We have had guests for the past 10 weeks with a few days off in between to change & wash bedding & stock up on food.
Needless to say my English accent has strengthened significantly & some of my old words are back in use. Here are a few of my faves:
1. A tosser: a person who has annoyed you & you do not want to swear in front of your kids!
2. Brilliant...I'm not sure why I have stopped using that word...no I do not use awesome yet!
3. Gym Bunny: a lady who spends lots of time at the gym & is generally high maintenance.
4. Knackered: meaning tired yet not used in NH so people just smile when you use it as they are unsure of what you have said. It gives you a smug feeling...naughty Daffodilly!
5. "Ow do?" slang for how are you.
6. Chaffer: someone who has no standards....not me!
I'm sure some more will come into my tiny memory...so watch this space!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
First Grade...no more babies!
Well the kids are back at school, we have new tenants at 6 sheds and my hours have been cut from my part time job.
Some news is good and some news is bad!
Now I am trying to find another part time job to replenish the bank account & to keep me busy.
Number 3 started in first grade and I was expecting myself to have a total crying & emotional fit as I loosened my apron strings to throw the last child into the clutches of "The System."
However, when I saw the queue of parents clutching their children's hands & waiting in a huge line to go into school & that there was no where to park...the police were even present. I asked number 2 to walk him to his classroom & dropped them off with a huge kiss & a wave.
I know you all think that I am the worst mother of the world, seriously I'm not.
Not until they got home & number 3 said he went to his classroom all alone as he wanted to. The independence of the third child.
Of course I was riddled with guilt that he went to full time school all on his own and that the teacher thinks that I am an uncaring mother. I'll soon fix that & deliver some spare snacks & volunteer in the classroom to get back into favour!
Some news is good and some news is bad!
Now I am trying to find another part time job to replenish the bank account & to keep me busy.
Number 3 started in first grade and I was expecting myself to have a total crying & emotional fit as I loosened my apron strings to throw the last child into the clutches of "The System."
However, when I saw the queue of parents clutching their children's hands & waiting in a huge line to go into school & that there was no where to park...the police were even present. I asked number 2 to walk him to his classroom & dropped them off with a huge kiss & a wave.
I know you all think that I am the worst mother of the world, seriously I'm not.
Not until they got home & number 3 said he went to his classroom all alone as he wanted to. The independence of the third child.
Of course I was riddled with guilt that he went to full time school all on his own and that the teacher thinks that I am an uncaring mother. I'll soon fix that & deliver some spare snacks & volunteer in the classroom to get back into favour!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Montreal the land of beautiful people.
Just spent the weekend in Montreal, Canada. What a gorgeous place and what beautiful people.
They are all tall, slim with chiseled features and perfect manners.
It's interesting that you can drive 4 hours away and hit a different country, with a foreign language, interesting architecture and food that you would kill for. Of course there is the advantage of scrummy wine and my favourite of course.....CHOCOLATE!
It was superb to be in civilisation again...it's been along time. Back came the city clothes, yes you must wear a bra Daffodilly, put the Crocs away and put on some leather shoes. No shorts & a tank top will not suffice get the good gear on girl! Oh yes un peu make up too...you scuffer!
So clad in my "city look" Sir L and I hit Montreal...oh yes we were child free! How could I forget to mention that?
We perused around Le Plateau with its trendy boutiques and to die for restaurants and bakeries.
Wandered around the old port with its quaint cobbled streets.
Last of all a quick jaunt into Ikea to buy our favourite meatballs & $353.00 of stuff!
Needless to say a wonderful weekend was had by all...here are a few photo's of Culture visit......just getting the hang of my new camera so hopefully my photo's should improve...soon!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Food
Yesterday I posted at http://pondparleys.blogspot.com
Check it out as Mike H & I compare our least favourite foods:
The 5 Strangest things I have eaten in USA?
Artichokes: Who the heck invented this horrible bland, mushy veggie? Yuck. It just seems almost cavemanlike picking the leaves off, popping them in melted butter & then (god forbid) sucking the stuff out of the leaf! It reminds me of a “Survivor bug eating contest!”
Pretzels; In the UK they do have twiglets & they are always what are leftover from a cocktail party…the reason is that they taste like crap but are considered kind of posh. When I arrived in USA it was pretzel heaven. Everyone eats pretzels; they even serve them on the planes instead of peanuts. They come in every shape, size and either with or without salt. Now it took me a while to adapt to these however I have to say that covered in chocolate & jimmies (100’s & 1000’s) they are quite delicious. In fact a must as the salt & sweet flavor clash & give you that kind of “ahhh feeling!”
Eggplant Parmesan; Or aubergines fried in breadcrumbs & covered in a marinara sauce….why oh why would you do this let alone eat it? Throw the disgusting thing away!
Pickles: The Americans are pickle crazy. They come with every dish, sandwich and burger as a garnish where as the Brit’s would use a sprig of parsley. These are big dill cucumbers the size of a mans hand that are pickled. Everyone seems to make their own as it is a family tradition. I guess as I was brought up with Branston Pickle & Piccalli I lead a sheltered pickle life. I cringe when I see toddlers clutching a pickled cucumber & chomping away on it….god only knows what their diapers are like!
