Condimentally speaking...

Making condiments is really weird.

I cook a lot, and one of the things you do as a cook is taste, taste, taste.  I've been trying my hand at inventing a recipe for curried ketchup (modifying a standard ketchup recipe and throwing in some curry), and also following a recipe for cranberry mustard (recipes to follow).  My last attempt at curried ketchup was a dismal failure (I'll save that story for later.), so I was diligently tasting my ketchup as it got close to being the right consistency.  I kept sticking in a spoon (a clean one of course), and tasting, and my immediate reaction was always the same "wow, that's a strong flavour"

Well, of course it is, you're not making soup, you're eating ketchup with a spoon.

Next time I'll have to cook up a sausage to try it with.

I have an opinion, and I'm ok with that. Is that ok with you?

*Sigh*

My mom always told me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.  I agree wholeheartedly.  Problem is, "nice" has become "agreeable".  I get really tired of the internet sometimes, because it seems as though we have lost the ability to have opinions.  I've spent my fair share of time on Facebook, message boards, blogs, etc, and I've never been one to shy away from offering a contradictory opinion, but I'm starting to learn that everyone just wants everyone to agree with them.

I've been accused of being hostile, "worked up", angry, snide, mean, and my all-time favourite, having my posts deleted because I'm not actually allowed to express my opinion. (meaningful glance at a certain relative) I hate to break it to you people, I have yet to get "worked up" or angry about a Facebook status, and it's not "mean" to have a contrasting opinion.  There is a big difference between saying "you are dumb" and "I don't agree with you".

Maybe it's this culture we have created where praise and adoration is dolled out by the bucketful.  Kids are praised for everything they do, soccer teams don't have winners or losers anymore (so no one feels bad), and all anyone really wants to hear on their Facebook status is "WowAwesomeSuperCoolHigh-five". 

Insert eye roll.

I'm willing to praise and encourage where such things are due, but if you go onto the internet and post an outlandish opinion, you can't honestly expect that everyone is going to think you're amazing.  I found it really interesting that after our recent federal election, the vast number of posts were the same.  Apparently everyone was really upset by the outcome.  I found this strange since the Conservatives did win...  and someone besides myself must have voted for them.  Right, because Facebook can only hold one opinion, and the upset people got there first. 

I really hope to instill a proper sense of balance in my kids.  I don't want them growing up thinking everything they do is praise worthy and that the best course of action is to always just agree with everyone.  I want them to think for themselves and not be afraid to express their ideas.  The popular opinion is not always the right one.  I hope to teach them that a good debate will make them stronger, will allow them to understand different points of view and sharpen their minds.  An opinion is useless unless it has been challenged and has survived.  I'm not so vain as to think I'm always right, and I welcome challenges to my ideas. 

So please, I invite you to engage me, sharpen me, contradict me, take my opinions and try to crush them. 

I, on the other hand will remember to only post non-sensical ditties about how awesome everyone is.

Valuable life lessons.

I'd never have considered myself to be someone who was afraid of heights.  I don't actually think I am.  Husband has been working on painting the dormers of our house recently, since we're getting our roof replaced (hooray for hail and insurance!).  It's been a long process, so when Husband went to work yesterday, I decided to be helpful and give him a hand.  I've been pretty out of commission lately with the whole c-section recovery/gaping wound thing, so it felt good to be productive.  Maybe I was running off the endorphins created by last weeks basement clean-up, maybe I was just nuts, but there I was, up on the 2x8 board "scaffolding".  It took me a while to get up there, carrying my paint can and brush.  The roof is pretty steep and there is a good 4 feet from the edge of the roof to the board.  Once firmly placed, I looked around and immediately regretted my plan.  I didn't feel secure at all. 

I wasn't sure what to do.  Getting back to the ladder was impossible (the idea of crawling DOWN the steep roof right to the edge seemed a whole lot more daunting than climbing up).   I knew the window was open, since Husband had taken part of it down to fix, leaving only poly, a screen and a blanket (impromtu window covering in Girl's room while Husband also builds a "treehouse" in there, long story for another day) in my way.  So, I did what any good wife would do.  I painted my way to the window and let myself in.

Entertainingly, Girl was still in bed when I crawled through the window into her treehouse.  She thought it was fantastic. 

I felt like a failure, but at least I wasn't the kind of failure that ends up in the emergency room.  I took my disapproving looks from Husband gracefully, and now I know...  I'm not afraid of heights.  However I am afraid of falling.

The Millionaire Family

Babies tend to attract attention from strangers, and many people I know get all worked up about it.  "They thought my girl was a boy!  OH NO!", or "How dare they call my baby chubby!"  I really don't care much about what people think.  They always thought Girl was a boy, but who could blame them? I didn't make it easy for them, since I'm not much of a fan of pink.  I've noticed a new trend these days though.  I've been approached many times with the same line of thinking:

Stranger: So you have a boy and a girl?

