Tasting memories

Tonight we had ribs for dinner.  This wouldn't normally be a newsworthy item, except that I used a sauce recipe that I got from a friend some 35 years ago.  I remember the first time we tasted that sauce at Lucie's.  I drooled at the taste, sitting there in her kitchen in Kerrisdale.

This made me think about all the other memories I have that relate to food.

I remember the first time I had chocolate fondue.  Tom and I were in Quebec City, in a romantic, dimly lit restaurant in the old town.

Then there's Japanese tempura.  My first taste of that was in a restaurant in Calgary with Gordie, Ann and Lawrence's boarder, and some Czech friends of his.  I ate with a fork and picked around this exotic looking green thing covered in batter, that I was sure was a caterpillar, but turned out to be an ordinary green bean. 

And nothing beats the taste of Beloeil's all-dressed pizza.  There's something about the pizza they make in that neck of the woods that is just mouth-watering.  And it's not really "all dressed" - it's just pepperoni, green peppers and mushrooms.  I don't even like mushrooms on pizza ...

When we decided to move to Victoria, I dreamed of White Spot hamburgers.  I remember Chuck picking us up at the airport and stopping almost immediately at a White Spot just off the highway.  That Triple-O sauce, mmmmmm.

Then there's the time we went to London with Allison and Emily.  Emily was in her white-rice-and-ice-cream phase.  Now we all know that British cuisine has a bad reputation, but ... white rice?  On our final night in London we went to a fancy restaurant and Emily ordered some chicken thing.  Don't know what it was, but her reaction was priceless:  Heaven on a plate, she declared!

Lucie's BBQ Ribs or Chicken Sauce 

(with apologies to all health-conscious people)

1 cup ketchup

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 tsp onion salt  

Help, Mummy!

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that male politicians need to bring their wives along to hold their hands when they go out in public?  Maybe we should issue them soothers and blankies when they're elected.  Or maybe we should just elect their wives ...

What a swell party this is!

This past weekend we celebrated Tom's 90th birthday!

He credits his longevity to good genes, good friends, and wonderful families. And the friends and families - from aged 2 to aged 90 - were on hand to help him celebrate. It was an intense 24 hours.

The three Thompson offspring who live in BC were there.  The Rowley family was well-represented, too, and the Meaghers came out in force.  Kerrie-Lee surprised us by coming all the way from from Thunder Bay to celebrate.  

Bill, Tom's friend of 45 years, was there with his two daughters and granddaughter.

The Cook Street Village Activity Centre Fun and Fitness Group and our condo neighbours came, too.

Other friends and family sent their best wishes, including this slide montage from Jean and Jim, who still don't believe Tom is 90!  Click on the following link to see their birthday slide show:

Birthday slide show


The party continued back at our place, where we heard stories of Montreal and "Uncle Tommy"  from Bill's "girls".  Penny ordered Chinese food and we drank many glasses of wine.  Yep, great party ...

Happy 90th birthday, Tom!!

A plague on all your houses

When did the focus of our governments switch from policy to politicking?  Or has it always been like this, and I've just had my head in the sand all these years?

For the first time in my life, I understand why some people don't vote.

I don't want to be told what the other political parties did wrong; I can actually figure that out on my own.  I want to know what your political party will do right for me.


My expectations are simple:

• Tax me fairly.
• Spend the money you collect from me thoughtfully and responsibly.
• Take care of those people who can't take care of themselves.

It used to be easy to know who to vote for ...

Musings on a goat

I had one of those moments of perfect understanding this afternoon.  The motivational speakers call it the "Aha!" moment, the "I Get It!" moment.

I was on my way through the park to downtown in search of a goat.  There was a woman ahead of me wearing a suit, and sneakers, and I thought how she was probably on her lunch, taking advantage of the glorious spring weather to take a break from her desk job.  She reminded me of me.  And then I GOT IT!

I am retired!

I mean, of course I knew that before, but all of a sudden, I really understood what that means.  It means that I can do whatever I want with my time.  It means no rushing to fill up evenings and weekends with all the jobs and joys I can't do between 9 and 5 on weekdays.  It means I can walk in the park in the middle of the day.  It's a gift.

And, it's a gift not to be squandered.

And I bought three goats.

Movin' on

Spring is a time of new beginnings, they say.  This spring, our family is writing the book on new beginnings.

In February, Mum moved from the house that she and Dad bought in 1959 - the house we all grew up in - to a rental two-bedroom condo, complete with dishwasher, elevator, and ... concierge!  Georges delivers her newspaper to the door of her apartment every morning.  She gets invites to coffee from the people in the elevator.  And maybe best of all, somebody else arranges for the snow to be cleared from the driveway.

In March - just this last weekend, in fact - our niece Allison, husband John, and toddler Hudson, moved from Calgary to Victoria and bought their first ever home - a condo - about 6 blocks from us.  While missing John's Calgary family, they are just so happy to be in Victoria.  Needless to say, we're pretty happy ourselves! 

Both of these moves were facilitated by Tom's nephew, Chuck, Realtor Extraordinaire, who is himself moving in April.  He and Jacquie are leaving the home in which they raised their son, and accommodated scads of relatives, to a smaller home in James Bay, almost next door to Emily Carr's home, and about 6 blocks from us, too - just in the opposite direction from Allison, John and Hudson!  As they mop and vacuum and fluff and dust, we wish them the joy in their new home that Mum, Allison, John, and Hudson, have found in theirs.

Meet you at the Beacon Drive-In!

There and back again

What a difference a couple of weeks makes.  Two weeks ago, Half Moon Cay was the first stop on our cruise; today it was our last.  Tomorrow we return to Fort Lauderdale and start wending our way back home.  It's been a great trip - reconnecting with Charlotte;  getting to know Linda and Brian; enjoying a little warmth in the middle of winter ...  Today we had perfect Caribbean weather.  The margaritas weren't bad either ...