Haaa, Fooood! As I was thinking of the past year, it occurred to me that our big trip did influence our eating habits - as anticipated. For one thing the kids have a much wider food palette now. The trip gave me the opportunity to explore new recipes with local Yucatan foods, and it was a pleasant part of our adventure. I posted recipes over the past year, but I thought it would be a good idea to make a 'best of' compilation, in different categories.
Here is a collection of dessert recipes that I have discovered in the past year, part of which consisted of our 3 month family escapade to Mexico, in late 2010- early 2011. I added some recipes that I have discovered after we returned home, and here I share only what I deem deserving of our attention... of course.
Our first escapade destination in mid-November 2010 was Xcalak, a very remote and idillic spot in the extreme South-East of Mexico. We were in cozy Casa Caracola (www.casacaracola.com), with solar power and rain water, in the heart of the Xcalak National Reef Park. It was us, and the pristine sea - a snorkeling paradise. Food wise, the produce truck came by twice a week, and except for tortillas baked goods were particularly rare. So my cooking quest began with desserts while in Xcalak, and I found an apple cake and banana cream pie which I kept making later at the ranch - and all along our Mexico trip, and thereafter. Enjoy!
EASY APPLE CAKE
2 cups diced apples (small cubes)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1tsp baking soda
1/4 sp salt
Cinnamon and vanilla to taste
-Mix the diced apples with the sugar and let sit for 30 min. Add oil and egg, cinnamon and vanilla and mix, add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a prepared 8'' or 9'' pan, bake at 350F for 40 to 45 min. To add a special touch after it cooled a bit, I poked the top with a fork and drizzled maple sirup on it. Yummy yummy! You can also make this cake using pears or peaches, or mangoes. Makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack!
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BANANA CREAM PIE
3/4 cup white sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 bananas, sliced
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks (to warm them up), and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes (I cook it for at least 20 min. for a firmer result). Chill for an hour.
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Moving along - We spent the last week of our 3 month escapade in Tulum, where we met a wonderful couple who are building a house in the jungle inland, near Coba. She gave me a big bottle of local honey, so when we arrived home I started to search for ways to use this precious sirup. Here are a couple of good finds :
HONEY GINGER CAKE
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp grated lemon peel (I used orange peel, very nice too!)
4tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Blend sugar and honey into butter, add yogurt, eggs, lemon peel and ginger - Mix well
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Fold liquid ingredients into dry mixture.
Pour into greased 9" pan (a 'tube pan' - as for angel cakes - might actually be best since the centre of my cake was uncooked), bake 30-35 minutes
Cool and remove from pan - Dribble with Honey (optional) and serve.
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HONEY GRANOLA BARS
1 cup granola
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup raisins1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
-In a large bowl combine granola, oats, flour, coconut, almonds, raisins or chocolate pieces, wheat germ, and brown sugar.
-In a small bowl combine the egg, honey, butter or margarine, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir together until all ingredients are moistened.
-Spread evenly in a greased 12 x 7 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until light brown on the edges.
-Cool completely in the pan (I always set the pan on a cooling rack). Cut into squares or bars. Makes about 24.
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And at last, here are a couple of my home favorites :
BERRY POUDING CAKE (from my childhood in Quebec city)
Poor 2 cups of blueberries (or other berries) in a 'crown' baking pan, and sprinkle with sugar or honey. In a bowl mix together 1 cup of sugar (or half and half white and brown sugar), 1 cup of flour, 2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. In a measuring cup, melt 3/4 cup of butter, add 2 eggs, and fill with milk up to 1 cup. Mix with dry ingredients until smooth and creamy, and poor evenly on the fruit. Spread the dough with a fork as needed, and bake in the oven at 350F for 55 minutes. Let it cool for 10 or 15 minutes, and serve with ice cream - or with yogurt! Oh yes!
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BEST BANANA BREAD EVER! (discovered this one only last fall - simple and super good!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix 1/3 cup of melted butter into 3 or 4 ripe mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 3/4 cup of sugar (or a little less), 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt over the mixture and mix in. Add 1 1/2 cup of flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
Somewhere between Izamal and Sudzal, Yucatan.
Monday, December 26, 2011
On the other side of Christmas
On the other side of Christmas, there are peaceful and lazy mornings stretching to the afternoon. Kids playing with their new toys, and adults drinking way too much coffee while listening to their new music. I'm planning on cooking over the next few days. Both for our family needs and for our upcoming traditional Levy - a fair size gathering of good friends on January 1st.
The Holidays are nice so far, but still strangely too green for the end of December. Worrisome. We humans must change our idiotic ways of not respecting our limited resources. We are living on a self sustainable island, and based on our current state it appears that we're quite the devastating pest infestation... Call that intelligent????
Okay... back on a positive note, as Jack Layton once said - 'let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.'
And more on the positive side, I will be in Yucatan in 4 months and I am very much looking forward to it. I put some time into the April to June schedule for my business, and my work is perfectly timed around the trip.
Still no news about the Merida teacher training project - no development whatsoever. So I will no longer try to get this one going, and my expectation is now to simply go and shake hands with some key contacts in Merida. Trust my instincts, go with an open mind, and see what happens. Sometimes it takes a little longer to find how the puzzle pieces fit together. There is something brewing over the years, and I shall get to it eventually! Yucatan will always be part of my life.
Well well.. with that it's already 1pm and I'm still in my jammies! It's a cold crisp and sunny day in Toronto - and I'm gonna get myself some of that frozen vitamin D!!!
The Holidays are nice so far, but still strangely too green for the end of December. Worrisome. We humans must change our idiotic ways of not respecting our limited resources. We are living on a self sustainable island, and based on our current state it appears that we're quite the devastating pest infestation... Call that intelligent????
Okay... back on a positive note, as Jack Layton once said - 'let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.'
And more on the positive side, I will be in Yucatan in 4 months and I am very much looking forward to it. I put some time into the April to June schedule for my business, and my work is perfectly timed around the trip.
Still no news about the Merida teacher training project - no development whatsoever. So I will no longer try to get this one going, and my expectation is now to simply go and shake hands with some key contacts in Merida. Trust my instincts, go with an open mind, and see what happens. Sometimes it takes a little longer to find how the puzzle pieces fit together. There is something brewing over the years, and I shall get to it eventually! Yucatan will always be part of my life.
Well well.. with that it's already 1pm and I'm still in my jammies! It's a cold crisp and sunny day in Toronto - and I'm gonna get myself some of that frozen vitamin D!!!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Wo Ho Ho
The past week must have been the fastest passing week ever... I thought it would be kind of mellow, so much for that!
I finished two series and worked on many details of upcoming engagements in January, wrapping-up business properly so that I can kick back and enjoy. Well done. The next two weeks should be very slow, like a nice long sigh.
Today was a big house clean-up day, and we just hosted the Christmas Eve dinner. Tim's family tradition is pretty easy - we order chinese food! Far from my French Canadian 'réveillon' roots... but I like it. We ended the evening by singing a few Christmas songs, and everyone was gone by 8pm.
Dylan helped me to clear the table and wash the dishes, and he went to bed early - happy and excited. He asked Tim to read The Night Before Christmas, another Posgate tradition. My big 12 year old is full of Christmas spirit this year. Beautiful.
Leo prepared a little plate for Santa, a couple of fortune cookies and a few carrots for his reindeers. I hope Santa doesn't leave too many crumbs on the floor and in the fireplace this year... he is a bit messy sometimes. But I guess he's in a hurry, so I should cut him some slack.
Almost 10pm... time for me to go to bed, something tells me that it will be an early morning!
I finished two series and worked on many details of upcoming engagements in January, wrapping-up business properly so that I can kick back and enjoy. Well done. The next two weeks should be very slow, like a nice long sigh.
Today was a big house clean-up day, and we just hosted the Christmas Eve dinner. Tim's family tradition is pretty easy - we order chinese food! Far from my French Canadian 'réveillon' roots... but I like it. We ended the evening by singing a few Christmas songs, and everyone was gone by 8pm.
Dylan helped me to clear the table and wash the dishes, and he went to bed early - happy and excited. He asked Tim to read The Night Before Christmas, another Posgate tradition. My big 12 year old is full of Christmas spirit this year. Beautiful.
Leo prepared a little plate for Santa, a couple of fortune cookies and a few carrots for his reindeers. I hope Santa doesn't leave too many crumbs on the floor and in the fireplace this year... he is a bit messy sometimes. But I guess he's in a hurry, so I should cut him some slack.
Almost 10pm... time for me to go to bed, something tells me that it will be an early morning!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
2011
Another year, this one was pretty good. It started in the heart of the Yucatan state, we were just about half way through our great family escapade. I had pulled the plug on stress and worries and was happy with a much simpler life style. Happy that my children were enjoying it too, and very proud of Tim for stepping outside of his comfort zone for three months. In retrospect, it was fantastic for all of us to immerse into simplicity and I think that we came back home with a fresh new perspective.
2012 is very promising, the boys are growing beautifully and family life is good - home sweet home. Business is also pretty good and I realise that I can provide sufficient income for our family. Tim can generate a fair income too but he always has to make a big special effort to make it happen... so it happens in phases and it's far for consistent, and it's not likely to happen if I don't let him know that he must focus his energy on it for awhile. He's an artist, and work is not always tied to income. I find this part of our life difficult. At this point in my life, I would like to just pay off the house and invest in a bunch of much needed upgrades and fixes - partly for comfort, but mostly for decent upkeep of our house. I can not do it alone and sometimes it feels like I'm on a treadmill... only managing to keep up a good pace but staying in the same spot. If I think about it too much, I get very frustrated and bitter... so I focus on the positive aspects. We have a good roof over our heads, food on the table, we're healthy, we have enough money to keep the boys in hockey and baseball, and for some entertainment. We're doing pretty good overall.
For these reasons I'm having a hard time with my upcoming Mexico vacation... flipping back and forth between remorses of selfishness and satisfaction of rewarding myself for providing for my family. It started as a plan for a low cost business trip, and it has turned into a much bigger expense. I have no choice but to go with the flow at this point, make the best of it, and make sure that I still follow my business agenda while in Merida. Life is a balancing act of holding on and letting go, it requires an open mind and willingness to adapt. I have done it many times before, so I should be able to find peace with my decisions.
It's the Holiday season again, time for fun gatherings with family and friends. I'm making candied nuts, pepita brittle and nuts and bolts this year instead of cookies. All packaged in pretty tins, perfect for parties. I will share my best finds on that front very soon - Stay tuned for recipes!
2012 is very promising, the boys are growing beautifully and family life is good - home sweet home. Business is also pretty good and I realise that I can provide sufficient income for our family. Tim can generate a fair income too but he always has to make a big special effort to make it happen... so it happens in phases and it's far for consistent, and it's not likely to happen if I don't let him know that he must focus his energy on it for awhile. He's an artist, and work is not always tied to income. I find this part of our life difficult. At this point in my life, I would like to just pay off the house and invest in a bunch of much needed upgrades and fixes - partly for comfort, but mostly for decent upkeep of our house. I can not do it alone and sometimes it feels like I'm on a treadmill... only managing to keep up a good pace but staying in the same spot. If I think about it too much, I get very frustrated and bitter... so I focus on the positive aspects. We have a good roof over our heads, food on the table, we're healthy, we have enough money to keep the boys in hockey and baseball, and for some entertainment. We're doing pretty good overall.
For these reasons I'm having a hard time with my upcoming Mexico vacation... flipping back and forth between remorses of selfishness and satisfaction of rewarding myself for providing for my family. It started as a plan for a low cost business trip, and it has turned into a much bigger expense. I have no choice but to go with the flow at this point, make the best of it, and make sure that I still follow my business agenda while in Merida. Life is a balancing act of holding on and letting go, it requires an open mind and willingness to adapt. I have done it many times before, so I should be able to find peace with my decisions.
It's the Holiday season again, time for fun gatherings with family and friends. I'm making candied nuts, pepita brittle and nuts and bolts this year instead of cookies. All packaged in pretty tins, perfect for parties. I will share my best finds on that front very soon - Stay tuned for recipes!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
December Full Moon
Yesterday Dylan left school early and came home after lunch, and we went to see Leo in his Holiday school concert - featuring a great collection of French Canadian folkloric songs. It was fun, and felt very good to see all the kids signing traditional songs. It reminded me of my childhood, we did sing many of these songs when we gathered over the Holiday season. A couple of guitars, spoons, and everyone singing. I wish we could revive the tradition... but I'm the only one who knows the songs, that repertoire is foreign to Tim. Maybe I will invite a few Quebecois friends over the Holiday break and give it a try! These good musical memories are pretty much the foundations behind what I do for a living now. Getting kids to sing, teaching them songs that they bring home and sign to their parents. The very best feedback I get is when parents tell me that their child sings the songs I teach them. Or when older students take the time to tell me a special thanks before I leave the classroom, or to tell me how much they like music class. This is something they will keep enjoying all their life, and to help anchor that enjoyment is amazing.
It seems that the December full moon came with winter weather, hat and gloves are now required. The skating rink is open at Trinity-Bellwoods park, the closest to our house. Dylan goes there to play shinny (hockey) with his friends and I love to see him walk down the street with his hockey bag and stick. That too reminds me of good winter times of my childhood. My sisters and I would walk to the rink in our skates, and stay there until we couldn't feel our big toes from the cold. Crazy... who decided to settle in this weather anyway?
The children would like to set-up the Christmas tree this weekend, we'll try to squeeze that into our schedule.
Full moon, December, and thoughts of December 10th of last year. Nostalgia... and so very much looking forward to being in Yucatan again in the coming spring. No developments on the Merida teacher training project... I am adjusting my expectations and will be happy to simply meet my contacts in person once in Merida. Can't wait to see my Telchac friends - wonderful and inspiring women, and also hoping to get together with my old friend Jose-Luis... have not seen him in about 25 years! But that's all on the other side of this winter... can't go around it this year, I'll have to go through it!
It seems that the December full moon came with winter weather, hat and gloves are now required. The skating rink is open at Trinity-Bellwoods park, the closest to our house. Dylan goes there to play shinny (hockey) with his friends and I love to see him walk down the street with his hockey bag and stick. That too reminds me of good winter times of my childhood. My sisters and I would walk to the rink in our skates, and stay there until we couldn't feel our big toes from the cold. Crazy... who decided to settle in this weather anyway?
The children would like to set-up the Christmas tree this weekend, we'll try to squeeze that into our schedule.
Full moon, December, and thoughts of December 10th of last year. Nostalgia... and so very much looking forward to being in Yucatan again in the coming spring. No developments on the Merida teacher training project... I am adjusting my expectations and will be happy to simply meet my contacts in person once in Merida. Can't wait to see my Telchac friends - wonderful and inspiring women, and also hoping to get together with my old friend Jose-Luis... have not seen him in about 25 years! But that's all on the other side of this winter... can't go around it this year, I'll have to go through it!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
December?
Wow... Christmas in less than 3 weeks...
The boys are very happy to be home for Christmas this year (we were in Yucatan for Christmas last year). So far December has been rainy and warmer than usual, Toronto is still well above freezing temperatures. It would be nice to have some snow for the Holidays, the kids are also looking forward to a full winter experience. I just started my shopping, a bit reluctant... one of the things I appreciated about our 3 month trip to Mexico last year was that we were in very remote locations and far from all the commercial madness - Christmas and all. No TV, no billboards, no paper, only the occasional Facebook update. I think everyone should experience that for at least a month every year - we enjoyed 3 months of being disconnected from 'daily and in your face marketing'. I loved it.
On the health front, my cold was nested in my right ear for about 10 days - plugged ear... but now it made a merry come back for another round of sneezing and sniffles. It's war - and I am determined to claim victory.
Work is settling nicely, all my clients are paid-up for this first trimester and I started to invoice for January. The next 2 weeks will be fairly busy, I am ending two series of workshops - one for Kindergarten and another one for grades 4, 5 and 6. The last 2 weeks of my series are pretty much all about evaluations, and when I am finished the teachers have what they need to put a mark of the report cards. Here in Ontario, the first report card is issued at the end of January.
I am contemplating the summer already, and I think that I will take the plunge and finish my Orff Pedagogy certification at the Royal Conservatory of Music. It will be a lot of hard work, but it will be very good for me. Nothing like a good intellectual challenge! One of my teachers will also attempt to register in the Music in Early Childhood program this summer, it was cancelled last summer because they didn't get enough registrations. She is excellent, a natural. With that certification under her belt I would like her to lead some teacher trainings in French - we talked about it and the plan is to get out of the city to provide trainings in the many French communities of Ontario. I would cover the elementary school grades 1 to 8, and she would cover early childhood educators.
I have a lot of marketing work ahead of me between now and March break... I am merging both businesses, probably incorporate, and deploy my long planned positioning sweep to enlarge my zone of operation.
Okay... 8:30am and a full day ahead of me... let's get to it!
