Blog Name Change

Hello Beloved Readers (friends & family hopefully now, perhaps a few recipe-borrowers too!)

As you well know by now, my blog's name has changed. I wasn't counting on it changing quite so soon, but perhaps it's for the best. I like this name better, and it's unique on Google (as opposed to my old domain name which is apparently associated with a lot of other things out there.)

Hello Novel.

Novel means a storybook as well as something new. I write my stories on here, and I hope I'm sharing some new things too.

In addition, I had saved this domain name for the time when I get a chance to read more and spend more time reviewing my favourite childhood books - many of which aren't part of mainstream children's lit anymore. Someday, I think you'll find a new tab up top.

Anyways...I changed my blog due to the fact that some alerted me to the fact that students are reading my blog. And apparently that wasn't a positive thing.

Now, I've always been careful not to mention names and not to use my blog to vent on directly school-related issues, but apparently that wasn't enough.

When I used my personally-named blog, I chose not to allow Google to search it or for it to be publicly listed. You had to type in the exact name to get to it. I didn't bother with this blog, because my last name was never associated with it.

Anyways. Things have switched over. Hopefully this 'does the trick' with a minimum of hiccups.

And then you can all continue reading about my adventures :)

Cause # 5: We Need A Law

Better super late than never...right?

Yikes...It's nearly the end of the month of May already, and I'm only just getting to this post. *Gulp*

I'm sorry?

But hey...here it is. The May Cause, fitting since May is also March for Life month in Canada. And all these things are part of a movement that I've watched grow and grow and GROW since my early teen years (not all that long ago.)

In Canada, we have NO abortion law. Nothing. And because there is no law governing abortion in Canada, even partial-birth abortions, as rare as they are, are not considered murder of a child.

So disgusting. Our country falls into a category with North Korea. And China. That is bizarre, in an extremely disturbing way.

And this has clearly disturbed the current generation of youth. The stereo-type of a pro-lifer is a gray haired old man standing in front of an abortion clinic holding a protest sign - and this is a stereotype pressed forward by the pro-'choice' movement. (It helps their side, can't you see?)

I hate to even call it the "pro-choice" movement, because it's a choice for only one person in the situation. The pregnant woman. Teens as young as twelve don't need parental permission for an abortion, the child's father doesn't have a choice, and certainly the child isn't given a choice.

So, visit the website for We Need A Law and learn about the issue. Learn how you can join a multitude of Canadians seeking a law that limits abortion.

I encourage you to begin reading on the myths page and go from there. And pass this information on!

Parking on a Friday Night

NO! Not THAT kind of parking.

The kind of parking that involves going to the park and enjoying the beautiful warm weather with your toes in the sand and an energetic little girl running around, excitedly trying EV-ER-Y-THING (with the attention span of a squirrel: "Was I going this way? Or that way? Or thi--? Or --?" *rushes off in a new direction altogether*)

I got lots of great shots. She is such a little poser for the camera!

Hairdressing at the park? Sure...why not?

If you noticed the frog I was holding in the last pic, Mommy Frog was for me to hold so I wouldn't be scared of getting my hair done...

Pretty sweet hairdressing if I say so myself!

Ham :)

Look at that tongue!

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I'm mean, but this was toooo funny!

She tried these too, but I had to hold her up.

In addition to this, she spoke/listened through the tunnel machines, tried all the other slides and steps, did the fireman pole twice, walked like a gorilla, went on a big-girl swing, did everything another time through....and conquered climbing up the big slide (another post coming for that one!)

So, basically, and awesome Friday night at the park :D

Holiday Train & Boat

After a shockingly long sleep-in after the wedding, I quickly lethargically got my gear together to head down to Hamilton for the weekend.

The sleep-in, let me tell you, is a short story worthy of it's own book. I woke up to a text that said "Good afternoon...." Gulp. A check of the clock confirmed: nope, not 9 am. Not even 9:30 am. 12:50. PM. Yikes! That'll teach me to not set an alarm. Probably the last time I slept solid through to that kinda time was well.... never. I might have stayed in til ridiculous times in my university days, but always after turning over a number of times and sneaking in a novel or some such.

Anyways. The point. I walked out of my house sometime that afternoon.

To 30 degree temperatures. 30 Celsius. So, how do you spell summer again?

Then, as I drove, I took a detour to First Line. Because when you live in Guelph the summer season is also known as the road construction season. Of the three major routes through the city, one is completely shut down, one is down to one lane, and the other has nearly permanent daytime 'traffic.'

And on this detour, of course, I had to run into a slow moving train. So slow-moving that it was in fact, stopped at one very brief moment. The people in front of me turned around. I just took pictures. And realized that as soon as the others had turned around, the train went faster, and I could see the end of it. Waiting was a good option.

And THEN, I got to Hamilton. Where we packed up our kayaks and went for a paddle. It was absolutely gorgeous out. Smooth water, sun shining, warm. We paddled for about 2.5 hours, and it didn't feel like that amount of time had passed! After paddling, we went out to Easterbrook's for dinner. The original location near the RBG has tons of character. I'd recommend it.

Basically, a perfect Saturday afternoon.

Swan family

Papa Swan making sure we stayed a fair distance away

Wave breakers at the back of the RBG

Paddling out to the ship - Skyway bridge in the background!

Made it :) Hello size difference!

Guaranteed to Make me Smile

I have a chalkboard in my "front foyer" (&<-- a ridiculously fancy sounding name for the place where I drop my shoes off before entering my apartment.)

I will [very occasionally] write messages on this board. So occasionally do I change these messages, that I don't generally look at it too often, because it always says the same thing: God is good - all of the time!"
(And by not looking at it often, I mean I don't read it often, but I do know it's there and just by that I'm reminded of the message!)

But then, I  noticed an addition:

• "Hugs from Le'

Quite awhile later, I noticed another addition:

• "Hugs from Le. & Ed"

Then, later yet,

• "Hugs from Le. & Ed. & Kim"

Now, a few months later, it's changed again and I notice it nearly every day and smile.

I am loved. And I love that.

Wedding Photo

I managed to get one photo of wedding related stuff.
Just one.
Good thing they had awesome wedding photographers. If I can, I'll share some of those photos later. They snapped a few of Ed & me that I can't wait to see :)

If I say "church mouse" or "hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock," what do you immediately think of? This, maybe?

This was in St Andrew's Presbyterian church, where the wedding ceremony was held. I love the sense of humour people at this church have. The mouse was fake. Excellent.

(Also, I took this during rehearsal Thursday night - not during the wedding ceremony. Just so we're clear, okay?)

Since I can't believe that was the only photo I had, I took some of my bouquet the morning after the wedding. The big lilies have all opened up now, and my house smells like lilies.

quite beautiful :)

It was a great wedding. I like great weddings.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Mmmmmmmmmm! Yum :)

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• crushed tortilla chips (or baked tortilla strips - see below)
• sliced avocado
• shredded cheese
• chopped green onions
• sour cream

Directions

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, chiles, beans, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream and chopped green onion. 

I'm not sure where this recipe comes from. I adjusted it too.

Vegetarian: change chicken broth for vegetable broth, add white kidney beans for the chicken


My baked tortilla chips:


Ingredients:

• 5 tortillas (any kind! I love using ones out of the freezer, since they're being baked anyways.)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• salt, black pepper, paprika (all optional) - to taste

Directions: brush tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with spices, cut into strips, place in a single layer on a foil-line baking sheet & broil (500) for 2-5 minutes.