Veggie Thoughts

Lazy Vegan Soup

1 cup Vegetable Cocktail (yes I'm frugal and buy Safeway's Vegetable Cocktail. If you can afford it, buy V-8 Juice)

About 1 cup torn Kale

In a small, covered pot cook on medium high for five minutes, stirring after a few minutes if you remember. Pour into soup bowl, garnish as desired. Serves 1. You could probably double or triple this as needed. If you want to make it Vegetarian, add some cheese cubes.

I created this when I was having a picnic lunch on the front porch. The city was pruning trees. Kidlet didn’t want to miss out on the fun of watching big machines at work. I had an open face egg sandwich in honour of Meatless Monday but was still feeling hungry. I dashed inside, quickly tore up the kale, got the soup going and went back outside. When I heard the timer, I dashed inside, gave it a stir, poured it into a plastic bowl and sat down on the porch.

As I ate the soup, I found myself thinking They Say are wrong about anything Vegetarian being bland. My next thought was whether or not a single Vegan Male would be like his Meatitarian counterpart and just eat the soup right out of the pot. From there I found myself wondering what sort of stereotype Vegan males experience. For example, did they receive invitations to hockey games? Did Vegan and Vegetarian males get asked the same inane oral sex question their female counterparts would sometimes get asked? If a woman has a meatitarian husband who is into hockey, football and stock car, she’s married to a good ole boy and no one thinks anything of it. Given the stereotypes about sexual orientation and food, if a woman has a vegetarian or vegan husband, would people whisper in her ear that all those sports interests are over-compensating and she should be prepared for him “coming out”? My final thought was wouldn’t the world be a great place if it didn’t matter what you ate, what your sports interest were, all that mattered is whether or not you were a law abiding citizen who did the best you could with whatever abilities you were blessed with?

Vegan Day 7

My dad says there is a fine line between can't and won't. I know I would become frustrated when I saw something Vegan but was still off limits to me because it was made with the type of flour I am allergic to, or it had yeast in it. I think if I didn't have to look to see what type of flour something is made with, and whether or not it has yeast in it, I could probably live a vegan/vegetarian life. I have now tried it all, meatitarian, vegetarian, vegan. I've decided what is best for my current lifestyle is an eating lifestyle that allows flexibility.

My two guys were very much unaffected by my Vegan week. It did help that there was some leftover meat and a precooked meatloaf in the freezer, as well as only three nights the whole family home. As for my one indiscretion on the weekend, that's all on me. It would have been very easy to look at the pizza in the crew room, think "I'll make a Vegan variation of pizza toast for breakfast" and leave it be.

This was not about reducing carbs. I ate the way I usually do when I am on Phase 3 of Ann Louise Gittleman's The Fat Flush Eating Plan, which means 2-4 servings of carbs a day. Since I was going Vegan, I decided to count legumes as protein, not carbs. Peanut butter was moved off the bonus food list and added to the protein list. The heavy exercise days were Tuesday, which was Day 1 and Monday, which was Day 7. In the last week, I've lost two pounds, one inch off my hips and two inches off my belly.

My guide verse for Monday was Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?

Vegan Day 5 and 6

I veered off course once over the weekend. Given that it was once I don't feel like the whole week was an epic fail. Saturday was experimenting with tofu. I had a yummy tofu, lettuce and tomato sandwich with Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise. Unfortunately Saturday night's attempt at heating up some rice and tofu in the microwave, topping it with some vegan chop suey from a thermos was not a taste bud thriller.

Sunday was another day with some tofu. I made Tofu Scramble from Ann Louise Gittleman's Fat Flush Plan Cookbook for brunch. The guys had a ham and cheese omelette. I discovered McCain's tater tots are Vegan. I had insisted that at least one meal during the week everyone was going to go Vegan. Since it was Sunday night dinner, however, I compromised and agreed to let the males go vegetarian. Big Lug and Kidlet enjoyed parmesan cheese on their pasta dish. There is now a note beside the Basil Tomato Sauce and Pasta recipe in my Pillsbury cookbook "next time try celery salt and pack fresh basil in measuring cup; no need to puree tomato sauce just small chunks". The Vegan Orange Cinnamon buns were very well received. I'm glad because one of my nieces is vegan. Now I have another desert I could make for her.

