The Vinyl Cafe - LIVE!!

Four years ago, I wrote a post about how much I love listening to The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio. In that post, I mentioned that I'd never been lucky enough to see a live concert. Well, this past Sunday afternoon, I finally got to be in the audience for a live show here in Winnipeg!!

Before I tell you about the concert, let me tell you how I came to be there.

The Vinyl Cafe has a large and loyal fan base - not just on the radio but also on Facebook! Stuart McLean, the host and brilliant writer/humourist/storyteller along with producer Jess Milton make regular posts to the fan page. They fill us in on what Stuart is up to on the show, on the road or anything else they think we may be interested in knowing!

A few weeks ago, Stuart posted this message: "Okay ... Stuart here .... it's Tuesday night ... I feel like giving stuff away." Two hours and well over 400 posts later he had given away some books, CD's and tickets to upcoming concerts to a few lucky fans. Some people offered to trade things for free stuff and Stuart was happy to accept a number of new treasures! He promised to be back the next week for more fun!

The following Tuesday evening, he was there and had over 400 posts in a little over an hour! I commented that I’d been a longtime fan, but had never been able to afford tickets to a concert when he was in Winnipeg or a book. I offered to trade some of my homemade chocolates for tickets! I offered some “Peanut Butter Bars in Dark Chocolate”; “Truffles” (with a hint of cherry brandy) and my newest creation called “To Sin With Love” - a dark chocolate fudge, with dried cherries, orange zest and roasted almonds! I'd also add some of my "Double Chocolate and Roasted Almond Shortbread"!" A few minutes later, he posted; "HEY DN ... we are coming to Winnipeg in a couple of weeks. You can come as my guest. send me your email address." YES!!!

So, Sunday afternoon, one of my gal pals and I headed for the Concert Hall. We picked up our tickets and to be perfectly honest, I was a bit disappointed that our seats were in the front of the second balcony. Then again, they were free and I had neglected to add that I was legally blind when I had sent in my contact info. Oh well, I was still excited and thankful to be at a live show no matter where I sat! We made our way to the merchandise table so I could give Jess the chocolates for Stuart. Besides the promised goodies, I had also included a bag of my "Black Forrest Cookies"! I mentioned that I'd hoped to be a little closer to the stage as I wasn't sure how much I'd see from that far back. Jess offered to see if there was anything better available. A few minutes later she returned with tickets on the main floor - Row 13 center! Still a bit far for my eyes but WAY better than balcony! Thank you Jess! You are awesome!!

From the moment the lights dimmed at 2:30 and the hilarious, tongue twisting T's of the intro, to the final bows at about 5:15, the packed house was thoroughly entertained with stories, banter and music!

Stuart told three stories. The first was an old favourite - "The Waterslide". One of the new ones, involved Dave making a trip to a car wash with Mary Turlington's car! There were a couple of spots where some of us in the audience got a little ahead of him in the story as we anticipated what dilemma's Dave was getting himself into. But as usual, Stuart never disappoints in finding ways to keep us visualizing and laughing so hard there were tears in our eyes as we listened to Dave's latest adventure!

The second new story was from Dave's childhood and filled with drama! A few weeks ago, Stuart had posted this tease to the story: "In those days they would always set something on the ice out in front of the Breakwater Hotel. An old car, an outhouse. Maybe a tractor or some sort of rig. They would place it there on New year's day and then take bets on when it would go through the ice ..." Let's just say that this one had us all on the edge of our seats!

Before intermission, Stuart announced that he would attempt to do 7 stories in 11 minutes in the second half. He asked the audience to write down a VC story they'd like to hear and he would do an abbreviated version of whichever ones he pulled out of a bucket! John Sheard (masterful pianist) and Dennis Pendrith (stand up bass player extraordinaire) were at the ready to provide appropriate musical accompaniment to whatever the story was! Now, I don't know whether these guys have worked out a selection of songs ahead of time for the multitude of stories that could be requested or whether it is all off the cuff. I won't spoil the fun of what songs were played, but John and Dennis's choices were truly priceless!! It took a little over the attempted 11 minutes but no one was complaining as we were all enjoying the stories, background music and the banter between Stuart, John and Dennis!.

The special musical guest was the multitalented musician/singer/songwriter Harry Manx. His music is a perfectly seasoned blend of blues and folk with an infusion of the sounds of an instrument from India called a mohan veena. In truth, I am not a fan of the music of the East, however Harry has a way of bringing just enough of its influence into his music to touch the soul and keep me listening! I thoroughly enjoyed all of his pieces on Sunday! In particular: "Bring That Thing" and "Make Way For The Living". Harry did a couple of songs on his own but was also accompanied by John and Dennis for several selections. You can hear some of his music on his site, MySpace or YouTube. He has recorded 11 CD's since 2001 and any or all would be a welcome addition to any musical library!

As well as musical bridges between segments and backup for Harry, John Sheard also did a beautiful piece from his newest CD.

An audience participation section saw several young people on stage helping Stuart display CD's and books to be given away to lucky audience members - including the youngest (a 5 year old) and the oldest (a lady of 92!). The audience was a great representation of the wide appeal of this talented group of performers - and a very appreciative audience as well!

Though I didn't get the opportunity to meet Stuart, it was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Thank you Stuart, John, Dennis, Harry and everyone else involved with the Vinyl Cafe and this tour! Your enthusiasm, talent, interactions with each other and the audience speak volumes for your dedication to your art! It was a true pleasure to be a part of the audience!

To purchase books and CD's from The Vinyl Cafe, check out the Store page on the VC site or Zunior. Music from Harry Manx can be purchased through sites such as Amazon or ITunes. As Stuart likes to say - books and CD's can also be purchased at sensible book and music stores everywhere!

dn

4 Years, 400 Posts and counting!

Four years ago this week, I made my first post on this blog. Today, I am adding my 400th post!

Looking back, I'm not sure I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew there was a lot of things that I wanted to write about and to share, but I didn't realize how much I would also learn while doing the blog!

It took me a while to get the hang of blogging. It took time for me to figure out how to use some of the blogger tools and shortcuts like learning how to do hyperlinks, add photos, spacing, etc. The spell check feature in Blogger is somewhat limited and I often found myself having to double check words through other sources. It was also a US English so didn't recognize the unique addition of the letter "u" after "o" in so many of our Canadian words such as favourite and colour. I finally realized that it was easier to compose my posts within Word and then copy them into Blogger draft and ignore the spell check within Blogger.

For the record, I am still a lousy speller - always have been and always will be. Same goes for typing! Even after 5 1/2 years of using a PC, I still can't type without looking at the keys on a regular basis. Okay, there are times that I do get on a bit of a roll and actually type a sentence or two without looking but that doesn't happen too often! Some things never change!

Every blogger has their own way of doing things. Granted all blogs are not created equal. They each have their own merits and audiences. Mine didn't have a set target audience. My tastes are too eclectic to narrow my posts to a category or two.

I've always tried to keep it real and honest by writing about the things that interest me. It may be music, humour or people that I admire or have been lucky enough to meet. It may be about a product I've found or a subject I have an opinion on. I've shared many of my life experiences - the good, the bad, the difficult and the happy experiences.

I've shared my attempts at photography in several posts and also through slideshows that are on YouTube. The pics aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagine, but hey - for a legally blind broad, they ain't half bad!! My slideshows can be viewed by clicking on the "Video's by dnsyl57" pic on the right hand side of this page or here.

