clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

{the first shipment of gifts}

I am so not a good gift wrapper, but it is not for lack of trying. I love the pretty paper, I have really sharp scissors, I always find a flat surface. Try as I might I am just not a natural gift wrapper. Jeff has flown the coup to write his CFA (it was all a guise to hang out with his best friends from university I think) and I actually had the foresight to send his family's gifs with him. Isn't that organized and grown up of me? I can say that because it is very out of character and therefore not bragging (right?).

{figgy figgy}

I saw these pretty little trees at the market two weeks ago and decided one would be mine. I should say one would be my next victim. I have a horrible track record with house plants. So far so good for this pretty little plant. The salesman warned me the leaves may all fall off (hello traumatic), but happily that hasn't happened. Figs remind me of my sweet friend Jayme, we used to laugh when people said wine smelled like fresh figs -- they have no smell people!!

{Smitten Kitchen's date loaf}

This is not a picture of my date nut spice loaf. When I woke up this morning Jeff had already wrapped mine in about sixteen feet of Saran Wrap. He wanted to take it to his parents this weekend. Such a sweet son! I promise mine looked every bit as good as this though ;)

The return of Ina's date nut spice loaf is a joyous occasion -- For all her "I-live-in-the-Hamptons;- my -husbands'-name-is-Jeffrey;-I-only-use-the-finest-vanilla-from-Madagascar-nonesense, I love Ina Garten. Her recipes work every time and my family always love what I make.

Happy Weekend dear friends. Mine will be full of marking, but that is somehow more palatable since it will be the last marking of my esteemed (!!) career as a TA.

Here are some fun links from around the interwebz:

I don't care what happens to my face, I love running

This really was not a good week for runners -- sheesh

I loved living with my parents and I would totally do it again. Great idea!

Good news for coffee drinkers -- bottoms up!

as an aside drink Puddle Jump Haligonians

Just when I thought Homeland had taken a turn for the unrealistic. This is frightening. 

No one has ever accused me of being badass, which is precisely why I need these boots

This must be a joke #fortheloveofgod


xo

Em

Miranda

Have you watched the BBC show Miranda? It might be the funniest thing I have ever seen. No joke.

Friends introduced us to the series two Christmases ago and I now associate it with the holidays even though it is totally unrelated. We kind of forgot about it until a few nights ago. Boy am I glad we remembered this little gem. I am marking my final assignments ever this week (hallelujah) and needless to say Jeff has been busy, despite this we made time to watch a few episodes and we have both been in tears laughing.

Miranda is so refreshing. I don't know much about cinematic history (which probably doesn't include tv shows anyway), nor do I know much about different types of comedy, but this show seems to harken back to another era of television. The comedy is physical; "situational" is the way Jeff described it. It is funny without being shocking, offensive or crude (well, it is a little "naughty" at times). Miranda is the opposite of Chelsea Handler, and thank goodness for that!

Just watch it. You'll thank me.

xo

Em

the remains of the day

I've never seen that movie, I just like the title.

Only a few more days until the CFA releases my husband and Violet's daddy so he can hang out with us over the holidays. Even though he is busy (understatement), Jeff is so sweet reading to Violet here, helping me with things around the house there. I am so ready for this drawn out study session to be over, but Jeff has juggled work, family life and his preparations like a champ. Come what may I am very proud of him

Last weekend we slowly got out a few Christmas things including a big box of Christmas books. Violet is loving all things Christmas this year even more than last (and that is saying something). Very cute. I am digging the pace of our ramp up to the holidays. Normally I do everything in one crazy blur of a weekend. Drawing out the process is kind of nice (even if it is just because my heavy lifting/ high up reaching husband has been otherwise disposed!).

xo

Em

your ideal bookshelf

{not my ideal bookshelf, but they are pretty which is really the point of having books}

A few days ago Joanna, writer of one of my favourite blogs, talked about a new book called My Ideal Bookshelf. I haven't read it, but I can't wait to. I love books like this. In the book the author surveyed various cultural figures about the contents of their bookshelves -- so interesting! Do you think people bluffed? Like, oh my bookshelf only houses the classics, when really it is all Fifty Shades of Grey up in there? I have a similar book on my coffee table that asks chefs what they would want for their last meal. I love reading it and I love thinking about my own answer to the question (note to self: write a blog about my preferred last meal).

Anyhow this post got me thinking, what books would be on my ideal bookshelf. I've been mulling that question over all weekend. I've come up with a list, but I reserve the right to change it at any point and on any whim. Here goes: The Corrections; Operating Instructions (Joanna has this on her list too, I read it while I was pregnant with Violet and absolutely fell in love with Anne Lamott, she has so much spunk); Persuasion; On Beauty; Anne of Green Gables; Mercy Among the Children and War and Peace (I've read it, for real I promise). I'm sure I am forgetting something...

