Tuesday, January 21, 2014

got rid of all of that snow....and then got dumped on again!

we had several enjoyable days of watching all of the snow melt....and looking at this:


and then we got dumped on - AGAIN!!!!



 it is pretty to look at - look at all of the beautiful grosebeaks on the apple tree branches and in the sky. they are soooo pretty to watch when they are flying - they always travel in large groups and they swoop and sway and fly together as if they were dancing. we love to watch them first thing in the morning. when they are all out in the tree, and down on the ground, they look like little yellow flowers, especially with the snow as background. here's another pic of them:



i could sit and watch them for hours!

anyway, an update on the past 2 weekends - what a blast! the monday before last we had our friends E & D come over for some supper and a visit. these are our next-door-neighbours whose boys come over regularly to help work around the Manor. anyway, they are also the people that are letting us keep our atv in their big barn, firstly, to keep it out of all of this snowy weather, and secondly, so that jambaloney can go over there this weekend to try and fix it. he's got a new carb and stuff for it and should have it running lickedy-split. poor jam has been back out shoveling the driveway by hand - but man, is he getting good at it - poor guy!

back to our friends! they arrived bearing gifts!!! woohoo! E is such a sweetie and i don't know how she remembered that our 13th anniversary together was on the 19th, but she remembered!!! (we of course forgot, her gift reminded us, and then we forgot again!!! we celebrated on the 20th when we remembered. we celebrated by pretty much doing what we do everyday - spend time together, work on projects together, many hottub dips, good food and lots of hugs and kisses. it's our anniversary pretty much everyday!!!)

E gave us our new dining room table centrepiece - 3 ornate-looking candle stands with stones in the glass tumblers. and she put small candles in small dishes inside of the tumblers to catch the wax so it didn't drip on the stones. the card she chose was very thoughtful and the sentiments expressed were from the heart!

oh and one thing that i forgot to showcase on the blog was D's beautiful wreath that he made for us - isn't it gorgeous! it has been hanging in the plastic porch at our front door since Christmas. i am not taking it down until it completely falls apart - i love it sooo much!!! if it stays alive and together until august, then i will have a beautiful wreath on my porch all summer long!


so we spent a fantastic evening with our friends laughing and chatting about just about everything. we love E & D and love having them as our friends and our neighbours! the only downer of the night was i made an apple pie out of our friend D's apples for dessert and of course, used a new recipe that seemed good, but the filling didn't cook enough. i used large chunks of apple because i wanted the apples to be the stars of the pie but the dang filling wasn't quite cooked enough. oh well. win some and lose some eh? my friend D and jam still ate 2 pieces each - they didn't seem to care too much!

we had a hoot, a holler and much laughter was shared by all - we can't wait to have them over again!

then last saturday we had our friends C & B over - they are from our sister community of Fourchu and we love them to death! B always teases the crap out of jambaloney but it's always in good fun! we were having pizza night so after they arrived and we chatted a bit, i made a combination pizza for us all to share. then the plan was to make our own little individual pizzas but everyone was too full from the first pizza and snacks. so B made his own particular pizza - he was driving me nuts - bahahah! i had all of the ingredients prepped but he had to cut up the onions more and cut the bacon slices in half. he was mostly putting on a show because i was acting OCD about how he was making his pizza. he was driving me nuts though, putting pepperoni in some places, ham in others, chorizo on other places - then he had to cut up the green peppers - bahahahahahah! next time he's over I am making that pizza!!! he did make himself a nice little pizza that he took home. my friend C just took some dough and all of the ingredients to make herself a pizza the next day.

we had a hoot and a holler with them, too! C brought this incredible dessert - it's called banana split squares - it was soooo deelishous - and tasted just like a banana split!!! she makes the best desserts around here and i am not a "sweets" person but i always have some of her desserts! we spent the evening laughing together and jam making C some fancy kahlua and cream drinks. she, of course, brought me a bottle of wine that i had opened at her house last week - she knows that the wine only keeps for about a week and didn't want me to waste it. we had a bottle of her favourite shooter, baja rose, and i always have one with her but i can't usually do more than one. bleck - i hate that stuff. so jambaloney always has to do the shooters with her at dances and whatnot.

at this point it probably sounds like all of us are a bunch of lushes - bahahahahah! but we don't see each other too regularly so when we get together we like to celebrate! now that we have the chase the ace game every friday night, we get to see most of our friends weekly. and it is very nice to be able to socialize together weekly.

so, we had 2 really nice evenings with 2 sets of our friends and we plan to have them, and others, over more regularly. we finally feel that we have the Manor done well-enough to not scare people off - bahahaha! i can't wait for this summer as we will be able to have several of our friends over at a time, hanging out in the backyard and bbq'ing! it's gonna be awesome!

plans for the next few days are draining and refilling the hottub, then jam has some contract IT work to do and i plan on cooking up some lasagna, a meat pie and some bulgogi. until then, here's some teriyaki pork and stir-fried veggies:



i am not a big fan of pork but i love it with this recipe for the teriyaki sauce - it's even better on chicken - yummeh!

