Fun Times

Way back last fall we bought a season's pass for a local theater company. It was money well spent. Tonight is the final play of four - The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. They did a tremendous job of the other three so I am anxious to see how they handle this. The kids wouldn't join us - they don't want the  story besmirched in their mind in anyway. They want it to stay just as they've always imagined it the many many times they've read it. I read it only once and it was so long ago it's all a faint memory. Pretty hard to taint it for me. We're going with the same two friends we've gone to eveything else with this year and some extra friends as well.

And then next week we are going Wednesday to Sidney on Vancouver Island. Sidney is a small town with magnificent ocean views. It's on the inner coast and on a clear day you can see the mainland and even Mt Baker. We have a room booked at a luxurious hotel with a beautiful seaview room. I think a walk along the beach to watch the sunrise will be in order. We'll hang around Sidney because Claire is going to come on the Thursday morning ferry as a walk on passenger and join us for the day. Big brother just happens to be working in Tsawassen ( where the ferry terminals are) and can drop her off and the ferry  docks about ten minutes from where we'll be. Anyway then we'll browse around the town's many used book stores and antique shops and specialty shops before heading over to the Butterfly Gardens and then to Butchart Gardens for the balance of the day. We won't actually get into Victoria this trip I don't think. Not unless something doesn't take nearly as long as we think it will. Then we might feel a sudden urge to see Craigdorrach Castle and to have supper at The Blethering Place.  A seven or maybe eight o'clock ferry return trip and we will be home by 11 or 12 Thursday.

The Sunday in between we have a church meal and the Sunday afterwards we will be heading to Oliver to see Vic's parents for Father's Day. Just a couple of days after that my girl leaves for Poland.

Days and Time

Pianorose mentioned in her last post that days are long but years are short. That used to be true. Somewhere along the way days became short and years even shorter. Wasn't it just the Lord's Day a blink ago and here another Lord's Day is upon us: Queen of Days. I love the Lord's Day, not just because on that day we are able to gather as the elect in the presence of our God to renew covenant with Him; to be called to the heavenly Mt. Zion and hear the Lord speak, eat at His table and receive His blessing. I love it too because it puts every other day in perspective. It's a pivot around which everything turns and gains focus. Those long days that get shorter don't just become one long blur of dishes and dinners and diapers. There's a change, a redirection back to what matters most. And all of that combined gives renewal and refreshment to go back to the dishes, dinners and diapers

Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow. As you come out from the world and into the Lord's presence, may  you   receive from the Lord all you need to go back into the world and joyfully serve Him there in all your various duties until the next one is upon you.

NIche Market

Years ago someone told me they were looking for a little summer business to run ( he was a teacher and kept looking and thinking tilll he came up with a service he could see no one else was providing.. He started a window screen washing and repair company. Well today I saw someone who'd obviously done the same thing - sat and thought till he found something no one else was doing.

I saw a pickup truck pull into somoene's driveway. It caught my eye because it was white with big black pawprints painted on it. The compnay name was Doggie Details.

"What does he do?" I wondered to myself and started looking at the fine print as the driver came around the truck and took a pail and shovel out of the back.

The fine print read - "Waste removal services."

That's a doggie detail all right. And someone needs to take care of it.

Canadian Smarties

The candy. It's very different from its American counterpart.

The second best thing to do with them.

Frog's Eyes cookies. And I see one blue smartie. That's a rare find.

As Requested, Mexican Lasagna

or by its proper name, Fiesta Casserole  Enjoy.

2 cups, drained cooked pinto beans or 1 - 15 oz can pinto beans, drained

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 - 4 oz can diced green chilies

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tsps. chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce

6 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and drain drippings. Saute onion. Combine remaining ingredients - tomatoes to tomato sauce- bring to a boil and simmer 10 mins. Add beef mixture.

Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with three tortillas. Spread half the meat sauce on the tortillas and top with half the cheese. Repeat layers: tortillas, meat sauce cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 mins at 350 degrees.

I fiddle with this a lot. I usually use some sort of flour tortilla - we like cheese flavoured especially. You need four 10" tortillas. Sunday I used tomato.I use way more cheese and have lately used Kraft's Tex Mex package of cheddar monterey jack and mozzarella. I use whatever chilies strike my fancy and usually use kidney beans instead of pinto beans Sunday I used black beans and kidney beans mixed. I add a layer of pickled peppers and black olives before the final layer of cheese. They peek through the cheese and make it look pretty. I use chicken sometimes instead of beef. It seems to take more than a half pound of chicken though to have any noticeable amount of meat.

I noticed that you're supposed to simmer the sauce. If I ever did, I don't anymore. (I don't read the directions to this these days - I just make it) and that may explain why it is sometimes quite soupy. I've been using extra cheese to help avoid the soupiness, but then again lots of cheese is always good.