Taking a Phlegm Day Off

I am grateful for phlegm. Yup, you read it right, phlegm. When most of us suddenly find ourselves back at the gym or working on our resolutions with gusto, thanks to my son, and his rolling ball of green phlegm, we've sitting in neutral; reading, watching videos and sipping on fruit shakes. A small part of me wishes I could invent some kind of vacuum that would suck the sickness out of him, especially when he wakes up in the night because his drool pooled around his face , but on the other hand, I appreciate the opportunity to slow down and do less. I'm going to call this, 'taking a phlegm day off.'

I think most of us have forgotten how to slow down, even in times when we're supposed to slow down, like when we're sick or on vacation, it seems we actually speed up: maximizing our time off to complete chores, fix the house, visit friends and family, and going out. But, by the Old English definition, the word vacation, means "rest and freedom from any activity." Rest and freedom from any activity, not taking a 10 hour red-eye flight to an exotic place, or cooking a ten course meal for family or shopping the crowded malls to get the best Boxing Day deals and rushing back to work to catch up on work that supposedly piled up while everyone else was also on holidays. No, not that.

Of course, you don't have to be sick to take a phlegm day off, you just have to imagine you live in a cabin in the woods without electricity, and let any of these slower activities slide into your day organically; sleeping in, reading in bed, napping, taking leisurely walks with no destination and no designated time to get back, eating whole foods with minimal cooking, any activity with pen and paper like drawing, crosswords, sudoku or writing a letter to a friend, drinking tea, or petting an animal. Do you remember the last time you had a real phlegm day?

Happy St-Lucia Day

Nisha makes Lussekatters, 2006

It's been a tradition in my family to celebrate St-Lucia Day, a Swedish holiday on December 13th. There are slightly different versions of how this day came to be and how it is celebrated, but basically, to celebrate the darkest nights of the year, and honor St-Lucia, young Swedish women put crowns of candles on their heads and visit neighbors and friends with sweets. But, you're not Swedish, you might say, and it's true, but years ago my mom decided it would be fun to celebrate the holidays the way they do around the world and we adopted this one quite happily. It was easy, because "Lussekatters" are deelish!

Lussekatters, meaning Lucia's cats are cardamom or saffron buns, shaped more like flowers than cats, with raisins squeezed in them.  My mom got the recipe from a discard library book and as stated on the inside flap; " The perfect holiday gift, Feast-day Cakes from Many Lands will be a welcome addition to every housewife's culinary collection.

Yesterday, I made 3 batches of them because I had a bit of trouble with the yeast. Yeast is finicky; it doesn't activate if your liquid is too cold and easy to kill if it's too hot. The last batch was finally a success! We had some friends over to make them and had a lot of fun! There are different versions of the Lussekatter buns online if you are tempted to try them out, and while you wait for the dough to rise, you can watch this video of the St-Lucia celebrations in Sweden.

Happy St- Lucia Day!

Industrious Sunday

Maybe it's because Vancouver is so flowery, shiny and more and more residential that I like to go look for the more industrial corners of this city. I find stacks of pallets, graffitied dumpsters, and rusting industrial machinery just as beautiful as manicured gardens. Sunday mornings are great because most of these areas are deserted and you can ride freely in between buildings and down interesting lanes. Highlights of today's industrious bike ride were the train and the stack of golden reindeer.

The boy was very excited about this "sleeping" train.

 

I can't think of a clever caption for this, but it really wants one.

Two

A container full of Extreme Luxury Fur?

The Portable Orchard had a few apples left, but way too wormy to eat!

Vertical Gardens

Very cool vintage truck with wooden wheel spokes.

Stack of reindeer waiting for snow

Rusted!

Murals

We topped off our ride by stopping at the party store to buy helium balloons just because. What a perfectly perfect morning with my boy.

Next 'Venture' on the List

A funny thing happened this summer. We decided to go to White Rock for the day and parked the car at Crescent Beach. After a few hours of fooling around in the sand with the kid, my husband asked me if I wanted to go to the other beach. "What other beach?", "You, know, the White Rock beach over there." He responded.  I was confused, because I thought Crescent Beach was White Rock. Ever since I was a kid, when we came to White Rock we only ever played here at Crescent Beach, so I had no idea what was around the bend. I was so surprised when I saw the bay with the beach full of people, the boardwalk, and all the restaurants and shops! All this time and I had no idea!

My husband was making fun of me, because he always thought I knew every place to visit in the Lower Mainland, and yet I had no idea White Rock was much more than that tiny strip of beach with 3 competing ice cream stores! I might be teased about this one for a long time because I do love adventures and I should know better. But hey, I'm not complaining, now, I have a new place to visit!

