Dinner with George

I had dinner with my new friend George the other night. He is a pretty popular guy and I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have dined with him too. It was an unexpected impromptu sort of a meal as I had planned on dining alone. My wife and son were out volunteering at the local Community Kitchen and I was left to fend for myself. I was tired after work and didn't feel like turning on a hot oven or firing up the barbecue. What to do? That is when I thought of George...

I haven't known George for a long time but he is getting to be a fixture around the house and has become like one of the family. He is a reliable sort and not fussy in the least - and he is quick and efficient in the kitchen.

At exactly 5:35 I had decided on a piece of steak, some roasted potatoes and fried onions. Like I said, I was tired so I left the cooking to George and at 5:43 sharp everything was ready - all I had to do was fill my plate and enjoy. Imagine that, everything done to perfection in only eight minutes - and no greasy mess or smelly kitchen to deal with. George takes particular pride in that fact and it is one of the things I like most about him. He is also proud that his cooking is not only quick and clean - but healthy too!

I guess when you come right down to it, you could call George a "lean, mean fat reducing cooking machine". Because that is what he is - a George Foreman Grill! I have heard of these for years but I didn't believe all the hype until now. This grill can handle just about anything you throw at it - beef, chicken, vegetables, hotdogs, grilled cheese - you name it. And it is fast and efficient because it cooks both from the top and the bottom.

As you may know, George Foreman was quite skilled in the boxing ring as well as in the kitchen and holds many world records and titles. He had a long career for a boxer and always surprised his fans and opponents by staging seemingly impossible comebacks. His professional record of 76 wins and 5 loses is nothing short of impressive - especially when you consider that 68 wins were by a knock out.

In this world of hype and Sham Wow marketing the George Foreman Grill knocked me out with excellent value at a fair price. George and I both recommend it to anyone who wants to eat well and feel like a champ!

Big Games

THIS BLOG WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON JULY 27 2010

The other day when I was out for a walk in the Industrial Park I saw a group of young kids in a parking lot playing Red Rover. There they were - facing each other in two long lines with arms linked together calling out "Red Rover Red Rover - send Tommy right over!"  I found this strange for two reasons. First of all, you don't see groups of kids playing outside that much any more, and secondly you don't see a lot of kids in the Industrial Park. The mystery was soon solved however, when I discovered that the kids were part of a group of young actors who attend a summer school course held in a warehouse near where I work. Maybe it was part of their exercise break or maybe they had an acting coach who was leading them in some sort of structured activity - whatever the reason they sure looked like they were having fun.

And it sure brought back memories of when I was a kid. We played Big Games like that a lot because there were so darn many kids around to play with. It was no problem to get up a game of Red Rover or British Bulldog when I was growing up because everyone else was growing up at the same time. There were so many of us that our parents certainly didn't want us in the house. So we played outside and made up our own games. The older kids taught the younger kids and showed us the ropes so to speak. I don't think there were any official rule books but we all played by the rules.

The best Big Games were the ones that could accommodate the most kids - that is why Hide and Seek was king. Anyone could play, we all knew the rules and if you could count or hide behind a tree - you were in. And as kids we were all so good at making up local variations of games. I remember playing a version of Hide and Seek called Give Me a Wink - if you were "out" and another player winked at you - you could go hide again. Brilliant! Another version we played was called "Chase" and it was basically a teenage boy/girl combination of Hide and Seek and Tag but with what we hoped would be a lot more body contact. You had to be there...

I started thinking of all the Big Games we used to play and it is a long list. I am thinking mainly about large group games that didn't require any adult supervision and had no limit on the number who could play. I have already mentioned a few but here are some of the rules to the games as I recall them:

Hide and Seek - the simplest game of all - no description necessary.

Red Rover (or British Bulldog) - 2 lines were formed facing and each team held hands or locked arms. A player from the opposite side was called and if he could not break through the other line he was kept - if he broke through he could take a team member back to his side. This tended to be a very rough game.

500 Up - a form of baseball without the bases. A batter hit the ball into the field where any number of kids were required to catch the ball for a variety of points. 100 for a fly ball, 75 for a bouncer, 50 for two bounces and 25 points for a grounder etc... first one to get 500 points gets to be batter.

Scrub - scrub was a form of baseball without keeping score. Everyone got a chance to play by moving through the various positions in turn, great fun and great practice. If only more sports could be so democratic.

Go Go Stop  123 Red Light and Mother May I? were all different variations of the same basic game. One kid up front called out directions while the other kids tried to see who could reach the caller without being caught out in some sort of illegal move.  Simon Says would fit into this category as well.

