Canned Meat...What is Happening at my House?!

You know I love you - because this tidbit about what I served my family should be completely (and understandably) top secret!  I have an overall disdain for canned, processed meat - with the exception of an occasional can of tuna.  The thought of a gelatinous blob of meat, where you can't be certain of the origins or even prove that it's the critter it states on the label, normally keeps me far away from the stuff.  But I was intrigued by the concept of pulled pork, looking like it had been simmering all the day long.

I spent about $11 on the can...and when I got home I opened it with an underlying sense of doom.  What sort of protein would be bobbing around in the huge can - and more importantly would it make me wretch in disgust?  I peeked inside and found broth with a whole roast inside.  The ingredients were all natural - with no MSG or artificial ingredients - which is a good thing!  Using monster tongs, I pulled it out and slid the lump into my stovetop dutch oven and inspected it.  The chunk looked like a pork roast, smelled like a pork roast...but I was still highly suspicious.  I grabbed two forks and prodded at it, and to my surprise it pulled apart - just like the roast I make from scratch.  (I say 'just like' - but you know what I mean!).  I shredded it and poured in our favourite bottled sauce - seen in the pic above - and simmered it on low for about 15 minutes until Hubby walked through the door.  It smelled good, so I hid the can - wondering if he would notice.

In he walked, fresh crusty buns in hand, commenting on the yummy smell permeating the main floor.  Trying to act natural, I double checked the can was well-hidden and ushered him into the dining room along with our three hooligans.  Before serving I nervously tried a small bite...it was good!  Like really good!  I could not tell that I was eating canned meat at all!

After he finished polishing off two buns slopped with heaping mounds of BBQ-y pulled pork, I dragged him into the kitchen to show him the can.  He was surprised...but admitted it was good.

So - I'm putting a few cans in my pantry for those times when I need to whip up a quick meal for an unexpected crowd.  And I would hazard a guess that they'll never know what hit 'em!  Unless of course they read my blog!  If they have no idea then the truth about who reads my blog will become glaringly obvious :) 

I can't believe it but...I actually ate canned meat and lived to tell the tale!

Happy Canned-Meat Eating!

Kathy Pettit

Writing a Book is Like Building a Fence

Weird title.  I know.  But because recently I finished the second draft of my novel, and I ALSO just finished building a fence, I couldn't help but notice a few similarities between the two!   Yeah, yeah - I have an odd way of correlating random things - I know...

Firstly, the words and characters in my story lay in a jumbled heap in the centre of my tiny brain - not unlike the pile of wood delivered to my driveway.  The letters of said words begged to be woven into a tale that thrilled and enticed the reader - but it required thought, time and energy to make that happen.  There were no shortcuts or quick fixes...just ideas that had to be laid out in a specific way that made sense. A dose of patience and advice from friends and family who read my scribing came in handy, because it is difficult to be truly objective with your own work.

The fence also required some planning and measuring...and hard, sweaty work!  Luckily for us we have friends and family that are really handy and smart and awesome and reliable and freakin' cool (okay - going overboard - but they did a lot!!) so it made the task easier to accomplish!  While hubby and I knew what we wanted, we also are smart enough to know we needed serious help.   

Which brings me back to my story...having actually completed my book (hooray!!!) I entered the first few chapters into a large writers contest, assuming I wouldn't win (but, let's be honest - hoping!) but rather looking for some feedback that wasn't from people that would feel awkward being completely honest with me.  I know I can't do it alone - just like building the fence, I need help building a solid piece of writing.  Extra eyes finding potential errors, advice from experts that know what they're talking about - I'm not above asking for help!  I know my limitations and humble enough to admit them and to listen to other people's advice.  In fact, I truly appreciate it! 

Imagining what our fence would look like without the expertise of others causes me to giggle at the potential outcomes that could have been.  Thank God for my friends and family!  I also have to thank the judges who read my entry.  My report card included some very good ideas for getting my book ready for the publishing world.  Ideas that will really elevate my story to the next level.  (For those wondering - my scores were 70, 73 and 74% - which makes me feel like I am totally on the right track!)

So, layin' it out - I'm not perfect.  I know it.  I appreciate constructive criticism and suggestions that can help me better whatever it is I am working on.  Whether it is a fence, my novel, or a recipe that needs a little oomph - planning, friends, family and an open mind - will help me make it a success!

I can't believe it but...I'm like a sponge absorbing everyone else's expertise.  One day I may even be an expert at something!  (Now that's a funny thought!)