The boys are very happy to be home for Christmas this year (we were in Yucatan for Christmas last year). So far December has been rainy and warmer than usual, Toronto is still well above freezing temperatures. It would be nice to have some snow for the Holidays, the kids are also looking forward to a full winter experience. I just started my shopping, a bit reluctant... one of the things I appreciated about our 3 month trip to Mexico last year was that we were in very remote locations and far from all the commercial madness - Christmas and all. No TV, no billboards, no paper, only the occasional Facebook update. I think everyone should experience that for at least a month every year - we enjoyed 3 months of being disconnected from 'daily and in your face marketing'. I loved it.
On the health front, my cold was nested in my right ear for about 10 days - plugged ear... but now it made a merry come back for another round of sneezing and sniffles. It's war - and I am determined to claim victory.
Work is settling nicely, all my clients are paid-up for this first trimester and I started to invoice for January. The next 2 weeks will be fairly busy, I am ending two series of workshops - one for Kindergarten and another one for grades 4, 5 and 6. The last 2 weeks of my series are pretty much all about evaluations, and when I am finished the teachers have what they need to put a mark of the report cards. Here in Ontario, the first report card is issued at the end of January.
I am contemplating the summer already, and I think that I will take the plunge and finish my Orff Pedagogy certification at the Royal Conservatory of Music. It will be a lot of hard work, but it will be very good for me. Nothing like a good intellectual challenge! One of my teachers will also attempt to register in the Music in Early Childhood program this summer, it was cancelled last summer because they didn't get enough registrations. She is excellent, a natural. With that certification under her belt I would like her to lead some teacher trainings in French - we talked about it and the plan is to get out of the city to provide trainings in the many French communities of Ontario. I would cover the elementary school grades 1 to 8, and she would cover early childhood educators.
I have a lot of marketing work ahead of me between now and March break... I am merging both businesses, probably incorporate, and deploy my long planned positioning sweep to enlarge my zone of operation.
Okay... 8:30am and a full day ahead of me... let's get to it!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Flight - check!
I booked my flight yesterday, good deal! Perfect situation... a 10am departure, direct flight to Cancun, and a pretty good price ($250+tx). I booked it as a one way... tempting to leave it at that : )
I have received some news from the French connections in Mérida, and I will try to get things moving for a couple of teachers training workshops. I need a marketing local partner to spread the word, and a good space for the workshops. I'm offering to give 3 sessions - French, English and Spanish, for early childhood educators and elementary school teachers. We'll see what happens... it will determine how long I will stay in Merida, and of course it will determine the date of my return.
I feel a bit better, I think that I'm beating this cold of mine - but not quite 100% yet.
I'm doing some good admin work, trying to have everything settled by next week for the period from January to March inclusively. I'm almost there... schedules are done most of them confirmed, next will be invoicing. Cashflow is a good thing.
Training sessions to prepare for my own team, lining-up program content for the winter months... seasonal songs and activities, including Valentine's Day. There will be one session just before the Holidays, and another one on January 9th.
Chug chug chugging along, and trying not to think too much of where I was exactly one year ago...
I have received some news from the French connections in Mérida, and I will try to get things moving for a couple of teachers training workshops. I need a marketing local partner to spread the word, and a good space for the workshops. I'm offering to give 3 sessions - French, English and Spanish, for early childhood educators and elementary school teachers. We'll see what happens... it will determine how long I will stay in Merida, and of course it will determine the date of my return.
I feel a bit better, I think that I'm beating this cold of mine - but not quite 100% yet.
I'm doing some good admin work, trying to have everything settled by next week for the period from January to March inclusively. I'm almost there... schedules are done most of them confirmed, next will be invoicing. Cashflow is a good thing.
Training sessions to prepare for my own team, lining-up program content for the winter months... seasonal songs and activities, including Valentine's Day. There will be one session just before the Holidays, and another one on January 9th.
Chug chug chugging along, and trying not to think too much of where I was exactly one year ago...
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Late Fall Weekend
Had a few friends over on Saturday night and made a taco feast. Cochinita pibil, baked rice, beans, guacamole, papas con chorizo, guacamole, pickled onions, pico de gallo... yum! When the time came to get fresh tortillas however, I was appalled to find out that our tortilla provider - La Tortilleria - had none whatsoever! The tortilla machine broke down... leaving the entire city of Toronto without fresh corn tortillas on a Saturday. Hard to believe... there must be another machine in town! So we had to buy a few packages of yesterday's tortillas - and do our best with that. It was okay I guess... after spending the day cooking and preparing the fillings, it was not the perfect outcome I had in mind. Oh well. We still had loads of fun - and everyone had a great evening.
This coming week will be a bit slower for me on the teaching front, I have a 2 week break in one of the schools. I am planning on getting up to date with my paperwork, and hopefully tackle a draft contract for my teachers. I am providing all the equipment and material, and with 4 teachers in daycares (including myself), it represents a fair amount in shakers, bells, scarves, rhythm sticks and other things. I also have to protect my client base of course. It will be interesting to see how it develops with my new teacher in the East end - he has some clients of his own already, and I'm hoping to convince him that it would be advantageous to work only for me and get all the material and training he needs. We'll see.
I have a cold. A bad one unfortunately. I'm trying to avoid a sinus infection by doing daily steam inhalations with oregano oil, I have installed our humidifier in the bedroom, I'm taking Cold FX to boost my immune system, I drink ginger tea, and I'm getting to bed early. I have had a plugged ear for 3 days now... I don't like it one bit... my voice gets weak easily and if I speak or sing too much I get in some serious coughing binges. If I lose my voice, I lose work and money pretty fast. So I'm hoping to keep it in check, and get healthy soon.
Sunday night... and here goes another week!
This coming week will be a bit slower for me on the teaching front, I have a 2 week break in one of the schools. I am planning on getting up to date with my paperwork, and hopefully tackle a draft contract for my teachers. I am providing all the equipment and material, and with 4 teachers in daycares (including myself), it represents a fair amount in shakers, bells, scarves, rhythm sticks and other things. I also have to protect my client base of course. It will be interesting to see how it develops with my new teacher in the East end - he has some clients of his own already, and I'm hoping to convince him that it would be advantageous to work only for me and get all the material and training he needs. We'll see.
I have a cold. A bad one unfortunately. I'm trying to avoid a sinus infection by doing daily steam inhalations with oregano oil, I have installed our humidifier in the bedroom, I'm taking Cold FX to boost my immune system, I drink ginger tea, and I'm getting to bed early. I have had a plugged ear for 3 days now... I don't like it one bit... my voice gets weak easily and if I speak or sing too much I get in some serious coughing binges. If I lose my voice, I lose work and money pretty fast. So I'm hoping to keep it in check, and get healthy soon.
Sunday night... and here goes another week!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
First Snow
First snow, a few flakes for a few minutes on my way home from teaching. And it reminded me that at this date last year, we had just begun our 3 month family escapade to the Yucatan peninsula, and we had just arrived in our little beach house of Xcalak.
Casa Caracola is a great little house, right in the Xcalak National Reef Park (www.casacaracola.com). That's where Tim, Dylan and Léo discovered the beautiful underwater world of the Caribbean - to my absolute delight. One of my favorite moments of the whole trip was when the boys finally decided that they were ready to go out with us on the kayaks, and snorkel around some of the many boulders of reef about half way between the shore and the reef barrier. They had been practicing right in front of the house for a few days, getting used to the snorkelling equipment. So when we got out Tim partnered with Dylan, and I was holding Léo's hand. We got in... he was unsure and worried that he could not touch the bottom... I told him to just hold my hand and let me gently pull him around. Soon enough he started to relax and look around, pointing enthusiastically at each colourful fish, and I could hear his 'ooos' and 'aaahs' through the snorkel... unforgettable moment.
Some day I would like to go back and scuba dive the Chinchorro with the boys. That would be fantastic.
A nice vision of a possible future adventure - but in the meantime we are very much looking forward to spending the Holidays at home this year. As much as I could do without snow pretty much forever, the boys missed it last year and although it was cool to have a Christmas palm tree, there's nothing like the smell of an evergreen in the living room, with the fireplace crackling. Tim would like to make a skating rink in the park again, it will all depend on the weather of course. We're never sure if we will get enough snow to go tobogganing during the Holidays here in Toronto. That's actually the only reason I wish for snowy cold winter weather... so that the children can enjoy and play. I sure remember those outdoor winter times from my own childhood - skating with my sisters, making snow forts, snow ball fights, snow shoe hikes, and the feeling of having snow caught in your sleeve on your wrists, or not feeling your big toe anymore from the cold. I grew-up in Quebec City, Canadian capital of the snow (so say Quebec city people...). I don't remember being cold when playing outside, I only remember having a great time. In that spirit, I hope it will be a white Christmas. Cheers!
Casa Caracola is a great little house, right in the Xcalak National Reef Park (www.casacaracola.com). That's where Tim, Dylan and Léo discovered the beautiful underwater world of the Caribbean - to my absolute delight. One of my favorite moments of the whole trip was when the boys finally decided that they were ready to go out with us on the kayaks, and snorkel around some of the many boulders of reef about half way between the shore and the reef barrier. They had been practicing right in front of the house for a few days, getting used to the snorkelling equipment. So when we got out Tim partnered with Dylan, and I was holding Léo's hand. We got in... he was unsure and worried that he could not touch the bottom... I told him to just hold my hand and let me gently pull him around. Soon enough he started to relax and look around, pointing enthusiastically at each colourful fish, and I could hear his 'ooos' and 'aaahs' through the snorkel... unforgettable moment.
Some day I would like to go back and scuba dive the Chinchorro with the boys. That would be fantastic.
A nice vision of a possible future adventure - but in the meantime we are very much looking forward to spending the Holidays at home this year. As much as I could do without snow pretty much forever, the boys missed it last year and although it was cool to have a Christmas palm tree, there's nothing like the smell of an evergreen in the living room, with the fireplace crackling. Tim would like to make a skating rink in the park again, it will all depend on the weather of course. We're never sure if we will get enough snow to go tobogganing during the Holidays here in Toronto. That's actually the only reason I wish for snowy cold winter weather... so that the children can enjoy and play. I sure remember those outdoor winter times from my own childhood - skating with my sisters, making snow forts, snow ball fights, snow shoe hikes, and the feeling of having snow caught in your sleeve on your wrists, or not feeling your big toe anymore from the cold. I grew-up in Quebec City, Canadian capital of the snow (so say Quebec city people...). I don't remember being cold when playing outside, I only remember having a great time. In that spirit, I hope it will be a white Christmas. Cheers!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Shaking it off
Yep - shaking it off and moving on. I had some difficult times with one of my sisters over the past 8 months or so, and I made a move to make nice - I called her. She was as relived as I was, and It feels very good.
I try to keep all my relationships positive and honest, and there are very few people who would make me turn 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction (I can think of only 2). We all have our reasons to react a certain way... I just don't understand why some people can't acknowledge that their behaviour is nothing more than simple human nature - and that is that. It's nothing unusual I guess, we all have our share of big disappointments when it comes to people. One thing is for sure, I don't want to turn my back on my own sister. We're good, and we will be more careful with each other's feelings.
For the spring trip to Telchac Puerto and Mérida, I am looking at flights these days and I find it pretty expensive... so I will have to go for the cheaper options and not book a direct flight. Just $100 difference is huge, because $100 goes a long way in Mexico. I should also book my Mérida hotel very soon since 5 de Mayo is on a Saturday - it will be a busy time.
In a very different way this weekend is super busy for me - I'm putting the final touch to the teacher training session that I am doing on Monday morning. I wrote many music charts today, and finished the lesson plan and process for my new piece, which is progressively built over a series a 3 classes on rhythm. Introducing notation and form, and getting students to read and write simple rhythmic partitions. I like to put an emphasis on learning theory to write music, more than to read it. One day left, and now all I need is to line-up some voice warm-up exercises, a canon, and a song with 2 or 3 parts harmony. I'm considering a beautiful traditional French 'ronde' called 'Vent Frais', and a traditional song from Ghana : Tue Tue. Looking Forwardto it!!!
I have no shortage of administrative work, but it will have to wait until late afternoon on Monday. Good to be this busy, I'm grateful for having a healthy business and to provide for my family. It doesn't only take hard work, it takes a good dose of luck, and a good sense of humour to lighten the harder times. I look at what I have built in the past 4 years, and I'm very proud. Keep moving forward!
I try to keep all my relationships positive and honest, and there are very few people who would make me turn 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction (I can think of only 2). We all have our reasons to react a certain way... I just don't understand why some people can't acknowledge that their behaviour is nothing more than simple human nature - and that is that. It's nothing unusual I guess, we all have our share of big disappointments when it comes to people. One thing is for sure, I don't want to turn my back on my own sister. We're good, and we will be more careful with each other's feelings.
For the spring trip to Telchac Puerto and Mérida, I am looking at flights these days and I find it pretty expensive... so I will have to go for the cheaper options and not book a direct flight. Just $100 difference is huge, because $100 goes a long way in Mexico. I should also book my Mérida hotel very soon since 5 de Mayo is on a Saturday - it will be a busy time.
In a very different way this weekend is super busy for me - I'm putting the final touch to the teacher training session that I am doing on Monday morning. I wrote many music charts today, and finished the lesson plan and process for my new piece, which is progressively built over a series a 3 classes on rhythm. Introducing notation and form, and getting students to read and write simple rhythmic partitions. I like to put an emphasis on learning theory to write music, more than to read it. One day left, and now all I need is to line-up some voice warm-up exercises, a canon, and a song with 2 or 3 parts harmony. I'm considering a beautiful traditional French 'ronde' called 'Vent Frais', and a traditional song from Ghana : Tue Tue. Looking Forwardto it!!!
I have no shortage of administrative work, but it will have to wait until late afternoon on Monday. Good to be this busy, I'm grateful for having a healthy business and to provide for my family. It doesn't only take hard work, it takes a good dose of luck, and a good sense of humour to lighten the harder times. I look at what I have built in the past 4 years, and I'm very proud. Keep moving forward!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Loving my job : )
Just realised that I will be in Merida for the '5 de Mayo' celebrations... hurray! I might be a lone observer however, since it looks like I will be the only one sticking around after the Telchac gathering. Still, Merida is a very festive city and I'm sure that I'll get busy enjoying the downtown scene. A play, a concert, the museums, and one the usual outdoor presentations of the Ballet Folklorico de Merida - a visit to the market, a pizza from my favorite casual joint and hopefully, catch the Tuesday night serenata. If I can do all that in 3 days, and see a couple of friends, and get to meet a few new business contacts, I will be satisfied. The truth is... I would stay there for a few months and I'd be fine and dandy. But no can do. Maybe in a few years...
Teaching is fantastic, I feel inspired and energised. It's a screaming reminder that I get whenever I am in the classroom : I love teaching music above all, and everything else that comes with running a business suddenly makes much more sense. There is my business self in the office, and the payoff is that I get to be my music teacher self in the classroom.
While reviewing my lesson plans, I remembered that I needed a new rhythmic piece for grades 4, 5 and 6. I could'nt find one in all my books... so I wrote one. After all, I know exactly what I need - and it came to me spontaneously, as for all the other little songs I have written so far. I ran with it and decided to use it for the very first set of classes (it's to introduce notation), and it worked very well. Best of all, the kids loved it!! I will document the whole thing (partition and teaching process), and add it to my teacher training workshop for Monday. A 3 hour workshop for grade 4, 5 and 6 teachers - which I am finalising this week. I still have a few partitions to write for the manual, but overall it's all good to go. Teaching adults is a lot of fun, and I love to give them tricks to make their job a bit easier. When it comes to teaching music, many of them are not comfortable. So I bring it back to the basics with fun activities, and most of the time it dissipates their anguish and gives them confidence. If their students can do it, they are very likely to be able as well!
And with that, my office self is busy booking the Petit Atelier team for the period from January to March. It's looking excellent! I have a new teacher for the East end, and a first gig for him too. He is a fairly well known artist on the French Toronto scene, and he teaches French and Music in the daytime. I am thrilled!!! I will be training him in December, and he will be starting in January. I am hoping that he will have a couple of days available for me in his weekly schedule, but in the meantime I'm happy to start slowly - and adding clients overtime as he gets more comfortable.
Okay - time to go! Teaching 5 Kindergarten classes today, and it's all about beat and rhythm. Watch out for those rhythm sticks!!!
Teaching is fantastic, I feel inspired and energised. It's a screaming reminder that I get whenever I am in the classroom : I love teaching music above all, and everything else that comes with running a business suddenly makes much more sense. There is my business self in the office, and the payoff is that I get to be my music teacher self in the classroom.
