An Addition to the Ornament Collection

The Glass Pickle.

I added this ornament to reflect the German influence in the Kitchener/Waterloo area. I liked this idea better than an Onkel Hans on the tree.

The legend says that an ornament shaped like a pickle is a sign of good luck. Dating back to Germany, the pickle ornament was always the last one to be placed on the tree on Christmas Eve. Parents would hang the glass ornament inside the boughs of a fir tree, hidden amongst other ornaments. The first child to find the pickle would receive a special gift and the first adult would have a lucky year.

Nice tradition, right? Wrong. While there are a few flaws in the extended version of this legend the biggest problem is that "No one in Germany has ever heard of this tradition".

So, what new ornaments or fake traditions (!) are you adding this year?

Not feeling it today

Today's Horoscope for Leo: If there was ever a day to stay in bed, this is it!


That doesn't sound promising. Let's take a look at a different horoscope.


Today's Horoscope for Leo: Many people toss a lot on your plate. You might be worried about what comes next. In the afternoon, not surprisingly, you could be unavailable.

Sounds like I could 'check out' in the afternoon. Loony Bin here I come!

Cookie Contraversy

While doing a Google search for yesterday's cookie recipe one of the results that came up was from Wikipedia. Did you know that there is a small controversy about the origins of the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe? I didn't either.

Story #1 Mrs. Wakefield was making chocolate cookies but ran out of regular baker's chocolate, so she substituted it with broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate, thinking that it would melt and mix into the batter. It clearly did not, and the chocolate chip cookie was born. Wakefield sold the recipe to Nestlé in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate chips. Every bag of Nestlé chocolate chips in North America has a variation of her original recipe printed on the back.

Story #2 Mr. Boucher states that Mrs. Wakefield was known for her sugar cookies, which came free with every meal, and were for sale in the Toll House Inn's lobby. One day, while mixing a batch of the sugar cookie dough, the vibrations from a large Hobart electric mixer caused bars of Nestlé's chocolate stored on the shelf above the mixer to fall into the mixing bowl, where it was broken up and incorporated into the dough. Mrs. Wakefield believed the dough was ruined and was about to discard it, when Mr. Boucher stopped her and talked her into saving the batch. His reasoning was out of frugality rather than a prediction of the cookie's future popularity.

I've always liked that these cookies are not heavy and doughy but light like a sugar cookie, so I like the second story for this reason. But the thought of a lifetime supply of chocolate chips as payment for a recipe wins hands down. I wonder how much they had to give her?

See the full Wikipedia article here.

Super Joel

A heart warming story about Loan Officer Joel who helped a family of ducks traverse the urban city and arrive safely to their new home.

Thanks to Joel, I have babies instead of pancakes.

All hail the Siesta King

I saw this article through Lifehacks . As most of you know RJ is in the 'Easy to Nap' camp and I am in the 'Angry that he can Nap' camp. I thought I'd analyze the points above and show you how a pro executes a perfect nap.

Find a safe, quiet, comfortable place, preferably one where you can lie down. (It takes about 50 percent longer to fall asleep sitting up-right) ~RJ's '50% longer to sleep sitting up' is currently clocked at 3.5 seconds.

Have a light blanket handy in case you get chilly, but nothing too heavy (excess warmth can make you oversleep) ~ RJ doesn't need the blanket but a quick sock check is in order. If he falls asleep with socks on the 'excess warmth' effect kicks in.

Set an alarm ~ For all the high-tech gadgets RJ has, his favorite and most commonly used alarm is "Karen, don't let me oversleep". When he wakes up either by himself or with my assistance his first question is always "How long did I sleep for?" Not only am I the designated alarm clock I'm also the official time keeper for this event.

Quiet your mind by repeating a mantra, taking a mental walk at a relaxing place like a beach or counting sheep or floating z's AND If noise is an issue, put in earplugs or turn on some white noise ~ RJ's partner in napping crime is the TV. Golf especially puts him to sleep but he'll use any sport that's on. Of course he might not wake up to his show if I'm in the room.

Calm your body by breathing slowly and deeply. Concentrate on relaxing your muscles one group at a time. ~ Not necessary, RJ is always calm and relaxed and ready to nap.

Darken the room or use eye shades. A pillow or baseball hat covering the eyes works well. Although the pillow can become a sound barrier as well and that doesn't work well for me when I am shouting at him from the kitchen to come and assist with dinner.

Stage Kit

RJ received an email from a friend announcing that Rock Band was releasing an add-on Stage Kit, due out this summer. The kit includes a smoke machine and a light display, both will be timed to the song you are rockin' to.

RJ’s response: What next? groupies?
Friend: Yeah, the blowup kind. But that’s a different store altogether.