Happy building whatever the heck you're working on :)

Kathy Pettit

Farewell Faithful Friend

Rest In Peace,  Zoey,  June 7, 2013  Loved and Loved

 

Zoey was a rescue, from The Catahoula Rescue.  Puppies are cute - but they are tons of work!  Rescue dogs usually have basic training, and are simply looking for their forever home.  Reasons vary, marriages split up and the dog is a burden, people get bored, financial situations change, people die - whatever the reason - there are lots of dogs that need homes.  Puppies are an easy sell - but dogs require you to open your mind and just LOVE them. 

 

Back to our Zoey...firstly, she was a pleasure to be around.  We all have our faults, and some of hers may have been more pronounced than ones in other friends (furry or otherwise) – but the reality is, she truly was a blessing in all the lives that she touched, sniffed and licked. 

Zoey was loud.  She snored, sneezed and barked loudly.  These habits, I am quite certain, had mischievous ulterior motives…to get us up and moving, to spend quality time with her, or reward her with some tasty treat.  She ate like a vacuum, and was excellent at keeping our floor clean of the crumbs that tend fall from the mouths of our babes!  She was also very effective at cleaning runny noses – a job which makes me cringe – so for that I was grateful (and, to be perfectly honest, grossed out).  She was always in a good mood, always ready to hang out, play, be a silent partner – or an active, vocal one.  She had energy to spare – and even put her kids to shame.  When I think of loyalty – I can say she exuded that valuable (and rare) trait.  She loved her friends – and her family more than we will ever know.  Zoey was patient, kind and kept us laughing.  She had enough naughty in her that time-outs occurred (just like a child!) – in which she was relegated to the outdoors, or an area of the house that kept her trouble-making ways contained.  She was a great accepter of hugs, kisses and funny poems – and took it all in stride - with just the right cocking of her head to make it seem like she could understand every word that was recited to her.  Her soulful eyes were always peaceful and warm.  It was impossible to be lonely when she was around.  And she was tough!  Even though she suffered from a disability – she was fiercely protective of the occupants of our house – whether it be human intruder or another sort – she kept us all safe.  She was our beacon of joy and safety.  Any kid that entered our house was family, and when she found them on the street again – she shepherded them in her little flock and kept them orderly, so as to not lose one. 

I despise that I am using the past tense, because, our four-legged-squirrel-chaser, passed away  on Friday night.  Funny how dogs fit so well into our lives, that you speak to them (and of them) like they are human. Zoey's death was sudden, and caused buckets of tears from our entire house, from our friends, and much sadness in our other rescue dog, Riley.  It happened so quickly, but as she was rescued and adopted into our house with love three years ago, when she left her furry, grey and black dappled body on Friday, she left it being loved all the more for what she brought to our little family.  We were lovingly petting her and whispering words of love as she passed, in her own home, in her own bed.  And when that lively spark fled those pretty brown eyes, we closed them for good so we could let her have eternal rest. 

She was a blessing – and I hope for any of you that may have  been blessed with a swat from a big paw, looking to be pet and loved – you oblige.  Because you never know when that exchange of love will be the last.  Thank you all for reading about our Zo-Zo…I believe a memory shared is a flower bloomed in a garden, somewhere.

 

I can't believe it but...we have lost a little piece of our heart...but I know we'll be okay.

Happy Memories,

 

Kathy Pettit

 

It's a Big World...Sort of

“You are a function of what the whole universe is doing in the same way that a wave is a function of what the whole ocean is doing.”
― Alan Wilson Watts

The story I am about to share, about being connected to the people around you, is 100% true.  You will probably read it and question the above statement (and possibly my integrity), and that's okay.  That's what humans do.  Question away!  But it happened in a room full of people...while my hubby teased me about thinking that the outcome that did occur...would occur.  Confused?  Read on... 

 

I have to back up the story here, so you can more clearly follow along.  Peach and Pickle went to a different school than they go to now, when they started their adventure in the wonderful world of education.  So we have been fortunate to meet lots of different parents and little people!  I am continually amazed by the fantastic mix of people that exist on this planet.  I love you all! 

 

It was Mother's Day weekend, and my hubby and his family arrived Saturday to celebrate the day.  As we were sitting around chatting, the phone rang.  It was a long distance number, so I answered it.  The German accented voice asked for a name that I didn't recognize, so I informed her kindly that she had the wrong number.  She questioned if she had reached the city I live in, and I confirmed she had.  She explained to me that someone had left a message on her answering machine and she couldn't understand the last few numbers of the phone number, so had dialled mine in error.  While this explanation is in the process, I discover I recognize her voice.  Now - she is calling from Germany - I know that - but here is where it gets weird - and I get teased.  I ask her if she has a son named Willy (this is the exact point that hubby starts rolling his eyes and joking with his family that I think I know everyone).  I can hear his laughter AT THE SAME TIME she says, "Yes."  So I laugh and reply, "Is this Seigret?" She confirms it is.  This is the point that "It's a Small World After All" starts tinkling in between my ears (because I'm weird like that)...I respond - "Seigret - it's Kathy Pettit - Peach's mom!"

