Computer Changes and Crashes
Posted on | August 22, 2010 | No Comments
After a few days of computer troubles we seem to be back in business. We tried out a little netbook for a couple of days and all I will say is, don’t buy a single core processor!
I had no idea what the difference between a single, double or triple core processor was until this weekend. The difference? Aggravation. With a single core processor it was aggravating to try and run Tweetdeck and blog at the same time. So the single core processor experiment came to an abrupt end.
After that it was back to the drawing-board. Or at least back to the computer retailer. We are now running a larger than we wanted HP laptop. It is amazing how light the new laptops are, so even though the laptop is larger than we had wanted it is still very light to carry about as I chance the twins around the house from one disaster to another.
Speaking of which, I have to go see what the latest crash in the living-room was…and I know it was not a computer crash this time.
Goddess Blends Soap; Another Giveaway!!
Posted on | August 19, 2010 | 15 Comments
After our twins were born and we finally had them at home we started to become much more aware of the cleaning products that we were using around our house. One of the products that we became acutely aware of was the soap that we use when bathing ourselves and our baby girls. So instead of buying commercially made soap, we looked for a source for hand-made soap.
And that is the why soapmaker Betty Jane Ware, owner of Goddess Blends Soaps of Kingston, Ontario came onto our radar.
Before buying any soap from Goddess Blends I decided to ask Ware some questions about her soap. She happily agreed to answer any questions as well as send me a free sampler of her soaps. Within a couple of days of her dropping them in the post we had an envelope in our mailbox with four 113 gram bars of soap: lavender soap, mojito soap, cucumber aloe soap and raspberry mint. Each bar had such incredibly delicious scents that I was almost tempted to bite into the soap. I resisted.
First thing I wanted to know was what got her into the soap making business in the first place. She told me that her journey into soapmaking began from a rather different perspective than most; she is a practicing witch.Yes, a witch. And one of the things a witch does to prepare for ritual is a bath or cleansing for the particular ritual. She notes “I wanted to use something specifically for me that brought in the elements of whatever I was working on, this led me to soap making.”
Okay, now that is definitely unique! So what made you want to start a business of selling soap? She says that selling happened more by accident than design. While making soap for herself one time she made more soap than she could personally use. The first recipient loved her handmade soap and there it was, her business was started. It has continued to grow from that point.
The best thing she’s learned as a soapmaker is that there is always more to learn and finds within the Handcrafted Soap-makers Guild, of which Betty Jane is a member, a willingness to share information and experience. She found the Guild while searching online and she joined right away. As well as being a soap-maker, she is also a certified herbalist.
Betty Jane’s advice for new soapers: “Join the Guild for the information and expertise that comes at so low a cost and GO TO CONFERENCE!”
Last year she attended the conference and says that she had a blast as well as learned many new things. She emphasizes, “You cannot put a price tag on what you learn at Conference. You will meet suppliers, fellow soapers, and business mentors. There is no way that you should miss out on this opportunity.”
To help you, our reader get an idea of just how luxurious these handmade soaps actually are, Betty Jane has very generously offered to be part of our second giveaway. To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is add a comment to this blog post describing your favourite soapy-sudsy memory AND post the web address for Goddess Blends Soap into your comment.
To give you a hint about the type of comments, here is mine; when I was about 10 years old I discovered that whenever I dropped the F-bomb I got a wild reaction. This continued until my older cousin Clayton and my Dad held me down and washed my mouth out with soap. My first word post-sudsing? The F-bomb.
What is your favourite memory? Remember to keep it clean (until you get your soap). Add your comments up until one minute before midnight on Friday, August 27th and at one minute after midnight I will randomly draw one winner from all the entrants.
I will then contact you via the email address you have provided and within 24 hours you respond, I email your mailing address to Goddess Blends Soaps and a short while after that you are bathing with the most delicious bar of soap. If you want the Skinny on Entering Contests (the rules, so to speak) click here.
Let’s have it people. Post your comments. And that link.
Test Drive of the Ferrari Maranello 550
Posted on | August 19, 2010 | 5 Comments
As I said in yesterday’s Wordless Wednesday post, we have begun our search for a new family car. Rather than simply go out and sign up for a ten year term with a characterless mini-van, I thought it would be fun to shop around and see what our options are before buying a new family car. Seeing as I rarely make snap decisions I thought it would be fun and educational for you, our reader to follow along with us as we test-drive a variety of cars.
