Les petites cérémonies

Tags

dinner, Food, Friends, home, life, meals, routine

We all have our little routines every day and develop new ones when life changes. Per example after I retired some years ago, I no longer had a need for business suits except for one nice dark Italian suit and a couple of blazers in case I need them for a special day.

Usually now it is casual wear and here on the Island it is more like vacation comfortable wear, though we have done formal and business suit on a few occasions.

I may or may not shave on a day because I have no were to go and am not meeting anyone that day. On the other hand dishes and laundry gets done promptly now that we no longer have a cleaning lady.

Meals are planned that morning for the day and I keep tabs on what we have in the freezer and the fridge. We also see friends on a more impromptu manner, not much is planned unless it is a special occasion.

Every night we have cocktails at 5:30pm after the dogs have had their dinner. We have a 3 course dinner around 07:30pm unless we are going out to a concert or event. We always use dishes and the table is set with cutlery and place mats. We have dinner in the dining room, a bottle of wine paired for the meal and tapered candles are lit on the table, there is also music softly playing in the background. It is the same routine every night.

When we have guests for dinner or lunch, we will have drinks first, we will set a menu and we will never serve the same menu to guests twice, if we had a chicken dish once, the next time they come we will serve something different. Depending on the season the menu will vary greatly, we never serve a salad as a main dish and I find it very gauche to do so. A salad is just an intermediate course served with a prepared dressing not something from a bottle.

When we have a party, there is one coming up in 10 days, we think ahead of what we will serve, are people coming for a meal, or just drinks and nibbles which means serving good quality nuts and olives, a paté or a hard cheese with selected crackers. In this case we thought of doing a salmon mousse or a chicken liver paté with wine. We will chose a wine something which will go well with the event and if people bring a bottle of wine, I prefer to set it aside and go with what I selected for that night in white and red. Recently we had a pizza party and I asked my guests what they wanted, some preferred vegetarian other with meat or cheese or gluten free. Then I ordered from a pizza place here in town which makes really good pizza on thin crust, it tasted a lot better than the stuff from a commercial chain. We had a great party.

All these little details make for routines which define our lives and make everything more pleasant on any given day.

 

 

 

 

 

L’Action de Grâce!

Tags

Canada., Charlottetown, Friends, PEI, thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, l’action de Grâce is upon us once again, my favourite Canadian holiday

This year in Charlottetown our first Thanksgiving with friends, no turkey, we have decided instead for Cornish Hens which are much easier to cook and serve.

What a wonderful year it has been, a new life in PEI, new friends, a wonderful house on the water, new volunteer opportunities, travel to Europe for our Anniversaries. Many things to be grateful for both of us.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend.

 

A year ago, August 2015

Tags

Anne of Green Gables, Anniversary, Atlantic, AZ, Cavendish, Charlottetown, Friends, moonshine, PEI, Phoenix, Potatoes, tourism, visit

In late July 2015 in the wee hours of the morning at the Ottawa General Hospital E.R., Will suddenly said to me, you know we have never been to PEI. We visited all other territories and Provinces, in my case with the exception of Newfoudland. I was not expecting that sort of suggestion but two weeks later we were off to PEI.

The week we were in Charlottetown and PEI saw the Annual celebration of Old Home Week and the Gold and Saucer Cup Harness races which has been taking place since 1888, Parades and much celebration in the Capital City. This is when we had the first idea of moving here. Our friends in PEI did warn us to visit in Winter, pointing out that the Island is much different, there are no tourists and the tourist shops and sites are closed. So we returned in February 2016 to see what life was life. The fact that there were no tourists did not bother me at all.

For many Winter weather is the big obstacle, however being Canadians, Winter is Winter no matter where you are. My family has been in Canada since 1662, we have had a few winters. We left a bitterly cold and icy Ottawa and flew East to the Coast. The weather in PEI was much milder, cold rain, grey skies and fog was the norm. There was snow but none of the icy conditions of Ontario, it was an Atlantic sea side climate. There was plenty to do, arts and culture are dominant here. Life was more quiet but you could still shop and be occupied with various projects. We moved to PEI in May and now a year later we are established here. I got a job at the Art Gallery http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/

This week we are welcoming to Charlottetown friends from Phoenix AZ who are visiting us in our new home. https://sporeflections.wordpress.com

There will be much activities, I told them that we could go to the Fringe Festival straight from the airport at 11PM. to sing Karaoke style the score of Hamilton. I also bought PEI Island Red Beer, they want to try some of the craft beer of the Island. Tomorrow morning is the Farmer’s Market, then a garden party in New Glasgow. Theater tickets for 3 plays, visit to a distillery, we make absinthe and moonshine on the Island 75% proof, there is also wineries. A visit to Cavendish to see Anne of Green Gables farm, and many more sights.