More than anything, I've shared my love of food and the recipes that I've created. I'm no gourmet or food junky but I do enjoy cooking and baking up new experiments in cuisine! There are more than 70 recipes in "dn's Recipe Box" on the right side of the page. All of the recipes are my own variations and creations. They are divided into categories and hyperlinked for quick access. Hopefully, you've found at least one or two to tempt your taste buds!

You may have noticed that there is more than a couple that include chocolate!! Well, what can I say? I LOVE my chocolate! BTW, in the coming months, I'll be adding a decadently sinful chocolate dessert that I created after eating out at a local restaurant back in November!

Four hundred posts in four years is a lot actually. I wrote one a day for the first fifty days in honour of turning 50. Then slowed it down a tad to every second or third day. Later I switched to once a week. Now, at 400, I'm going to slow it down a bit more. I'll post when I have something that I want to say or share - hopefully a couple of times per month.

It's not that I've run out of things to say - far from it! It's just that there are other things that I also want to do besides write. I want to learn to use some of the software programs I have on my PC. I want to do more reading - books that is. There are recipes to try, walks to take, friends to spend time with and a life to live away from the PC!

Over the last four years, I've had tens of thousands of hits to various posts! I've had hits from well over 150 countries! To all of you who have somehow found your way to my little blog - thank you! I hope you found something you liked - that made you smile, think or tempted your taste buds! Please come back again - and invite a few friends! All are welcome!

What else is coming up? Well, I know there will be lots more recipes, stories, experiences and opinions! So, please stop by anytime - 'cause you never know what I might post next!!

dn

The Winter Coat

As far back as I can remember, I’ve hated shopping for clothes! Yes, I know that to many, that would make me a disgrace to my gender, but here’s the deal. My arms and legs are about an inch longer than the average female. That makes finding things that fit a challenge! The average pants barely reach the top of my ankles. Sleeves rarely even reach my wrist.

The last time I bought a winter coat was about 8 or 9 years ago. I went to at least fifteen stores and tried on at least fifty – yes fifty - coats before I found one that was long enough in the sleeves, that also fit well elsewhere and was going to be warm enough for a Winterpeg winter!

The last couple of years, that wonderful coat was beginning to lack in warmth. It had done its job well over the years, but definitely needed to be replaced by something warmer. Either that or I move to a warmer climate. As appealing as that may be, it wasn’t realistic. I knew that the inevitable coat hunting would begin again this past fall.

So, in mid October I finally got up the courage to hit the stores! This time however, I hoped things would be different. This time I would START with the store where I’d found the last one - Mountain Equipment Co-op!

I explained to the staff person that I needed something that would keep me warm while walking outdoors or standing at bus stops in -40C but that would also be long enough in the sleeve to keep my Amazon arms warm. I also told him the short version of the last coat hunt.

He handed me a down filled coat. I liked the style, but needed a size larger. When I tried on the larger size, it fit perfectly! Even the sleeves were long enough! I stood there in disbelief. Was it really possible that I’d found THE coat on the first try? It seemed too good to be true, but I bought the coat and also wondered how I would turn this abbreviated hunt into a full blog post!

When I got home, I went to the MEC website to check out the coat. Lo and behold, the ratings weren’t great for the seemingly perfect coat. Several reviews, stated that the insulation around the seam of the arm/shoulder was severely lacking. Oh dear. Then again, most had not stated what activity they were doing when they noticed the chill. I’d have to wait and see.

The weather stayed fairly warm through the rest of October and well into November so it was over a month before it was finally cold enough to give the coat a try. The first day I wore it, it was about -15C. I felt the chill, but wondered if I was also projecting the chill due to the reviews I’d read. I wore the coat 3 or 4 more times over the next few weeks, but sadly, the reviews had been correct. As time went on, the arms got colder. The last day I wore it was December 15. It was -11C with a wind chill of about -21C. A rather balmy winter day in Winnipeg, but my arms were freezing! I might as well have been wearing a spring jacket! I was not amused – or happy!

On Monday, December 19 – two months after the purchase, I took the coat back to MEC. As it happened, the same staff person who had helped me find the coat was at the checkout when I went in. He asked how the new coat was working out. I told him my tale of chilly woe. He assured me they would take it back and exchange it for something else or give a full refund if I couldn’t find anything else. He took the coat and had another staff person take me to the coats to find something else.

I tried on a 3 in 1 jacket that would have been okay, but they would have to order in my size and it was almost $100 more than the one I was returning. I then tried on a Frostbreaker Parka. It was a lighter weight jacket but also $125 cheaper than the one I was returning. With the money I’d save, I could buy a really good quality hoodie to wear underneath it (or any other jacket) for layering and therefore better warmth. I tried on several hoodies and settled on a Women’s B-Line in XL.

Of course, there was a hitch to this plan. They didn’t have the women’s XL Frostbreaker in stock! The main distribution centre was also out of stock, but there were a couple of other stores in Eastern Canada that did have an XL. They could order it in, but it would take 2-3 weeks (over the holidays). If the weather stayed warm that would be okay but what if it got cold before it arrived? What if it didn’t fit as well as I hoped? Then what would I do for a coat? What to do!?!

The, oh so helpful, staff person suggested that I get a men’s medium in the meantime and then just exchange it when the women’s XL came in. I can do that, I asked? Yup, I could return the original coat from October that day, then get the men’s style (identical except for the material covering the zipper on the opposite side) and use it until the one I wanted arrived.

WOW, I knew that MEC had great return policies and service but hadn’t realized it was that great! Almost nobody lets you return something that long after the fact – without a major hassle or an additional charge of some kind! Then again, I shouldn’t have been that surprised. When I’d been there in October, I mentioned that one of the strap closures on my backpack (purchased at MEC in late 2002) was broken. They offered to fix it and only charged me for the replacement piece – less than a dollar. It only took a couple of minutes for the guy to fix it!

So, I bought the hoodie and the men’s jacket. It wasn’t that cold over the next couple weeks, but I did wear it without the hoodie and only a lightweight long sleeve sweater underneath. It was more than warm enough. The online reviews were also good.

I picked up the women’s XL Frostbreaker on Tuesday, January 10. I also exchanged the women’s XL B-Line hoodie for a men’s L B-Line as I felt the women’s size would be a bit too snug under any of my bulkier sweaters. The men’s large would give me more flexibility in what to wear.

The exchange went smoothly – and was just in time for the onset of our real winter weather! It has only been a few weeks, but so far so good! I have worn the coat with the hoodie in -30C with a wind-chill near -40C and been quite comfortable! Granted, I was only out in the elements about 10-15 minutes at a time but I was not freezing!

I still don’t like shopping for clothes and I’m no big fan of winter either but at least I won’t be freezing when I do have to face the elements!!

dn

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

Well, it is mid January and winter has made a fashionably late arrival in this prairie burg.

For many of us, that means it’s time to hibernate and enjoy some time reading, watching TV, crafts – not to mention some cooking and baking! That often means comfort foods, but comfort foods can also get switched up with some wonderful flavours!

January generally means some great deals on citrus! In the past, I’ve posted a few recipes that include lemons or oranges: Orange Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies; dn's Lemon Chocolate Chip Muffins; Citrus Baked Salmon and Veggies.

Today, I’m going to share my Orange Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for years. I honestly don’t recall where I got the original one from, though there are some similarities to the Orange Bran Muffins on page 28 of Company’s Coming Muffins and More by Jean Paré. But, like all my other recipes, I’ve tweaked this recipe over the years to make it mine!


Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup oat bran
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
grated orange rind of 2 oranges
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
Juice of 2 oranges and sour milk to make a total of 1 3/4 cups.*

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in the grated orange rind and the chocolate chips.

