Tricks and Treats

A surprising number of people dressed up for work!  Gloria's Minnie Mouse coordinated perfectly with Pat's cat... and with Krista's Scientist (who gave our Director a good ribbing). 


People brought in themed treats and were even game to play "bobbing for doughnuts".  The laughing and smiling made the extra effort we put in organising really seem worth it. 


Though Lorena didn't dress up, she shared some of her kids' great ideas*:

- A garbage bag cape with the words "Low Budget Man" (indeed a super hero)
- A white T-shirt with the words: "Error 404: Costume not Found".


Clever, but definitely a far cry from when Lorena made their costumes: 

So cute!

* I should probably consider these next year, as my attempt this year again caused more confusion than not. 

Mom's Mom

Found out last night Mom's mom is really sick, not likely to last the week. 

She passed away today.

Mom wasn't crying.  She sounded flat.  The hint of giggle that was there on our other calls (where I knew she was in the same room with her sisters) was gone.  I could tell on those other occasions she was happy. 

I try to remember my maternal grandmother.

I didn't focus on her that much on my last visit to China.  Cousin Yoo's wedding stole the spotlight and she wasn't terribly responsive.  But she did seem to recognise me.  My strongest memory was of sitting in the hot living room, trying hard not to fall asleep, while she went through multiple cupboards looking for something inside the tins: patches of Chinese medicine.  Once the right one was found, she slapped it onto my ankle.  Caring being the dominant way to communicate.

Mom's stories of her also stick in my mind.  How difficult it was for her to live with a very controlling and demanding mother-in-law, and how her mom would come to the house to help her with all the backbreaking labour / chores.

I know Mom felt guilty for leaving her parents behind when she came to Canada, and even resents Dad for not doing more to sponsor them to come.  But in the past decade, when going back to China to visit, I think she sees what good final years her siblings have been able to provide for her... better than what we could have done in Canada.

I'm not sure how I would comfort her if she was crying - we don't have that kind of relationship.  I'm glad Theresa and Angela are there with her. 

Hallowe'en Night Planning

Celina and Kevin don't have plans of Trick o' Treating Hallowe'en night (at least with me).  So what should I do? 

1. Go anyway!  With Paul as my "adult", attempt to score some candy (without the scorn of neighbours?).
2. Stay at home and hand out candy.  (Pros: There are some really cute kids in the neighbourhood.  Cons: I'd have to give away my candy)
3. Go to the free Servus Community Access Night at the AGA from 6-9 p.m. 
4. Hide in the basement with the lights off and eat whatever candy's there.

Oh, the choices!

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A is for apples and pears...

I totally crack myself up. 

 

Maybe there should be an illustrated guide to Cockney-rhyming slang... next project?

Bonding

Visited Dad.  Again, I'm surprised at how relaxed it is.  He doesn't try to feed me too much or bug me about things.  And, I get to help him.  This time, it was to successfully set up the DVD player... so he can watch his beloved 007. 

Yep, with Mom gone, he can indulge in a James Bond marathon of any length of his choosing. 

I wonder, since these discs from Angela, Jack, and Jeff have Chinese subtitles, if he'll get a shock at finally knowing what's being said... then again, how much dialogue is needed to understand a Bond movie (it's about the guns, explosions, and girls, right? :P)

Anyway, we consider what might be different if the settings were set to Mandarin versus Cantonese subtitles.  I watch a bit with him: Thunderball.  They translated the theme song lyrics - that's impressive. 

(Though a ball of thunder 雷球 is pretty much nonsensical either way - or does it make sense if I actually watch the movie?)

Sod Story and ApriApple Muffakes

The angry note on the tree had seemed a little unreal. Really?  Someone just took the stack of sod in front of Fran's house?

I read it earlier in the week and thought little more of it until yesterday heading home - there was a "congregation" on the sidewalk. 

Fran, Erica, and Prabhdeep were talking and I get closer and say hi.  "So, what's up?"

Fran declares the mystery has been solved!