With no journaling over the weekend, I have no guide verse. I don't think it's coincidental that on Saturday I didn't take time to get a verse and veered off course. Given that Sunday's teaching time was in part about mission work, which reminded me that for some people going meatless isn't a choice, it's a fact of life; it was very easy to gracefully stay the course.

Vegan Day 4

I finally made it to Community Natural Foods. The staff there was very helpful and supportive. The only problem I had was trying to find something that was vegan, wheatless and yeastless. If you are a chocoholic, I heartily recommend their Chocolate Orange Brownie. It's in the raw foods section, its gluten free; it's a chocolaty orange burst of deliciousness with a hint of walnut. I also bought some Kale as an alternative to broccoli for calcium.
This time at work I ordered a side garden salad, no cheese and vinegar plus Bean and Mixed Pepper soup from home. I am definitely a person who needs to follow the food combining rules. I find that if I have no carbs, no dairy with my beans, I have no gassiness.

This going Vegan definitely isn't a drag. I've been doing things like normal, such as going swimming, working at a fast food restaurant, making lunch for my meatitarian husband. As with any eating lifestyle, it does require some thought and effort. As a believer in Nutritional Healing I'm no stranger to doing that sort of thing.

My verse for Friday was Job 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Vegan Day 3

Thursday was an easy going day. I wasn't too hungry and was definitely tired. That's not unusual when I've taken the late bus home from work. I saw Big Lug off to work, spent some time with Kidlet, caught a nap and ended up missing breakfast. I wanted something that was hot and I could sink my teeth into. I decided to make pan sautéed peppers, onion, mushroom, and diced tomato flavoured with basil and garlic to put between a couple slices of toast. I had planned to go shopping at Community Natural Foods by Chinook Station. I ended up vegging out at home and making do with things like broccoli for calcium and Bean Stew for supper. I also discovered when you're craving chocolate but aren't feeling too ambitious, mixing cocoa with peanut butter is a great alternative.

This morning when I made Big Lug his lunch, the chicken definitely smelled good. Thankfully it was frozen or I might have been tempted to have a bite. I am starting to understand why people who decided to go Vegan work at it progressively, starting out by eliminating red meat for a few weeks, followed by white meat and fish, hovering around Vegetarianism for a month or two before eliminating eggs and dairy.

The verse for Thursday was Psalm 98:4 Shout for joy to the Lord, burst into jubilant song with music.

Vegan Day 2

Due to working late, I decided to Wednesday's blog on Thursday morning. At work it didn't bother me being around meat. I felt very guilty, however, each time I goofed up a dairy order. As a long time user of Ann Louise Gittleman's Fat Flush Plan, I am no stranger to going dairy less for two weeks yet I was never bothered if I made the wrong milkshake or had to make a second attempt on an ice cream cone. For some reason as a Vegan it did bother me.
I made a smoothie using half a cup calcium enriched orange juice and half a cup of water, skipping the whey protein powder. Between Fat Flush and Canada Food Guide, I knew one serving of juice is half a cup. I enjoyed an absolutely yummy 13 Bean Soup for lunch. I had already experimented with a vegetarian version of it, leaving out the ham hock and using part water, part vegetable broth for the liquid to add extra flavour. I also had some steamed broccoli as one of my snacks. Work was easy. I've keyed in enough Southwest No Chckn, gone to the grill menu and click on "No Cheese" to know it would only take about 3-5 minutes to make a special salad. I topped it with Salsa, which was definitely a taste bud kick. That's not the entire menu of the day, just the key points.

My guide verse for the day was 1 Chronicles 16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the splendour of His holiness.

Vegan Day 1

I got a lucky break. Big Lug was taken out for lunch and decided to make his own supper. I didn't do the best job of making sure to get two servings of calcium rich food. I probably only got one, through some Saucy Rhubarb and the trace amounts in everything else I ate.

