4:00 am

Sound asleep.  Then ....

Bruce:  (shouting)  It doesn't get more extreme than this!
Mo:      (blinks open one eye)  It doesn't?
Bruce:   No, it doesn't.
Mo:      What is  it?
Bruce:  (singsong voice) ... I'm not telling.
            (silence for about five seconds)
            (laughing) ... but it involves goats!


Half an hour later, I'm still trying to get back to sleep ...

Bruce:  Aromatherapy.  I believed in it .. until I smelled  a rat.

-----------------

Honest to god, I have no idea where this comes from.  I'm just reporting it.

Bruce Fest - the First

To celebrate Bruce's birthday yesterday, since I was coaching on Thursday evening, we invited Richard and Cécile over for a tapas sort of evening .. a bit of this, a bit of that .. with wine and food all night long. We had a somewhat eclectic menu, and I thought I'd share ideas.

A quick note .. with the exception of the green potatoes, none of the pictures here are mine.  I just didn't think to take pictures yesterday!  I spent more time cooking than I did for Christmas!

Flatbread with tomatoes and basil

Panini bread, Sliced tomatoes, Fresh chopped basil, texmex cheese. Mmmmm.

Sweet and Sour Ginger Pork Meatballs

Orange juice concentrate, water, vinegar, brown sugar, juice from fresh grated ginger, 

red peppers and green onions - simmered in a crockpot for about four hours.

My sauce was a bit too vinegary, but the meatballs themselves tasted divine.

Pea & Radish Salad

Recipe here from Molly Stevens on Epicurious. I was looking for an alternative to the usual green salads and came up on this one.  For the first time in a decade .. or maybe a generation .. I have peas in my house. Everyone swore this tasted more like fresh peas than cooked.  I'll take them at their word.  No point in taking chances, right?

Dolmades

Céc and Richard brought Dolmades and a selection of green and black olives.  Bruce loves olives in limited quantities and prefers that I don't purchase them, but he's a huge fan of people bringing them over.

Tiger Prawns

Sauteed in butter with garlic and fresh basil

Twice-baked Green Potatoes (no cheese version)

Baked potatoes, sour cream, avocado, green onion.  These are always a huge hit.

Yam Salad

We all know a good potato salad recipe, right?  Just substitute cooked yams (don't overcook) for the potatoes for a much healther version.

Grilled Salmon with fresh dill

Candied Pecans

Pecans.  Sugar.  So simple.

Cheddar Popcorn

This cake was so easy, it felt like cheating.  I can't recall ever eating a better chocolate cake, however, so I'll probably cheat again. This recipe came from Live | Craft  | Eat, a site I stumbled upon when I was looking for ideas for a DIY project.  The icing I chose to use was again, something of a cheater recipe, but was the perfect complement for the cake.  From Tunisianswife on Allrecipes.

Yup, the first time I bought it, it was because of this label.

A perennial favorite

There is no better way to finish a meal

This was such a resounding success, we've determined that we'll be holding Brucefest each year.  

Save a spot at the table, make your reservations now!

Heart of Stone

You might recall that I posted a birthday card a  few years ago that included a heart made of stone, which is a recurring theme in the life of the Neumans .. ever since he found a huge stone in the river one day while we were on a camping trip.

He's produced various heart-shaped rocks for me over the years.  I have a 2" one that resides under the seat of my car, because of course, you cannot ever dare throw them out and where else would you put it?

The other day, he brought me a few seashells from outrigger session as well as .. you guessed it .. another heart of stone.  This time, it was a bit larger, being about six or seven inches across at its widest. I thought I'd show him that the rock gifts, while not always kept, were always appreciated.

So I got out my paints ....

Look to see this one on my doorstep with the collection of driftwood and last autumn's oak leaves from my neighbour's tree.

And .. happy birthday once again, my husband.

A late night exchange

Because Bruce is a morning person, and I'm rather nocturnal, I am often rambling around the house after he's abed. Although I do attempt to get into bed without disturbing his sleep, we often have conversations he won't  remember in the morning. Sometimes, they are hilarious.

I've lately been setting my iPad on the nightstand to use it as an alarm clock, so I was able to jot this down.

