Over

I broke up with Daniela.  After doing so a heavy piano was lifted off my shoulders.

A number of factors contributed to this new failure in my relational record.

Maturity - I'm not sure if it was hers or mine.

Distance - geographical and emotional.

Outlook - on life, on the nature of God, on the world.

Attraction - something was missing.

I don't know what my problem is.  Or maybe I don't have a problem.

Final Harvest

This is it.  I harvested the last few vegetables still out in my garden.

Evenings are getting quite chilly, so unfortunately it was time.

This time of the year is always hard for me, especially now that the harvest is complete and my garden is empty, desolate again.  Six months of emptiness...

I left St. Francis out there though, to protect the garden.

I also began composting earlier this summer, so hopefully this means that come springtime, there'll be some nutrients that I can put back into the soil that has been so fruitful for me.

Thank you Lord for making things grow.  Thank you for the harvest.  Amen.

Marco's Tomato Sauce

It's harvest time, and a few days ago I watched my great housemate and gourmet cook Marco prepare a delicious tomato sauce.  With his permission, I took copious notes, and here is the result.  

This recipe is golden - tried and proven.

Yields: 5 jars of 250 ml

Ingredients:

* 3 pounds of tomatoes, evenly divided between grape, cherry, and “big juicy” tomatoes (tomatoes do not need to be peeled; grape and cherry tomatoes do not need to be cut into small pieces; larger tomatoes should be cut into 1-2 cm cubes approximately)

* 4 cloves garlic (cut to “minced” size)

* 1 large onion (cut to small squares)

* 1 large green pepper (cut to small squares)

* 2 carrots (cut to small squares)

* 4 teaspoons of olive oil

* a pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* a pinch of sugar (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* a pinch of baking soda (1/4 teaspoon maximum)

* optional: 1/4 cup white wine if sauce has no meat or with chicken; if the sauce has any other meat, use red wine

* optional: 1 fresh “habanero” or “chilli” pepper for more spicy flavour

Directions:

* heat olive oil in a large frying pan

* add garlic, onion, and carrots, turn stove to medium-high (level 6), stir occasionally for 3 minutes

* (optional: add “habanero” or “chilli” pepper after 1.5 minutes)

* add a pinch of salt, turn to low-medium (3), and stir for 10 minutes

* add green pepper, a pinch of sugar, turn stove to medium-high (7), stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes

* reduce heat to low-medium (3), cover frying pan with lid for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

* (optional: add wine)

* add tomatoes, turn up heat to medium-high (7), and stir occasionally for 3 minutes

* lower heat to low-medium (3), cover, and stir occasionally for 10-15 minutes; try to “squeeze” or “squish” small tomatoes into the sauce

* turn up heat to medium (5), keep squeezing and squishing small tomatoes for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally

* taste sauce: if bitter/sour, add a pinch of baking soda and sugar to take away bitterness

* add salt and pepper to taste

* put sauce into glass jars and place in large pot of boiling water for 30 minutes

* take jars out of boiling water and place upside down on the counter (on a towel), and let jars dry; lids will “pop” into place as jars cool

Biking For Ears

Today Father Joe and I biked from Saskatoon to Chief Whitecap and back, a total of 50kms.

The purpose of our ride was to raise money and purchase assistive hearing devices for our residents.

Over the past few weeks I did some training runs, riding my bike to and from work, to  Wanuskewin, and a couple of rides to Beaver Creek and back.  Good thing I did, because the ride today was challenging.  The way back was particularly tough, with a blistering prairie wind sweeping across the 219.

Just before my arrival back at Queen's House where the ride began, it started to rain slightly.  But the thought of a burger feast waiting for me at the finish line motived me to push ahead right to the end.

So far we've raised about $1000.  We'll need another $500 or so to get the devices we need.

Hiking Danielson

Covered 16kms today.

Fall is on the way.

Moose Jaw Reunion

I drove to Moose Jaw today, to meet up with some of my ex coworkers there.  It's hard to believe that it's been almost 2.5 years since I moved away from there.  And what happiness that has brought!

The Emperor is still ruling the hen house he's created there.  It's incredible, really, how much damage one person can make.  And what's maybe even more incredible is that he's being allowed to continue his exercise in tyranny.

I feel for my coworkers.  They spent much more time there, invested much more energy in the place than I did, and now have to endure the rule of a nasty man who doesn't have the wellbeing of the organization in mind, much less the people that are part of it and help build it.  But alas, that's the past.  Well, it's my past.

While we did talk about some of the painful things going on there, we spent most of our time together reminiscing about the good times we shared together while I was there - and there were many.  Funny enough, many of the memories revolve around food!  The cafeteria, the Burger Shack, Rock Creek, Houstons, even the chinese restaurant on 4th Ave.

After eating dinner together I made my way to my favourite place in the city, Crescent Park, and went for a walk.  Overall, I'm grateful for my time in this lovely city.  I miss it.  It's quaint, quiet, out of the limelight and hidden from the world.  My idyllic view of peaceful small towns remains in tact.