Trekking in Toronto

Two Sassy Senoras strolled a Surprising Section of the Town of Toronto. What did they find? Ooooh, Liberty Lunch - a cool spot for Sharing Sandwiches and Sweet Potato Fries that Spoke to our Stomach. After Sating ourSelves we Sauntered by this Savory Soppresata Salami Shop. (ok.. it's a coffee roastery but that doesn't fit the alliteration.)









Strolling further down the Street, the Designer Diva is Depicted here Scouting Specials before we Coddled up to some Cherry Candles in Coniferous Containers. (don't try this at home, kids)

And Here is Handy Hale our Helper copping La Chica, a City Cart in which she can Carry her Charges.

Helpful Hale so wanted to Be Beauteous on the Blog that he Brought out his Best Bargain for the Broads, I mean Babes.

And Bouyant with Bags we were Bustling off to Balzac's for beverages!

Dare you look at the Display of Divine Desserts that Delighted the Divas? And Peek at "Purty in Pink" parading with her possible "Prada" and her Purchase.

This is the Cofee Counter with the Carafe of Coffee the Cheeky Chick Chose and it Came with a Chimichanga-sized Chai.

Girl time was Glorious but where are the Big Boys? (Tune in tomorrow.)

Et tu Brute?

Maya Angelou wrote: EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW HOW TO QUIT A JOB, BREAK UP WITH A LOVER, AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP... AND also

How to Make the Perfect Bloody Caesar.

Ok..I added the last part.
So yesterday, we had The Best of the USA, Major League Baseball and the Best of Canada, Bloody Caesars. For you poor souls who, have been Caesar-deprived, a Bloody Caesar is a Canadian favorite, a Calgary invention, and your year's worth of veggies in a glass... well, it IS, Mom! Sorta like a Bloody Mary only wayyy better. After a gazillion errands, the Chief Caesar-Maker decided we deserved an extra-big helping of beta-carotene as we watched Game 6 of the ALCS. So here it is, straight from the vault, unveiled for the first-time ever..to your eyes only o' beloved reader: The Perfect Bloody Caesar.

First, get BIG glasses...no sense in namby-pamby smidgey, barely-get-anything-in-them glasses.

Fill with ice.

Then get your celery salt. Ruh roh! We're almost out! Have we made these one or two times before??

Here's the Merry Mixologist hard at work gathering the necessary "vegetables."

Clamato - The Works - if you can't find The Works you can use regular Clamato, but do not use plain old tomato juice or you will get a Plain Jane drink (and i don't use that term lightly!) Use Louisiana Hot Sauce or any good hot sauce as long as it's HOT. This is not a drink for wimps. And procure Ice-cold Vodka (store it in the freezer).

Oh no! There's only enough Grey Goose for one...but lucky for us, the Master Mixologist has a backup bottle. Musta been a Boy Scout. Get Worcestershire Sauce and freshly-squeezed Lime juice. Do NOT use reconstituted juice from a jar unless it's an emergency. For extra kick, grate some fresh horseradish if you can find it... Here with the plethora of root vegetables in the land of Endless Winter, you'd think you could find fresh horseradish - but, alas, we are still training the Canucks' tempered tastebuds to tolerate tang!

Use 1/2 a lime for each glass and run the limes around the rim so the celery salt will stick. (Sidenote: limes are really expensive here, so we really savor them. Ahhh..the days of limes 10/$1 at the Houston farmer's market, but I'm digressing again.. Can you tell I already have the end product in hand?) Don't use regular salt. This is Not a Margarita or a Beer-rita. That's another lesson.

With carefully practiced skill, place your celery salt into an expensive rimming thingy, like ours, and rim your glass. Then using a time-honored method, artfully demo'd here, squeeze at least 1/2 a lime into each glass...and for sure, more is better.

Don't tell, but the Daring Drink-Maker doesn't rim his glass and neither does my friend, Lee, who makes her Caesars with tequila and no salt. Heresy!

Ready? Go! Pour in 1..ok .. 2 shots of vodka..it's a BIG glass..remember? Looks like the Cheerful Caesar-Maker has a bit of a heavy hand.

Then add the Clamato to the top..nearly...

Leave room for a few dashes (ok...put in more ...i said MORE!) of the Tabasco, Clyde's Hot Sauce, Melinda's Make-Ya-Cry Sauce, Bubba's Breathbuster, or ..well, you get it.

