I Need Prettier Plates

My plates are too white.

They make food look almost bland.

How much yummier would this perfect Avocado I had with

dinner look on vintage yellow dishware? 

Something funky like this

If I could, I'd have a 70's retro kitchen. Filled with mustard yellow,

orange, brown & olive green Tupperware containers on the counters.

My dinner tonight - Halibut with Herbs & Broccoli -  was really tasty

but wasn't visually appealing on boring white plates.

SYTYCD - Canada. FAIL.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 3

Canada is filled with talented dancers. Sadly, for the 3rd season, the SYTYCD

franchise in Canada is more than awful. It is unwatchable. 

Everything is wrong with it. Firstly awful awful host Leah Miller.....really awful.

Song choices, costumes, a 5 judge panel that  has included the screeching Mary Murphy.

90 seconds of dance followed by 4 minutes of blah blah blah from 5 judges -  most saying nothing constructive or helpful to the dancers.

I thought I'd give it one more try tonight even after the BEST dancer the

show has ever seen (Hani) was voted off last week. 

I should not have wasted my time.

The ONLY good thing was that Mia Michaels was a Guest Judge & she

gave the most helpful, honest and real feedback. The other judges were shooting alot of sunshine up alot of young underdressed muscular backsides.

The Lovely Bones

I read the book The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold a few months ago.

The story is told from the point of view of Suzie Salmon who, at 14 is brutally murdered. She is watching her family cope with her death and watching her murderer from the "InBetween".

It was an interesting read and not what I'd expected.

I was excited when I'd heard that Peter Jackson was directing the film and also writing the screenplay with Fran Jackson & Phillipa Boyens. I am a Peter Jackson fan but I did not see this film when it came out in the theaters.  The book was still too fresh in my mind.  It was a book that stayed with me. Would creep into my thoughts. It made me cry, think about life, the after-life and death.  It made me think about Heaven and what Heaven is to me within my belief system and what I hope it to be. 

Adam rented me the dvd today.  The writing team adapted the book well. They left out some major story lines, but the story/film did not suffer because of it.  There was one point in the film where I thought they were going to veer off the ending, but they didn't, they stayed true.

Peter Jackson's imagery of the "InBetween" was breathtaking and beautiful.

  

The InBetween

As much as the book stayed with me long after I read it, so will this movie. 

It is not a film I can ever re-watch but I am glad I saw it. 

Cherry Vanilla, My Fake Plant & 3 Boobs

I tried this Cherry Vanilla Pepsi today & was disappointed.

It tasted more like Vanilla than Cherry.  I guess if I want a Cherry Soda

I should buy a jar of Maraschino Cherries & make my own.

That is also a fake plant on my desk. 

There's not enough natural light for a real plant to survive.

Apparently, it's ok for people but not plants. Can you say S.A.D?

While watching Big Bang Theory (love Sheldon) this evening,

I said to Adam, " I wish the commercials weren't so loud."

His response was, " I wish you had 3 tits like the chick in Total Recall." 

Worth It

Role Reversal and a New Appreciation

I feel I should've been in my 20's in the 1950's.

As a little girl I wanted to be a Mother, a Homemaker.

I loved Mrs. Cleaver's style.

I loved how Edith Bunker looked after Archie.

I didn't understand why Mrs.Brady needed Alice when Mrs. Partridge

did it on her own and was in a band!

I would love to do the ironing wearing these items:

  

Flash forward to the present and I'm 41 years old, happily married
approaching our 6th Anniversay, childless ( fur baby aside) and currently
the one going out to work.

I know that it's not Adam's choice to be out of work and he knows that

I would love the opportunity to not work, so there is some odd

role reversal going on.

I never wanted to be the Enjoli Perfume 24 hour woman. What is that lady's

husband doing while she's doing it all?  Most likely his Secretary.

Our deal is, while Adam is home, he is the Domestic Engineer.

He cleans, sweeps, tidies, launders, walks the dog and makes my lunch.

The tasks he's doing, I have had a hard time letting go of. Why?  Because he

doesn't do these tasks the way I do. You know....the right way.

So last night, he was putting the pillow case on wrong. I interupted his struggle to

show him the right way and was completely taken aback when he said,

" I don't go to your work & tell you how to do your job."

My only response was uncontrollable laughter and a new appreciation

at how hard he is trying to make me happy. 

Fall...Hurry Up & Arrive

How much do I love the Fall?

It really is my most favorite time of year.

The leaves, the colors, the air,

Halloween & Thanksgiving.

To me, perfect weather is when I can put on

a turtleneck!

Even though I don't have any kiddies,

I feel like buying school supplies!!!!

