Random Thoughts Far From Home

cafemaple — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:11:31 +0000

Feeling a bit strange, still far from home for a few more weeks.

2011 Winter in Prince Edward Island

It turned out to be a great time to be away from Prince Edward Island and its ‘Snowmegeddon’ winter. My poor husband and daughter have been home battling the snow, day after day. Shoveling it. Blowing it. Cursing it.

Meanwhile, 3000 miles away, I view it online. Montana is bitter cold, but bright and sunny, just a few inches of snow. A bit slick to drive. I feel like I should be home, in solidarity with my family, us against winter. I could be standing in the Bedeque Village Store, drinking coffee and sharing rude jokes with my friends, hoping to win the lottery this weekend.

In Billings I have work by day and quiet evenings with Grandpa George. He taught me to play pinochle and I beat him twice last night. My current situation leaves me lots of time for random thoughts, mentally constructing great schemes that have ZERO chance of implementation, lots of reading and the attendant contemplation of the absurdity of the lives we live today.

I just read Mark Bittman’s rant on McDonald’s new oatmeal product.

Now I love Mark Bittman. His was the first blog I linked to on my blogroll. He has picked up where Michael Pollan left off, I think, actually demonstrating how we can “eat real food, mostly vegetables, not too much.” Cooking at home is not a chore, nor is it difficult. And the more you eat real food, prepared simply at home, the more you dislike restaurant food.

Except for the food at Maplethorpe, of course. It is far superior to anything you could make at home and you should call for a reservation right now.

McDonald's Oatmeal

Mark recently ranted on McDonald’s new oatmeal product, which the fast-food giant has turned into a highly-processed nightmare of a breakfast. More sugar than a Snickers bar, “cream” that actually contains 7 ingredients, only 2 of which are dairy. As Mark Bittman observes, McDonald’s has done everything it can to turn oatmeal into just another bad choice.

The answer is, of course, so don’t eat there.

Pick up a cheap sack or round tub sporting the happy Quaker guy at any grocery, then spend 90 seconds of your morning making breakfast at home. Period. Are we so pathetic that we can’t even feed ourselves any more? Do we really need a national discussion on this? Evidently so.

Summer on Prince Edward Island!

cafemaple — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:57:05 +0000

What a great weekend!

We worked hard all day Saturday and were loking forward to a fantastic PEI Sunday in the summer. We were not disappointed.

Glorious weather for the CyclingPEI Sunday event, trail ride from the Emerald Train Depot to Borden-Carleton and back. The great thing about these rides is…everything! Well organized, a small entry fee to pay for the food and drink waiting at trail’s end, and the amazing diversity of people. There were parents with tiny kids all the way up to an 87 year old enjoying our magnificent scenery. (I fall pleasantly in the middle of the age array, thank you for asking.)

Melissa and Dianna on the Confederation Trail

I would really like a set of CyclingPEI bike wear…you know, those shorts with the padded bum and the really bright, tight-fitting shirts. First I need to lose about 20 pounds, though. Let’s not talk about that.

Off to Small Halls

PEI Festival of Small Halls June 11-20, 2010

After the bike ride it was time for a good shower, rustle up some grub for the family and off to a Small Halls Concert. We had tickets to the sold-out Songwriters Circle at Harmony House in Hunter River. I have driven past Harmony House for the past few years but this was my first opportunity to go inside. Great venue! Very beautifully transformed from a small church to an intimate concert hall. A lovely night of songs by an ALL-PEI line-up of songwriters, including Rose Cousins, Catherine MacLellan, John Connolly and Nick Gauthier.

Great music and lucky for us the Irving Station at the bottom of the hill stays open late for a quick fill before heading home.