Domestic Productivity

Today I produced a loaf of wheat bread, two and a half jars of chicken stock and we cooked up six chicken thighs.  This means I'm well prepared for many meals this week. I'd never get all this done if I were working.  In addition to what is shown, I made two and a half large jars of slop for the pup using frozen blueberries I didn't want to serve, carrots that were gonna get slimy and the flesh and rinds from the ends of watermelon a guest bought to our house this weekend.  There was also a healthy amount of scrap cartilage and meat from the thigh bones I used for the stock.  That will be fed to the pup over the course of the week.  Oh yeah, I vacuumed downstairs, did a load of wash and went swimming and did some grocery shopping. I am an efficient domestic engineer!  I'm a good dog-mom too -- pup swam and we walked, then played fetch in the ball field. 

Since I removed the bones from the thighs, it was easy to cut them up once grilled.  I served them in toasted hot dog buns, along with red & green peppers with onions that baked in foil packages.  Now I have left overs that can go into empenadas tomorrow night.  All of the prep is done and that will help since I will be volunteering all day.  We also have plenty of salad left from the weekend BBQ.  Between the two of us, I only needed one thigh plus a little bit extra for four rolls.

A good portion of the late afternoon was spent dealing with my Yahoo email account which got hacked yesterday.  I hope I got it worked out.  Once I found out about it, I checked my login history and it turns out I logged in from Bosnia-Herzigovina.  Today I logged in from Israel.  Fixing this stuff is not an exact science, but here is what I recommend as soon as someone tells you it's happened:

1. Copy and paste the email addresses of all people in your contact lists and dump this in a text file.
2. Delete all of your contacts and any emails you can from your inbox.
3. Log out of Yahoo.
4. Run a full virus scan on your PC.
5. Go back to Yahoo and change your password and log out.  Close your browser.
6. Log in to Yahoo with your new password and set up a sign in seal.  If you ever go to sign in and the seal is not there, you know you are not logging in through the actual Yahoo page and this is how hackers get your password.
7.  Compose a new email message and copy and paste in the addresses from that text file you created in step one.  Apologize and alert your contacts of the situation.  Use bcc to send this message for the address portion.
8. Log in to your account to check your log in history to make sure that no more weird foreign logins are being recorded.  If they are, your account is still compromised.
9. Don't re-enter any contacts until you are sure the problem is resolved.

I'm not sure I'm all set yet.  I'm going to wait another couple of weeks before I add in any contacts. I'll probably change my password again before I do.

This happens to me infrequently -- it's only occurred once before.  But it is a pain.  I just need to be mindful of where I log into my email from as this is often how these infiltrations start. 

Interview Prep

I sucked it up and bought some new clothes today.  These were found at The Bon Ton -- not a thrift.  I wanted to have more to choose from and also wanted a selection of new stuff just to look more polished.  From all I have read, the black skirt is an interview essential.  Black pants are good for work too.  I was able to find the jacket in the petite department -- but petite slacks are too short.  Regular sized slacks are too long.  The pair I have must be shortened. It is likely I'll have a tailor do that so it looks better.  If I go for a series of interviews, I will have the slacks to fall back on but everything I read seems to point to it being better for a female to wear a skirt for an interview.

This morning I put together a reference list.  I will have The Big Guy print a few copies of that and a few copies of my resume on good stock paper so I can bring those with me to any interview I might have.  Last week I obtained two wonderful letters of reference.  These were sent to the recruiter I am working with.  Since my phone interview went so well, I am going to be optimistic that the next phone interview I have will be a success too.  After that I am guessing I'll have to go in to their offices and I wanted to be prepared.

These are not 100% natural fiber pieces. Being less toned than I used to be, I have to admit to needing a little stretch.  If I get the job I am in the running for now, I will need my clothes to travel well and not wrinkle.  I figured the give in the fabric will help there.  While the office environment for this company is very casual, I won't be casual when I am face-to-face with clients.  It was that way with my old job. We could wear anything we wanted to work but I always dressed for business when meeting clients.  Most of my clients dressed business casual, but I still dressed for business.

