Boy - July has gone whizzing by!

This is the first month that I have less hours at work (9 daytime hours instead of 15 and no weekend nights)- it is wonderful and relaxing, but now I'm doing the same job in 9 hours that I used to do in 15. I have six more hours to get month end done... it might happen... :-) That is the part that is not wonderful and relaxing.

I'm still asking the family what they want for supper only now they say the same thing every day - French fries and moose burgers...

We settled on yam and black bean burritos. Schmidt has requested these vegan burritos *with* ground moose and without yams. Funny boy! Of course they are going to have yams. One cup of raw yams gives you almost half of your requirement of vitamin C and 6 grams of fibre.

I was at the grocery store today- well actually I was at the pharmacy, but it is at the grocery store- and noticing all the packaging. I was kind of sickened by the foil wrapping and lurid colours. I didn't think that would happen. It hasn't been that long since just about everything we bought came out of a package of some kind. Since gluten and dairy are in everything it makes shopping harder, but in a way it makes shopping easier.

We are committed to eating whole food and lower on the food chain. We are eating fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and wild meat. It is cheaper, healthier and we are only making about one large bag/ week of garbage.

I'm having the laziest summer EVER!

I only work until 10 am three days a week and get off at 7 am on Friday morning. I have weekends off for the summer. I have a nice chunk of time over the weekend where I can get some things done like cooking ahead or mending or laundry... NICE!

You would think that my house would be cleaner than it is ... anyway! :-)

Brown Bear is adjusting to new epilepsy meds and that always puts a wrinkle in the day. I hope that we can have a bit of a work party today.

We've been taking turns picking supper so it's been a variety and we are using up things out of the pantry. We plan to eat all the grains that are in there before we do another bulk order.

And the other thing we are thinking about is getting a worm bin. We can't compost outside so we are thinking about Red Wigglers- the composting worms. They aren't cheap, though, my friends! They are worms... just WORMS! =8-o

So that is my Monday- Laundry hanging on the rack, recycling going to the blue bins, cleaning my room and for supper- home made tortilla chips made from home made tortillas with beans, salsa and vegan sour cream. Yumm-o!

Dark insights into what makes Kim tick

We've suspended satellite for the summer. True confession- I love television... sometimes even reality television. No, really! I love watching Chef Ramsey yell at people. I've been a fan of his shows for many years.

It all started when I got a card in the mail for a hospital lottery prize- a shopping trip WITH Chef Ramsey then Chef Ramsey cooks supper for you and the 7 people that will *owe* you for the rest of your life. That was when my Inner Chef Ramsey woke up and began to regularly critique my cooking. Most of the time he likes my food and I get a fairly favourable grade. Last night, however, I made a glazed carrot thing.

They were okay. Everyone in the family agreed they were OKAY, tasty even. I just don't ever put anything on carrots. It came as a little bit of a shock, I'm sure, when they found carrots swimming in a sweet, ginger-chicken sauce. It's just that I bought 15 pounds of carrots for $4.47 so I had about 12 lbs extra...

Anyway- The Inner Chef said... "Hmmm...." thoughtfully formulating his words while he spit the food into a napkin. "It's just a little boring isn't it?! It's not very interesting! It reminds me of the 1980's" I tried to defend myself by pointing out that I had used the *perfect* amount of ginger.

He scoffs and asks, "Can't you do better? Have you given up? Have you GIVEN UP?"

I haven't given up... but I still have 2 unopened 5 lb bags of carrots... and no will to cook or eat anything orange. :-)

Just one more reason I love my kids...

This evening I overheard Schmidt's new swear words - tea and crumpets. I'm not making that up- he really said it. It was said with emphasis, though, so I asked him if he was swearing and he said yes. That is his new mid level swear.

You see... sometimes it's just TEA. The worst swear you can get is tea with SUGAR.... and crumpets!

For the most part, my kids are just really NICE kids. Of course I'm biased. I love them because I made them... ;-)

Canada Day #2

The boys stalled in front of this display... I don't know why. I tried to lure them away to see the albino moose, but no luck.

They had great fun check out the cap brass- hanging on the red felt, left side. Of course they were the most impressed with the Alberta regiments.

I have a lot more to say about this, too, but it's farmer's market day and I have to go talk to my favourite Hutterite about eggs.

Canada Day!

Both of the boys were flag bearers this year- great honour. Well, that, and it was windy so you had to be a certain size... so you didn't blow away. You know that story about Winnie the Pooh and they are flying Roo by his sweater? Yeah, anyway! I digress!

The highlight of the day was when a Japanese tourist asked to have her picture taken with the boys. What the heck. I figure if we went to Japan we'd want our pictures taken with a Samurai soldier, right? ;-P

For supper we are having fried chicken made with gluten free bread crumbs. This post would be longer, but it's ready and I'm hungry!