and here's some yummy all-veg quinoa salad - make sure to add crumbled feta cheese - it's to die for!




lastly, sorry for the sporadic posting lately - we have been getting dumped on with the snow, and snowed in regularly which is fine for us. but i find when we are snowed in and whatnot - i just enjoy doing little jobs around the house, curling up on the couch and reading or watching movies and whatnot. i don't know why but i just don't make it to the computer very often when we are having so many flumping days in a row  - strange, eh? anyway, i'll be popping in to your blogs and catching up on posts that i have missed and leaving comments.  it's only 1pm and we have put in a full day already - made a bunch of hummus, prepped veg to go with it and made the quinoa salad. played several hands of cards, many hottub dips, folded laundry and ran the dishwasher (you don't think running the dishwasher is a big job??? that's because your dishwasher is probably in your kitchen and not down in the basement. and you probably don't collect your dirty dishes in 3 big bins on your plastic-wrapped porch until you have enough dishes to run the dishwasher!!! and then getting those bins through the snow and down to the basement without killing yourself. told ya - it's a job!!!).

oh one last thing. jamie just made a beautiful shelf for our little cat, nudie-noo. he's getting up in years and can't jump as well as he used to. his little hidey-hole is the top shelf of our one closet! but he loves it up there and i just can't take it away from him, even though i have lost ALLLLLLL of that storage space!!! he has his blankets and one of my nightgowns and one of jambaloney's t-shirts up there and that's where he goes to sleep during the day. long story short, he jumps on a nighttable, then to a dresser and from the dresser, he jumps up to the shelf in the closet. a few days ago he was having a hard time just jumping up to the couch or table without slipping and we think he hurt himself as he was favouring one leg. he seems ok now, but jambaloney built him a little step out of the closet so that he doesn't have so far to jump from the dresser. jambaloney is always good for coming up with things like that.

speaking of jambaloney - he's outside right now making all kinds of racket and banging around. i have no idea what he is doing. time for me to go check on him!

30 comments:

  1. Glad you had a nice time with your friends. We're getting a little of your snow today. You could have kept it; we wouldn't have minded! ;-) Don't let jambaloney overdo it out there. As always, your food looks good. Take good care of yourself; I'' be watching for your next post.

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    1. oh Mr. Smythe - we just got belted with another 10cms!!! and we are expecting another 10-20cm this afternoon - arghghgh! jambaloney was supposed to be going in to do some contract work in town today and tomorrow but it isn't going to happen! he will be back out there today and tomorrow shoveling more snow - but i promise i will not let him overdo it! i let him shovel for a bit and then make him come in, drink some water, take a break before i let him go back out. i am not letting him start shoveling until tomorrow as the snow is supposed to stop late this afternoon. i hope that you don't get too much snow!

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  2. you a lush? nawwwwww lol
    All the snow looks peaceful and beautiful. Enjoy it. Just don't give Jam a coronary.
    poor man, I bet though his muscles are getting huge.
    Food looks yummeh as always, glad you had such a good time with all the visitors.. TTYL

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    1. hey...who you callin' a lush there Gurlie? - bahahahahah! the snow is really peaceful and beautiful...and once the atv is fixed it won't be such a hassle to shovel out. i must admit that with all of this shoveling, jam's upper body is really bulking up! thanks hon! xox

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  3. Replies
    1. buddy - we did have a really good time. and congrats on your family's big win last weekend!

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  4. Here's to good friends and lot's o laughs...

    All we are getting here is the cold no snow really cause it went East of us.

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    1. PP - it's always good fun to get together with friends and we got some really good friends here. i have been catching up on your posts and you keep getting belted with the cold. keep safe and warm buddy!

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    2. catching up? comments or it didn't happen.

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  5. Sweet Kymber,

    There's nothing better than having good friends/neighbors to do things with, and help one another when needed.

    More snow!!!! Jambaloney is going to be real happy when the snow stops and spring is here. All that work shoveling by hand, oh boy........
    Biceps and triceps of steel bahahahahahaha........

    I would have to agree with you on eating pork, we don't eat a lot of it here. I prefer chicken or fish. All these dishes look amazing, I love a good stir fry. The quinoa salad looks delish.......I'm coming over for some good company and FOOD!!!!
    Hey have you heard of quinoa milk? They actually have it, I'm not sure how good it is though.

    Sending love to you and Jambaloney
    Your Friend,
    Sandy

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    1. Sweet Sandy - you and i both know that having good friends to laugh with AND to be able to rely on is one of the most priceless things in the world. as for snow - we just got belted with a ton more! that poor jambaloney just keeps looking out the window and moaning - we have already gotten more snow in the past month and a half then we had all last winter!!! as for quinoa milk - i have never heard of that and will have to go look it up - thanks for the tip!!!

      jam says to send you a big hug and kiss and he says to tell you how proud he is of your big catch! oh and that you are his new fishing partner!!! much love to you and yours Sandy! xox

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  6. Here in Indiana we are getting nailed with weather as well, which makes me re-think my 54 mile one way commute! Stay warm!

