Saturday, Saturday

A typical Saturday looks like this:

L makes his famous bacon. I take a leisurely shower. (A leisurely shower is approximately 8 minutes. A regular shower is approximately 4 minutes by comparison.) This morning's shower was extra special since I splurged this week and bought Aveda shampoo and conditioner. Big spender!  

Then I joined L in the kitchen and made scrambled eggs. I prefer easy over eggs but when you've been married five years it's just easier to make one type rather than two simultaneously. 

The rest of the morning/ afternoon was typical Saturday fare. Dishes, trash, recycling, tidy up kitchen, straighten living room, pick up clothes on floor in bedroom. Sometimes I wonder about other bloggers lives and think mine is really quite dull by comparison and I wonder at their ability to post more than twice a week since I am just here cleaning out my fridge, sorting laundry, folding laundry and changing the sheets on my bed. See I even took pictures to illustrate. 

Every once in awhile I try to be interesting and bake something. Today four bananas were wilting on my counter so they became the source of my inspiration. 

It's a wonder I haven't gone viral with my sensational posts.

I made this recipe from http://www.northernbellediaries.com/best-banana-nut-bread-recipe/ 

It's quite delicious. I only adapted it slightly by adding more walnuts, an extra banana, replacing the white sugar with brown, adding double the spice. Okay maybe I over-adapted but I really only think recipes are there as a guide and that it is more fun to interpret the recipe. 

After dinner somehow our typical Saturday took an unexpected turn when L asked for dessert. L is typically not a fan of dessert. I hadn't even planned a dessert and he'd already sampled the banana bread in the afternoon. Luckily he discovered ice cream in the freezer. An exciting find. I'd forgotten it was there. Surprising since it is two of my favorites: Rolo & Turtles.

And then! This Saturday became a Saturday like none other when I suggested we go bowling. What!?! We rarely go bowling. It's been over five years since our last game. It was so much fun! Our scores were really terrible but we had some good laughs. My highest score was 73 in one 10 pin game. I threw away strikes like nobody's business. At one point we were the only ones bowling. On our way out we realized Saturday night is the most expensive night to bowl at $39 for an hour of bowling plus shoe rental! Ouch. No wonder the bowling alley wasn't packed. Our discussion on the drive home included how many seconds per throw...22.6 and the cost per throw. This is my life friends. L loves to financially analyze and assess value. It was decided if we again decide to bowl we will go on toonie Tuesday at $2 for a game. Which means Saturday nights will likely fall back into their regular pattern of me reading a novel while L plays a game on the play station.

Those bowling balls are really heavy! 

While I really don't mind the typical Saturday fare of laundry, clean sheets, washing floors etc. doing something out of the ordinary makes the day ever more sweeter. And sometimes splurging is necessary to sweep the dull drums away. 

What's a typical Saturday in your world?  

Summer Reads

It smells like a camp fire outside. This is the summer of smoke. And heat... is it always this hot in the summer? I've been conditioned by the air conditioning for the last few years that I've forgotten how hot summers actually are. Anyways this post is a what I've been reading post not a weather report.

The Diviners by Margaret Laurence 

L picked up this book for me from a box of giveaway books in the hallway of our condo. My favorite aspect was the physical feel of the novel. The yellowed soft pages. The aged wistful cover. It reminded me of those long ago novels in high school English class like Who Has Seen The Wind. I liked the character of Morag enough. For Morag it is a gradual process of self discovery and learning to accept her flawed loved ones. The plot line retreated from Morags present day experience of struggling to write a novel amidst her worried fretting for her daughter and flashbacks to her early life. I preferred the flashbacks as the present day experience was very slow, and a little depressing. I misplaced the book with only 10 pages left to go and when I found it again I didn't feel compelled to finish it as in a who done it novel. Are you shocked I'd give up so easily. Amazon gives it a 4.5. I was surprised but then again I found later this Canadian classic was often banned by school boards. I can't really imagine high school students wanting to read this novel. It is definitely for the introspective reader that doesn't need a strong plot line to sustain their read. The title is an interesting fit for the novel as really there is only one or two actual references to divining for water. I suppose it is supposed to be metaphoric as all English teachers love. 

A Recipe for Bees by Gail Anderson Dargatz

This another of the books that L picked from that box. In the acknowledgments the author thanks the R.J. Haney Heritage Park in Salmon Arm for helping her place the novel in time. I enjoyed the few references to Chase, Canoe, and Kamloops as I grew up in this neck of the woods. My geographic mind was trying to place where the main characters homestead was. I think I enjoyed this novel more than The Diviners. Augusta's telling was in ways similar to Morags-- the flashbacks, the harsh existence, the gradual process of self discovery and acceptance of loved ones. An aged Augusta awaits news of her son in laws brain surgery alongside her husband and friend. As she waits she reflects on her tumultuous relationship with her daughter, toying with a pendant of a suspended bee she intends to give her that carries its own secretive weight. Amazon gives it 3.5 stars. I am divided since I enjoyed it more than Margaret Larences novel but not sure that it deserves a 4. Does that mean I would give ML novel a 3. How do individuals rate novels anyways? I would like a rubric. 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I was intrigued by the television series Outlanders. The Scottish highlands. Accents. Period costumes. Sci-fi time travel mixed with historical fiction. So I thought I would read the novel first. Oh my! It's really a romance. Almost harlequin. I liked the twists and turns of the novel as Claire wrestles with falling in love in the 1700s or returning to the 1940s. I liked the fiery passion of Claire. She is one feisty character. I watched the first episode after reading the novel. Oh! Blush! The film is fairly consistent with the novel. At $2.36 per episode on iTunes I'm not sure now if I will watch the rest of the series. I likely ruined the watching of by reading the novel first. I thought the Scottish bloke she falls for in the novel was much more attractive on screen than I pictured in the novel however. Shockingly Amazon gives it 4.5 stars. See what I mean - how are these stars being assessed? As I read it in less than 2 days staying up until the wee hours of the morning that is telling that I enjoyed reading it even if I'm a little embarrassed to say so. Is it a classic or will it ever be nominated for a Giller prize or be selected as a classic for an English class? Likely not, but if your less of a prude than me you will enjoy this novel. 