Like my kid says with enthusiasm: "Let's go on a 'venture!", so here are some of our favorites.  Most of them involve being outside, require some kind of transportation, which is half the fun for a two and half year old and almost all 'ventures include some yummy food which is half the fun for me. They hardly cost anything (except gas) and can be done in any kind of weather.

1. Pie Picnic and Beach Walk in West Vancouver. Drive to the Savory Island Pie Company on Marine Drive, and buy a pie to go. Get coffees too. Walk down to the beach and enjoy the view while eating right out of the box. Continue your stroll going East to Ambleside or West to Dundarave Village.

2. Fish and Chips Picnic at Whytecliff Park. Drive the scenic route to Horseshoe Bay along Marine Drive, get some take out fish and chips in Horseshoe Bay and backtrack to Whytecliff park to enjoy the view and take photos.

3. "You Pick". Make your way to a "You Pick" farm at least once a year. Starting in June, you can pick your own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and later, apples, pumpkins, squash and zucchinis. Another farm favorite is "The Circle Farm Tours" where you can download a map and visit a variety of farms all over the Fraser Valley. Start salivating now and plan to have a dinner party tonight; bison steaks, fresh goat cheese, lavender honey, wine and fresh produce.

4. Packing a Lunch and Going to a Regional Park. If you live in Vancouver proper, you might go to the beaches often, but like me, you might forget about the Pacific Spirit Park near UBC. There is over 73km of walking trails, including some clothing optional trails along Wreck Beach and a lovely wood-planked trail around Camosun Bog near 21st ave. and Crown. Iona Beach in Richmond is also one of my favorite places to soak up some sun. The beach is less frequented than then those in the city and you get a front row seat for the sunset. Other favorites include Boundary Bay Beach, Lynn Headwaters Park and suspension bridge, Colony Farm (bring your bike), and the Capilano River Park and the fish hatchery. My most favorite is Crippen Park on Bowen Island. Totally doable with a decent stroller, you can walk on the ferry, walk to Killarney Lake, visit the library, eat some sushi and play on the beach! NOTE: Burnaby Lake Park is a very boring park. There is a trail around it, but most of the time you cannot see the lake, and there is a constant hum from the highway. Yuck. Good for joggers with ipods maybe.

5. Perogy Night at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church on 10th and Main Street. Next time you think of it, ride by the church and note on the wall of the auditorium the date for Perogy Night. I think it's every first Friday of the month. I won't go into details. Don't expect fancy. Expect delicious moist perogies, big tables, a community vibe and white fluffy cake for dessert.

6. Rainy Day Picnics in Stanley Park. Wear all your rain gear, bring some extra socks and gloves and pack a hot lunch like soup in a Thermos, or pre-heated chicken pot pies wrapped in aluminum foil, or hot tea and cookies. There are lots of covered picnic tables throughout the park, but bring a towel just in case to wipe playground equipment or benches. Bring shovels, buckets, bubbles, a ball, anything you want, just as if it was sunny!

7. Bike Riding Vancouver Laneways. This is one of my favorite things to do with the kid. There is a ton of things to see; gardens, vintage cars, chicken coops, blackberry bushes, graffiti, construction (the kid's favorite). Plan your route to end at the Marche St-George (Try the almond croissant-you might fall in love), Matchstick Coffee or The Prophouse Cafe  or The Wilder Snail Cafe for some well-deserved caffeine.

8. Dollar Store/ Urban Source Art Day. Walk or bike to your nearest dollar store. Choose 2 or 3 new inspiring art supplies. Our favorite these days is glitter glue, but we've had a blast with googly eyes, pipe cleaners, stickers and Popsicle sticks. On the way home, look for things in nature that you could add to your art project: leaves, rocks, sticks, feathers, shells, etc... This blog is great for craft ideas if you're not "crafty".

9. Tea Time at London Farm. If you're out in Steveston, make sure you don't fill up on Fish&Chips and stop by the London Farm. All their pastries are homemade and the tea is divine! (Even for me, a coffee person. Go say hi to the chickens out back and take a stroll along the beach by the river.

10. Riding or Looking for Transportation. My boy is obsessed with trains, tractors, boats, planes, buses, and cars. For him a ride on the Skytrain or the Seabus is an 'venture. Good places to experience transportation is anywhere along the Fraser River, at the Quay in North Vancouver, the lesser known mini train at Confederation Park in Burnaby, New Westminster Quay, and at the Vancouver International Airport. If your kid is like mine, just driving over the railroad tracks along Arbutus Street is a treat!