Tag was another Big Fun Game that could accommodate large numbers of children of all ages - no skill was required other than running and tagging or avoiding being tagged. In keeping with the local variation theme - we played a game called Frozen Tag where you had to remain frozen in position until someone tagged you (or untagged you?) again.  Forgive me if I am missing some of the subtleties and nuances here but it has been a long time since I have played any of these games.

I have nothing against organized sports but it is interesting to note that all these games required a great deal of cooperation with no adult supervision and were played equally by both boys and girls ranging in age from preschoolers to teenagers. I don't know about you but I think it was a better world when we all spent more time running, hiding, seeking and tagging.

Oh and by the way - you're it!

My Kingdom for a Fork

I went shopping the other evening and I bought myself a new fork. Yes - you read that correctly... a fork. And it was on sale! But wait, I am getting ahead of myself.

First of all, I was not shopping specifically for a fork. I was actually looking for some shirts. We went to Value Village and I picked out a couple of nice summer shirts and found a pair of shorts with a penny in the pocket so I HAD to buy those. Who can pass up lucky shorts?

But you want to know about the fork, don't you. I guess you should know that I have a thing for forks - I am VERY fussy about forks. After all - this is something I am going to stick into my mouth thousands of times. Now you might say that a fork is just a fork, but you would be wrong. We have a variety of forks in our drawer at home and they range from flimsy "tinfoil" forks to what I refer to as "horse forks"; more suitable for lifting hay in a barn. A fork is a tool, and as the saying goes "The Right Tool for the Right Job". A quick check on Google will confirm that there are at least 25 different kinds of forks but I am mainly concerned with the everyday dinner fork.

There are several things to consider when looking for a new fork. Size in general is important - it must fit comfortably into the hand. Weight is also a consideration - too light and you may as well have a plastic fork and too heavy can cause fork fatigue. Nobody wants that. Esthetically a fork should be pleasing to the eye without being showy or frivolous. It should have a good balance and a comfortable grip with a smooth but not highly polished surface. Exceptions may be made at Christmas and formal dinners.

One of the major considerations when shopping for a good fork are the tines - the 4 pointy parts in front. And I stress that there must be 4 tines - no more, no less. These must be slightly curved and wide enough to hold a variety of foods and sharp enough to spear, yet not so sharp as to risk injury. After all, the fork is the most versatile of the cutlery family and must be used for everything from a delicate souffle to overcooked liver.

Now back to the super deal I got on this fork. It was priced at 29 cents and I had no problem with that but we had a coupon with us that entitled us to a 30% discount on all purchases. So now we are talking 21 cents - plus a 7 day return policy - no questions asked! If that isn't a deal I don't know what is.

So I will be trying out my new fork this week and I don't anticipate any problems. I will start out with something simple like scrambled eggs and maybe work my way up to some spaghetti and possibly the ultimate test - liver and onions. If it handles well I may go back for the other three and complete the set. Now if I can just find the perfect steak knife....

"The Item"

My first "real" job (not counting my paper route) was working at a little corner store called McKay's Meat Market. It was owned by Barry McKay who lived right across the street from the store. Barry, in his wisdom or his ignorance (I prefer wisdom) allowed me to mind the store alone after I had been suitably trained in all aspects of clerking a corner store.

I could sell cigarettes and penny candy, handle the cash, cut the cheese and even run the meat slicer. There was nothing I didn't know about that store and even though I was only 14, Barry trusted me enough to leave me there alone on those rare occasions when he was out. I never knew where he went and I didn't even consider that he might have a life; he was like teachers were in those days - they didn't exist outside of the school and Barry did not exist outside of the store. He just went away for a while...

Like I said, I knew everything about that store... well, almost everything. Before leaving me alone with the money, the cigarettes, the meat cleavers and grinders, Barry took me aside and gave me very serious and specific instructions about an item that was kept way up on the top shelf at the back of the store.

This particular item was neatly wrapped in butcher paper and lined up in a row on the top shelf and I was told precisely what to do should a lady customer request the item. There was even a special wooden stick with a bent nail in the end to pull it down and the price was marked clearly on the box. The only thing Barry did not discuss with me was what the item was - and I in my innocence did not ask. These were simpler times.

Left alone in the store I went about the business of a shop keeper. I swept the floor, I answered the phone, weighed up a pound or two of wieners and sold pop, chips and cigarettes. We would sell cigarettes to anyone - even six year olds, as long as they had a note from their mother and promised not to inhale. I even stocked the shelves when needed and that is when my curiosity was aroused. What could the item be? The item was about the size and shape of a box of potato chips or cereal. But it was only for lady customers so that kind of ruled out both of those ideas - unless it was some kind of special lady cereal? I was 14 - what the hell did I know! And the box was too light for washing powder and too heavy for marshmallows (I checked....) and besides, marshmallows came in bags so I was completely stumped.