...Update...L and I thought we would watch the television series together and didn't even make it through the first episode without falling asleep. For me it was a re-run for him entirely new. I guess I was first intrigued and then after reading the novel found the episode interesting as a comparative exercise...fast forward a year and it lost its charm. 

 

The Shape of Me

Monday we had our ultrasound for babykins. I was eager to find out if the baby was a girl or boy, but alas! the little one was quite content to keep it a secret. The ultrasound technician had me move onto one side and then the next to wake him/her, suggested we go for a walk and come back and finally sighed and asked if we had any juice or candy in our pockets. The baby wouldn't have any of it and stayed curled in a ball sleeping with the occasional stretch of an arm. I should have taken my cousin Penny's advice and had a sweet cold drink prior.

I had a doctors appointment on Friday. Good news the placenta is in a good position and cervix is closed. Also good news was I have only gained one pound since my last appointment. The ultrasound did not provide enough pictures of the baby (as the baby was uncooperative according to the doctor haha) so we are to have a follow up ultrasound in one months time. Hopefully the baby will be moving more then and we can find out if indeed baby is a boy or girl. 

I just discovered decaffeinated chai tea from Tetley at the grocery store! So exciting! I've been missing my chai tea lattes from Starbucks. My waist line I'm sure hasn't. 

I just made the most amazing Coconut, Oatmeal, Raisin Cookies from my Mennonite Treasury cookbook. I'll share the recipe below. I added two ingredients to the original recipe. Can you guess which ones? 

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup fine coconut

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Directions: Cream shortening with sugar, add egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients. Add rolled oats, coconut and raisins. Roll into balls. Bake for 10-12 minutes in 375 degrees F oven.

Gotta love the brevity of old school recipes. 

Five on Friday

Today: 

1. 

We trampled through weeds 

and imagined ourselves living here.

2.

Old Blue had a belly ache.

Luckily she still runs and loves the wide open highways.

Unfortunately she is nearing retirement 

And dislikes the stop and go of the city.

3. 

While we waited we had lunch at a lovely cafe.

http://www.yvettemoore.com/store/menu/

I will have to return someday to try the Saskatoon Iced tea.

4. 

We were craving bubble tea. 

This time we tried something Taro Root Bubble Tea.

It is delicious you have to try it! 

And the color is fun!

5.

After dropping L off at work for the night shift

I went to look at a new place to rent.

Unfortunately a cat lived there

And when he answered the door 

I knew this was not a contender.

I am linking up with these lovely ladies for their five on friday's series.

Shopping

I've only bought a few things for baby. I found a baby list and oh my! I am glad I have 5 months left to prepare. Here are five of my most recent purchases that found their way into my shopping cart and home with me.

Little Lamb Wabbanub Pacifier 

Little Unicorn Brookside Tote (Diaper Bag)

Jelly Cat Tweedledee Hedgehog

This was just for fun and definitely not on the list.

Cotton Swaddle Set


I fell in love with these patterns. It is likely an impulse purchase and if babe is a boy only the bikes might work. In that case I may have to give away part of this set.

Bassinet Grey Swirls & Stand - while this is likely my most practical purchase and something off the grand baby list I don't love it. I'm still thinking about it and may return it.

Summer Vacation

L and I went on a lovely getaway this summer.  It was also L's birthday and what better way to spend a birthday then on vacation in as beautiful of setting as this was.

The drive was so scenic to Glacier National Park, Montana.

Oh! There is a forest fire! We stayed at the St. Mary's Lodge which was near the fire, but luckily there was little danger and the smoke was not really that bad.

I had really wanted to take the Red Bus tour up to Logan's Pass, and the Continental Divide. This is the second time we have planned this adventure and were unable to travel up the Going to the Sun Highway. We were able to still take an alternate Red Bus tour.

We saw the glaciers from a distance.  

Then we drove to Yellowstone National Park. There is a lot to explore in the park. 

Old Faithful. I think I expected it to be much higher and louder but it was still fantastic.

Happy Birthday handsome!

Such amazing geological phenomena. 

And a little stinky too. 

We returned back through Glacier National Park and stayed at Izzak Walton Inn. 

We spent the night in a caboose! And had the most amazing dinner that I will share in another post. 

Oh what fun to go on a summer getaway! I highly recommend visiting a national park.