It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas

My first job after my maternity leave was a part-time gig at The Body Shop in West Edmonton Mall. It was crazy and frantic and set me up for a little "career" with TBS that spanned across 3 provinces.

That first Christmas, though, was probably the craziest. Our store was tiny and packed ALL THE TIME. Once you were assigned to a section, you stayed right there. Two steps to the left, two steps to the right, and maybe one step forward, if you were lucky. Even turning around was sometimes impossible.

It was there that I got hooked on the Satsuma fragrance. At the time, you could only get Satsuma soap, bubble bath, and perfume oil, which we would add to the unscented massage oil* and lotion. (The line has since been expanded to include all sorts of stuff, including the TBS favourite, Body Butter.)

Keeping with my holiday tradition, I treated myself to a BIG bottle of the Satsuma shower gel the other day. Now I finally feel like it's Christmas. Without having to endlessly stack bars of glycerin soap and deal with the crazed shoppers, of course.

*Insider tip: have the unscented massage oil scented with 1/2 Satsuma and 1/2 Vanilla perfume oil. It smells exactly like a Creamsicle!

12 days of Awesome

One of the Mascot's favourite Christmas traditions has always been the advent calendar, but the older he gets, the less exciting it is to open the little cardboard door to find a crappy piece of "chocolaty candy". Last year, we splurged on the Kinder calendar, but to his surprise, only one of the 24 days contained an actual Kinder Surprise Egg. The remaining 23 days were just tiny Kinder chocolates.

This year, I went all-out on a homemade countdown calendar. From today until the 24th, the kid will get to open a little bag containing a sweet surprise; everything from Clodhoppers to Lik-m-Aid to Teddy Grahams.

But, don't tell him, k? It is supposed to be a surprise, after all..

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Stress? Anxiety?? Panic???

Well, almost. As long as I keep the little post-it note over the date at the bottom of my screen, I can continue to live in blissful ignorance. How many shopping days until Christmas? I don't know!

So far I have purchased exactly 2 1/2 gifts and made the Christmas cards. Thankfully, I have a very manageable list, so I should be able to get the cards in the mail by Monday and finish up gift shopping by the end of next week. 

I also have a couple of custom orders to finish up and a "12 Days of Awesome" advent calendar to figure out. 

And some baking/candy-making. 

And decorating. 

Hostess, I hardly knew you.

Growing up in the 70s with a healthy obsession with comic books, I was no stranger to the ads for Hostess products. Twinkies, Snowballs, fruit pies, and the chocolate cupcakes (with their iconic squiggle of icing) were everywhere - even in ads disguised as comic strips. It was brilliant advertising; how could you not want the same treats enjoyed by your favourite superheroes and the gang from Riverdale?

The problem was, we didn't have them up here in Canada. And, if we had anything similar, I wasn't allowed to have them. All I could do was imagine the wonderful, sugary goodness and hope that one day, on a trip to the States, I would be able to catch my parents in a moment of weakness and finally get to try a much-coveted treat. 

Even though we took many car-trips to the US and stopped at countless gas stations and supermarkets, I never once had a Hostess treat. It's not that we didn't eat junk food; it's just that we didn't eat *that* junk food. Even today, at 40 years and 3 months old, I have never had a real* Hostess Twinkie, Sno Ball, Cupcake or Fruit Pie. 

So, with the recent news of Hostess' bankruptcy, I kinda feel like I've lost a little imaginary piece of my childhood. It's not that I loved Twinkies et al, I just loved the idea of them. Kinda like how I coveted Sea Monkeys, all the while knowing that I would never have any.

If you are like me and didn't get to try a Hostess treat before the curtain came down, or if you have eaten them all your life and loved them, check out my friend Annie's baking blog, With Sprinkles on Top. She has recipes for look- and taste-alikes of all the Hostess favourites. The pink Sno Balls look amazeballs!

*There was the time that I used the McSweeny's "cream filled cakes" to make dessert sushi for the Mascot's birthday, but I don't recall if I tasted them or not...

This.

Forget James Bond and the teenagers that sparkle. This looks way better.

This is 40.



And, yes, that is Paul Rudd.