The first car that caught my eye was a shiny silver car; a Ferrari Maranello 550. The Maranello is named after the city in Italy where the Ferrari head office is located. The 550 refers to the engine displacement 5.5 litres in a V12 format.
The prancing pony on the hood made me realize that this was a quality built vehicle.
The Prancing Pony
I have to admit that the Ferrari was not as easy to get into and out of as I might like. One benefit of a purchase of a Ferrari might be that I would be forced to maintain a healthy body weight, simply so that I can get in and out of my Ferrari.
In the Driver Seat
Once I was seated in the Ferrari I felt like I really belonged in that seat and I needed to feel what the performance was like.
Although the Maranello is billed as a grand tourer, it does not lack for power. On paper it will do 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and complete a quarter mile sprint in 12.5 seconds. It reaches 100 miles an hour in 9.6 seconds. That is on paper.
On Burnaby Mountain, after easing the super-stiff clutch out, I stuffed my foot into the gas pedal, jammed the clutch back to the floor and with barely a flick of my wrist shifted the six speed-rear mounted transmission into second gear. The revs jumped to about 4500 and my stomach felt like it was literally getting pushed into my spine. The Maranello leapt forward with such a thrusting forceful roar that I was actually a little taken aback. I didn’t have a chance to see what third gear was like.
And just in case you are running late for work, you can get out on the freeway and really open it up. The Ferrari tops out around 320 kilometres per hour. Imagine that, you can get from Vancouver to Kelowna in about an hour! How cool is that!!
However, as impressive as the performance was, I had to think about how practical the car would be for our family. First thing I noticed was that here are no cup holders in the front seat area. What a silly oversight!
Note-No Cup Holders
And then I asked about rear seat belts. There aren’t any…in fact there is no back seat…at all.
Ferrari Maranello-No Back Seat
The Ferrari has impressive forward performance and equally impressive stopping power with four wheel disc brakes. While coming down Burnaby Mountain, even though I opened her up and got up to 160kmh, I never felt a bit out of control knowing that the four wheel disc brakes would stand the prancing pony on her nose.
Confidence Inspiring Four Wheel Disc Brakes
It was a nifty feeling sitting in the Ferrari Maranello. Even though the car is not all that ostentatious it still draws many looks and second looks as you pass other people.
Side View of Ferrari Maranello
My favourite view of the car is the front grill which is unspoiled with a license plate.
Front View of Ferrari Maranello
At the end of the day though, I’m not so sure that this is the car for our family’s needs at this time. Fun to drive but no cup-holders…deal breaker for me. Never-mind the lack of room in the rear seat, well the spot where the rear seat might have been. Perhaps if it came in a four door we would consider it. As it sits now, it is not the car for us.
Ferrari Maranello 550
Not too sure what the next test drive will be but I hope it is half the car that this Ferrari Maranello was/is. The prancing pony really is a work of art.
Children of God; Go See It
Posted on | August 18, 2010 | No Comments
This evening I attended a screening of the movie Children of God. The show is part of the Vancouver Queer Film Fest. My reaction? Wow. Simply wow.
Cinemaphiles may disagree with me but I couldn’t help but think about Brokeback Mountain while I was watching Children of God. A Brokeback Mountain filmed in the Bahamas with the surprisingly intolerant Bahamian culture pervading everything. Perhaps I should issue a spoiler alert at this point, but WHY do love stories never work out in movies about gay men?
For me, the most memorable line from the movie was when the mother of a gay man said to him, “I wish your problem was as simple as a drug problem.” Imagine a mother wishing her son had a drug problem rather than facing up to his sexual orientation.
As I exited the theatre I tweeted; “Just out of Children of God. Breath-takingly beautiful and tragic yet happy in a mournful way. Emotionally confusing.” That about sums up Children of God. Beautiful.
New Car Search Begins on Wordless Wednesday
Posted on | August 18, 2010 | 2 Comments
The need for a new/larger vehicle has become more than apparent around our house. Yesterday I took the opportunity to test drive the first car that I thought might be good replacement for our family sedan.