Lots of women wear head to toe black but I didn't want to be so severe. I think it helps to have some color near your face and that's why I went with this violet color.  All of the pieces were on sale and I spent $73 on them.  I could have spent more and looked for better quality, but at this initial point, I don't want to invest that much if I won't need that type of stuff.  My goal is not to work in a super-corporate environment where dress is so formal/staid that only a full suit is acceptable.  I guess I'm dressing the climate I aim to be employed in.

I still don't plan to have a closet full of clothes. There just isn't enough room.  If I'm going to travel and train, I'll have core pieces that I will keep packed and then bring the same bag and pieces each place sort of like a uniform.  When you go from one client to the next, they have no way of notice that you are always wearing the same thing. So that's my plan and I hope I get the job that lets me stick to it!

Racing

Race day started out volunteering at exchange number 35.  Three of us sat there from 8AM - 1PM.  Here I am with my friend Kelly.  She logged the race teams and the times they passed our exchange.  Each team had one or more vans traveling along the route. I directed them to parking at the Laura Secord school in Queenstown, ON, CA.  This was the next to last leg of the 300k (200+ mile) relay race.  It was a hot day and we were at one of the few exchanges that had indoor plumbing -- running water and toilets, which are pretty important to teams of runners who have not showered in over 24 hours.  The race started yesterday at 7AM in Coburg, ON -- about 70 miles East of Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario.  We dressed up and cheered on the runners and did our assigned jobs.  It was hot but it was fun.

 This is our team crossing the finish together in Niagara Falls. You can see the falls in the background. The final leg of the relay ran along the Niagara gorge -- which is beautiful.  Lots of hills, a good amount of shade and when you get towards the end, the air is cooler and moister because of the falls. It is probably the best leg of this race.  The Big Guy rides along the gorge on his bike and the route really is spectacular.  Anyone out there who wants to visit the falls must plan a trip up the scenic parkway to get to Niagara on-the-Lake.  It is really something to see.

 Here I am hugging my BFF who was the team captain. She handled registration and race organization for the entire team. That included van rentals, accommodations,  supplies, etc.  The rental van got cancelled at the last minute by the rental company. One runner pulled out too late to register another due to a family emergency.  She handled it all either at home or while working abroad (in Germany!).   This is her fifth relay race, so she is a pro.  However, it was the first one she captained. If she does it again next year, I will volunteer.  It was really quite fun.  Since each team must supply three volunteers, it's a way for me to help my friends.

We had a nice time afterwards.  Here are some of the runners relaxing at our house.  These people were up for over 24 hours.  They were still willing to eat and drink and it was a nice way to unwind.   We had a birthday cake for another volunteer and there was plenty of wine and beer consumed.  Teddy was given a lot of watermelon rind by all of the kids (not pictured here).

Teddy had a tough weekend because we hosted a dog for a couple of the runners. Then one of the ladies helping out with the party got in to town a bit early and she had two kids. Another kid showed up.  Teddy stayed with them through it all -- following around trying to do the tricks they asked her to do and accepting the bits of food they were allowed to feed her.  I am proud when she behaves well at parties. It's why we work so hard with her manners.  When she's tired like this at the end of the day, we know she had a good time.

Races like this are popping up all over the country. This was the first one in Canada.  There were 120 teams, but most Ragnar races have 400 or more teams.  It is not cheap to enter ($150 per person), but the fees are what make these things happen.  It's a great way for runners who are thinking of running a marathon but aren't there yet.  You run a lot of miles, but it's broken up.  Best of all, it's with a team so there is more support.

I think I'll do this again next year if the team does it again.  It was a great experience and a whole lot of fun.

Party Prep

We will be hosting a BBQ tomorrow afternoon. I've done just about all the prep I can in advance. At 7AM I am heading out to Niagara on the Lake to work a volunteer station for the Ragnar Relay Race.  I can't run anymore but I can support my friends who do!  The Big Guy has to work in the morning so he'll have plenty to do in a short period of time before the race ends, I get home and the runners show up.  It is also another volunteer's birthday -- and her husband is running the race.

