Ho, ho, ho!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Merry Collage
Ho, ho, ho!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Poised for festivities
Well today arrived with the first SERIOUS dump of snow. I left the kitchen table to do something and when I came back, Peter had Dexter staring out the window looking for a REALLY big flake to count. So far they had only seen one. :)
While it is picturesque, the snow of course creates havoc on the highway. Sister Karen and nephew Andrew were scheduled to arrive today, but have put off departure until tomorrow morning to let the roads clear. Hopefully they will arrive for the perogie-fest of Christmas eve. Fingers crossed and weather cooperating.
What else?... I went into town to work at the gift wrapping booth sister Lisa operates to raise funds for work operation. Oddly, the mall was very quiet, so I got to wrap all of our own presents. I enjoyed the quiet creative time and only occasionally flashed back to the panicked look on Chris' face as I waved good bye as sat next to Cabin Fever Kid.
Last night I had a flash of Creative Craft Domesticity. I googled a play dough recipe and Dexter and I whipped up some purple and pink dough. In viewing the volume resulting from this undertaking, I realized that this recipe was likely aimed at teachers with 20 kids to occupy. "Note to self: quarter the recipe next time." I emptied the house of salt (not a grain left in any shaker) and cream of tartar.
Did you know that CofT runs at about $1/tablespoon?!? Mom bought some replacements and a tiny box is $8. Lisa confirms that around Christmas the price goes up because the local shops know the teachers will be stocking up for Christmas crafts. Well bah-humbug to you too, for chrissake (she says ironically).
That was a very long way of saying "Yay Mom!" as apparently the Easter-themed play dough kept Dexter occupied all afternoon. Especially when I found the Christmas shaped cookie cutters for him to go nuts with.
I came home and in another Martha Stewart moment added water to an angel food cake mix to help Santa produce the cake that Dexter wants for Christmas.
Mom: What do you want from Santa?
Dexter: Cake
Mom: What kind of cake?
Dexter: I don't know
This is what we have to go on.
So great hilarity ensued as the kitchen filled with supportive relatives to observe my sunken cakes re-emerge from the oven (you can put them back in, right?). Whatever.
I'm sure I can trim them down to salvage the edible sections. They only have to be Dexter-size. And he will love them. So there.
I'm going to go see if I can pry them out of the tins.
Photos tomorrow if you're really lucky.
Happy holidays!
While it is picturesque, the snow of course creates havoc on the highway. Sister Karen and nephew Andrew were scheduled to arrive today, but have put off departure until tomorrow morning to let the roads clear. Hopefully they will arrive for the perogie-fest of Christmas eve. Fingers crossed and weather cooperating.
What else?... I went into town to work at the gift wrapping booth sister Lisa operates to raise funds for work operation. Oddly, the mall was very quiet, so I got to wrap all of our own presents. I enjoyed the quiet creative time and only occasionally flashed back to the panicked look on Chris' face as I waved good bye as sat next to Cabin Fever Kid.
Last night I had a flash of Creative Craft Domesticity. I googled a play dough recipe and Dexter and I whipped up some purple and pink dough. In viewing the volume resulting from this undertaking, I realized that this recipe was likely aimed at teachers with 20 kids to occupy. "Note to self: quarter the recipe next time." I emptied the house of salt (not a grain left in any shaker) and cream of tartar.
Did you know that CofT runs at about $1/tablespoon?!? Mom bought some replacements and a tiny box is $8. Lisa confirms that around Christmas the price goes up because the local shops know the teachers will be stocking up for Christmas crafts. Well bah-humbug to you too, for chrissake (she says ironically).
That was a very long way of saying "Yay Mom!" as apparently the Easter-themed play dough kept Dexter occupied all afternoon. Especially when I found the Christmas shaped cookie cutters for him to go nuts with.
I came home and in another Martha Stewart moment added water to an angel food cake mix to help Santa produce the cake that Dexter wants for Christmas.
Mom: What do you want from Santa?
Dexter: Cake
Mom: What kind of cake?
Dexter: I don't know
This is what we have to go on.
So great hilarity ensued as the kitchen filled with supportive relatives to observe my sunken cakes re-emerge from the oven (you can put them back in, right?). Whatever.
I'm sure I can trim them down to salvage the edible sections. They only have to be Dexter-size. And he will love them. So there.
I'm going to go see if I can pry them out of the tins.
Photos tomorrow if you're really lucky.
Happy holidays!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Carnage on the prairies
Sister-out-law Alex is joining us for the first time for a Wiwchar family Christmas.
She and Nicole have inadvertently set a new goal for this festive season - experience carnage on a daily basis.
Day 1: Mowed down prairie chicken on the way into town. Feathers everywhere.
Day 2: Witnessed a mighty battle between Sam the dog and a three-legged coyote. Apparently very noisy and dramatic. Sam gained the upper hand on the already injured beast with a missing paw. Uncle Peter ended things with the 22.
Day 3: Apparently there is a bounty for coyotes (who knew?). Nicole and Alex's outing was to go chop the legs off the deceased. Gross.
Chris wondered how it was that Alex is repelled by rare steak, yet has no problems with liberating limbs from carcasses. "It's completely different" apparently.
I reiterate....ewww.
Day 4 - stay tuned...
She and Nicole have inadvertently set a new goal for this festive season - experience carnage on a daily basis.
Day 1: Mowed down prairie chicken on the way into town. Feathers everywhere.
Day 2: Witnessed a mighty battle between Sam the dog and a three-legged coyote. Apparently very noisy and dramatic. Sam gained the upper hand on the already injured beast with a missing paw. Uncle Peter ended things with the 22.