While reviewing my lesson plans, I remembered that I needed a new rhythmic piece for grades 4, 5 and 6. I could'nt find one in all my books... so I wrote one. After all, I know exactly what I need - and it came to me spontaneously, as for all the other little songs I have written so far. I ran with it and decided to use it for the very first set of classes (it's to introduce notation), and it worked very well. Best of all, the kids loved it!! I will document the whole thing (partition and teaching process), and add it to my teacher training workshop for Monday. A 3 hour workshop for grade 4, 5 and 6 teachers - which I am finalising this week. I still have a few partitions to write for the manual, but overall it's all good to go. Teaching adults is a lot of fun, and I love to give them tricks to make their job a bit easier. When it comes to teaching music, many of them are not comfortable. So I bring it back to the basics with fun activities, and most of the time it dissipates their anguish and gives them confidence. If their students can do it, they are very likely to be able as well!
And with that, my office self is busy booking the Petit Atelier team for the period from January to March. It's looking excellent! I have a new teacher for the East end, and a first gig for him too. He is a fairly well known artist on the French Toronto scene, and he teaches French and Music in the daytime. I am thrilled!!! I will be training him in December, and he will be starting in January. I am hoping that he will have a couple of days available for me in his weekly schedule, but in the meantime I'm happy to start slowly - and adding clients overtime as he gets more comfortable.
Okay - time to go! Teaching 5 Kindergarten classes today, and it's all about beat and rhythm. Watch out for those rhythm sticks!!!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Chilling now, and chilling then
Fall keeps making itself comfortable here in Toronto, cooler days and even cooler nights. Life seems well balanced these days, I'm in a groove to handle more work all around. The home front is good, lots of home cooking, good weekday routine, on top of things with the books... it seems that we're somewhat managing - but with our usual sense of looming chaos never too far. It's a fragile balance.
I have a lot of teaching lined-up for the next 8 weeks, and I am in the midst of reviewing all my lessons plans. I haven't been working in schools over the last year because of our 3 month family escapade to Mexico - I invested my efforts on making sure that our team of teachers was good and solid during our absence, and it was the right thing to do.
Although I feel little rusty when it comes to teaching, I know that it will all flow nicely. My program is looking great, and I'm very comfortable with it. It's so exciting to be teaching Orff again... a welcomed change fafter a full year of teaching Music in Early Childhood. It's interesting to teach young children of course, but with school age kids I can take things to another level, have fun with more challenging activities, dig into the theory, and sing in 2 parts harmony! Yay!
As for the trip in late April, I have made no progress in finding a paying teaching engagement in Merida. I have to send another couple of emails and try to make something happen - I hope I can. But at the same time, I have decided to chillax a bit on the planning of the next trip. I will do my best to arrange a teaching gig before I go in the spring, and whatever happens, I will just enjoy my visit to the fullest - work or not. I will still volunteer a couple of classes in Telchac, and take the opportunity to do some new Spanish material. As for the rest, it will be about the simple enjoyment of being there. It may cost a little more than I had planned, but my business growth is worth celebrating too! It's a nice candy dangling at the end of a very good school year. And I shall eat it all. No brainer.
I have a lot of teaching lined-up for the next 8 weeks, and I am in the midst of reviewing all my lessons plans. I haven't been working in schools over the last year because of our 3 month family escapade to Mexico - I invested my efforts on making sure that our team of teachers was good and solid during our absence, and it was the right thing to do.
Although I feel little rusty when it comes to teaching, I know that it will all flow nicely. My program is looking great, and I'm very comfortable with it. It's so exciting to be teaching Orff again... a welcomed change fafter a full year of teaching Music in Early Childhood. It's interesting to teach young children of course, but with school age kids I can take things to another level, have fun with more challenging activities, dig into the theory, and sing in 2 parts harmony! Yay!
As for the trip in late April, I have made no progress in finding a paying teaching engagement in Merida. I have to send another couple of emails and try to make something happen - I hope I can. But at the same time, I have decided to chillax a bit on the planning of the next trip. I will do my best to arrange a teaching gig before I go in the spring, and whatever happens, I will just enjoy my visit to the fullest - work or not. I will still volunteer a couple of classes in Telchac, and take the opportunity to do some new Spanish material. As for the rest, it will be about the simple enjoyment of being there. It may cost a little more than I had planned, but my business growth is worth celebrating too! It's a nice candy dangling at the end of a very good school year. And I shall eat it all. No brainer.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Next Trip to Yucatan
It's all set and decided for a departure date of April 28, but my return date is yet to be decided. Week one is in Telchac Puerto, where my friend Jeanne-Marie will be celebrating her birthday with a group of her friends mostly from all over Canada and the States. So far we are filling up 4 houses, and looking for one more... woo hoo!
As much as I am thrilled about this, I feel thorn about my return to Telchac - which was initially meant to be for teaching, and visit Merida to develop some possible paying teaching gigs. It's very important to try hard this time around, because if I can not somehow partially finance my travels there in the future, I will not be able to go and volunteer my teaching in the village either.
So from the start, I was keen on keeping the spring trip at a low cost since I can't afford to go simply for a vacation. Now the plan has developed otherwise with the birthday celebration, and I feel that every single aspect of my trip has changed, and there is definitely a much higher price tag to it all - the flight, the transfer from Cancun to Telchac, the accommodation, and even the food. I will have to make some changes to bring some aspects back to the initial plan. Otherwise, I know that I will feel some resentment - and that's not healthy.
I have a good friend who owns and manages a business similar to mine, her area of teaching is applied arts. We have collaborated over the years, and she has been very interested in the Yucatan project for the last couple of years. She has a good connection with the Alliance Française, and has been considering some volunteer work as well. It would be nice to have someone to share the focus with, and I do need a photographer/videographer to document my work. It would also be a good thing to not be alone in the little house that will be provided to me for the teaching work. I will ask her to pursue her Alliance Française contact to hopefully develop something more in Merida.
Here in Toronto, business is still developing very nicely. I have landed two more daycare contracts in the West, and strong leads are opening-up in the East with the help of my good friend Véronique. I have given her a list of 30 daycares for a telemarketing sweep, and a bunch of them would like me to contact them for more details on our programs. If this keeps going the right way, I have 2 teachers waiting for work in the East end of Toronto. Of course, this would also mean a period of intense training to get them started. I am hoping to have at least one teacher trained and booked by February. I'll do my best!
As much as I am thrilled about this, I feel thorn about my return to Telchac - which was initially meant to be for teaching, and visit Merida to develop some possible paying teaching gigs. It's very important to try hard this time around, because if I can not somehow partially finance my travels there in the future, I will not be able to go and volunteer my teaching in the village either.
So from the start, I was keen on keeping the spring trip at a low cost since I can't afford to go simply for a vacation. Now the plan has developed otherwise with the birthday celebration, and I feel that every single aspect of my trip has changed, and there is definitely a much higher price tag to it all - the flight, the transfer from Cancun to Telchac, the accommodation, and even the food. I will have to make some changes to bring some aspects back to the initial plan. Otherwise, I know that I will feel some resentment - and that's not healthy.
I have a good friend who owns and manages a business similar to mine, her area of teaching is applied arts. We have collaborated over the years, and she has been very interested in the Yucatan project for the last couple of years. She has a good connection with the Alliance Française, and has been considering some volunteer work as well. It would be nice to have someone to share the focus with, and I do need a photographer/videographer to document my work. It would also be a good thing to not be alone in the little house that will be provided to me for the teaching work. I will ask her to pursue her Alliance Française contact to hopefully develop something more in Merida.
Here in Toronto, business is still developing very nicely. I have landed two more daycare contracts in the West, and strong leads are opening-up in the East with the help of my good friend Véronique. I have given her a list of 30 daycares for a telemarketing sweep, and a bunch of them would like me to contact them for more details on our programs. If this keeps going the right way, I have 2 teachers waiting for work in the East end of Toronto. Of course, this would also mean a period of intense training to get them started. I am hoping to have at least one teacher trained and booked by February. I'll do my best!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Tourtière - a French Canadian staple!
As we get deeper into fall and the weather is cooling off, I get the urge to cook homy dishes from my childhood. In this season and all throughout the winter months in Quebec, tourtière is certainly a favorite. We also have it over the Holidays, and I clearly remember smelling the cooking and looking forward to our Christmas eve feast, which always included tourtière.
It's a meat pie made mainly with ground pork and onion, and seasoned with allspice, clove, and/or nutmeg. I also remember adding the recipe to my little cookbook, as my mom was explaining each step - the same way her own mom always made it. So here is our family recipe for French Canadian Tourtière, and the crust!
French Canadian Tourtière
Filling:
In a thick pot, brown 4lb of lean ground pork, making sure to crumble it well (a potato masher works well). Add 5 big onions finely diced, and keep cooking, stirring regularly until the onions are also cooked. Add salt and pepper, allspice and/or ground clove and/or ground nutmeg - to taste (don't over season it though...). Add one large potato, peeled and diced, and enough water to almost cover the meat mixture. Stir, reduce the heat and simmer on low heat for about 4 hours, stirring regularly.
The ultimate test to know when the meat is ready is when the onions and potatoes have completely disappeared, and you can see the bottom of the pot when you push the meat sideways with a wooden spoon (no runny liquid). Taste again and add more spices if needed.
Crust:
Mix 3 cups of flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix in 1 cup of fat (butter is yummy) until you get a coarse texture, and add 1 cup of milk. Mix until you get a nice sticky dough texture. Separate into 4 balls. Roll the dough and line 2 round pie plates/pans, fill with the meat (heaping a little is nice), cover with the other rolled dough. Poke the pies with a fork of a knife to let the steam escape. Cook at 375F for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
Tourtière is delicious with pretty much any home made ketshup or sweet pickeled veggies. Also very nice with a green salad of your choice.
Enjoy!
It's a meat pie made mainly with ground pork and onion, and seasoned with allspice, clove, and/or nutmeg. I also remember adding the recipe to my little cookbook, as my mom was explaining each step - the same way her own mom always made it. So here is our family recipe for French Canadian Tourtière, and the crust!
French Canadian Tourtière
Filling:
In a thick pot, brown 4lb of lean ground pork, making sure to crumble it well (a potato masher works well). Add 5 big onions finely diced, and keep cooking, stirring regularly until the onions are also cooked. Add salt and pepper, allspice and/or ground clove and/or ground nutmeg - to taste (don't over season it though...). Add one large potato, peeled and diced, and enough water to almost cover the meat mixture. Stir, reduce the heat and simmer on low heat for about 4 hours, stirring regularly.
The ultimate test to know when the meat is ready is when the onions and potatoes have completely disappeared, and you can see the bottom of the pot when you push the meat sideways with a wooden spoon (no runny liquid). Taste again and add more spices if needed.
Crust:
Mix 3 cups of flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix in 1 cup of fat (butter is yummy) until you get a coarse texture, and add 1 cup of milk. Mix until you get a nice sticky dough texture. Separate into 4 balls. Roll the dough and line 2 round pie plates/pans, fill with the meat (heaping a little is nice), cover with the other rolled dough. Poke the pies with a fork of a knife to let the steam escape. Cook at 375F for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
Tourtière is delicious with pretty much any home made ketshup or sweet pickeled veggies. Also very nice with a green salad of your choice.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Mérida - en français!
I finally took the time to send out a couple of emails to scope out the possibility of teaching in Mérida in the spring, and I began with the French community. I sent 2 emails, received 2 replies... sweet! It's too early to know if it will work out, but it sure is a good start to know that some people are willing to help me out. At this time, the plan is to teach in French. There is a small French community in Mérida, and they seem pretty tight.
I also emailed Judy from Telchac Education, and let her know that my plans are firming-up for the last week of April. I am hoping to go back to the little Diego Rivera preschool, and add the Grade 1 class of the elementary school to my list since most of these kids know me from last January and February.
For my next teaching project in Telchac, I am hoping to get a local traditional band to come and play for the kids - sponsored by Le Petit Atelier. It's important for the kids to get these close encounters at a young age, and learn about their own regional musical culture in this developing internet environment. With this project, I am hoping to see if some children are keen to learn to play, and possibly start a little sponsorship program for children to learn music in the village. I call this the 'Victor Velasquez effect' - a wonderful and inspiring man who made a memorable impression on me. He is the main music teacher on Isla Holbox, and his oldest students are now young adults who constitute the two local bands with seemingly a fair amount of work on the small island. I believe that a community with it's own music makers is a healthy and happy community, and I am hoping to promote music making in Telchac Puerto - one student at the time - if the stars line-up properly.
Here in Toronto, things are getting very very busy on the work front between now and the Holidays... for the first time in almost a year I will be back to teaching in the classroom - with a couple of teacher trainings on the schedule. I am also launching a series of mini-concerts in the currently ongoing daycare series and afterschool music classes - the first one will feature my amazing partner in life; Tim Posgate. He is a wonderful multi-instrumentalist and a great teacher, so we are putting together a short presentation focused on string instruments, with a Halloween twist. We have 6 mini-concerts scheduled before the end of October.
So with all that on the go, I guess I should get to work!!! Okay, let's do it!
I also emailed Judy from Telchac Education, and let her know that my plans are firming-up for the last week of April. I am hoping to go back to the little Diego Rivera preschool, and add the Grade 1 class of the elementary school to my list since most of these kids know me from last January and February.
For my next teaching project in Telchac, I am hoping to get a local traditional band to come and play for the kids - sponsored by Le Petit Atelier. It's important for the kids to get these close encounters at a young age, and learn about their own regional musical culture in this developing internet environment. With this project, I am hoping to see if some children are keen to learn to play, and possibly start a little sponsorship program for children to learn music in the village. I call this the 'Victor Velasquez effect' - a wonderful and inspiring man who made a memorable impression on me. He is the main music teacher on Isla Holbox, and his oldest students are now young adults who constitute the two local bands with seemingly a fair amount of work on the small island. I believe that a community with it's own music makers is a healthy and happy community, and I am hoping to promote music making in Telchac Puerto - one student at the time - if the stars line-up properly.
Here in Toronto, things are getting very very busy on the work front between now and the Holidays... for the first time in almost a year I will be back to teaching in the classroom - with a couple of teacher trainings on the schedule. I am also launching a series of mini-concerts in the currently ongoing daycare series and afterschool music classes - the first one will feature my amazing partner in life; Tim Posgate. He is a wonderful multi-instrumentalist and a great teacher, so we are putting together a short presentation focused on string instruments, with a Halloween twist. We have 6 mini-concerts scheduled before the end of October.
So with all that on the go, I guess I should get to work!!! Okay, let's do it!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Thanksgiving in Canada
We went to our Muskoka family cottage to celebrate yet another beautiful Thanksgiving with our extended family. The weather was unusually warm for an October day, between 24 and 28 celcius - and the trend is continuing, to everyone's delight.
The family celebration took place on Saturday this year, and we canoed across the lake to uncle Ken's cottage - it was his turn to host the event - 48 guests this year! Sunny and warm, and no wind, beautiful fall colours... Best conditions for a family paddle, and a family party! It was fun. It's the only family tradition that survived the past ten years or so for Tim's family, and it makes it very special and important for us. Important for our kids to experience these gatherings on the actual day of the celebration.
It's great to see the family grow along the years; new baby on the way, upcoming wedding, everything ever changing, as the rest of the world. But the tradition remains, and it's a beautiful thing.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my canadian friends - and hoping that you have the good fortune to share it with your loved ones. xoxo
The family celebration took place on Saturday this year, and we canoed across the lake to uncle Ken's cottage - it was his turn to host the event - 48 guests this year! Sunny and warm, and no wind, beautiful fall colours... Best conditions for a family paddle, and a family party! It was fun. It's the only family tradition that survived the past ten years or so for Tim's family, and it makes it very special and important for us. Important for our kids to experience these gatherings on the actual day of the celebration.
It's great to see the family grow along the years; new baby on the way, upcoming wedding, everything ever changing, as the rest of the world. But the tradition remains, and it's a beautiful thing.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my canadian friends - and hoping that you have the good fortune to share it with your loved ones. xoxo
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Mexico - Another Good Story...
In my intention to let Mexico shine for it's goodness and alter the negative public opinion - one reader at the time - I would like to share another good story. I really want to stress that I have been to the Yucatan peninsula many times, lived there on my own, went back for vacations with family and friends over the past 25 years. I always highly recommend traveling in that region, and I am always delighted to go back with people who have never been there before. Here is today's story...
1986 - I was 22, and had just returned to Cancun after spending a few months in Toronto to work on my English. I was with a good friend of mine, which was not always easy because I had to look out for her and she had a hard time adjusting. We both found work very quickly, one job each at the Paradise Beach Club - she was hostess at the restaurant, and I was PR for their new condo development. We also worked for the brand new Hard Rock Cafe, and we were both in charge of training the team of waiters. It was interesting to say the least... we basically worked in a construction site, and had little uniforms which made us look like a bunch of kinky fantasy nurses... but there was a big buzz in town about the place, and it was fun to be part of that. I had the honnor for driving the pink Cadillac to it's final destination in front of the main entrance - engine removed and lifted to rest on top of a big pillar.
