer in town) and was pleasantly surprised on prices and some organics being available.  See you, Fresh and I’ll bring my credit card again.

March 29, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Finding one of my own at the grocery store.  Bless you, anonymous wielder of corrective ink!:

 

 

PS.  Ironically, when I ran spell check on this post, I spelled grammar wrong twice!  *blush*

The Daily EO: March 28, 2012

I ran/walked (Ralked? Wan? Eh. Just not as catchy as brunch) from my house to B’s Antiques today.  That is 2.62 km one way.   Whoa – I didn’t think I had actually gone that far – very impressive Susan.   Hello LiveStrong, give me more calories to eat!

I drive by the “B’s Antiques” sign all the time, and often wondered “How does she make a living being a good 8 kms out of town?”  Today – to save myself from aggressive drivers on Highway 10 – I turned down her road.  B’s husband makes Maple Syrup too, so while I was dragging my jowly butt up Lynx Line I could smell the wafting scent of sap becoming syrup combined with burning wood.  Is there a better smell?  I suppose if I was a syrup maker and had to stay up all night in a tiny syrup shack stirring sap, the romance of the scent would wear off quickly.

When I got home, I checked out their website because my curiosity was piqued.  What kind of place is this to be?  But it looks like a place I would love to visit – and we might just have to do it this weekend.

“You’re not afraid of cemeteries, are you?”  asked Nancy.  Well, um, no Nancy, not cemeteries, but maybe zombies, or cultists who sacrifice creatures there.  She asked me this about three days before I moved into her house located beside Pine Grove Cemetery.  Good thing I am not.  In fact, I often walk through them – looking for the older sections because I find it peaceful and somewhat removed from me in current times.  The newer sections the grief too close; too recent.  Flowers are left to wilt, signs and pictures are left to sog, and I can feel the loss in the air.  I like the old cemeteries because the grievers have died themselves, and you can see physically that time does really take the edge off grief.  The moss covers much of the ground, the memorial’s edges begin to gently round, the stark words fade.  A more gentle reminder of those who lived before us.

I had never explored Pine Grove Cemetery before, so as I finished my run, I decided to swing through.  Pine Grove is long abandoned, in fact, I bet very few people even know it is there.  But someone must regularly maintain it.   I cut through and read the scant number of headstones – all of them pre-1945.    Some lived long lives, some did not.  How did 12 tombstones gather at this place?

Private W. T. Broadbent’s marker of the 122nd Battalion CEF, caught my eye.  He died in 1916 (presumably in WWI action), but yet someone had somewhat recently built two wooden signs with “Lest we forget” and poppies. There is a fresh looking Canadian flag pressed into the earth, and rather weather damaged artificial flower.  Who is coming here to remember someone who died almost 100 years ago?  Why?  Are they connected?  Do the Broadbents still live in Muskoka?  Did W.T. have children before he died?  Could it be his Great Grandchildren?

March 28, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  A Run with Purpose:  A new destination to visit and Remembrance with a Mystery.

The Daily EO: March 27, 2012

I was eating purple soup when the doorbell rang.  I considered not answering the door as I wearing my pyjamas.  But it was my problem I was in my pyjamas in the afternoon, not the person at the door.  It turned out it was the Ontario Hydro guy.  He came to tell me that my meter was “not communicating”.  He needed to reconnect it.  The power will go off for 5 seconds or so.  Do I have any computers running?  (Do I have any computers running?  Only three of them.  And like they aren’t hooked up to Battery Back-ups!  Whose house do you think this is?)

My first reaction was “This is how the kidnappers/robbers/thieves get into houses in movies and TV shows.  It’s always a power guy.”

My second thought was “I wonder if my hair is standing straight up?”

My third consideration: “In the house, Beavis!”  (the cat was making a break for it)

My fourth evaluation: “Well, he is not asking to come in the house.  Beavis and I are probably safe.  Phew.” (Because they always ask to come in, and then look around serendipitously as they close the door behind them)

Then finally the core of the issue.  “What!?  My meter is not communicating with Ontario Hydro?  And you are here to make sure it works again!?  Hold on here, mister!  Ontario Hydro can’t bill me accurately because my meter isn’t working? Get off my land!”