Combine wet ingredients.

Mix the two just to combine.

Divide batter into 24-28 paper lined muffin cups.

Bake 18 -20 minutes at preheated 375F oven or until toothpick test shows they are done. Cool on wire rack.

These are great warm or you can freeze them and thaw as needed. Just loosen the paper liner and heat in a microwave for about 10-12 seconds on high before serving.

*Note: Once I have juiced the oranges, I generally have about 3/4 to 1 cup of juice. I then add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and then top it off with enough 1% milk to make the 1 3/4 cups required. I let it stand for a few minutes before adding to the other wet ingredients.

Enjoy!

dn

Holiday Wishes

Another Christmas is here. Christians around the world are celebrating the birth of the Holy Child.

This is supposed to be a day to spend with family and friends. To share fellowship, food and gifts. A day of peace, love and goodwill towards all.

For many, this is a day tinged with sadness, anxiety and stress.

Too many people in this world, have little to celebrate. Economies are in trouble in many parts of the world. Financial problems have led many to abandon their homes. Wars and civil unrest have torn lives, and countries apart. Extreme weather and natural disasters in the forms of hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, floods and more have also taken human, emotional and financial toll.

Then there are those who have been dealing with illness or the loss of a loved one.

The thought of facing another Christmas is overwhelming for all too many. We want to crawl back under the covers and stay there till things look brighter – whenever that may be.

Some do just that – but the majority of us find a way to move on and celebrate even the smallest things in our lives.

Some decorate their homes to the hilt. Some just put a couple of ornaments out.

Some will prepare or sit down to a bountiful meal. Some will heat a frozen dinner or get take-out.

Many will choose to gather with others and some – either by choice or circumstance – will spend the day alone.

Some will go to a place or worship while others will say a quiet prayer of gratitude.

No matter what others may say, there are no set rules for how we spend this day.

We try to find a balance of what is right for ourselves while respecting the rights of others in our lives. Not an easy accomplishment on any day but even more so on this day of days.

We are thankful for the food on our plate. The shelter around us. The people around us who really do give a damn about us.

We are thankful for the times past that were shared with those who have left this world.

We cherish past holiday memories and traditions while creating new memories and traditions.

No matter how you and those around you spend the day, may if be a day of peace and love. May it be warm and safe. May there be food on your plate and goodwill in your heart. May the coming year bring you love, peace, health and prosperity!

Merry Humbug,
dn

John Lennon – War Is Over (Happy Christmas)
So this is Xmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Xmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy Xmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now


Michael Bublé - Grown Up Christmas List
Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies
Well, I'm all grown-up now
Can you still help somehow?
I'm not a child, but my start still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself, but for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in that blind belief can we ever find the truth

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal our hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end

This is my grown-up Christmas list
This is my only lifelong wish
This is my grown-up Christmas list



PS – I am taking a bit of a break over the next couple of weeks, but I will be back sometime in January, 2012 with new posts.

Soulful Chicken

Looking for a recipe to use up some leftover turkey? Or how about a great dish for a cool winter’s night? Have I got a recipe for you!

This recipe is a bit of a cross between a “Chicken A La King” and a Shepherd’s Pie”. It has a kicked up potato crust and a creamy filling loaded with veggies and chicken!

I found the original recipe “Hearty Chicken Bake” is from a 1992 cookbook called “101+ Hurry-Up Chicken Recipes”.

The original was good, but like every other recipe, I’ve played with the ingredients and method to make it my own.

What did I do differently?

To me, the sauce was always a bit too bland and runny so I decreased the amount of milk and added a bit of ranch dressing to kick up the flavour. Rather than using mixed frozen vegetables, I used frozen corn and frozen peas – but also sautéed onion, red pepper, garlic and carrots.

I baked the potato crust for a few minutes while I was preparing the veggies and making the filling. That way, the crust has a bit more stability and flavour.

As for the chicken, well there are a couple of things you can do differently. I’ve used leftover chicken or turkey and sautéed it with the vegetables to give a bit more flavour. If I didn’t have any leftover poultry, I used 1/2 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast. See the * at the bottom of the recipe.

Soulful Chicken


1 cup frozen kernel corn
1 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup frozen cut green beans
4 medium potatoes (about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 pounds)
1 79g/2.8oz can French fried onions, divided
1 1/4 cup grated medium cheddar cheese, divided
4 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
Olive oil for sautéing (about 1-2 Tablespoons)
1/4 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
3/4 cup diced carrots (fresh – not frozen or canned!)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (bottled type) or 3 cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey*
1 284ml/10oz can mushroom soup
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Place the frozen corn, peas and beans in a colander and rinse with warm water till thawed. Set aside to drain thoroughly.

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Cook till tender and drain. Mash the potatoes. Crumble 1/2 of the fried onions and add to the potatoes along with 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and 2 Tablespoons of Ranch Dressing.

Spoon the potatoes into a well greased 2 quart oven dish. With the back of a spoon, spread the potatoes evenly along the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake in a 350F oven for about 15-20 minutes.

While the potato crust is baking, sauté the onions, red pepper and carrots in olive oil. Once they are starting to brown, add the garlic and the cooked chicken*. Sauté for a couple of minutes then add the thawed veggies, mushroom soup, ranch dressing, milk, mustard powder and pepper. Stir to combine and let it heat through on a medium low setting. Stir occasionally.

Remove the potato crust from the oven and add the creamy chicken and veggie mixture to the center of the crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Top with the remaining cheese and fried onions. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and onions are starting to brown.


Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. (Do not expect the servings to lift out intact as a pie would. The potato crust is not that solid and does break as you take it out.)

Serves 4-6

*If you do not have left over chicken or turkey, take about 1/2 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast and dice into small pieces. Brown the chicken in the olive oil and remove to a paper towel on a plate. Then sauté the veggies in the drippings. Add the garlic on its own, then add the freshly cooked chicken with the veggies, soup and spices.

Note: If you have individual oven proof serving dishes, you could divide the potatoes among each of them and proceed as above – also dividing the creamy mixture, the cheese and onion toppings. Heating time will be less in this case but since the ingredients are all cooked, you are basically waiting till everything is heated thoroughly.

Enjoy!

dn

The Holiday Waist

Have you looked at a grocery store flyer lately?

Noticed anything different?

An observant and health conscious shopper would have noticed that the usual fare is all but missing.

Oh sure, some of the basic produce, meat, dairy and grains are still there – just not as many of them. The versions that are there also tend to be more of the fancy variety or better cuts though.

Staple items have been replaced by the “must have” seasonal treats and delicacies. The fancy cheeses, gourmet meats and specialty baked items. Countless variations on appetizers, side dishes, desserts, flavoured beverages, snack foods and treats have filled the flyers and the aisles of our favourite stores.

The advertisers and manufacturers want us to buy their premade products rather than waste time making them ourselves. Who cares what it is made of or how many calories it has! This is already made! Why not pay us your hard earned money because we are saving you all that prep time!

Yes, I’m sure they have our best interests at heart – NOT!

We want to entertain and be entertained at this time of year. We try and crowd it all into a few weeks. To do that, it often means shortcuts of convenience and pre-packaged foods from the bakeries, delis and other specialty food shops to serve to the guests.

Just what we need – more artificial foods laden with hidden calories, sodium, saturated fats and other unwanted additives.

Waistlines get thicker and wallets get thinner in the name of socializing and being a good friend/family member or host.

‘Tis the season to indulge! We can diet in January!

