Archive for July, 2009

jam out

Published by
Becky
at July 20, 2009 in Another tangent. 3 Comments

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A few recipes daunt me as someone who wants to enjoy food and cook well: pastry, pie crust, meringue, dishes made of ingredients I don’t enjoy and therefore have no idea how to cook with (CHEESE), and jam.   Strike one off the list now that I’ve sorted out how to make strawberry jam with a fair amount of ease.  I say ‘I’ve sorted out’ but what I really mean is that I had a fabulous teacher (who IS a teacher) who’s done it for years.  My mum-in-law.  The day started out with a trip to the farmer’s market to grab ‘day old’ berries.  Naturally, we were side-tracked a number of times.  I can’t focus with all that fresh produce staring me in the face.  Especially since the past two years have left me wanting for great fruit, veggies and baked goods.  Two ginormous bags of beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, snap peas, cherries AND strawberries later, we were ready to head home.

Turns out, though requiring organizational skills and solid preparation, making strawberry jam is simple.  Prep, wash, mash, measure, heat, add unreal amounts of sugar, boil, scrape, fill, seal, pop, and spread/dip/slather/drink the final product.  We had a great time making it together and Lee had a great time eating it.  Heck, we all did.  On anything that MIGHT be appropriately slathered in heavenly strawberry jam.  Which, generally, meant any carbish thing we could lay hands on.

Pretty much the only thing we didn’t consume under jam were the string beans.  And boy there were a lot of them.  We’ve been eating beans for days, and there are still more to go (not complaining, LOVE fresh veggies).  But seriously, it’s a good thing we made jam.  Or this house would stink.

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The first HALF of the jam produced

flo-flower-wer

Published by
Becky
at July 19, 2009 in Another tangent. 0 Comments

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Hydrangea

Science/Latin-speak for: A flower made up of, other, teensy flowers.

The concept of a thing made up of tinier versions of itself is interesting.  Imagine a train made up of tiny trains.  A picture frame made of tiny picture frames.  This occurs often in nature (compared to occurrence with man-made things) - a tree is made up of small trees (leaves with veins and a root to a branch), clouds made up of tiny clouds (a large collection of water droplets is, well, a large collection of water droplets), a large body of water made from bitsy waters.

Taking it further, technically, each person is made up of little persons - not in form, but in function.  Tiny, thinking bits that, in mass quantities, become human.  Reduced to our simplest components, beyond systems, tissues, cells, amino acids, we are elements (and many would argue, mostly empty space).  Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium…  How odd, that when placed in a particular order and quantity, all those planet-looking things in my high-school chemistry textbook become me?

Speaking of microscopic planet-looking things (nucleus with orbiting electrons); combine these in astronomical numbers to form a large planet.  Well, there you have it.  The concept works on both minuscule and grand scales.  And all derived from a flower a friend brought my mum.  I need to get out more.

recruiting a stand-in

Published by
Becky
at July 18, 2009 in Another tangent. 1 Comment

For all the world traveling, adventure, learning, the infusion of culture and stimulating geography that comes with partnering a pilot, there has got to be a down side.  I couldn’t be so lucky as to have all the good and none of the bad.  People would hate me.  There would be riots, slanderous statements, poster campaigns…

Well, put down your can of spray paint and mega phone, cause here’s the dirt: half a year apart while on rotation, constantly changing schedules, missed holidays and birthdays, long distance phone calls, emails instead of face-to-face conversations, and everything said over the phone that starts with: ‘you’re not going to like this, but…’

I like to think of myself as a woman with ambition.  Can stand on my own two feet (most days).  I have many hobbies and interests.  So, perhaps, already, I’m better off than most.  But I like hanging out with the guy I married.  Enough so, that I kinda want him around from time to time.  So we throw out the calendar and get a chalk board to accommodate the ever-changing schedule.  So we get skype and save on long-distance calls.  I’m flexible.  I’m flexible.  I’m flexible (*nervous tick).  I’m flexible… With conviction (!!!):  I’M FLEXIBLE DAMNIT!!!

Do I believe it?  Maybe.  I’m learning to.  It’s not that bad (really).  Good riddance to the bum!  What do I need him for anyway?  Well… actually, lots of things.  Like, for instance: WHO is going to open the pickle jars when he’s away?

Volunteers??

A grade A Canadian beef rant.

Published by
Becky
at July 17, 2009 in Another tangent. 7 Comments

Dear: brain tumor lady from Waterdown, Ontario,

Re: the commercial you helped the US make about how the Canadian health care system sucks

Let me start by stating that I have no idea what medical situation caused you to wait six months to get the brain surgery you needed here in Canada.  I am not certain of the context of your treatment, the true nature of your condition, or of how imminent your death was prior to treatment.

I am certain, however, that everyone I know, everyone who is known by everyone I know, all of my previous patients, and myself, have never been left wanting for needed treatment in Canada.  I am also certain that none of these people have been saddled with terrible debt, ousted from their (now unaffordable) homes, or been forced to pay high premiums/monthly payments for private health care.

To me, it seems, you are the only Canadian who has been left out of our extensive health care system.  Sure we Canadians complain about wait times in the emergency room, grumpy hospital staff, painful IV pokes and the faded pastel colored paint on the walls of our doctors offices but really… we have nothing to complain about compared to our neighbours to the south.

Call it ’socialist’ or ‘government-run’ or whatever you want; it works.  We do beef well.  We do winter well.  We do maple syrup well.  And we do health care well.

No politician stands between me and my doctor like in the commercials.  What a farce.  Do people fall for that kind of propaganda these days?  I guess they must.  People buy bottled water don’t they?

Anyway, those are my thoughts.  I’m all for speaking up if there is a problem that needs to be fixed.  But pardon me for thinking you’re crazy for supporting the system the Americans have (did you even watch Michael Moore’s SICKO?).  I, like my Canadian peers, think health care should be accessible to everyone (worldwide, new to the country, whoever) without substantial cost.

I happily raise my glass of taxed wine and toast the way we do things up here.

Best of luck in your recovery.

Sincerely,

Becky

P.S. Should I send this letter to your hospital room in the States or Canada?  I am curious about whether you’d choose to recover where you have to pay for it, supporting your saviour system, or where you don’t.

after the rain

Published by
Becky
at July 17, 2009 in Another tangent. 2 Comments

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Gardens take on another personality following a quick shower.  They appeal so much more to the senses.

You can feel the heaviness as plants bow with the weight of the water.

You can smell the green, the soil, the fragrence.

You can taste the fresh wave of humidity.

You can hear the wind loosen the water from the petals and leaves as it hits the ground.

And you can see droplets sparkle as the sun peaks out from behind the passing rain cloud.