Funny Things Kids Say #1

I was talking to Ryan when we got home from Sarah's and saying that I would have left him there to hang with the teenage girls except they were drinking and toking and I didn't think that was his thing. He agreed and then said "what's toking?"

After I choked on my Coke, I explained, then said something like "you really are a geek aren't you?" He says, "did you just figure that out?" LOL That's my boy. Geeks rule!

Party On!

Or not. //snort//

I believe I am now offically "Old."

Last night we (Ryan, Selena and I) went to the Halloween Dance at 'Lene's school (stay tuned for a pic of Selena's costume) and afterwards we dropped in at a party at Sarah's place. I thought I should go because she has had at least two get togethers with people from school and I'm almost the only one who hasn't been.

So we arrive at the party around 8-ish to be greeted by Sarah's buddy Al, a biker dude / tattoo artist who is well on his way to totally tanked or high or something. //errgghh// Okaaaay . . . Not too many people are there yet, luckily the rest are still sober.

Sarah thought ahead and had set up her spare bedroom for guest's children to hang out in, play lego or watch videos, and designated the upstairs a no smoking zone. Jenn was there with her hubby and kids , and Angelina arrived a bit later with her kids. The plan was to have the kids upstairs and the adults downstairs, although it was only about 30 min before Selena came looking for me.

The adults go downstairs, we had a nice chat and I skipped the joint that was going around. //bleach// What I thought was funny was Jenn was drinking a super caffienated drink to stay awake, yet toking on the joint. I was wondering how you could be hyper and mellow at the same time?

We ended up staying about an hour because Selena wanted to get home for Gundam Seed and the whole "get shitfaced/stoned" scene really doesn't do it for me. I think Sarah was disappointed we didn't stay longer and I felt kinda like a fogey for bailing.

Maybe I'm not old, just mature or at least not immature or a good role model or something more positive that doesn't sound totally boring . . .

Things That Drive Me Nuts #1

People mispronouncing everyday words, the latest in this case being "Inu Yasha". Two words, three syllables, how hard is it to get right? At least two people, who watch the show, have called it "In Yu Asha" in the last two days. Okay, it's not quite an everyday word, but if you watch the show you should be able to pronounce it. Apparently not. //sigh//

One I ran into in the travel industry all the time is the mangling of Puerto Vallarta, ie "Porto Vay-yarta" for us gringos. NOT "Porto La Varta" or "Porto Va Larta", although the last is at least somewhat understandable.

And now in the cooking world we have Chicken Kiev (as in Key Ev), not "Keev" or as I heard last week "K neev" (where the heck did that 'n' come from?).

Finally, We See Eternal Egypt

We all had a day off Friday, so headed to Victoria to see the Ancient Egypt exhibit at the Royal British Columbia Museum. We also (barely) took in the IMAX "Mysteries of Egypt."

I say barely, because we were reminded why we hardly ever go to downtown Victoria - parking. Parking sucks! After much swearing and driving in circles, using a horrible map from the Musuem's website, we found a spot. Then it would only cough up 3 hours of time. \\argh\\ We had to run to the IMAX and just made it, skulking to our seats at the very front in the dark.

After the IMAX we had some time to kill before our entry window, so we took in a bit of the Human Civilization exhibit. We wanted to go to the Natural History area but go shooed away before we realized we could still get into that area.

The exhibit was very nice, lots of interesting stuff but way too crowded. There was an annoying background buzz from lots and lots of people and their audio tours, not to mention one horrible woman reading every word of the descriptions to her children (who were old enough to read themselves) so I had a headache by the time we left. It was worth it though, since who knows when I'll get to the British Museum to see this stuff in it's home exhibit.

Selena was excited because everything (what little was left) in the gift shop was on sale. And that we stopped at McDonald's on the way home. We were also entertained by Selena reading us the questions from her Pringles and seeing how many we got right. I learned I need to brush up on my astronomy . . .

I Want A Girlie Dog

Just so I can buy this t-shirt:

Why is it? #3

That every time I get home from somewhere I wonder if anyone called while I was out?