If my ideas are a bit "been there, done that" for you, then take a look at this website for more family fun!  The Playground and Wanderful sections on Vancouver is Awesome are also a good place to look for family friendly activities and events.

The Wilder Snail Cafe in Strathcona

Mini Train in Confederation Park

Salmon at the Capilano River Hatchery

The Not-so-Free-Bed

It's 7:30pm. Sam from Craigslist is outside my house with his 18 year old son and my husband, trying to fit our dismantled queen size bed into his tiny hatchback. There's a lot of trial and error. Sam doesn't seem to have much experience because he's brought various belts and scarves to tie up the headboard to the roof of his rack-less car. While my husband, the engineer, and master-car-stuffer-arranger is politely trying to convince Sam to do it his way, Sam's son is standing on the sidewalk doing his best teenage, embarassed-by-my-dad stance and not lifting a finger. An hour later, Sam and his son finally return home with all the bed pieces stuffed in their car. This is the story of our bed.

Ten years ago, my husband arrived in Vancouver from his studies in England and bought a bed at Ikea; nothing fancy. I don't remember when I started to feel the individual springs poking through, but it's been at least a year that I've noticed my knee caps fit perfectly in them. Aside from the lumpy mattress, the frame itself has been squeaking every time we turn over which is amplified through the mattress. So after months of saying to each other that we should buy a new bed, we finally blocked off a Saturday morning to go check some out.

We zeroed in on one store that carried what we wanted, the kid jumped on all of them and after sleeping on it, (pun intended) we finally settled on a something we could both agree on. The retailer informed us that we would have to pay $50 for the delivery guys to take away our old bed and another $50 for the mattress. Ah! The hidden cost of things! Imagine what it would look like if we went to a store and the cost of removal/recycling was itemized along with the purchase cost? Would we think more about what why buy if we could see what it costs to have it hauled away to the dump or processed in a recycling plant?

So I posted my bed on Craigslist for free and thought I'd save myself $50.  In one day, I had almost 100 interested people. Sam was third on the list. The first lady had a purse stolen on the way to pick up my bed, the second lady never returned my calls and Sam, happy to get this bed for his son, showed up on the first night with his tiny car and no rope.

Our lumpy mattress is now on the floor and we're having a blast. The kid is jumping like crazy, rolling and doing somersaults. We're been running up to the mattress in the middle of the day to read stories and fool around with the blankets. The kid is the Olympic Mattress Jumping Gold Medalist and I'm the commenter. I'll be happy to get rid of this scrap metal lump loosely draped with a cheap mystery fabric when the new mattress and bed frame arrives and I'll pay the $50 to have it hauled away, but I'll miss the fun we've been having with it.

Blackberry Days

There's a blackberry progression; first too firm to pull off, then dark purple, but not sweet, then suddenly one day, they start to gently roll into your hand, giving itself up for a pie. Then they shrivel up, raisin-like and disappear.

We found a "super patch" by the river, one you don't mention to your neighbors, sneaking away with your Tupperware hidden under your long sleeve shirt on a blistering hot august morning. Once there, strangers are there, having found the super patch too, and much better equipped: sunhats, steel-toed shoes, poles, ladders, yogurt containers tied around their neck for two-handed picking and Ziploc bags for one step freezer action. Their hands are stained like a bad henna party, but their lips intact, not like us, who gorge more than put away in our containers. We start to feel too full and lethargic to keep picking, so we sit in the sun and smell the sweet aroma of dry grass, railroad tar, and river water.

There are smaller patches in the lanes around the neighborhood; we make the rounds after dinner for dessert. We make daddy get the high ones even if he's wearing shorts and getting scratched. It amazes me that crows, which I find regularly inside my bag at the park, pecking away at some old cracker crumbs, haven't figured out how to get our blackberries. I love these fruits, they grow best when completely ignored, and spread like wildfire. No need for neat rows, frequent watering, singing and weeding; it a real urban crop.

A Wilder Beach Day

There is something fairytale-like about Vancouver's scenery, especially when the Japanese cherry trees and the magnolias are blooming. If there's a bit of untouched dirt someone comes along and plants flowers. Just like a scene from Snow White, it's not uncommon for families of raccoons or Canada geese to cross your path and I often half expect that they start singing to me. But today, I wanted to leave the seemingly wild, yet manicured city gardens and the perfectly spaced logs on the beaches of English Bay to find something a little less "arranged."

