Snow day

I am at my in-laws sitting in front of the fire blogging, and am SO happy to be exactly here. I am on the mainland for work...yesterday I took the 7am ferry over and worked all day, then stayed at M.'s last night. We had great sushi and tried to watch a movie but I kept falling asleep! I had a long sleep but woke up with a big headache and feeling a bit ooky and snuffly! It had snowed a lot overnight and was still coming down hard. Being that I am a) directionally challenged, b) a nervous Vancouver driver now (dang that Victoria driving experience!), and c) not a seasoned snow driver I decided it was best to call off the work I had scheduled for this afternoon in Vancouver. I managed to make it out to my in-laws though, so the trek to Van will be easier tomorrow. I used the 4-wheel drive on our pathfinder for the first time though, and it was GREAT! I also got to break in the new skookum (sp?) windshield wipers.

I'm very thankful to be not working today. Only just now is my headache starting to clear...I've had lots of water and tea and vitamin C and echinaccia etc...I really don't want to get sick!

I'm seriously annoyed that Facebook is down though!! I realize now how addicted I am!!!

So here's to a snow day :) And only 2 more days of work left till I have some time off!

On the move....

We're moving back to the mainland. March 1.

Just so you know :)

I'm travelling a lot to have enough work...and that's not working for us. And our family is on the mainland (and many many friends). So, we've made the decision to move back - I will have lots of work there (so much I"ll probably regret this decision later!!) and we'll be close to our family and friends.

Brrrrr!

Seriously - it is SO windy, and SO cold!!! Okay...for Victoria. I know, we're wimps on the west coast. But, I swear this is at least as windy and cold as it was in MA in the winter..if not more so!! Our office is really cold. So I have yoga pants and a sweatshirt on, one blanket over my legs, antoher over my shoulders, fleece slipper-socks on, and a cup of steaming tea. And I'm still cold!! I do kind of like it though b/c it feels Christmasy. And makes me want to bake.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Okay, well at our house, not so much "look" a lot like Christmas. We haven't gotten to putting up decorations yet, and probably won't since I leave for the mainland Friday or Saturday, and Daryl will be heading over on Tuesday and we won't be back till the new year. I've been feeling a little sad about no-decorations and the fact that we haven't done much Christmas preparation due to busy schedules, but today sort of remedied that.

But, it is feeling a little more like Christmas though because:

a) Today was a snow day. Church was cancelled, and there is lots of snow out.
b) It's really really cold!
c) I baked today. Not entirely successfully though. I made these really yummy spicy chocolate shortbread-type cookies. Most of them burned however. Sigh. I also have shortbread dough in the fridge ready to make.
d) We went to a Christmas dinner at D.'s Nana and Papa's place. It was super yummy and very festive.
e) We wrapped all the presents we've bought.

So, now I have 5 days to get everything ready for before I go leave for work. I have quite a bit of out-of-the-house work this week, so it will be a busy week trying to get everything done. On my to-do list this week is:
- Finish my last case study.
- Finish my last set of case notes and internship hours verification.
(Note: Once these tasks are complete, I will officially be done ALL my coursework AND my internship!).
- Pick up some groceries so I can eat lots of veggies this week!!
- Make a hair appointment and go to it :)
- Make (if possible so last minute) an appointment to get new orthotics made and go to it :).
- Finish buying presents
- Wrap the remaining presents (they all have to go with me when I leave).
- Bake the shortbread.
- Make peppermint bark for small presents.
- Deep clean the house (all the deep bathroom cleaning, floor cleaning, etc) as we have guests staying with us after we get back (which we are SO excited about).
- Prepare all the things I need for work this coming weekend.
- Write cards and mail (I'm still debating whether I'll get to this or not).
- Do the paperwork and admin generated by my out-of-the-house work this week.
- Get to the gym. I only went once last week and am feeling a bit sluggish. And soon will be away for over a week and won't know how much I"ll get to work out.

I'm thankful I made a big pot of veggie chili last night and I have butternut squash soup in the fridge, so I'll have those for quick-ish meals this week. I'll just pick up some salad stuff for lunches and should be all set.

Okay, now I'm a bit stressed out by that list. I think I can get at least 5 or 6 things done tomorrow when I get home from work.

But soon it will be Christmas Holidays! This will be the first time in at least a few years that we've been off work, together for this long. It will be more than 10 days I think!!! I'll probably do some work while off and may have a meeting or two while on the mainland but it's mostly a real break!!

Detox never tasted SO good!

I just made these two recipes. They were in the most recent issue of Food and Wine. This was the first time I'd bought this magazine, and it's a great magazine.

Here is the Kale and Avacado Salad recipe. This is super filling. I think I could half the amount of avacado and still feel satisfied :). This was my brunch today. So yummy.