March 27, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Not being able to answer the question “Am I honest or just a wuss?”

The Daily EO: March 26, 2012

I drove to Gravenhurst today because I didn’t have much else to do.  I visited my friend Annette and dropped off some stuff of hers.  Then I went to the grocery store because I had some crazy idea of making pad thai with spaghetti squash instead of rice noodles.  Why would I do such a thing?  Fit April.  Anyways, the grocery store didn’t have spaghetti squash.  They had butternut squash, acorn squash and some other kind that I forget now.  Nothing that would replace long strands of rice noodles.  (I don’t think it can be called pad thai with roasted squares of squash – even spaghetti squash is pushing it).

When I go to the Independent (a Loblaw’s branch), I always look for the pink triangle labels that say 50% off.  This means I can get a deal.  I find most of those deals are on things that are for my convenience or slow movers.  Like sweet potato strips – no peeling, no cutting, just sweet potatoes already cut up.  Or Broccolini – which is some grotesque hybrid of broccoli and asparagus?  Carrot Matchsticks – no orange wrists from grating carrots for me.   Spring Mix – there is someone in California laughing away at us having eating all those weeds from his garden.    Bean Sprouts – I swear those things go bad just looking at them.   Broccoli Coleslaw mix – I bet the only people who buy this is when it is 50% off.

Anyways, I bought all the above things today because What! A! Deal!  Except I paid the full price for some better looking bean sprouts.  Come on!  They are only $1.29/bag to begin with and they are so so yucky when they start to melt.

So, I come home and find that my fridge and cupboard full – there is no space for these new 50% off veggies I bought.  I pulled out everything I bought and covered the island with it.   Kale, beets, heirloom carrots, orange pepper, wilty broccoli, broccolini, 2 bunches of cilantro, rusty celery hearts, whitish baby carrots, sweet potatoes, romaine hearts, “eyed” regular potatoes, spinach, fresh basil, slimey mushrooms, broccoli coleslaw mix, wrinkled cherry tomatoes, green onions, bean sprouts, red onions, and cooking onions.  Seriously?  What is wrong with me?   (I also found frozen corn, edamame, roasted veggies, chopped spinach, and lima beans in the freezer).

Okay, I must have had some vague notion of this embarrassment of riches in the crisper as I pulled out some homemade vegetable broth from the freezer last night.  (Yes, I am the kind of person who collected all the leftover veggie bits for a couple of weeks and then made 16 cups of veggie broth with them.  Once.)  Vegetable Soup it is!  And pad thai made with Broccoli Coleslaw mix instead of rice noodles!  Yes!  Your tepid response will NOT damped my enthusiasm!

So, I start chopping heirloom carrots.  I bought these a week ago feeling smug, feeling good, feeling like I was saving a species of carrot from going the way of the do-do bird.  I have eaten heirloom carrots before, but never prepared them.  Well, watch out!  The purple ones are like roasted beets – purple everywhere.  Stained my hands, the cutting board, the dish towel and the floor (2 second rule!) during preparation.  Who knew?  (yes, yes, I am sure you did – well I didn’t)  I think the Dutch knew what they were doing when the made the orange hybrid that has saved the vision of children the world over.

March 26, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Making vegetable soup the colour of borscht.  Yep.  Those carrots dye broth too.

The Daily EO: March 25, 2012

I am not and probably never will be a morning person.  I’d rather stay up late, and then sleep the morning away.  However, at the same time, I hate the wasted feeling of the day if you rise at noon – it feels like everyone else has already got the good stuff.  So I try to find a balance to my night owl ways and concern that I’ll be behind.

This morning I was awoken by a 4 wheeler running across my property.  It isn’t a noise I am accustomed to and I do not own such a vehicle.  I looked out the window to find two young men driving brush across the front yard.  Now don’t panic.  These guys are supposed to be here – they are helping my friend/landlord (Friendly landlord?) remove trees so he can list it come later spring.  Early start this morning for me, yes, but normal start for most people.  No matter – time to join the world.  Plus I have to go for a run/walk for Fit April.  Damn you Fit April!  I changed into running gear, then procrastinated a bit by using the computer, then realized I couldn’t hear the 4 wheeler any longer.  Hmmm, that wasn’t too long.