Bruce:  Aliens!
Me:  Aliens?
Bruce:  Vinegar
Me:  Whaaat?
Bruce:  Aliens have .. no, Americans. Americans have an alien ... an inalienable right to vinegar.
Me:  Really?  Do tell.
Bruce:  It's called "The Vinegar Act."
Me:  ::muffled laughter::

I'm not going to speculate too much on where his mind travels while he's asleep. Wherever  it is, I seem to have a vicarious ticket, so I'm cool with that. I love the way his mind works. I love conversations like this. They end the day with laughter for me and start the next day with laughter for both of us when I remember the conversation so I can pass it along to him.

Now you can laugh with us.  :D

Christmas napkin craft ...

I just had to go and ask Bruce for Christmas napkins for our dinner.

A snowgnome in a snowstorm

Creative genius strikes again!

Meeting Places

I'm fairly certain that every house has one of those spots that just somehow becomes 'the spot."  There's never a formal meeting where the heads of household discuss 'the spot,' but nonetheless, 'the spot' is born.  In my house, that spot is the kitchen island.

It's the spot we leave things we don't have a clue where to put because it's the domain of Blue and you happen to be Pink.  It's where you linger over morning tea, reading the newspaper comics and advice columns or its the spot to find the Saturday crossword you both work on until you finish it or give up.   It's the spot where you leave items that you want Pink to pick up on the next grocery run if you happen to be Blue.

Two days ago, an empty package of AAA batteries showed up in the spot.  I dutifully added it to my grocery list.  But now, it's been replaced with a full package of AAA batteries.   Pink is plenty confused, let me tell you.

Occasionally, but not too often, the spot finds notes, which are always exciting.  As good as getting 'real' email instead of junk from stores who happen to have you on an email list.

Hi Mo:
Did you have a good snooze?
I'm off for a visit with Wil.
I will be loving you this much
And this much too!
Bruce

Gotta love a spot like that!

I'd been to my weekly trainer session at the gym yesterday and she kicked my butt (figuratively, of course) so hard that, well, my butt muscles are refusing to do anything today but offer reasons for not getting out of the comfy chair in front of the tv where naps are pretty much inevitable.  Stairs are nigh impossible.  I think Simone proved a point about me needing to get into the gym more often.

Hope this note finds you all exceedingly well and enjoying fine weather, getting out and about and enjoying yourself.   My advice today is .. join a gym .. don't piss off your trainer.  And leave funny notes in your 'spot.'

Easter Update

The other day, I was wandering through one of my favorite stores and something twitchy happened ... it was that sort of twitch that happens to me occasionally (and I dare say most women) when they see something that they just have to have.  Now, I restrained myself .. I only bought two of these cute little juice glasses.  But they were gorgeous .. all glittery in their shiny pinks and greens, blues and aquas .. with their bumps and pretty glass patterns.  I should have taken a picture in the store.  But failing that .. here's one I hope you enjoy.

I know its been a long while since I made a post ... I had a lot of difficulty with January and February and March blahs in the rain, rain, rain .. and more rain.  And then I realized one day (when I had been absent from my gym once again this week except for my weekly beating up by workout with Simone) that I actually had things on the go.  So I'll try to bring you up to speed ... not that there is a great deal of impetus there yet, but .. you know .. one can wish.

I continue to visit the gym and have a Thursday morning half hour each week with Simone, my Brazilian trainer.  She's been away for the past couple of weeks so I've been working out with Paul Pilates .. that's not his real last name, just a handy moniker that Bruce and I give him.  The first week, he damn near killed me.  I was going to text him on Friday and tell him that my upper abs weren't aching when I breathed .. that he "missed a spot, nyah, nyah" .. but the rest of my body wasn't so sure I wanted to push that button.  I'm pretty sure he could have delivered on that dare.  This week was a bit easier, thankfully, since we were off to visit Ilana and the girls on Good Friday.  Which brings me 'round to why I was in Chapters .. buying an Easter gift for the girls ... and then, apparently, being sucker punched by an effective display of glassware.

Sailboats near the coast of Vancouver.  You can't tell from this weather, but the ferry crossing was
a bit eventful, travelling through a thick white coat of fog, sounding the big ships horns every
two minutes as a warning to other boats asea.

I picked up a couple of books ... Elsa insisted hers be read to her immediately upon receiving it.  Elina was more interested in the unused diaper drawer and having her teddy bear dressed up in them.