She'd been sputtering mad, explaining to another neighbour, Sukh, how their contractors had over-ordered sod for their landscape job, and then before they picked it up for a refund, someone had stolen it!

"I took it."  Sukh explained how he thought the pile, lying in the boulevard, was being thrown out.  He used it to patch up his backyard. 

"Oh, that Sukhie, " Fran laughed.  So it was all a misunderstanding.  And Sukh, with all his charm, was in back in the good books.

I'm glad everyone could laugh about it and that robbery wasn't rampant in the area.  But it does makes me think twice about claiming what I think might be someone's garbage... How awkward it could have been!


More baking experiments to use up the apples: Combined with apricots and somewhere between the texture of a muffin and a cake.  Maybe "Apricot Apple Caffins" would be a more appropriate name (though "muffakes" do at least warn you that they're not what they seem)... if I try to make them again.  

Joie de Oeuf

A belated housewarming basket showed up for me today.  Ah, Wendy's so sweet!  Inside were very thoughtful items including packages of Top Ramen and microwavable cake mixes.

Good, Paul and I should manage not to starve for a little while :P


The big item in the basket was a Joie "Big Boiley" microwave egg cooker.  The eggy-chickeny-looking covered dish fits four eggs at a time and supposedly can make them all hard-boiled or soft-boiled (or something in between).  Nice.  Experiment time! 

Fill the bottom dish with the line.  Pierce the egg shells using the supplied pin.  Put the trays together and twist on the lid. Microwave as directed, and...

Hm.. two out of four ain't bad.  And actually, since they were all well-cooked I'm still going to eat them (over a few days).

This would be pretty convenient for me to prepare eggs at work.  But, there is a little something disturbing about an eggy-chickeny-thing promoting / aiding in the eating of eggs....

Cycling at SAW

Went to Sustainability Awareness Week (SAW)'s Kick Off Event for the food, but ended up with negative calories: I burned them up cycling!  Oh, it was a match made in heaven!  The bicycle fit perfectly.  I wished I could have taken it home.  It wasn't fit for travelling, having been gutted and attached to a generator, but think of the possibilities!  I could exercise and charge my phone... or my camera batteries...

The person who rigged up power system explained to me that each bicycle generated about 30 W.  With everyone cycling at a leisurely pace we produced just enough to power for the 120 W sound system.  A battery stored any extra and provided a boost for when we were short.  I hoped the set up would be easy enough I could do the same with the stationary bike at home... but it was just hard enough to deter me (for now).

After about 20 minutes, it was time for me to say goodbye and head back to work.  No burgers or cupcakes for me. (Are these really sustainable foods?  Felt a little bit mean-spirited to ask.)

Hm... hope I didn't flash everyone.



SAW 2013 Kick Off Event

Monday, 12 to 2 p.m.
Quad, North Campus

Take a minute of your lunch break to stop by Main Quad for cupcakes in celebration of sustainability at UAlberta. University and Students’ Union leaders will join sustainability staff and volunteers to launch Sustainability Awareness Week (SAW) 2013 in style. Enjoy a delicious and free local BBQ, courtesy of Aramark. Groove to a fully pedal-powered concert, courtesy of Music Is A Weapon, and featuring local artists. Organizer: Office of Sustainability. Sponsor: ARAMARK.

Late Birthday at Padmanadi

"We actually do like each other."  But you would be forgiven if you didn't think so.  Wayne in particular was in trouble, somehow anchoring the "triangle of aggravation" (and you thought sitting Wendy and Joseph away from each other would solve things :P).

After searching and comparing reviews for something good and interesting near our place (finalists: Habesha Cuisine [Ethiopian], Lan's Asian Grill [Thai and Laos]), I found they weren't open for Sunday dinner.  Darn.  Paul comes up with Padmanadi -- we did have a lot of fun the last time we were there -- and maybe it's just interesting enough for this group's discerning palates.

Meataterians need not apply. 