Keeping in mind simplicity, I packed a picnic, beach toys, and art supplies and headed for Iona Beach. What a perfect morning; plane spotting at the airport, digger spotting on the jetty, birdwatching, sitting on logs, painting, digging in the sand, smelling algae baking in the sun, hiding in the wildflowers, wiping sand off cherry tomatoes, lying on a blanket with grandma, feeling a warm wind blowing, and most importantly enjoying the blue sky.

Iona Beach

Painting logs

Painting with sand

Digging

Hiding in the tall grass

Grandma sits on a log

 Plane spotting

Artful Moments

Nothing like sitting in a quiet house munching on leftover birthday cake and sipping on hot tea while the sun is deciding if it wants to stick around for the rest of the day. I'm on day 3 of my artistic challenge and managing to find little bits of time here and there for it. I spent a delightful afternoon at The Outpost drawing whatever was around and today I painted some sticks with the kid.

#3 Salt and Pepper

 #2 Painted sticks

Seeking Cabin Fever in the City

I just closed my eyes a moment ago, and listened to the rain. Memories of teenage bike trips to Pender Island came back to me. When we were 14 years old, twelve of us girls took the ferry, rode our bikes, and stayed in a small wooden A-frame cabin which belonged to our friend's parents. We had convinced our parents to let us go alone.  It might have rained every day we were there, but we had fun. Simple fun. We played cards, we took turned cooking meals, we braided each others' hair, we drew, read musty paperbacks, took walks down to the beach on windy days, warmed up with hot chocolate and did 1000 piece puzzles. We played "Hearts" and cribbage for hours. Sometimes if we positioned the radio a certain way we could hear music from a station in the states. All 12 of us slept in sleeping bags in the loft. When we got cabin fever, we jumped on our bikes and rode to the lake where we lay on the dock with our towels and dared each other to swim in the weeds. I remember doing that at night too. There were a zillion stars. It was a big deal to go to "town", town meaning a gas station, a small grocery store/a liquor store/ gift shop, because we had to ride far, up and down some steep hills, to get there. The only place to get clothes was at the Nu-to-U, a thrift shop that was only open on Mondays from 10 to 2pm.

There was no television, no telephones, no computers, no traffic, no appointments, no restaurants. There were tidal pools, bonfires, and frisbee golf.

It's old-school cabins, not designer cottages, maybe not without electricity and water, but quite possibly with an outhouse, are perfect places to remember the joy of simple living. This simple living allows you to spend more quality time alone, with others, and with nature. It's easy to relax. What if our city home was a cabin? What if we took turns making meals and doing chores? What if we took long walks along the beach, played cards, and read books on the couch? What if we wore the same clothes until they very visibly dirty? What if going to the store meant riding your bike for an an hour?

Is it possible?

My friend, whose parents owned this cabin moved back there permanently after high school graduation and it was hard for us city girls to imagine her being happy on a tiny island. We longed for big studies at big universities, long travels in exotic places, adventures and boys. We were wrong. She never moved, it's been 20 years now. I think she might be lucky.

Party Hats

Rain, Rain, Rain, Sun, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain. That was this week's forecast. We were invited to a birthday party and every time I mentioned it, the kid said: "Where's my hat?", so on the one sunny day, the kid and I rode our bike to Urban Source and filled a bag with fun crafty things. Urban Source collects remnants, bits and pieces and thing-y-majigs from 100 different industries and serves it up in giant bins: stickers, lids, tubes, papers, stamps, lettering, postcards, photos, string, rubber bits, etc..I love this store because it gives your creativity a big jolt without breaking the bank. Our hats certainly brightened this rainy morning!

Spend Less Month Update

I've started my 30 day wish list which simply works like this: every time you want to buy something, you write it down on your wish list, if after a month you still really desire it, then you can return to the store and purchase it. This 30 day wait also allows the universe to send things your way inexplicably.

On my 30 day wish list so far:

• Ikea shelf to house our crafts
• Sewing machine (this has been on my 2000 day list and I still want it)
• A frying pan
• More plants
• A kettle (I melted mine yesterday-oops)

Here's a list of some of the free things that have appeared in my life this month:

• I used up a consignment credit I had at Little Earth to buy the kid a new raincoat and presents for his little buddy's birthday.
• My mom donated beautiful flowers, rhubarb and chives from her abundant garden, yay! and a whack load of babysitting.
• We had our lovely neighbors over for a BBQ, pooled all our leftovers together and had a feast!
• A giant V of geese flew over our house, just now.
• Lots of good library books.
• 4 strawberries from my patio garden.
• A lovely glass of white wine and fun conversation, sitting on the stoop with my neighbor and her friend.
• A sunny day strolling around the city with my girlfriend and a free live Bhangra concert.
• 2 tickets to a play featuring my very talented friend.
• A weird, but interesting basket found by the garbage.
• A rainy morning at the Aquarium with my oldest and dearest friend and her family who were on their way back to Kelowna from a trip abroad. Saw some new penguins!
• A family bike ride through Strathcona while taking lots of fun photos.