We went off to the park with the girls in tow, along with Jordan and Lauren, Ilana's nieces  who were exactly what you hope all cousins will be when you're that age.. fun to be around, willing to slide with you and show you how to get to the high places on the merry-go-round.  They were also the right age to be watchful of the girls and perfect for Ilana who has preschooler whiplash keeping an eye on two active girls running in two different directions.  The park was as super busy as you might imagine .. gorgeous weather, if somewhat windy, on the first long weekend of spring during school break.

Kitsilano Beach Volleyball

Thumping rap music added counterpoint to the bouncing of the basketball and smack of their feet on the asphalt as players drove down the court for the layup, the bumps and calls from the volleyball nets as players warmed up their style for the summer, and over it all  ... a layer of children's laughter and shrieking joy as kids played on the merry-go-round, the swings, the obstacles, in the sandbox, with kites or chased frisbees and big soap bubbles.

Elina and Ilana on the slide that Elina was determined to walk up as the other kids were sliding down.
Fortunately, she was fairly easily guided by Lauren into safer pursuits.

This is a far cry from the girl who, last visit, was afraid to come down the slide herself.
This time around, Elsa showed the other kids how to be more daring, launching herself face first down the slide.
The hat comes as a result of a night at a Canuck's game with her dad.

Visits with them always seem too short in retrospect, but while you're around them, they certainly know how to fill the space with sound and movement, color and creativity .. even putting on a pair of socks and shoes can be an adventure.  Ilana, I'm zipping and sending you all the pictures that I took.

Liz and Ian Taylor met us for lunch at the Lantzville Pub while they took a day or two break on the island to get in touch with their Scorpio water sign.  Just kidding .. only Liz is the Scorpio.  But they do love their nature breaks and they gave me a couple of pictures so I'll show off my island to you through their eyes.

From the turbulent northern shores ...

... to the calm serenity of a mannequin enjoying the spring sun on a houseboat
deck along the Victoria shoreline in the south.  Home security takes an ingenious twist.

Liz recently forwarded this wonderful picture that a friend of hers took near Jasper.  Amazing story of struggle and survival in the wild.

I've been doing a bit more reading lately (I really should update my blog as I do that) and have gone through some books from two of my favorite Canadian authors, Charles de Lint and Guy Gavriel Kay.  It's funny .. the e-reader is the right size and has the right features to replace the paperback and I've even got a fold out case for it so it opens like a book and it's wonderful for the treadmill at the gym.  But it lacks two things that would make it better ... the brightness of the page, the contrast of the typeface ... and the feel of turning the pages of a book.  My birthday iPod manages to do that .. no, you can't actually turn the page, but as you flip from one page to another ... the page curls over and you can faintly see the type reversed on the rear of the page you just turned if the new one happens to be blank.  So it fulfills that tactile need.  I'll be jonesing for a iPad before too long, I expect.

In family news, I understand there will be a wedding up north this summer as Myranda and Ryan make their partnership officially official; Samantha and DeWynn are looking forward to parenting ...and may I just say that Maureen is a good name for a girl?  Dad and the boys are cleaning out the farmhouse toward the end of April .. they're taking away the more valuable items since Dad is living with Dorothy now.  Dad invited me up, but we have a few 'must go' events off the island this year and its always an expensive prospect.  2012 and so far, 2013, have not yet been generous to MRI (our recruiting business), so we're watching pennies carefully, especially since dentists and optometrist visits have been a familiar calendar item for both Bruce and I this first quarter.

Bruce's race season is underway, and I've got some nice shots of the recent Crazy 8 race where the Huligans competed and placed third overall.  Had some confusion not put them in the open division, they would have placed second in the more age-selective Masters.

LaDonne, Holly, Richard, Marcus, Toni, Bruce - the Huliguns in fine form

Paddling past some stunning shoreline scenery and catching up to another crew.

With all this gorgeous weather this weekend, I feel a bit guilty about spending time on the computer when we have bulbs to put in the ground.  However, tomorrow is time enough for that .. and for getting other parts of the garden ready for showing off.  My pretty little pots need a bit of a face lift .. and some replacement since one of them blew off the edge of the stairwell and broke.  Bruce was kind enough to put some foot stones in good spots in my rather soggy lily bed, so I'll be able to get in there more often; I need to prune back some heather shortly and continue spring cleanup.  I'm sure you'll hear and see all about it as I go through my season.

Until next time, my friends .. stay warm.  I hope that you don't have too many of last year's weeds to pull out of your own gardens.