We managed to get a private room to contain our rowdiness.  I left the others to decide and gladly dug into the all the interesting looking dishes that arrived.  Everyone was concentrating on the food so much!  Is that ham?  Or fish?  It's all soy!

Joseph and Li quoted Choy Lan (Chua Lam), HK food critic, who said its just ridiculous for people who commit to being vegetarian / vegan to eat these types of dishes.  What's the point?  Why try to artificially mimic something else, when you know it's fake?  Just eat things the way they appear.

(Left: "Ham" or "fish cake" vegetable stir fry)

(Right: Deep fried "Shrimp")

(Below: "I can't believe they're not chicken strips")

Between bites, we did manage to catch up a little:
- Wendy and Will's Disneyland visit - didn't follow Joseph's (pro-vacation-planner) advice exactly, and missed out.
- Updates on Tim from dragon boating - was described multiple times as "interesting" (but in such a tone that it seemed negative -- an outcast kind of word...).  


And some people even weighed on working at home - some even said they would end up sabotaging their work!

We didn't finish up all the dishes, but they insisted I have dessert.  Three desserts.  One was from the restaurant.

I figured they must have been using trick candles (but, more likely, just another sign that my flute embouchure is completely gone). 

And then finally everyone came over - for more dessert!

But first a tour:
- Wayne felt claustrophobic in basement and especially in the Hobbit Hole.
- Wendy kept saying how clean the walls were (Is this her "thing", like mine for people's gardens and bookshelves?)
- No one seemed to be believe some of the nice things in the house were originally from me, like the little wooden, plaid-upholstered chair (Yeesh, just because my stuff is secondhand doesn't mean it can't be nice!)

At least next time they'll believe me when I say they should choose what kind of tea they'd like.  Else, they'll get the same as Wayne's "Surprise me" tea (Red Rose).  Which apparently was the worst tea he's ever tasted.  Hard to believe after his "bitter tea" wedding test.  Be forewarned!  

A Tree Falls in the City

And the sound is "Waaaaa!"

Paul's right: I've been killing things all my life - such as eating meat - so why so upset?  But, I don't have to wring a chicken with my own hands... and I did kind of have to with our trees. 

The two Swedish Aspens have been problematic since moving in.  Planted way too close to the house, one was hitting the roof and wasn't showing any signs of slowing down in growth.  The other was tucked in the back, tangled with our electrical wires. 

So... they had to go... but I didn't want them dead.

I'd already tried offering them for free on kijiji, ("All you have to do is come dig them out.") only to find they're already too big to survive any move.

So, when a neighbour was cutting down his dead tree with a small chainsaw, I asked to borrow it. 

Paul helped hold the trees so they wouldn't fall on me when I did the cutting, but I was the one who did it. 

Two corpses.  Definitely living trees, with green leaves and a green layer / ring in the bark. 

The scraggy top of the one growing next to the house was all curled and bent, which made me feel slightly better... it probably wasn't that happy / healthy where it was.

Their top-most leaves were bigger than the size of my palm.  They smelled green. 

 I tried to comfort myself, thinking about another Edmonton homeowner's "Love Hate Relationship" with the same type of tree.  Better to nip things in the bud... But I'd spent most of my life hugging trees.  It just seemed wrong.  I feel guilty. 

Makes me rethink my whole landscaping plan.  I'm now not even sure when the Mountain Ash (Rowan) in the front yard needs to come down, that I'd be able to do it.  But there are things that a homeowner needs to do.  And I guess, if I have someone else do it, it'll be... slightly better.  

Catch(phrase)ing a Break

We drop in on Rem and Steph for Paul to have a well-deserved break from all his coursework (2 this term).

We ended up playing Catchphrase.  In order to prevent spousal-sentence-ending-mind-reading-craziness I paired with Rem, and Steph was with Paul.  Fair right?  But Rem certainly got the short end of the stick. 


Rem: "Tuna, mackerel..."
Me: "Sardines?" 

Despite having no course work, my brain was the tired / frazzled one.  So off base!  Sorry, Rem!  On my turn I even broke some rules :"The first bit is... ".  Ugh.  


