What's for lunch or how to cook Coucous 10 different ways!

Image via WikipediaSilver Threads seniors group in Petawawa Ontario is fortunate to have members with a  variety of skills. One lady, a former high school teacher, is also a volunteer caterer for the club.Carine McGonegal is a Renfrew County Community Food Advisor . She created a seminar with the theme: What's For lunch? basing on how to use Couscous. The menu is as follows: Moroccan Chickpeas and Couscous, Skillet Pork chops with Sweet Potatoes and Couscous,Mediterranean Lamb Curry Couscous, Lunch Box Peachy Sweet Potato and Couscous. Salads: Couscous Salad, Curried Couscous Salad, Couscous with Currants and Carrots and Cottage Chesse Blend. Dessert was fruity Sweet Couscous.
The preparation area was divided into: one table with the food ingredients; one table with the cooking and preparation items and five tables with recipes and basic information. Twenty "silver thread" members divided up and prepared part of the meal.It was a little harried at times as knives and bowls were used by everyone!  Those who finished preparing their meal dish first helped set up tables for the meal. Twenty four ravenous people listened to their leader as they were encouraged to get dessert first. The dessert was a mixture of three different types of couscous and strawberries. blueberries and bananas. Of course  that was the easy part. The prepared dishes were set out in order with the  name of the  cooks underneath.
The group enjoyed the variety of dishes with couscous so there may be a run on couscous in the stores!
Thank you to Cairine for her hard work preparing the menu, buying the food and supervising the preparation! As a participant I look forward to the next event. 
 

Definition of a "Street walker"

Image via WikipediaIn the vernacular "Street walker" means prostitute. However in Deep River,Ontario, home of AECL research it has another  meaning. I was at a social function recently and saw a lady I know who is part of a walking group. She introduced me to her husband as "one of the street walkers".   Her husband politely said nice to meet you. I went to back to my seat and told the people at my table that I had been called a "Street walker". Some laughed and some looked puzzled. My friends "in the know" said I had been called a prostitute! My husband shrugged it off and said oh just those ladies who walk the streets in Deep River.
Yes the Deep River walking group know they have a reputation and enjoy it! They have named themselves the "Street Walkers" as these well known "pillars of the community:" walk around town three mornings a week and take over the streets as they walk down the centre of the road. Traffic beware- they rule. It is not wise in Deep River to "mess with the street walkers"! ( there may be prostitutes in Deep River but they dare not walk the streets on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday mornings.)   
 

Mewsings at year end and in the new year

Image via WikipediaThis week we have made several trips to Ottawa to visit friends and shop. Today we visited Ikea and purchased blinds for the sun room.  however we also attempted to purchase a 'Mac" computer- will try again online as the items we were interested in were all sold out! We are always in a state of flux as we prefer shopping in person but find the two hour trip to Ottawa just to shop as waste of time often. We did complete our Ikea shopping with a further trip with Jocelyn to get items that just popped out. Ikea is brilliant is having lots of small  items available that tempt the consumer!However we made trips in January to   get "stuff" as we did the Mac computer on line. It was delivered by UPS! I am still learning how to play with it. the macgroup in Ottawa are helpful.Now to invest in more software!  