Then a bunch of dashes (that IS Martha Stewart terminology) of the Worcestershire. Is that a knife you're stirring with, Maestro Mixer? Et voila, let's get this party started!

Whoooooo! That'll put hair on your chest and/or scare it off yer head! Time to watch Beckett beat 'em!

Thanks and Giving

View from our window today

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. Kinda cool to have Thanksgiving before Halloween 'cause it helps with the frantic rush that often accompanies the Holidays in the States. Amid worldwide economic jitters, national elections here and in the U.S., and everyone hoping for "Change" of one sort or another, it's a good time to be grateful for the abundance in our lives.

Out towards Drumheller (from the car)

Afternoon lighting in the Canadian Rockies (cerulean_blue)

Recently, I was asked to help with something significant at our church and although I was initially flattered and glad to help, I found my attention waning during the planning meeting and becoming a bit resentful of the time it was taking. Yet, after the Sunday service came off beautifully, I realized that it's not all about me and what I like or dislike. I realized that I need to focus more on the giving aspect. Instead of waiting for someone to say "Gee..you were great and we are so grateful to you," my reward can be in knowing that I have been of service, done my best, and perhaps my efforts will have a positive ripple effect. Leaves reflected on the lake (nancy rose)

It would be great if we could change everyone else to make the world a better place. But, a better world starts with each of us. It's hard not to be selfish or envious of others, isn't it? It can be challenging, eh? But selflessness helps us do the greatest good. And, we have so much for which to be thankful, including you, beloved reader.

Amber waves of grain (westrock bob)

Here's a little peek of something I appreciate: A good friend who comes to Thanksgiving dinner and a trash taker outer who does it all on his own. ...

What are YOU thankful for?

Sixty is Sexy

"Someone" in my family turned 60 on Sunday.

We won't name names but here's the gang waiting for this "someone's" arrival.

Here's the "someone" saying "Hey, what's going on here?"

We finally convinced him not to back out of the driveway so we could join the party!
Garland and Don were hard at work cooking up Wings and Tings.
(This was after Don had scrubbed the floors and vacuumed too! Go Don!)

Now, who is the sullen teenager on the cake? Those highwaters sure are...um...trendy?
Shy little wallflower, Judy, leading the singing of "Happy Birthday!"
Now, that's the spirit! Put that hot air to use!
Oops.. someone forgot to tell the kids about the cake.

Don is hoping that if he snuggles up, Tim will share his scotch.

And the 3 little introverted party-goers.
So, a success for the Super 60. Don, Lee, Garland, and Donna were incredibly gracious hosts - I couldn't have pulled it off without 'em. You guys are the best!

Psssttt, horses! There's a party up here!

Tea for Two in Renfrew

Some days the weather is just perfect, you have a free afternoon, and a friend with which to share it. Today was such a day. My Ya-Ya Sister, Shelagh, invited me to her front porch so that we could do what sistahs do best: tawk amongst ourselves. Shelagh made flaky homemade tea biscuits served with real Devon cream, deeelicious fig jam, and ahhhh, Lady Grey tea. Now, THAT is what we call Northern Hospitality.

We were so gosh-darn busy conversatin' bout important subjects that I forgot to take pictures of the neighbor's blue heeler trying to eat a dead bird or the kids having a blast playing tea party and pirate-fighting on these cool cut-up tree trunk pieces they had the tree cutters leave in their front yard. Now, if only, I'd thought to save some of our blown-over tree after Hurricane Ike for the grandsons to use as a fort. C'est la vie.

While we were chillin' and chattin', we did manage to supervise the kids because, like all moms, hockey or not, we have eyes in the back of our heads, right? This is us, engaged in more of our high-level deliberations.

And then, the neighbor figured out that she wanted to join our fun so we broke out an aperitif, decadent Cassis from Dijon. And a bit more talk of the economy. Not!

And then Shelagh's cute German hubby showed up with beer, sausages, AND..... pastries! Does it get any better?

Eventually I had to "bail out" and head for home.

Not such a bad view from our Prince's Island Palace either. Leaves turning more yellow all the time. Next week, maybe snow. Time to put up the Christmas lights before it gets too cold and icy for the ladder. You think I'm kidding?