Ferrari Maranello 550
More on my observations later.
Summer Fun in the Sun and Water Safety; Preventable Injuries
Posted on | August 16, 2010 | 5 Comments
With the recent heat wave that has hit our city, many people are taking to the water to cool off. Lots of those people are out on the water, enjoying their boating leisure. Many others are sticking to the beaches and waterways around the city. The tragic side effect of both of these activities are the shocking number of people who drown.
You're Probably Not Expecting to Drown Today
Is it inevitable that six people (on average) are going to drown each and every month? Is that “just the way it is” and always will be? What are your thoughts on this issue? Are these tragic deaths truly preventable?
To learn more about the MANY types of preventable injuries that plague us, you can visit the people at Preventable dot ca to learn more.
If you care to add to our discussion here, we are currently running a contest to get people thinking about preventable injuries or accidents, with a focus on drowning deaths this month. To learn more about our contest you can click on our “First Contest…” All the “legal stuff” about the contest is posted there as well.
If you want to add your thoughts to this conversation, feel free to post your comments here on this post. All comments on the following questions adds to the conversation;
- What it will take to shift peoples’ attitudes towards water safety?
- What will it take to make the shift from it being acceptable to take a case of beer and coolers on the boat with you to the point where people understand that drinking and boating is equally as dangerous as drinking and driving an automobile?
- What will it take to make the shift so that people just know to slip on a life vest or some PFD (personal floatation device) while out on a boat?
- What will it take to make that shift in peoples’ thinking and attitudes?
It is Lobster Fest Tonight
Posted on | August 15, 2010 | 2 Comments
Who knew that lobsters can fly? Yesterday my neighbours dad went down to the local lobster plant, in New Brunswick and watched a lobster boat come in with its load of lobsters. The lobsters were sorted, cooked and frozen right there in front of him.
After seeing this little food preparation spectacle unfold in front of him, he bought 200 of them and had them delivered to my neighbour’s house this morning. And now my dinner plans have been completed.
Lobster fest tonight
All I have to do is put these crustaceans on the barbecue for 3-4 minutes and then enjoy. That I can do!!
A Visit to the Dragon Palace
Posted on | August 14, 2010 | No Comments
Earlier this week we were out late in the afternoon with the wee uns and we were just too tired to go home and make dinner for the kids. Seeing as I detest most take-out, other than some sushi or pizza, our choices were quite limited. So what did we do? We wheeled into one of our favourite New West places, the Dragon Palace.
Typically we start with a bowl of their fish congee. Although my Sweetheart and I enjoyed the congee, the girls, not so much this time around.
Fish Congee at Dragon Palace
So we asked if they had milk, just a little something to get the girls in the mood for some food. No milk. Soy milk, yes. We asked if we could get it warmed a little. In what seemed to us to be a very odd way of serving it, the soy milk was brought out in a large bowl. It didn’t really matter though, the girls were having no part of soy milk, in a bowl, bottle or through a straw.
Annalie at the Dragon Palace
Annalie was having no part of soy milk either. No congee and no milk. Not so good so far.
My Sweetie’s favourite dish (other than me) are the shrimp dumplings. The shrimp dumplings are a carry-over from the dim sum menu so we have to ask very nicely in order to get a serving of them. I guess we were nice enough this time around.
Shrimp dumplings at Dragon Palace
These flavour packs never disappoint. The dense shrimp meat inside the gooey (in a tasty-good kinda gooey) wrapper are always a marvel.
My favourite vegetable is broccoli. Broccoli with thick noodles is my dream dish. Usually we get the thin, crispy noodles…the kind that annoy the shit out of me. Today was my lucky day. I asked the server for the thick noodles and some kind of vegetables with broccoli. Her response; “Broccoli?”
“Sure, and maybe with some other vegetables?”
Fat noodles and broccoli at Dragon Palace
Here are our fat noodles with broccoli. Admittedly, they were delicious, although some other vegetables might have made it more interesting. I enjoy the texture of the thicker udon noodles. The sauce was simple, delicate and light. A simple dish that went well with our fish choice.
