Tag: food

The Daily EO: November 21st, 2012

We were supposed to have a healthy stir fry tonight. Complete with riced cauliflower instead of rice.  I had tofu marinating in the fridge and chicken in the freezer.  But the first time in my life, I came home and realized that I actually really did have stale french bread on the counter.  If I had stale french bread, I really was almost done french toast.

So, no chopping of vegetables, no grating of cauliflower.  It was a milk bath and then creamy delicious french toast with real maple syrup.  Alas, no given maple syrup, but store bought, but the real thing nonetheless.

November 21st, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  French Toast Wednesday.   sigh of contentment . .

The Daily EO: November 16th, 2012

My husband and I are annoyed by one main trait in each other:

  1. Failure to make decisions or take of things and just to ride along letting someone else do all the planning and work.
  2. Complete disregard of basic things like turning off the energy sucking lights, or leaving the fridge open or running the water for no reason.

Try to guess who does what.

If we fight, I’d say its 80% because of one of these things.  But recently, my husband has begun a campaign to address that which annoys me.  For example, a couple of days ago, I said we needed to figure out a place to go for dinner with my aunt on friday night.  Often, he would just throw out some suggestions and then leave the details to me.  But this time, he did research and selected a place near by.

It was troubling because here he is making an effort to change his behavior that I’ve been telling him for years annoys me, but yet he selected an Indian restaurant.  I don’t much like curry or warm yogurt, so I hesitated in agreeing.  But I liked this new campaign of his, so I thought I’d better be supportive, so Sitar it was.

I skimmed the menu avoiding seafood, hot dishes with yogurt, curry and samosas (I needed to try something different).  My aunt announced her selection of butter chicken, and that sounded pretty good in its description – when has butter or cream ever let any cuisine down?

November 16th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Listening to what my husband had to say led to an excellent meal.  Damn it!  I’m going to have to start turning off the lights.

The Daily EO: November 15th, 2012

I worked late tonight.  And my lunch was scant.  I was hungry, tired, and stressed out and there didn’t seem to be much that I could about any of those things except try to get some of the work I needed to get done, well, done.  So, I worked late.  But fortunately so did the resident food pusher.  Every office has one.  The person who has all of their drawers filled with crackers, granola bars, trail mix, chips, candy, etc, etc and constantly wants to feed you.

Our food pusher is high energy also.  The offer of food is usually long winded affair.  She is friendly, open, knowledgable, giving and an accountant – so you can imagine how long the conversations last.  I like her very much, but I don’t like having chunks of my day disappear while she describes rapidly and exceedingly in depth an open inventory investigation.  There is really no “quick question” or “simple answer” with her.

So, hungry, tired, and stressed – the only one I could solve immediately was hunger.  And it meant a visit to my food pusher.  I hesitated for a moment – could I afford the time that mooching food from her would take?  I have so much to get done.  But my stomach and headache won out – I needed to eat before getting done to business.

I wandered over and announced “I’m hungry”.  To her this required immediate action.  Drawers were opened and and boxes thrust in my hand.  But then – all activity stopped.  She solemnly announced “We are going to have S’mores”.  S’mores?  In the office at 5:30 in the afternoon?  That sounded involved so I politely began to demur, but it had already been decided.

She quickly pulled out here graham crackers (with a running commentary about the brands she prefers), grabbed her chocolate bar (a Hawaiian macadamia nut milk chocolate that her sister-in-law just brought back from vacation) and her bag of marshmallows (oh, dear, running low).   Before I knew it, two s’mores sat on the paperwork on her desk.    She handed them to me and said “Put these in the microwave for 9 seconds.  When they get big and gross, they are ready”.

I held out my hands and the raw s’mores were placed in them.  Then she said with a wrinkled nose “You washed your hands, right?”  I am not sure what she thought I was doing before I arrived at her desk for food, but she was not pleased when I said “Well, no, not recently”.   I supposed I looked clean enough to her because I was waved off.

I carefully held the booty and made my way to the lunch room.  I entered 9 seconds as directed and watched the marshmallows puff up – enough so to knock off the top graham cracker.   I quickly reassembled them worried that I would ruin the s’mores and returned to her desk for the long chat she so now deserved.

November 15th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  S’mores at work followed by Crispy Minis, grapes, and trail mix.

The Daily EO: November 9th, 2012

I make a great effort to eat a healthy lunch each day at work.  That mainly starts with building a good lunch the night before.  I hate wasting time on things in the morning that extraneous – like lunches or reading the newspaper.  I’m up and gone.

I’ve worked long enough to know that unless I am having a strangely quiet day, the chance are slim that I will leave the building to get lunch.  If I don’t bring one, I will not eat.  And that can lead to me crying at my desk at 3:37 pm.  Not good.