With all the buzzing and booming developments, there was frequent cashflow glitches and our pay was often late by a few days. We were paid in cash because we were foreign workers. We were at the youth hostel and eventually, we had to consider moving out of there because they were getting nervous about our frequent lateness in paying the bill.
A good friend of mine, Luis Macuzet, was living in an apartment which a friend of his was letting him have for free (he owned the building), and had promised to live there on his own. When he learned of our situation, he decided to take a chance and invited us to move in, until we could find an apartment of our own. We had to be extremely discreet, and try to come and go unnoticed so that his friend would not know that we were there. He eventually found out, and evicted Luis at once.
I felt terrible of course, but luckily Luis found another place immediately (and my friend and I went back to the youth hostel...). He always told me that he did not regret taking us in, because he was lucky to have friends who did the same for him when he needed help. We tried to stay in touch over the years, but he got married and his wife is terribly jealous and would not tolerate it. He told me to pretend that I wa his cousin from Verracruz the last time I called him... it got him in a whole lot of trouble... and it was the end of that. It's sad... he was a good friend.
Luis had started a little business called 'Fumigadora Mac', an insect control and extermination service. He had invented the product he was using, got a tank and spraying hose which he carried on his back, and serviced as many hotels as he could - keeping the cucarachas in check. His nick name was the ghostbuster - because welll... he looked like one! Today, his little business has become El Grupo Mac, an international corporation specialised in chemical treatments, and with a division which manufacture ice cream machines (not sure why he operates that under the same company...). I ran into his brother in a grocery store in Tulum about six years ago, and Luis now has three children. I still hope that we can see each other again some day, and catch-up on the past 25 years. I would love that.
I share these memories because Luis's friendship also shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. He's a great, kind guy, with an amazing sense of humour. Saludos!
1986 - I was 22, and had just returned to Cancun after spending a few months in Toronto to work on my English. I was with a good friend of mine, which was not always easy because I had to look out for her and she had a hard time adjusting. We both found work very quickly, one job each at the Paradise Beach Club - she was hostess at the restaurant, and I was PR for their new condo development. We also worked for the brand new Hard Rock Cafe, and we were both in charge of training the team of waiters. It was interesting to say the least... we basically worked in a construction site, and had little uniforms which made us look like a bunch of kinky fantasy nurses... but there was a big buzz in town about the place, and it was fun to be part of that. I had the honnor for driving the pink Cadillac to it's final destination in front of the main entrance - engine removed and lifted to rest on top of a big pillar.
With all the buzzing and booming developments, there was frequent cashflow glitches and our pay was often late by a few days. We were paid in cash because we were foreign workers. We were at the youth hostel and eventually, we had to consider moving out of there because they were getting nervous about our frequent lateness in paying the bill.
A good friend of mine, Luis Macuzet, was living in an apartment which a friend of his was letting him have for free (he owned the building), and had promised to live there on his own. When he learned of our situation, he decided to take a chance and invited us to move in, until we could find an apartment of our own. We had to be extremely discreet, and try to come and go unnoticed so that his friend would not know that we were there. He eventually found out, and evicted Luis at once.
I felt terrible of course, but luckily Luis found another place immediately (and my friend and I went back to the youth hostel...). He always told me that he did not regret taking us in, because he was lucky to have friends who did the same for him when he needed help. We tried to stay in touch over the years, but he got married and his wife is terribly jealous and would not tolerate it. He told me to pretend that I wa his cousin from Verracruz the last time I called him... it got him in a whole lot of trouble... and it was the end of that. It's sad... he was a good friend.
Luis had started a little business called 'Fumigadora Mac', an insect control and extermination service. He had invented the product he was using, got a tank and spraying hose which he carried on his back, and serviced as many hotels as he could - keeping the cucarachas in check. His nick name was the ghostbuster - because welll... he looked like one! Today, his little business has become El Grupo Mac, an international corporation specialised in chemical treatments, and with a division which manufacture ice cream machines (not sure why he operates that under the same company...). I ran into his brother in a grocery store in Tulum about six years ago, and Luis now has three children. I still hope that we can see each other again some day, and catch-up on the past 25 years. I would love that.
I share these memories because Luis's friendship also shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. He's a great, kind guy, with an amazing sense of humour. Saludos!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Mexico - One of the Many Good Stories...
It's a fact that the Canadian and American press seem to relish in depicting Mexico as a very dangerous place filled with despicable individuals who will not hesitate to rob you blind or beat you up. Overtime, this unfair depiction has tainted people's opinion of course. That horrible place is NOT the Mexico that I know and love. I find this 'dirt campaign' very disturbing - because for every terrible story you hear on the news about Mexico, there are 100 beautiful ones which the press won't bother telling you about. So I decided to tell you the stories that shaped my opinion of Mexico - and Mexicans.
November 1985 - I was 21 years old, working in Cancun, which was still in the early stage of it's booming development. I was there on my own, and at the time I only spoke French, very little English, and I was learning Spanish fairly fast because people could not really speak English with me. I was the Public Relations for Royal Tour International, a corporation from Madrid who had just arrived on the coast to get their share of the booming Cancun tourist market. It was a dream job for me, which I had found 3 weeks after I landed. I had made some friends at the youth hostel, mostly Mexicans from various parts of the country, and there was an amazing culture developing with the local community. We were all helping each other - and if someone was looking for a job, or an apartment, furniture, etc. - the word would spread in a jiffy and amazing things happened which allowed many, many people to settle there in the early days. Like many others, that's how I found my job and eventually, my apartment as well.
So one day I was working at promoting our 'overbooking' rates to other hotels (so that overbooked hotels would send us their guest overload - which the overbooked hotel paid for) and I was in the area called Zona B - the newest hotel developments ( most of them not yet open to the public), and pretty far from downtown. I took a taxi to the last hotel in the zone, and I walked my way back from one hotel to the other and met the various managing team members. The hotels were sometimes up to 1km apart in Zona B at the time. When I finally got to the last one and finished my business, I was very much looking forward to going back to my home hotel just in time for siesta, and jump in the pool. Again, Zona B was new, with many construction sites, and very few taxis were going that far from downtown.
So as I walked out of the last hotel on the strip, I was delighted to see a taxi - and simply got in and instructed the driver on my destination. We didn't chat much along the way... I was tired and hot and didn't feel like making conversation. When we finally arrived I systematically asked how much I owed - and he turned to me with a big smile and said 'Nothing miss, I'm not a taxi' (his car was dark green, like all Cancun taxis at the time). I could not believe it. ' What? Are you serious? You just drove me all the way down the coast... you should have told me, I would have radio'd a taxi' (yeah... we used a CB to do that in 1986...). Still with a smile on his face, he said that he had plenty of time, and it was a good deed on such a hot day. We had a good laugh... what a funny story! He would not take money either. I thanked him for his amazing kindness, and he wished me well.
And this is one of the many stories that shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. Stories of kindness and generosity.
November 1985 - I was 21 years old, working in Cancun, which was still in the early stage of it's booming development. I was there on my own, and at the time I only spoke French, very little English, and I was learning Spanish fairly fast because people could not really speak English with me. I was the Public Relations for Royal Tour International, a corporation from Madrid who had just arrived on the coast to get their share of the booming Cancun tourist market. It was a dream job for me, which I had found 3 weeks after I landed. I had made some friends at the youth hostel, mostly Mexicans from various parts of the country, and there was an amazing culture developing with the local community. We were all helping each other - and if someone was looking for a job, or an apartment, furniture, etc. - the word would spread in a jiffy and amazing things happened which allowed many, many people to settle there in the early days. Like many others, that's how I found my job and eventually, my apartment as well.
So one day I was working at promoting our 'overbooking' rates to other hotels (so that overbooked hotels would send us their guest overload - which the overbooked hotel paid for) and I was in the area called Zona B - the newest hotel developments ( most of them not yet open to the public), and pretty far from downtown. I took a taxi to the last hotel in the zone, and I walked my way back from one hotel to the other and met the various managing team members. The hotels were sometimes up to 1km apart in Zona B at the time. When I finally got to the last one and finished my business, I was very much looking forward to going back to my home hotel just in time for siesta, and jump in the pool. Again, Zona B was new, with many construction sites, and very few taxis were going that far from downtown.
So as I walked out of the last hotel on the strip, I was delighted to see a taxi - and simply got in and instructed the driver on my destination. We didn't chat much along the way... I was tired and hot and didn't feel like making conversation. When we finally arrived I systematically asked how much I owed - and he turned to me with a big smile and said 'Nothing miss, I'm not a taxi' (his car was dark green, like all Cancun taxis at the time). I could not believe it. ' What? Are you serious? You just drove me all the way down the coast... you should have told me, I would have radio'd a taxi' (yeah... we used a CB to do that in 1986...). Still with a smile on his face, he said that he had plenty of time, and it was a good deed on such a hot day. We had a good laugh... what a funny story! He would not take money either. I thanked him for his amazing kindness, and he wished me well.
And this is one of the many stories that shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. Stories of kindness and generosity.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Spring in Yucatan
I have been waiting for developments, and I was getting to the point where I was considering postponing my next trip to the fall of 2012. But in a couple of days (last Friday and Saturday) - it seems that the wind has turned for the better, and things are shaping-up nicely for my next trip to Yucatan in late April!
First, a had a surprise phone call from a French music teacher who just arrived in Toronto, and she is looking for work. This is fantastic news, and if it works out I will be able to have my business growth right back on track by January, and end the year as mapped out in my business plan. I am meeting her on Thursday, and I have to make sure that she is a good fit for this job. If that goes well, it will open-up a new zone of operation for my business - in the East end of Toronto.
Also, I had hired a friend to do some telemarketing for me in July, calling a bunch of daycare centres to find out if some would like to receive information about Le Petit Atelier's music programs. She sent me back a short list of interested prospects, which I followed-up by email. From that marketing effort I have one new client so far, and two other are now requesting to meet with me. Looking good! It's a very good approach which I plan on repeating when the time comes to increase my client base. It cost me $135 for the telemarketing project - and I recoup that cost right away only with the first contract obtained. It works just fine for my business, and for me!
The other nice surprise is that I have a friend who wanted to celebrate her birthday in Telchac, organise a big gathering and rent a couple of houses on the beach, but she was planning that for late February - which is not possible for me because of the structure of my work year. I felt very bad about that and it was like a little dark cloud over my travel plans. But she has decided to move it all to match my availability - so the party will take place at the end of April - and suddenly I foresee that my trip will be much more festive! This makes me very happy.... We have started to plan, and I LOVE that part of course.
So now that things seem to line-up, it's time for me to introduce my business to the beautiful city of Merida. I will be sending a bunch of email to seek opportunities to teach in English and/or French and/or Spanish. If I can book a teacher training or some music classes in a private school, it will make that trip a perfect one. I do have to cover the cost of my flight, the deal I was offered ($60 to Cancun) is far from being secured since it has to be a last minute, and stand-by arrangement.
And I keep moving forward, one step after another, and one day at the time. Let's see where this leads me : )
First, a had a surprise phone call from a French music teacher who just arrived in Toronto, and she is looking for work. This is fantastic news, and if it works out I will be able to have my business growth right back on track by January, and end the year as mapped out in my business plan. I am meeting her on Thursday, and I have to make sure that she is a good fit for this job. If that goes well, it will open-up a new zone of operation for my business - in the East end of Toronto.
Also, I had hired a friend to do some telemarketing for me in July, calling a bunch of daycare centres to find out if some would like to receive information about Le Petit Atelier's music programs. She sent me back a short list of interested prospects, which I followed-up by email. From that marketing effort I have one new client so far, and two other are now requesting to meet with me. Looking good! It's a very good approach which I plan on repeating when the time comes to increase my client base. It cost me $135 for the telemarketing project - and I recoup that cost right away only with the first contract obtained. It works just fine for my business, and for me!
The other nice surprise is that I have a friend who wanted to celebrate her birthday in Telchac, organise a big gathering and rent a couple of houses on the beach, but she was planning that for late February - which is not possible for me because of the structure of my work year. I felt very bad about that and it was like a little dark cloud over my travel plans. But she has decided to move it all to match my availability - so the party will take place at the end of April - and suddenly I foresee that my trip will be much more festive! This makes me very happy.... We have started to plan, and I LOVE that part of course.
So now that things seem to line-up, it's time for me to introduce my business to the beautiful city of Merida. I will be sending a bunch of email to seek opportunities to teach in English and/or French and/or Spanish. If I can book a teacher training or some music classes in a private school, it will make that trip a perfect one. I do have to cover the cost of my flight, the deal I was offered ($60 to Cancun) is far from being secured since it has to be a last minute, and stand-by arrangement.
And I keep moving forward, one step after another, and one day at the time. Let's see where this leads me : )
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Best Banana Bread Ever!!!!
Euraka! This is AMAZING Banana bread... and pretty simple... for a change : )
Banana Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix 1/3 cup of melted butter into 3 or 4 ripe mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt over the mixture and mix in. Add 1 1/2 cup of flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
You can also ad some chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips when you add the flour. I always make a double recipe, and bake it in my 'crown' cake pan. It's super moist and yummy - enjoy!
Banana Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix 1/3 cup of melted butter into 3 or 4 ripe mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt over the mixture and mix in. Add 1 1/2 cup of flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
You can also ad some chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips when you add the flour. I always make a double recipe, and bake it in my 'crown' cake pan. It's super moist and yummy - enjoy!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Kids Lunches Galore - Calzone!
Okay okay. Sharing kids lunches tricks may seem a bit boring to some - but I will stick to it because food is a nice comfort zone to explore. As I work to settle my business with a solid start for this new school year, I find that cooking is a great escape from the sales forecasts and financial planning. It keeps me grounded and focused when I get overwhelmed with business stuff, and I feel it's a good place to invest some good loving energy in my day. So hopefully, you will feel the need to escape into cooking too!
Last weekend, I made and froze 18 lunch size calzones (aka pizza pockets). There is not much to it really, I buy balls of pizza dough at my local grocery store, and look for fillings that my boys enjoy - like sausage, salami, and bacon. My oldest likes pesto, so I make a few just for him with pesto, mushrooms and chicken.
The key to make this a healthy lunch is to prepare your own pizza sauce. I chop one onion, a couple of carrots, a sweet potato, a zuchinni, and brocoli stems - and roast it all in a pot with some garlic and basil, and salt to taste. When the veggies start to soften I put a little water, just to cover the bottom of the pot, cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
I add 4 to 6 chopped tomatoes - or about a cup of tomato coulis, and let it all simmer until the veggies are cooked and soft. I let it cool a little, and put it all in the blender until smooth. It you find that the sauce is too clear or runny, return it to the pot and let it simmer some more - uncovered.
Separate the dough and form balls - a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Roll them to get nice circles of about 6" or 7" across.
When you prepare the calzones, spread one or two generous spoons of the veggie puree right in the centre of the rolled dough, instead of the usual pizza sauce. Add your favorite fillings - all meat must be cooked and chopped - and don't forget the cheese! (mozzarella). To seal them up, I always wet the border of the dough before I fold them, to ensure that it will seal properly and avoid possible content leaks. Poke the top so that steam can escape - and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. I always use parchment paper to line the cookie sheet when I bake.
I let them cool - then I place them in zip locks bags - and I put them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I move them to the freezer.
To warm them up, I place two calzones in the micro wave for 5 minutes, and move them to the oven at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes for a golden and crisp finish. Kids love it!
Last weekend, I made and froze 18 lunch size calzones (aka pizza pockets). There is not much to it really, I buy balls of pizza dough at my local grocery store, and look for fillings that my boys enjoy - like sausage, salami, and bacon. My oldest likes pesto, so I make a few just for him with pesto, mushrooms and chicken.
The key to make this a healthy lunch is to prepare your own pizza sauce. I chop one onion, a couple of carrots, a sweet potato, a zuchinni, and brocoli stems - and roast it all in a pot with some garlic and basil, and salt to taste. When the veggies start to soften I put a little water, just to cover the bottom of the pot, cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
I add 4 to 6 chopped tomatoes - or about a cup of tomato coulis, and let it all simmer until the veggies are cooked and soft. I let it cool a little, and put it all in the blender until smooth. It you find that the sauce is too clear or runny, return it to the pot and let it simmer some more - uncovered.
Separate the dough and form balls - a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Roll them to get nice circles of about 6" or 7" across.
When you prepare the calzones, spread one or two generous spoons of the veggie puree right in the centre of the rolled dough, instead of the usual pizza sauce. Add your favorite fillings - all meat must be cooked and chopped - and don't forget the cheese! (mozzarella). To seal them up, I always wet the border of the dough before I fold them, to ensure that it will seal properly and avoid possible content leaks. Poke the top so that steam can escape - and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. I always use parchment paper to line the cookie sheet when I bake.
I let them cool - then I place them in zip locks bags - and I put them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I move them to the freezer.