Chinese Chow Mein: This took me 8 years of purchasing Chinese food in USA to find the correct equivalent to the English version of Chow Mein. A little history is needed here. Chow Mein in the UK is a noodle & meat or fish dish….very tasty. In America it is a pile of MSG that looks like the thickest nastiest pile of snot you can imagine. We traveled all over USA looking for our noodley Chow Mein & left many a restaurant from posh ones to grubby back street ones with empty bellies. It cost us a fortune. One night some American friends came over for dinner with some Chinese take out…we were flabbergasted when we saw our Chow Mein……..they then taught us the magic word….Low Mein…… 8 years it took!
Thank you Mike & Expat Mum for inviting me.
Check it out as Mike H & I compare our least favourite foods:
The 5 Strangest things I have eaten in USA?
Artichokes: Who the heck invented this horrible bland, mushy veggie? Yuck. It just seems almost cavemanlike picking the leaves off, popping them in melted butter & then (god forbid) sucking the stuff out of the leaf! It reminds me of a “Survivor bug eating contest!”
Pretzels; In the UK they do have twiglets & they are always what are leftover from a cocktail party…the reason is that they taste like crap but are considered kind of posh. When I arrived in USA it was pretzel heaven. Everyone eats pretzels; they even serve them on the planes instead of peanuts. They come in every shape, size and either with or without salt. Now it took me a while to adapt to these however I have to say that covered in chocolate & jimmies (100’s & 1000’s) they are quite delicious. In fact a must as the salt & sweet flavor clash & give you that kind of “ahhh feeling!”
Eggplant Parmesan; Or aubergines fried in breadcrumbs & covered in a marinara sauce….why oh why would you do this let alone eat it? Throw the disgusting thing away!
Pickles: The Americans are pickle crazy. They come with every dish, sandwich and burger as a garnish where as the Brit’s would use a sprig of parsley. These are big dill cucumbers the size of a mans hand that are pickled. Everyone seems to make their own as it is a family tradition. I guess as I was brought up with Branston Pickle & Piccalli I lead a sheltered pickle life. I cringe when I see toddlers clutching a pickled cucumber & chomping away on it….god only knows what their diapers are like!
Chinese Chow Mein: This took me 8 years of purchasing Chinese food in USA to find the correct equivalent to the English version of Chow Mein. A little history is needed here. Chow Mein in the UK is a noodle & meat or fish dish….very tasty. In America it is a pile of MSG that looks like the thickest nastiest pile of snot you can imagine. We traveled all over USA looking for our noodley Chow Mein & left many a restaurant from posh ones to grubby back street ones with empty bellies. It cost us a fortune. One night some American friends came over for dinner with some Chinese take out…we were flabbergasted when we saw our Chow Mein……..they then taught us the magic word….Low Mein…… 8 years it took!
Thank you Mike & Expat Mum for inviting me.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Well hello there summer!
At last another delicious day at the lake, yes that makes two in a row....Mother Nature is on a "let's make Daffodilly a happy lady mode!"
"Oh thank you so much Mother Nature please oh please may I have a few more sunny days?"
Today can only be described as "Delightfulness in a nutshell"......
1. Getting up early to a blue cloudless sky.
2. Having coffee on the deck listening to the wood pigeons...& trying to keep Molly quiet...she has found her bark!
3. Setting off on my morning walk & hearing the bullfrogs in the "fit to burst" pond.
4. Sitting on the beach & actually able to read a book whilst the clan swim.
5. Jumping off the dock & the contented feeling of being in cool fresh lake water after baking my bones.
6. That "I'm relaxed and I think a glass of wine is needed before I start the dinner & towel drying process" as everything can wait feeling.
7. Oh yes the lake the clear, warm lapping water covering my feet to keep my temperature just right. I think that I forgot to mention that!
8. A yummy BBQ, watermelon, corn and salad...summer is oh so definetely here!
9. Followed by freshly picked blueberries....life is good!
"Oh thank you so much Mother Nature please oh please may I have a few more sunny days?"
Today can only be described as "Delightfulness in a nutshell"......
1. Getting up early to a blue cloudless sky.
2. Having coffee on the deck listening to the wood pigeons...& trying to keep Molly quiet...she has found her bark!
3. Setting off on my morning walk & hearing the bullfrogs in the "fit to burst" pond.
4. Sitting on the beach & actually able to read a book whilst the clan swim.
5. Jumping off the dock & the contented feeling of being in cool fresh lake water after baking my bones.
6. That "I'm relaxed and I think a glass of wine is needed before I start the dinner & towel drying process" as everything can wait feeling.
7. Oh yes the lake the clear, warm lapping water covering my feet to keep my temperature just right. I think that I forgot to mention that!
8. A yummy BBQ, watermelon, corn and salad...summer is oh so definetely here!
9. Followed by freshly picked blueberries....life is good!
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