And still another kind of therapy

Bruce swears that he's silly now so that when he gets old and crazy and they're trying to take away his power of attorney, he can point to stuff like this and say .. "no, no, no, your honor .. I was always this way."

Here's your proof.

A final salute

I love my husband for ... well, for many reasons.  Today, it was this note.

Rest in peace, General Electric;
good & faithful soldier of the top drawer.

Bruce is the person who breaks things in this house ... I cannot count the number of chipped dishes I've found .. but I don't think this knife really owes us anything.  Since we arrived in Nanaimo, its been employed many times every week for Bruce to slice fresh Italian bread .. there's just something so deliciously wonderful about bread you slice yourself.  And I think we received the knife as a wedding gift .. so yea ... it deserves a final salute.

Birthday Card for Bruce

Bruce .. do you remember that time we were walking beside the river and you found a 30 pound rock in the shape of a heart and gave it to me?  And then objected .. for years ... when I threw it back in the river rather than carry it on a two hour walk?  Do you remember that time? 

Today ... I found a heart of stone for you beside the river.  However, rather than subject you to the entire mosaic, which I'm sure I'd never get put back in the right order once I unloaded it all from my car, I choose to give you this framable picture.  I, too, can be a practical romantic.

I love you so much and am so thankful everyday that I get to share my life with you.  Happy Birthday.

March . Surprise!

March has come in whimpering.  I think Bruce would probably say it's me and not the month.  In addition to catching me off-guard and flat-footed with regards to my website makeover, the first days of March see me with a unsettling case of stomach 'flu.  Weather-wise, we've been enjoying much better temps than those of you in Alberta.

I'm going to be adding a batch of links below .. some more web comics and one 'journal.' It's written from the perspective of a feudal Japanese woman.   I've been reading the back issues and I have no idea where the story is going, but its been an interesting read so far.  Just click on the picture below to go to the site.

In other news, Bruce's Huliguns are practicing now for a Crazy Eight Race around Protection and Newscastle Islands.  This is an outrigger race in our home harbour and yet  Bruce has not yet finished the race. The first time, his team came a bit too close to shore and waves washing back from the shoreline dumped his team over into the frigid waters.  Last year, his ongoing back troubles prevented him from competing so he's determined to get it done this year.  Timed runs are now underway .. this is srs bsns!

A Valentine for my husband

In all the planets in the cosmos, there is no language like that of love.  Yet sometimes, Bruce ... there are not enough words on this planet to tell you about the depth and breadth of what you mean to me. 

And yes, I like your singing.  Now and always ... even those silly ditties that drive us both crazy after a day.

The inner child

When I was taking a shot of this fun bike rack at  Swy-A-Lana Park, Bruce ran over, laid down and shouted, "Help!  I've been eaten by a whale!!"

His inner child still loves to play.  I adore that man.

Bruce in Blue

He was trying to tell me a story and didn't want to sit still for my camera .. but the story got the better of him.  This shot is one of my very favorites of him .. all that denim blue is just soooo Bruce.

When in Rome ...

... become a tree hugger!  This is Cathedral Grove Forest Bruce and I visited soon after arriving on the island.  The Douglas Fir are simply .. well, amazing is such an overused word, but when you walk away with such a clear sense of awe, wonder and respect ... perhaps amazing is the right word after all.

Creature comforts

Murray and Bruce have a ritual every day that begins with Murray walking into Bruce's office and almost brushing up against Bruce's legs as he circles around him. We call this 'the air bump' and it's enacted by timid tabby cats afraid to commit to a full on body rub and meander between your legs sure to tangle you up.

For Murray, this means "It's time, Dad."   Bruce saves his work, puts away his pencils, sets a virus scan to run and assures Murray that he agrees.

Like Huck and Tom, the two buddies meander their way through the kitchen and downstairs to my office where they go through a formal observation - Bruce gives me the handset to answer in the event it rings and Murray airbumps against my legs, Bruce's legs or the chair legs while Bruce and I chat.  Murray then goes back and flops down in the middle of the hall while he waits for Bruce to finish in the washroom.  They stroll down the hall to the family room where Bruce flicks on the television, grabs the green blanket and eases back into the recliner after setting his alarm for an hour and a half.  Five minutes later .. this is the view:

Midday is pretty laid back in the Neuman house.  Murray and Bruce insist upon it.