To warm them up, I place two calzones in the micro wave for 5 minutes, and move them to the oven at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes for a golden and crisp finish. Kids love it!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Telchac Dream
I had a very nice dream a few nights ago... I was In Telchac Puerto. I was there with my mother who was spending one week with me, and I was to stay there for three months. I was Susan's guest (she is the home manager we rented a couple of houses from in January and February, and she is also the fundraiser for Telchac Education. We seem to hit is off and get along right away, one of these nice unexpected friendly encounters). We were in a beach house, and there was a strange routine that all the neighbours took part in... they would all go swimming at sunrise, and the town fishermen would gather nearby on their boats. They were trowing shrimps overboard to the swimmers, who were catching them with delight... a very strange playtime which I chose to not join for the moment. I was feeling very happy to just be there, so comfortable and relaxed... glad to be with people who share my fond interest and attachment to the place. And then I remembered that I had forgotten to tell Tim and the boys that I would not be home for three months. Big woopsy!
This dream has been on my mind since, and I think it's a very plain and simple picture of my reality. As much as I want to go back and spend more time in Yucatan in the coming years, I am very likely to do it alone. Tim is not into the idea, he did give it a good try - and I am grateful for the fact that he did step out of his comfort zone to follow me to Mexico for a 3 month trek. Tim and the boys would like to go back for visits of course, but not for the long stays I have in mind. It's difficult to not be able to share this goal with my family, but I will find compromises to still make it happen.
I am still hoping to go in late April, and I am waiting to see how my business year develops. The little kinks I encountered do have an impact on my overall revenue, and I am still working on bringing things back to normal. I'm almost there!
This dream has been on my mind since, and I think it's a very plain and simple picture of my reality. As much as I want to go back and spend more time in Yucatan in the coming years, I am very likely to do it alone. Tim is not into the idea, he did give it a good try - and I am grateful for the fact that he did step out of his comfort zone to follow me to Mexico for a 3 month trek. Tim and the boys would like to go back for visits of course, but not for the long stays I have in mind. It's difficult to not be able to share this goal with my family, but I will find compromises to still make it happen.
I am still hoping to go in late April, and I am waiting to see how my business year develops. The little kinks I encountered do have an impact on my overall revenue, and I am still working on bringing things back to normal. I'm almost there!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Kids Lunches Galore - Burritos!
And so the fall begins, and school days make our weeks seem like we live on fast forward again. So far so good!
I have prepared some lunches for the freezer to facilitate the daily routine, but also to make sure that our boys eat good home made and non-processed food. It feels good to know every ingredient they have in their lunch box... Here is how I make burritos - the longest of all recipes! A bit tedious because I make everything from scratch (no canned beans or commercial salsa), but once the fillings are prepared it's easy to make a couple of dozens.
Chicken Burritos
-First, I cook a whole bag of black beans. Make sure to not put any salt or spices in the water when you cook dried beans, it would prevent them from getting nice and soft. Once they are cooked and cooled, put the beans in your blender with a little water - start with about half a cup and add more if needed - you are looking for the consistency of a creamy hummus. Season with some lemon juice, salt, one or two cloves of garlic, cumin, and chili powder to taste - blend until smooth.
-While the beans are simmering, I cook one whole chicken in the oven. I fill it with chopped onions and two or three heaping tablespoons of salt - rubbing the skin as well with salt and a little olive oil. It will eventually be deboned when cooked, so there is no need to roast it - keep it covered until it's fully cooked, and debone it. Chop the meat in small pieces and set aside.
-Still while the beans are simmering, and while the chicken is cooking - I cook a pot of rice, parboiled is fine, and I also season the rice with salt, chili powder and cook it in half water or chicken broth, and half tomato coulis.
-Finally, I make my own salsa by simply pan frying one chopped white onion, and once the onion is starting to soften - I add four to six chopped tomatoes (which I have emptied). A little salt, a little origano, and a little lemon juice, et voilà! But commercial salsa is just fine of course, especially organic salsa.
-Grate some cheese (medium cheddar), and line-up all the above ingredients to get ready for the assembly!
I use the large tortillas - easier to manipulate. I place 4 tortillas side by side and fill them in this order :
-Spread a spponfull of beans in the centre of the tortilla, leaving a wide edge all around (to avoid messy rolling and folding...).
-on the half closer to you, form a thick line of rice, and chicken (much like a thick caseless sausage).
-Top the rice and chicken with some salsa, and cheese.
To roll them : Lift the edge of the tortilla that is closer to you, and cover the line of filling - tightening it by pulling delicately towards you - and roll it forward about half a roll. Now fold both sides inward to enclose the sides, and finish rolling - still tightening by pulling the roll delicately towards you. It might take a bit of practice... adjusting the amount of content as you progress from one burrito to another. Thick is good - but too thick is impossible to seal properly.
Once they are rolled, I place 4 to 6 burritos in a large zip-loxk bag, and cool them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I transfer them to the freezer.
To heat them up, I place two frozen burritos in the micro wave for about 5 minutes, and transfer them to the oven at 350F for about 15 to 20 minutes - for a golden and crisp finish.
Buen provecho!
I have prepared some lunches for the freezer to facilitate the daily routine, but also to make sure that our boys eat good home made and non-processed food. It feels good to know every ingredient they have in their lunch box... Here is how I make burritos - the longest of all recipes! A bit tedious because I make everything from scratch (no canned beans or commercial salsa), but once the fillings are prepared it's easy to make a couple of dozens.
Chicken Burritos
-First, I cook a whole bag of black beans. Make sure to not put any salt or spices in the water when you cook dried beans, it would prevent them from getting nice and soft. Once they are cooked and cooled, put the beans in your blender with a little water - start with about half a cup and add more if needed - you are looking for the consistency of a creamy hummus. Season with some lemon juice, salt, one or two cloves of garlic, cumin, and chili powder to taste - blend until smooth.
-While the beans are simmering, I cook one whole chicken in the oven. I fill it with chopped onions and two or three heaping tablespoons of salt - rubbing the skin as well with salt and a little olive oil. It will eventually be deboned when cooked, so there is no need to roast it - keep it covered until it's fully cooked, and debone it. Chop the meat in small pieces and set aside.
-Still while the beans are simmering, and while the chicken is cooking - I cook a pot of rice, parboiled is fine, and I also season the rice with salt, chili powder and cook it in half water or chicken broth, and half tomato coulis.
-Finally, I make my own salsa by simply pan frying one chopped white onion, and once the onion is starting to soften - I add four to six chopped tomatoes (which I have emptied). A little salt, a little origano, and a little lemon juice, et voilà! But commercial salsa is just fine of course, especially organic salsa.
-Grate some cheese (medium cheddar), and line-up all the above ingredients to get ready for the assembly!
I use the large tortillas - easier to manipulate. I place 4 tortillas side by side and fill them in this order :
-Spread a spponfull of beans in the centre of the tortilla, leaving a wide edge all around (to avoid messy rolling and folding...).
-on the half closer to you, form a thick line of rice, and chicken (much like a thick caseless sausage).
-Top the rice and chicken with some salsa, and cheese.
To roll them : Lift the edge of the tortilla that is closer to you, and cover the line of filling - tightening it by pulling delicately towards you - and roll it forward about half a roll. Now fold both sides inward to enclose the sides, and finish rolling - still tightening by pulling the roll delicately towards you. It might take a bit of practice... adjusting the amount of content as you progress from one burrito to another. Thick is good - but too thick is impossible to seal properly.
Once they are rolled, I place 4 to 6 burritos in a large zip-loxk bag, and cool them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I transfer them to the freezer.
To heat them up, I place two frozen burritos in the micro wave for about 5 minutes, and transfer them to the oven at 350F for about 15 to 20 minutes - for a golden and crisp finish.
Buen provecho!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
September!
September 1st already... Crazy times for my two music schools. Late August and early September is always moving way too slowly for my eager impulse to confirm everything with everyone. People never return my calls fast enough. The thing is... it's still summer vacation for pretty much everyone else! So I just have to chill and wait. Fine. sigh
I interviewed another teacher today, and it will be a difficult decision... which I have to make by tomorrow. yikes.
I was supposed to fly to Quebec this morning, and spend a few days at the cottage with my mom and my sisters. I just cancelled that... never did this before. It was way too stressful to leave so much unfinished business, and quite honestly my emotions are completely upside down when it comes to my siblings. It feels like I barely processed my last trip there, and going back is not on my top ten list right now... it might not be for awhile.
On a brighter note, the boys are happy and healthy, ready for school. Dylan is making a big move to middle school, and he is very excited to begin this new phase. Léo is also looking forward to seeing his school friends, and we will make efforts to nurture his social circle this year. As the little brother, he always had a tendency to hang out with Dylan's friends. Now that Dylan is moving on to a new school, Léo will gain some independence. Should be interesting!
With that I am preparing a bunch of lunches ahead of time - freezer friendly home made favorites. Chicken burritos, filled with refried black beans, rice, chicken, salsa and a little cheese. I also made some mini beef pies, filled with a 'stew' made with ground beef, diced onions and potatoes, and ground tomatoes (from fresh tomatoes). A little origano, a little garlic... and I simply wrapped a scoop of this mixture in pie crust which I cut with a big round pastrie cutter, and fold in half. The result is a bunch of half moon pies, perfect for the lunch box. I also made pulled pork, and froze it in zip-locks in quantities just enough for 2 or 3 sandwiches. It's a good start, but I will also prepare some hearty soups for the thermos, a great way to incorporate lots of veggies!
I will gather some lunch recipes and make it my next post. Stay tuned!
I interviewed another teacher today, and it will be a difficult decision... which I have to make by tomorrow. yikes.
I was supposed to fly to Quebec this morning, and spend a few days at the cottage with my mom and my sisters. I just cancelled that... never did this before. It was way too stressful to leave so much unfinished business, and quite honestly my emotions are completely upside down when it comes to my siblings. It feels like I barely processed my last trip there, and going back is not on my top ten list right now... it might not be for awhile.
On a brighter note, the boys are happy and healthy, ready for school. Dylan is making a big move to middle school, and he is very excited to begin this new phase. Léo is also looking forward to seeing his school friends, and we will make efforts to nurture his social circle this year. As the little brother, he always had a tendency to hang out with Dylan's friends. Now that Dylan is moving on to a new school, Léo will gain some independence. Should be interesting!
With that I am preparing a bunch of lunches ahead of time - freezer friendly home made favorites. Chicken burritos, filled with refried black beans, rice, chicken, salsa and a little cheese. I also made some mini beef pies, filled with a 'stew' made with ground beef, diced onions and potatoes, and ground tomatoes (from fresh tomatoes). A little origano, a little garlic... and I simply wrapped a scoop of this mixture in pie crust which I cut with a big round pastrie cutter, and fold in half. The result is a bunch of half moon pies, perfect for the lunch box. I also made pulled pork, and froze it in zip-locks in quantities just enough for 2 or 3 sandwiches. It's a good start, but I will also prepare some hearty soups for the thermos, a great way to incorporate lots of veggies!
I will gather some lunch recipes and make it my next post. Stay tuned!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Power of One
Yesterday, I joined the People's Procession for Jack Layton's funeral. I never did anything like this before, but I felt it was the thing to do. Jack was known as a politician, a good politician - smart and passionate, and above all a very brave speaker and fighter for social justice and plain decency. His passing brought his accomplishments to light for many of us, and like thousands of people across the country, I was shaken by his life story. So many accomplishments that affect our day to day life... amazing generosity.
If you are not Canadian, you should know that during the last federal election here in May 2011, many more people started to pay attention to his views and many switched their vote. I remember thinking of him as our Obama phenomenon, and the sense of hope that he brought is almost like a religious wave of belief in salvation.
I spent most of the week processing his passing, trying to find a meaning to all this. Jack wrote a letter to all Canadians on his death bed, a strong message of love, hope and optimism - that's what he lived by. And during the funeral, his son Mike summed it up for me when he quoted a couple of Jack's advices : to 'always dream for more than a life time', and to 'not wait for the perfect conditions, make the best of what you have now'.
His words bring me back the clarity I need to keep the course with renewed determination.
Thank you Jack.
If you are not Canadian, you should know that during the last federal election here in May 2011, many more people started to pay attention to his views and many switched their vote. I remember thinking of him as our Obama phenomenon, and the sense of hope that he brought is almost like a religious wave of belief in salvation.
I spent most of the week processing his passing, trying to find a meaning to all this. Jack wrote a letter to all Canadians on his death bed, a strong message of love, hope and optimism - that's what he lived by. And during the funeral, his son Mike summed it up for me when he quoted a couple of Jack's advices : to 'always dream for more than a life time', and to 'not wait for the perfect conditions, make the best of what you have now'.
His words bring me back the clarity I need to keep the course with renewed determination.
Thank you Jack.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Viva El Crockpot ! Maple Ginger Chicken
One of my sisters shared this casserole recipe about 10 years ago when I was looking for new ideas. It's very cosy-cushy- with a sweet twist, great fall comfort food for family dinners, or for the thermos. Make it with the best boneless chicken deal you can find - white or brown meat works well with this. Enjoy!
MAPLE GINGER CHICKEN
Coat about 1lb of cubed raw chicken with flour, brown in a skillet with some oil, and place in your crockpot. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of maple sirup, 2 Tb spoons of each chili sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, fresh grated ginger, and fresh grated lemon peel. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 2 finely minced green onions. Mix well with about 1/2 cup of chicken brought, and poor mixture in the crockpot over the chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve on rice, with your favorite green vegetable. Very nice!
Yummy!
MAPLE GINGER CHICKEN
Coat about 1lb of cubed raw chicken with flour, brown in a skillet with some oil, and place in your crockpot. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of maple sirup, 2 Tb spoons of each chili sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, fresh grated ginger, and fresh grated lemon peel. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 2 finely minced green onions. Mix well with about 1/2 cup of chicken brought, and poor mixture in the crockpot over the chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve on rice, with your favorite green vegetable. Very nice!
Yummy!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Simplifying
Now at 47 years old, it appears that I have an irresistible urge to simplify my life. Okay... my version of simple may not be the best to define the word... I have a natural tendency to develop a simple idea until it's all but simple! Not always a bad thing, but certainly a trend that may change along the next few years.
For our little family, simplifying should be tied to a fine budget review - and the time has come for us to implement small reforms in our lifestyle. Everything is subject to examination, like our wireless/phone/cable expenses for example. But first and foremost, I believe that our choices of food supplies and eating habits are the right place to begin.
Timing is great, I feel inspired to enter a cooking spree. School will begin in a couple of weeks, together with our regular school year schedules of work and activities. Having meals prepared ahead of time will be very helpful to ease into the fall. I want to roll along the harvest, exploring some healthy weeknight helpers, and new ideas for the boy's lunches (and mine too!). More fresh and non-precossed foods, back to the basics. Simplifying! I would like to preserve tomatoes too, but maybe it's another one of my Martha Stewart meets Debby Travis thing... so I'll just keep the preserving as a slight possibility : )
We just spent two weeks at the cottage in beautiful South Muskoka, and I found one of Tim's mom's old cookbook, straight from 1972. Perfect! I made the cheese scones recipe, the boys loved it. It was a bit blend so we agreed to improve the recipe in the future. Leo voted to add bacon... and Dylan would flavour them with pesto and mushrooms. Interesting. In any case, scones make a great side kick for a hearty soup in a thermos! I must say that the boys and I have been watching some cooking shows this summer (Les Chefs, and other occasional screenings on the cooking network. It has inspired both of them to cook and try new things, especially Dylan. I will involve them actively into the choice and preparation of their various lunch dishes. Hearty bean soups, paella, burritos, panzeroti, cornbread pockets, and more.
And what shall I do with my spare time? Ha ha! Here is the catch... I don't have any. Work - Family nurturing - and Personal nurturing (like working out!) will be the theme of the school year. And if all goes well - Yucatan in late April!
Recipes will be flowing in again very soon - happy harvest!
For our little family, simplifying should be tied to a fine budget review - and the time has come for us to implement small reforms in our lifestyle. Everything is subject to examination, like our wireless/phone/cable expenses for example. But first and foremost, I believe that our choices of food supplies and eating habits are the right place to begin.
Timing is great, I feel inspired to enter a cooking spree. School will begin in a couple of weeks, together with our regular school year schedules of work and activities. Having meals prepared ahead of time will be very helpful to ease into the fall. I want to roll along the harvest, exploring some healthy weeknight helpers, and new ideas for the boy's lunches (and mine too!). More fresh and non-precossed foods, back to the basics. Simplifying! I would like to preserve tomatoes too, but maybe it's another one of my Martha Stewart meets Debby Travis thing... so I'll just keep the preserving as a slight possibility : )
We just spent two weeks at the cottage in beautiful South Muskoka, and I found one of Tim's mom's old cookbook, straight from 1972. Perfect! I made the cheese scones recipe, the boys loved it. It was a bit blend so we agreed to improve the recipe in the future. Leo voted to add bacon... and Dylan would flavour them with pesto and mushrooms. Interesting. In any case, scones make a great side kick for a hearty soup in a thermos! I must say that the boys and I have been watching some cooking shows this summer (Les Chefs, and other occasional screenings on the cooking network. It has inspired both of them to cook and try new things, especially Dylan. I will involve them actively into the choice and preparation of their various lunch dishes. Hearty bean soups, paella, burritos, panzeroti, cornbread pockets, and more.
