every child matters

 

what's new? not much.

 i recently completed another trip around the sun, and the more trips i have, the more neutral i become of them.  i know people my age who are still so excited for their birthday every year, but all i want is a quiet day with my family and to not have to cook.

i honestly could not tell you the last time i cooked anything interesting or fun.  it's all basic and boring, and no one cares much.  this year has been a draining year, and i haven't enjoyed much of it.  

we've been to the farmers market a few times this year, which has been nice.  i even made it to a couple of wednesday markets too.

 

  we got out to DeMille's in Salmon Arm, which was alright.  

we haven't got out to Desert Hills or Davison Orchard this fall. FALL already!  Dark at 7:30!  Dark in the morning!  Maybe that is why i am interested in pumpkin spice, a new feeling for me....

 

speaking of pumpkin spice, i highly recommend pumpkin spice cream cheese.  a big hit with the family.

 i bought some heirloom tomatos and tiny plums at the wednesday market, and we made brushetta with tiny plums on the side.

 

last weeks sunday brunch was croissants and muffins and meat and cheese and fruit and my moms potato leek soup.

if you get a chance to try the pickle foccacia from Brynn's Bakery - DO IT! 

 

cookbook clean up 67- 71

Here are 5 more books that are hitting the road, for no other reason than this is not the home for them, and that is ok.  i think sometimes i am hesitant to get rid of some books because i have spent the money on them.  but years later, the money has been spent and all i am left with is a book i don't have interest in sitting on my shelf taking up room.  what's the point?  let's let it go.

 

 

Back on the bookshelf - 20 Donated - 51

cookbook clean up 66 and 2 changes on the list

 

i want everything to be free of clutter - my bookcase, my house, my head.  and so tough - and easy - decisions have to be made.  some tough ones include to stop burying my head in the sand and hope my health improves without me actually taking responsibility (hasn't worked so far) and choosing creative activities over doom-scrolling at night.  or coming to terms with the fact that i have entirely too many cookbooks and i am never going to cook out of all of them, nor do i actually WANT to cook out of some of them.  i don't know why i feel a weird obligation to hang on to some of the books that i have, but i do and i'm trying to get over it.

case in point - the 3 chrissy teigen books i have.  i have not reached for any of these since i cooked out of them for the cleanup (from books 2 and 3) and i don't see it happening in the future either.  she isn't someone i know, or like, or admire, so why am i hanging on to them?

so cravings is out, and it's taking the other 2 that were previously in the kept pile, with them.

  Back on the bookshelf - 20 Donated - 46

book club 59 - king of ashes by s.a. cosby

 2025-59

 

sunday brunch

 baked cheesy eggs, waffles, hash-browns, sausage patties, oranges, plums, and toast

beautiful bc - demilles market salmon arm

 

book club 58 - portrait of a theif by grace d li (audiobook)

 2025-58

 

cookbook clean up 65 - Lucky Peach

 This is the Lucky Peach cookbook.

101 recipes all in the easy range for all sorts of menus and tastes.  

I braved Costco on a Saturday afternoon to buy a rotisserie chicken to make the rotisserie chicken ramen. 

 We made a delicious pad see ew as well.  I have a bunch more recipes I hope to try, especially in the pickle, sauce and noodle categories.

 Back on the bookshelf - 22 Donated - 43

book club 57 - whalefall by daniel kraus

 2025-57

 

beautiful bc - our vacation this summer part 3

 next, we got on the ferry and went over to vancouver island.

we walked and swam and got sunburned

and we ate

we had a kitchenette in our room so we didn't eat out for all meals, but we had some very good ones. 

 

this soup in particular was outstanding.

we were all sad and not sad to come home, back to our beds and rooms and a little more space between us all.  laundry, and a bigger kitchen too.  but we all missed and still do miss the water and the trees.  BC truly is magnificent.

 

book club 56 - the reason you walk by wab kinew

 2025-56

 

beautful bc - our vacation this year part 2

 we swam before and after breakfast to work off all the breakfast burrito and benny's calories

 we sat in the car for much too long in terrible traffic to get to stanley park

 we walked and visited the aquarium and then went back to the pool for a swim.

there was dinner, which included salmon, cheese pizza and a really really good caesar salad.

and then out for ice cream

 

book club 55 - dungeon crawler carl by matt dinniman

 2025-55

 

dinner - deviled sausages and fresh local corn

 

the garden continues to provide

 

blueberry muffins and blueberry crisp

 

 blueberry muffins

beautiful bc - our vacation this year part 1

 our vacation started in langley/vancouver, because The Boy was off to see his first concert - The Weeknd.

 

we left him and his bestie in the merch line, and went to find some shade.  it was WARM.

 we saw them a few more times that afternoon, for food, money, water and access to the hotel to charge their phones, and then they were off.  we got this photo from them later - 

 meanwhile the 3 of us left to eat and walk and shop.  we had curry pork katsu and sushi for lunch.

The Girl and I lived out our tick-tok dream when we found a place to buy the ice in a cup and drink in a bag combo.

later i had an EXCELLENT iced lemon green tea that i'm still trying to replicate at home.  for dinner we had shawarma.  

 The Boy had the biggest smile on his face when he came back to the hotel after the concert.  He said it was the best day of his life. :)