 

At this point I am envisioning my husband choking on a mouthful of crow, as he listens to our conversation, catching each other up on what our kids are doing.  She had moved back to Germany with her family, so had left the region permanently.  We hadn't exchanged phone numbers, as we had moved to another school , and young girls being what they are, stayed more connected to the female students of their past.

 

So, in that small twist of fate, she had mistakenly called my house, thousands of miles away, to prove the theory that we are all a function of what the universe is doing - at any given time.  Be nice to everyone.  You never know when you'll meet them again...

 

I can't believe it but...I was right.  I was right.  I was right.  Sorry - don't get to relish in that statement too often - had to do a verbal 'happy dance' of sorts!

(Small personal truth, courtesy of Douglas Adams - “I'd far rather be happy than right any day.”)

 

On that note, be happy!

Kathy Pettit

 

 

 

 

 

Friends on the Move

There are some moments in our lives, that when they appear, they come with no pomp, no circumstance, and no bolt of lightening.  When they happen we may never realize how the impact of that exact moment, location and decision has changed the course of our future.  But each choice, each smile, and each time our hearts open, we change the very fabric of our future.  I am referring to the first time you meet someone that you now consider a friend.  That moment they wove their thread into your loom and life, they changed it.  A real friend adds colours and patterns, brings light where there may have been dark.  They add challenges, accomplishments, and celebrations!

I was inspired to write this post for two reasons.  The first being I have been blessed with an abundance of friends in my life - which I am eternally grateful for.  Secondly, some good friends are moving very far away, and I will miss them terribly.  We will miss their daughter immensely who is very much like family to all of us.  While I am happy for them and their new adventure, I feel a sense of loss with them leaving.  They are beautiful people, so kind and generous, and so thoughtful in everything they do!  But, I worry about them, as they head off to this new adventure.  They are Korean, and struggle with their English, but my husband and I have been there to help them when they needed an English voice behind them.  From the blind perspective of someone native to Canada and English speaking, I just assume (wrongly) that everyone is nice and patient with language barriers.  I can share, from my experience of speaking on their behalf, that this is not the case.  From their landlords, to the bank, even to the government - they were not treated as well as I would expect to be treated.  That was until I would get involved and speak for them, at their request, to help them understand.  Then suddenly the person at the bank became so friendly and willing to help, the landlord recognized it was their job to fix things that weren't working in the house, the government admitting to other options that were not shared directly with them.  So I worry, when they are so far away, that there will be no one there to step up and help them. 

They are fabulous people, and I pray that their decision to smile at a stranger and open their hearts - will result in the receiving person doing the same to them, so they can be blessed with the same friendship that I hold dear.  You never know when friendship will strike.  But always be prepared with a ready smile - just in case!  Ours started at a school playground, while waiting for our daughters to come out at the end of school - and luckily the connection sparked and bloomed into a warm, happy friendship.

I can't believe it but...it is so easy to make friends - and so hard to make enemies - why can't we cherish all of those around us as friends?

Happy friend-finding,

Kathy Pettit :)

Chasing Home - Or Finding It

Hands Painted Like the World

This week I was fortunate enough to have my application accepted to attend a curated audience for the TedxWaterloo event, held at Centre in the Square.  It was an exciting moment - and so inspiring!  The theme was Chasing Home.  It begged the questions, is home where you live now, where you're from, the building you live in - or is it the people that you are surrounded by that make home, home?  From microbial biologists, particle physicists, slam poets, paediatric oncologists, singers, the creator and deliverer of the Mars Rovers to a female handy woman - it was an awe-inspiring event!

For me, the past is not home.  It was a place that led me to where I am today, but it's not home.  My home is in the here and now.  In the walls that make up my house.  In the laughter of my kids, in the smell of coffee made by hubby, in the wagging tails of my two dogs.  It surrounds me in the friends that make me smile, in the bed where I lay, in the garden where I grow.  It fills me with love, hope, and laughter.  It grounds me when I am too excited, too sad, or too stressed.  My home is where I can kick off my high heels, slip my feet into a pair of floppy, pink slippers, and be myself.