Mural on near Stratchcona School

 How's my budget so far? Let's see.

There are 20 days left in June and most of my variable expense categories except for groceries are still at 0 or well below half allocated. So yay!

Circle Farm Tours

If you're getting the feeling like you want to bust out of town and you want to avoid the line-up at the border, head out on a Circle Farm Tour. These 5 self guided tours take you across beautiful farm lands in Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Agassiz as you stop and sample all the wonderful local goods and produce this rich valley has to offer.

Here is a tiny list of what you will want to bring home for a most fantabulous outdoor meal: a bottle of wine from Le Domaine De Chaberton, cheese curds from Golden Ears CheeseCrafters, cranberry vinegar from The Fort Langley Wine Company, piles of strawberries and blueberries from Driediger Farms, and an antique table from Granny and Grumpa's to serve it on. Don't forget the organic Angus beef and a hand thrown salad bowl from Greendale Pottery, some blooms from Minter Gardens and freshly roasted coffee from The Back Porch. There are dozens of interesting places to stop, but my favorite tour is the Agassiz &Harrison Mills tour, the scenery and the proximity to Harrison Lake make the extra time on the highway worth it.

Visit www.circlefarmtour.com or pick up the summer issue of Edible Vancouver magazine at your local grocery store to find all the tour maps. Now is the time, the strawberries are here!

Rainy Day Fun List!

Okay, it's raining again.Take a look at my list of fun things to do. I wrote this out years ago when I used to live in a basement apartment, which if you've never experienced living at grass level or lower, can really make you feel like lump of wet moss. These ideas help the clouds move along.

1. Take a pair of scissors for a walk in the garden. Cut branches, pick leaves or grass, take some rocks or dead twigs home and arrange them in a pot. If you don’t have a garden ask a neighbor if it’s okay to snip a few branches from their bushes, but remember, public parks and gardens are scissor-free zones!
   
2. Brainstorm and come up with a perfect slogan for yourself or your family. Write it out on a big piece of paper, include photos of everyone or draw one another around your slogan and post it in a place where everyone can see it everyday. The refrigerator or the bathroom mirror is a great place to hang your slogan. Here are some ideas to get you going: We are the best and we do the best we can! Giving is receiving! or Everything is possible!
   
3. Take a soothing hot bath. Make sure to use lots of bubbles and start a new book, something about exotic lands and romantic encounters on deserted tropical beaches. 
   
4. Promote good health at work. Overtake the tidbits with bowls of fruits, veggies and humus, dried fruits and nuts, and herbal teas. I used to bring frozen fruit pops.
   
5. When was the last time you had the kind of non-stop, rib-busting, fall over, pee in your pants kind of laugh? Find out where your local stand-up comedians work and visit one night after work.  Theatersports is also a fabulous way to laugh your head off!
   
6. Pull out your colored crayons and your artistic talents! Make a list of everyone in your family and then imagine them as an animal, give them a few super powers and then go ahead and draw them. 
   
7. Card Crazy! Teach someone a card game you know or learn a new one. You can find all kinds of fun things to do with cards on-line or at your local library. Learn a magic trick, build a card castle or practice multiplications. 
   
8. Make it a board game night! Trade a board game with friends or neighbors if you are tired of the ones you have at home or make it a family custom to purchase a new one every year- Choose any day on the calendar and call it BOARD DAY! 
   
9. Make crepes in a blender. Set up a buffet to go along with them; coconut, nut butters, fruits, nutella, jam, lemons, brown sugar, cinnamon, apple sauce, syrup, seeds etc...
   
10. Write a letter to your grand-parents and tell them all about your favorite things. Ask them you tell you all about their favorite things. Try to think of interesting questions like: “ What’s your favorite dream? What’s your favorite book?” “ What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?”
    
11. Go to the library and get the librarian to choose a biography for you! Read all about that person and share what you learned with your family and friends. Ask about your ancestors and what they were like.
    
12. Pull out 5 items (or more) from your closet/garage/basement/pantry and make a box for your local charity. Look on their website to see what else they might need that you don’t use anymore. Some charities even pick-up items from your home!
    
13. Isn't it funny when you go hiking all the people that you run into on the trail always say hi,wave or make a friendly comment about the trail, yet, in the city, people often completely look the other way and ignore each other. Make it a point today to smile at 3 people, just 'cause it feel good for you.
    
14. Imagine yourself as an astronaut and looking down at the earth or as an underwater welder swimming through a cloud of clown fish. Why not spend a few hours researching a new career- choose something out of your ordinary; an animal trainer, a pageant organizer, an inventor, a candy-tester, a clown or a stock broker.
    
15. Choose one thing in your home and try to imagine how it was invented and why. Explain how it has progressed and what will happen to it in the future and see if your speculations are right by looking it up on-line or at the library.
    
16. Write down the Grand Master List of all Times. This is a list of all the things you want to do in your life. Go bananas with it. Imagine you are 6. What would you actually write down?
    
17. Let’s face it, poetry is not popular, at least not in my circle of friends, but why not rediscover your poetic self and write a poem. Start small with roses are red....
    
18. Walk down to your local community center.  You might find yourself learning how to make sushi, throw a wobbly bowl in pottery class or taking adult ballet classes. If you have an idea, why not suggest it to them? You never know who else in the area has the same passions as you. 
    
19. Here’s a really scary idea, something most people would rather jump in a boiling vat of hot oil rather than do this, but I really want to suggest joining a Toastmasters club. Imagine how proud of yourself you would be if you could talk in front of people without having a panic attack or a neck full of hives?
    
20. Wake up your taste buds. There are millions of free recipes online, or borrow one from a friend. Try something new with a new ingredient. Something like….kasha or quinoa, or maybe seaweed or kale. Invite a neighbor to eat your experiment.
    
21. Some of us, and I won’t name names are still typing with only 2 fingers. Why not put the other fingers to use with the help of an online typing test. 
    
22. If you are like me, you learned in elementary school how to play the recorder. Now, the recorder has never been a very popular instrument and I rarely see it in rock videos, but it’s a great way to relearn the joy of making music for a measly $10. Another option could be the harmonica. When you find that you get better at a certain song, learn another. If you are already musical, run down to your local music store and buy a new book or trade with a friend.
    
23. Take an atlas or a map and choose a country. Try a country you wouldn’t necessary think of.  For me, I don’t know much about Iceland, Hungary, the Ivory Coast or Panama and many others. Once you’ve picked one, research all about it’s history, people, food, traditions, religions, and attractions. You’d surprised where you might end up going on your next vacation.
    
24. Look at the list below and do one of the things on the list that you haven’t done in the last 2 months. You’ll feel better, trust me. A) Get a haircut. B) Change your bed sheets C) Wash and vacuum your car  D) Throw out any lonely socks. E) Wash you pet   F) Write or call your relatives that live far away  G) Clean out the “Junk Drawer”  H) Have your bike and or piano tuned. I) Gather up paints cans, car batteries and other chemicals and return them to your local recycling depot. 
    
25. Replace all your environmentally-unfriendly cleaning products with the magic of vinegar! Get a spray bottle and fill it with water and vinegar, this works for everything from windows to counter tops. For crustier jobs, use warm water, soda and elbow grease.
    
26. Call around and find out if the local museums have a ‘cheaper” day or night and if not, ask if you can volunteer in return for free or reduced admission. The Vancouver Art Gallery is by donation on Tuesday nights.
    
27. Find out which local beach or park needs a spring cleaning and suit up for the great outdoors. Keep Vancouver Spectacular is great way to help clean the city and meet your neighbors.
    
28. If you’re an adult, go to the children’s section of the library. Look for books you used to read as a child. I promise you’ll have a smile on your face when you leave. The “Humor/Cartoon” section is always good for a laugh too!  

Cycling with the Kid

Last summer my husband and I investigated all the different ways to ride your bike with your kid. Then we spent a whole lot of energy and time looking for used options, which never materialized and then the weather got bad. This year, I learned my lesson; if you can find it used quickly, go for it, if not, pay full price and enjoy! So look at me, it's mid April and I forked out a pretty penny ($275), but boy am I having fun.

Here is a run-down of some of top considerations I took to make my choice:

1. Trailers are great because your kid can ride in all kinds of weather, you can take more than one kid and a bag of beach toys, plus it's easy for you to haul them. Most trailers double as a stroller which can be handy when you reach your destination, although it can be a pain to fit through shop doors. However, you can't talk to your kids while riding and trailers tend to be the most expensive option. This would be good choice for moms and dads who commute and take their kids to daycare/school by bike.

2. Rear seats are a cheaper option, but the view ain't the nicest. In general, I found that most people didn't like this option because it was hard to balance.

