Plans For A Green Party

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Ha, ha! It is for St. Patrick’s Day. This actually started two years ago when our friend, Sharon, wanted to celebrate her birthday (the very same day). Plans were made and we were to meet at a pub in Mission, B.C.

As we have a large van we took everyone in our vehicle and, due to the fact Don was our designated driver for the night, we picked everyone up and away we went.  Sharon gave us all bright green shamrock necklaces (I still have mine, thank you very much) and the laughter, songs sung, green beer (yup) and ambience was more fun than I could possibly describe.  Well, now….on the way home we all started to sing. Guess what? No one could remember the words after the first sentence or two but then they picked one song and sang it all the way home. Whenever they come to our home, they start singing it. Shameful, isn’t it?

I digress. We are having a St. Patrick’s Pub Food evening on Sunday and  I can tell you our house is becoming quite green. Shamrocks galore, green candles, napkins are starting to show up.

We ‘took the five’ I keep talking about and googled the pubs in Ireland and checked out their menus to see if we are on the right page. We are…

We are starting with Dried Ribs (brought by one of our guests)

Believe it or not “Classic Poutine”, Beef and Guiness Pie, Mac ‘N Cheese, Pea Soup, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Green Beer and/or wine throughout. As one of our friends does not eat sweets, we will have a plate with fruit and cheeses, crackers.

We asked the “Irishman” among us (complete with lilting voice) to bring his guitar.  (my father was Irish so I guess that counts). Do you think we will have fun? You bet. I will put up the pictures next week.

Bonnie

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Tips for Guest Room

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Winter is almost over and now would be a great time to think about what is needed for  your guest room. (Yes, they will appear).  If you do not have a guest room but must send one of the kids to the rumpus room to sleep, make sure you have an air mattress that can be blown up for them to sleep on. (Floors are toohard).

Make sure the room is spotless-clean and the linens are fresh and, again, clean. Curtains should be washed or dusted/vacuumed.

Put together a box/basket/tray with goodies that they can use should they forget something when they packed their suitcase. This is not a costly venture.

Go to Walmart or the Dollar Store and pick up the travel size bottles etc. of toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, bar soap and/or liquid shower soap and puff, hair spray, shampoo, cream rinse, men’s shaving cream, extra toothbrushes, sleep masks, bottle of Tylenol/Aspirin, clean glass(es).

Recent magazines or newspapers for your guests to relax and read. Small bowl of chocolates (we always place one chocolate on their pillows), nuts, chips, fruit. When we had the Bed and Breakfast, we always put out a tray of fresh and chilled grapes, crackers, salty treats, watermelon etc., jug of ice water and glasses for when they arrived and could settle in.

Each person should have their own towels, face cloths and hand towels. Show them where they can find more toilet paper, kleenex box or towels. This way they don’t feel like they are bothering you or using too much of any product.

If your guests are staying longer than two days…empty out their garbage pail, put in a clean plastic white garbage bag. Change their towels (without fuss).

Oh yeah, put fresh flowers in their room and a couple in the bathroom. Personally, I don’t feel there is any other item that shows you are delighted to have these people in your home than fresh flowers. They are not expensive…garden flowers if you have a garden, inexpensive bunches at the grocery store.

None of the things above are expensive or difficult to achieve. Honest!

Be gracious. Be sincere. Be the one who treats everyone like royalty. Enjoy their time with you. There is no guarantee for another tomorrow.

 

Bonnie

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Reflections on Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day can bring thoughts of horror to the male species and about the same with the females. Why is that? I think we put far too much pressure on ourselves and those we care deeply for and perhaps even are in love with to prove our feelings or outdo the previous year.

Love isn’t the big showy gifts that are above your budget but think you have to buy him/her. Love, for me, is a beautiful card that was bought because of the words not the appearance; a rub on the back of my neck when standing in line at the grocery store; a foot massage every evening while watching TV; having a beautiful breakfast of blueberry french toast being prepared (like right now).

It is all the silly things we say to each other every day (without fail); the continuous flirting with each other so much our kids tease us. Inside, I think they are happy for us to be this way. I cry big, wet tears at the sound of a National Anthem, not only ours, everyone’s from all around the world. It conjures up such pride for them that it has always caught me off guard.

It might be the ‘french’ way of spelling in a crossword puzzle, or how tickled I get when my husband speaks French (it isn’t often enough, for me) and he gets laughing. He has the voice of an angel and when we first were dating we talked literally for hours on end.

It can be when he walks into a room…my heart skips a beat each and every time…still! Love doesn’t have to be complicated, just honest.

Love should be shared each and every day….it can’t ever be given the excuse “I can’t, I’m busy” or “not now, I am working”. We have no guarantee that there will be a tomorrow for any of us. With that thought in mind, why would anyone ever consider wasting that brief second or moment it takes to let the one person in your life know that you care?

We have never left the house without saying I love you to the person staying home, nor has my husband ever gone to work (downstairs in his office or in his workshop) without a kiss, saying a silly “drive carefully, no fingers, no bad words and no speeding”. Silly? you bet. Sounds dumb to you? Absolutely. Important to both of us? Without a second of doubt.

Each day, in our lives together, is a perfect gift. A 23  1/2 year gift to me. My husband has been ill all those years and it is a gift for me, that we can still share each other’s life. We have been together 25 years and I thank God every day for this life of mine.

There isn’t enough money in the world to make me consider anything else.I am not saying we don’t sometimes think murder….but never divorce and it only lasts a moment or two. My Dad said that at their  50th  Anniversary “murder sometimes, divorce never”.

So, don’t think the flowers have to be big, the candy bigger and dinner off the wall price-wise. Tonight my beloved husband is preparing dinner for us. I don’t know all, but I do know it is made up of my favourite foods.

Simple happenings? Of course, Lovingly given and prepared? Without a doubt.

To my husband and our blended family of kids and grandkids….Happy Valentine’s Day and don’t think for a moment that we don’t think of you all daily.

Bonnie

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After Our Dinner For Four – Comments

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They came, we ate, we laughed and we chatted the evening  away-okay…that doesn’t quite sum it all up to anyone’s satisfaction, does it?

It was a wonderful, relaxing evening with a couple who, we were able to ascertain, enjoy pretty much the same things as we do.  Believe it or not, the two men had done a lot of the same (or similar lines) of work when they were younger.

We did the dinner in a relaxing manner and realized that it took us about 5 hours to finish the evening – pretty much spent at the dining room table.

After our guests left, I poured us a coffee and we sat for 15-20 minutes until the eyelids were closing and went to bed.

After many, many years of always cleaning everything up and going to bed with no hint of a dinner party left, it is easier to put a load in the dishwasher and say goodnight. In the early morning, I get up and tidy all the previous nights dishes, etc. It is so much faster to do this when you are well rested and able to face “the music” so to speak.

We have been profusely thanked for our efforts and all is good. Getting ready now for the next one coming up. March 17th…watch for it.

 

Bonnie

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Saturday Dinner For Four

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We invited a couple from our neighborhood for dinner tonight. Charlotte has been here before and is aware of the goings on BUT her husband, John, isn’t. So……pampering is the name of the game.

This is the supper we have planned and it is going to be so much fun to pull off. We love doing this, so read on. Remember our motto is, all who enter here are treated like royalty. Not to show off but to show how delighted we are to have your company.

To start with, I used my beige ultrasuede tablecloth (I made it years ago), stayed with a black and tan theme from charger plates to glasses. The shots of colour came from the flowers and the plates used. Individual candles at each setting, as well as salt/pepper shakers, butter dishes and bread plates complete the table.

Signataure Drink and Hors d’Oeurves

When  we were in France three years ago, I really liked the drink “Kir”.  It is a 1 oz. of Cassis and 3 oz. chilled white wine. Yummy! Don made Potato Rostis with Lemon Cream. OMG, we have sampled a few already (we call it quality control). Sucks to be us, right?

 

Soup and Salad

I made my favourite “Blueberry Soup” with blueberry yogurt and fresh blueberries. I love this soup. Chilled but delightful then on to the “Festive” Salad. This is, also, a favourite of mine. It is colorful and super tasty. The wine for these two courses is Piesporter.

 

Beef Bourguingnon with Baby Potatoes, glazed beets and baby carrots.

Don makes the best that you could ever taste. I know you think I may be bragging but, so help me, this is why we are still together. He’s a great cook and I’m a great sampler……tee hee. The wine for this course is Pinot Noir. The meat is cooked with it as well so we are just bringing out the flavours.

 

Now, for a change of pace (we have never done this before) a small plate of green and red grapes and a few slices of cheese, served with a glass of Lemoncella.  This will clear the palette for the upcoming dessert.

Dessert

I made a maple pots de creme with salted maple sauce and a praline topping. With this is a bitter chocolate chunk salted cookie. The pairing of the sweet and the bitter is incredible and with this is a small glass of well chilled Burgundy Ice Wine.

Coffee/tea and conversations…..

Another great evening and, yes, we were delighted to have you with us. Just a note to let you know that the soup, salad and dessert were eaten before I took pictures. So sorry. Next time.

Bonnie

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Totally Puzzled

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There is a  new house being built across the road. A couple of months ago, while a crew were working long, hard hours doing the stucco work, I made some fresh muffins and took them over. They were thrilled and very appreciative.

Today, there is a new crew putting in the cupboards and  I thought, since we don’t have a restaurant close , I will make some fresh blueberry muffins with a lemon/lime glaze and take them over.

I took them over, plate since warm, and they refused to accept them. About five minutes later, I had convinced them that I was, indeed, a neighbor and this is what I do. I was told to take them to the basement as they didn’t want them. Then he asked me how much were they. I, again, had to convince them they really were free and then, and only then did they grab  them out of my hands.

For someone who believes a good turn a day is a good thing, I am at a loss. Anyone who knows us and that we ran a B & B for so long, put on dinners without giving a second thought to anything, knows that there was no second agenda here.

I actually came in our home and asked God if I had done the right thing. Boy, am  I confused. Did  I do the wrong thing here?

 

Bonnie

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Parent’s Anniversary

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It is something I didn’t think would ever happen, I guess because I really didn’t give it any thought….dates you cannot EVER pass over as another day or not ever think about the special day for two people who loved each other so very much. These dates are forever in our minds and hearts. Birthdays, Anniversaries…….

My parents were married for 62 years and dated for 3 years before that. When you look simply at the numbers it is a long time….when you look at the family they had, the grandchildren and great-children…it is mind-boggling.

I was not the ‘favoured’ child by any means, but I never missed a day of phoning to say hi, or when I lived in the same city, planning the Anniversary parties for them, surprising them and seeing the looks on their faces. After being away from them for many years, they planned their own. They loved the excitement and family, friends and neighbors around them.

They are both gone now; my father for almost 13 years and my mother for going on 8 years. I miss their voices most of all and am trying so hard not to forget the sound of their voices; their mannerisms, jokes and old Irish sayings my Pop could come up with, or my Mother recalling “back in the day” stories.

My parents were very proud people. Proud of their heritage, their friends, what they had accomplished with what they knew.  We were lucky to have them for as long as we did.

Today is their “Anniversary”…so Mom and Pop….Happy Anniversary. I wish you were here so we could talk…about what we have done lately, where we are planning to go in the future and to hear, perhaps one more time “Freddie, don’t pat”.

Love you and miss you both so much.

Bonnie

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New Year’s Eve For Two

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New Year’s Eve is celebrated (or not) by one and all…sometimes it carries bitterswet memories and at other times it bring immense hope for the new year ahead.

We don’t go out on New Year’s Eve. We always found that a roomful of strangers is far more intimidating than a well planned, fun-for-two dinner at home.

Don’t get me wrong, we go to extremes here too. Table set, food planned and clothes changed for a festive dining experience.

As you can see, the table is laid for a celebration.


We began our dinner with shrimp, sauteed in butter and herb de provence. Don had two sauces: a seafood sauce that he made and one made that was so delicious you could have used it instead of even a Hollandaise on eggs in the morning. I suggested to Don that it was so good, one should actually bathe in it. I will post the recipe tomorrow. Watch for it.

Our dinner consisted of a Filet Mignon Steak, perfectly BBQ’d, roasted butternut squash, garlic mashed potatoes and in the individual gravy boats, a perfect bernaise sauce to pour as needed (uh….wanted). Paired with this was a glass – or two – of Sangiovese red wine.

Dessert was a little homemade and store bought. It doesn’t matter, it was presented in a pleasing way and tasted even better. PC’s cheesecake lollipops are simply devine and should and could be used anytime.

Coffee and a small glass of ice wine perfected the evening for us. See? Anyone can make an evening at home just a little more special. It just “takes 5” and you can see the results.

Did we make it to midnight? Just barely…Happy New Year.

Bonnie

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New Year’s Eve – 2012

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I have tried, for the past several hours, to come up with something earth shattering to say and I don’t have anything. I can tell you what is important to me without making any resolutions for the upcoming year.

Health – everyone says “good Health” in the New Year. What does that mean? In our house it means living to the best we can in our own situations. Good meant in that respect? I’ll take it, with heartfelt thanks.

Wealth – money? size of the house you reside in? fancy car? Here, in our home, it means we have each other and our love that grows on a consistent wave and never, ever taking the other for granted; it means having the best home for our dreams and plans that we could have after all these years;  it means we have five children from two families that have blended together on a fairly decent level and four “perfect” grandchildren (at least in our eyes); it means our extended families are all well and fit.

It means, in our life,  we give to others as much as we can be it food for the Food Bank, clothing for the Shelters or a smile and helping hand whenever and wherever it would help someone else.

Resolutons to be made – none. I, on a pesonal level, will continue on with a fitness program that was started about 10 weeks ago and one from which I took a brief ‘leave of absence’ over the holidays. I will endeavour not to ever say or do anything that would intentionally hurt or embarrass another person.

It means that, although I have been a bit negligent, will continue to keep my faith strong within my heart and life and shine on others as my diligent attempts to try to share take place.

Never to have pity parties on my behalf or anyone else in my life. Courage is standing tall, facing whatever comes your way and coping to the best of your being. On this, I know a lot. I could write a book I think.

So, in the most sincere way from my heart to yours may 2013 bring you all you strive for, to be and plan for. God Bless!

Bonnie

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On No! It’s Over

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Well, it is. Six weeks of planning, baking, preparing, wrapping, sending off to family all their gifts, writing the usual Christmas letter and mailing them out (did I miss anyone?  Must go back AGAIN and check).

Table setting planned and laid out, pick up one beautiful daughter at the airport and ready to partay……(not spelled incorrectly)….

Firstly, go back a week,  it snows the night we were to go carolling and had to wait another night…okay! Then it snows so much here our company cannot come over. Food planned and laid out….food wrapped and put away.

Now, one kid gets here and we go have a wonderful luncheon spread at Hester Creek’s Terrafina Restaurant.  Come home and Oops! one kid is sick. We still went with the Shrimp Pad Thai and escargot. That was the end of eating for my daughter for three (3) days.

Christmas morning……s – l – o – w start….guess why? Then later on in the day, we have the B- I- G  turkey dinner with all the trimmings we can muster.  Down to the Gathering Room to watch a movie and to bed….

Boxing Day…hopefully all is well….not!  This bug is not fun. But it shows to one and all what Christmas is all about. Family together, laughter, sharing, comforting the sick….I had to say that….and not wanting to change a minute of the time together.

We will hope tomorrow is even better…plans are for a pedicure, going to see Les Miserable, having lunch and really having fun. ‘Cuz the next day, visit is over for another space of time, but the love in this house is amazing. I am even sending a “care package” of baking for one of Kelly’s bestest friends and her family.

I mean, when you bake for 9 give away trays (see picture on site), several get togethers with family and friends and not much is eaten….give away so someone else’s waist band is stretched and ours will still go to the gym and be good.

See you next time with another reason we do all this.

Is there an eggnog somewhere? Anyone?

Bonnie

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Christmas Carolling In The Neighbourhood

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A few weeks ago, our good neighbor wanted to get together and sing Carols in the neighborhood, as in days long ago. We agreed and the plan was set in motion.

Due to the fact we had a blizzard happening here on Saturday night, it was called off and we went Sunday night. It was snowing gentle, big, white fluffy flakes and it made it even more “Christmas-like”.

There were eleven of us, complete with song sheets, and off we trod. We tried many houses on the way, but we know they were expecting us the night before and many were not home. Undeterred, we carried on.

Don and  I left the group to come home and make sure all was ready for the Hot Chocolate with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate shavings and cookies. In case you weren’t  into cookies, we also had out homemade Nuts and Bolts.

We are so glad we made the “Gathering Room” instead of a rumpus room and last night proved just why we did this. Christmas music playing softly in the background, laughter, warmth and new friends made gives us yet another memory to keep in our hearts about where we now live.

It was agreed, among claims of “next year”,  and ” next year we must do this again”. This is how traditions begin and carry on. Yes, we will do it again. It was fun and brought back memories of long ago times, when life was so much simpler.

 

Bonnie

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Christmas Is On Its Way

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We live in a small community in southern British Columbia and, as of yesterday, lights are adorning the yards, stairs, roof lines started sparkling around town . As if someone pushed a button, you can see the lit Christmas trees in the windows as you drive on the different streets.

When out walking, you can start to enjoy the smells of baking wafting throughout the neighborhood and you almost wish you knew who lived there and invite yourelf in for a coffee and closer smell.

Due to the fact my sister and I used to race to see who could have all the gifts bought and wrapped before Hallowe’en, leaves me to be disliked by those who leave it until 6 p.m. Christmas Eve. I can’t help it, it still happens in our house to this day. In September, while visiting Don’s daughter and family, we took their gifts (all wrapped) to keep until Christmas, and also those gifts for our friends in the City where we used to reside.

As mentioned before we do all our Christmas baking on November 11 and then I started….slowly……sneaking a little ornament here and a new wreath or two on a couple of windows, all the while wrapping more gifts as they were available.

Oh yes, Christmas letter is done and cards were addressed, stamped and ready to go out next week.

Then, I had to figure out what the colour theme is going to be this year….it is never the same and we always try to make the table a joyful site to sit at, enjoy our traditional  dinner and talk about everything and nothing for hours with family.

Boxing Day more family arrives and we do it all again. What joy to be able to sit down and enjoy another feast.

Christmas is also time to sit back and reflect on seasons past with family members who are no longer with us, the joyful times, the silly games played or stories of long ago and, if you are like me, a slow smile crosses your face and you do feel good, even though you wish for all you can, that they were, once again, sitting at your table. Oh yes……..

Most of all, going to Church and never forgetting the real reason for this special time of year…..singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and being so thankful for all in your life.

Bonnie

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