As I’ve said before Rock Band is a lot of fun to play, but where will it end? I grabbed these comments from some of the on-line forums about the Stage Kit:

- What could be greater than being that bit closer to your rock'n'roll dream? You did stop to notice you are chucking out pseudo riffs on a big, fake plastic guitar, right?
- The kit includes everything you need to put on your own Spinal Tap-esque stage show in your garage, except for the 18-inch tall Stonehenge.
- I just burn some toast for smoke and get some friends to flick the lights on and off = instant stage show.
- Oh look, now I can play Rock Band while the smoke machine squirts smoke at me and I can't see the screen!
- I had an idea for a USB device that would shoot bras and panties at you when you got star power, just to give you the complete rock band experience.
- Shouldn't this have been called the asthma and epileptic version?

Up 1.5"

Hi. I know it's been a week and no posts. No reason really, just took a break. We've been busy and the computer is one of the last things I want to sit in front of lately. I'm getting some things ready to go in May. Hopefully a new banner and some catch up posts.

In 'funny to me' news, I got an email the other day with the subject line "Up another 1.5 inches this morning". Is it just me or would a few of you been hesitant to open this email? It was from my Mom so I was 99% sure I could safely open it at work. Inside was this pic of my Uncle Donnie's dock. Under water docks are going to be all the rage this spring. Donnie is like so 'with it'.

Who's to blame

A writer at Macleans put into words what we are all thing, What's eating you, Mother Nature? I think most of us are of this mind set after this winter.
*Warning* his language is strong at times (this from the girl who says Holy Dinah) but haven't we all cursed a little under our breath this winter at the 'effing' snow!

p.s. March Post Madness to come soon.....

There's nothin' like a round up!

The Record reports 40 cows run free through Waterloo,
January 09, 2008 GREG MERCER WATERLOO
Police and a hastily assembled crew of farmers were scrambling late last night to catch a herd of cattle running free in Waterloo.
At about 6:40 p.m., police started getting calls from residents on Woolwich Place, near RIM Park, who said cows were running through their backyards.
About 40 beef cattle had escaped from an area farm and were threatening to cross busy University Avenue and head toward a crowded residential area.
Officers stationed their cars along University Avenue and were prepared to shoot the animals if they risked causing collisions with cars, Staff Sgt. Rudy Smith said.
A crew of farmers drove tractors with bright spotlights into wet fields a few hundred metres from University Avenue East, trying to form a line to push the cattle into one corner.
"I've never seen 40 cattle on the loose. I've seen eight before, but never this many," Sgt. Mel Snyder said.
Along with herding cows, Snyder also had to get a tow truck to pull one of his officer's stuck cruisers out of a muddy field.
Police were asking residents to stay off the roads as they attempted to herd the cattle.
At least one officer was to be stationed by University Avenue overnight to keep the cattle on the eastern side of the road.
By 10 p.m., the cattle were congregating in a bushy area near the Grand River.
The humane society was standing by, but no animals had been injured at press time.
Police were also trying to keep the animals from rushing onto the fairways of nearby Grey Silo Golf Course. "I don't think the groundskeeper (or RJ) would appreciate that very much," Snyder said.

I love living in the country. Or rather close to the country. Black cow image from The Pioneer Woman. Check out her website for great photos, recipes and hilarious insights on living in the country running a cow farm. Nic, you'd love it!

Nanny Ad

Reading one of my favorite blogs, I noticed that Troy’s daughter, Bella, may be watching a little too much Mary Poppins. Not that she is purposefully plagiarizing, but I would keep an eye on her future school papers. :o)

Here are the lyrics from the original song, The Perfect Nanny. It’s one of my favorite songs from the movie because of Michael’s facial expressions while Jane sings.

Jane Banks: [Spoken] Wanted a nanny for two adorable children.

[Sung] If you want this choice position / Have a cheery disposition

Rosy cheeks, no warts! / Play games, all sort

You must be kind, you must be witty / Very sweet and fairly pretty

Take us on outings, give us treats / Sing songs, bring sweets

Never be cross or cruel / Never give us castor oil or gruel

Love us as a son and daughter / And never smell of barley water

If you won't scold and dominate us / We will never give you cause to hate us

We won't hide your spectacles So you can't see / Put toads in your bed Or pepper in your tea

Hurry, Nanny! Many thanks

Sincerely, Jane and Michael Banks

Saturday Morning Laugh

The scene was 7:30am, me in red and white flannel snowflake pajamas, cup of tea in hand, hesitantly deciding to read an article about William Shatner's roast in The Kitchener Record. (By the way, My Aunt Vera went to school, or was it taught at the same school in Montreal that Willy went to)
"The legendary Star Trek captain who reinvented himself as a satirical pop icon on shows like Boston Legal is urging his old Trek castmate, Leonard Nimoy, to partake in the festivities.
"Ah Bill!" whines the man who once played Spock. "Those roasts are terrible - that's not for a dignified person like you. A roast is for a pig! Why are you doing this - is it for the food?"
Shatner breathes deeply "Leonard, it's a roast", he explains patiently.
"They get a bunch of comedians no one's ever heard of, a few B-level celebrities I've never met, some train wreck in a dress who use to be 'hot' and everybody makes fun of me -- it's gonna be so much fun!"
p.s. the train wreck was Farrah Fawcett.

Evolution

Turn up the volume, get comfortable to watch 6 minutes of this guy dance! You'll really appreciate it if your a 30-something like me.