I have a cell phone that is out with me and no other phone line, it's pretty obvious when someone calls (unless we're on the Malahat where the signal cuts out). It's been this way for over a year and I still think I should check my answering machine when I walk in the house. The really bizarre part is that I hate talking on the phone. \\shrug\\

I am the Sandwich Queen

Woo-hoo! This week I make sandwiches, about 50,000 of them. Okay, more like 50 premades and 150 made to order every day, and I have help with the made to order. Good thing all I had today was pre-made, it was one of those Mondays. I dropped the bog roll into the loo, stabbed myself with my name tag pin, left half my lunch in the fridge and forgot to run the dryer Sunday night so my t-shirt was still damp when I put it on.

I'm also still catching up on sleep after Niko and Mr. D's almost emergency Thursday night. Poor Mr D. He's feeling better now. I still managed to do well on my test, only 2 wrong. Bummer thing of the weekend was that Mum was in the hospital. Selena told us that she went to emerg just after she took 'lena to the bus stop. Turns out she was having blood clots, probably as a result of her surgery. They kept her for a few days, put her on blood thinners and sent her home today.

Paging Dr Doolittle

We added another critter to our menagerie this weekend. Selena acquired a bunny from a friend who "had too many." No doubt. \\grin\\ He's a cute little guy, apparently not yet a year old, and quite tame. He's now called Inu Yasha and settling into his cage very nicely. Not bad considering he was supposed to be a she.

We also found out that Dragonfly, Niko's pigeon, is a variety called Komorner. He or she wouldn't sit still to be sexed though, so we're still guessing there.

How's This?

For a sentence to make Niko cringe? "The sponginess that you will feel if you clench your fist and touch with your other hand the area where you thumb and index finger meet approximates the sponginess of a steak that is __________."

Ahhhh!

That's the sound of me thanking the powers that be that Thanksgiving is over. Of course, Christmas is coming faster than I'm ready for. Maybe I can manage not to burn my cheese cake this time. \\sigh\\ Luckily it was salvagable or I'd have to leave cooking school in shame.

Tonight after I finish my homework I'm going to attempt potato leek soup. Last time I forgot the whipping cream and by the time I'd bought that my leek had gone off. Hopefully the stars are in alignment this time and we will eat soup tonight! Say the last bit in your best Inigo Montoya sword waving voice and it sounds really cool - "We will eat soup tonight!" Yes, I am over tired and very easily amused.

Ouch!

Well, I finally did it. I cut myself on a very sharp knife. I wasn't paying enough attention and was trying to hurry. \\sigh\\ It's not a really bad one though, cut across the nail on my pointing finger and just at the nail on my thumb, on the left hand. Obviously I have to work on the knuckles to the knife technique a bit . . .

Phew!

Time flies some more. . . Actually, I'm mostly happy that time flies, it means I'm busy, not sitting waiting for the day to end. I just wish the weekends would go a little slower.
So this week at school I learned:

• to always read the package to see how much is in it before opening it. That way I wouldn't have had to refreeze 2 packages of imitation crab.
  


• to never listen to anything Casey says. 90% of the time he is totally wrong and the other 10% he is mostly wrong. Our group have decided to ignore him unless absolutely neccessary.
  


• to read the whole recipe a day or two ahead to make sure I don't need to order anything in, like zucchini for the beef skewers.
  


• how to make Chicken Kiev, very tasty Beef Skewers, roast leg of lamb to die for, and the prettiest crab cakes I've ever seen.
  

I also did a million questions for homework, which is due on Wednesdays, before we've even covered all the material in lectures. Oh well. \\shrug\\ Test day is on Friday, so far I'm doing very well, 55/56 last week and 56/58 the week before.

I was going to make potato and leek soup this weekend but I forgot the whipping cream, so I guess I'll whip it up \\pun intended\\ tomorrow after school. I think I have all the ingreds for scones but I have to double check the recipe at school before I try them.

In other news, there isn't much other news. I'm now caught up on PC Doherty's Alexander the Great books - read two this week. I finished one CL Grace (aka PC Doherty) Kathryn Swinbrooke today and started another. Did lots of dishes, some laundry and took a whack at cleaning out the shed. Excitement galore around here.