My baking experiment didn't quite turn out either.  I thought it needed more fruit (despite being a banana-based, blueberry, and raspberry "loaf").

"I think there's plenty of fruit... or you could just have fruit."  Steph might be right.  My strengths do seem to be in fruit crisp/crumbles.

Remedy for Plotting

What plotting looks like:

Vote Edmonton!

Advanced voting at the University of Alberta today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tonight. 

It's the first time (that I can remember) they've opened an advance voting station here and I'm fully for it.  The location I think is great - very convenient for me, but also to get UA students involved.  (Side note: Wonder if they have this at the other universities... and they did!) 

The whole set up was quick and efficient*.  It must have taken less than 15 minutes from showing my ID to guiding my ballot into the counter machine (I was the 697th). 

I came back and started asking people if they'll go.  I guess this could have been a faux pas -- bringing in politics at work -- but I was more interested in people voting in general, rather than trying to influence who they were voting for. 

It's such an exciting race (a new mayor and new at least half of city council) that it seemed strange to me if people aren't taking part. 

Olivia answered me with another question: Do non-citizens with Permanent Residency (PR) have the right to vote?

I remember Paul saying he wasn't eligible, but Olivia's question still itched in my brain.  It would be more difficult to administer, but wouldn't it be more fair?  PR landowners pay taxes to the City - so shouldn't they have a say in how the monies are spent?  Um... but many more people do and do not pay taxes and should their say be affected by this?  (I feel like we're slipping into ancient Greece territory...)

The quick answer to Olivia's question is "No."  One must be a Canadian Citizen according to the City of Edmonton Election 2013 Eligibility criteria.  But all the subsequent questions I do think are worth asking. 

So people out there consider how there are so many people (even in your own neighbourhood) who do not have the right the vote - so if you can, do! 
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* The only delay was when a couple of voters ahead of me someone wanted to deliberately spoil their ballot - but only in one category. I didn't hear the outcome as to whether it was possible to do that.

Campus Trees and Water Features Tour, Part 2

On recommendation of the participants of the July lunch time campus tree tour, they organised a part two.  It was another beautiful day and another almost full hour lunch time walk on campus.

Wayne led us first west then north and back to see different trees and water features.

For areas that overlapped with the first tour, it was amazing to note the difference a couple of months makes: All this colour!  And there were also interesting fruit and nut shapes. 

I managed to resist the urges to taste the colourful berries...

One tree sticks out in my mind, once it was pointed out to me.  It looks normal, but from one particular angle (photo below right) you can see just how compromised it is.  Planted much too close to the building, over the years it was severely pruned and trained to its "half a tree" state so that it didn't have to be completely removed.  It's healthy, but oh, all the work that went into it!

It's a very good living reminder to plan for the full size, stature, and shape of a tree before planting.  

New building developments are also a challenge.  A curving path can avoid trees head on, but still in digging and paving it much of the root system could be destroyed. 

Just how much The good work Wayne's department does is reflected in how much we don't notice it.  A tree that looks healthy (so that it blends in as normal), all these green lawns mostly leaf-free (machine raked and mulched)...

He said there were flower beds that they tried to devote to native plants (which are touted for being easy: suited, drought resistant), but it turned out to be too much upkeep to weed out non-native plants.

He also suggested that one day a catalogue of all the trees and their locations would mean people could do self-guided tours and maybe turn into a virtual tour.  It would be so cool!  But of course, it would all take some funding. 

Greisbach Colours

The strip of golden yellow trees caught my eye before, but I didn't know this was a pretty well-known/recommended location for fall photos.

With a beautiful (Thanksgiving) day off, Paul directed me to this part of Greisbach for a photo shoot.

What I learn / confirm:
- Developers might call Village at Greisbach "Edmonton's most beautiful community", but at the moment, it's mostly cracked clay dirt 
- Paul's the better model - he can make the model mouth-half-open face
- Paul's the better photographer - he doesn't get distracted by pretty colours

Here are my photos for the day: