Wednesday 28 September 2011

Online shopping...What a beauty!

Online shopping is truly a life saver!! If you're into it, you'd know what a time-saver and a blessing it really is. It's not virtual shopping, but it's as good as it gets.
The first time I heard about it, I didn't think it a good idea, and I thought that you'd have to be really lazy to buy your groceries online. It wasn't until one day a few years back, I was so under the weather and pretty much house bound, I had no choice. So  I decided to explore this path of buying my groceries online, not physically being able to see and feel what I was ACTUALLY buying, all you get is a photo of the product you're buying, which is questionable especially with fresh produce.
The beauty of it is that it gets delivered right to your door, all bagged, you save time walking to the bus stop, and you don't have to brave the weather, and best of all you don't have to force your sick sorry weary self out the front door.
 The fresh produce, by the way, is very fresh and not on it's way out the next day or next few hours. I was quite impressed, and now it's become a necessity whenever I'm a bit under the weather.
If only there was a way to order EVERYTHING you wanted online...but I guess there are some things that will just never be available online!!
Pic from this site
Note: being a couch potato just counts for  a lazy excuse!

Sunday 25 September 2011

3 WEEKS OLD with AN EMAIL ACCOUNT!

Isn't technology just amazing today!!? Kids as young as 2 or 3 years old know how to use an IPad, even switch on a telly and operate a remote control.

Pic from this site

So it was no surprise when my brother and his wife told the family that they had set up an email for their daughter....who was just about 3 weeks old at the time! My niece who is now just over 6 weeks old, who by the way is just the most gorgeous little princess, has an email account!! She obviously won't be accessing it for a good few years, and when she does she has alot of catching up to do...some of it, thanks to me of course;)  I think it's an awesome idea. She gets to look back at all the highlights of her precious life, and they will be treasured memories....just for her!!
When you look back to the technology that was around when you were just a baby, even just a kid, it was a "toy" telephone, kiddy programmes on telly, playing with dolls/cars, and just simply spending your time outside with the kids from the neighbourhood. The Commodore 64 had come out in the 80's, and there was no such thing as the internet!!
Today they have plenty of IPhone apps for babies with Mozart baby music and the letters of the alphabet which my beautiful niece gets to listen to everyday and listens ever so intently. It's incredible and ever so precious watching her gaze as she focuses on the colours and objects and listens to the music and pronounciations of the letters~it's priceless!!

Technology aside, I actually can't wait to send her first snailmail when she starts reading, just to hear how excited she would be when she opens her first mail from me.


from  this video


For the angel in my life..Sara

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Autumn~A lovely time of year!

It's known to be the most beautiful time of year! If you live in the northern hemisphere, you can truly appreciate it that much more. It's a colourful and somewhat romantic season with the weather just about still perfect, not too hot or cold, the leaves on the trees looking a brilliant golden brown to orange, and the magnificent maple leaves you walk through on the ground making a soothing crunching sound!



Photo from here
It's time when you realise that you actually start eating a little bit more, getting your reserves ready for winter, pretty much like a squirrel!
With winter around the corner from this beautiful season, it makes you WANT to go out to the parks and enjoy how lovely the trees and lakes look. In the USA, it's known as the FALL season (rightly so), it's just the epitome of this passing season. The days evidently become shorter and you start preparing yourself psychologically for the short dreary wintery dark days. Take consolation in that they're just all passing seasons.

                                                       Have a romantic autumn ;)

Sunday 18 September 2011

Time for Mince pies !!

 I'm no baker or pie maker, but occasionally I love the odd cakes and pies now and then ..who doesn't? So I've been thinking about mince (vegetarian) pies this week, and decided I needed to make some. I bought the Jus Rol Puff Pastry sheet, and was quite excited about my little "project". As I walked home from the grocery store, I realised I had no baking flour which you roll the pastry onto to undo the doughiness (I think). The mince was cooked and cooled and ready to fill the pastry. It was fun rolling this pastry into an oddly shaped rectangle, and it was fun closing the corners and edging fork patterns onto the pastry, and then "dousing" it with some beaten egg (to give it that golden brown colour?!).
The oven was ready and in went these uniquely shaped pies, and within a few minutes the smell wafting from the oven was that of a cake baking (obviously an overpour of the beaten egg onto all the pies!!). After 20 minutes I peered into the oven and saw these humongous pies (I should have used a bigger tray), but they were looking golden brown!! :)
The poor pies were stuck to the foil...yep...I didn't grease the foil!! Well, I had good intentions with these pies. I was really determined to take some to work for my colleagues. I guess I need more practice, and next time will be able to take the most perfect pies to work. They say that "the way to a man's heart is through his tummy"...if that's the case, I've got alot of practicing to do!! Unfortunately I have no pictures to show the proof, but next time (if it looks really good), pictures and recipe will be provided!!
What I can say is that it tasted great... well, I would say that :)
Get your pastry today...you even get a recipe on the pastry box!! Happy pie baking!!

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

  • Elizabeth Gilbert: eat pray love
  • Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist
  • Danielle Steel: The Kiss
  • Barack Obama : Dreams from my Father