I ordered a cake and picked up the supplies and laid out all the non-perishables on the table. The order receipt is there so TBG can pick the cake up on his way home from work. He is storing the meat (beef & turkey burgers, hot dogs, etc.) in his freezer at work.  They have an ice machine so he'll be getting beverages cooled in  the morning.  He can bring bottles in coolers and dump the ice over them.  I lined up all the bowls he will need to use for our side dishes.

We seem to have plenty of paper goods from the last couple of parties/picnics we've hosted.  My BFF (and team captain) dropped by beer and bubbly yesterday when she brought over our sushi for lunch.  Her hubby (Jim over at Art of Gardening) will bring over more beverages tomorrow when he comes to pick me up.  He's volunteering too and is driving us up to the race.  Planning for this event has been a logistical  nightmare with rental van issues, team members dropping out, others joining, others taking extra legs of the relay.  By the time it's over, the runners and everyone involved will need a good meal.

I prepped side dishes this morning.  There is a big bowl of macaroni/cole slaw salad. I bought the cold slaw and mixed it in with the noodles (some white, some wheat).  It makes for a healthier side, saves money, and the salad isn't so overly sweet.  There are two bags of salad greens and one bag of mixed romaine. I've cut up grape tomatoes and onions in advance  (in the clear glass dish).  We have pre-made onion dip and guacamole, and a pint of fresh strawberries.

I will need to vacuum the downstairs today and tidy things up.  TBG has to trim the hedge at the end of the driveway.  We are not sure if it's ours or the house in foreclosure next door, so we'll deal with it.  Oddly enough the guy who  lives in back of that house is in that yard right now cutting back the over-growth and painting the fence.  It's his fence but the overgrowth on the other side is causing a problem.  What he's doing today will make things look a bit more pleasant -- but we still have to look at the rotted roof and broken down exterior. It's just ridiculous that the bank and property managers look after it less than the people who live around it.

I plan to put out a lot of cushions and maybe an air mattress or two for the runners to flop down on.  I don't guess people will stay too long because they've been up for 24 hours and run a lot of miles, but it should be fun.  I did not have a specific budget for this but was aiming to keep it from between $75 - $100. My guess is that there might be up to 16 of us.  I think I'll be near the high end, but it should come in OK.  Whatever we don't eat today, we'll eat next week.

Now I am off to vacuum!

Hiding it in Rice

 When your veggies are on the verge of over-ripe and you're asking yourself if you should throw them out or not, you can always save them by mixing them in a dish where you'll cook the hell out of them.  Any potential funky stuff (like fungus or bacteria) can be scary. But I figure if  you're cooking them at a high temp, you're gonna kill anything truly bad.  At least that's the opinion I had of my soon to be slimy carrots and slightly puckered green peppers.  I mixed them with brown rice, canned organic whole peeled tomatoes, onion, garam masala spices and some sour cream.  Price Rite still has chicken thighs for .99 cents so I brined four and grilled them up.

Today was a busy day but I accomplished very little. We have an overnight guest.  Actually, we'll have him until Saturday afternoon.  He and Teddy are doing OK -- but it was a stressful start.  His name is "Pup" and he's very energetic.  Pup got to the house at 10:30 this morning.   I also had a couple of girl friends over for lunch. My BFF brought us sushi.  So a lot went on but not much of it was constructive. I hate that! But lunch was swell.  Teddy and Pup ended up playing quite well, but we had to call it quits when it seemed his recurring sore knee was causing him to limp.  This tired them out, which is great.

I had a phone interview at 3PM today and it went really well, so I have another next week.  This is for a training job and it seems to be a really good fit for me.  The money will be fine but most of all, the company seems like just the type of organization I'd like to work for.  The HR person doing the initial screening was really nice and we had no problem communicating.  Rather than waiting and screening her comments with the other managers, she just set up my appointment for the second interview -- which will also be over the phone.  I have all the skills and experience they seem to need and they have the type of culture that works for me. It looks like I'm probably not going to have that summer of leisure I was looking forward to...