Our fish choice was the special of the day, cod with black bean sauce. It was also very tasty but not so photogenic. (Hence no photo). One thing about the cod; it was served with a very tasty skin on it.
On its serving plate was a knife and fork and I have to admit, I cheated during this meal and used the knife and fork. I usually get into the atmosphere and eat my meal with chopsticks, but I don’t know how I would have eaten the cod with chopsticks.
Part way through the meal I made the bold move of adding the remaining noodles to the plate with the cod. Well done.
Overall, a good meal. The girls enjoyed the noodles and the broccoli if not the fish congee. Of course we will return to the Dragon Palace.
Stanley Park Day Tripping
Posted on | August 12, 2010 | 1 Comment
Today I loaded the twins and my Sweetheart into the family sedan and headed out to Stanley Park. And it turned out to be a great day for touring the park!
However, before we got to Stanley Park we stopped into the Vancouver Community College culinary arts retail outlet and picked ourselves up a couple of lunches to take with us. My Sweetheart got us a trout dinner and a cod dinner. We both agreed that the trout dinner was the superior meal.
Trout Dinner in Stanley Park
We shared this meal between myself, my Sweetheart and the twins. We are now at the point where instead of buying two meals, we need to buy three because the girls eat so much of our food. The times they are a changin’.
At any rate, before we ate our picnic lunch we toured around the Stanley Park Rose Garden. We had a chance to chat with the people who maintain the gardens. When I asked a gardener what the pattern in the way that the flowers and cacti are planted, he just shrugged and said that they actually did not have any plan, it just turned out that way.
Stanley Park Gardens
Another interesting fact that we found out from the gardeners was that all the edging and trimming is done with hand tools. No noisy two-stroke engines wailing away. A bonus for those seeking a little peaceful respite from the noises of the city.
After our trout lunch we headed out for a walk around the park. As we walked by the concession I got a sudden hankering for an ice cream sandwich. My Sweetheart headed up to the concession and then promptly returned to tell me to get over my hankering. Why?
Stanley Park Concession
$3.85 for a Klondike Cone? No thanks, so the next best thing is the wild blackberries growing next to the concession stand.
Stanley Park Blackberries
We feast on berries before walking over to the Theatre Under the Stars at Malkin Bowl.
Stanley Park Theatre Under the Stars
The current performance is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. There was a rehearsal going on while I was walking by so I asked the Director (forgot to get her name…DOH!) if I could snap a picture for my blog. She said, “This is an all kids performance so you can’t. You would have to get every parent to sign a release to let you take a picture. Times have changed.” So no picture of the rehearsal. (Ironically if you go to the Theatre Under the Stars website you can see a picture of all the kids on the stage) I did get a picture of the three adults who were on more than willing to pose on stage.
Stanley Park Theatre Under the Stars
I will have to get back down to the Theatre Under the Stars to see how the performance works out. The funniest thing during this picture/no picture exchange was the guy who was hosing the crow shit off the chairs. He was taken by surprise by me walking into the open air theatre and he took his job of walking me back out very seriously.
A great day for visiting Stanley Park. One last thing though, as we were driving out of Stanley Park my eye caught sight of the building on the corner of Georgia Street just after Lost Lagoon. On one of the upper levels of that building in one of the suites, through the floor to ceiling windows you can see what looks like a white grand piano.
I remember the old weathered grey wooden building that used to sit on that corner. It housed a bicycle rental shop last I remember. Now it houses a grand piano. Yes, the times certainly have changed.
A Tour of the Cruise Lines in Vancouver
Posted on | August 11, 2010 | 1 Comment
Pretty exciting times here at Stacey Robinsmith dot com…we have been invited aboard the Regent 7 Seas cruise ship, the Navigator for a tour of the ship’s amenities and a lunch.
The Navigator does the Vancouver to Alaska run all summer long for the Regent 7 Seas cruise line accommodating 490 guests at an unusual level of luxury and some of the highest space and service ratios at sea. She, the Navigator, has all-suite, all-ocean-view accommodations with luxurious marble baths. She also has food service that is unparalleled in the cruise industry. I have also heard that the ship staff are superbly attentive.
As well, we have been in touch with the people from Princess Cruise lines to arrange a comparative tour of their cruise ships.
More details to follow!!
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