And what shall I do with my spare time? Ha ha! Here is the catch... I don't have any. Work - Family nurturing - and Personal nurturing (like working out!) will be the theme of the school year. And if all goes well - Yucatan in late April!
Recipes will be flowing in again very soon - happy harvest!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Top 15 Tips for a Family Escapade
I never really compiled the pointers I shared along our three month journey to (and into!) Yucatan. If you are planning on traveling with your family, here is a very good start for your long 'to do' list. The trick is to start planning at least 8 months before departure, and budget for ALL expenses involved. It will seem like a lot to do, but if it all flows nicely over a few months - your prep work will pay off with peace of mind and more enjoyment while you're away.
-Research your destination thoroughly : main airports, average flight cost, different types of accommodations, language, food, currency and pricing, banking, schools, transportation, main attractions in the vicinity, etc.
-If you intend to sub-let your residence while you are away : do you need to fix-it up or renovate? How much is it worth for rental? (see sabatical.com, or vrbo.com) Will you need to hire a maintenance service for the renters, snow removal, etc.
-Get everyone to the dentist, and to the doctor for vaccinations - about 2 to 3 months prior to departure. This step might have a pretty price tag for the whole family... one expense I did not plan for. Ouch!
-Insurance : Look for decent health and travel insurance, and if you intend to drive, look into liability insurance too (chiching!).
-When shopping for your flights (I used Kayak.com), make sure to look into the luggage policy. Many charge extra for check-in luggage. I recommend to bring one suitcase for every two persons, and plan on coming back with one each. Note that a suitcase exceeding the maximum weight will cost you much more than checking in an extra suitcase. Also assess what you can buy once at destination, and discard or give away before you return (things like a cooler, soccer ball, life jacket, beach towels, and basic toilet items, etc).
-In light of all the info and pricing above, make your itinerary, set your departure date, and make a complete budget.
-Prepare a will, and a living will to the best of your ability- even if it is not notarised. Bring one copy with you, and leave one copy with your main contact at home.
-Make sure that all passports and health cards are valid for the entire duration of the trip. Join a copy of all these documents to the will papers, and copies of your insurance info - all for your main contact at home.
-If you intend to home school, arrange for a couple of meetings with the teachers at least 3 months prior to departure. Ask to borrow the essential books (be careful to not take too much...some teachers may get carried away). Look for a small and cheap printer (or buy it on location) so that you can print assigned homework or various exercises, and have a camera or iPhone to take a low resolution picture of the completed homework- which you email back to the teacher. I recommend to allow for 2 small school shifts per day (90 minutes per shift), and BE CONSISTANT with your school schedule (make weekly plans for a varied program - including sports and Arts). Plan for possibly hiring a tutor to help with the re-integration after you return home.
-If you intend to drive while you're away, try to produce one or two colour and laminated photocopies of your driver's license. I know I know... but it might save you some good bribing money! And on the topic of driving... for convenience and comfort, consider buying a roof bag like this one : http://roofbag.com/
-Set-up your banking so that you have one main bank account, and one back-up bank account. You may use your bank card abroad instead of buying the currency before you leave. Most banks will charge you a $3 flat fee for each withdrwal, and calculate the going exchange rate of the day. However beware of President's Choice banking... they also charge a hefty percentage of each withdrawal! Notify your bank and credit card company of your destination and timing - otherwise they will block your accounts.
-Get Skipe, or any other cheap online long distance deal. It cost us about $3 per month for unlimited calls from Mexico to Canada via Skype. And make sure that you have an updated list of phone numbers, emails, and addresses for postcards.
-DO NOT bring your iPhone !!! You will get skinned alive with insane roaming fees... and I do mean insane. Instead, buy a cell phone there, or use your computer to communicate.
-Bring one or two USB keys to store computer information, or to send and receive documents and photos from an internet cafe. If you don't have internet where you will be living, you can organise everything in files, and just go to town and connect to proceed - send what you wan, etc.
-Pack a basic first aid kit, a couple of bungie cords with a dozen clothes pins, a deck of cards or other small games, load your audio device with a good selection of music, and you're good to go!
-Make plans to manage everyone's well being for at least 3 to 4 weeks post return. Some people get a little depressed, or overwhelmed with the change of pace, etc. Pamper yourself a little, and engage in regular activities (like the gym!)
I hope this is helpful... and to finish off this post my main advice here is simply... GO FOR IT !!!
-Research your destination thoroughly : main airports, average flight cost, different types of accommodations, language, food, currency and pricing, banking, schools, transportation, main attractions in the vicinity, etc.
-If you intend to sub-let your residence while you are away : do you need to fix-it up or renovate? How much is it worth for rental? (see sabatical.com, or vrbo.com) Will you need to hire a maintenance service for the renters, snow removal, etc.
-Get everyone to the dentist, and to the doctor for vaccinations - about 2 to 3 months prior to departure. This step might have a pretty price tag for the whole family... one expense I did not plan for. Ouch!
-Insurance : Look for decent health and travel insurance, and if you intend to drive, look into liability insurance too (chiching!).
-When shopping for your flights (I used Kayak.com), make sure to look into the luggage policy. Many charge extra for check-in luggage. I recommend to bring one suitcase for every two persons, and plan on coming back with one each. Note that a suitcase exceeding the maximum weight will cost you much more than checking in an extra suitcase. Also assess what you can buy once at destination, and discard or give away before you return (things like a cooler, soccer ball, life jacket, beach towels, and basic toilet items, etc).
-In light of all the info and pricing above, make your itinerary, set your departure date, and make a complete budget.
-Prepare a will, and a living will to the best of your ability- even if it is not notarised. Bring one copy with you, and leave one copy with your main contact at home.
-Make sure that all passports and health cards are valid for the entire duration of the trip. Join a copy of all these documents to the will papers, and copies of your insurance info - all for your main contact at home.
-If you intend to home school, arrange for a couple of meetings with the teachers at least 3 months prior to departure. Ask to borrow the essential books (be careful to not take too much...some teachers may get carried away). Look for a small and cheap printer (or buy it on location) so that you can print assigned homework or various exercises, and have a camera or iPhone to take a low resolution picture of the completed homework- which you email back to the teacher. I recommend to allow for 2 small school shifts per day (90 minutes per shift), and BE CONSISTANT with your school schedule (make weekly plans for a varied program - including sports and Arts). Plan for possibly hiring a tutor to help with the re-integration after you return home.
-If you intend to drive while you're away, try to produce one or two colour and laminated photocopies of your driver's license. I know I know... but it might save you some good bribing money! And on the topic of driving... for convenience and comfort, consider buying a roof bag like this one : http://roofbag.com/
-Set-up your banking so that you have one main bank account, and one back-up bank account. You may use your bank card abroad instead of buying the currency before you leave. Most banks will charge you a $3 flat fee for each withdrwal, and calculate the going exchange rate of the day. However beware of President's Choice banking... they also charge a hefty percentage of each withdrawal! Notify your bank and credit card company of your destination and timing - otherwise they will block your accounts.
-Get Skipe, or any other cheap online long distance deal. It cost us about $3 per month for unlimited calls from Mexico to Canada via Skype. And make sure that you have an updated list of phone numbers, emails, and addresses for postcards.
-DO NOT bring your iPhone !!! You will get skinned alive with insane roaming fees... and I do mean insane. Instead, buy a cell phone there, or use your computer to communicate.
-Bring one or two USB keys to store computer information, or to send and receive documents and photos from an internet cafe. If you don't have internet where you will be living, you can organise everything in files, and just go to town and connect to proceed - send what you wan, etc.
-Pack a basic first aid kit, a couple of bungie cords with a dozen clothes pins, a deck of cards or other small games, load your audio device with a good selection of music, and you're good to go!
-Make plans to manage everyone's well being for at least 3 to 4 weeks post return. Some people get a little depressed, or overwhelmed with the change of pace, etc. Pamper yourself a little, and engage in regular activities (like the gym!)
I hope this is helpful... and to finish off this post my main advice here is simply... GO FOR IT !!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Agrrrrghhh!!!!
The wonderful teacher I had found decided to accept a very well paid gig on a cruise ship... leaving on October 1st. So much or my instincts! Although I understand her position, I am very disappointed, and caught with some damage control to do. Because she had accepted my offer, I announced her arrival to our piano students, and a couple of daycares. I had also introduced the series of mini-concerts to a couple of daycares, which she was supposed to coordinate with me, and perform. So I re-posted the position on Craigs List - (https://post.craigslist.org/u/Ci3BHtC94BGvHWFF2qOMdw/u73er). This means that I am very likely to teach in a couple of daycares this fall, and postpone the new hire until January. As long as there is plenty of work, I can't really complain!
On the vacation front, the trip to Quebec was interesting to say the least. I'm not sure why it puts me completely upside down, mostly before but also during my visit. It's a strange phase in terms of family relations. I find it 'polite' rather than genuinely heart felt. I have to learn to manage my emotions and expectations, enjoy things at their most simple level... not too deep. I do hope that the future holds better, lighter family moments. This time around, coming back home was a huge relief.
I still have not found my normal fizz, it's been awhile now... but yesterday I heard a radio interview which gave me a good kick. It was about this thirty-something woman who has survived cancer, and basically shoots straight for her dreams now - no time to waste . Isn't it that kind of sparkle that lit my world not so long ago? Time flies, and the kids grow-up so fast - it was a good reminder.
Today is a nice sunny August day in Toronto, and I will do as much laundry as I can... not having a dryer means that we have to work with the weather - I like it. Putting clothes to dry on the line is a fine and relaxing activity, good for me right now. Yep, a clothes line and a laptop is all I need today : )
On the vacation front, the trip to Quebec was interesting to say the least. I'm not sure why it puts me completely upside down, mostly before but also during my visit. It's a strange phase in terms of family relations. I find it 'polite' rather than genuinely heart felt. I have to learn to manage my emotions and expectations, enjoy things at their most simple level... not too deep. I do hope that the future holds better, lighter family moments. This time around, coming back home was a huge relief.
I still have not found my normal fizz, it's been awhile now... but yesterday I heard a radio interview which gave me a good kick. It was about this thirty-something woman who has survived cancer, and basically shoots straight for her dreams now - no time to waste . Isn't it that kind of sparkle that lit my world not so long ago? Time flies, and the kids grow-up so fast - it was a good reminder.
Today is a nice sunny August day in Toronto, and I will do as much laundry as I can... not having a dryer means that we have to work with the weather - I like it. Putting clothes to dry on the line is a fine and relaxing activity, good for me right now. Yep, a clothes line and a laptop is all I need today : )
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sweet Canadian Summer
I once heard a Quebec author describe the Montréal summer as 'un été qui a connu l'hiver' (a summer that has known winter). How true... Yes, winters are very long here and by February or March, most canadians are more than ready for any sing of spring - although it might not show its timid nature until we're well into March, sometimes April. After enduring the hardships of many months of cold, ice and snow, there is nothing like a beautiful spring day. It validates the hope we had for better days, and it's like a big wave of energy and joy. Nature bursts into it's glorious parade of blooms and crops... crocus, and magnolias, and cherry trees. Asparagus, and fresh strawberries. And as June rolls around, the fields begin their ever changing dance of blue and yellow wild flowers. We ease into the sweet canadian summer, like a great deep long sigh. How soothing.
Now in late July, right in the middle of it, I can anticipate how fast the next 5 weeks will flow. We arrived in Quebec city on July 16, the boys had a one week skateboard camp and had a wonderful time, while Tim and I spent some of our time working, and some time simply lounging around my mom's air conditioned condo. I even had afternoon naps! We had nice evenings too, a couple of dinner parties, and we gave a tour of old Québec to some friends who stopped over for one night, while on their way to Cape Breton Island. Fun.
We made our way to the Quebec cottage on Saturday afternoon, in the beautiful lower St-Laurence region (near the Bic National Park). Within the lower St-Laurence, we call this area 'Les Basques'. The landscapes around here are beautiful and deeply satisfying to me. Inland, many fields of wheat in the mountain valleys, lots of mountains. The Apalachians. And the river of course, with it's salty water all the way from the North Atlantic. I've been coming to this area all my life, it's family turf and I love to immerse into it with my little family. The cottage stands on a point by lake Saint-Mathieu, and up the hill is the small village by the same name. My great grand-parents grew-up and got married here.
I wish the lake area had not developed so much over the years... there used to be a nice wheat field behind the cottage, it ended at the bottom of the mountain. And there was a creek flowing down the mountain, and lots of trout coming up from the lake to lay their eggs. Then one summer, when I was about 8 or 9, they blasted the side of the mountain and made a ski hill. Then they built a bigger road right through the field. Then the field was gone and they built a hotel, and a camping ground. Later they burried the lower part of the creek in an underground pipe, building houses... and slowly creeping up in the mountain. It is a killer view from up there of course, at the cost of the view from down here. I wish I could stop it all, it's too much already. Nostalgia...
I am letting the summer flow, and I am slowly organising my return to full time work in late August. I had quite a year of freedom, and it's now time to really focus on my dispositions to be up for the change of pace. Preparing mentally, and physically. Yes... I have slotted some YMCA time into my schedule! It's mostly to regain a good level of energy, and I will probably lose a few pounds in the process...
I have hired a new teacher - experienced, musician and fully bilingual, and a very good personality. She is a great fit for the team, and I am confident that she will be successful... although I admit that my instinct have been wrong before... so I guess we will see. Training begins on August 31 for my team of 3 teachers, and I will work on that in the next couple of weeks. I am also introducing a new and exciting element to the early childhood program : Live music! One small concert/workshop per trimester. I have been wanting to do this for quite awhile, and finally found the right approach so that the budget is decent for musicians. I will also work on that in the next few weeks, preparing for my meeting with my new teacher - she will be developing these sessions with me, and perform. Looking forward to it.
But while I still have some time to smell the flowers, I intend to do just that. We have a foggy day in the mountains today, so we're going to town with my mom. Tim left for Toronto yesterday with my brother Louis, Nathalie, my nephew Émile and his cousin Charles-Marie. So it's just me and my mom, with Dylan and Leo. Quiet and peaceful, in the fog.
Now in late July, right in the middle of it, I can anticipate how fast the next 5 weeks will flow. We arrived in Quebec city on July 16, the boys had a one week skateboard camp and had a wonderful time, while Tim and I spent some of our time working, and some time simply lounging around my mom's air conditioned condo. I even had afternoon naps! We had nice evenings too, a couple of dinner parties, and we gave a tour of old Québec to some friends who stopped over for one night, while on their way to Cape Breton Island. Fun.
We made our way to the Quebec cottage on Saturday afternoon, in the beautiful lower St-Laurence region (near the Bic National Park). Within the lower St-Laurence, we call this area 'Les Basques'. The landscapes around here are beautiful and deeply satisfying to me. Inland, many fields of wheat in the mountain valleys, lots of mountains. The Apalachians. And the river of course, with it's salty water all the way from the North Atlantic. I've been coming to this area all my life, it's family turf and I love to immerse into it with my little family. The cottage stands on a point by lake Saint-Mathieu, and up the hill is the small village by the same name. My great grand-parents grew-up and got married here.
I wish the lake area had not developed so much over the years... there used to be a nice wheat field behind the cottage, it ended at the bottom of the mountain. And there was a creek flowing down the mountain, and lots of trout coming up from the lake to lay their eggs. Then one summer, when I was about 8 or 9, they blasted the side of the mountain and made a ski hill. Then they built a bigger road right through the field. Then the field was gone and they built a hotel, and a camping ground. Later they burried the lower part of the creek in an underground pipe, building houses... and slowly creeping up in the mountain. It is a killer view from up there of course, at the cost of the view from down here. I wish I could stop it all, it's too much already. Nostalgia...
I am letting the summer flow, and I am slowly organising my return to full time work in late August. I had quite a year of freedom, and it's now time to really focus on my dispositions to be up for the change of pace. Preparing mentally, and physically. Yes... I have slotted some YMCA time into my schedule! It's mostly to regain a good level of energy, and I will probably lose a few pounds in the process...
I have hired a new teacher - experienced, musician and fully bilingual, and a very good personality. She is a great fit for the team, and I am confident that she will be successful... although I admit that my instinct have been wrong before... so I guess we will see. Training begins on August 31 for my team of 3 teachers, and I will work on that in the next couple of weeks. I am also introducing a new and exciting element to the early childhood program : Live music! One small concert/workshop per trimester. I have been wanting to do this for quite awhile, and finally found the right approach so that the budget is decent for musicians. I will also work on that in the next few weeks, preparing for my meeting with my new teacher - she will be developing these sessions with me, and perform. Looking forward to it.