Here is the Lemony Quinoa Salad recipe. This is SO yummy and refreshing. Quinoa is the super grain. The serving size is a bit small on this one. So, it may be best either doubled, or plan to have it with a green salad or something. I doubled the recipe and will eat it as a snack later on.

What I love about both of these recipes is that they are fresh with no processed foods, and they are both vegan/fast friendly so are perfect for this time of year. I'm about to go enter them into sparkpeople to see what the nutritional information for vitamins and minerals is for them...I'm sure it will be great.

Can you tell I have two case studies to finish and a pile of work to do? Why else would I blog twice in one day :)

Butternut Squash Soup

I made this roughly based off of a recipe in Cooking Light. In their recipe you were supposed to roast the squash first with the Garam Masala and oil etc...I just did it all in a pot, and it turned out SOOOOO good. I forgot how good butternut squash soup is!!

Saute about 3/4 of a chopped onion, 2 TBSP olive oil about 3 medium squashes (chopped), about 1-2 TBSP of Garam Masala and a couple of pinches of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper for about 5 minutes.

Add 2 chopped apples and about 2 TBSP maple syrup (you can add the syrup earlier...I can't remember exactly what point I added it in at). Saute for another few minutes.

Add about 5 cups of vegetable broth (or till everything is covered with broth).

Simmer all that until the squash is soft, then blend with a hand blender or blender/food processor in batches (I just use my braun hand blender). Taste and season with more salt/pepper/maple syrup etc if needed.

That's about it. So good!! Sorry, didn't get a picture :(

Comfort in a Cup

This is a soy noel nog latte. I make the espresso in my mokapot and heat the noel nog in a pot on the stove, then foam it up (it makes the best creamiest yummiest foam) and add a little sweetener...and top it off with nutmeg. Mmmmmmm.......love it.

The current contents of my desk.

1 laptop
2 phones
1 water bottle
1 half-drunk, cold coffee in a mug
1 empty source yogurt container
1 stapler
sharpie markers in various colors
1 sewing tape measure
3 post it pads
2 other note pads
1 to-do book
3 work folders
1 pencil case
1 flash drive
1 tax return
1 calculator
2 random CDs/DVD's containing video
Several articles to be read for school
1 folder of research on stereotypy
1 hole punch
1 picture of client
1 plant
5 magazine holders full of files and miscellaneous papers
2 baskets full of stuff.
Receipt stub from a recently paid parking ticket.

I need to clean it!

Brilliant Minds.

Found this here. I'm no where near doing my defense, but was looking for some funny grad student humor to lighten the mood for a presentation I'm doing and came accross this. It's hysterical. I've bolded my favorites. This really had me laughing out loud!

Things to Say and Do Guaranteed to Spice up Your Thesis and Dissertation Defenses

1. Begin the defense by charging a cover and checking for ID.
2. Charge a two-drink minimum.
3. Begin with "Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise for the singing of our National Anthem."
4. Bring coffee and charge 25 cents a cup.
5. "Charge the mound" when a professor beans you with a high fast question.
6. Describe parts of your dissertation using interpretive dance.
7. Lead your committee members in a Wave.
8. Break the tension at appropriate moments with a sing-a-long.
9. Answer tough queries with "You call THAT a question? How'd you ever get to be a professor?"
10. Have bodyguards outside the room to discourage attendance of certain professors.
11. Present your defense using puppets.
12. Before you begin your presentation, sell T-shirts to recoup the cost of copying, binding, etc.
13. In addition, pass a collection basket.
14. Answer complex issues in mime.
15. Use the ocassion to hold a Tupperware party.
16. Have bikini-clad models in charge of changing your overheads.
17. At approximately the mid-point of your defense bring out maracas and shout "Everybody rumba!!"
18. Explain nonsignificant findings with "It would have worked if it weren't for those f*%ing kids."
19. Refuse to answer tough questions "in protest of our government's systematic and brutal opression of minorities."
20. Offer door prizes and conduct a raffle.
21. Ask professors to "Please phrase your question in the form of an answer."
22. Interrupt every 15 minutes with the announcement "And now, a word from our sponsor."
23. Present critical parts of your defense in iambic pentameter.
24. In your announcement, inform your committee that it will be a black tie affair.
25. Hire the Goodyear Blimp to circle the building.
26. Announce to your committee that "There will be a short quiz after my presentation."
27. Bring your pet boa.
28. Bring snacks and start a food fight.
29. Slap your committee chair with a glove and challenge him to a duel.
30. Arrange for a halftime show.
31. Bring a big foam hand that says "I'm #1."
32. Pass out souvenier matchbooks.
33. Hang a pinata over the table and hire a strolling mariachi band.
34. Make each professor remove an item of clothing for each question asked.
35. Use a Greek Chorus to highlight important points.
36. When necessary, say "I'm sorry Professor Smith, I didn't say 'SIMON SAYS any questions?'. You're out."
37. Dress in top hat and tails.
38. Hold a pre-defense pep rally, complete with cheerleaders, pep band, and a bonfire.
39. If you sense that things are not going well, threaten to detonate a small nuclear device in the room.
40. Show slides of your last vacation.
41. Put your overheads on a film strip. Designate a professor to be in charge of turning the strip when the tape recording beeps.
42. If members of the committee begin to argue among themselves announce: "OK, everybody - heads down on the desk until you show me you can behave."
43. When in trouble, begin speaking in tongues.
44. Answer every question with a question.
45. Hand out 3-D glasses.
46. Announce credits at the end. Include a "key grip" and a "best boy."
47. Make a practice of replying, "Sure, I could answer that, but then I'd have to kill you."
48. Ask a friend and conspirator to attend and ask the first question. Draw a blank-loaded gun and "shoot" him. Have him make a great scene of dying. Be sure to include fake blood. Turn to your committee and ask "Other questions?"
49. Wear clown makeup, a clown wig, clown shoes, a clown nose, and nothing else.
50. Install "APPLAUSE" and "LAUGHTER" signs.
51. Use a TelePromTer
52. Alter the clocks in the room and begin your defense 15 minutes before anyone arrives.
    