3. Front seats have several benefits: your kid can "feel" what it's like to ride a bike, they have an excellent view, plus you can talk to them while you ride. The extra bonus, your kid can push all the crosswalk buttons on your route and ring the bell. Balancing is surprisingly easy, even if it looks weird to have a kid attached to your handlebars. Another consideration we took with this option was that we could load our bikes on the bus/skytrain and in our car more easily than with a trailer, that way we could go to the dikes in Richmond, Stanley Park, and Barnston Island. One disadvantage might be that if it starts to rain, which is often does in Vancouver, your kid will get soaked, but isn't that kind of fun anyways?

We opted for the IBert which has received good reviews. It's a bit pricey, about $175, plus I had to make some adjustments to my bike, but it was well worth the price. It is SO much fun! I was riding along with my son to the farmer's market this weekend and a lady who was watering her front yard yelled at me: "Don't you love that bike seat?" "We love it!" I yelled back with a yipee!

If you want to see a zillion other happy Iberts click here! or me and the kid.

Letting Go of Ikea

So it's a cloudy day and I decide to drive to Ikea, check out the new outdoor patio furniture, play in the kids' area with my boy, and stop in for a snack. That's the plan.  I didn't clue in right away when I saw that the kids' play area was shut down that Ikea was undergoing a giant move to their new location across the parking lot. All they had were a few baskets of washcloths, a stack of carpets, some pillows and other small items. I wasn't too disappointed, I figured we could at least stop in for coffee upstairs.  A lady behind me started yelling at the clerk: "What? You mean I drove all the way out here for nothing? Can I talk to your manager? Why didn't you post this on your website? This is f*****ing ridiculous!" I was a bit shocked by her reaction, jeez, take it easy! Upstairs, we lined up for a yogurt and a coffee and when I got to the till...cash only. darn. no cash. no big love at Ikea today.... we headed downstairs to the bank machine, my boy yelling for his yogurt. It was out of service. I asked the woman at the register if she would do cash back. no. I still wasn't really fazed. Where was the universe trying to take me today? Not Ikea that's for sure.

I got in the car, searched for our map book to find an interesting park to go to, but I couldn't find it. Okay. I'm meant to go home or wing it. I decided to wing it! "Let's get lost!" I encouraged my boy who still hadn't quite forgotten about the yogurt. We got on the highway going East, then off, then on again going West. Getting lost is fun. Then I saw the Lulu Island Winery and knew things were turning around. They had a huge selection, but we settled on a blueberry wine. Images of drinking blueberry sangria on my non Ikea patio set popped up in my mind. Yum.

We continued to get lost, and found ourselves in Steveston. The sun came out. Things were definitely turning around. We had a yogurt and a sandwich at a cafe and headed off to the park. We found train tracks, and a mini train, my boy was in heaven! "Thomas! Thomas! I go get it!"

Once I convinced my boy that Thomas was sleeping in a utility shed and wouldn't come out we headed off to the water and enjoyed the fishing boats at the quay. 

Before we headed home, we sampled a delicious raspberry sorbet at the local ice cream store, but just as the lady was scooping it in a bowl, I noticed a sign: Cash Only. Again! I smiled in disbelief. The lady said: "Oh, just search the bottom of you purse, it's only $1.75. " "I've searched the bottom of my purse too many times already, I replied disappointingly. I wasn't about to go around town looking for a bank machine to pay $2.50 in fees for $1.75 sorbet. My boy was seriously disagreeing with this plan. The lady smiled at me, filled a bowl and said " It's on the house." Wow! What a great day!  Thank you, frustrated lady at Ikea for reminding to go with the flow.

Oh, New Westminster. You try.

As I exited the new development at Westminster Station with it's brightly lit Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart, I thought: "All this newness, and still this station is unnerving, as if you are about to witness a crime at any moment."

It's a weird place, New Westminster city. As the oldest city in Western Canada, despite the rash of condo towers spreading over the hills, the city still takes you back into history. Of course we started our adventure at the Salvation Army Store, where I always score. This time, a pair of colorful silk pants that fit like a glove.

We walked up Columbia Street, pass the litany of wedding stores, toward the Paramount Theater. I noticed the marquee announcing 'Dances on Sunday!' "How cool, I thought, they have old fashioned dances again." Naive me, as I read another sign on the ticket booth: "Gentlemen's Club." Oh, that kind of dance. Ah, ah, ah.

I was happy to see that the Army and Navy Store was all spruced up with brightly designed window displays using old furniture and vintage containers. How inviting! Except for the old school delivery elevator which freaked baby out so we couldn't go up to the kids' department.  Too bad.