Yeah, right. January rolls around and many people roll over on the couch, too tired from the holidays to get up and exercise or shop for healthy food. Oh, they may have good intentions and may even show up at the gym for a week or two, but far too many don’t have the will power to stick to it.

For that reason, we need to be very aware of what we do now. Think about what is being served at all those holiday functions.

Now, I’m not trying to be a party pooper, nor am I suggesting that you can’t have an occasional treat. Almost anything in moderation. There is nothing wrong with having a wee taste of almost anything. The problem is that most of us have trouble stopping at just one of those holiday favourites!

Before you put any of those seasonal fave's and treats on your plate or in your glass, ask yourself if the extra calories, sodium and lack of nutrition are really worth the temporary taste sensation.

Make a deal with yourself that you can’t have the less healthy options until after you’ve had two or more healthy options. Odds are, that you won’t be as hungry after the healthy foods and may even say no to those lesser options!

Here are a few more suggestions:
- Try and pick a healthier choice.
- Fill up on the raw veggies, whole grains and fresh fruit.
- Avoid the processed foods and creamy sauces.
- Limit your alcoholic beverages.
- Position yourself as far from the buffet table or other food trays as possible. It really does help to avoid grazing.
- Some people also find that if they drink extra water and have a small healthy snack before going to a holiday gathering then they are far less apt to overeat while they are out.

Oh, one more thing – PLEASE don’t drink and drive! If any of your guests have too much to drink, please make sure that they have a safe ride home or allow them to sleep it off at your home. If you want to drink while you are out, have a designated driver or pre-order a cab to drive you home. Many communities have programs that you can call to get a ride home. Here in Manitoba, we have Operation Red Nose. Teams of volunteer drivers, will drive you and your vehicle home. The service is free but donations are greatly accepted and money raised goes to local charities.

I know there is more stuff on your calendar than you probably want, but whatever you do - DON’T stop your workouts! With all the extra calories you are most likely taking in this month, your body needs that physical activity on a regular basis. Yes, I know that fitting a workout into a crowded schedule isn’t easy, but trust me – your body and your mind will appreciate the effort! Quitting or even cutting back on those regular workouts, will make it a whole lot harder to get back into the routine once the holidays are over.

Speaking of your mind. It is pretty easy to get overwhelmed this time of year. Either with schedules, responsibilities or family dynamics. You can’t escape all of it but try and set aside at least 10 minutes a day just for yourself – more if you can. Clear your mind of the past few hours and set aside the coming hours. Do something that relaxes and clears your mind. It could be meditation, yoga, a walk, playing your favourite music – whatever works for you. It will rejuvenate you. Taking that time will help you to de-stress and face whatever is coming up.

My mom always joked that had she known that Christmas was coming she’d have been ready. Well we do know it is coming. It is the same day every year. If you really wanted to take off some of the stress of the season there are things you can do.

Why not try spreading the socializing out more? There is no law or rule that says you HAVE to see everyone within a couple of weeks of Christmas or even in the month of December. There tends to be at least one friend that I end up getting together with in late November. Almost every year there are at least a couple of people that I don’t get to see until sometime in January as schedules are just too busy. Those visits are always more relaxed as the pressure of the season either hasn’t really started yet or is already over.

Whatever your holiday season brings, I hope you find the will power to resist the majority of those over processed, calorie laden, nutritionally challenged treats. I hope that the stress of the season is greatly overshadowed by the love, peace and goodwill that this season is supposed to bring.

Merry Humbug,
dn

The Materialistic Season

December is always a busy time. There is Christmas and Hanukah as well as other seasonal celebrations. A season that is supposed to be about peace, goodwill and spending time with the people we care about.

Somewhere along the line, that peace and goodwill has all too often been replaced by materialism, over spending and over scheduling.

Once upon a time, Christmas used to be about spending time with the people who were most important to us. Sure we’d get small presents but they didn’t cost a lot. Certainly not enough to put consumers in debt for the next few months.

There would be one gift from Santa for each of the kids. A stocking with some peanuts, a mandarin orange, a candy cane and maybe some socks or a small toy. Parents would also give each child a gift. Depending on the income of a family, kids may or may not exchange gifts. The kids usually made something in school for the parents. With or without religious beliefs, it was more about spending time together than exchanging gifts.

Some families have tried very hard to stick to those goals. I know of a few families, where Santa leaves a stocking full of necessities such as new toothbrushes, combs, deodorant, socks etc. Yes, the kids also get an orange and a bit of candy but it isn’t excessive.

Merchants and manufacturers want us to believe that giving more is better. Their message is to buy, buy, buy! They want us to believe that the value of the gift is directly equal to how you feel about the other person. The more you spend the more you care.

Stores and advertisements are filled with the supposed “must haves” of the season. The things that they feel the customers never knew they always wanted and needed. They push their merchandise at unwitting shoppers, desperate to find the perfect gift. Our homes fill up with things we didn’t need, didn’t want or can’t use.

It’s hard to resist many of those sales pitches when it is all presented in a neat little ad or a 30 second pitch. People have gradually been conditioned to expect big and expensive gifts. You are made to feel like a cheapskate or you don’t really care if you don’t buy the expensive (fill in the blank) item that everyone wants!!

I’ve never bought that logic. My friends and family are in my life because we care about each other and love each other – not how much we spend on each other’s gifts. I refuse to measure a friends worth by how much they spend on me. I’d rather have something from a dollar store that was given with love than something that cost a lot of money and given out of obligation.

Many years ago, when one of my nieces was about 6 or 7, she gave me a plain white note pad for Christmas. Nothing fancy – just one of the ones you’d write a letter on. I asked her what made her decide to give me a note pad. She said that since I was always making lists on scrap paper, she figured this would be something I’d like! It was the best gift I got that year!

If consumers were to be perfectly honest, does anyone really NEED multi hundred dollar gifts such as shoes, purses, shirts/blouses, sweaters or jewellery? $50 pens or paperweights?

You can find lots of great deals at second hand shops, craft sales and discount retailers. I’m not talking kitsch either. There are gently used books, music, movies, clothes, toys, jewellery and any number of other items to be found in nearly new shops.

Consumers work extra hours to pay for the extra gifts and the extra entertaining of the obligatory gatherings. The extra hours mean less time with the people we want to be with so we compensate with bigger gifts we can’t afford. It’s a vicious circle.

Some recent surveys have shown that the average consumer here in Manitoba will spend close to $700 on gifts this holiday season. That isn’t counting the extra foods and decorations they may also buy!

In many ways I am lucky. I can’t afford to spend a lot on gifts but what I do spend goes a long way. Most of my Christmas gifts are my homemade chocolates and baking. This year I spent about $130 on supplies – including packaging. From that, I made up 37 gift bags and 3 trays in varying sizes. I donated 2 gift bags to a friend to auction as part of a fundraiser for “Movember” – a cause that has guys growing a moustache for the month of November to help raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research. The remaining will go to family, friends and the wonderful people who make my life easier throughout the year.

I spent about $125 on nine other gifts. Several of those were Christmas ornaments for the children in my life – the grandnieces and grandnephew and kids of friends. From the year they are born till they leave home they get a Christmas ornament every year (usually something handmade that I pick up at a craft sale in November). By the time they leave home, they have enough ornaments to decorate a small tree. They look forward to seeing what I get them every year and I love it because I don’t have to know what they have on their wish lists or the sizes they wear or what they already have.

Wish lists - done within reason - are a great way to make the shopping easier. Mine is generally quite detailed and even includes price estimates for many of the items. The most expensive item on it this year was about $60 but most were in the $5-$15 range.