But today, I didn’t back a lunch.  I didn’t feel like it Thursday night – exhausted – and Friday I couldn’t find any lunch-y foods in the fridge (translation:  there wasn’t a prepared lunch in the fridge).  It was no matter however, I was heading in early to take care of several items, and the week was drawing to a close.  I would make time to find some healthy food for lunch.  Maybe even buy some safety shoes.

From the minute I got in, it was busy.  Review the demand and machine capacity for this.  Track down this parcel.  Attend this meeting.  Review incoming material for pea protein.   Discuss with customer.  Tour the warehouse with supervisor.  It went on and on.  Do this.  Undo that.  Redo it.  Change of Plans.  Oh, book a truck.  Get overtime coverage.  Redo it again.  Talk to DHL and UPS several times (couriers are my Achille’s heel).  Answer the phone.  Cell Phone rings while on phone.   Sweat.  Stress.

Honestly.  By the time that the rumbling of my stomach actually got through to my brain, it was 1:33.   I work in an industrial park, so not sure where I thought I was going to get healthy food.  But I managed to get to Wendy’s, and I was ashamed to say that I really wanted to say “Get me  Double Burger with fries and a Diet Coke.  And you know what, Dave?  Supersize it.”  But I resisted, and instead ordered 1 junior bacon cheese burger and 1 small fries.  Well, at the last minute it was 2 burgers.

But as I sat in my car awaiting my turn at the speaker, I noticed a sign that Wendy’s had put up especially for me.  Here I was trying to hold it together by dashing out to get something to eat and take a few calming breathes to just get through to the end of the day.  And here they are taunting me.  Upside down no less.  I’m trying to hold it together here, people!!

November 9th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:

 

The Daily EO: November 5th, 2012

It hadn’t been my best day at work.  I terminated an employee that day.  And yes, it was harder on the team member than it was on me.  But there is a price to be paid even when you know that you are making the right decision.  I usually struggle with not knowing how the event will go, and how we are able to get the person into the room with me and HR to have the unfortunate discussion.

It almost is always goes better than I’ve imagined it.  The first one – I remember his name, but I certainly won’t be putting it here – was the most pathetic ever.  I could barely speak and he was ecstatic to be finally out of there.  And others have been painful, difficult, heartrending and sad, but never do I regret my action.  Because by the time I am at this point, I know I’ve done everything I can to bring the team member into being a strong and valued team member.

But I don’t enjoy it and I feel it.  I carry it with me for a while.

So by the time I made it to the White Spot to have dinner with my aunt, I was ready for something more than the Healthy Living Asian Chicken Salad I had planned on.  I wanted substance.  Grease.  Fat.  Spice.  Not Soy beans and low calories.

November 6th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Peanut Butter, Jalapeno Peppers and Bacon Burgers DO make an excellent post firing meal.

The Daily EO: October 29th, 2012

I talk about weird things these days.  I talk about label claims, chilsonators, mouth feel, and my favorite: Pea Protein.  I didn’t know peas had protein.

I know I am 38 now and should be over it after a month, but I giggle a little when someone says, “Hey, come to so-and-so’s office, we’re going to talk about pea”  Or “We need to review the pea plan”,  or “Let’s look at pea in the boardroom.”

October 29th, 2012 Extra-ordinary:  Pea.  Hee Hee.  Pea.  Pea.

 

The Daily EO: October 28th, 2012

The retirement residence that my grandpa lives at serves 2 meals a day – lunch and dinner.  A early morning continental breakfast is served in the breakfast room but many of the residents break the fast in their suites.   Like airplanes and hospitals, the thought of food in a retirement residence pulls up thoughts of industrial, lacking food.  But at the Mulberry, the food is pretty good.

Each day there is a menu, but if you don’t care for the feature, you can opt to have one of the three or so back up meals.  These back up meals change each month as well, so there is ample variety.  And if you want a fried egg or the like, the kitchen will try to get it for you.

Residences can have guests join for meals as well – for an extra fee – so I have eaten a number of meals at Mulberry.

On Sundays, the hot lunch often is breakfast fare recalling leisurely Sunday brunches from years before.

I awoke on Sunday morning with a hankering for scrambled eggs, bacon and toast – a real breakfast.  And when I considered my options, I realized Mulberry was the best bet.  There is always breakfast available and the company is pretty good.

October 28th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:    Double portions for the guests – Mulberry is the best deal in town.

The Daily EO: October 26th, 2012

I will not – could not – buy more tea.
I should not – can not – buy tea for me.
I cannot drag it to and fro.
From place to place – this I know.

