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!
Somewhere between Izamal and Sudzal, Yucatan.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
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 : )
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)