Not everyone has the time or ability to bake or make their own gifts but that doesn’t mean that you have to spend a lot at this time of year either.

Spend what you can afford without putting yourself in debt. If you are lucky enough to have the extra money to spend, please consider a donation to your local food bank, a homeless shelter, a coats for kids program or a toy drive. Pay it forward - you never know what the future holds. Somewhere down the road you or someone you love may need that helping hand. Even a small donation can warm a lot of hearts.

Give from the heart – not the pocketbook. It isn’t about the cost. It really is the thought that counts.

Yes, that is a bit of a cliché but your real friends will understand and appreciate whatever you give them. And in the end, isn’t that what the season is all about? Goodwill, peace and spending time with the people who matter to us.

dn

The Big Game

If you live in Canada, no doubt you’ve heard there is a football game today. The Canadian Football League (CFL) is having their season ending game to see who wins the Grey Cup.

This year the fans are flocking to Vancouver for the 99th Annual Grey Cup.

Host cities have huge parties to celebrate the league and the two teams that made it to the end. Festivities began on Thursday with concerts, parties, parades and a whole lot of other fun fan events. Fans from across the country head out for both the game and the parties to cheer for their favourite teams and just to have a lot of fun with like minded people.


This year’s game features the Vancouver’s B.C. Lions and our very own Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Bomber fans are planning parties and several hundred have made arrangements to be in Vancouver for the game and festivities in the days leading up to the big showdown.

Football fans tend to be a fanatic lot. Especially here in Winnipeg. In the summer they’ll sit in blistering heat or pouring rain to watch the team play and IF the team makes it to the playoffs, they’ll sit in freezing cold weather! Some years, they’ve sat there in falling snow just to see the home team play. This past Sunday, the Bombers game was played in -10C to -14C weather.

Let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of sports where the teams can play in such extremes and still have thousands of fans brave the elements in shorts and T-shirts or snowmobile suits and sleeping bags.

I’ll be honest here, I am not a football fan. I’ve never actually watched a full game although I have caught bits and pieces of games over the years on TV. Many years ago, a friend tried to explain the game to me but he might as well have been speaking a foreign language.

I just don’t get it. Guys in skin tight pants and bulky upper body armour racing up and down a field chasing an oval shaped ball. They kick it, throw it and tackle other players to get it to their end of the field to score more points.
The uniforms are absurd looking but the tackle part really gets me. I’ve never been a fan of any sport where any violence is involved. Okay, I know that all that extra armour like padding and the helmets help prevent some injuries but it just looks ridiculous to me.

Then there are the cheerleaders. Lovely young ladies in skimpy outfits that lead the fans in cheers during the countless breaks in the games. For some fans, watching the cheerleaders do their thing is almost as exciting as the game itself. Mascots, Buzz and Boomer have been entertaining the fans and helping to cheer on the team for over 25 years. Depending on how the favourite team is doing, sometimes the girls and the mascots are better than the game.
Halftime is almost as important as the game in some circles. When it comes to playoff time, the entertainment at half time can draw in even more fans.

I know there are four quarters and something about downs and passes. The Canadian game is also different than the way it is played in the USA which just helps to muddle the game play even more. No matter where it is played, it just confuses the heck out of me.

One of the things about televised games – especially US ones - that really annoys me is that networks tend to allow about three hours for a game. Now you’d think that would make some sort of sense when you consider the four 20 minute quarters plus a half time break. But, what they don’t seem to fully factor in is all the start and stop time. The game is constantly starting and stopping – every few seconds it seems. Therefore, a scheduled three hour broadcast can take four or more hours sometimes.

Granted, that extra time really shouldn’t bother me and for the most part it doesn’t. Except when a longer game delays the beginning of the shows following the football game. US networks tend to air a lot of football – particularly on a Sunday. Primetime Sunday night is often delayed for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. PVR’s and DVR’s don’t know the game is running overtime. So, if you aren’t around to watch your shows live, you either set it to record an extra hour which wastes a lot of space or you miss part of what you wanted to see.

It’s been 21 years since the Blue and Gold won a Grey Cup so the fans are really chomping at the bit for their beloved Bombers to win today. For the sake of the fans, I hope the Bombers do bring the Cup back to Winnipeg. It’s been a long road to get to this point.

Will I be watching?

Well, let’s see here. You’ve got: men in skin tight pants and tons of padding; cheerleaders in skimpy outfits; a representative or two from each team dressed in a mascot costume; musicians in half time; gratuitous violence in effort to score points; thousands of screaming diehard fans dressed in the their teams home colours. Thousands in the Vancouver stadium watching live while tens of thousands will be gathered in living rooms and public viewing venues across the country. There will be tail gate parties before and numerous snacking and “beverage” drinking during and even after the game.

To some people that description may sound like the perfect way to spend a day, but sorry Winnipeg fans - this gal will not be watching. I’ll wait and catch the ad nauseam rehashing in the news on Monday.

Oh, one more thing ... Go Bombers!

dn

Attention Shoppers!

So, have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Five weeks from today is Christmas. Yup, it is THAT soon! Malls and stores are getting crowded.

People tend to get cranky while holiday shopping. It’s hard to manoeuvre in crowds. Line-ups are long. Stock can run out early. Customers aren’t happy and neither are the staff that has to deal with it all. Civility often gets left out in the cold.

Personally, I avoid malls like the plague around the holiday season. I don’t even like going to any stores when there is a crowd. Most of my gifts are homemade baking and I buy my supplies a couple months in advance. I pick up other gifts throughout the year and finish it off at the Christmas Craft Sale at the Winnipeg Convention Centre in mid to late November, so my holiday shopping is done.

Last year, however, I had a crowded store experience that I’d like to tell you about. A new Zeller’s (similar to Target) had opened in downtown Winnipeg in early December. I avoided going the first couple of days, as I knew the place would be insane. I only decided to go when I did, because there was some items on sale in the produce section that I needed. The store was quite busy when I got there but I spent some time wandering around, checking out various items before picking up my produce and heading for the checkout about 12:10.

There were at least 6 checkouts open but there were also at least 20 people in each line! As we waited, we heard that the reason for the delay, was that the new cash registers weren’t scanning grocery items properly so things had to be entered via a code entered from a print list. The cashiers were working as fast as they could but it sure didn’t stop people from complaining!

I heard many people griping about waiting in line on their lunch hour and being late to get back to work. They didn’t see why they should have to wait when they were on the clock. The woman behind me grumbled loudly several times about how angry her boss would be when she was late.

I suppose I could have let her in front of me – and I probably would have had she explained and asked politely, but I wasn’t feeling well. I was just starting to get past a really nasty cold. I was exhausted and wanted to go home, but I needed the fresh produce. Almost every person in front of me, also had grocery items in their baskets so letting the whiny one in front of me wouldn’t have saved her more than a couple of minutes. It took almost 40 minutes to get through the checkout.

When I got to the cashier I greeted her with a smile and said I was sorry that so many people were being rude when the staff were doing the best they could with the equipment they had. She smiled and thanked me for understanding.

Later, I shared a bit of a rant with some of my friends.

Attention Shoppers - If you work and want to shop on your lunch hour that is fine BUT if you go to a new store during the first week of the opening or shop during the holiday rush then you get to stand in line with everyone else and risk getting back to work late. You knew the place would be a zoo but you came anyway. So stop complaining and suck it up or all you will be getting is coal in your stocking!!