Two winter holidays : Mexico and the DR part one: Mayan Riveira

Image via WikipediaLast year we went to the Mayan Riviera in January. Since we had a good break we decided to do it again this year- this time to the DR. Last year was a novelty as it was our first experience in an all inclusive resort. We stayed at the Viva Wyndham Maya near to Playa del Carmen. We enjoyed being spoilt and being able to walk out at night in just a short sleeved shirt!  We managed to do some sight seeing between sunbathing and shopping. Our trips to Tulum and Chickenitza were experiences we will never forget.   The trip to Tulum started out on a catamaran.      About 20 people were taken out in the Carribean in rough waters to an area to snorkel.However it was too rough! I embarrassed myself by being scarred of climbing over the edge of the boat when we were transferred to small fishing boats to get to shore. so    two fishermen had to carry me over the top of the catammarn and lower me down into the boat ! We enjoyed the walk up the beach and through the ruins at Tulum.
Our other memorable trip was to Chichen-tza an old Mayan community. We had the educational experience of being on a bus with everyone from Canada but the only two people not from Quebec! Our poor guide had to speak in French and English! We were amused though that the bus showed an educational video from the Canadian musuem of  Civilisation, Chichen-tza is a world renowed site. We also stopped at a cooperative to have lunch an buy souvenirs.On th e way back to the hotel we stopped at Cenote X'keken Yacatan and climbed down into a cavern. An impressive nat ural subterranean formation of turquoise waterlocated  7 km from Valladolid Yucatan. Valladolid is one of the oldest towns in the Yucatan. We returned from our holiday with sun/wind tans and a healthy respect for a different culture.

CBC Ottawa Morning feature about Petawawa: Family Integration

Wow! Petawawa is featured on Ottawa morning two days in a row. The title CFB Petawawa Family Intergration helps the listener prepare for the topic of soldiers and families connecting after being away on deployment for many months. Although I have no direct connection to the military I know many military members and see the stress that the deployment creates for them. I enjoyed listening to Base Commander Lt. Col..Keith Rudderham talk about the effect on pre-schoolers. The comments coming from a man of his rank helps put the situation into context.    
As a civilian it helps me understand when soldiers, teachers and spouses are given the chance to comment about the reality of family dynamics themselves. I appreciate the interview ending on a positive note as the mini baby boom that happens was connected to Amanda Keeping, who is expecting, and who runs a Baby business.
As a spouse of  an AECL employee who lived in Pinawa Manitoba for manly years I also have a connection to one of the families who lost a son in Afghanistan. So the military world connects to the civilian world on many levels.
As a long time member of St. George's chapel I am also aware of the moods of the military families. There is a prayer service on the 4th Wednesday of the month to pray for the military in Afghanistan.  It will continue until all the military have left  Afghanistan.  On Wednesday February 9th three chaplains will talk about their deployment experiences last year. Padre Shaun Turner will talk about  being with the Dart team in Haiti and working in Camp Mirage or Dubai. Padre Ian Easter will talk about Cyrus where the troops go to decompress after Afghanstan. Padre Carol Bateman will talk about her experience in Afghanistan. As a civilian I appreciated learning how the military functions and how the human side of the organisation works. 

Petawawa in the news: Kelsey's restaurant and Neville realty mentioned

CBC’S HAILLIE COTNAM INTERVIEWS MAYOR BOB SWEET, BASE COMMANDER Lt. Col. Keith Rudderham, real estate agent Bart Neville. Kelsey’s manager Kim Clouthier about changes in the community since the troops returned from Afghanistan.

I am a fan of CBC. I like to be up on current events. However I live in an area of the country that is often in the news due to it’s two major employers” CFB Petawawa and AECL.  It is always a challenge to listen to the official version of events as I live a version of the same events as a by stander. My husband  has been employed at AECL for over 30 years so I have heard many stories through the grape vine and seen many official notices about the same events. We have lived in Petawawa since 2001 and seen many changes. We bought our house from a military family. The husband was in Bosnia so the legal documents had to  be fax to Bosnia for his signature! In 10 years Bosnia is now a distant memory for the base.

Bart Neville, one of our neighbours was featured on the interview saying that 80 homes had sold since November when the troops started returning.

Kim Clouthier, manager at Kelsey’s said that 80% of her business is from the military. She also commented on the increased traffic on Petawawa blvd in the last few years. The town has grown since 2005.

Bob Sweet, Mayor of Petawawa, is an upbeat man who has an incredible memory for faces. He also talked about the  growth. I find it a constant challenge to pay attention and be aware of the incredible growth in the community. I am looking forward to more retail stores in Petawawa. If only the news about AECL is as upbeat.