Another Small Space Solution

 The mirror problem is out of the way -- and thanks to all who commented! I was tied up today volunteering and not able to do much checking in on the blog. I was looking forward to a lazy evening at home, but once I got here, TBG informed me that an HVAC guy was on his way.  A few have offered to look at our heating/cooling deficiencies but this was a guy who was willing to show up, give us a quote and move forward.  The problem is that we have no return vents for either heating or AC upstairs so it's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. With such a small house, there is no extra space for duct work to install return vents upstairs.  Luckily, hubby is in the business and he and the guy came up with a good small space solution.  We are taking out our current hot water heater.  It's a 40 gallon Bradford White -- referred to as a "shorty forty" because it's the short size of its model.  This vents through the chimney up to the roof along with the vents from the furnace and AC.  If we remove that exhaust, it opens up enough space for new duct work.  We can get a new power vent model that pushes the air out so it doesn't need to go out the chimney. We'll vent that out of the side of the house the same way we do our furnace.  The furnace and compressor are plenty big enough for our house, but it was the venting that was messing with performance.  Now we'll really get our money's worth out of them.

This solution means we don't have to tear into walls.  We'd need to get to the existing venting and build out a little more to make room for return vents. Instead we will go up the chimney and through the attic crawl space.  We get the water heater at cost.  We are getting a bit of a break on the labor for the hot water heater install because the contractor is keeping our old unit (a 2003, so it's 2/3 of the way through its useful life), refurbishing it and using it in a rental property.  The rest of the expense is for duct work and labor.  We're having a guy go through the attic at the same time to make sure the baffling in the eaves is clear of insulation and to see if we can make the venting up there more efficient.  All this should help with energy efficiency and lower our bills.  Best of all, I don't have to give up any of our scarce closet space to run new venting.  I was really worried about that!  The vent pipe that serves as our chimney is ugly and it will be gone.  Luckily, we have spare shingles in the garage.

I was so crunched for time between volunteering, the contractor, swimming the pup and other stuff that I did not feel like making dinner.  Good thing it's easy to rub spices on chicken thighs, quarter up and grease potatoes and cram a foil packet with veggies.  We managed to grill dinner and eat in.  Price Rite still has chicken thighs for .99 per pound.  I got a 2 pound bag of mini carrots for $1.29 but found they were on the verge of slimy.  So we are eating carrots for the next couple of nights so they'll get used up fast.

It's very tiring just getting to all the stuff that needs to be done -- I think that means it's time for bed!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

The mirror has finally been hung in our stairwell.  I have wanted this done for the longest time!  We have so little extra space that I have been without a full length mirror for the year or so we've been here.

Many ladies hang mirrors on their doors.  That's out for us. With so little closet space, we hang things on doors.  Either there's an over-the-door clothes hook on them, a hanging shoe organizer or a hanging towel rack.

The spot above the stairs is the perfect location for this big mirror.  The placement increases the light in the upstairs hall because it reflects the illumination from the ceiling fixture.  Since it is spaced so far from where we actually stand, it serves as a full length mirror.  It's placed to work for us both. Since our heights are so disparate, it cuts of the top of TBGs head and some of my feet.

The spot we chose was just a "dead" area.  Other than hanging a picture there was really nothing else to be done with the space. Now it is functional and does provide a visual interest.   Best of all, it was a good solution for a small space.

One of these days I'll get some artwork hung on the side wall --  but it took me a year to get to this, so I'm in no rush.

Now, I am off to go swimming in a half an hour. I want to see how the traffic is at the pool at the very end of the day. I am suddenly full of employment opportunity and suspect I will be back to work sooner rather than later (fingers crossed, please!).  I'm test driving evening fitness hours -- hopefully my dinner will be digested enough!