But while I still have some time to smell the flowers, I intend to do just that. We have a foggy day in the mountains today, so we're going to town with my mom. Tim left for Toronto yesterday with my brother Louis, Nathalie, my nephew Émile and his cousin Charles-Marie. So it's just me and my mom, with Dylan and Leo. Quiet and peaceful, in the fog.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Viva El Crockpot ! Julie's Coconut Curry Chicken
This is a classic in our household. It was introduced to our family by my brother in law Danny, a great cook. It was one of the many dishes he had prepared for a dinner party, and both Leo and Dylan kept asking me to make 'Danny's curry chicken' thereafter. I have made it again and again, making slight changes each time, in search of my desired blend of flavours...
While in Xcalak (Mexican Costa Maya) in last December I found myself with all the ingredients to make this dish, except for the coconut milk. What to do oh what to do?... about 2 hours away from town... and while I was thinking of a solution, I was staring out the window... and there it was! Plenty of coconuts hanging in those trees!!!
Gabriel, the caretaker of the property, kindly cut one for us, and I got very busy. Empty it and keep the liquid, then peel the hard brown shell (with a thick spoon is best), and I finally ended up with beautiful white coconut chunks. In a blender, I put about 2 cups of coconut pieces, the liquid previously drained out from the fruit, about 2 cups of chicken stock, and a little milk (1/3 cup). Blend until smooth - et voilà! The beginning of my first Coconut Curry Chicken really really made from scratch !!!
And with that to my credit, I renamed the dish 'Julie's Coconut Curry Chicken'. Enjoy!
JULIE'S COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN
4 to 6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1 1/2 cup flour
1 onion, finely copped
5 or 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 2 inch cubes
4 carrots, diced
1 can of coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
2 TBsp fresh ginger, grated
3 big cloves of garlic, crushed
2 TBsp curry powder
Salt to taste
Cut the chicken in 2 inch cubes, and coat with the flour (you may add some curry, and or garlic, and or ginger powder to the flour). In a frying pan, brown the pieces of chicken and set aside. Cut the onion, carrots and potatoes, mix and place in the bottom of the crockpot - and add the chicken on top. In a bowl, mix the coconut milk, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry powder and salt - and poor it over the other ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. You may stir it half way through the cooking time. Serve on basmati rice - yum!!!
While in Xcalak (Mexican Costa Maya) in last December I found myself with all the ingredients to make this dish, except for the coconut milk. What to do oh what to do?... about 2 hours away from town... and while I was thinking of a solution, I was staring out the window... and there it was! Plenty of coconuts hanging in those trees!!!
Gabriel, the caretaker of the property, kindly cut one for us, and I got very busy. Empty it and keep the liquid, then peel the hard brown shell (with a thick spoon is best), and I finally ended up with beautiful white coconut chunks. In a blender, I put about 2 cups of coconut pieces, the liquid previously drained out from the fruit, about 2 cups of chicken stock, and a little milk (1/3 cup). Blend until smooth - et voilà! The beginning of my first Coconut Curry Chicken really really made from scratch !!!
And with that to my credit, I renamed the dish 'Julie's Coconut Curry Chicken'. Enjoy!
JULIE'S COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN
4 to 6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1 1/2 cup flour
1 onion, finely copped
5 or 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 2 inch cubes
4 carrots, diced
1 can of coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
2 TBsp fresh ginger, grated
3 big cloves of garlic, crushed
2 TBsp curry powder
Salt to taste
Cut the chicken in 2 inch cubes, and coat with the flour (you may add some curry, and or garlic, and or ginger powder to the flour). In a frying pan, brown the pieces of chicken and set aside. Cut the onion, carrots and potatoes, mix and place in the bottom of the crockpot - and add the chicken on top. In a bowl, mix the coconut milk, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, curry powder and salt - and poor it over the other ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. You may stir it half way through the cooking time. Serve on basmati rice - yum!!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Viva El Crockpot ! Julie's Bean Soup
July rolled around in it's summery splendor, and we're graced with beautiful summer days to enjoy.
It brings me memories of cooking in the heat... and avoiding the use of the oven.
While chatting with one of my good friends, she informed me that here in Toronto (and maybe elsewhere too?) we have a lower electricity rate from 9pm to early morning (I think 6am?). Anyhow... it gave me the idea to make good use of my crockpot overnight, and spare some daytime kitchen overheating by the same token.
I have made one of my staple crockpot dishes - Coconut Curry Chicken (recipe will be posted in this series). But it seems that I always make the same 2 or 3 dishes with my crockpot. So wanting to explore new recipes, I found one which I have altered a little (or shall I say enhance...) and it became a big hit in our family. It's a bean soup, and the main change i made was that the original recipe called for ham, I replaced it with sausage - and added some garlic and origano. It's a hearty bean soup, perfect for a summer lunch or dinner with a fresh loaf of bread. Very versatile too, you might end up with your own version (or enhancements!). Enjoy!
JULIE'S BEAN SOUP IN A CROCKPOT
3 italian sausages
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 branch of celery, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried origano
1 1/2 cup dry beans (any kind, I used black eyed peas)
6 cups water
10oz tomato sauce or coulis
salt and pepper, to taste
In a frying pan, brown small sausage meatballs (squeeze meat filling out of the sausage in small lumps). Set the browed meat aside. In the same frying pan, saute the onion, celery, and carrots until lightly softened. Transfer to the crockpot, add the meat, garlic, basil, potatoes, tomato coulis, water, dry beans, and salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on low. Yummy!
It brings me memories of cooking in the heat... and avoiding the use of the oven.
While chatting with one of my good friends, she informed me that here in Toronto (and maybe elsewhere too?) we have a lower electricity rate from 9pm to early morning (I think 6am?). Anyhow... it gave me the idea to make good use of my crockpot overnight, and spare some daytime kitchen overheating by the same token.
I have made one of my staple crockpot dishes - Coconut Curry Chicken (recipe will be posted in this series). But it seems that I always make the same 2 or 3 dishes with my crockpot. So wanting to explore new recipes, I found one which I have altered a little (or shall I say enhance...) and it became a big hit in our family. It's a bean soup, and the main change i made was that the original recipe called for ham, I replaced it with sausage - and added some garlic and origano. It's a hearty bean soup, perfect for a summer lunch or dinner with a fresh loaf of bread. Very versatile too, you might end up with your own version (or enhancements!). Enjoy!
JULIE'S BEAN SOUP IN A CROCKPOT
3 italian sausages
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 branch of celery, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried origano
1 1/2 cup dry beans (any kind, I used black eyed peas)
6 cups water
10oz tomato sauce or coulis
salt and pepper, to taste
In a frying pan, brown small sausage meatballs (squeeze meat filling out of the sausage in small lumps). Set the browed meat aside. In the same frying pan, saute the onion, celery, and carrots until lightly softened. Transfer to the crockpot, add the meat, garlic, basil, potatoes, tomato coulis, water, dry beans, and salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on low. Yummy!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
More Tips - Quintana Roo Accommodations!
Looking back at some of my blog entries... I realised that I have not been recommending accommodations in the state of Quintana Roo... oh my!!! How did this happen?????
So if the Caribbean is what tickles your fancies - here are my favorite spots along that coast - from North to South (and notice how I skip Cancun alltogether...).
Isla Holbox
Highly recommended destination - No specific accommodation pointers for this one, but very simple advice : You may very well look for accommodation once you arrive on Holbox. There are numerous modest hotels around the central square, just be ready for the late night sounds of enjoyment all around! If you are looking for a more upscale hotel, you should book online ahead of time in one of the very nice beach establishments.
In Playa del Carmen
Hotel Riviera Maya : located just far enough from the crowds, and still walking distance to the buzz of 5th Avenue and the beach, this hotel is simple and clean, comfortable, with pool, and very friendly staff.
http://www.hotelrivieramaya.com/
Occidental Allegro Playacar : This is a very nice and quaint all inclusive with a beautiful beach, great for kids too! - with all your all inclusive perks and enternainment, and kids club. You may find a good last minute pricing (I found one in November with BookIt.com at $50 per adult per night-kids free).
http://www.allegroplayacar.com/
Near Tulum...
The small community of Tankah Bay is a short 5 minute drive North of Tulum. Villas are pricy compared to the Golf coast, so if you can indulge I would recomment Casa Playa Azul. Very nice 3 bedroom beach house with pool, with 3 kayaks and all snorkeling equipment included - 500 meters from the Mezoamerican Reef barrier (2nd longest in the world).
http://www.tankahshores.com/home.html
In Tulum :
Posada Yum Kin: Located downtown Tulum, very nice and comfortable units with kitchen, very laid back, and nice swimming pool. You might be able to negociate your rate, give it a try!
http://www.pyktulum.com/
Heading Further South...
Majahual and Xcalak (aka The Costa Maya)
Margarita del Sol - a multi-unit appartment complex on the beach near Majahual, with kayaks and snorkeling equipment included. Nice and simple!
http://www.margaritadelsol.com
Casa Caracola - in the Xcalak National Reef Park... this is a true gem. The PERFECT Caribbean snorkeling dream home. Here you are out of the way and off the grid, with solar power and rain water - with all the comfort you could wish for. Kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and amazing snorkeling or diving just a few strokes off shore - one of the best spots on this part of the coast. The house is very comfortable, and the care takers are super friendly and helpful. If you want the ultimate snorkeling experience, this is top notch!
http://www.casacaracola.com/ (you may want to mute the music)
Bacalar
Amigos Bacalar is a modest but comfortable bed and breakfast right on the beautiful bright blue Bacalar lake. All rooms have a fabulous lake view, and there is a little buffet breakfast every morning. Great for swimming and exploring the vicinity (Cenote Azul,Chetumal, archeological sites, etc).
http://www.bacalar.net/
Chetumal
Hotel Mary Rey is where I always go in Chetumal. Nice big pool (very likely to yourself...) in the central yard, and walking distance to Héroes Ave. (public market and museum). A standard room is about $50 per night here, and unlike many hotels on the main strip - it is just far enough from the action to be quiet through the night.
http://www.chetumalmosaico.com/pages/lodging/mary_rey.htm
And there you have it!
If I was to cruise down the Mexican Caribbean coast in one trip, with all the time and money in the world, I would absolutely go back to each one of these places.
Enjoy!
So if the Caribbean is what tickles your fancies - here are my favorite spots along that coast - from North to South (and notice how I skip Cancun alltogether...).
Isla Holbox
Highly recommended destination - No specific accommodation pointers for this one, but very simple advice : You may very well look for accommodation once you arrive on Holbox. There are numerous modest hotels around the central square, just be ready for the late night sounds of enjoyment all around! If you are looking for a more upscale hotel, you should book online ahead of time in one of the very nice beach establishments.
In Playa del Carmen
Hotel Riviera Maya : located just far enough from the crowds, and still walking distance to the buzz of 5th Avenue and the beach, this hotel is simple and clean, comfortable, with pool, and very friendly staff.
http://www.hotelrivieramaya.com/
Occidental Allegro Playacar : This is a very nice and quaint all inclusive with a beautiful beach, great for kids too! - with all your all inclusive perks and enternainment, and kids club. You may find a good last minute pricing (I found one in November with BookIt.com at $50 per adult per night-kids free).
http://www.allegroplayacar.com/
Near Tulum...
The small community of Tankah Bay is a short 5 minute drive North of Tulum. Villas are pricy compared to the Golf coast, so if you can indulge I would recomment Casa Playa Azul. Very nice 3 bedroom beach house with pool, with 3 kayaks and all snorkeling equipment included - 500 meters from the Mezoamerican Reef barrier (2nd longest in the world).
http://www.tankahshores.com/home.html
In Tulum :
Posada Yum Kin: Located downtown Tulum, very nice and comfortable units with kitchen, very laid back, and nice swimming pool. You might be able to negociate your rate, give it a try!
http://www.pyktulum.com/
Heading Further South...
Majahual and Xcalak (aka The Costa Maya)
Margarita del Sol - a multi-unit appartment complex on the beach near Majahual, with kayaks and snorkeling equipment included. Nice and simple!
http://www.margaritadelsol.com
Casa Caracola - in the Xcalak National Reef Park... this is a true gem. The PERFECT Caribbean snorkeling dream home. Here you are out of the way and off the grid, with solar power and rain water - with all the comfort you could wish for. Kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and amazing snorkeling or diving just a few strokes off shore - one of the best spots on this part of the coast. The house is very comfortable, and the care takers are super friendly and helpful. If you want the ultimate snorkeling experience, this is top notch!
http://www.casacaracola.com/ (you may want to mute the music)
Bacalar
Amigos Bacalar is a modest but comfortable bed and breakfast right on the beautiful bright blue Bacalar lake. All rooms have a fabulous lake view, and there is a little buffet breakfast every morning. Great for swimming and exploring the vicinity (Cenote Azul,Chetumal, archeological sites, etc).
http://www.bacalar.net/
Chetumal
Hotel Mary Rey is where I always go in Chetumal. Nice big pool (very likely to yourself...) in the central yard, and walking distance to Héroes Ave. (public market and museum). A standard room is about $50 per night here, and unlike many hotels on the main strip - it is just far enough from the action to be quiet through the night.
http://www.chetumalmosaico.com/pages/lodging/mary_rey.htm
And there you have it!
If I was to cruise down the Mexican Caribbean coast in one trip, with all the time and money in the world, I would absolutely go back to each one of these places.
Enjoy!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Developments on the next trip...
Oh how life has ways to twist and turn when you least expect it... I admit that I have been in a period of re-assessment regarding my next trip to Yucatan in the spring of 2012. Our financial situation requires some love and care, and we also need to invest in some home repairs. Our dishwasher is out of order, and so is our dryer. I can do without, especially the dishwasher, but we will need a new dryer in the fall. So with that in perspective I was keeping an open mind on the possibility that I might not be able to go to Mexico next year after all. But this week out of the blue, a friend offered to fly me to Cancun for about $60! She works for an airline and, well... she can do that! A new and interesting twist in the assessment - indeed! Pretty amazing how the stars line-up sometimes.
I am also trying to get my good old business fizz back. As much as I used to be in high efficiency mode for most of my adult life, I find that my pace is now sluggish and I have to kick myself to accomplish a productive day. It's been this way since we came back... surprise surprise. I think that it's probably because I'm not teaching very much this year, and my days are very loosy goosy. I did manage to book myself solid for the next school year though, so I guess that I should enjoy the slack while I have some. I also have work for my two wonderful early childhood teachers, and I am waiting to hear from a very qualified applicant for a new position in the fall. I decided to hire only one, and not bite more than I can chew. This is one business advice that I remember from my father - 'let it breathe' he would say. It translates into keeping a healthy cashflow, and a slow but steady growth. The coming school year will be very good for both - picking-up the pace!
Until then however, we are in a bit of a financial bind and I find it extremely frustrating. Despite my planning and forecasting, I have to dig into the reserves (Tim just realised that he has run out of money for the time being - it's a seasonal thing). Crud. This comes up after we have planned our vacation... booked and paid transportation and accommodations and summer camp. He is not pleased about it of course. Of course we will manage... of course. It's another great opportunity to be resourceful! We will make it work, and it will be good. Hey, it's summer!
I am also trying to get my good old business fizz back. As much as I used to be in high efficiency mode for most of my adult life, I find that my pace is now sluggish and I have to kick myself to accomplish a productive day. It's been this way since we came back... surprise surprise. I think that it's probably because I'm not teaching very much this year, and my days are very loosy goosy. I did manage to book myself solid for the next school year though, so I guess that I should enjoy the slack while I have some. I also have work for my two wonderful early childhood teachers, and I am waiting to hear from a very qualified applicant for a new position in the fall. I decided to hire only one, and not bite more than I can chew. This is one business advice that I remember from my father - 'let it breathe' he would say. It translates into keeping a healthy cashflow, and a slow but steady growth. The coming school year will be very good for both - picking-up the pace!
Until then however, we are in a bit of a financial bind and I find it extremely frustrating. Despite my planning and forecasting, I have to dig into the reserves (Tim just realised that he has run out of money for the time being - it's a seasonal thing). Crud. This comes up after we have planned our vacation... booked and paid transportation and accommodations and summer camp. He is not pleased about it of course. Of course we will manage... of course. It's another great opportunity to be resourceful! We will make it work, and it will be good. Hey, it's summer!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Family
It's not a new concept that keeping a healthy relationship with siblings can be challenging over the years, especially a long distance relationship. I have left my home town when I was 23, lived in Montreal where I studied for a year, and settled in Toronto when I was 24. So it's been 23 years since I moved here.
Over the years there has been phases which I suspect are the normal course of a long distance relationship - like going back home as often as possible for the first couple of years, then expecting that everyone will eventually be visiting me in Toronto - which may not happen with a family of 7... two of my brothers have never been to my house, although they do come to Toronto for business from time to time. That was difficult to accept, and impossible to understand. Generally I was very positive though, keeping contact and enjoying every minute when I could spend time with my siblings. We can have a lot of fun together.