None of us WANT to stand in line for 20-40 minutes but we live in a society that loves to get a deal. Getting a deal can often result in line-ups - if you can't afford the extra time on your breaks then shop somewhere else or at a different time of day. The world DOES NOT revolve around your schedule! Stop bitching/whining about how long you've been there and how angry your boss is going to be when you are late. Unless you are using a cane or a walker you aren't getting in front of me!

Downtown workers "expecting" to be allowed to go ahead of seniors or other shoppers just because they were on the clock! Get real people! You can wait like everyone else!

Oh, and don't take it out on the cashiers either! They are doing the best they can as fast as they can! It isn't there fault the items aren't scanning properly! A kind word or a simple thank you can go a long way to make the day a little easier for the staff and the other shoppers.

The amount and tone of grumbling I heard was just uncalled for. Why can't people be thankful that we live in a society with so much opportunity and choice to get the things they want or need? It is so sad that people can't be more appreciative of things - even to stand in a line-up to pay for something on sale!

A friend added this: ”If people are rushed because of their own schedule or lack of organization, they shouldn't take it out on the sales staff who are likely working their butts off already with the holiday season - or on the other customers. If someone is trying to shop on her lunch hour, and is somehow surprised to find a line-up at this time of year, she should realize how fortunate she is to have the good health and finances to be doing so....this is supposed to be a season of peace and goodwill and it's too over-populated with pushy, demanding, materialistic people expecting the world to revolve around themselves.” EXACTLY!

So here is the deal folks. It’s only five weeks till Christmas. Stores are getting crowded and lines are getting long. You don’t know what kind of day the staff have had and they don’t know what your day has been like. Patience, civility, a smile and a thank you can go a long way. Be thankful that you have the opportunity to make the shopping choices you do. So many people in this world don’t have even a fraction of what you have.

Okay, rant is over. I sincerely hope holiday shopping is an enjoyable experience for you and the staff.

dn

Getting Ready For Winter

October was a weird month. It started out warmer than normal and only a few days were below normal. We had two thunderstorms. The first one had only a couple of mild thunder boomers and several streaks of lightening with only a bit of rain. The second one was a bit more intense and lasted a good half hour. Lots of lightening and precipitation that was somewhere between rain, hail and ice pellets. October thunder storms aren’t unheard of in these parts, they just aren’t the norm. Usually an October storm brings snow. Sometimes that snow stays all winter.

For the most part, the trees are bare and the leaves have been raked. Most people have finished up the last of the yard work and have their winter cleanup gear ready to go. The Halloween decorations are down and many have already started to put up outdoor Christmas lights and displays.

I’ve spent a good part of the last month or so getting ready for that inevitable arrival of snow and the, oh so fun, challenges of navigating city streets and sidewalks.

In mid October, a gal pal and I headed to Costco to pick up many of my pantry and non perishable supplies. I’ve been to Morden’s to pick up my chocolate for the Christmas baking. I’ve been to a couple other stores to do more of my winter “squirreling” so that my cupboards will be full for the coming months. The summer clothes have been moved to the back of the closet and the winter coats have replaced the lighter weight coats in the closet by the door. I bought new boots at the start of last winter and I bought a new winter coat this year. (There is a story in that coat but I’ll save it for when winter really gets going.)

It’s not that I want to do all that prep work for the changing seasons. Maybe I’ve taken it to a bit of an extreme, but for those of us with mobility issues or that don’t own a vehicle, it is just easier to get as much of the bulky, heavy or awkward stuff done before the snow flies.

On October 11, the Winnipeg Free Press published an article that had weather forecasters predicting an early and cold winter for us. Supposedly temps will be about 2 degrees cooler than normal with the coldest being in December and January. Most of our snow should be in January and February.

Um, pardon me but how exactly is that different than any other winter in Manitoba? Most years, it is cold by December and even colder in the early new year. Of course, we are going to get some snow accumulations in those months! Okay, that can vary but even I could have predicted that forecast!

On the plus side, they goofed about snow in October here. They predicted that we would have an accumulation of snow BEFORE Halloween! Well, thankfully they were wrong on that count – and hopefully they will be wrong on how cold it will be also.
As advanced as weather forecasting has become, it is still an educated guess. Accuracy can go out the window in a heartbeat. Frankly, I think they could just write the various predictions on a paper and throw them all in a hat. Might be just as accurate!

On October 29, much of the north-eastern US got hit by an early and very nasty winter storm. The leaves were still green on some trees and the weight of the snow, caused limbs to break and trees to fall on buildings, vehicles and power lines. Tens of thousands were without power for several days. In some areas, Halloween trick-or-treating was even postponed for several days so that crews could clean streets and remove fallen trees.

We, here in Winnipeg can understand how hard it is to cope with those early and unexpected dumping of white stuff. We’ve learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to weather. Driver’s carry winter survival kits in their vehicles along with shovels, scrapers and any number of other items they may need along the way. We’ve learned to take winter with a grain – make that a bag of salt to melt the ice. Many a relationship has been started over talk of the weather. And yes, it is a dry cold!

We are almost half way through November now and at least here in Winnipeg, we really haven’t seen much snow yet. Okay, there was that one morning in mid October that there was a light skiff of white stuff on the ground but it melted in a couple of hours so that doesn’t really count. Oh yeah, we had an inch of snow late last Sunday into Monday (November 6/7) but quite a bit of that has melted. The only real snow on the ground here in the city is the stuff on the north side of buildings or grassy areas that don’t get much direct sunlight. Only a few flakes here and there otherwise.

As far as I’m concerned, the cold snowy winter weather could hold off indefinitely but apparently Mother Nature isn’t interested in my winter wishes. Oh well, I guess I’m more or less ready – just don’t ask me to like it.

Back in the early 1970’s, a man by the name of Alden Diehl was working as the GM of CKY-TV and CITI-FM here. He penned a winter anthem for Winnipeg that was nominated for a JUNO. Almost forty years later, it still stands the test of time for anyone who has lived through a Manitoba winter. No matter what the winter weather may bring, at some point this winter we will be living this song!


dn

An Extra Hour

Overnight, we added an extra hour as we rolled back the clocks. Well, actually we just regained the hour we lost when we turned the clocks forward last spring.

Every year we play this gain an hour/lose an hour game so it isn’t like we actually “create” an extra hour. As much as we’d often love to add a few hours to the clock we can’t.

The actual change takes place at 2AM local time so most of us are likely asleep when it happens. For those who work late shift or overnights, they generally do an hour shorter shift in the spring and an hour longer in the fall. Some 24 hour businesses actually change the whole shift schedule so that no one loses or gains an hour.

In the spring we complain about losing that hour. We either lose sleep or lose time with friends and family or work.

An hour may not seem like a lot of time but our bodies can take days to adjust to this change regardless if it is a loss or gain of an hour. It’s worse in the spring as we have to get up an hour earlier. Even if you are a morning person, that hour earlier can be rough the first few days. If you don’t gradually adjust your schedule in the days leading up to that loss, the mind and body can take a lot of extra coaxing to wake up and function.

Fall is a different story though. Granted, we don’t like that the sun sets so much earlier and the days are getting shorter but we contemplate how to spend that extra hour. Should we sleep? Should we spend that time with family and friends? A party? Maybe we should catch up on some work.

I think most of us would probably opt for the sleep.

Sleep would certainly be my choice. If only it were that easy.

I’ve always been a light sleeper but the last few years that lightness has just gotten even lighter.

To be perfectly honest, I can’t remember the last time I had a decent night’s sleep. You see, I am at that oh so charming age when so many of us women are fighting hot flashes, insomnia and calls from Mother Nature. The Night Shift can be rough!