Day 3: Apparently there is a bounty for coyotes (who knew?). Nicole and Alex's outing was to go chop the legs off the deceased. Gross.
Chris wondered how it was that Alex is repelled by rare steak, yet has no problems with liberating limbs from carcasses. "It's completely different" apparently.
I reiterate....ewww.
Day 4 - stay tuned...
Frazzled Grandma
Last weekend the cousins came over for the afternoon. We set up the tree and the kids ran riot around the house.
As Aunt Julia was organizing another round of hide and seek, the kids careened past grandma in the living room.
Grandma: Why do they have to do this in the house?
Me: Because it's minus 30 out.
Grandma: Hmmph... (heads back into the kitchen)
Fa la la la la...la la la la...
As Aunt Julia was organizing another round of hide and seek, the kids careened past grandma in the living room.
Grandma: Why do they have to do this in the house?
Me: Because it's minus 30 out.
Grandma: Hmmph... (heads back into the kitchen)
Fa la la la la...la la la la...
60 YEARS of haircuts
Went on big excursion into Canora the other day. Dexter had been going on and on about a haircut, so off we went.
"The north end of Main Street near Tony's Pizza" we were told. We pulled into the angle parking in front of the combination ladies fashions/health food store and walked from there. We managed to make it the three or four doors down the street to find Marvin the barber tucked in his 70 square foot shop.
He had a client in the chair, so we wiggled around the edges to sit in with waiting area. Chris staggered off to find coffee at the Co-Op cafeteria and Marvin and his client casually inquired if we were new to town (ya think?).
After connected ourselves to Peter and Eugene Wiwchar down on the 229 highway, conversation veered back to the pros and cons of the H1N1 vaccination and holiday plans. Strangers categorized...move on.
As we waited, I pondered the mulitude of plaques on the wall celebrating Marvin's SIXTY years of cutting hair this a past May. He must be at least 80 years old. Oh. My. God. I need a break after 60 days on a job. That is insane.
Mom figures he owns the entire commercial block and just cuts to keep an eye on everything and stay out of the retirement home.
I didn't experience it, but apparently, when there is a lull Marvin will pull out the violin for a song or two. Maybe next time.
It was our turn, Dexter sat on my lap and Marvin began snipping. 10 minutes later we were done.
Not the greatest cut ever, not the worse.
Oh ya....it was five bucks. Did I mention that?
Wow.
"The north end of Main Street near Tony's Pizza" we were told. We pulled into the angle parking in front of the combination ladies fashions/health food store and walked from there. We managed to make it the three or four doors down the street to find Marvin the barber tucked in his 70 square foot shop.
He had a client in the chair, so we wiggled around the edges to sit in with waiting area. Chris staggered off to find coffee at the Co-Op cafeteria and Marvin and his client casually inquired if we were new to town (ya think?).
After connected ourselves to Peter and Eugene Wiwchar down on the 229 highway, conversation veered back to the pros and cons of the H1N1 vaccination and holiday plans. Strangers categorized...move on.
As we waited, I pondered the mulitude of plaques on the wall celebrating Marvin's SIXTY years of cutting hair this a past May. He must be at least 80 years old. Oh. My. God. I need a break after 60 days on a job. That is insane.
Mom figures he owns the entire commercial block and just cuts to keep an eye on everything and stay out of the retirement home.
I didn't experience it, but apparently, when there is a lull Marvin will pull out the violin for a song or two. Maybe next time.
It was our turn, Dexter sat on my lap and Marvin began snipping. 10 minutes later we were done.
Not the greatest cut ever, not the worse.
Oh ya....it was five bucks. Did I mention that?
Wow.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Household communication
The farmhouse is not a typical place. It's BIG...built to accommodate the merging of four households about 25 years ago. The residents have changed over the years, but obviously, the size has not.
Like many 80's homes, it incorporated the latest gadgetry of the time...trash compactor, a jacuzzi tub...a household intercom. Truly state of the art.
Over time, we've come to the inevitable realization that the household intercom is annoying. Like all public announcement systems, you never really HEAR what has just been broadcast, just experience the burst of static that leaves you knowing that something was announced and standing at the bottom of the stairs hollering to each other to figure out exactly what it was.
Happily an ancient technology has solved our communication problem for us. It's called "the telephone". Yes, we are that lazy, that hollering has finally moved us to pick up our respective phones (there are four lines in the house) to reach out and touch each other.
It works and it's one of the few local calls we make! :)
Like many 80's homes, it incorporated the latest gadgetry of the time...trash compactor, a jacuzzi tub...a household intercom. Truly state of the art.
Over time, we've come to the inevitable realization that the household intercom is annoying. Like all public announcement systems, you never really HEAR what has just been broadcast, just experience the burst of static that leaves you knowing that something was announced and standing at the bottom of the stairs hollering to each other to figure out exactly what it was.
Happily an ancient technology has solved our communication problem for us. It's called "the telephone". Yes, we are that lazy, that hollering has finally moved us to pick up our respective phones (there are four lines in the house) to reach out and touch each other.
It works and it's one of the few local calls we make! :)
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Perogie pinching 2009
Every year, Mom puts on a traditional Ukrainian feast on Christmas eve - the cornerstone of which is, of course, perogies!Apparently, and amazingly, some of us as kids did not enjoy perogies (unimaginable to me now, as I'm sure Dexter would eat them every meal if given the opportunity).
We did, however, enjoy jam. Yup, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, whatever berry jam.
So...the two were combined.
Now, every year, special order Wiwchar jam perogies are on the menu. Yum!
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