Rhianne and Claire

Happy Birthday, Rhianne!

Though it's her birthday, all the attention and presents were (of course?) for the babies.  (Though I did manage to bake some boxed cupcakes...)

Claire was such a darling -- shy at first and so curious.  I had to stare, will James really be that independent one day?  

Also, coincidence? Yes or no, it was definitely cute: coordinated pink and purple Hello Kitty outfits :)

Paul Turns 2^5

Beccy: "So what have you been up to for your birthday?"
Paul: "Um... work..."

After his largest over-the-phone-group-Happy Birthday-serenade*, Paul had to admit his birthday wasn't full of fun yet. 

(The longer version: He made me breakfast after a minimal lie-in and then retreated to the hobbit hole to work.  I went for groceries. He worked.  I came back and started cleaning.  He worked.  We had lunch.  He cleaned and finally had a chance to call his family -- while baked.) 




















(Above: The beginnings of a rhubarb and mixed berry crumble - showing approximately the poportions I used in the recipe.) 

Andrew, Beccy, and Matthew were up north visiting Uncle Paul, Catherine, Tom, and Alice.  The seven* were eating, using a snooker / pool table as a dinner table. Catherine updated with her exciting news: She's back at editing, this time for a hobby shooting / hunting magazine!  Paul took them on another online tour of the house -- this time sans fridge and my "office".

"And on the left is Lana's office.  Notice the name plate."
"No!  Don't go in there!" I shouted from the kitchen.  I missed the next bit but think I caught the phrase "dead bodies"... 

They lingered in our utility room, spellbound by the strange way we heat our home (forced air) and the large, separate hot water tanks... well, the adults were. 

Uncle Paul: "I can see you have a Porsche."
Paul: "Actually, it's a Toyota." 
Lana: "I think he meant our porch."

Oh, technology.  So close, but so far away.

I used the call and practising time, to put the finishing touches on Paul's birthday gift.  Coconut and House Hippo helped me deliver it. 

The birthday evening was to be like last year with a bunch of friends meeting up at Haweli's for dinner.  I still wanted it to be a surprise for Paul, so I didn't tell him the details.  All the downtown construction detours I helped me to put him off the trail (as well as me getting a bit lost). 

"This is authentic."  ~ Scott, regarding the nineties pop music playing on the sound system. 

The thirteen of us (including one Catherine and two Kathys) were seated right in the middle of the restaurant.  Rem took charge and took notes on what to order. 

Kathy: "Oh, you didn't even chortle, chuckle, or even twitter. 
Scott: "You've made him guffaw."

Our final choices: Tandoori chicken, lamb rogan josh, saag paneer, channa masala, rainbow korma, red chili chicken, bharta, aloo gobhi, mughlai beef korma, paneer makhani, butter chicken, and veggie samosas.

This proved to be a really good mix for a group with people who couldn't handle spices, had food allergies, were vegetarian, and those who just wanted deliciousness. 

Scott: "You didn't have to order us a band.

Me: "Oh, I wanted to make it extra special."

 

 

Live musicians set up on the stage next to us with sitar and tabla. Now this seemed truly authentic. The tabla made a "boing" sound I didn't associate with drums and it was all just beautiful. (Not my plan though, we were just lucky.)

 

(Above left: Rem's photo bomb./ Below: Chris, Kathy, Neil, Stephen, Na, Steph, and Cynthia)

 

We feasted on the food and managed to talk - but mostly just between close seat neighbours (the problem with long tables).  Cynthia (on my right) told us about her new Magic hobby.  Kathy (to Paul's right) mentioned Evelyn Berg as an interesting local photographer, after bringing up how having a phone camera has changed her photo taking habits.  Scott (to my left) made fun of other people in the restaurant as well as my magazine choices.

Scott: "VANITY FAIR?!"

Me: "What?  What's wrong?"

Scott, in a whisper: "Vanity Fair... isn't that like Cosmo?" 

Me: "No, Vanity Fair is respectable.  Um... sort of." 

We finished our meal, the live musicians accepted our clapping, the nineties pop music returned.  Paul and I invited people over for cake and dessert.  (Left: Heading for home instead.)

I brought out the cupcakes (not muffins!) from the afternoon, and Paul was serenaded in person (this time by nine: Kathy, Neil, Kathy, Scott, Catherine, Ken, Sophie, Cynthia and me).

After blowing-out-the-candles-before-I-could-catch-a-photo, and posing-as-if-he-was-just-blowing-them-out, Paul went through how we could have represented his age by using just one candle.  (Binary!) 

He also revealed another talent (which I'd forgotten / never known?) of echolocation.  But it wasn't quite up to the task of measuring the entry way for Scott and Kathy.  (Below: Scott makes an entrance, with the entry way making it "wow"!) 

And, there was another tour.  (So glad I cleaned!)

(Right: Scott and Kathy's card complete with mathematical joke.)

Though it was a slow start, I think (I hope), it was a happy birthday. 

Games Feast at Kathy and Neil's

Me: "You think I have too many of these..."
Paul: "Clothes."
Me: "... in bed."
Paul: "Clothes." 