Dungeons & Dragons Improv

Some kids play hockey; some kids join the football team; my kid has chosen improv as his "sport"... and I can't say that I am in the least bit upset about it. First of all, I'm not getting up at 4:30am to drive my kid to a freezing cold rink, or spending my Sundays watching him get tackled and knocked around. No, mine is a life of evening performances, cash bars, and general hilarity. (Plus, as a former drama-nerd and high school improv-er myself, I kinda like seeing that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.)

As part of his (ahem) educational development, I took him to a performance by the Dungeons & Dragons Improv group last night at the Gas Station Theatre. The crowd was young, hip, and wildly appreciative of the hijinks* on stage. The Mascot, of course, was generally horrified at the prospect of being spotted with his mother, despite the fact that he was quite happy to dine with me at Unburger just moments earlier. At one point he spotted a group of friends and tried to ditch me, but, alas, there were no empty seats up front... so he was stuck with his clapping, cheering, and giggling ma. Poor kid.

Based on the uber-nerdy role-playing game, the show was nothing short of hilarious. Like, beyond funny at times. The scenes were set by the Dungeon Master, and played out by a cast of characters that included a king, an evil doctor, a garden gnome, a minotaur, and a neutered cat (complete with protective cone), among others.

Just like the game, giant 20-sided dice were rolled throughout the show to determine the outcome of battles and situations. It was good vs evil, but, really, the audience didn't seem to be on either side. As long as the laughs kept coming and the blood kept squirting (yes, squirting), we were happy.

The show was 2 hours long, with the second half following the intermission "because it is scientifically proven to work better that way" and didn't lag at all. Even the awkward moments that can sometimes derail an improv show were handled beautifully. And, as every troupe worth their swords (or, rather, man-blades) knows, you can always throw in a fight scene or a dance-off vs the Rave Troll. I mean, why wouldn't you?

I can't wait to see the show again, and hopefully before next year's Fringe Fest. In the meantime, I'll be watching the group's website for upcoming shows (and resisting the urge to write fan-fic about Cosrow the Terrible).



*Nothing makes me sound older or less-hip than using the word "hijinks", amiright?

I got nothin'.

My writer's block and my nagging need to write a blog post are waging a full-on war in my head. So much to say, and yet, as soon as I sit down with my laptop, I got nothin'. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

I've done all kinds of searches for "how to overcome a blogging slump" and "ideas for blog posts when you have no ideas for blog posts" and, well, I'm not gonna lie, "vegan baked donuts".

A couple of the ideas are fantastic...especially "curate existing content" and "have someone write a guest post", but that doesn't really solve my problem, now does it?

I suppose I could post a funny photo...

...or link to a post on one of my other blogs...

Framed! 

...or share a thought-provoking quote...

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" 

~ Mary Oliver

...or comment on current events...

Obama! 4 more years!

...or bite my tongue about current events...

Mmm hmm.

Yup. If I do all that, I'll have enough to hit "publish". It's not pithy or especially interesting, but you smiled when you saw the bananas, didn't you?

Another blog, another adventure!

Once upon a time, *this* was my crafty blog, but this past summer, during a little domain name purchasing spree, I decided to move all matters of paint and fabric (and wood and metal and paper and yarn) over to a fresh new blog. Updates are few and far-between at this point, but that just makes them special. (Or, at least, that's what I am telling myself.)

To read the story of Jenn's chalkboard, please pop over to Small Craft Warning. 

Ticketybook Club - Wild

Do you have to get lost to find yourself? Sometimes, yes.

Naively unprepared, alone, and burdened by an incredibly heavy pack and constantly injured feet, Cheryl Strayed set out from the Mojave Desert and, aside from a detour to avoid an excessively snowed-in section, followed the Pacific Crest Trail all the way to the Bridge of the Gods at the Oregon/Washington border; 1100 miles in total.

Mourning the loss of her mother, grieving the break-up of her marriage, and trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, Strayed endured the incredible mental and physical challenges of the journey, yet kept going, even when faced with the sudden reality of having to hike a section practically barefoot. The story that she tells is sad and funny, self-destructive and healing, tragic and inspiring. 

The story is so beautifully written, and with such exacting detail, that from the moment she steps into the bush for the first time, I felt like I was on the trail with her. And I think I found a little of myself while reading it, too.