Things started to change when I had my own children. Because my siblings all had their kids quite a few years earlier, there was a big gap in age. Visiting with young children became difficult because it seemed like nobody remembered what it's like to have a baby and a 3 year old sleeping upstairs... and I ended-up spending many evenings in the bedroom, trying to put my kids back to sleep. And at a certain point I decided to spend Christmas at home, and to skip the cottage stay in the summer. At least until my kids would be a bit older, so that they could partake in the family gatherings and remember them.
Then about 3 years later we started to go to the cottage again. We still stay home for Christmas though, partly because it's not the best time to drive to Quebec City (snow...), it ends up being a very expensive trip, and partly because it's not the best time to visit since we spend a lot of time indoors, and it's not the most relaxing time of the year...
So with fewer visits, the catch is that each visit is charged with all sorts of emotional expectations and anticipation. I must say that in light of the past few years, it has become very difficult for me to enjoy my visits. I try to juggle with time and make sure that we can see everyone, but of course not everyone understand the intensity of it for me. There is also a bit a of language barrier and Tim is great at adapting to these French immersions. His French is pretty good, but of course it's demanding to process so much communication and I feel his need to withdraw for a mental rest sometimes.
At this point I would hope that my kids get to know their cousins, uncles and aunts, but it's not possible to do that with a couple of shared meals once a year. There was also some tension with the cottage in the past couple of years, not a new concept either... and so now even our once a year visit is tainted with some degree of misunderstanding and unspoken frustrations. I resigned myself to the fact that my kids will not get to know their cousins. This summer we will spend a week at the cottage, with my mom, and although I am sad that we will not be able to share some good times with some of my siblings, I am happy that we will have this exclusive time with her. That's the silver lining - and it actually turns out to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be alone with her. My kids will know and remember their grandmother.
I never could have guessed that it would come to this with my siblings. I am the baby of the family, and they have been a huge and very important part of my upbringing. I have identified to each of them at one point or another. I'm not sure if it's only me who feels this way, but the physical distance between us is nothing compared to the loss of these ties. I do feel that they are weak in some cases, and broken in other cases. Not sure how it happened over the years.
As much as I was enthusiastic about spending a little over 2 weeks in Quebec when we planned our summer vacation, I find myself wondering what I was thinking and the approaching date of departure is making me very nervous. I need to focus on the basics and not overthink it... We will spend some quality time with my mom, and anything else will be a beautiful surprise (I hope...).
Over the years there has been phases which I suspect are the normal course of a long distance relationship - like going back home as often as possible for the first couple of years, then expecting that everyone will eventually be visiting me in Toronto - which may not happen with a family of 7... two of my brothers have never been to my house, although they do come to Toronto for business from time to time. That was difficult to accept, and impossible to understand. Generally I was very positive though, keeping contact and enjoying every minute when I could spend time with my siblings. We can have a lot of fun together.
Things started to change when I had my own children. Because my siblings all had their kids quite a few years earlier, there was a big gap in age. Visiting with young children became difficult because it seemed like nobody remembered what it's like to have a baby and a 3 year old sleeping upstairs... and I ended-up spending many evenings in the bedroom, trying to put my kids back to sleep. And at a certain point I decided to spend Christmas at home, and to skip the cottage stay in the summer. At least until my kids would be a bit older, so that they could partake in the family gatherings and remember them.
Then about 3 years later we started to go to the cottage again. We still stay home for Christmas though, partly because it's not the best time to drive to Quebec City (snow...), it ends up being a very expensive trip, and partly because it's not the best time to visit since we spend a lot of time indoors, and it's not the most relaxing time of the year...
So with fewer visits, the catch is that each visit is charged with all sorts of emotional expectations and anticipation. I must say that in light of the past few years, it has become very difficult for me to enjoy my visits. I try to juggle with time and make sure that we can see everyone, but of course not everyone understand the intensity of it for me. There is also a bit a of language barrier and Tim is great at adapting to these French immersions. His French is pretty good, but of course it's demanding to process so much communication and I feel his need to withdraw for a mental rest sometimes.
At this point I would hope that my kids get to know their cousins, uncles and aunts, but it's not possible to do that with a couple of shared meals once a year. There was also some tension with the cottage in the past couple of years, not a new concept either... and so now even our once a year visit is tainted with some degree of misunderstanding and unspoken frustrations. I resigned myself to the fact that my kids will not get to know their cousins. This summer we will spend a week at the cottage, with my mom, and although I am sad that we will not be able to share some good times with some of my siblings, I am happy that we will have this exclusive time with her. That's the silver lining - and it actually turns out to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be alone with her. My kids will know and remember their grandmother.
I never could have guessed that it would come to this with my siblings. I am the baby of the family, and they have been a huge and very important part of my upbringing. I have identified to each of them at one point or another. I'm not sure if it's only me who feels this way, but the physical distance between us is nothing compared to the loss of these ties. I do feel that they are weak in some cases, and broken in other cases. Not sure how it happened over the years.
As much as I was enthusiastic about spending a little over 2 weeks in Quebec when we planned our summer vacation, I find myself wondering what I was thinking and the approaching date of departure is making me very nervous. I need to focus on the basics and not overthink it... We will spend some quality time with my mom, and anything else will be a beautiful surprise (I hope...).
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Summer!!!
Only a couple of weeks left until the end of school, and we have our plans all lined-up until the first week of september. Looking forward to going to our Riley Lake heaven, and being immersed in the sweet smell of pine needles. I will hang the new hammocks, and read. I will also work, I love to work there. We will go for a few days in July, and a couple of weeks in August. Sweet!
Also looking forward to spending some time in Quebec city, and at our Quebec family cottage near Trois-Pistoles, in the lower St-Laurence region. Being there is always deeply soothing. I guess it's because my ancestors settled in that area when it was still Nouvelle France, in 1665. The cottage is in the village of St-Mathieu de Rioux, and my mother's parents grew-up there and got married in the lovely old church in the village. I have fond memories of visiting relatives there, some were dairy farmers and I loved spending time in the stable... the smell of warm milk, and of the hay filled grange. But these small farms are all gone now. Although my kids will not be able to experience this close encounter with farm life, they do know the village and their ties to it. It's a beautiful place.
While at the St-Mathieu cottage I hope we can go for a few treks, like the Bic National park - and watch the seals swim around or roast under the sun. There's nothing like the salty breeze of the lower St-Lawrence, you can almost feel the cool Atlantic in the air. Or maybe we'll go horse back riding in St-Fabien, or walk up to the falls along on the Trois-Pistoles river... so many stunning places! Can't wait! The trip there and back is equally exciting, along the old road going through towns and villages, with some ritual stops like Fromagerie des Basques, and Les Trois Fumoirs for amazing smoked fish. Yum!
We will also spend some time at home of course, and I have a feeling that it will be busy. No worries, that's business as usual! Call it home management, or domestic engineering, or tender care and attention... it's all about juggling with food, laundry, and paying the bills. Days go by, weeks go by, and next thing you know summer is here!
Also looking forward to spending some time in Quebec city, and at our Quebec family cottage near Trois-Pistoles, in the lower St-Laurence region. Being there is always deeply soothing. I guess it's because my ancestors settled in that area when it was still Nouvelle France, in 1665. The cottage is in the village of St-Mathieu de Rioux, and my mother's parents grew-up there and got married in the lovely old church in the village. I have fond memories of visiting relatives there, some were dairy farmers and I loved spending time in the stable... the smell of warm milk, and of the hay filled grange. But these small farms are all gone now. Although my kids will not be able to experience this close encounter with farm life, they do know the village and their ties to it. It's a beautiful place.
While at the St-Mathieu cottage I hope we can go for a few treks, like the Bic National park - and watch the seals swim around or roast under the sun. There's nothing like the salty breeze of the lower St-Lawrence, you can almost feel the cool Atlantic in the air. Or maybe we'll go horse back riding in St-Fabien, or walk up to the falls along on the Trois-Pistoles river... so many stunning places! Can't wait! The trip there and back is equally exciting, along the old road going through towns and villages, with some ritual stops like Fromagerie des Basques, and Les Trois Fumoirs for amazing smoked fish. Yum!
We will also spend some time at home of course, and I have a feeling that it will be busy. No worries, that's business as usual! Call it home management, or domestic engineering, or tender care and attention... it's all about juggling with food, laundry, and paying the bills. Days go by, weeks go by, and next thing you know summer is here!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Anatomy of a Burnout
I have no problem whatsoever talking about my fall from the 9 to 5 office life, although I know that some people are not comfortable with the subject. I think it's a matter of understanding what a burnout is, like demystifying a dark secret. I also think that many people go through it while trying to ignore that something is wrong, and that's a shame... because such a state of psychological distress is actually a wonderful defence mechanism. The longer you ignore it however, the more damage you allow onto yourself, and the longer the recovery will be.
Basically, if you find yourself in an overly stressful environment on a regular basis, your body will eventually say 'enough is enough', and give you signs that you should think about pulling out of that unhealthy environment. At first the sings will be subtle, but they will surely increase in intensity if nothing is done. Difficulty sleeping, short tempered and overly emotional, loss of cognition to some degree, difficulty focusing, sentiment that the work load is overwhelming even if you know your job inside and out, feeling defensive and feeling the need to constantly prove yourself or cover your butt (ie keeping way too many email trails...), and feeling generally tired physically, emotionally and intellectually. Drrrrrring!!!!!! Your wonderful body is telling you that this is very unhealthy, and it is doing what is needed so that you are no longer able to function in that environment. It will force you to pull out. Period. So when you look at it this way, a burnout is actually a very healthy reaction... in the sense that your body is working just fine - in your own best interest!
Once you are out of the circuit and forced to stay home... to look after yourself for a change... it feels strangely wrong. Guilty of letting your work team down, and your employer, and your family... Feeling that you should be able to pull it off since millions of people do it every day seemingly without a glitch... pfff! What's wrong with you?
So for me it happened over a period of about two years overall, and I finally hit my red zone on December 2, 2006. On that day just before lunch, I told my boss that I had to go see my doctor. At that point I knew that I would not be back at the office for awhile. My Doctor had spelled it out very clearly a couple of weeks before that, advising me to stop working for awhile, but no... I could not let them down! So much for that. After seeing my doctor on that day I got home and announced to Tim that I would be home for awhile - doctor's orders (we have the same physician). He was very puzzled, scared, suddenly unsure about our financial future, just like me. I was off work for about 4 months, with regular and unpleasant follow-ups from the insurance company (they do treat every claimant like a system abuser...),and finally the insurance company psychiatrist gave me a return date, and told me to take a Valium and that everything would be just fine. Hmmm... (I did not take the Valium).
I did go back to work a couple of weeks later as instructed, arrived at 8:30am, fairly calm but feeling like everybody had labeled me as 'the little engine that couldn't'. Making my way to my office and saying hello to the few colleagues who were there that morning. Somebody was settled in my office and it startled me a little... I had no place to go... so I decided to see my contact in Human Resources... who was not there yet... and then I started to shake. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. I have never experienced this before, or since. So I decided to get out of there pronto and go for a walk in the food court until 9am. I ran into a good work friend, and just broke down in tears. I could not control this physical reaction and I was completely puzzled by it. My friend said "Julie, go home". And I did.
Later that week my doctor told me that this was a post-traumatic reaction. I thought it was a bit over the top... it's not like I saw somebody getting dismembered or anything like that.. but it turns out that I did endure a lot of pressure and underestimated my situation. And when I went to the office on that day my body did recognise the place soon enough, and clicked into red alert mode. There was nothing I could do about it - but leave at once.
I explained the situation to the Human Resources coordinator, and shortly after the insurance company informed me that they considered that I did not go to work that day, and therefore they were ending my coverage. Lovely. I called my lawyer, and the following day the company accepted to give me a fair severance package - although they insisted that they would love for me to come back to work. After all, I was an important part of the company... launching it in 2 languages across the country with a very small team, and after 10 years of hard work it had become a multi million success story. But Teletoon would go on without me, and me without it. I had developed an acute allergy to the place... And I decided to never work in television again, ending an 18 year career in television programming.
I made many much needed changes in my life, like learning to chill... and was lucky to make a fairly smooth transition towards self-employment. I used the severance money to finance my studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and pitched my business idea to the Toronto Business Development Centre. I was accepted, and was very fortunate to launch Le Petit Atelier under their wonderful guidance - a one year business training.
Change always comes with a certain dose of pain, and in this case it was worth it. My burnout was a mid-life blessing. It kicked my butt towards a much better life and I am grateful for the humbling lesson. Time is precious, and I have a much better grasp on what I do with it now. I look ahead with a sense of freedom.
So dear blog readers... if you happen to know someone who seems to be unusually short tempered, stressed, or tired, take a moment to think about this before you classify him or her as a lost case and turn your back. Be kind and if at all possible, reach out. It's the decent thing to do.
Basically, if you find yourself in an overly stressful environment on a regular basis, your body will eventually say 'enough is enough', and give you signs that you should think about pulling out of that unhealthy environment. At first the sings will be subtle, but they will surely increase in intensity if nothing is done. Difficulty sleeping, short tempered and overly emotional, loss of cognition to some degree, difficulty focusing, sentiment that the work load is overwhelming even if you know your job inside and out, feeling defensive and feeling the need to constantly prove yourself or cover your butt (ie keeping way too many email trails...), and feeling generally tired physically, emotionally and intellectually. Drrrrrring!!!!!! Your wonderful body is telling you that this is very unhealthy, and it is doing what is needed so that you are no longer able to function in that environment. It will force you to pull out. Period. So when you look at it this way, a burnout is actually a very healthy reaction... in the sense that your body is working just fine - in your own best interest!
Once you are out of the circuit and forced to stay home... to look after yourself for a change... it feels strangely wrong. Guilty of letting your work team down, and your employer, and your family... Feeling that you should be able to pull it off since millions of people do it every day seemingly without a glitch... pfff! What's wrong with you?
So for me it happened over a period of about two years overall, and I finally hit my red zone on December 2, 2006. On that day just before lunch, I told my boss that I had to go see my doctor. At that point I knew that I would not be back at the office for awhile. My Doctor had spelled it out very clearly a couple of weeks before that, advising me to stop working for awhile, but no... I could not let them down! So much for that. After seeing my doctor on that day I got home and announced to Tim that I would be home for awhile - doctor's orders (we have the same physician). He was very puzzled, scared, suddenly unsure about our financial future, just like me. I was off work for about 4 months, with regular and unpleasant follow-ups from the insurance company (they do treat every claimant like a system abuser...),and finally the insurance company psychiatrist gave me a return date, and told me to take a Valium and that everything would be just fine. Hmmm... (I did not take the Valium).
I did go back to work a couple of weeks later as instructed, arrived at 8:30am, fairly calm but feeling like everybody had labeled me as 'the little engine that couldn't'. Making my way to my office and saying hello to the few colleagues who were there that morning. Somebody was settled in my office and it startled me a little... I had no place to go... so I decided to see my contact in Human Resources... who was not there yet... and then I started to shake. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. I have never experienced this before, or since. So I decided to get out of there pronto and go for a walk in the food court until 9am. I ran into a good work friend, and just broke down in tears. I could not control this physical reaction and I was completely puzzled by it. My friend said "Julie, go home". And I did.
Later that week my doctor told me that this was a post-traumatic reaction. I thought it was a bit over the top... it's not like I saw somebody getting dismembered or anything like that.. but it turns out that I did endure a lot of pressure and underestimated my situation. And when I went to the office on that day my body did recognise the place soon enough, and clicked into red alert mode. There was nothing I could do about it - but leave at once.
I explained the situation to the Human Resources coordinator, and shortly after the insurance company informed me that they considered that I did not go to work that day, and therefore they were ending my coverage. Lovely. I called my lawyer, and the following day the company accepted to give me a fair severance package - although they insisted that they would love for me to come back to work. After all, I was an important part of the company... launching it in 2 languages across the country with a very small team, and after 10 years of hard work it had become a multi million success story. But Teletoon would go on without me, and me without it. I had developed an acute allergy to the place... And I decided to never work in television again, ending an 18 year career in television programming.
I made many much needed changes in my life, like learning to chill... and was lucky to make a fairly smooth transition towards self-employment. I used the severance money to finance my studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and pitched my business idea to the Toronto Business Development Centre. I was accepted, and was very fortunate to launch Le Petit Atelier under their wonderful guidance - a one year business training.
Change always comes with a certain dose of pain, and in this case it was worth it. My burnout was a mid-life blessing. It kicked my butt towards a much better life and I am grateful for the humbling lesson. Time is precious, and I have a much better grasp on what I do with it now. I look ahead with a sense of freedom.
So dear blog readers... if you happen to know someone who seems to be unusually short tempered, stressed, or tired, take a moment to think about this before you classify him or her as a lost case and turn your back. Be kind and if at all possible, reach out. It's the decent thing to do.
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