Overall it was a very fun day. I got in some exercise via swimming with a friend and her daughter. Kidlet didn't notice anything different during the day time. Mom still made Dad his lunch; Kidlet had his usual breakfast with yogurt, and cheese at lunch. I do have a note in my journal "It's 8 p.m., I'm HUNGRY!" 3 cups of popcorn with a tablespoon of flaxseed oil and some seat salt later, I'm cheerfully blogging. My protein was obtained by having 1/2 cup of pinto beans as part of a Mexican chunky soup (or is it casserole since it was thick enough to eat with a fork?) and two tablespoons of peanut butter.

I will plead guilty, I never noticed until tonight how many ads during a hockey game involve meat products. The verse that helped me get through the day was Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. The verse that helped me get through the evening is 2 Samuel 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.

The Proverbial Redneck Vegan Challenge

Whether you're trying to extend your food budget, wanting to lose a few pounds or curious to experience the Vegan way of life, I invite you to join me in going Vegan for a week starting Tuesday, February 22. For me it's wanting to lose a few pounds. My inspiration was based on this blog: http://twomainemoms.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-week-as-vegan.html

I'll be relying heavily on my favourite health food store Community Natural Foods, located in Calgary across from the Chinook C-train station. I already eat fairly healthy so I won't have to buy too much. What I'll be buying from CNF are high calcium vegetables. Did you know there was a time when rhubarb was regarded as a vegetable? That's a unique calcium source.

I've got a batch of pinto beans cooking in the slow cooker that I'll be portioning up and freezing for ease of cooking. As for butter, Flora Flaxseed Oil makes a great substitute to put on vegetables, rice, hot oatmeal, even popcorn. As long as I make sure to have two servings of high calcium fruit or vegetable, the rest will fall into place. How hard can it be for someone who is in the heart of beef territory and works at a fast food restaurant to go Vegan for one week?

Don't laugh too hard.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Since it's almost that time of year here in Canada, I have a Thanksgiving related query. Why do so many women treat it like a competition, and get obsessive about the meal, the decorations while completely forgetting it's about thankfulness, including family?

I am NOT referring to the women who can effortless turn out a beautiful home and meal while juggling other responsibilities, I'm referring to the women who go around in a panic, feeling like they must spend tons of money, time and cause a feeling of dread and dismay in the rest of the family.

To me it shouldn't be about wearing yourself out and being frazzled or fretful. It should be about feeling relaxed, confident, doing what you are capable of doing and taking pleasure in it while your family is grateful for your efforts. I spent some time observing the women who do have the five course meals and the well decorated houses.  They seemed at ease with what they are doing.  They had a timetable with some flexibility.  They explored recipes and chose ones that were within their budget and talents.  They became my inspiration for how to do a Thanksgiving Dinner that makes my family comfortable.  I also knew of women who for whatever reason didn't have much money, only the desire and held their heads high as they served a simple meal.  My Thanksgiving Dinner is never too elaborate. Everything I cook or bake, is within my capabilities and budget. I plan it well, remembering to do all things with a cheerful heart to ensure that I have a smile of joy, not relief, as I sit down at the table.

Blessings to the women who will be going to the store to buy some sliced turkey, buns and a pumpkin pie with a cheerful heart.  Blessings to the women who do the five course meal and the well decorated house.  I thank you for being a role model to me and helping me set realistic goals for my household.  Here's hoping this year's experiment of homemade pumpkin goes better then last year's experiement of homemade cranberry sauce.

My Summer Fantasy

My son is no stranger to certain facts of life living in Alberta, such as wearing winter boots only a few weeks into fall, or helping shovel the sidewalk a month after spring starts. I didn't realize how much of an Alberta boy he until he was doing a "Label which machine goes with which season" activity. The letter choices were Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. He said "Mom, look, if I rearrange the letters beside the snowplough, they spell SAW." In the box beside the snowplough, he had put an A in the box and beside the box, he had added W and S. I couldn't fault him for the extra letters. Thanks to the family living in the part of Alberta that has a diverse climate he had seen snowploughs out in Autumn, Winter and Spring. As well, due to living so close to the Rocky Mountains, he had printed "Winter" and "Summer" beside a pair of shorts. When the Chinook wind blows off the Rocky Mountains, many people celebrate by putting on shorts even though it is still wintertime.

Despite living in Northern Alberta, there was one sound that was not a part of my childhood during the summer. When I was a girl, we never had to turn on the furnace. I had heard of short, cold summers during the late 1800's and again in the 1930's. Unfortunately since 2002 when we became homeowners, we've had to turn on the furnace at least once during the "warm" season, usually in August. This year I have vowed that from June 21 to September 21 the furnace will stay off. I don't want Kidlet to see a "Machines of Summer Word Find" and say "They forget furnace". Big Lug is even helping out. He's agreed to leave the furnace off if I'll put the flannel sheets on.

Smokin' Hot Marriage

Last year God called an American pastor from way down south to come way up west. Pastor Scott has a unique way with words. Combine his southern way of talking with a church that prefers to teach people instead of preaching at people and you can occasionally walk out of a church with a whole lot on your mind. I had thought with the topic being about how to have a smokin' hot marriage, it was going to be the teaching time about sex. It wasn't; however the pastor did discuss a PG-13 version of Proverbs 5:18-19. He forewarned people in a few weeks the message was going to be adult and it would be a good idea to put children in the children's classroom. After going through the part of Genesis about how and why God created woman, including Adam declaring Wo! Man! as a bit of southern humour (pastor's words, not mine) and using Proverbs 5:15 as a reminder of being faithful to your spouse, he went on to cover how a smokin' hot marriage means met needs.

We had been told the  needs lists for both genders was an 80/20 rule, with 80% of people making the needs their top 5. I could have done without hearing about making a house a place of refuge and comfort for your husband. When it comes to what makes a woman attractive, Big Lug is part of the 20% of men who could care less about a woman wearing make-up. He's definitely in the 80% who want the house to be clean.

Domestic Support came up again on the women's list. It was fourth on the men's list, third on the women's list. It was nice to hear a pastor speak about the virtues of a man being domestically supportive to his wife. To be fair, Big Lug is great at doing his share of housework. I know I cringed when the pastor finished discussing that woman's need by reminding men "A woman's house is an extension of her personality." There are parts of my house that are well-cared for, parts of my house that are in disarray and a few parts that if you look at them close, you see some ugliness.

I began to ponder if I should change my evil ways and stop being a Housework Impaired Female. I didn't want to be a Martha, too busy to enjoy Jesus' arrival but I also knew that I shouldn't use that scenario to go the other extreme and do nothing about the disorganization in my house. It was with a great deal of relief when Pastor Scott drifted to more comfortable territory to me, speaking about how a smokin' hot marriage means honour. One of my favourite Bible verses is Romans 12:10. The King James Version says "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." Thanks to my interpreting the first half to mean providing recreational companionship for your husband, I am number one on Big Lug's list of people he enjoys taking to a game or race. As for the second half, it's the same as Proverbs 5:15, being a faithful spouse.

It took Pastor Scott's Southern twist of Romans 12:10 to simplify how I could be the sort of wife that has a smokin' hot marriage. Don't yell, don't cuss, and don’t fuss. Those were terms I could understand. I knew I could get rid of the disarray and ugliness in my house by not yelling, not cussing, not fussing, just calmly and serenely going about it.

E-mail Subscriptions

I'll plead guilty, I sometimes click on "Subscribe to Newsletter" not to become better informed about something but because it will provide me with a good laugh. No, I didn't subscribe to a Joke A Day type newsletter. I have enough good ole boys and girls in my life; I don't need that sort of subscription. I'm referring to a healthy eating lifestyle newsletter. Today's suggestion made me giggle. "Have a healthy banana split for breakfast. Cut a banana in half and have it with low-fat yogurt, strawberries, granola and a squirt of chocolate syrup for a morning treat."

First, I believe that God looks at the beauty of our souls, not false outer beauty. He also grants us wisdom to know what healthy is. If I want a banana split, for example, I am not going to do the above. That's not a banana split. A banana split is at least two scoops of ice cream, a banana cut in half, six strawberries quartered, a third of a cup of pineapple tidbits, put in a pretty glass bowl, sprinkled with cocoa and topped with a cherry of some sort. If I don't have those ingredients on hand and am feeling noble, this is how I have a banana split for breakfast.
1/2 cup purified water
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 frozen banana chunk
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon Pure Gourmet Cocoa (I fantasize about the day when we go from Safeway Store Brand to Bernard Callebaut)
1 scoop plain, unsweetened whey protein powder (optional but it does thicken it up)
1 tablespoon Flaxseed oil (I was into the Omega scene way before it became trendy)
1 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt

Put in blender, blend until smooth and enjoy! Garnish with a cherry, if desired.
Real Redneck women are secure enough they don't worry about calories, they just enjoy life.

The Waiting Game Begins

I've been working hard at trying to get a book written. It's just like me. Short, cute and cheap. The book has been written and submitted. Now it's in the hands of the publishing company.

I decided to write about what I know best and who I am. I wrote about life as seen through the eyes of a redneck who is a child of the 70's. Lewis Grizzard and Erma Bombeck were definitely influences for the humour part of the book. As for chapter lengths, let’s just say you can tell I've read lots of Chicken Soup books.

I don't know how things will unfold. I know I feel peace and contentment that I have quit rebelling against God. I'm no longer in charge. He is.

Fluid of Life

I awoke this Friday morning feeling happy, content and blissful. Not due to something rising up, not due to sleeping in but for the sheer joy of knowing that it would be the last morning for a week I would be waking up with my hair smelling slightly of cottonseed oil. After I made Big Lug his lunch I noticed the coffee carafe was empty and the coffee maker was not set up for a fresh pot. I was even more surprised to discover he’d be swinging by Tim Horton’s for his dose of Fluid Of Life. Once he explained that he’d be buying coffee and a co-worker would be buying bagels, it made sense. Big Lug isn’t partial to their coffee but he does enjoy many of their baked items.

Thankfully when I met Big Lug I had already been trained to leave a man alone until he had his morning cuppa. Two different men, ten years apart, one a child of the 60’s, one a child of the 70’s, both regarding coffee not as a nice, pleasant morning beverage but as fluid of life. To be fair, it’s not just a guy thing. I know women who have declared if they could inject coffee, they would. For me, however, bliss is a cup of Anise Tea, slowly sipped in a pretty cup.

Part of that stems from the fact I don’t do those travel mugs too well. I treat Big Lug’s travel cup with care. It’s at that well broken in stage when the lid still fits snugly without too much pressure. Occasionally someone thoughtfully gifts him with a new mug and there is the brief time span when Big Lug obligatorily uses it for a few weeks. It means I have to force the lid on, hoping the cup doesn’t slip and spill on the kitchen counter. It was with a sense of relief to discover this morning I am not alone when it comes to morning denseness and travel mugs.  On my social network website one of my American stock car friends had left this deep thought:

Tip of the day. If you leave the lid loose on your coffee cup, it will spill on you. If you clean up, then come back to take another sip without securing the lid, it will spill on you a second time. You can thank me later for this one.

I couldn’t help but laugh because both Big Lug and I have had that experience. A few minutes later, however, the other shoe dropped:

Finally, if the lid is deformed due to being in the dishwasher too many times, it does not matter how well you secure it... it may spill on you a third time.

There is a guy who deserves to have a good Monday morning, if only because that sort of thing is not supposed to happen on a Friday morning.

Drive Thru Delights & Dangs

I work part-time for a fast food restaurant. On alternate Saturdays I work 5-11 p.m. Since I don't do Halloween, it wasn't a problem working the night of October 31st. I did find it amusing that there were many people saying “I’m bringing the kids home some fast food because we don’t Halloween” or hear a little voice saying “I’m glad we don’t do Halloween because it means we get to come here! Thank you!” There were also people who were definitely doing the night.

There were some retro costumes that came through the restaurant. The first retro one was a young girl who borrowed her mother's 90's prom dress so she could go as a prom queen. Daddy dearest had the look of a man who had just accumulated a whole bunch of parenting points and was trying to figure out how to spend them. The next retro one was even further back. It doesn't take much talent to be Hugh Hefner, especially when your passenger is wearing a skimpy costume and bunny ears. In between drive-thru orders I usually see what I can do at the front counter. Three girls came in looking like something right out of Olivia Newton John's "Physical" video, complete with bright coloured, striped legwarmers.

Under the category of "Awwwwwww so cute" was someone who had dressed their little one up as a ladybug. Also cute was a baby pumpkin and going the other extreme was a cowgirl. Once I found out she was of legal drinking age, I casually suggested the male manager be the one to hand out her order. He didn't mind. Also cute in the category of "Visual Pun" was the guy who was dressed as a shark with cards on it (my thought process was "Shark with cards? Shark cards. Card shark. GRRRRROAN!). I gave the Card shark and his female passenger who was wearing a tank top and a belt with a bunch of cards stapled on the bottom to create a skirt some cookies.

A co-worker decided since the streets were fairly quiet; why not go into to work to see what the reaction to his werewolf mask would be. I didn't let him down. Dang kids have no respect for their elders these days. At least that was my thought until later on, when I looked at the time, thought "It's almost nine p.m. I guess after nine I should start to anticipate the drive thru pranksters and be careful opening the window" and opened the drive-thru window to make a guy's night. He had carefully put a very graphic witch's head on a stick and timed it to pop up just after I said "Hi!" My shriek caused a grin of delight. Even better, however, was when I shrilled "Maria you LIED TO ME!!!!!!!!! Maria get to drive-thru RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! You gotta see this!" The manager had reassured me in all her years of working at that restaurant chain, she had never experienced nor heard of any drive-thru pranksters. The only thing that saved me from going completely hysterical is as a joke, he had pinned an Edmonton Oilers logo onto the witch's shoulder.

As a combination of dang and delight, a costumed concept arrived about ten minutes before closing. Between the four guys there were three drinks, six sandwiches, some chicken morsels, three large fries and a spun ice cream concoction to make it worth staying open until the last second. As much as it was interesting to be working Halloween night, I'm glad next year it falls on a day off.

The Rhyme Off

Ever notice in a mixed group, there are always a few guys who can’t resist being smart alecs? It began simple enough, with a guy sharing a cute story about some kids doing the actions to a nursery rhyme. The women thought it was sweet. One man, however, couldn’t resist the urge to provide his own creative rhymes.

Kerry:

Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To have a little fun
Silly Jill
Forgot the pill
and now they have a son

Jack and Jill went up the hill
to fetch a pail of water
Jack got horny, Jill got corny
and now they have a daughter

Since Kerry got a few polite laughs, he decided to continue on.

Kerry:

Simple Simon met a Pieman
Going to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the Pieman
"What have you got there?"
Said the Pieman unto Simon
"Pies, you airhead!"

As the silence became rather thick, however, Big Al being a true gentleman decided to come in and save the day. He cleared his throat and came up with one about Mary the garden grower.

Big Al:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And one humongous onion.

As the women giggled and one turned to the man beside her to discuss gardening, Big Al cleared his throat and came up with another one. As he said it, a few people started to get a shocked look on their face because they thought they knew how it was going to end. One man even began to lift up his hand in a “Whoa man, you sure you want to go down that road?” gesture.

Mary had a little watch
she swallowed it one day
and so she took some Epsom salts
to pass the time away.
But though she tried, and tried, and tried
she couldn't make time pass.
So if you want to know the time
just look up Mary's......
uncle in the Yellow Pages. He sells watches.

Two women laughed so hard they choked, one woman had to go to the bathroom and best of all, and one guy wound up snorting his pop through his nose.

It’s great to be back!

A New Angel

I can't remember how the friendship happened. We both posted on the same stock car board, we both had pasts that we were in the process of rising above, we had children the same age, although I had one to his three. We'd exchange anecdotes about our lives, sometimes chuckle over how despite different countries, one to three, our kids still had many things in common and how our spouses were great for putting up with the fallen angels God had guided them to marry.

The last year, though, brought about many changes. He didn't have as much time to hangout on the message board. His beloved wife was sick and he was doing his best to fill in the void, not wanting to have the older daughter feel like she was just a babysitter. There were family and church members who were helping them out in the time of need. There were prayer requests for the family, venting about yet another trip to the hospital, the joy of having his wife home, sharing about the children coping with Mama being sick. Sometimes there was enough calmness, he could even relax and enjoy a stock car race.

Not long ago there was a post made about how one year ago his wife was in the hospital and here it was a year later, no answers. Those of us who prayed reassured him we were still praying, still hoping. Tonight there was a new post. The answer was received. One little girl, two little boys and one adult daughter will be hugged by an angel from this night onward.

Proverbs 31:10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
Proversb 31:28a Her children rise up and call her blessed.

13 is Just A Number

As I said in my Wedding Renewal blog, Friday the 13th in Vegas did not start out sunny. I wore something casual to wear at the restaurant for breakfast. Big Lug grumbled a little bit about me not ordering toast and suggested tomorrow morning I just share it with him. When you read a menu online, you can never be certain if the reality lives up to the expectations. http://www.theplatinumhotel.com/dining-and-lounge/documents/Kilawat_Brunch_Menu.pdf Eggs your way might read humble but what arrived definitely wasn't. The Kilawat Restaurant at the Platinum Hotel is the sort of place where you can feel comfortable wearing jeans and a t-shirt but the presentation of the meal makes you think of a place that caters to the pants and shirt crowd.




Since we were going out that evening, we returned to the Kilawat for a light lunch after going to A Special Memory Chapel. I hesitated briefly when I found out the soup du jour was tomato basil. Since that evening we were going to The Top Of The World at the Stratosphere which was definitely a "business casual" restaurant, we had decided to wear our wedding outfits. After strategically positioning the cloth napkin, I thoroughly indulged in the soup. The chunks of tomato and the burst of fresh basil made it worth taking a chance.

Under the category of what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, I won't talk too much about how the afternoon went. Suffice it to say, though, Big Lug and I did have a long nap. With the evening plans involving a fancy dinner and a Jay Leno show, we knew we had to be well rested. The last thing you want to do is fall asleep at a comedy show. Both of us did change our mind about what we were going to wear to the Stratosphere, although for Big Lug it was a case of simply going tieless. As for me, I went with black pants, an almost sheer deep blue shirt. The cab ride to the Stratosphere has been immortalized on video and posted at YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mntcC_fASEU

I vowed while in America, I would boycott American beef. As I read Top of the World's menu, I changed my mind. http://www.topoftheworldlv.com/strat_din_tow_di_en.asp . The food is worth dressing up for and spending the day eating light. Bring some extra money because thanks to the digital camera, there is a whole new business in Las Vegas. I call it the "Photo Memento Industry". By the time we finished eating, checked out the observation deck at the Stratosphere, further helped the economy by picking up some souvenirs for Kidlet, it was time to go to the Mirage to see Jay Leno.

All I have to say about Jay Leno is although he's no George Carlin, his comedy show is definitely different than the comedy you'll hear on The Tonight Show. When you are going to a comedy show, remember anyone in the first three rows is fair game for the comedian. If you don't want to be part of his routine, sit further back. As it was, though, we were "the couple sitting in front of Terry Fator". Jay Leno gives a great comedy show. I'm not going to bother sharing his jokes because I can't do them justice. I truly felt like a Las Vegas Lady as we took a cab back to The Platinum at 1 a.m. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1heFr0SsrU

Marriage Renewed

On Saturday, June 17, 1995 I woke alone to a grey, overcast day in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was my wedding day. It would also put an end to five months of imposed celibacy by my groom to be. He had spent the night at the hotel we'd be taking our parents to for a post wedding brunch. When you go from having months to plan a wedding during the off season to five weeks that puts you right in peak season, you cut many corners due to lack of money or time. There was no limo due to it being a small wedding. There were no flowers because my maid of honour and I both had seasonal hay fever. Given that this was my fiancé’s second attempt at marriage; he had done his best to persuade me that a professional photographer was over-rated.