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    1. Mandy - it seems that the weather is nuts everywhere!!! make sure to have a bag with extra clothes, gloves, water, some food, etc. in a bag in the trunk of your car! and stay warm and safe!

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  7. If you don't like the snow, I suggest you find a warmer place to live, LOL. Just kidding.

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    1. Senior, buddy - we love the snow! it's just that with the atv being busted, it makes for lots of shoveling by hand. time to go make a snowman for the boys. yer welcome!

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  8. I guess you just take the bad weather in stride if people are doing all that visiting. Here, the county just shuts down. No decent snow removal equipment, and no money for salt or cinders. I am putting my snow shovel in the back of my Jeep tomorrow if I decide to go out, because I know I'll have to clear one part of the trail to make it to the county road.

    I know what you mean about being snowed in making you lethargic. It does that to me, too. It's warm and quiet inside. Outside the wind is blowing and it's bitterly cold. It's just natural to want to settle down in a comfortable chair and wait it all out.

    Glad to see you back, though. I figured maybe your internet had gone out up there.

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    1. Harry - our roads and whatnot are kept cleared by our county and they do a surprisingly good job. so for anyone who doesn't live on a hill (like us) and who doesn't have a 130ft driveway to shovel by hand (like us) - well, they still all visit and go to bingo and darts and church - you couldn't keep these folks from visiting no matter what - bahahahah! make sure that if you do go out and have to do some shoveling to take lots of breaks and drink lots of water k?

      and ya - you and me are alike in finding it enjoyable to hibernate and catch up on all of our reading when we are snowed in. thanks for stopping by, my friend!

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  9. I've seen your comments on other blogs I visit and thought I'd come pay a visit. Firstly, Happy Anniversary! I loved reading about you in your sidebar and wish you the very best. I like your recipe blog as well, but you can keep the snow, LOL

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    1. Leigh - thanks so much for stopping in! i do the same thing, i'll notice someone commenting on a blog i read regularly and then head over and check out their blog. i like your blog and if you want to exchange links just yell! thank you so much for saying that you liked reading about us - we're a bit wonky but we do try our best! we'll keep the snow up here for you - bahahaha! thanks again for stopping in!

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  10. Homemade terriyaki sauce is so easy to make and tastes way better than store bought versions.

    P.S. I have a surprise for you over on my blog. Enjoy!

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    1. oh Ed - you and me know it buddy! i got the surprise, copied and printed and can't wait to make some - woohoo - looks deeeelish!

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  11. Thank you for sharing. We are knee deep in snow and uncharacteristic hypothermia weather. The horses are prancing in it. Stay safe and keep making that fabulous food !

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    1. oh Jane - you guys are really getting dumped on. ick! you stay safe too! much love. xox

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  12. Happy late anniversary. I love the snow, no snow, snow kind of winter. At least I know the ground is getting some moisture. We have buds on the smaller tree's already.

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    1. thanks Max, buddy. no worries about being late - we didn't remember on time either - bahahahah! i am glad that you are getting some moisture in the ground this winter.

      buds on trees already?!??!?!? arghghghghgh!

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  13. We got snowed on all day today. If you aren't getting it now, you soon will! Get ready!

    It sounds like a great time was had with even greater friends. They are fortunate to have you. :-) That was very sweet and thoughtful of Jambalony to build a special shelf for your little cat. I'm sure he appreciates it. The things we do for our pets. :-)

    Happy belated anniversary. Hugs and kisses.

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    1. thanks Sweet Sue - and yes, we have been getting dumped on as regular as you guys! it's been a crazy winter so far! and yes, we have some really great people in this community and they just accept us for who we are and expect nothing from us - it's quite lovely!

      as for the little shelf - that crazy cat just jumps OVER the little shelf -a rghghghghh! we keep trying to show him how to use it and he just jumps over it. we need a redesign - bahahahah! hugs and kisses back to you and my favourite super-heroe - the RMan! bahahahah!

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  14. Oh you do have lots of snow it sure is pretty but as we all know it does require a lot more work, such as you dishwasher dilemma:) I think it would be easier to move the dishwasher upstairs (just a thought):)
    Happy belated Anniversary it is so nice to have wonderful friends it is what "IT" is all about and you have many. B

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    1. Buttons - thanks so much for stopping by. and yes, the snow is pretty, i love to look at it, it just sucks with the atv broken and poor jambaloney having to shovel it all by hand!!! as for the dishwasher, my kitchen has absolutely no room in it for a dishwasher. during the spring, summer, fall months, we move the dishwasher up onto our plastic-wrapped porch.....yes, i just said plastic-wrapped porch. but at least when it is on the porch you just have to open the door and put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher on the plastic-wrapped porch. as the hoses and whatnot will freeze if we leave it on the porch in the winter, our only solution is to put it in the basement.

      anyway, thanks for the happy wishes. and yes, that is what "IT" is all about - bahahahah!

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  15. I missed your anniversary - how, I don't know? Glad it was a goodie, and here's to the next 13 years... :D

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