Okay – guess they had to go somewhere.

Emile arrived home about 11 am with only 3 hours sleep.  He gave in to his exhaustion at 1 pm and crawled into bed.  At 2 pm, the two young men were back – this time with a chainsaw.  I heard them working for about 30 minutes or so.  Then they left.

March 25, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:   Two Young Men making sure Emile and I do not miss anything going on in the world.   Good Morning!

 

The Daily EO: March 24, 2012

Pre-pee:  168.4

Post-pee:  167.8  (Am I the only one who does this?  I once had a 2 lb pee.  What a day.)

This can’t be right.  I think my scale is vindictive because I am ignoring its “BATT LOW” flashing.

But yet, my “comfy” jeans are tight this morning.  Ahem.  Tight again.

I don’t want to write about this particular subject – it all feels very “Bridget Jones” and makes me feel like I too am caught in the endless parade of women obsessing with their weight and appearance.  There is a “feel good in your own skin” aspect though, and I haven’t felt good in my skin for a while.

And just like anytime I find something in my life I don’t like, I ignore it for a while, then eventually take action.  By action I mean I start “things” or “challenges”.

Back in January 2008, we wanted to save a bit of money, so we decided to spent no money on food whatsoever.  Only eat what was in the house and freezer.  No groceries or restaurants.  By January 29th, there were some pretty inventive menus being dreamed up and pretty much just condiments smoothies.   Thank goodness for frozen fruits and veggies or we might have developed scurvy.

November 2007:  never drink a diet cola again.  Successfully completed.  But My god, summer is coming.  My sweet fizzy friend so perfect on a long hot humid summer day.  I miss you, but we were just no good together.

February 2011:  We only spent cash I was bringing from serving – and let me tell you cash from serving is pretty slim pickings in Muskoka in February.  That almost became a January 2008 repeat.

Or this past January when we decided to adopt a vegan diet for knowledge and to save the earth.  Boy, did I miss eggs and the earth apparently is still in jeopardy.

So, when I see these numbers on the scale and am facing shrunken short syndrome, action I do take.  That means a challenge, a “thing”.  So, I dreamed up “Fit April”.   I may it change to “Active April” due to the alliteration.  But we’ll see, because then I’ll have to change all the letterhead, and the website, so it would add in unnecessary costs in a start-up year.

Fit April 2012 is a challenge to lose 10 pounds by the end of April.   That is about 6% of my body weight and I think quite doable.  And Emile is joining me on this quest, but he hasn’t set his goals yet.

We’ve thrown again some target activities.  We both need to run/walk/crawl 20 kms a week and exercise an average of 5 times a week.  Other goals to be added.  But the best part is I signed us up for a 5 km run at the end of April!  That seems fun now.

So, you can see Fit April isn’t totally defined yet, but we are using LiveStrong to track our calories and exercise.   I used this in the past and it is fairly simple and easy, so figured the best thing to do is to use it and sign up Emile.

As I was updating my information on LiveStrong, I came across a tool that allows you to add a brag banner to your website.  Oh, that’s just great!  Terrific.  Thanks a lot LiveStrong.

 

March 24, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: 

Getting to put this banner on my blog:

The Daily EO: March 23, 2012

My husband just left for Toronto.

Yesterday, he received a call from his friend Jeremy.  I could hear a bit of the conversation.

It started out like this “Hey, I’m heading to Toronto tomorrow with the boys.”  I assumed “the boys” referred to his children – both considerably under age.   The conversation continued, but I couldn’t hear too much – more like Charlie Brown’s teacher.  Emile said “Why, what is happening?”

The response?  “murmur, murmur . .. .  Motocross something . .  . Skydome . . . murmur. . .  extra ticket. . . . then probably HEAD TO THE RIPPERS!”   At this point I realized that “the boys” are referring to his of age brothers, not his children.

The Rippers?  That’s the Strippers for those of you who may not know the current stripping vernacular.   Jeremy continued to give him more details.  Emile and I had nothing really planned this weekend except using up the 50% off blackened bananas I had purchased to make bread or something.  But who’s kidding who?  That is one of those things that husbands help with because they love their wives.  Not something that is a good enough excuse to miss motocross and naked ladies for.    I can imagine the conversation ending with ‘Sorry Jeremy, I’ll be home baking Cardamom Banana Bread with my wife.  It’s our anniversary of the first banana bread we ever ate together.”   Emile’s phone would never ring again.