The answer should have been "pillows", but maybe this was hint?  Kathy simply laughed at us. 

Kathy and Neil graciously hosted a special edition Friday Feast with Games yesterday.  After some tasty baked chicken and fresh vegetables, we started playing Catchphrase. 

Me: "You hire these people to kill someone for you."
Steph: "Assassin!... Ninja?"

Johnwill and Rebecca didn't seem that interested in playing at first, but when they joined in they were incredible!  There was something so to-the-point and precise about their clues.  I was in awe. 

The Borgtron (Daniel) was less in awe, rather all in energy, running 'round the place, looking for the cat, touching things...  Steph managed to kept him at arm's length with a feathered cat toy on stick - might be the most play / interaction I've seen her have with a rugrat :)





After having played so many rounds of Catchphrase, sometimes the words seem familiar.  Not so much last night.  Different reels?  Different version?   Neil got "East Cupcake" and put in a valiant attempt - first breaking it down into separate words...  When time ran out and it was revealed we wondered what the heck the phrase meant.  I was almost worried to look it up on Urban Dictionary (note: it's o.k.).

Next up was Ticket to Ride: Europe.  Played it before, but still took me forever to make any moves.  I blame geography.

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.

Happy 100th birthday, EPL!

I was too late for cake*, but they still gladly gave me a free year's membership.  Yay! 

Kick-off birthday parties at all branches today, but there are definitely more centennial birthday celebration activities through out the year, keep track here. 

* Could you believe they didn't have any at 10 minutes before closing?  But I'm sure these guys could have shared. :P 

Office Sweethearts

And some advice from Uncle Ethel



http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane/2012/10/21

 

Happy Valentines Day! 

Get Together Somewhere and Stuff

Michael: I like this plan.

And I liked that there was technology to let me know when the plan changed. Instead of the "Bow-el d'Sucre", we were successfully redirected to Remedy to celebrate Stephen's latest prime birthday. 

Smuggled cupcakes from the Whimsical Cake Studio for the birthday boy (and belated-birthday boy) joined other Remedy delights, including a drink that looked like it was from Star Trek (actually was lime Italian soda). 

I didn't know most of the people there, but it didn't feel too awkward.  I was too caught up listening to their energetic and excited talk of their latest projects and ideas: A cool t-shirt design, some piece of art... There was even something that sounded a lot like a community version of Feast. 

 

Below: True to Remedy form, wittily selling cake and returning dishes to the counter.

 



Not Planned, but our outfits matched!

Paul arrived (almost) directly from his Montreal return (less adventurous than the way out), as other people were leaving.  The smaller group, however, offered some nice quiet talk. 

 

Happy Birthday, Stephen!

Birthday Studio Experience

Monica: "Lorena has average to above average intelligence." 

And that's probably why our attempt at surprising her for her birthday this year (by having it earlier), wasn't that big of a surprise. 

Unlike our previous Gaya visit, we chose items different from each other.  And, aside from Lorena (who stuck to stone bowl be bim bop), chose things we've never ordered before. 

Surprisingly, I wasn't the last to make a choice.  Monica was trying out a special diet and wanted to stick to it.  Her spicy number looked pretty tasty...

Wendy's, billed as sweet and spicy, also looked great, but it turned out to be a little too spicy. 

Tip Tip's soupy selection included dumplings and "rice cakes". 

After the delicious meal, Gaya's waitress brought out the one little thing Lorena wasn't to have guessed: A Whimsical cupcake. 

There was a time when I really thought The Whimsical Cake Studio only provided and supplies to make cakes (it's a studio), but in fact, they make and sell, true to name, fun and fanciful cakes and cupcakes. 

Wendy made sure we each had a Pistachio.  The icing was a bit oily, but definitely flavourful with small chunks of pistachio nuts (yes, I did try some).  There also a pleasant tangy kick from the green sprinkles - lime?  The actual cake part, we guessed, was vanilla with a hint of lemon. 

Though it certainly seemed as though Lorena had a lot on her mind (likely work...), but I think by the end of lunch she did have a good time. 

Happy Birthday, Lorena! 

Entertain Another Day

Yesterday's huge dump of snow delayed, but didn't stop me from going to Paul's.  But, admitting the road conditions were terrible, we postponed our plans to entertain. 

HH and Coconut will have time to practice their moves. 

And I guess they'll have to eat all those cupcakes* themselves. 


* They started out as Victorious Sponge, but quickly turned into something else. 

First Birthday and Farewell

A first birthday cake smash.  We tried to stage this new tradition over the weekend, but after a handful of icing, Sarah decided she wasn't that interested in the cake after all.*  

Oh, well... All the more of Shauna's delicious homemade carrot cake for us!

Sarah's first birthday party was in actually also a kind of farewell - the whole family was moving away! 

Family, friends, and many babies enjoyed treats and then worked on a personalised scrapbook page for the birthday girl. 



 Then Sarah unwrapped presents. 

The other kids were glad to help. 

Happy birthday, Sarah, and best of luck to Char and Mike in Texas!  Us aunties will miss you all. 

* How do they get those other kids to "go for it"?  Admittedly, some of them look more stunned than joyful.