Tis The Season Of Doing

Happy Monday!

How was your week?

Mine was full of snow (which never happens) and then rain (that always happens) making for a slushy mess of EPIC proportions. I always wonder why when the snow plow goes by and pushes the snow up to the curb, why they are never concerned with covering the sewer grates. Sese and I on Saturday attempted to walk seriously maybe 6 blocks and every curb and intersection had a freezing slushy moat around the concrete.

In hindsight when I shoveled the walkways I should have at least looked for the one in front of my house and cleared it but the piles of plowed snow made that a situation that I didn't even entertain the thought of.

In most places, since I had my boots on I would step and she would just follow in my footsteps which was cute because she isn't 5 anymore and yet as an adult she still does not have shoes appropriate for the weather and yet at the same time...we aren't used to this. Anyway just to go to Starbucks where she orders something cold (Baffling) and to the tiny grocery store took us was longer than expected, longer than the additional length of time we expected and her toes were soaked through and frozen by the time we got home.

Now in the City...In the heart of Downtown Van...nothing...the only snow I see is the snow on cars that have come from somewhere else...somewhere...higher. And it's quite the change! I travel through 5 cities to get to and from work and the change is incredible if you look at it. Lower Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam are pretty even maybe a foot t a foot and a half of snow, then you get to Port Moody and there is SNOW! Burnaby more snow and then Vancouver gradually lessens until there is nothing so you know that if Van has snow on the ground that everywhere else is chaos.

Now if you're into trekking out in the weather there are a few things you could do in these towns while looking for Christmas gifts or simple entertainment.

Affordable Original Arts and Crafts Show - Covan02 Art Gallery is hosting and Arts and Crafts Show in Gastown.

All Together Now: Vancouver Collectors and Their Worlds - Museum of Vancouver.

Christmas in Maple Ridge - Timberline Ranch

If you like to get your drink on you could try,

BC Craft Beer Holiday - Showcasing 8 Unique Craft Beers for the holidays.

Crossroads Hospice Meat Draw - The Arms Pub.

Port Moody's Winter Farmers Market - Port Moody Rec Center.

Now with all of that I should be able to start my Christmas shopping right? Find a Turkey and all the trimmings or well most of them anyway. Still trying to figure out what to bake besides the usual and I think I might attempt Fudge. I can't say that will turn out well but we'll see!

Ok I'm off to continue my day.

Have a great week!

See Ya.
S

Snow, Baking and Belly Buttons

Hello Lovelies!

Well today is not the average day here in the Lower Mainland although it's a typical Monday. I left to catch the bus and it never came, forgot my glasses had to run home, decided to take the WCE got to waterfront Station and with the Skytrains delayed is was a sardines in a can situation and then...and then...with a packed train car a woman with rolling luggage gets on. The bane of my commuter existence but she crammed herself and her rolling duffel bag into the car and all I wanted to do was kick it.

Now the difference in snow at home vs snow downtown is that snow at home is well...snow while downtown it's more like rain. Yesterday was sunny with the crispness seeping in and I actually liked it. Today though everyone panicked even though on the high traffic areas the roads are not bad. Salt trucks were out in force but only the higher elevations really had to worry. 30 min to 1 hr. delays out of North Van, SFU has no transit running up Burnaby Mountain and there is more snow to come. Today is one thing but tomorrow calling for sun and that with the low temps means ice will be a major problem.

Oh my...did I really talk that much about the weather?

So how was your week? Mine flew by very quickly as December always seems to do making us feel the pressure of Christmas. Christmas Eve is always the day I bake and this year it's on a Saturday which means I have the whole day to work in the kitchen. Usually I have to work a half day so by the time I get home from the city the day is almost gone, but this year I would like to try not only the baked goods but Candy too.

I've never made candy, and I'll probably suck at making candy but I'll give it a try. My problem is knowing what type of candy to make.

I've never made Rum Balls either although Rum and Christmas Eve might not be a good combination seeing as the last time that happened I almost never made a turkey, or got out of bed. The important things to have going for Christmas Eve and Day is coffee, copious amount s of coffee and nibbles lots of nibbles. In my house the biggest issue when baking is keeping the baked good from being eaten as soon as they come out of the oven so that means double and triple batches of everything but thank goodness I will have at least 1 little helper those days.

Oh ya back to candy. What type of candy do you make a Christmas?

Barks and Brittles? Fudge? Minty things?

So many and so much to do to make sure all of the bits and pieces are there. So now that all of this is in my brain I'll have to do some planning and practicing to do. let's not forget the awful X-mas gifts though just a couple of them jumped out at me so far like this one.

The belly button brush for that individual that apparently needs to brush out their belly button. Did someone notice that this person had a lot of belly button lint all of the time?

and this lovely beauty my heart is seizing already from the thought of these. Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses. $28 for 4 available at Uncommon Goods.

Now they may not be awful but still strange to me.

Ok guys back to the grind and thinking about Candy!

Have a great week!

See Ya 

S