I need to insert my opinion on going to the strippers here.  It’s not my idea of a good time.  I have actually gone to the strippers before – both men and women.  Men – very, very, very uncomfortable for me – I felt like I had invaded their privacy – and then they invade yours.  Um.  Get away from me!

The female strippers; I was with a large group of guys who were celebrating a 21st birthday and they had dared me to go.  Being fairly young and bold, I went.  Glad I did – now I know what is behind the curtain.  It’s not that spectacular.  The women dance their number, collect their money, send some extra raunchiness to the groom-to-be or the birthday boy, and then go back stage.   Do they actually want to be there?  I don’t know.  I don’t think it would be a first career choice for anyone.

Do I have a problem with my husband occasionally going to the strippers?  No.  Men need time away from us – we can be annoying.  And what better to do than enjoying what they enjoy?  Emile likes women, why shouldn’t he enjoy watching them?  It would be sad for me if he didn’t like looking at women.  I am a woman.  I want him to look at me and think I am attractive.  And honestly, from that one night I saw the strippers, he’ll be coming home and be very thankful for what he has already.

Some people say it is cheating.  I don’t think so.  I think there is a line.  I call it the “Living Room Line”:   If I came home and found a naked women giving him a lap dance (ie, touching him and vice versa), not okay.  If I came home and found Emile kissing a clad women in the living, not okay.  If I came home and found Emile watching a naked woman dancing on TV, I would think it weird, but that would be okay with me.  So, if watching naked women dance is okay with me in our living room, it’s okay in a strip club in Toronto.

So, back to the story . . .  While Jeremy was asking him whether he wanted to go, Emile and I were locking eyes.  Mine were saying “Go, I’ll save the banana bread making until you get home.”  His were saying “RIPPERS!!”.  Well, no, actually his eyes were saying “Is it alright with you if I go?  I’d like to see motocross and spend some time with the boys.  And make the banana bread without me.”  We nodded.

And off Emile went.

March 23rd, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Trust, Eye Communication and the “No Touching Rule”.  Have fun in Toronto, honey bunches.

PS.  We don’t actually have a banana bread anniversary people.  Seriously, get a grip.

The Daily EO: March 22, 2012

Spring has gloriously started in Muskoka.  Early this year.  I hate Spring.

I hate the uncovering of the rotten grass and leaves that remind you of your laziness from the fall.

The sand all over the place.

Your pasty pale skin.  Other people’s pale pasty skin jammed into the shorts that “shrunk” over the winter.

The budding of the leaves reminding you that eventually you will have to garden whether you like it or not.

The sloppy puddles, the muddy earth.

Every year, I wait for April and May to pass quickly until we can get on with business – get to the real seasons of Summer, Autumn and Winter.  There are those that will claim that Spring is a time of rebirth, starting anew, the winter scourge pulling back and allowing the world to reblossom.   Horsefeathers!  Everyone knows that September is the time for a new year to start – ask all the kids and parents.  They know life begins again with the school bell.  And the gyms and the department stores – they know that January is the time of restarts for firm bodies and fresh sheets.   Spring, I could skip.

Inspired by the Summer-like temperatures in March indicating that perhaps we are condensing Spring this year, I decided to celebrate.  Yesterday, celebrating meant having a Green Monster smoothie, slapping on some exercise clothes and heading to Grandview Resort for some outdoor exercise.  (after all, I would have it all to myself).

I have not been exercising regularly, in fact, not enough, but summer inspired me to get moving already.  (I will not be the victim of the shrunken shorts).

It was a beautiful day, and the sun was shining off the water and ice.  As there is nobody working at Grandview now, the place was a spring disaster (see Spring Hate notes above), but the landscape still holds the inherant beauty.  I walked down the hills, sprinted up the stairs, actually lifted rocks (we will not talk about the spider that caused me to hurl a rock impressively far across the beach) and generally tried to get a bit of a sweat going.