How time flies when you think of it, a whole year and such a different life now.

Am I stressing myself?

Tags

Canada., Charlottetown, Friends, life, Maritimes, move, moving, PEI, Provinces

I am told by my better half that I am stressing myself out over this move. I agree, I think I have been a little silly over thinking this move and over analyzing every detail over and over again. I have always been highly organized but this time I am over doing it.

It does not help that our landlord in Ottawa has decided to sell the condo we live in and is showing it while we are still living here and paying full rent. I resent that and maybe I could have put my foot down and said no. There is just over a month left before moving day so not much more time and any visit by a prospective buyer last all of 10 minutes no more. We have only  had 3 in 14 days, so not much of a big deal, but it is annoying nonetheless.

Province House (Legislature) Charlottetown

Also part of this move, we have been thinking of our Friends in Ottawa, I say our Friends with a Capital F because we have known these people for 40 years or almost. So we go back a long time with them and many may feel we are abandoning them, we are not, we are simply moving to another Province and it is not that far, really not. We will not forget them, unless we were ingrates, and too much water has passed under that bridge for us to forget them once in PEI. We only hope they will not forget us.

As I said yesterday at my formal farewell to the National Gallery Party for Volunteers where the Director and senior management made a point of thanking me for my contribution, I was honoured and moved by their words. We chose in our Sunset years (what can you call them) a higher quality of life and doing something we wanted to do for a long time which is to live by the Sea. I also want to be able to see the Universe at night without all the light pollution we enjoy here. It is quite an amazing spectacle it makes you realize how big it is and how small we are lost in the vast space. So for my remaining 25 years this is what I want to do. I say this with a grain of salt since no one knows how long one has.

European Gallery at the NGC 

The quality of life in PEI is high, the people have an old World charm about them, it is a small place and everyone knows everybody, families have been established for a long time, (17th century), the food is very good, with excellent restaurants and resorts, chefs with a solid reputation, the Farmer’s Market is the real thing, there is also a new wine industry growing, the beef, seafood and award winning cheeses, beaches are spectacular according to Condé Nast, the best in North America. There is a charm to the Island all it’s own. The weather is heavily influenced by Atlantic currents, the Gulf Stream and winds from the North and the East, meaning one is never sure what you will get during a single day. It is certainly not as cold as Central Canada which competes with Siberia in terms of cold days,  I will take -5 any day over -35C. The vibrant Art scene all year round, the numerous Festivals, etc. As Sarah Palin would say, I can see Europe from my kitchen window, actually we see New Brunswick and the Straits of Northumberland but you get my point, we are only 4 hours away. We are also on Atlantic time which means one hour ahead of Central Canada.

We are now set and all I have to do is simply take a deep breath and all will unfold as it should.

 

 

When I arrived…

Tags

1976, 2016, Birthday, cake, Chocolat, Events, Family, FATE, Fortune, Friends, memories, World

In 1976 was the great year of the Montreal Summer Olympic Games, I celebrated by 20th Birthday that year in Montreal with my family. I do not remember exactly what I did, but I do remember attending the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games. I had won excellent seats in the great stadium and it was exhilarating. Then in August I left to start my University courses at Ottawa U. So I arrived in Ottawa at the age of 20.

Today some 40 years later I am 60 and just celebrated with some 45 guests this great event here at home. Will arranged a wonderful party, the food was varied and very good, our guests were pleased. Instead of a cake we had 12 dozens of mini cupcakes in various flavours made by Thimble Cakes on Bank Street. Minou of BelFiore on Elgin street prepared a wonderful, delicate floral arrangement for the party. Everyone brought gifts in the form of fine Champagne, wine and single malt scotch, though the request had been made not to bring anything and with it an avalanche of good wishes and cards.

 

Flowers by Minou of Bel Fiore on Elgin street.  www.belfiore.ca

It was so good to see so many friends and old acquaintances, I feel honoured by their presence. Many of whom I have known for all these years and with whom I share so many life experiences here in Canada and abroad.

There has been many Birthdays in between in those 40 years, all around the World, from Istanbul, to Cairo, to Warsaw, to Chicago, to Rome, to Mexico City, To Amman, to Beijing.

What an incredible life it has been and now on the cusp of a new adventure, a new Province a new life. Life goes on with newness. One can only be thankful for all the many blessings.

