Today at lunch, i mentioned to (e:Uncutsaniflush) that i would be ok with making something for dinner that requires use of the oven. Since we don't have a/c, i tend to make dishes that don't heat up the entire kitchen (and the house) come warmer weather days. I thought about making my vegetarian shepherd's pie.

Then, he came up with a brilliant idea. Cabbage rolls! I have never made them, so this would be a team effort. I needed (e:Uncutsaniflush) 's memory of helping his mom.... since we decided to go with her stovetop method, and not the method my grandma used (which she got from my grandpa's Ukrainian side of the family, most specificly, my great Auntie Mary). I called my mom with a few questions about how grandma did some things (she promised to send me a recipe, and i will try her way some time in the future) and (e:Uncutsaniflush) did some online research...

Off we went to Guerico's to get cabbage... and a few other things we needed or wanted that had little to do with tonight's dinner.

A side note on Guercio's. They had fiddleheads! I wish i took a picture, but i didn't.. no one there, but the guy behind the counter and me and (e:Uncutsaniflush) even knew what they were. Oh, how i heard way too much about fiddlehead hunting when i was in Halifax!

OK, so, here goes... a photo essay of our Cabbage Roll caper....

Behold, the humble raw cabbage head.


And the rice cooker beginning it's cooking.


Chopping onion for the filling.


Boiling the cored cabbage in salted sugared water.


Partially cooked rice.


Pot lined with celery ribs.. and Boca, the "meat" part of the filling.


Assembled filling of "meat", rice, sauted onions and seasonings.


Boiled, deviened cabbage leaves ready to be rolled.


Action shot!


All ready in the pot.


After about an hour on the stove.


My plate of food.


(E:Uncutsaniflush) 's plate of food.


Half eaten pot of cabbage rolls.


Yuuummmmmm......... all done.


All things said, i think we did damn good. They were yummy and the cabbage was nice and tender. Next time, more salt...

Everyone is doing it, so why not me? I wanted this song as a user sound, but my ripped mp3 was too big *pout* so i thought i would put it in gather, for those who are interested. One of my favies. (just so ya'll know, the song starts kinda soft like, but it will get loud and obnoxious if you give it a second). Good ole 1990's punk

Gather: 0966795001147739604

L7
Can I Run?

Are these sensible shoes on my feet
I wear my shades so our eyes don`t meet
I`m scared every fuckin` day
I wear my headphones so i can`t hear what you say

Can i run

Switch to paranoid from having fun
Will he use his hands, knife, or a gun
Knuckles are white, wrapped around my mace
Comes from living in a terrorist state

Can i run

When he`s following me
He`s not my brother, he`s my enemy
Is he behind the door or in back of the tree
Is he under the bed, is he in the back street

Can i run

So, instead of L7, (e:Uncutsaniflush) helped me with another song... My Pal Foot Foot by the Shaggs. :O)

isn't really a whole lot.

i have been told my whole life that i am too sensitive. recently, i was told that i am too sensitive for my own good. even more sensitive than the person telling me this, much to her amazement. being sensitive has lead me down unusual paths. i don't fit into the norm.

i know i overreact when i am hurt. i don't know how to act like all the people that have this all figured out. very rarely have i turned to someone and told them they hurt me. it's not that i don't think my feelings are valid or worthy. i just don't know how to do it. i don't want my reaction to be out of proportion. nor do i want to shut down.

the positive side to this is that i am also quick to be happy, to laugh, to jump for joy, to applaud and to just say 'yay'. i love being happy for other people just as much as i love being happy for myself. not always the norm, either. i can be the first to make a move to be silly in a room full of somber faces. i make an ass of myself in this regard. regularly.

lately, i have been wondering how much of who i am has affected my friendships. i don't have many. the few i have, i have had for a long time. i don't make friends easily. i am awkward. too guarded or too exposed. too wary. too talkative. or too silent. and, of course, too easily hurt. without the ability to handle the hurt well. i can also come across as too enthusiastic. too passionate about things others may see as mundane. my priorities might seem disproportionate. i don't know how to reach out in a way that makes sense to every one else.

i love the friends i have with every fiber of my being. their joy is mine. their sadness i share. my bestest friend in the whole wide world is also my biggest fan. i am fortunate that he is also my husband.

that's what i know right now. who knows what i might know in the future.

Oh, how i hate to quote Bono (sorry, U2 fans out there.. can't help it, i think they suck, but i hear they are really nice guys), but it is such a great day out today. Nice cool breeze with a warm sun. Those are the kinda days that make me think of spring!

We had some errands to do today. Mostly, we needed to go downtown to pay our User Fee bill at City Hall. This time, we wanted to make sure we did not do it last minute, when everyone else is there. And, avoid lunch hour. Another big mistake. We also decided, on such a nice day, why drive there and back. Why not take the bus? We're right between 2 routes that would get us there in about 15 - 20 minutes.

City Hall was all decked out with tables selling what we assumed to be Mother's Day crafts on the main floor hallway. Nothing much there for my mom... and i already got and gave her the gift she's getting (dvd of the film The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill ).

We thought about going up to City Hall's observation tower. (E:Matthew)'s pictures inspire me to want to face that fear of heights i have. But alas, it is closed due to construction...



We hung around for a while, trying to figure out why there were so many cops and firefighters milling about, not letting cars drive on certain streets along Niagara Square. Eventually, i asked someone. Seems the courthouse received a bomb threat today. Yipes!