Others may argue that home IS where they come from - especially if their parents still reside in the house where they grew up.  That symbol of home may strike the flame that warms the heart when thinking of home.  I have come to learn that home is as personal a place as the shelves of our hearts where we store the memories that made us who we are.  The microbial biologist argued that the community of bacteria and creatures that live in our gut - have a right to be there.  They WANT to be there.  It is there home.  We live in a symbiotic relationship with them - even though we can't see it.  The work they do for us is often ignored - but they are living creatures - without whom our bodies would not be in good working order.  So maybe home is where everyone or everything is kept in balance.  Instead of a location, it is an existence.  An existence of having symbiotic relationships with those that think of you, when they think of home.

Try acting as if your entire community were your home.  Treating everyone within it with respect and appreciation!  Because if we all thought of home as broader-reaching and made meaningful by connections as opposed to thinking more of the walls of our physical home, we could potentially make the world a much warmer place.

I can't believe it but...TEDxWaterloo was a thrilling experience! 

Happy home-making,

Kathy Pettit :)

An Order of Romance...Would You Like Kids With That?!

Valentine's Day is not the same when you have been blessed with children.  The romance is less romantic.  The silence is non-existent.  The chocolate box is swarmed and devoured by the kids.  The intimate dinner - actually - I am not sure this even exists!  I love my kids - don't judge! But I also would love to spend time with Hubby without being interrupted with fun facts about Josh Hutcherson or the ins and outs of fourth grade drama.

So, we weave some attempt at romance when the kids are otherwise occupied. We eat a family friendly meal, listen to the jokes and tribulations of the day, while we sip wine with our macaroni and cheese dinner.  We casually look at our watches and remind the kids that bedtime is coming.  We try hard to drink just enough wine to pretend we are celebrating, and not too much that we fall asleep when the kids do.  We wait patiently for the sandman to lull the hooligans into a deep sleep.  Then we celebrate in the quiet of the night with more wine and each other. 

Maybe this is real romance.  The stuff that builds the foundation of our relationship.  Maybe when our kids have grown, and have left the house, we will find Valentine's Day a little too quiet.  Right now it sounds tempting, but knowing we always want what we don't have - I am sure we will miss it.  And after they start their families, they'll need to dump their kids somewhere so they can celebrate the day smothered in romance - I'll bet the first people they call is Grandma and Grandpa.  So our Valentine's Day will evolve yet again.

Maybe that's what it's about.  Not just the romance, but the deep love we have (most of the time!) for our kids and for the family we created.  That, and of course, the wine.  Because wine makes everything a titsch better...

I can't believe it but...I admitted to drinking wine AND eating macaroni at the same time!

Happy romancing,

Kathy Pettit

But I Don't Wanna!

 

Do I have to?  It's not fair!  Why?  I imagine whining those statements, stomping my adult-sized foot and perfecting the grown-up pouty face.  Attempting that behaviour might not be the most attractive thing I could do...barring an incident that I will refer to as "lets-never-speak-of-this-again" (don't ask - I won't tell!)! 

 

 

But I can't.  Because apparently (still debatable), I'm an adult.  I am too "mature" to ask questions that get answered with lines like, "Because I said so."  Really, I can't ask because I already know the answers to those questions.  The beautiful thing about children is their innocence.  They can't answer any of their own questions - because they don't KNOW the answers.  It's actually an amazing gift to be blessed with.  That is the reason kids are so happy!  They have no idea what the real world has in store for them. They can change their situation when they stomp their foot.  They can alter a decision made by an exhausted parent with a really cute pouty lip.  They know they can grind away at a "no" with persistence and wear it down to a "maybe", and then, after a little more work can expect an exasperated "yes."  Kids are smart. 

 

Those moments, when I take off my disguise of the high-heels, the pantyhose, and put down my briefcase...I can be myself again.  A big kid. 

 

I can't believe it but...you all know my secret - I'm a pretend adult!

Happy childhood memories!

 

 

Kathy Pettit



Mission (Im)Possible?

Every now and then I have check the map and make sure we are headed in the right direction.  (Now, I am "mapically" challenged, but you'll get where I'm headed.)  I feel a little bit like we have veered off the intended path and are headed in the wrong direction.

The "slinging sisters" (and by slinging I mean fists and insults) and the "handy" man (and by handy I mean a little too hands on!) are starting to let their emotions get the better of them.  I'm not paid to referee, nor do I find the job very appealing!  So - Hubby and I have come up with Pledge or Mission Statement for our family.

