Mmmm Pasta

Whenever I think of pasta - just think of it - I think of MizB. When the girls go out for dinner we most frequently go for pasta because it's her fave. I've been craving it for the last 3 days. On my way home from training with Jess tonight I decided to stop at the grocery store near my house and pick up the fixins. When I picked up a jar of organic 'garlic and herbs' pasta sauce and read the nutritional facts (something that's second nature to me at this point) I was completely horrified at the amount of salt in a serving: 530 mg!!!! WTF?? I checked some of the other 'varieties' (plainer ones) - same thing. I checked the non-organic ones... again, same, same. Hmm. I just got back from working out. The last thing I want to do is bloat up with salt. And I've been trying to watch how much salt is in my food these days, because it just seems to sneak right in there. Pasta also isn't the ideal post-workout meal anyway, so I couldn't compromise on making it as healthy as possible. So I went over to the canned veggie aisle and checked the nutritional facts on the cans of tomatoes. They have this 'blue menu' line and I found diced tomatoes with only 5 mg of salt in a large can. Score. OK. So, this means I'm making my own pasta sauce. I don't think I've ever done that before. Not that I can't, I'm just lazy. I make all kinds of things from scratch without looking at a recipe, and with throwing things together just because. This will work. But with lower salt I need more herbs and onions and garlic and stuff. So I picked up all of that, including fresh basil (unfortunately not organic, but I think the fresh stuff was important for this venture). So I made it, and ate far later than I should as a result. It was fantastic! And now I have tons of it to freeze too. Score. And a total of 10 mg of salt. Double score. So of course, I ate two helpings. Doh!

The Single Life

This weekend was epic (not a new word, but a bit of a joke - although the person for whom the joke would ring true does not read this blog, funny for me alone I guess). I spent my time skate skiing both days. The weather was the best of the whole season, with the snow conditions being really great - perhaps not the best snow conditions, but combine them with the amazing sunny days and the total package was, well - EPIC. :) Beyond that I did very little else. I did some laundry. I made chili and took it over to my sister's and bother-in-law's for dinner tonight. I did no studying for the exam that's coming up (Neurology), I did not clean the bathrooms, I did not vacuum (something I've been meaning to do for at least 2 weeks now - yeah, I know - gross). I completely flaked out on the couch last night and it took most of today for me to remember what it was on the TV that I was barely half paying attention to for hours (it was Forrest Gump). I did finally do the dishes this afternoon. I waxed my skis twice because I had to change the wax for the different conditions. On Friday I ate peanut butter and jam on toast - 2 pieces - for dinner. Oh. I've even started getting creative with putting together weird combinations of food I want to eat when I'm too lazy to make a real meal. This afternoon, after skiing, it consisted of 2 potato pancake things (these frozen kosher things from the health food store that I wanted to get out of my freezer once and for all) with hummus and salsa on them. Actually, I seem to be putting hummus and salsa combo on lots of things these days. Hmm. Maybe it's not so creative afterall. Oh well. It tastes good. Yes, this is what you call the single life people. The best part about it is that I'm still reveling in it after a few years. I love eating weird stuff and doing whatever I want whenever I want to and not vacuuming and leaving my unfolded laundry all over the couch. It's fun. It's totally liberating. One of the best stages in my life. I'm happy that for once I'm aware - conscious - of what I have today so that I can appreciate it now and not look back later when things have all changed and wish I'd known how great it was at the time. I guess I'm learning that lesson and practicing living in the moment more and more now. So here's to today - and being single and messy and silly. :)

Friendship Amitié Amicizia Amistad Vänskap

Tonight I talked on the phone with my oldest friend for about 112 minutes. At least that's what it was when I checked the phone and told her that we'd been talking that long. Give or take a few to say goodbye afterward. It kind of amazes me that after nearly 20 years of knowing each other that we still have that much to talk about. But we do! Isn't that great? Tonight we were gabbing as if we were in high school. I don't think I've run out of things I can talk to Mir about. And we've come to a point in our relationship that it seems there is no taboo subject. I feel a bit bad for any guys I date - because she gets the full scoop: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Oh well. They don't have to know.

I've made some really amazing friends over the years, and there is a core group of them who are truly sisters to me. If you include the great friendship I have with my sister of actual blood-relation, I currently have 5 amazing women in my life whom I feel I have developed that close a relationship with. I'm a pretty lucky chick. Thanks girls! Mwah!!!

Procrastination

Who would have thought that a little procrastination tonight would keep me up this late, fooling around with the music you are probably listening to now, and looking up quotes on gratitude? Hmm. Interesting. Well, I will have to stop putting off the studying I have to do for that Neurology exam tomorrow, that's for sure. Before I head off to sleep though, I'll leave you with the chosen quote from my little search tonight.

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~Denis Waitley

Red Dot Campaign

As usual, I was hooked on CBC radio today while driving around town and caught an interview with one of the conspirators behind this campaign. When the host of the radio show, Rita Celli, said to her guest, "Why did I not know about this before?" I almost said out loud, "YEAH! Me too - why didn't I know about this????"

All of the flyers and pamphlets and crap that we get in our mailbox EVERY SINGLE DAY go straight into the recycling bin (beside the mailbox on our verranda). Such a waste. I'd love to put an end to it. So, as the logo up there says: Spread the Word. If you don't read your flyers and junk mail - ask them not to send it to you anymore.

Here are some links to help you out:

http://www.reddotcampaign.ca/

http://blog.reddotcampaign.ca/

CSI Potato

It kept bothering me - when did Mr. Potato sprout to life? He's always been around during my lifetime. We used to go to the vegetable stand every single time we visited my grandparents in Fredericton, and last October I stopped in and snapped the photo of him that I posted below. Actually, I have many photos of him from various visits. Maybe I have a problem.

Mystery Solved...
Mr. Potato was born in 1969. Quite an auspicious year.
He's 19 feet tall. I like tall men - likely part of my attraction to him.
And he's got a nice smile. He's very photogenic.
So, next time you're in Fredericton, take a short jaunt down old highway 105 and say hi to my man.

Skin Care & Water Bottles

A while ago I added the Labour Environmental Alliance to my list of sites on the right there. I read a copy of their Cancer Smart Guide a couple of years ago and subsequently bought several copies and gave them out to my family. Actually, I put them in their stockings. I think they thought I was on crack that Christmas. All joking aside, it's very useful and I've changed a lot of my consumer habits when it comes to beauty/skincare products and household cleaning products as a result. I thought I'd share something I just saw on the news regarding baby care products tonight. I'm a moisturizing addict, so I am really careful about what I put on my body now that I'm better informed. I read all the labels and I generally buy most of my products at the health food store now. Some of the brands I use I've listed there under my health section too. There are some great small businesses from around our local/rural area and in Canada that you can support and be smarter about beautifying yourself at the same time.

And then another topic that came up with a friend of mine recently regarding the plastic water bottles. It says a lot when a large Canadian company pulls them off the shelf.

Forced Rest Days

The snow in the Gats was bountiful
And the weather could not be more fanciful
But the boots didn’t fit
Becks soon lost all wit
Now her ankles are raw and painful

OK, pretend the last word has 3 syllables.

A valiant effort for a Science-geek, wouldn't you say?

Mr Potato

Mr Potato, originally uploaded by Becks' Albums.

Another childhood memory. He's still there. I wonder when he first planted his little feet in the ground?