We walked around a bit. Too early for an (e:peep) sighting of (e:lilho) at a hotdog cart. But we were getting hungry. (e:Uncutsaniflush) mentioned a restaurant that sounded cool... "california mexican", i think is what he called the cuisine. After eating there, i agreed. It's on the corner of Chippewa and Delaware, street level in the Hampton Inn. Called Salsarita's. I had the most giantestest burrito i have ever seen (in real life.. but it looked similar to one i saw Ozzy eat on an episode of The Osbornes). Veggie choices are plenty, as are all menu options. I think that's their shtick. The place got packed. And, when i looked them up later while at home (yeah, i know, (e:Paul) i could have done it on the go if i had the right mobile device!) it turns out they aren't Californian at all! Place started in Charlotte, North Carolina. I should have taken pictures, but i didn't think of it until mine was almost half gone!

We walked some more, and decided to head to the bus stop.. and the one we ended up at was a mere block away from the restaurant... and had choices. We decided to take the next bus that came. Either the Elmwood or the Grant. One is way closer, but we thought the extra walk wouldn't do us any harm if the Elmwood bus came first. And it did. We even had an (e:peep) sighting, but i thought it would have freaked out the whole bus if i yelled out "Hey Matthew!!" the tiny window up top.... Only took us 15 minutes to walk from Elmwood and Bird down to our place between Grant and Niagara.

After putting our feet up for a bit, we decided to do a bit of yard work before the promised rain storm gets here. Thank goodness we packed it in and had dinner or we would still be out there toiling.

As i mentioned in my last journal, (e:LeeTee,173) i pug sat today... her human isn't home yet, but the poor thing just couldn't relax here, so i brought her back home so she could nap.

Anyhoo, here are pics...

Smart dog took an immediate liking to (e:Uncutsaniflush) !



She does this cute pose... i think she is used to being photographed!



And this cute lil head tilt when she hears something new (like maybe (e:Uncutsaniflush) playing his guitar) or something she likes (like the word "out").



What a face!





Just imagine how many pics there would be if i had my own dog!

I'm deliriously happy a neighbour asked me to dog sit her pug this afternoon. Shame it's raining, or i would be out walking her now. Instead, i am off to the neighbour's to hang out inside with her... and the 2 very cute kitties! I am sure pictures will follow at some point.....

Toronto rocks. Every time we go, i remember how much i love that city. Not sure if i remembered how white the Danforth is. The train over the DVP still freaks me out. I suspect Mark will move once that huge condo building is up and running in the Polish working class 'hood he lives in. This morning, waking up, i can feel the smog in my hair.

Got a message from a job i applied for, asking if i was still interested and would i want an interview. I called back leaving a message saying yes. That is where the phone tag ends. Haven't received a call back. Wondering if i should call again to touch base....

Update

Thanks for the luck, (e:Jenks) . I need all of it i can get.

Thanks, too, (e:Scott) , for confirming what i thought... eagerness for a job can't be a bad thing.

I did end up calling. Spoke to the man hiring. He was too busy at that time to schedule an appointment for an interview, he said and that he would call back. Still waiting for that.

I had the bravery to get my camera out at Wegmans and take a coupla pics today. My motivation? I just had to share this with a certain someone who loves this stuff. You want your housewarming gift now or later, (e:Ladycroft) ?

OK, all of this started out as a comment... until i realized it's too long for that, and better suited to a post.

I love those waffle thingies, too, (e:Paul,4319) . Aren't they yummy? I used to work in a mall in Hamilton that had a Dutch store across the hall that sold a brand of them i thought were the best... hell, i still think that. They used to be a quarter a waffle, then they put 'em in 4 packs for 1.99. Even now, i think they cost less than the brand at Wegmans and taste twice as good, if you ask me. Next time my mom is in town (probably this weekend), i will ask her to bring me some and i can give you a package.

Did you notice that the price of truffles went back down to 499.99/lb at Wegmans? Meant to take a pic of that...

Speaking of, i know what you mean by being shy, (e:Jenks,123) . Course, i am an old married lady now, so i don't have to worry about the dating aspects of shyness. But i so understand how you feel about approaching an (e:peep)! And taking pictures of things like you commented to (e:Paul). I wanted to take a picture of my lunch today, but i got freaked out about doing it in a small restaurant.... not like i got me a handy camera phone to make it look less obvious!

Lunch... oh my... for the second time at the Red Pepper up by the Boulevard, i had the most huge bowl of soup. Looked more like a pot. I've always wanted to try those big ole bowls of Vietnamese soup and recently, i found out that they will make a vegetarian version. Water based, with lots of noodles and tofu and veggies with the hot and sweet sauce to add along with limes, basil leaves and bean sprouts! So good. Took as much home as i ate there.... for 6 bucks, talk about a fab deal!

My mom is supposed to be visiting this weekend. If i can get better from this last cold and stay that way, and if the weather isn't too crappy, that is. I assume she wants to shop shop shop...

Yesterday and today left me coughing and gasping for breath.... Stuck on the sofa, feeling like crap, watching the nice days go by wishing i could be outside. Or maybe that's why i am sick in the first place? Please don't tell me i have Buffalo allergies!!

Normally, i would be a bit bummed being sick, but the fact that i really wanted to go on the Historic Linwood Avenue Homes Tour as (e:Matthew,724) posted about makes it even more annoying ( sent you a post-it, (e:Matthew) ).

• pout*
  
• cough*
  
• sniff*