Families are like a small business.  Money is exchanged, goods and services are changed hands, people get tired of their job....and when they get tired they stop caring.  Like all good businesses, having a mission statement, or a plan is vital to its success.  We felt it was time to come up with a Family Mission Statement to strengthen our resolve to be better parents and raise kind, generous individuals who will be engaging contributors to the future.  So, unbeknownst to them, our next family meeting will introduce this concept to them.  We will hang it on every floor in our house.  When we feel the referee whistle come out, we will guide all parties involved over to the poster and get them to read it out loud.  We are hoping that the messages hit home, and they can see beyond their minute grievances and stop the anger.  We will encourage them to use it to redirect Hubby and I, if they feel we are not living up the set out expectations.  (That should be interesting!) 

So Pickle, Peach and Coconut better be prepared for the mission ahead of them.  However, encouraging them to commit everything they do with kindness in mind - cannot be bad.  Wish us luck in this venture - and think about committing to paper your own family mission statement.

I can't believe it but...I am hoping those words make us better, kinder individuals!

Happy Mission Planning,

Kathy Pettit

Sharing the Splendor

 

Totally NOT the bunny I saw but cute!

I recently shared this story with my colleagues, and wanted to pass it along to you.  It was a tiny moment, but I felt it deeply.

 

It was early morning, and before I headed downstairs into the morning zoo that is my family, I opened my bedroom drapes and looked outside.  In the brown, dirty remnants of grass in the fenced patch of land we call our backyard - a tiny, but significant moment was taking place.  Under the bird feeder in my backyard, a giant brown bunny was gobbling up the scattered seeds, surrounded by a flock of chickadees.  Side by side they scavenged the damp ground for the treasures from above.  They weren't at odds with each other, they weren't jockeying for a better position - they were co-existing in this beautiful world in utter harmony.  They recognized there was enough to go around.  They each could get their fill and be content.

 

Amongst the happy (and, let's be honest - at times disgruntled - noises perculating up from downstairs) I recognize how blessed I am to live a life of "plenty."  I have to learn to share more.  There are times when I feel like I don't have "enough."  I have to blink, shake my head and look around and realize I have what I NEED and much, much more!  That quiet moment in my backyard has reminded me that if we all could exist in an environment where we are MOST happy when we make another human being happy, then we have found true and pure joy. I believe all the fighting in the world could be diminished if people really treated others happiness as their own.  I need to share more. Do you have room to be happy making others happy? 

 

I can't believe it but...a bunny and some chickadees shared wisdom with me!

 

Happy sharing,

Kathy Pettit

 

A One-Legged Wonder Woman

Pickle's Hands Holding Heart Stone Found on Beach in P.E.I

Long (I mean long) ago, in a village not unlike our own, a baby came into this world with a problem.  A problem, that back then, was a big deal.  A problem that another mother, less strong and more easily pressured, may have given up on.  In my lucky world, where I have been blessed, I am glad for that mother that chose to fight for her baby.  I am happy that she gave her everything she could and raised her into a strong and caring woman.

That "problem" is my step-mom, Judy.  It was her mother's determination and strength that fought for her to get care, and get treated like a "normal" kid.  You see, my step-mom was born with Spinal Bifida and a club foot.  She endured (and still suffers from) countless surgeries, medications, health problems and mobility issues.  But she is awesome.  You see, some people have that inner strength that doesn't allow them to mope about at their misfortune.  Instead, they feel blessed at the opportunities that they have been given.  People are amazed by my step-mom...amazed that a woman that has one leg can get around, and be, well, "normal."  The thing is, what you have or don't have should not define you.  You are you.  So when my step-mom lost her leg when she was younger - she didn't let it change who she was or alter her planned adventures.  She approached them differently - but still did it! 

The best part about her, is that she can laugh at herself.  She doesn't take any offence when being teased about hobbling around on one leg, at being older than the trees, at being around when the wheel was invented (my dad has shared this "fact" with the kids so knowing him - it MUST be true!).  She can take a heap on her plate, and dish out enough servings right back at ya, with leftovers to boot!  The other part that means a lot to me is her unwavering support in whatever we do.  I don't have a "mom" that wants to be in my life - so when my dad met Judy - she fit the bill.  Whether it's my cooking, my writing, my ideas - she listens.  She encourages.  She offers advice.  And most of all - she cares. 

While I know things are getting tougher for her physically, I sometimes forget what she has been through, and what she goes through everyday just to get out of bed.  I forget because she doesn't let it rule her.  After I had surgery, she listened to my struggles and whining, without once pointing out that she has had something like 50 surgeries to get over.  She hugged, patted, wiped tears (possibly my nose too, she's nice like that) and told me it can only get better.  And of course, she was always right. 

I really believe God gives us what we need, when we need it.  I am glad that he filled my life with Judy.  She has been a blessing....even if she is only one-legged!

I can't believe it but...this one-legged woman is a bit of a rock for me and my family!

Happy appreciating the loved ones in your life,

Kathy Pettit