Falling for Flavour Recipe Contest

Ever since the Falling for Flavour Recipe Contest was announced, I have been dreaming about this baby. It doesn't just mix, blend and frappe...no, this sucker COOKS your food, too. Can you believe it? 

Needless to say, I have to have it, much in the same way I need water and oxygen*.

Please stop by the contest page, peruse the entries, and vote for my Tuscan Vegetable Soup. If I could hand out samples, I would, but you'll just have to trust me; it's good. 

The entry with the most votes will be declared the big winner and one lucky blogger (me, please) will receive that beautiful Cuisinart love-machine.  

C'mon. Make my blender dreams come true...

*I don't know that I would actually die, but I can't imagine living another day without it.

Ticketybook Club - Every Day

Once in a while, a book will cross my lap and will be so familiar to me as if I had written it myself. The characters easily speak the words that are stuck on the tip of my tongue, their inner dialogue echos mine, and they make the mistakes that I have made (with exactly as little grace and as many dire consequences as I). 

In Every Day, I first saw myself almost right away. I won't say which character, but I was there, and when I recognized it, I cried. Right there in the Starbucks, clutching my tablet with both hands; I cried. And I cried again and again and again at the end.   

Had this not been a book meant for young adults, I may have felt just slightly less foolish connecting in the way that I did, but then again, maybe not. We are, after all, just a big bunch of 16 year olds pretending to be "grown up", aren't we? 

The story centers around A, a soul that begins each day in a different body. A wakes up as someone new every single day. He (or she?) opens his (her?) eyes and discovers that himself (herself?) inhabiting the body of, for example, a jock, a depressed teenage girl, a princess, a nerd, or a burn-out. It's up to A to seamlessly slip into his host's life; accessing memories, picking up on clues, and interacting with friends and family.

That alone is a fabulous premise for a book, but imagine what happens when a love interest enters the mix. How can you make someone love you, when you take a new form every day? Is looking past the form and loving only the soul even possible?

Read it and see.

PS - Fans of The Infinite Playlist of Nick and Norah will recognize David Levithan's name. 

Spin to Win

It's hard to believe that just a year ago, I had never taught a single group fitness class. 12 months and dozens and dozens of Group Power classes later, I'm an old pro. Well, half of that is true.

Last month, I took the leap and became a certified Spinning instructor. I have been a regular on the spin bike for almost 3 years, so it seemed like a logical step for me. (Logical, but still scary.) I took my training at the Rady JCC with a fellow Group Power instructor, studied hard, and aced the exam. A couple of weeks later, my card was in my hands and I took off running spinning! 

The best part for me (besides making people sweat like fiends) has been choosing music, making playlists, and figuring out the moves. Unlike Group Power, which uses its own music and choreography, Spinning instructors are free to do their own thing. It's great for me because I get to put my own personal stamp on my classes, and it's great for the participants because they can get a new experience with each class that they go to.

And I get to wear cool padded shorts! ;-)

Power to the People - Oct 2012

To keep the program fresh, every three months, BTS (Body Training Systems) "launches" a new Group Power release. To prepare, instructors, including yours truly, have to learn an hour of  brand new material - 10 songs' worth of squats, lunges, curls, presses, lifts and rows, all carefully arranged into a dizzying number of patterns and combinations.

We receive the new music and choreography about a month before the big launch day, but, inevitably, life gets in the way and we all end up cramming in the last two or three days. Granted, the more of these I've had to learn, the easier it has been to learn them. My first two releases were brutal to memorize, but now that I have learned a few study tricks, I can pick things up pretty quickly. (Interesting to note: my best memorizing is done in the car, so I spend hours driving and sitting in parking lots with the cd player on continual repeat.)

This weekend was the official launch of the October 2012 program. As with all new releases, we "team-taught", which always takes a little of the pressure off. With two instructors leading the class, each of us is responsible for only 5 of the 10 tracks. Then, once some of the pressure is off and we've each had a chance to run through the whole class at least once (three times, in my case), we're on our own to prepare ourselves for solo teaching all 10 tracks. (For some of us, that's the next day!)

