Not just your ordinary chocolate sprinkles..

we brought these back from the Dutch shop as part of our 'post-Olibollen grocery haul'-- and can I just say... that with a spackling of butter on some fresh white bread, or a bun as I had just now-- they are delicious. Mmmm.
The Dutch are very wise.

It's snowing.. again. Well sort of raining at the same time. Only in Newfoundland.

Come on sun. It's okay though, these grey days. Such is life on the coast.

That's all for today.

the one I love

Yesterday, Valentine's Day. The day of love in all the red and pink, frilly sense of it-- fluffy teddy bears, overly iced cupcakes, cinnamon hearts and paper cutout cards. I still remember in elementary school- the paper 'mailboxes' on our desks, "one for everyone or none at all", cartoon character cards and the one mysterious boy in the class who would always sign with a question mark rather than his name. Brandon, I know it was you. The skating at the arena.. secretly my worst nightmare. The girl who grew up in semi-tropical New Zealand during the formative 'learning how to skate" years... could only really timidly, stiffly glide carefully around the rink and hope, hope I wouldn't fall. And hold on for dear life when everyone made those chains that whipped the poor person on the end around the corners at lightning speed. And marvel at everyone else who skated as easily as they walked. And blush furiously the whole way around the rink when I did skate with one boy, anticipating the teasing on the bus home that afternoon. Derek, you were always a good friend, but I'm glad we both found the right person. :)

And now, here I am. 14 years later on Feburary 14. With the one I love.

That morning was a rough one. Tears and frustrations and he held me close and comforted me- "I'm here". And he really is. The trust between us only grows stronger.

A day at home, a day at work. Cleaning the house and gaining fresh perspective and scrubbing away doubts and worries and fears. Blue sky and fresh snow, renewed hope. A big pot of warming winter stew to greet him on the stove.

And when I get home, after walking under the stars in the cold winter night- candles to warm my heart. The taller lit by us 6 months earlier as we vowed to each other- to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live. What does that mean, from day to day? We only learn that more and more as the days and months and if we are blessed with them, years, go by. When the everyday life crowds out the precious moments together, remembering to step back and see the bigger picture. Just like that morning. Learning to let go of trivial things. Looking out for the other and just loving, to LOVE. There is far more struggle and sacrifice and serving and pure, true joy in that word, that verb, that indescribable gift, than I ever knew and will ever know.

The wooing teapot, same one he poured tea with  for me three years ago in Victoria when our love was just a spark. Cake and strawberries and custard- he knows what I like. He knows me.

To be loved and to love in return. Thank you.

where you invest your love, you invest your life.

blessed.

foodie stuff

I worked last night and so I spent the day puttering today. Got home, slept for a couple hours. Went to do groceries. Baked a date loaf (thanks Mum for the recipe- it turned out great!). Homemade pea soup for dinner.. I love making large batches of things and putting a yogurt container full in the freezer. We don't have a full freezer at all, but there's been a container or two of leftovers in there lately which is nice. I made this pea soup before Christmas and it still tastes good.

And now a cup of tea and the recipe books open in front of me. I was kind of stumped at the grocery store today. My mum sometimes would say that she didn't know what to make for dinner, and she remembers her mum doing the same thing.. and I am starting to do the same thing now. Really it's not quite the same- I don't have 3 or 5 kids to feed like they did. Also, when I work a day shift I'm not home for supper, or Brian is late at school- and we often have leftovers. But still... I make the same things a lot and I'd like to branch out. I have the time to do it and we have probably hundreds of recipes on our shelf, just waiting to be explored...

Right now I'm reading More with Less- it's a classic, though I had actually never heard of it till I met my dear husband. He was raised on many of the recipes from this book, during some of the leaner years of a pastor's family... lots of beans (we both love beans). The front cover of the book says- "A world community cookbook- Recipes and suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world's limited food resources". Sounds good to me.

I've been making a lot of stir fries... with carrots and peppers and curry, and shrimp.. whatever we have in the fridge really. Lots of Asian stuff I guess... I tried out Pad Thai again last week which I haven't done for a while (due to a bad experience with old bean sprouts, haha)- it wasn't bad. And then there is always pasta with tomato sauce and veges, or soup. I was making more soups last fall. And the classic lemon pepper baked fish with potatoes and peas. Yummy. but I'd like to try some new stuff.

My culinary wheels are rolling... I really embrace the 'cooking/baking' part of being a wife. In the fact that I always have an eager recipient to cook for.. it's fun. It's nice that he cooks a fair bit too :)

handsome husband does Movember...and to think I was fully consenting of this moustache!
haha.. ps- Brian made the pear gratin