Grandview has three docks on their main beach and I decided I would do lunges down and back on all three.  I was half done the first dock when my brain started receiving frantic signals from my thighs and butt:   “Is this the bridge?  Captain, we’re in trouble!  There are micro-tears causing chaos in the muscles, the joints canna take much more.  You’ve gotta shut it down!”

My brain said “Push beyond the limits then.  We’ve got to  . . .  hold on”

And keep going we all did.  There was breaks between each dock, but each one had a deep lunge right to the end of the dock and back again.  As I returned up the hill, my legs seemed wiggly , but that was as expected – I really worked up a sweat.

Today is garbage day and Emile sometimes wakes me up with the rattling of the recycling.  I let him think that he woke me up with the noise, as the truth is a bit embarrassing.   It was my thighs and butt.  They were screaming.  They won’t move properly when directed by the brain and I walk with a bit of a shuffle.  And just forget about stairs.

I hate Spring.

March 22, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Needing Bathroom Handrails at only 37.

The Daily EO: March 21, 2012

I am a forger.

I used my husband’s credit card to buy kale and other healthy things.  When the time came, instead of entering a pin, I had to sign.

I signed Emile’s left-handed scrawled signature with my right.  No two signatures could look much more different, but fortunately, I already had the card back in my wallet.  The teenaged cashier looked unconcerned, but I think that is the standard expression for people over 30.   I felt like I had run a major con.

Next time I will try it on it something other than canned pumpkin.

March 21, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:   Forgery and the thrill of the crime.

Start the Car!  Start the Car!

The Daily EO: March 20, 2012

I worked at Celestica in Toronto from 2000-2004.  Celestica was a difficult place for me to work.  I had the predisposition and desire to be a leader, but not the skills of a manager.  I had the talent of an analyst, but not the experience of working in an office.  Since then I have developed my skills and garnered more experience.  I am a much better employee and manager today and I also know that Celestica was not the right fit for me to do my best work.

Celestica has a share purchase plan as part of their benefit package.  This was my first experience owning shares and it was pretty darn exciting.  You must remember this was at the height of the tech market boom, and we were used to seeing our shares increase by 10% in a week.  With the company matching, the value of those shares were exceptional.  They split a couple of times, and it was always fun to argue with co-workers on what results were coming.  Despite the success of Celestica shares, I wanted to avoid being over leveraged and therefore only held them in my investments.  (who am I kidding, they were my only investment)  I decided to hold other stocks within my RRSPs – self-directed of course.  How hard could it be investing your own money?

I was young, and all of the charts told me to have higher risk in my RRSP portfolio.  I took that to heart.  Yep, over the years, I have purchased a labour sponsored fund, small cap tech funds, threw in some overseas funds, and mostly any new money in my RRSPs invested in stocks.  Generally, I looked at the Highest Volume charts for the day and picked companies that seemed interesting.

When I worked at Celestica, I worked for two different Customer Focused Teams (CFT). One was Lucent (where I started) and one was Cummins (where I ended).  I liked the Cummins team and liked working with their company.   So, I scraped together enough money in my RRSPs to purchase some of Cummins shares.  I purchased 25 shares at something like $66.   This was some big spending for me back in 2003/2004.

I received modest returns for the first couple of years – enough to feel successful about it.  Considering the shape of my other investments after the tech bubble burst.  Sigh.  I sold off some other items nd purchased another 10 or so shares of Cummins.  In 2007, Cummins did TWO 2-for-1 stock splits and they started paying dividends.  This increased my holdings to 133 shares.

Yes, I am a serious Cummins holder now.   I probably have to register any sale I make with the FCC.

Emile and I have put little into our RRSPs over the last couple of years, instead focusing on paying down our mortgage.   So, I don’t really look at my holdings too much, and during 2008/2009, it was pretty darn depressing anyways.

So, now and then I log in to see what things are doing.  (I really need to get an advisor. . .)

Today, Cummins is down $4.70, but OH MY GOD!

Cummins (CMI) ten year stock price chart (adjusted for splits).

Too bad the rest of my risky investments have a similar chart – just upside down.

March 20th Extra-Ordinary:  33 shares of Cummins eventually becoming the major holding in my RRSPs.

PS  Happy Birthday, Todd!