The funny thing is, even with all of the pressure and stress we have going into it, launch weekend is always a lot of fun because it's one of the only times that all of us instructors get to work together as a team. Plus, we get to act silly and give away prizes. And wear matching outfits.

If my hands hadn't been so full, I would have taken a few pictures of the classes. Instead, I will leave you with the Group Power 2012 trailer. It's just a little taste, but it should give you some idea of what we do...

Take a Bow

When my mom was in town at the end of August, the Mascot dragged us out to Heartland Archery in Transcona. After my initial "ecch" over all the hunting stuff, we signed up for an hour on the range. Once we had figured out dominant eyes and bow strength, and signed our waivers, we were good to go.

I hadn't shot an arrow since my days at camp, and I had never used a compound bow, but it didn't take long to get the hang of it. After a couple flubs, I was consistantly hitting the targets...well, the paper...but that's something.

And the Mascot did a pretty good job, too. Fresh from a session at camp that included archery lessons, he jumped right in and started shooting, and even had "helpful" tips for us as we went along. (#1 - Oma, quit hitting your arm.)

When we left, they gave us each a voucher for a complimentary visit. I won't be giving Katniss Everdeen a run for her money, nor will I be asked to join any roving bands of Merry Men, but that shouldn't stop me from shooting a few arrows, right? Besides, how can you argue with "free"?

Winnipeg Tweed Ride 2012

How does one describe the Tweed Ride? Well, in a nutshell, it's a group of people dressed up in old-timey finery, taking a leisurely group bicycle ride, and embracing the style and spirit of a bygone era.

The Winnipeg Tweed Ride is an annual event that takes participants on a scenic route from the Pavillion at Assiniboine Park to the historic Danalvert museum (with a brief stop for photos on the steps of the Legislative Building.)

It's really quite civilized, as you can see. Following the ride, we had a picnic lunch on the lawn at Danalvert. Croquet was available, for those so inclined.

The 2012 Winnipeg Tweed Ride was held on September 9th, in concurrence with Cyclovia/Many Fest. I am already planning my outfit for next year's ride!

Neglect

Oh, hi. Hello! Long time, no see.

September has been one heck of a crazy month for us, but that kinda goes without saying, given the sudden and utter lack of posts. Today I logged in for the first time in weeks and found a family of raccoons living it up in here.

Gah.

Once I can regain control, I'll be back with almost a month's worth of photos, stories, and amusing anecdotes.

Really. I will...

Day 5 "Bright"

A bright kid in the bright sunshine. Unless I could've talked him into wearing a neon shirt, I can't imagine anything brighter.

Note: two Mascot pictures in a row??? Clearly, he wants something in return for all of this cooperation.

Day 4 "In Your Mailbox"

The Mascot has been waiting (and waiting) for weeks for his ocarina to arrive. It finally came today.

My eardrums will never be the same.

Day 2 "Father"

Wilfred Dale Hadfield, 1967

Every time my step-mother comes for a visit, she brings me something of my dad's. I came home today to find this picture in my kitchen. It's now hanging in the hallway off the living room, and will be the first thing that I grab in the event of a fire, flood, or zombiepocalypse. 

Day 1 "Me, now"

Yes, that's me. Sometimes a girl just wants to be someone different for a day. 

Since the last time we spoke, I have turned 40, survived a 10-day visit from my mother (Hi, Mumji!!), and become a certified Spinning instructor. Any one of those things should be enough to excuse my 3 week absence, but I shall apologize nonetheless. I do hate to leave the ol' blog hanging, you know.

So I feel any different now that I am 40? Ehh...yeah. Maybe a little calmer, but a good part of that can be due to the fact that I was FREAKING OUT before the big day. In retrospect, I'm not sure what I was worried about. Age is really just a number...so what if I am in the next checkbox on the questionnaire? (Gah. Breathe. Breathe.) I do know that I am in way better shape than I was at 20, I have a great kid, a terrific fella, and another 40 or so years to fill with exciting stuff...

...starting NOW.

Day 8 "Glasses"

Yeah, I have a bit of a thing for glasses. There might be a few more pairs around the house (and in the car), but this is probably a pretty good representation of my eyeglass wardrobe.