Eventually on a quiet evening a lady did come in and discreetly asked if I would please get her a box from the top shelf. I got my stick and tipped it down, rang in the sale, placed it in a bag and said thank you and good night. I still had no idea what was in the box, but I was kind of leaning towards potato chips and guessing she didn't want her husband to know. And Barry was in on it...

The mystery was eventually solved when some girls I knew from school explained in very broad terms that it was a product that only females needed and that was enough for me. Of course we all know what "the item" was, since there are now aisles full of them and television ads abound. But I say it was more fun back in the dark ages when a guy could wile away those long, slow evenings behind the counter without a clue in the world, pondering the mysteries of life.

The Skyliner X-1

It's a supersonic jet! It's a speed boat! No - it's a lawn chair. But no ordinary lawn chair - this is a lawn chair with a history and a future.

The Skyliner X-1 has been in the works for many years - 24 to be exact; 23 years in the planning stage and 1 year in production. I bought the plans back in 1986 when I was in a fever of woodworking excitement - making tray tables, towel racks and crib boards among other things. Then the woodworking fever subsided for a couple of decades while I pursued other hobbies - like working and buying houses, camps and campers to fix up and resell. So I never really stopped working with wood - I just took on bigger projects. But the chair was always on my mind....

I would take the plans out every few years and glance over them, thinking that "when I had the time" I would build the chair of my dreams. Well, last summer I decided that I was never going to have the time so I just bought the materials and started. And now here it is a year later and the chair is done - all except for the varnishing. Now I am just waiting for drier weather....

I sat in the Skyliner the other day, just for a minute, and it has been well worth the wait. She is a beauty - just the right size and width for my ass to settle into, with a nice deep slanted seat and a curved reclining back, perfect for an afternoon nap in the back yard.

You may wonder why I called it the Skyliner X-1 and that is simply because I am already in the planning stage for the new improved Skyliner X-2. Since I already have the plans and with the experience gained in making the X-1, I figure this one should be ready right around summer 2024. Guess I better get started.

$5.00 Ice Cream Cone

I am thrifty. Anyone who grew up with me, has ever gone shopping with me or married me will attest to this fact. I have gotten used to wearing this old worn out shoe and it fits quite nicely thank you. But all this thrift merely means that I know good value when I see it and I know when something is worth paying for. Like our new George Foreman Grill for example (stay tuned for that blog)... worth every penny and then some.

But this blog is about an ice cream cone, a $5.00 ice cream cone. And it's about enjoying yourself. Enjoying something special, something you don't have every day or even every month. Maybe only a couple of times a year. That rarity is what makes it so special - like Christmas.

I was at the Regent Mall one day a couple of years ago - I worked nearby and was just killing my lunch hour. I didn't want to eat at any of the fast food places for all the obvious reasons. And I also didn't want to pay their ridiculous prices. What to do? I happened past the Laura Secord store and the ice cream they were selling suddenly appealed to me. Also there was a nice mature lady behind the counter giving out free samples.

She made her sales pitch and before I knew it I was ordering a single scoop butter pecan ice cream cone. The base price was about $3.00 and I wasn't too happy about that, after all - I come from an age when an ice cream cone cost 10 cents. But what can I say - I was in the mood. Then she pointed out that an extra scoop was only another dollar - and didn't I deserve an extra scoop? Sure I did! She soon had me convinced that I was worth at least two scoops.

Next she inquired sweetly if I was going to treat myself to a freshly made waffle cone to hold that extra scoop? After going for the second scoop why scrimp on the cone? Why indeed? And at only an extra fifty cents it was a bargain not to be missed! And to seal the deal - she stuck a little chocolate ornament on top - for FREE! With tax the total came to $5.18. I only hesitated for a minute but it was too late to back out now. I paid the lady with my debit card (who carries around that much cash?) and off I went, cone in hand. And you may not believe this, but that cone was the best bargain I had in a long time. Not only was it delicious but it was custom made to my specifications and I was worth it! I walked around that mall feeling like a king and if that isn't worth $5.18 I don't know what is.

I guess I don't treat myself enough - and maybe you don't either. Maybe some of us treat ourselves too much. But how many Christmases would you want in a year? And how many $5.00 ice cream cones?