Want to play?

What books would be on your ideal bookshelf?

 xo

Em

ps -- I also love thinking about what books would be on other people's bookshelves. My mum for example, hers would have a strong Victorian contingent, a good dose of maritime lit (the more depressing the better), something by Flannery, Willa and Wendell and at least one No. 1 Ladies. Did it get that right mum?

clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

This was the first week of my new job. It went well, thanks for asking. Jeff has been a champ juggling my new schedule while his own gets even busier with the count down on for his big exam. I've been taking the same route to work for the last eighteen months and even though I didn't really know any of the people I would pass everyday I kind of missed them this week. I wondered how my favourite crossing guard was doing (he always helped me cross, it is possible he thought I was in high school) and I wondered if the dog walkers in the park I passed through were still out in the cooler weather. I'm sure everyone is fine without me ;) In the spirit of embracing change here are a few things I am currently liking about my routine.

{all the pretty horses}

What am I, a ten year old? I've always liked these pretty creatures. There is a bar in Calgary that has the most beautiful photos of Sable Island horses, even though I have never been to Sable Island they always reminded me of home. These particular horses are near my parents house and they remind me of living there when Vi was a baby. My dad used to take her to see the horses early in the morning. I love thinking about both Vi and my dad on my walk to work.

{good great coffee}

TIBS within walking distance. Mothers lock up your daughters (read: Jeff lock up my debit card).

{holiday trim}

I like tinsel and I like coloured trees. Some people say tacky, I say festive. My mum and I set up a silver tree a few years ago and I love love loved it. Imagine my delight when I came across this super-sized red and gold beauty. All class.


And as an antidote to my gratitude:

I want to be Anne Lamott

I want to eat pumpkin squares (if they are half as good as the ones my sweet friend dropped off this week they will last a day -- hers lasted about twelve hours)

I want to wear this hat

I want to watch all of these before Christmas

I want to live here
 
Happy weekending friends!

xo

Em

"participate in food production"

{this is the best I could do}

9. Grow something and eat it. Tomatoes maybe? Basil? Both? Mmmmmm caprese salad. (note to self: mould on cheese does not count)

One of my goals before I turn thirty was to eat something I grew. I once read an essay by Wendell Berry that encouraged the practice of growing at least a little of one’s own food. Like most Canadians I am normally only involved in the consumption part of the agriculture supply chain. As a result I think we run the risk of feeling artificially separated from the source of our food. Wendell Berry is way (WAY) more articulate on the subject so check out his essay for a more eloquent synopsis of my motivation for this particular goal.

Since I have no garden to speak of and the opposite of a green thumb I thought that caprese salad would be a good place to start. The plan was to grow basil and a few tomatoes, how hard could that be? As it turns out, pretty hard.

First my basil was eaten up by what I can only imagine were very hungry earwigs (way less cute than their caterpillar counterparts). Then my cherry tomatoes exploded as I waited for them to ripen perfectly (they actually exploded – for real). No tomatoes, no basil, no caprese.

I felt dejected for several months.

Then last week I revisited my list and surveyed my options. They were slim. I had some gnarly looking chives that I once saw my neighbours’ cat nibbling and some woody thyme. Then Nicholetta posted a recipe for roasted cauliflower soup on her blog – it called for one of my two viable ingredients – thyme (she didn’t specify that it should be woody, but I doubted it mattered much). 

So, there it is, roasted cauliflower and thyme soup. Something I grew myself.

I know it is a stretch.

Wendell Berry would be disgusted I am quite sure of it.

At least it is a start? Last year I grew nothing that I ate. Baby steps.

Next year I will try to up the ante and disqualify herbs from my challenge – what is the easiest thing in the world to grow? A potato? I was born on PEI…

xo

Em

Blog < CFA

Apparently when you have to write an exam for work you get the computer with the working keyboard

Or so says my husband

As you may recall the period on my keyboard doesn't work -- since there isn't much point in repairing a five year old macbook I've been pinching Jeff's to write my notes to you

Tonight he needed his computer

I was not impressed

He should really get his priorities in order, sheesh

I have a "to do before I am thirty" post all ready to go (in my head of course), but I simply can't write it without a period (of all the keys to malfunction the period may be the worst)

For now all I can offer you is a cute picture of a pyjama clad girl -- oh and a quick, cute, unpunctuated story -- Violet was saying grace before supper tonight and she said, "dear god, thanks for the food even though I know already that I will not like it"

Nothing if not honest

Supper was mediocre -- Violet has good instincts, I'll give her that

I promise I will steal my husband's computer tomorrow and write a proper post!

Until then,

xo

Em