Diet Coke Addiction

Our Drug of Choice


How much is too much Soda?  Some people (Mom) say 1 can is too much.
I started drinking Diet Coke back when I was 17 years old & went on a diet.
It truly was my replacement for all things yummy.
During a summer Lifeguarding, it was my primary food source.
In my 20's it became something I drank occasionally.
In my 30's I added Crystal Light to the mix. More aspartame...great!
I married a man who has a serious diet coke addiction.
The result is I drink it now more than ever because it's in the house.

Something happened this past weekend that was odd. 
We purchase the case of 12 cans.  Adam bought a case on Thursday and the 1st can he opened was flat. He took it back & got a replacement case. That case was flat.
2 more cases......still flat.  They all had the same batch #.
The store said they wouldn't be able to replace any more so, to be safe, since they were all the same batch #, we got Diet Pepsi.

I suggested to Adam that perhaps he was like a full on drug addict in that his fix wasn't enough. His hit lost its edge & he needs more. I think it's just a result of me watching A&E's Intervention (where are my babies??).

The disturbing thing for me is, although I like Diet Pepsi, today, I have missed my Diet Coke.
Hello, my name is Joanne and I'm a Diet Coke-aholic.

Vicious Cycle

I need a haircut. In the least, a good trim.

The thing is, my hair takes forever and a day to grow.

I also have the unusual habit of going for a trim & coming out with a pixie cut.

I love short hair, it just doesn't work on me right now.

It's good if you're young and cute or older and edgier.

At 41, I am in the middle and don't feel brave enough right now to pull it off.

I am also in the Vicious Cycle of having to dye my hair.

I have a great shade of natural brown that is speckled with generous amounts of grey.

I love my grey hairs. I earned each & every one of them.

I am looking forward to growing old & having a full head of grey hair.

The current problem was that I had the brassy hair dye grow out thing

happening which is just.....wrong.

The only way to be rid of it is to either cut it off or dye it again.

I dyed it.

Maybe next summer when I get my cool funky

Cruiser, I'll get a cool funky pixie cut.

Until then, Natural Instincts #20 and I have a date every 3-4 months.

My cool 70's Pixie Cut.

Meat Eater to Pescetarian to Vegetarian

The transition is taking me longer than I'd anticipated.

Becoming a Vegetarian is something I have wanted & thought about for years.
It is for both health and compassion.

If I had to hunt or farm and kill my food, I couldn't do it.

After reading the book Skinny Bitch, I had a hard time with Milk for awhile, but

have realized that I could never be a full on Vegan. I need to have cheese,

yogurt & eggs, so the ultimate goal is to be a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian.

I am not a good enough cook to remove all proteins and not do myself harm.

I wouldn't get enough nutrients & would most likely get sick.

I also have issues with Nut allergies and have to find alternatives, so

the short term goal is to work towards being a Pescetarian while I learn as

much as I can about food choices and Vegetarian cooking.

BSE's, Sleeping & Cutting the Cheese

Today was an odd day.

I took a vacation day from work as I had an MD appt this morning.

Adam came & learned how to do a BSE.

He was adorable when the doc asked him to do to me what she'd just done.

He was a quick learn, did it perfect. He is familiar with the terrain ;)

When we got home, I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up a few hours later & had absolutely no idea where I was, what time it was or even what day it was. It was a good sleep.

I love that when I'm making dinner that includes cheese, Adam always asks, "Do you want me to cut the cheese?" My response is always, "Yes please."

I have a very sweet deal, I cook, he tidies up & does the dishes. Lucky girl.

Dinner didn't come out as planned. What's missing?

Taco Shells......Ooooops!

Luckily we had Tortillas and dinner was really tasty!

Reading

Generally, I've only liked to read novels in the Winter.
Something about cuddling up on the couch in flannel jammies with a

blanket with a good book.
Summer tends to be more magazine focused.
Big glossy photos of Salads, Fruit, Picnics...

I have an hour (on a good day) commute each way to work on public transit.
Time spent reading the newspaper and doing the crossword.

I've decided to read books instead.

I've put aside The Old Man and The Sea as it is so slow, I actually fell asleep
reading it, which is something I DO NOT like to do on the bus.
It will be my Sunday afternoon book.

My next selection is a book I bought myself for Christmas last year.
Special Edition Jane Austen's Emma.

It has beautiful Illustrations and a few extras such as A Jane Austen Timeline,
Jane Austen's England and Description of Fashions. Lovely.

My Mother is, as I write this, on her way to the airport for a trip to England.

I will read this book, with an English accent in my head, thinking of her in the English Countryside.

(Inside Jacket Cover)

Reminders are always good

I'm working extra hard on this last one!

Saturday Update

They didn`t match the photo on the box and I was nervous as I added blueberries, so I made scrambled eggs just in case. No need, the pancakes were great!

My plan for a lazy Saturday was based on the weather report.

It was overcast with only little hints of blue sky. Today was not hot, but the air was wet.

It was the kind of day where any movement feels like you are wearing ankle & wrist weights.