I try to keep a regular schedule of being in bed around 10 and up around 7 or so but my sleep is severely disjointed – to the point that I am lucky if I get about 5 or 6 hours if you added it all up. I rarely sleep more than 2-3 hours at a stretch. That means I don’t get very much REM or deep sleep – the kind needed to wake up rested and refreshed.

So much for a good night’s sleep.

There are times that I truly envy bears. Every fall they slow their hearts down and slip into a deep sleep that lasts through winter. They don’t have to deal with the snow, the icy streets and sidewalks or traverse snow banks to find a bus stop or cross an intersection. No household chores or running errands. They even lose weight while they sleep! How great would that be? Okay, there is that part about wearing the fur coat in summer which would get way too hot, but if a geneticist can figure out how to tweak humans genes to let them hibernate than they can figure out how to deal with the fur coat thing. (Stuart McLean shared his own musings on Hibernation a few years ago on The Vinyl Cafe.)

Unfortunately, hibernating isn’t an option for us humans, so we deal with the sleep deprivation as best we can.

I’ve tried several things to improve my sleep. I rarely nap during the day as that tends to make my night sleep even worse. The exceptions to that rule are if I am sick or even more exhausted than usual. Fluid intake is very limited after supper – less than four ounces. I don’t drink coffee or tea – and rarely drink alcohol. Chocolate is my only caffeine. Don’t even THINK about asking me to give that up or you will really have a bear on your hands!

The computer and the TV are generally off about thirty minutes before I crawl into bed. My bedroom is dark and cool. I do some deep breathing and stretching. Due to medications I use for my eyes and other family health history, I can’t take any sedatives. I did try a very mild med a few years ago, but even that left me feeling very groggy when I woke up in the morning. It didn’t do much to improve my quality of actual sleep either. I’ve just started trying Melatonin but it is too soon to tell if that will make a difference. As much as I’d like it to help, I almost hope it doesn’t as it isn’t covered by our medical system so I’d have to pay out of pocket for it. Not easy on a very fixed income.

So, for the foreseeable future, I just have to deal with whatever sleep I am able to get. Some nights are better than others and hopefully you will forgive me if I act like a crabby bear at times.

I hope you enjoyed your extra hour and made good use of the time – ‘cause you won’t get another one till next fall!

dn

Spoiled Fun

Halloween has gotten a lot scarier since I was a kid – and not in a good way.

We used to dress in costumes that our mothers made or maybe buy a mask and a few things at a store then drag one of the pillowcases from house to house until our bags were so heavy and full we couldn’t carry them anymore. Then we’d rush home and sort through the loot – putting our favourites in one pile and the stuff that was okay or ones we didn’t like in a pile to share with the other people in the family. Sometimes you could trade with your friends or siblings.

There were, of course frights along the way, but for the most part they were the innocent “boo” type when someone snuck up or popped up unexpectedly.

It was a night for kids of all ages to have some innocent fun.

Sure, there were the occasional reports of someone’s bag being stolen and even rarer reports of candies and apples being tampered with but they were just that – rare. For the most part we knew the people who lived in the houses we went to.

That isn’t the case anymore. We don’t know our neighbours. We don’t know our neighbourhoods. Even going to what seems to be a safer or more upscale neighbourhood isn’t always a good plan. Sadly there are some very real dangers lurking around almost every neighbourhood. It has gotten to the point that a lot of parents aren’t willing to let their kids hit the streets anymore.

Not just because of the possible physical dangers or risk of treats being tampered with – but the fact that so much of the treats are basically sugar. With the growing rate of childhood obesity, many wonder if it is really a wise move to send the kids out to beg for even more sweets. Sure some houses do give out slightly healthier treats or even small toys or such but then they are at risk of some type of retaliation from kids who expect or demand the treats! Seems like neither side can win. It isn’t just a “TP” decorating of your yard or an egg on the house. It’s spray paint and outright vandalism.

Some hospitals offer to scan the kids loot bags to see if anything has been tampered with. I’ve heard of a few police departments that are even offering to run the loot through a metal detector.

So much for a fun night!

In Winnipeg and many other cities, there are community centres or other organizations offering a safe place for the kids to hang out for the evening. There are games, costume contests, snacks and lots of treat bags for the kids to take home after. Some shopping malls are offering the kids a chance to trick or treat in a safe environment. Employees from participating stores hand out treats to the costumed kids as they walk by.

Then there are the costumes. This is yet another bone of contention for many. Costumes have gotten much more elaborate since I was a kid. Some parents still make the costumes but store bought ones come in a wide variety of styles. Not all of them are tasteful or even appropriate for the child’s age either. Costumes can also get very expensive. Kids don’t want to wear the same costume two years in a row, so that can get very pricy for some families even if they hit the second hand stores. I heard one report that an average family can spend between $75-150 for Halloween. That includes the costumes and the treats to be handed out. That makes a formerly fun night out of the question for many.

Several schools here in the city and even in small towns have banned costumes during the school day. That has outraged some parents who say their kids want to show off their costumes and continue traditions. Some parents have started petitions but educators think the parents aren't seeing the bigger picture.

The schools have laid out several reasons for the changes. Teachers have enough to deal with trying to teach and discipline on a normal day – let alone with a bunch of kids who are distracted by costumes. Peer pressure, teasing and bullying are huge issues among young people. Choosing the wrong costume or not wearing a costume – either for personal, religious or economic reasons – can cause untold problems for many.

I don’t recall if we wore our costumes to school when I was a kid. If we did, I think it may have been that we changed into costumes for part of the afternoon. I seem to recall a costume parade when I was in about grade 5 or so.

For the record, I’m siding with the schools on this one. They are there to teach - not throw parties. I’m not saying that kids can’t have fun at school – learning should be fun, but costumes are just too distracting and a mind-field for potential trouble and humiliation. It just isn’t worth it.

Personally, I think the community centers and the malls also have the right idea. The kids are having fun and getting a more limited amount of sugar laden treats while also getting to show off their costumes in a safe environment.

Halloween used to be fun. It used to be safe to dress up in a costume. Sure we ate way to much candy but we also didn’t sit on our duffs with a tech toy, IPhone/IPad or in front of a computer screen all day. We were active and managed to burn off most of those extra calories. The bullies didn’t have social media and weren’t nearly as cruel or vicious as they are now.

Manufacturers of candies, costumes and decorations are capitalizing on the season. Merchants are filling shelves with overpriced products. Advertisers are trying to turn consumers into gluttons. Peer pressure to fit in has reached a boiling point for many.

Families can’t afford to celebrate Halloween anymore. Kids aren’t safe on the streets and risk endless teasing for the wrong choice of costume or any other so called coming of age infraction.

I wish we could turn back time and let kids enjoy the night the way we did when we were kids but that just doesn’t seem to be possible in this day and age. I don’t think that Halloween should be cancelled – at least not yet. Kids grow up too fast. They need to experience the fun of dressing up and spending time with other kids in person rather than through texts, cell phones and computers.

We need to keep the costumes out of the schools and let them focus on teaching. We need to encourage local community centers and malls to host safe events for the kids. It’s sad that things have changed so much but nothing ever stays the same and at least for now, these are the most reasonable alternatives to preserve Halloween..

Halloween should be a night of fun. Enjoy it if you can. Above all, be kind, be safe and have fun!

dn

Baked Pork Tenderloin with Veggies and Kraft Dressing

This is a recipe I came up with a couple of months ago. I wanted something flavourful and simple that would also be versatile depending on what dressings I had in the fridge.

