Well, before I get onto why I’m interrupting my regularly scheduled program, I will just update you quickly on my past couple of days.
I was feeling ill on Friday (to the point where I should not have gone to work but didn’t realize how bad I was until I got to work). I think it was the year 11s coughing and sneezing all over the place on Tuesday...yay! Something to remember them by as I won’t be seeing them the next 2 weeks because they have work experience and then an additional week because we will be having our first term break (Ireland, here we come). Anyway, back to Friday...I survived my year 10s – even though I gave them a test in period one where the highest mark received was a 41% and the lowest a 14% (again...is there a point to give a test to a bunch of students when they know that they don’t know how to do it...but my hands are tied within this stupid system and Scheme of Work...GRR!!!). Oh, and the last part of the day went well because I kicked out 5 students I just wasn’t dealing with anymore and I had 3 helpers (TAs) in my class. I ended the day by getting home before 5 (can you believe it?), as it was just starting to drizzle (yes, Krista’s forecast from the weather network was right...who knew?). Anyway, I had to make a decision: go to Morrisons in the rain to get much needed food (finished my food the day before), or walk around the corner to the haberdashery to get some yarn to knit my scarf. Hmmm...decisions, decisions. I chose the haberdashery (partially because it was closer and mostly because I love the name...LOL). Anyhoo, by the time I left, it was pouring and I felt better about my choice – not being stuck in the rain carrying groceries when I felt like crap. I got home, made a cup of hot chocolate, watched an episode of Charmed, and was in bed by 6pm. (What I missed: An evening social in Kettering with some staff members from our school: including many drinks at the Earl followed up by Karaoke at Abacus...considering I also missed a lot hurling...I’m glad I was asleep).
Besides a 1 hour wake up around 5am, I didn’t officially wake up and get out of bed until 9:30 the next morning (I REALLY needed sleep) but felt a lot better. Still, popping in more chewable vitamin C tablets (my new regime every morning), I went on with my day – including making a grocery list of all the items I needed for the next couple of days...but especially for the “Thanksgiving” dinner we were going to have at home on Sunday (i.e. today). I already had most vegetables we wanted to have (potatoes and squash), but I picked up some green beans when I went to the store – this is mostly so that Melanie will have something to eat...although Krista will be sticking with the meat and potatoes...maybe some carrots. I actually had to ask three employees at Morrisons where to find the particular items I needed for the essential Thanksgiving meal. It was here that I found my interesting facts for today:
1) Evaporated milk is found in the canned fruit aisle...not the long-life milk aisle (which would make more sense to me...but what do I know?)
2) They don’t sell stove-top (or hob-top, I guess) stuffing. Instead, they have a type of stuffing mix that you put together then put in a deep baking sheet then place in the oven (cooker) to finish cooking. I will let you know how it turns out.
3) There are various forms of brown sugar. The kind you need for baking is called “soft brown” sugar (as other are more like regular sugar granules...just golden brown in colour).
4) They sell already baked pie shells used for tarts (more like a cookie or sweet pastry), and they DON’T sell frozen pie crusts. However, upon inquiry, it turns out that they do sell already made pastry dough in cubes (much like you’d find butter bricks) that you’d have to roll out, or already rolled pastry dough (which I ended up purchasing...and I hope turns out okay)...oh, but it’s actually called “shortcrust pastry sheets” and is found in the margarine aisle.
5) When I originally thought I’d have to bite the bullet and make my own pastry for my pie, I looked into getting some shortening for the crust recipe. They don’t sell it as such, but they do sell vegetable spread (which is the equivalent) also in the margarine aisle. You will find it close to this pastry dough I ended up buying, and beside the beef or pork fat (drippings) slabs which are sold as bricks of butter...mmmm.
6) The baking soda I was looking for is sold in the baking aisle, of course with the name sodium bicarbonate, but they only sell one kind: Dr. Oetker...doesn’t have the same ring as “Arm and Hammer”...but it will have to do.
7) Whipped cream in a can is called dairy cream...let’s hope it tastes good with the pie.
Anyway, three huge grocery bags in hand (the kind that we use at home), I walked home with my groceries and feeling better that I would have food to eat and food to prepare as our “family” meal on Sunday.
Okay, so I got home, put away my purchases then went crazy cleaning: the bathroom, the kitchen, and the hallway (you know I’m feeling better when...). It was kind of therapeutic being able to clean everything, with my Mr. Muscle in hand (the equivalent, I think, to Mr. Clean). With the sinks cleaned, I then filled them up with water and laundry detergent...to clean the basics of my laundry (as our washing machine is yet to be fixed). After a soak, wash, and couple of rinses, I hung my clothes out to dry and then made myself some lunch. I was just hoping that the majority of the clothes would be at least not dripping by the time I brought them in at the end of the day (there was no wind really to help the process along, and my wrists were exhausted from all the wringing out of clothes I had done to that point). So they are currently hanging in the living room on our clothing racks to hopefully dry by tomorrow (fingers crossed).
After my clean sweep, I decided to go into town and go shopping (another slight attempt and helping me feel better). I purchased two pairs of pants. Next week, I will have to try for some tops as well. One of the stores I went into (I think was called Evans) is a 14 + store and had a great store manager who gave me some helpful hints as to clothing that would work best for my body type. It was nice to also hear from another person that I am just a “normal” sized person...not a stick (like you find in the city...her comments, not mine). Either way, it made me smile and definitely made me want to come back again to her store. She was also the first to ask if I was Canadian when I purchased my items...not American. Apparently, she used to live in Alberta for a year and had travelled much in her “hay-day”. It was nice to find friendly people in town to talk to and definitely added to my day (as many of you know, shopping for clothes doesn’t usually make me feel better).
Last night, we spent a girl’s night in watching movies. I went to bed around 11 and woke up at 8. This is where my title comes into play. Normally I would wake up, shower, get some work done until I go to church then walk around town before heading back home for lunch and then trying to relax or get lesson planning done. This is not the case today. Okay, so it did start out the same: wake, shower, change, make breakfast...but where it changed was that I got started on my pumpkin pie right from the start (thank you friends for the can of pumpkin puree). It was in the oven and baking while I did some work for school and typed up the beginning part of this blog. By the time I was ready to leave for church, it was baked (note to self: don’t use the top oven when baking...it takes too long). I went to church, looking forward to the rest of the meal that would be prepared today. When I got to church, because I was a little later leaving, it was filled and I had to go up to the small choir loft where they have placed some pews. It was interesting to view mass from such heights, and with today’s priest, I quite enjoyed it. Anyway, I am back home and getting a couple of things worked on so that I can enjoy the rest of what will have to be our Thanksgiving: my favourite holiday of the year. I will let you know how the meal goes! (P.S. The landlord is coming by today at 5 to check out the washing machine and carpet. Hopefully all will work out).
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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