When did that happen??? I was pregnant with her when we moved here.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Guess Who's Ten?
Another double digits kid!
When did that happen??? I was pregnant with her when we moved here.
When did that happen??? I was pregnant with her when we moved here.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Robins and Leprechauns
Spring is here! Earlier this week, Dawn saw a robin in our backyard. I was jealous, because I hadn't seen one yet, but luckily I could rectify that in Concord.
On Thursaday, I found myself geocaching in Concord, doing a geocache with an Irish theme. I was feeling good about being outside, sunshine, melting snow, finding the leprechaun goodies in the cache. My happiness was increased greatly by seeing many robins on my way to the cache, and hearing them all around me.
Today, I was walking Giant with a friend and two cats, and lo and behold, I spotted my first neighborhood robin. It is spring!
Life is green and good and filled with robins and leprechauns.
Did I mention spring is here? I LOVE it!
On Thursaday, I found myself geocaching in Concord, doing a geocache with an Irish theme. I was feeling good about being outside, sunshine, melting snow, finding the leprechaun goodies in the cache. My happiness was increased greatly by seeing many robins on my way to the cache, and hearing them all around me.
Today, I was walking Giant with a friend and two cats, and lo and behold, I spotted my first neighborhood robin. It is spring!
Life is green and good and filled with robins and leprechauns.
Did I mention spring is here? I LOVE it!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
So Many Vibrant Colours
My life has been a tad interesting lately, with many different and vibrant colours swirling around me.
I would write about it, but I need to get some sleep, so I will instead be grateful for wonderful kids and good friends.
At least we are past the equinox and spring has started.
I have many posts in my head, but today it will mostly be pictures.
Walk carefully, my friends.
I would write about it, but I need to get some sleep, so I will instead be grateful for wonderful kids and good friends.
At least we are past the equinox and spring has started.
I have many posts in my head, but today it will mostly be pictures.
Walk carefully, my friends.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Tea Eggs
Especially for mongoose and anyone else who doesn't know what tea eggs are. Tea eggs basically are a Chinese snack (茶叶蛋), a hard boiled egg, boiled again in a tea marinade, after you crack the shell.
There are many different ways of varying the marinade, and they all lead to different flavorings. What is constant amongst the results is the really cool way the egg looks after you peel it. You can see the pattern of the cracks.
I hard boil some eggs, and try to rescue as many as I can from my kids who love hard boiled eggs. I take the eggs and crack them, trying not to break them in half by rolling them vigorously (not that that ever would happen of course...) and boil them in enough water to cover them. To the water, I add lapsang sou chong tea, anise, a cinnamon stick, some soy souce, a bit of sugar. Now simmer them for a long time (hours) to give them time to absorb all the flavors of the tea, till I suddenly remember that I am boiling tea eggs, turn off the heat, let them cool down, and refrigerate them in their marinade.
There are many tea egg recipes on line if you want to experiment.
They are fast, easy, tasty protein snacks, great on hikes, effective to entertain your friends, and wonderful for pretending to have found old dinosaur eggs in your backyard. The very first time I served those, in the Netherlands, I arranged them on a nest shaped mound of noodles and put some greens next to the eggs. They looked awesome.
There are many different ways of varying the marinade, and they all lead to different flavorings. What is constant amongst the results is the really cool way the egg looks after you peel it. You can see the pattern of the cracks.
I hard boil some eggs, and try to rescue as many as I can from my kids who love hard boiled eggs. I take the eggs and crack them, trying not to break them in half by rolling them vigorously (not that that ever would happen of course...) and boil them in enough water to cover them. To the water, I add lapsang sou chong tea, anise, a cinnamon stick, some soy souce, a bit of sugar. Now simmer them for a long time (hours) to give them time to absorb all the flavors of the tea, till I suddenly remember that I am boiling tea eggs, turn off the heat, let them cool down, and refrigerate them in their marinade.
There are many tea egg recipes on line if you want to experiment.
They are fast, easy, tasty protein snacks, great on hikes, effective to entertain your friends, and wonderful for pretending to have found old dinosaur eggs in your backyard. The very first time I served those, in the Netherlands, I arranged them on a nest shaped mound of noodles and put some greens next to the eggs. They looked awesome.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Yesterday
There might not be a tomorrow, but January 2005 sure feels like yesterday to me!
I am very blessed with so many wonderful kids!
I am very blessed with so many wonderful kids!
Quote of the Day
Me, telling something to Sylvia about what we are going to do tomorrow.
Sylvia, thinking for a few seconds 'Mama? There is no tomorrow, there is only today. It never will become tomorrow.'
I had to agree to this statement, at the same time marveling how she got this at 4yo, while I am sure I was more like 7 or 8yo before I got into anything philosophical like that. Heck, I have met grownups who haven't learned yet to embrace the current moment.
For the sake of practicality, I now often modify my statements about tomorrow to 'Today, after you sleep... ' just to not get into a philosophical discussion every time.
Sylvia, thinking for a few seconds 'Mama? There is no tomorrow, there is only today. It never will become tomorrow.'
I had to agree to this statement, at the same time marveling how she got this at 4yo, while I am sure I was more like 7 or 8yo before I got into anything philosophical like that. Heck, I have met grownups who haven't learned yet to embrace the current moment.
For the sake of practicality, I now often modify my statements about tomorrow to 'Today, after you sleep... ' just to not get into a philosophical discussion every time.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Red Pink Eye
This picture reminded me of Jane's pink eye.
I guess I will add a doctor's visit to tomorrow's already full schedule. Oh joy.
I guess I will add a doctor's visit to tomorrow's already full schedule. Oh joy.
Vermont
Today, I was driving through Vermont, and once again realized that I feel so much more like a Vermonter than a New Hampshirer. And I don't know why.
Maybe it is because my first American home was in Vermont. Maybe it is the kind of people who seem to be attracted to Vermont. Maybe it is the mountains, which I love.
It is an interesting observation, that even after ten years in New Hampshire, I still feel strongly connected to Vermont. And comparing my property taxes to my Vermont friend's property taxes made me go 'Hmmmmmm....'
Even after today I heard yet again the joke 'Vermont has nine months of winter and three months of bad skiing.' Indeed it does! But I still love it.
Maybe it is because my first American home was in Vermont. Maybe it is the kind of people who seem to be attracted to Vermont. Maybe it is the mountains, which I love.
It is an interesting observation, that even after ten years in New Hampshire, I still feel strongly connected to Vermont. And comparing my property taxes to my Vermont friend's property taxes made me go 'Hmmmmmm....'
Even after today I heard yet again the joke 'Vermont has nine months of winter and three months of bad skiing.' Indeed it does! But I still love it.
Love Thursday in Japanese English Engrish
One of my birthday presents, from my dear sister, came in an interesting bag.
We all talked for a while about the meaning of the phrase. And never reached a full consensus. We think both cats want to get out and want to prevent the other one from getting out, but who knows.
Any better guesses?
Anyway, happy Love Thursday!
We all talked for a while about the meaning of the phrase. And never reached a full consensus. We think both cats want to get out and want to prevent the other one from getting out, but who knows.
Any better guesses?
Anyway, happy Love Thursday!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
How I was Late For My Own Birthday Party
Today, I started the day with a go lesson, and a wonderful breakfast. I also prepared rice pudding, and cinnamon raisin bread, and then Dawn and I went off to puppy class.
Since everyone goes to puppy class on their birthday, no?
Giant was Not A Good Puppy At All at class. A Very Very Bad Puppy. But luckily he also is a Very Cute and Very Perfect Puppy. Anyway, he had a great class. Kind of. If you ignored the not so great moments.
After puppy class, we always go eat The Best Pizza Ever in Rutland, VT. But life happened, both for us, and for the pizza place, and we got greatly delayed. You know, one of these delays which starts out at 10 minutes, and just keeps growing. But the pizza was worth it.
At home, my friends were waiting and singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. Life is good!
Since everyone goes to puppy class on their birthday, no?
Giant was Not A Good Puppy At All at class. A Very Very Bad Puppy. But luckily he also is a Very Cute and Very Perfect Puppy. Anyway, he had a great class. Kind of. If you ignored the not so great moments.
After puppy class, we always go eat The Best Pizza Ever in Rutland, VT. But life happened, both for us, and for the pizza place, and we got greatly delayed. You know, one of these delays which starts out at 10 minutes, and just keeps growing. But the pizza was worth it.
At home, my friends were waiting and singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. Life is good!
Good Food and Good Friends
I can't even begin to describe how great it is to have so many good friends locally.
We had fishy waffle, sesame balls, quiche, pot stickers, cinnamon raisin bread, rice pudding, vegetables and dips, cakes, brownies, so much good food.
And yes, we still have snow on the ground, thank you very much.
Some people had never had tea eggs before, can you imagine? Sylvia make me proud last night by coming into the kitchen, sniffing, and saying 'Oh, I smell tea eggs!' Glad she knows her classics. Better than my friend who thought it smelled like someone was smoking marijuana.
We had fishy waffle, sesame balls, quiche, pot stickers, cinnamon raisin bread, rice pudding, vegetables and dips, cakes, brownies, so much good food.
And yes, we still have snow on the ground, thank you very much.
Some people had never had tea eggs before, can you imagine? Sylvia make me proud last night by coming into the kitchen, sniffing, and saying 'Oh, I smell tea eggs!' Glad she knows her classics. Better than my friend who thought it smelled like someone was smoking marijuana.
Life, The Universe, and Everything
Sylvia had figured out the perfect solution for today.
'Mama, from Sunday on, the answer to life, the universe, and everything will be 43.'
For years, I had not really celebrated my birthday beyond mostly family. Things just didn't work out.
Today, they did. Thanks to some pushing by a dear friend. Any one who thinks the answer is still 42, is clearly mistaken.
'Mama, from Sunday on, the answer to life, the universe, and everything will be 43.'
For years, I had not really celebrated my birthday beyond mostly family. Things just didn't work out.
Today, they did. Thanks to some pushing by a dear friend. Any one who thinks the answer is still 42, is clearly mistaken.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Happy Pi Day Cake Day!
My kids truly do rock. In honor of Almost Pi Day Cake Day, they baked cakes all day. My visiting kid started the day by asking me whether she could start baking cakes early this morning, but we didn't have the supplies, so she couldn't yet. Later I took her and three of my own kids grocery shopping and life was good.
Erik baked a pumpkin shaped cake, our visitor baked another cake, and Kate baked cupcakes.
To counteract all the cake, Dawn made a great macaroni and cheese for dinner. I love having kids old and capable enough to cook and bake spontaneously.
Happy Cake Day to y'all!
Erik baked a pumpkin shaped cake, our visitor baked another cake, and Kate baked cupcakes.
To counteract all the cake, Dawn made a great macaroni and cheese for dinner. I love having kids old and capable enough to cook and bake spontaneously.
Happy Cake Day to y'all!
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