Baked Pork Tenderloin with Veggies and Kraft Dressing

1 12-16 ounce pork tenderloin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon McCormick No Salt Added Garlic & Herb Seasoning (or equivalent
1/2 medium onion – sliced thin
1/3 cup sweet red bell pepper strips
1/3 cup (approx) Kraft Mandarin Orange With Sesame Dressing*, divided

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Pat dry the pork tenderloin and place on a parchment lined baking dish. Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme, and seasoning in a small dish. With your hand, spread half of the spice mixture evenly over the tenderloin. Drizzle with about 2 Tablespoons of the Kraft Dressing. Carefully turn the tenderloin over. Spread the rest of the spice mixture evenly over the other side of the tenderloin.


Arrange the onion over the seasoned pork, then lay the red pepper strips over the onions. Drizzle approx 2-4 Tablespoons of the Kraft Dressing over the veggie topped tenderloin. Bake in the preheated oven for approx 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serves 3-4.

*Other Kraft dressings would also work well with this. Such as: Sweet Onion; Roasted Red Pepper; Greek Feta and Oregano or Italian.



Note: You could add additional sliced onion and strips of red pepper along the sides of the tenderloin if desired - just make sure that a bit of the dressing is drizzled on them to prevent them from drying out while baking.

Enjoy!

dn

Picky! Picky!

A couple of weeks ago I saw a segment on a TV show about picky eaters. Picky in the extreme actually. Some of these people had diets that consisted almost entirely of potatoes in various forms. They ate next to no meat and found most other vegetables and fruits to be disgusting. Some of them seemed to be more healthy than others but no medical evidence to their health or lack thereof was provided.

People who can walk into a grocery store and not have to worry about what ingredients are in any given product or go to a restaurant and order anything off a menu are extremely lucky. They have no idea just how hard it is to shop or go to a restaurant and have to check all the ingredients. Whether it is by personal taste or an allergy, finding foods that a person is comfortable with or is safe to consume can be a real challenge.

I’m not quite sure where I’d fit on the picky scale. I’m not an overly adventurous eater. I tend to try new foods by asking to try a bite of whatever the people I am with have ordered. If stores are offering free samples, I check the ingredients and then decide if I want to try it. I don’t like to spend money to try something I may not like. I don’t want to end up wasting the money or the food if I don’t like it. There are some foods that just repulse me either by appearance, smell or taste and I couldn’t even consider eating. There are some foods that I remember eating as a kid and just found to be disgusting or even made me nauseous.

So what are some of those foods you may ask?

Well, there is a bit of a list here.

My mom used to cook a duck or a goose once in awhile, but I just never enjoyed the taste of either one. The flavours were strong and the meat seemed either stringy or greasy even when roasted. Lamb and venison weren’t on the menu very often either but they were meats that just didn’t appeal to me. Liver was on the family menu every few weeks – I couldn’t even tolerate the smell of it let alone the taste!

Sardines and head cheese (a truly disgusting luncheon meat) are two of the things I recall my dad eating on occasion. I couldn’t even sit at the same table when he ate them! Actually, pretty much all “luncheon meat” is rather disgusting.

I’ve never enjoyed bitter tasting foods such as grapefruit. I can tolerate a tiny amount in a mixed fruit drink but not a glass of juice or a cut up grapefruit to eat. I do like lemons – just not straight! I put them in lots of different main course and desserts as well as squeezing the juice on fish or vegetables.

Besides the grapefruit, I’m also not a fan of raspberries. The flavour is too strong to my liking and I hated the seeds getting stuck in my teeth! You won’t find cranberries on my plate or in my glass either. We had crab-apple trees on the farm as well as rhubarb. Mom used to try sneaking some into an apple crisp or other desserts but I could ALWAYS taste it and never ate more than that first bite! Gooseberries aren’t on my grocery lists either. Plums aren’t particularly appealing to me but I don’t mind a bit of plum sauce with an egg roll. And yes, the dislike of plums does extend to prunes and prune juice. I’ve never enjoyed the taste of cantaloupe yet I love honeydew! Mom made a lot of jams and jellies but about the only ones I ever ate were strawberry or grape.

I’ve never liked the taste of figs or dates – even baked in desserts or cookies. Speaking of desserts, I’ve never understood the taste appeal of tapioca, rice pudding or even a bread pudding. I’ve tried several types of these desserts over the years but it just doesn’t do anything for my taste buds. Same goes for any toffee or caramel type candies or desserts. A true waste of calories for me. Marshmallows are empty calories. The only way I’ll eat them is in a piece of rice krispie squares or an occasionally perfectly roasted marshmallow between chocolate and graham wafers – in other words a s’more!

The taste of an olive is not something my palate enjoys yet I do cook with olive oil!

I eat a fair amount of vegetables but parsnips, turnip/rutabaga, and egg plant are not on my plate. I’ve tried cooking turnips in various ways but the smell alone is enough to turn my stomach. I’m not a big fan of cauliflower but will eat it in a mixed veggie combo or a stir fry. Green peppers don’t agree with me (I burp them almost instantly) yet I love red peppers. Jalapeno’s won’t be in my shopping basket either – a mild salsa is as close to spicy as I get! Lima beans and beets are also not welcome on my menus.

Smelly cheeses such as blue or Swiss do nothing for me. I much prefer a medium cheddar, a mozzarella, Monterey Jack or a Havarti.

I love celery but can’t stand using celery seed in a dressing. Dill makes me ill so I’ll never steal your pickles! I can’t stand the taste of liquorice. That means that you won’t find anise or aniseed on my spice rack. I’m not a huge fan of mint but I can handle the flavour and taste in small amounts in a dish or dessert.

Walnuts aren’t a nut that I care for. I think I’ve just had too many experiences where they were a bit stale or on the verge of being rancid. I’ll take an almond, peanut or cashew ANY day!

I love tomatoes, but can’t stand tomato soup – although I will eat a vegetable soup that has tomatoes in it. I love salmon but refuse to eat the skin or bones. I wrote a whole post about my dislike of Perogies.

There are foods that I have mild to moderate allergies to. They aren’t severe enough that I would need an epi pen but I would get severe stomach cramps and/or diarrhoea if I ate them in even a small serving. Those foods include oranges, rye and barley. Orange in a cookie, cake or a mixed fruit drink doesn’t bother me, but a multigrain bread or baked product can really mess with my stomach.

For some reason, there are also some foods that even though I am not actually allergic to them, I get sick if I eat them. Yogurt of any variety – even the frozen ones give me severe stomach cramps.

Eggs and I don’t get along either. I can’t eat them as a main ingredient in a dish without getting sick. That also means that I have to avoid eggnog or other beverages that include eggs. If I were to have even a paper thin slice of angel food or chiffon cake, I would need to drink at least a quart of water to avoid stomach cramps or throwing up. I can eat Miracle Whip – which is made with eggs but I can’t tolerate a homemade mayo. My potato salads contain no eggs other than in the mayo.

Then there are foods that I have no idea if I like or not because I’ve never tried them. This may seem strange but to the best of my recollection I’ve never tried oysters, clams, lobster or escargot. Believe it or not, I don’t recall if I’ve ever tasted an avocado, artichoke or a guacamole dip. The closest I’ve come to an anchovy is in a Caesar Dressing. I’ve never tried sushi or tofu either.

So, all that being said – that does eliminate quite a few things from my diet but there are still a lot of foods that I love. I just have to be a bit more creative with the things that I do enjoy eating.

Oh all right - maybe I am a slightly picky eater!!

dn