Summers Over

Hard to believe summer is over.  Well not officially but the children returning to school is always the start.  Miles is starting high school this year and is really enjoying it.  He is trying out for the football team but from the sounds of it, they try not to turn anyone away.

My niece, Liz came over on the weekend.  She always seems to come when we are eating something good.  We are not big fish eaters but since everyone has become uber healthy, we bought some sardines.  I love grilled sardines.  Hugh gutted them and stuck them on sticks and onto the barbie!  Of course we had to do some shrimp and scallops also.  It was delicious.  I am amazed how everyone loves seafood, I wouldn't touch it when I was their age!

I had also bought some pizza/bread dough.  Though in the end it turned out to be more pizza dough.  I wanted to make the Chinese buns we used to buy downtown on Baldwin St.  The bakery seems to have shutdown and I am having withdrawal symtoms for some fried rice buns.  So I made some curried beef and Detta had made some fried rice.  We made the buns and baked the buns.  They turned out more like Pizza Pockets.  We all enjoyed them and I sent a few home with Liz and a vegie one for her sister.  I will have to try and make proper bread dough and give it a go again.

Vacation time

Oh, I am so glad it is Friday.  It has been a very long and slow day.  It just is not very busy between terms.  But next week I am off with the family.  We are camping for our 4th year in a row.  Everyone is really looking forward to it though I think a few people will miss the wifi.

Picked some books up at the library.  I really must find Detta's kobo.  I am sure it is on my desk but there is a foot high of "stuff", I mean "very important stuff" on it.  My four books consist of 2 hardback and 2 paperbacks.  If only I could find the kobo I could have downloaded these books and it would have been much lighter.  Then again I do have a google tablet, I am just not very good at using this technology.  My children just laugh at me!  The bunny did eat the power cable, anyways that is my excuse!

August Long Weekend

Had a wonderful long weekend.  We spent Friday & Saturday at Anne & Al's cottage in the county.  Went to Sandbanks Provincial Park on Saturday, it was quite busy.  The waves were great but it was not particularly hot and it was too windy for the umbrellas, hence sitting in the shade.

Upon leaving the beach, Lizzy announced that we had to find a chip wagon.  She was in the mood for chips which made us all hungry.  Not too far up the road we found a fabulous chip wagon called Urban Herb on the Curb.  They had seasoned fries and sweet potato fries which were delicious.  The chips were served up with mayonnaise sauces, even a horse radish one!  Well worth the stop!

There was also a movie marathon of Harry Potter.  We almost made it to the end of #6.  I think I will have to go and buy the set.  Everyone really enjoyed watching the movies.

But unfortunately on Saturday, something broke in the septic tank.  The neighbour came over and told Al.  Anne and Al spent all day fixing the problem.  But they were all cleaned up by the time we came back from the beach.

Hugh, the boys and I headed back to Toronto on Sunday.  Detta stayed with Anne, Al and the girls till Tuesday.  She had a great time going out for Thai food, kayaking and shopping.  We spent the rest of the weekend just lying around and relaxing.

Knitting Again

I have started knitting again.  I am doing little shawlettes as I call them.  I have a lot of beautiful yarns which I never will be able to use all for myself so I have started making all my Christmas presents.  At least for my sisters, nieces and girlfriends.  I will post some pictures over the next few days.

I have been learning lace patterns.  Some of them are so easy especially once I have memorized the pattern.  At the moment I am knitting a pattern called Balance from the Yin Yang Collection by Angela Tong.  I can't think of the name of the yarn but it is in really bright colours.

Miles' New Job

My little boy has a job!!  Well Miles is 13 now but he is doing dishes at a local restaurant.  Probably about 5-6 hours a week.  Miles is so chuffed about it.  But he is going to miss Thanksgiving dinner today at my sisters.  The prospect of earning some cash is hard to resist.  Last winter he would grab the shovel and head out to all the neighbours to clear their driveways.  Miles made $90 one Sunday!  Now we just have to find Detta another job.

Pinterest

I have started Pinterest.  I love it.  I am don't pin too much but things I really like.  For instance, in the food board, the pictures there are things I would like to try and yes eventually I will get around to it.  And in the bathroom board I am trying to collect ideas to do our ensuite.  But it may be some time before we do that.

Sodium101 Part 2

http://www.sodium101.ca/
I was looking at my blog and saw that I didn't put the website so here it is. 

Another good website is Nutrition Action.  I received their newsletter for years, it is short but very informative:
https://www.cspinet.org/nah/index.htm

And if you want a great place to track your food and it's free try eaTracker http://www.eatracker.ca/, this is through the Dietitians of Canada http://www.dietitians.ca/.

And of course there is the Canada' Food Guide http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php/ which is always good.

Sodium101

Yes, I am starting to blog again.  I recently found this website Sodium101.  This is close to my heart.  Too much salt is used in our food.  When my daughter was little, two slices of bread would put her over her limit of salt for one day.  I don't think most people realize that - all the hidden salt in our food.  Start looking!!

Weight Watchers Week 13/14

I think I am in week 14 but I have been so busy. The past week was not good. I have been on a yo-yo for the past couple of weeks and this must stop. I made some 0 points soup last night for the next four days. Lots of mushrooms, spinach and green onions plus I used beef stock for a change - low sodium, of course. I had a good day yesterday, even though I had Chinese food.

Hugh is steadily losing which is good. We need to be exercising more but I am very busy or either that, I am so tired. If the weather would get better, Donovan and I would go to the park.

Weightwatchers Week 12

Week 12 started out pretty bad but I have stayed on track the past two days. Back to my skinny bagels and cream cheese (low fat of course). I added some tomato the past couple of mornings.


Tonight I am going to make Bok Choy Skillet Supper. It has mushrooms, tomatos, shallots, bulgur and bok choy, of course. I don't know what the children will eat but I am sure they won't want to try the Bok Choy. I will give it a try though.

Hugh and I did some exercise this morning, finally, I managed to drag myself out of bed. I feel invigorated for it though. We followed the Low-cardio power walking by the Biggest Losers. It was 16 minutes of constant moving. A friend at the library recommended it. I can see myself doing this every day.