Ick

Have to have our truck in to the shop at 7:30 am!! Gross! We are getting the breaks checked (and likely done) and getting a tune up. I am terrified, as I always am that when they do one thing they'll find another thing that needs doing. It will be a stretch to manage breaks and a tune up along with tripple tuition this semester as it is, but we've put both off for a long time, and I am driving to Courtenay regularly and up to Kamloops for Christmas...so it needs to be done.

I'm also a little nervous they won't be able to do it in as little time as they think they can. They're planning to be done by 12:30. I'm taking it to a new place this time as I think the place we had been going to was fleecing us, and the estimate at this place is MUCH lower than at the other place. So, maybe this place is just able to do things faster...Anyways..I have to leave about 5pm to drive to Nanaimo and am co-teaching workshops there all weekend, so I'm REALLY hoping they'll be done on time!

The upside is D. and I will go for breakfast together after dropping the car off, before he goes to work. I think I"ll then just hole up at a nearby cafe and work until it's done. Then scramble afterwards to finish everything else and pack and get ready to go!

Done da done done...

I had my thesis proposal meeting today. I was ridiculously nervous about it and it was much less stressful than I anticipated, and was actually quite enjoyable. But, like I said, I was VERY nervous. So, at about 10:55 I realized I had been sitting, staring at the phone on my desk for at least 5 minutes. Paralyzed. I thouht I'd better distract myself while I waited for my committee to call. So, I thought I would take some pictures and think about posting on my blog about it later on. I took a picture of the phone I had been staring at. It's ready for the call.

And I took a picture of my computer....all ready to go.

And of me....not ready at all. The call came about 2 minutes after I took these, I did the proposal and in under an hour it was done! Then I had to rush of to write a test, had dinner out with my hubby and am now home and exhausted and will likely crash soon. Then to try to catch up on everything I neglected while preparing for this tomorrow....

I forgot to bring my camera to take a picture of me with my giant beer after it was all said and done :( .

I missed my chance...

I think I may have met Gordon Campbell the other day at the grocery store. No, really, stay with me. I was chatting with the clerk at the store, and complaining about the rain. The man behind me said "Well, ladies I started my day in Grand Prairie Alberta and it was -15 there, and a snowstorm." We chatted some more, and I kept thinking to myself this man looks VERY familiar. Definately a business man, very polished...and a certain manner about him....kind of like a politician, or phone salesman. Hmmm...

It wasn't till I got to my car and was half way home that I realized that he looked exactly like Gordon Campbell. Without having seen him in person before I couldn't be sure though. So, I looked on google images for a picture of him, found a few and after vewing those pictures I am almost positive it was him. I mean, I do live in Oak Bay (renting a small suite of course, not owning) which is one of the more affluent areas of Victoria, so it wouldn't be so unlikely.

Dang, I wish I'd looked at what he was buying!

So, I likely missed my chance to bop him in the head. Sigh.

And I thought it was nearly dead!

Flashback

As I was driving back from dropping D. off at the ferry "Flashback lunch" was on the radio. I LOVE flashback lunch. A few gems from the program today:

- Whomp there it is
- House of Pain - Jump Around
- Madonna - True Blue

There were other great ones, but these are the only ones I remember. Spectacular.

There must be more...

...to my life than an omlette.....right? Just thinking that it's been too long since I updated. By updating now I am just attempting to escape all else.