It has been a couple of years now - I think I'll head up to Laura Secord again one of these days and see what the flavour of the day is. And maybe this time I will go all out and order the chocolate dipped cone AND sprinkles - maybe. Because the question I must ask myself is this: "Am I really ready for a $6.00 ice cream cone?"

Keys to the Highway

Here is a list of cars I have owned over the years and a brief comment about each. Only the most dedicated (or bored) readers need proceed...

1963 Valiant - 6 cylinder, standard, column shift, blue. This was my first car, no more needs to be said except that you could do basic service on it with a wrench. The famous slant 6 engine is still a legend of efficiency and reliability.

1966 Impala - 8 cylinder, automatic, blue. A step up but I missed the best Impala (1965) by one year. My father still had connections in the used car business so trading in was as easy as changing your socks.

1967 Beaumont - 6 cylinder, auto, blue. A step back down and it had no gas gauge and the gas tank leaked. It had a hole in the floor where you could see the road, but other than that - a nice little car. It got me to Montreal and back running on fumes and sheer luck.

1973 Gremlin - 8 cylinder, standard, purple. Not only was it a Gremlin - it was purple and had white, woolly seat covers! It got us all the way to the west coast pulling a U-Haul. Absolutely useless in snow, maybe that is why it headed for Vancouver.

1975 Dodge Monaco - 8 cylinder, auto, 2 tone brown/beige. A real beast. I used this car to travel throughout Alberta and BC as a salesman. It was so big it felt like you never left home. Needed a cardboard cover tied over the radiator in winter or there was no heat. I drove it back east in the middle of February and sold it to my sister Sandra for $50.00.

1982 Lada - 4 cylinder, standard, yellow. I bought it brand new but it was quite a step down from the grandeur of the Monaco but they were so cheap that I swear to God they were giving them away in Halifax, where I lived at the time. It was taxicab yellow, had an AM radio, standard shift, steering and brakes. It felt and drove like a tank - and what would you expect, it was from Russia.

1980 Citation - 6 cylinder, auto, red. This was a great little car. I bought it from my boss for literally nothing. I drove it and was paid mileage - each month when I received the cheque, I sent it back as a payment. Plus they paid the gas - those were the days. This car would go anywhere.

1984 Horizon - 4 cylinder, auto. Ugly monkey-shit brown piece of crap. Caught fire driving through Skowhegan, Maine. I should have let it burn....

1986 Celebrity - 6 cylinder, auto, blue. I bought this from Clarks and not a word of a lie - it broke down before I got it off the lot. It was trouble from the start and would never stay in alignment. Repairs cost me a fortune. My first car with cruise control and my last Chev.

1990 Volkswagen Jetta - 4 cylinder, auto, black. This was a definite move up in the world and it was back when VW still meant German quality but high maintenance. It was also my last car without air and power everything. It had a sunroof that had to be cranked open manually - those Germans were not big on frivolous extras.

1993 Taurus - 4 cylinder, auto, blue. Now we are talking! I loved my Taurus and it was a car made for a traveling salesman. Lots of room for samples and suitcases, power windows and locks and seats - my first car with air and the only one with a remote starter.

1996 Taurus - 4 cylinder, auto, burgundy. My second Taurus. I drove my '93 on to the lot and asked the salesman if he had a '96. He pointed to one on the lot and I said "I'll take it." The whole deal took 5 minutes and I never regretted it.

2000 Mystique - 4 cylinder, auto, mist green. This was a downsize from the Taurus and although it was a nice car it just didn't have that mid-size feel. I didn't really have it long enough to develop any sort of an opinion good or bad.

2000 Neon - 4 cylinder, auto, red. This was really my wife Julie's first car but it became the family car for seven long years. It was too small and low for my comfort and cost us $700.00 for a head gasket mere days after the warranty expired. Julie would tell you she loved it but she will have to get her own blog. This was also our first lease.

2003 Kia Magentis - 4 cylinder, auto, silver/grey. I really can't say anything bad about the Magentis. The '03 was a beautiful looking car and could easily be mistaken for a BMW.... from a distance. I liked it so much I leased another one.

2008 Kia Magentis - 4 cylinder, auto, red. This is my current car and I like it a lot - very comfortable and roomy and nice looking. Not as nice as the '03 but I am not complaining and I will be seriously considering another one in a few years. First car with heated seats!

I can't even guess how much all these cars have cost me over the years - I do know that they have ranged in price from $300.00 up to about $20,000.00 and I can tell you honestly that the car I had the most fun with was the one that cost $300.00 - life is funny that way.

Well,that is my car blog - a lot of gas guzzled and a lot of rubber burned. Hope you enjoyed it. If you read this far you are either a car nut or just plain nuts - but thanks for reading. Comments?