Thanks to the crazy deals at Clearly Contacts, it wasn't a very expensive collection to amass. (And I am nowhere near finished...)

Day 7 "8:00"

With the mascot away at camp, my meals go from odd to random. Tonight's dinner was served on the coffee table at 8pm; just in time for the start of Moneyball on one of the movie channels. 

In addition to that gorgeous local corn, I had sauteed zucchini and a strange (but insanely good) combination of tomatoes, onions, baby clams, crab, black beans and avocado. It wasn't quite a stew, but close. 

Day 6 "Writing"

I don't even know how old this Social Studies test is, but it has been stuck to the front of our fridge forever. The mascot was especially proud of it because he got a perfect grade, but I love it because he wrote his answers out so neatly. 

Cursive is highly underrated.

Day 5 "Logo"

My purse is home to a slowly-growing pin collection.

Each Cakeology pin represents a cupcake eaten. (All of them carrot.)

Day 4 "Somewhere I Sat"

Even when I have a day off, I inevitably find myself in a group fitness class. Today I crashed the 12:30 Group Power class at the Rady. (And I'll probably do the same tomorrow.)

Day 3 "Coin"

This is what 110 calories of brownie looks like, according to the folks at Fibre 1. 

And, before you say, "Hey, it's small, but I'll bet it's thick and fudgy!", let me assure you that it is neither thick nor fudgy. Nor is it worth 110 calories. 

Granted, this little morsel has 20% of your daily fibre, but it also has 100% of your daily dose of disappointment. 

Bottom line, if you are going to eat a brownie, eat a really, really good brownie and then run around the block a few dozen times. 

Day 2 "One"

The candy dish that used to live on my desk at MCG has taken up residence in our front hallway. We always keep it well-stocked with Hershey's Kisses, but today I opened it to find one, lone Kiss.

Mwah!

Day 1 "Outside"

My lilies are tall, tenacious as hell, and an impossible shade of orange. Reminds me of someone...

Day 31 "Toothbrush"

Nope, but here's a cool picture that I took through the front door during the big storm the other night.

Day 30 "Calm"

The calm before the storm. And what a storm it was!

This picture was taken about 7 minutes before all hell broke loose on Sunday night. The storm lasted only about 30 minutes, but it was a half-hour of pure fury - 100km winds, lightening, driving rain, falling trees and branches, and random explosions (!!!)

When it was all said and done, the neighbourhood - heck, the whole city - looked like a bomb had gone off. And, in true Prairie fashion, the evening was quite lovely...like a charming toddler after an epic tantrum.

Small Craft Warning

After weeks (yes, weeks!) of careful preparation (read: procrastination), my new blog, Small Craft Warning, is up and running. You won't find much idle chit-chat or gossip there; SCW is all business!

I will be using it solely to showcase custom orders (like the yoga mat bag above) and to sell one-of-a-kind crafty items, much like I used to do on this blog before the days of daily photo challenges...

Please take a moment to check it out, and be sure to bookmark it for future visits!

http://smallcraftwarning.ca/

Day 29 "The Last Thing I Bought"

My kitchen drain is past the point of needing a quick unclogging. Whatever is in there is in there good. It's either going to take a miracle or an exorcism to get things moving again. Or some of this stuff:

Day 28 "Cup(cake)"

Some would argue that cake can't be taken seriously if it contains a vegetable, but I don't care. I love, LOVE, love carrot cake in all of its many incarnations (sheet-, bundt-, layer-, cup-, etc)

Today, the Mascot and I caught a Fringe play and, afterwards, grabbed a couple of cupcakes at our favourite bakery in the whole, wide world, Cakeology. Needless to say, I had the carrot. Doesn't it look pretty all dressed-up in its Fringe Fest finery?

Day 27 "On the Road"

More shameless Fringy advertising, this time in the form of chalk art on Main Street. Literally *on* Main Street.

Day 26 "Sunshine"

Day 25 "Heart"

Summer is festival season in Winnipeg and no festival is more festive than the Fringe.

Hola, Canola!

When Jenn from the Manitoba Canola Growers asked me to be a guest blogger on the "Be well!", I didn't hesitate for a second before saying "yes!"