My little sister came up from NYC with her husband and father in law and reminded me of stories my late parents use to tell about my birth and early childhood. So many stories, happy memories of a time long ago. Will, had gathered some old photos and everyone teased me about how I had not changed that much in 60 years.

Thimble mini cupcakes of various flavours. thimblecakes.ca

Cylie Artisans Chocolatiers of Ottawa   cyliechocolat.com

 

Where will you be?

Tags

aging, Canada., Friends, jubilee, life, quiet, senior

As my Jubilee Anniversary approaches, I suddenly thought today about the future. I sometimes and I am sure a lot of people do, think of where will I be in 5 or 10 years. I use to think about that when I was younger, being young you can imagine all the possibilities, the future is limitless, where will life take you, who knows, it is so intriguing.

Now at 60 the perspective is somewhat different. There is always a future, but it is shorter now, the horizon is closer, when I was 20 the future was 70 years of life ahead of me, hard to fathom, so much time. The future now is more like 25 years, if I go by my parents life expectancy. Not bad still, my latest annual medical and tests came out clean, nothing to talk about, good genes my doctor says. Dentist thinks I should be the Colgate poster child. So with good health, then the future does not look so bad.

A neighbour who is at least 15 years older than me, said this week that everyone she knows is ill, some very seriously. She remarked you know it is our time of life when people we know start to die. I suppose that is true to some extent, but I recall my maternal grandfather dying some 48 years ago, I was young then and frankly not fully comprehending what it meant, though I knew there was finality to it. But now when we hear of someone we know dying, it is more shocking, one less person in our entourage. Gives you time to pause, to think and reflect.

As an older person, not old, I know there are certain things I do not want, so I tend to insulate myself, shut out the undesirable, noisy people or uninformed opinions, immature behaviour, boors. I am old and experienced enough to know better, so I surround myself with people I enjoy and shun the rest, I am no longer willing to put up with whatever. I know this may sound hard but comes a time where you have to make a choice. I find I like quiet surroundings, intelligent conversation. Come to think of it, I probably started this progression some time ago, when I retired it just accentuated itself. I have become less tolerant of needless noise. Am perfectly happy to read a book, play with the dogs, do things around the house, take a walk in the park, have a conversation with friends, enjoy listening to music or write on my blog. I have no need for constant excitement or TV noise or for what passes for news these days.

My Friends, you know who you are, I appreciate your constancy, some of you I have  known for a long time, the conversations, the confidences we shared, life events, emails, blogs all those things of life that ties and connects us. I prefer to concentrate my thoughts and time on this aspect of life, better the people you know and enjoy than something undefined.

So as I enter this new phase of life and I hope you do notice that I do not use the word last, because it my mind it would be premature, I wish to refine and make the most of the years yet to come, using this gift well.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined. 

David H. Thoreau

What to bring to someone’s House as a gift

Tags

Friends, Gift, Millenials, people, rude, Sloppy, Wine, wine gift

You know the old way of doing things, you get an invitation to a dinner party or someone’s house and you think, I have to bring a gift, it is simple courtesy and the polite thing to do.

When I was a kid in the 20th Century, my Mom would bring flowers and my Dad a bottle of wine. Something he had chosen and by the label the Host and Hostess would see it was quality. My Mom always seem to know which flowers to chose for her bouquet usually something the hostess would like. It always had to be flowers who were not heavily scented, a light fragrance and soft colours. Never roses or white lilies being attuned to the meaning of what some flowers might represent in various cultures.

Usually today people bring wine, a bottle of wine. I never could understand people who  brought nothing at all, especially if it was the first time you visited someone’s home. That is thoughtless and rude and says you do not think much of the host who invited you.

If you bring a bottle of wine, a little research ahead of time is a good idea, does your host like Red or White Wine. Some people do not drink one or the other, they may have likes for one kind of wine and not for another. There is also the question of how much to spend, here in Ontario where wine prices are well known, you have to be careful, your host may notice that the wine you brought is supermarket quality. There is no need to go overboard in choosing a wine but just a little thought before hand can go a long way.

I feel sometimes that those little things in life are lost on people, either people don’t think or say ”it does not matter”, but it does. It is those little things in life that make the whole difference in inter-personal relationships. If you care about people, it will be noticed. Often it is the thought that counts most. It says I care and thank you for inviting me. If you do not want to give wine for various reasons, other gifts like a book, nice chocolates, flowers, a gourmet food item is also good.

The overly relaxed, informal approach to life we see today everywhere leads increasingly to careless attitudes and that is very unfortunate. Better to surround oneself with friends who are caring and cultivate them.