It's one of those weeks. It's been a horrid work week, with large portions of it absorbed with dealing with one extremely frustrating and stressful situation...and most of that time is of course non-billable. Then add in the fact that most of the rest of the day today (aside from actual meetings with clients) that I was supposed to be getting stuff done at home was shot because I was so upset by this situation that I couldn't focus on anything else.

I have a research proposal (not my thesis, this is a big paper for a class) due Friday that I literally haven't even started, my thesis proposal on Monday and a test 2 hours after that on Monday. And so behind in work. I really can't afford the time that has been dedicated to this crappy situation.

Anyways....

On the upside, we had home-made goat cheese, basil and chorizo pizza tonight. The cafe/bakery up the road from us sells pizza dough....nice :).

The Omlette

So, I stayed at M.s on Friday night. In the morning (after a great wine-tasting evening the night before), her husband, J. made me an Omlette. Now, truth be told, I'm not a big omlette person - the brown cooked eggs taste freaks me out. He offered though, and I thought considering the long day ahead of me I should take the sustinance.

This was the. best. omlette. ever. Not just taste, but soooo fluffy - and NO crusty brownness! No icky burnt egg taste!! And amazing, amazing flavours. I tried to replicate it today and was successful in terms of the flavours, but not so much in terms of the fluffiness. So, here's how I did it:

Mix up 2 eggs, 4 egg whites (yes, it's a big omlette), salt, pepper, one clove of crushed garlic, about a 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro and about a 1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil (Yes, they must be fresh).

Put that into an omlette pan, cover and let it cook for a while on LOW heat.

While that's cooking, saute up 2 mushrooms and a handful of spinach.

When the eggs are mostly cooked, but a bit loose on top still, sprinkle on about a 1/4 cup of part skim mozzarella cheese, cover and let it cook a bit longer. Then, put the mushrooms and spinach onto one half of the omlette, let it cook a minute or so longer (still on low heat).

Then, slide the omlette out and fold over one side.

Then eat. Lovely Thai inspired yummy, filling, healthy (besides the two egg yolks) meal that will hold you over for pretty much the whole day. Or you could split it with someone and have it be a normal size breakfast :-). I think the key is the combination of fresh basil, fresh cilantro and a clove of garlic :-).

Things...

I like about being home:
- Living with my husband (eating, sleeping, cleaning, anything).
- Being able to go to my gym.
- Having my "morning time" to watch the news, check email and have breakfast.
- Planning meals and grocery shopping

I am stressed about:
- My test today
- My case studies I've yet to make much progress on
- Tuition due dates looming
- My thesis proposal meeting on Nov. 10. This is my number 1 stress.
- The truck needing a tune up and brake inspection and likely new brakes and tires.

I am looking forward to:
- Catching up on work and school.
- Dinner with my husband
- Cooking something fun on the weekend
- DECLUTTERING on the weekend!!!

Goals for this week.

1. Do not let this cold take hold. Fight it with all I have!
2. Get to the gym at least once or twice.
3. Try to make some headway in the school and work stuff I'm behind in before going to the mainland on Thursday.
4. Eat lots of veggies and fruit (to help with #1).

In the next couple of weeks there are lots of bigger projects to be completed:
- Finish the slides for my thesis proposal presentation (Nov. 10)
- Finish at least 1 of my 2 case studies
- Finish creation of my portions of the workshop I am co-teaching in November
- Complete a research proposal paper for the actual course I'm taking (due Nov. 8)

And that's just school and the rest of life-related stuff! Doesn't even include school!

However, I just realized I'm at 560 hours for my internship for school, which means only about 200 hours to go. After that, only a couple hundred more for my Board Certification (as I have a bunch of hours from before my "official" internship). I can't wait to be finished my official internship, as the documentation for it is very time-consuming (and surprisingly significantly more intensive than what is required for board certification...).

Waiting for December...

Goodbye Summer

I made this salad, and the next day the pouring rain started. I think this salad was my goodbye to summer :-).

I made it as I found some beautiful local heirloom tomatoes at a local market, and I had lots of basil growing still to use before the weather got too cold and killed it. Normally, in this type of tomato salad, you use mozarella. But I came across Halloumi cheese at the store, had a vague recollection of having tried it before and loved it, and thought it would be perfect in this salad. It was SO good. I cut up tomatoes and basil, grilled the Haloumi cheese, cut it up and put it into the salad and added a little balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. The Halloumi cheese looks like this before it's grilled:

They're Married!

My little brother married a wonderful woman on September 3rd. I've just been waiting to get my hands on a good picture to blog about it! I'm so happy for them, and so happy to have a new sister-in-law who's so much fun :-) He's all grown up!