I have been a regular reader of the Canola Growers blog and newsletter since meeting Jenn, Wendy and Ellen through food blogger events this past spring. I love their "whole picture" approach to health and wellness and I couldn't help but be drawn to their positive energy. Based on that, I jumped at the chance to be part of their blog.

My first piece (link below) is about finding the motivation to exercise...something that I think we can all relate to. Please check it out and feel free to share it and comment on it. And be sure to come back and let me know if it helped nudge you off the couch.

Uh...do I have to?


Photo credit: Brian Gould

Day 23 "Mirror"

In a pinch, a window makes a wonderful mirror. Here I am, giant coffee in hand - exactly as you will find me most mornings after I have dropped-off my fella.

Day 18 "Plate"

It sounds bizarre, but when my tummy is upset, I crave Mexican food*. Tonight, after a spin class that left my stomach spinning, I came home and put together this little plate of awesome.

- Simple guacamole: avocado, lime, cumin, pinch of salt, chopped tomato.
- Homemade baked tortilla chips.
- Jicama/mango salad: jicama, mango, red pepper, cilantro, lime, agave, ancho chili powder, salt.
- Fake crab chunks. Don't judge.

*When I was on The Rock Boat and suffering from a combination of seasickness and Southern Comfortitis, the only thing that I could keep down was a shrimp quesadilla. True story.

Derailed

Well, maybe "derailed" isn't the correct term. It's not that I have given up on the July Photo Challenge, It's just that there are a few holes here and there. Blame it on the busy, or blame it on some rather uninspiring topics this month (Finger? Really?)

Or, just blame it on the rain, Milli.

It was actually my mother that pointed out my poor, neglected blog. While I was tending to other important matters, such as the complete archive of Beverly Hills 90210 on Netflix, the tumbleweeds were starting to roll through the ol' Ticketyboo. What can I say? It's summer. It happens.

I promise to do better, Mumji. I'm all caught up now (sorta) and, with the kid away at fishing camp, I have all the time in the world to post Instagram photos and wax poetic on things like social injustices and climate change and the trials and tribulations of the gang from West Beverly High.

And, if that doesn't work, I can always post pictures of cats.

Day 17 "My Addiction"

The Twitter or the Starbucks? You decide. I believe I have officially reached addiction-level status in both.

Incidentally, I am writing this post from a Starbucks and since starting it, I have checked Twitter twice.

Make that thrice.

Day 16 "Sign"

My favourite thing about working downtown used to be the drive to work with my fella. With crazy schedules and two separate households, the morning commute was often the only time that we had to spend with each other. It may have been only 20 minutes or so, but it was better than nothing.

Now that I am no longer a cog in the machine, my schedule is a lot more open. Most days, I am finished work before most people are even out of bed. That hasn't stopped me, however, from driving my fella to his office in the morning. Not only do I get the privilege of seeing him in his shirt and tie before anyone else, I am handsomely paid for my troubles* in coffee. 

And there, my friends, is the segue into today's photo of the day. It's the spoon canister from one of our morning haunts, the Urban Forest Cafe. The "We Are Dirty" sign makes me giggle every single morning. It just doesn't get old....

*Really, it's no trouble at all. What the heck else am I going to do at 8am?

Day 14 "Building"

Winnipeg's *ahem* dazzling downtown skyline, taken from the unique vantage point of Shaw Park. 

I am so in love with the old-school Nutty Club buildings that sit nestled in the shadow of the string of highrises at Portage and Main. 

Day 12 "Texture"

Day 10 "My Favourite Colour"

Usually, my favourite colour is red. Today, though, my favourite colour is "Rainier cherry". 

I'm pretty sure it's a colour. Just like plaid is a colour.

Day 8 "Lunch"

This was all that was left after our little Sunday afternoon picnic on the back deck.

There were no signs of the freshly baked baguette, the hand-chopped bruschetta topping, the stinky taleggio cheese, and the herring in spicy tomato sauce. All that remained was just a red wool blanket and a torn label from the cheap (but cheerful) sangria that washed it all down.

Not pictured: two happy (albeit slightly-buzzed) people with full bellies and not a care in the world.

Day 7 "Garden"

Lilies at my fella's place.