I was in a dessert recipe mood and don`t own any dessert cookbooks, so I poked around online & found this: http://www.robertsplace.ca/

My Avocados aren`t ripe so they`ll have to wait to tomorrow or Monday.

The movie choices were Adam`s:

Lethal Weapon & Lethal Weapon 2

Lazy Saturday

My plan for the day:

My Wish List

Trek Women's Calypso - Trek Bike Store Toronto

I want this bike next summer.

The only thing I'll do to it is add a basket on the front handlebars and maybe a bell!

I'd much rather run errands on this than on the bus.

Headache

This is how I feel today.

Constant dull ache behind & above my left eye with the

occasional piercing pain on the top of my head like

someone has just stabbed by brain with a hot poker.

16 Random Things

1. I am incredibly sensitive
2. I usually fall asleep within 5 minutes of putting my head on the pillow
3. I am allergic to Walnuts
4. I quit smoking cold turkey on my 35th birthday
5. I don't kill spiders
6. I don't have a favorite color
7. I have a good memory
8. My Grade 3 teacher slapped me in the face when I couldn't get math
9. Sleestaks terrify me
10. It took the Shawshank Redemption for me to stop seeing Morgan Freeman as the guy from The Electric Company
11. I like the smell of deisel & floor polish
12. I like to make my husband laugh
13. Wearing contact lenses makes me fall asleep
14. I like playing Trivial Pursuit but haven't in years because nobody else does
15. I don't have OCD, but I count the steps when I go up or down stairs
16. I like even numbered lists

Calories? Many many of them!!

Every once in a while, a girl needs Rice Krispie Squares!!

Bus/Subway Etiquette

Or, I should say Bus/Subway Etiquette & the lack thereof on the TTC.

Here are the top 5 revolting things I've seen:

1. Extreme Nose Picking.

2. Nail Clipping.

3. Flossing.

4. Snot Rocket Launch.

5. Stealth Farting .

But I have to say, the three things that happen on an almost daily basis that bother me the most are:

1. People NOT getting up & giving their seat to Seniors.

2. Drivers pulling away before Seniors have sat down.

3. People trying to get on the subway before letting you off.

.

I almost want to become a vigilante & somehow put *EVILDOER* stickers on people who engage in all the above horrendous behaviours.

Inbetween

Top of the hill, under a tree, in the shade.

There are good days & bads days. Today was an inbetween day.
Inbetween days are days when I think too much and cry at anything & everything.

I have had 6 really bad days my whole life. Maybe 7, not more than 10.
I am grateful that all the people I love in the world are healthy & alive.
I try to think of that and just breathe on inbetween days.

Today, I needed Nature. Birds. Squirrels. Trees. Flowers.
Living in the city with all the noise gets to me & I need quiet.
I don't have enough quiet in my life.

I wanted to go sit in the park, but a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon
means that Alexander Muir Park is overrun with Brides, Grooms,
Wedding Parties, Photographers & Videographers.

So Crockett & I went across the street to the Parkette & just sat at at the top of
the hill, under a tree, in the shade.

My Bucket List

I'm working on mine.

It's not as easy as I thought it'd be.

I want my list to be honest and be things that I can and will accomplish.

I'd love to go to The Tower of London and try on all the Crown Jewels

but a trip to Harrods jewellery counter seems more do-able.

Mid-Life Crisis? Perhaps.

If the 21 year old me met the 41 year old me for coffee what would I say to mysef?

Too hot for Pugs

Lots of Humidity

Broken Fan



HAWT DAWG!!!!

The current view & the project for the day

As I said yesterday, I currently have no view from my living room window.

It is a southern view, right into the bldg next door.

It could be a cute walk-way.

I've thought about planter boxes but I don't think there's enough sun.

There is a nice weed that occasionally blooms a purple flower.

1:00pm on a partly cloudy day. Very gloomy room.

Close up. Blue Bike.

My project for today is to put away my DVD's properly.

I am very good at not putting them back into the right box when done.

As kooky & organized as I like to be, it's odd that I let the DVD's get like this.

When put away, they will be dust free and in alphabetical order.

This cupboard contains *Joanne Movies*

Romantic Comedies - Notting Hill, Two Weeks Notice.....

Fantasy - LOTR, Narnia, Inkheart.....

Chick Flicks - Twilight, Dirty Dancing, Titanic......

Classic Childrens - Wizard of Oz, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang....

All the other cool movies are in the other cabinet.

Adam keeps these in categories and can tell me without thought were to find any movie.

Best kind of Sunday

The best kind of Sunday is that of a long weekend.
A peaceful relaxing day spent with Adam.
No work tomorrow - Civic Holiday.
I have noticed however, our days are getting shorter.


Our apartment, as lovely as it is, has no view to speak of from the living room. Our last place had wonderful western exposure. I would lay upside down on our bed & just look out the window. I miss the sunsets.

This shot was taken July 2007.