We turned back down to the Antique Alley on Front Street where a few antique stores are still surviving. The noise was too intense there with the trucks and the trains going by, so we headed toward the River Market at Westminster Quay, home of the tallest toy soldier. It seems they've tried to spruce it up, although it seemed a bit dead. The Great Wall Tea caught our eye, but then the Crepes des Amis pulled us in for a bite.

After a very yummy crepe and a little French conversation, we headed back to the station, along the river, pass the boats, and over the tracks.

As we held our breath in the elevator to get to the ticketing machine, a shifty old man with his bike, told us: "In Vancouver, all the buses and skytrain are free." "Oh, okay, thanks for that", I replied. I paid our fare, gave baby our ticket and realized there was no elevator to the top train platform. I asked a friendly police officer to help me carry the stroller up the escalator, and when we got to the top, just as I had guessed, we witnessed 6 police officers searching one couples' bags, ticketing a young man, and interrogating a frazzled woman. Everyone was asked for their fare, and there was baby, holding ours out with great purpose and pride!

Oh, New Westminster. You try.

Before & After Addiction

Do you have a "Before and After" addiction? There are countless television shows which have us sit through almost an hour of "filler" to get to that tantalizing "After" shot.  Before and after the nose, after the mullet, after the hoard, after the '80's kitchen, after the botched renos, after the dilapidated restaurant, after the socially awkward personality, after the weight loss and on and on. 

Here is a Before & After, with only one "filler" paragraph! (Thanks to my parents for letting me use their basement, for sanding and the final touches!)

Before

 

After

Dinner Madness!

Get the bib, sit the kid down in the highchair with a plate of kiwi bits. Sit. Get up, get the sippy cup. Sit. Get up, get a washcloth, wash the kid's hands. Sit. Get up. Kid doesn't want kiwis, wants grapes. Get up, cut grapes. Sit and have a sip of coffee. It's cold. Get up get more coffee. Kid wants more grapes. Cut more grapes. Sit. Husband can't find the cheese. Get up, find the cheese. Sit. One more sip of lukewarm coffee.

How did I get here? The other day I was so distracted trying to cook a meal and entertain my two year old that I practically ate a plastic wrapper. No more insanity meals! Here's are some habits I lost along the way while making purees and multitasking:

1. First of all, make all meals with love. Love choosing it, washing and preparing it, combining colors and textures, experimenting with it, and tasting it. Serve it as if it was art.

2. Involve anyone else who wants to love making this meal, especially the kid.

3. Set the table. Place EVERY thing you might need; including a pitcher of water and glasses, serving utensils, condiments, napkins, bibs and washcloths. Bring lots of food to the table so that you don't have to get up for seconds.

4. Make it look nice. I've been using candles, tulips, and bowls I made in pottery class.

5. Invite other hungry people. We invited the toy rabbit today for tea and toast.

6. Give the kid a snack before dinner and that's it. No more until we sit down even if the kid screams. I prepare one easy back up meal option like fruit, yogurt or leftover noodles, but I no longer cook a whole other meal just for the kid.

5. Like the expression says: Bring something to the table. A smile, a funny story, something you are grateful for, a found treasure from nature like a nice rock or a leaf, a joke, a compliment, or a blessing.
 
6. Everyone helps to clean up. Even the kid.

For more wonderful suggestions to make meals more enjoyable for everyone, read "The Family Dinner-Great ways to connect with your kids, one meal at a time." by Laurie David.

Daddy's Fish Stew in Grandma's dutch oven. Yum!

Put Your Stick in my Wheels!

If you haven't been down to Grandview Park since they renovated it, take a stroll down and you might catch a bike polo match. As stated in the Georgia Straight, it's the first court built to bike polo specifications in the world, and with the new seating, you can enjoy a strong Italian coffee in the sun and watch players expertly maneuver their bikes to make a pass. Bike polo is not a new thing, the East Van Bike Polo Club have been playing there since 2006,  but it was new to me when I was there yesterday. It was pretty exciting to watch and I really like the fact that there seemed to be a nice diversity of male and female players. Takes some major skill. I'm sure they've heard this a millions times, but I really don't know how they don't put sticks in each others' wheels. Pun intended.

Breakfast Gratitude

I've been carrying simple notebooks with me. Some come with me in the diaper bag, some stay at home. When I have a moment, I write down what I'm grateful for. At breakfast I ask my husband and my son to contribute. My son contributes oatmeal often. It's a nice way to start the day. I also use these books to capture:

Art ideas that pop into my head and won't go away
Questions to which I have no answer
Doodles
Things I want

Places to go

It's fun. I recommend it. Do like DaVinci and get a notebook!