Suzie:  Yes.

Stranger:  So, you're done then?

I didn't realize that the only possible reason to want more than two kids is to have one of each gender.

I think mentally I checked out of having more children somewhere in between the morning sickness, stomach flus and trying in vain to get an 11+lb baby out of me without surgical intervention.  After one more brief (and terrifying) pregnancy scare, I think I'm pretty done.  We have enough bedrooms for two kids, and we're never outnumbered, but my main reason for not wanting more children is far more vain than that.  I don't want a minivan.  I can't do it.  Husband is a bit of a car enthusiast, and this was my car before having kids:

I just can't give it up.  The idea that Husband would drive fun cars to work every day, and I would drive a minivan for the forseeable future would just be too horrifying to contemplate.  I've moved my fun cars to the side for the time being in favour of four doors and A/C, but they're still here, and once I have two kids in front-facing seats they will be back. 

Yes, I have a boy and a girl, but I think I'd be done regardless.  Neither Husband, nor I, ever expressed the desire to have equal gender representation.  In fact, I remember a conversation in which Husband can be quoted as saying "can we just have all girls?".  Even though it's the truth, I have trouble agreeing with presumtuous strangers.  Short of telling them all the reasons I'm done, I'm not sure what to say that won't reinforce their strange ideas and need to ask personal questions.  It would be bad to make them feel right.

I just smile and shrug instead.  I'll take one for the team.

Boy oh Boy

*Sigh*  Boy is darn cute. 

And, not surprisingly, freakishly advanced.  From the genes that brought you "potty trained at 16 months" and "writes her name at two-and-a-half" comes "I'm barely 2 months and can roll over."

He can, I made him do it three times to prove it.

I'm going to start selling my embyos. 

That was a joke, in case you were wondering.

Say WHA?!

I was at Costco a few days ago, buying some food, when I came across something interesting in the produce department.  Black Velvet Apricots.

I hailed my mom, and we had a conversation similar to this:

Suzie:  Hey mom, look at these!  Black Velvet Apricots!

Mom:  Those are plums.

Suzie:  No, they're apricots

Mom:  Apricots aren't purple.

Suzie:  Plums aren't fuzzy.  Plus, look...  it says "APRICOTS" on the package.

Needless to say, I bought them.  I can't say no to weird produce.  Plus, it said on the package that it is a "limited edition" so how could I leave them?  Next year they might make apricots pink and I would have missed out on the purple ones all together.

I was excited to try one.  Guess what, it tastes like fruit.  I don't really eat apricots normally, so I have no idea how they taste...  they were sweet and juicy, quite delicious.  Of course, I had about 40 of them (hooray for bulk buying) plus plums, nectarines, cherries and bananas...  so there was nothing else to do but make Black Velvet Apricot JAM!

Husband:  You know... you could just eat fruit and not make jam out of it.

Suzie:  (laughs)

He doesn't know me at ALL does he?  Not to mention, since these are a limited edition, my jam is going to be worth some coin when all people have are boring old orange apricots.

Black Velvet Apricot Jam

3 cups pureed, pitted apricots (leave the skin on)
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar
1 pkg liquid pectin. 

Mix first three ingredients well in a large pot, bring to a boil. Once you can no longer stir down the bubbles, boil hard for one minute. Take off the heat, add the liquid pectin and stir well. Let stand for a few minutes to help prevent floating fruit, and skim off the foam. Fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, add seals and rings, tighten to finger-tight. Let cool. (as they cool, the seals will pop inwards, if they don't, you do not have a proper seal and jam should be kept in the fridge until eaten).

It turned out to be a really pretty jam...  I think the floating confetti of purple really makes it.

I really shouldn't give you all my big money-making idea, but hey, I'm benevolant like that!

When to say when.

Throughout my journey of being a housewife, I have learned things about myself.  I have been realizing something about myself recently that will result in a change. 

There is no point in freezing fruit in this house. 

We don't use it.  Year after year I diligently freeze berries, and ever single year I intend to use them for "something". I never do.  I just gave away a bag of last years frozen strawberries (to my SIL, who uses them often for smoothies), and I just dug a pail of frozen blueberries from the depths of my freezer (it's a small freezer, so it wasn't really that deep).  I understand the benefits of freezing fruit, and I know all the things that I could do with the stuff, but once it's in the freezer, it's gone.  I don't touch it. 

This isn't really a new realization...  I've thrown away plenty of frozen fruit I've forgotten about.  I don't totally get why I haven't given it up yet, but the insanity stops here.

So remember, don't do something just because you think you should, or someone else tells you it's a good idea (even if that wise person is me).   When you store up for winter, make only what you'll use (or like me, stockpile into a stash of hostess gifts, stocking stuffers and shareables).  If you hate jam, don't make jam...  if you drink a smoothie every morning, freeze a whackload of fruit.

Those blueberries?  They're going join their friends in the pantry as jam and blueberry pie filling.