On Friday, February 13, 2009 my husband and I woke to a grey, overcast day in Las Vegas, Nevada, America. It was our vow renewal day. I had picked a package through "A Special Memory". For $199 you got a limousine to and from your hotel, flowers, professional pictures and a church. When it dawned on me that we would be at Vegas over a day that stereotypically was unlucky, I thought it would be fun to celebrate thirteen years of marriage on Friday the 13th.

As a woman, I know how to dress well. To paraphrase Gretchen Wilson, though, I could buy the same darn thing second hand. My dress was under $10, the shoes were on sale at Zellers, the head piece was from the original wedding, as well as the heart-shaped brooch. I covered the something blue with a pair of lovely earrings my best friend had given me. As with the original ceremony, though, it was Big Lug's outfit that cost more than mine. If Moore's Mens Wear ever had doubts about whether or not their advertisements during hockey games were effective, Big Lug definitely removed those doubts.

The only unlucky thing to happen was when I looked down at my dress, I realized my bottom button was undone and as I went to do the final button, it came off in my hand. Luckily the hotel had a sewing kit at the front desk. Even better it came pre-threaded. It didn't take long to get fixed up and I was able to enjoy my first romantic limo ride. The only other limo ride I had experienced was related to a funeral.

A Special Memory Chapel was amusing. There were flowers, garters, tiaras, even wedding bands available for purchase. It also had lovely plush couches to sit on and a charming chapel. We received excellent personalized attention and our nervousness soon disappeared to be replaced with excitement. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are five thousand more words, all taken by amateurs. The professional pictures cannot be posted.

Proverbs 13:21 Evil pursues sinners: but to the righetous good shall be repayed.

Glory Days

I would like to go on record saying I forgive the CRTC for finally getting in sync with the back East American channels and blocking the American commercials during the Super Bowl because the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials were still shown. I chuckled every time I saw the digitalized CTV ads because the shows they were plugging were all CBS, not NBC. As for Big Lug, he went from saying "I'm EFFING boycotting CTV!" to "I can handle this." It didn't help that Telus Mobility paid for a Super Bowl themed Meerkat ad. Nothing like hearing your wife and son awwwing over some digital animated critters to make you realize you're not going to get any sympathy about the lack of American ads during the Super Bowl game.

Big Lug also was on weak ground for making catty comments about The Boss during the halftime show of the Super Bowl. His sarcastic comments about Bruce Springsteen's age fell on deaf ears as my mind went back to 1993.

I was in my early 20's and had managed to get a ticket to the Bruce Springsteen concert. This was back in the day when you had to line up for hours in hopes of getting a concert ticket. I decided to be bold and wear a mini-dress even though I was going to the concert alone. It came in handy during the concert because my seat was only okay. If the supervisor wasn't nearby, the security guards would let me stand on my seat. I guess when all you're wearing is a mini-dress and high heels combined with hips that never quit; it's real easy for a guy to claim he didn't "notice that long haired brunette standing on her chair". Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band thrilled the audience by doing a walk about. I was close enough; I reached out to touch Bruce Springsteen, much as women of a prior generation would reach out to touch Elvis. My boyfriend at the time was one of the security guards. After the concert, some of his co-workers were giving him a hard time for not going to the After Show. He looked at them, said "remember that brunette in the purple mini-dress who wouldn't stay seated?" "Hell yeah, was I ever glad to be in that section!" "She's waiting for me on my waterbed." "Enjoy!"

I remember wondering if when I was old and grey, would I look back at that concert as one of my Glory Day moments? I'm 41 years old, that boyfriend has had ex in front of him for almost 15 years, a Sara Evans/Brooks & Dunn concert I went to with Big Lug replaced the Bruce Springsteen concert for being "Best Ever" and I definitely have plenty of white hairs. As I saw Mrs. Boss up on stage, still playing and singing in her husband's band, I smiled. The Glory Days are what you make of each day.

Proverbs 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.