I cannot buy it from a store, I cannot buy it anymore.
The tea cupboard is flowing out the door.
Get the kettle from the drawer!
On the tea leaves, pour pour pour!

Do not buy it, Susan, I say.
Do not buy it, I so pray.
Stay on home and drink it up.
Use the tea you’ve got in your cup.

I will not, cannot, buy more tea
Not for you, or he or she.
Drink Drink Drink, you must must must.
No more tea!  Until just dust!

October 26th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  What the heck is assam tea anyways?!  Doesn’t matter, I’m drinking it and anything else I find in the cupboard.

The Daily EO: October 14th, 2012

When I was child and I visited Vancouver, my Grandmother would take me to Chinatown.  I had no idea  that – at the time – the place might have been considered a bit dodgy to take a child to.   She didn’t drive, so we’d take the bus and I remember crammed little stores, and shops selling strange things.   I really didn’t know where it located, I followed her and we arrived.  But now it is in our backyard.

My grandfather came to visit and check out the joint, but as he doesn’t drive anymore, we picked him up and took him back to Burnaby.  He was absolutely fascinated the activity on the water, and relieved that he still recognized the area despite the many changes and years that had passed.

Emile’s immune system finally collapsed and the virus has got in – so as we returned home after our visit, he told me he wanted wonton soup to soothe his aching body.   I, on the other hand, was feeling nauseated and queasy from a terrible back seat car journey where I thought it would be a good idea to start to write one of these Daily EOs on my phone.

I directed Emile to Chinatown and we found ourselves on Pender Street.  Emile pulled over and ran in to get the wonton soup he wanted.  I waited patiently until I saw a bakery across the street.  Surely a bun or pastry would settle my stomach.

October 14th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  Sweet Custard Steam Buns.   How could my grandmother take me to Chinatown and not feed me this delicacy?  I must truly be the miserable rotten kid she always said I was.  All this time, I thought she was joking.

 

Emile and Grandpa Discussing the View

 

The Daily EO: Thanksgiving Weekend 2012

I have many things to be thankful for this weekend and among the foremost are my generous and kind friends Colin and Alison who let us stay at their house for a month until we could get ourselves settled in our own place.  They and their delightful children welcomed us with open arms sharing their rooms, food and attention with us.

After a full day shopping, visiting, buying, cooking and eating on Saturday, our truck arrived on Sunday and we then spent a whole day moving and unpacking.  Today was also spent moving and unpacking, but fortunately with a lovely afternoon with margaritas in the backyard also.

Over this weekend we:

  • shopped
  • purchased mattresses
  • searched for beds and other furniture
  • Had a house-warming party with Colin and Alison and kids enjoying fire roasted pizza at Incendio in Gastown
  • helped to cook a turkey dinner (and ate said turkey dinner)
  •  moved all of our stuff into a storage unit or condo
  • unpacked the kitchen
  • unpacked the living room
  • transported all of our things from Colin and Alison’s
  • made up our bed (I write while sitting on a foamy leaning against the wall)
  • unpacked all of our clothes (a difficult feat considering we have no dressers or bookcases)
  • took my grandpa for Thanksgiving pizza lunch at Me & Ed’s
  • Didn’t write the Daily EO daily (they would have gone something like this.  Moved and unpac. . . . zzzzzz.)

Here are some other things I am thankful for:

  • My husband Emile is the brave and supportive and he made this move happen.
  • Our truck with our possessions arrived on time and under budget and tax-deductible and so far unbroken.
  • I discovered that Benalyn is more effective than Safeway knock-off Nyquil.
  • Thanksgiving Dinner was a delight of new and different sides than I usually do.  Yum.
  • Sushi restaurants serve non raw fish options so we can go as much as Emile wants
  • Whoever the guy was that decided to have the lit sails of Canada Place change colour during the night.
  • My in-laws are so close by telephone and supported this move whole heartedly (despite a few tears on both sides)
  • That I never reduced my credit limit from $15,000 despite certainty that I would never ever break a 5 figure balance.
  • I am climbing in the call rotation from my grandpa – I can now help when he needs something.
  • That my weird habit of sticking kleenex up my nose when I am sick is tolerated by my husband as long as we are in the house alone.
  • My family is close by – comparatively so.
  • That pottery can go in the dishwasher.
  • I have a job.  In my field.
  • I no longer live in the house with a huge bag of Jelly Bellys so I can now lose the bean weight added.

I could go on and on and on as I realize what I have.  I only have to travel a few blocks east to see the crushing poverty and addiction that some struggle with.  I miss the rural life in Huntsville of course – but neither of us regret the decision to come to here and make a different kind of life.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2012 Extra-Ordinary:  I live in Vancouver.  Family lives here.  Friends live here.  We are going to make a home here.