A delayed meme post

Karen tagged me for this meme last week, and I've been delinquent in not answering it. Is there is a statute of limitations on tags? In anticipation of 'what's cooking wednesday', I'll finally do the meme.

1. Can you cook? If yes do you like to cook?
Yes, although I find I often don't have the energy or inspiration. Although I do enjoy it. I especially enjoy preparing big meals for lots of friends.

2. When does your whole family come together to eat?
We eat dinner together most nights. On the couch.

3. What do you have for breakfast?
Cereal with fruit or granola with yogurt and fruit. And tea.

4. When, where and how do you eat through the week?
See 2 - we eat on the couch, usually between 7 and 8 pm after walking the dog.

5. How often do you eat out?
Once a week or once every two weeks.

6.How often do you order in or get take out?
Once a week.

7.Re: 5 &. 6 - if money were no object would like to do it more often?
Probably not. We might just go out for sushi more often.

8.Are there any standards that make a regular appearance at your table?
There are the fall back meals - periogies, sour cream pasta, cereal (I don't think that counts as cooking though). And our favourites - fajitas, grilled anything, spaghetti. Our meals are very seasonal, since I don't want to turn on the oven or stove in the hot months.

9.Have you ever tried a recipe from another blog?
Nope, not yet, although I probably will later this week.

10.Are there any quarrels because of food?
We 'quarrelled' about how to divide the leg of lamb the other night.

11.Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine living as a vegetarian?
I was a vegetarian for a few years in university, but now I'm an enthusiastic meat eater. I would certianly be happy eating meat only once or twice a week, but Graeme is a total carnivore and would likely mutiny if I were to try.

12.What would you like to try out that you haven't dared yet?
Nothing is coming to mind. I'm a pretty adventerous eater.

13.Would you rather cook or bake?
Bake, unless it's cooking for a big meal. I love making Thanksgiving dinner, for instance.

14.What was the most terrible mess you've ever made in the kitchen?
Nothing specific comes to mind, although when I do a big meal, every pot and surface tends to end up dirty and covered. I do my best to keep up with dishes as I cook, so it usually stays under control.

15.What do your kids like to eat best? What would your kids never eat?
Not yet applicable.

16.What do you dislike most?
Mushrooms. Ham. Yellow mustard. Caraway seeds.

17 weeks

I missed week 16 since I was out and about. (I started this post yesterday, but wanted to add a belly pic. But I realized today that if I wait for the belly shot, I'll have to add week 18. I'll post a belly shot on Thursday when week 18 begins.)

Week 16:
- Fat begins to form underneath skin (the fetus, not me. That has already happened to me).
- The fetus has reached 4.57 inches (11.6cm) and approximately 3.53 ounces (100gm).
- The heart is pumping as much as 6 gallons of blood a day and beats at a rate about double my heartrate.
- Sucking, swallowing and blinking are now evident.
- The fetus has learned to breathe.
Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent.
Week 17:
- The fetus weighs about 4.97 ounces (140gm) and is 5.12 inches (13cm) long.
- Pads are forming on the tiny fingertips and toes.
- The eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.
- Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel.
- The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger
- If the fetus is male the prostate begins to develop.
- The skeleton is tranforming from cartilage to bone.

More photos

Pictures

No commentary, just photos from the past few days.

Ladies who lunch

Today Karen and I left the kids with Dad and Donna and went to the Chateau Laurier for afternoon tea. We were saying that we were ladies who lunch, but without the fancy hats. Karen pointed out that you really need to drink sherry to be a lady who lunches. True. We quickly remedied the situation.

We chose the traditional tea (there is also the Canadian Tea and the Champagne Tea). It came with three types of crustless sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and some sweets. Oh, and tea of course.

It was fantastic. We've decided to make it a tradition. When I'm in Ottawa, we'll go to Chateau Laurier for tea, and when she is in Austin, we will go to the Four Seasons for theirs.

Earlier in the day, Emily created a masterpiece which I'm sure you'll see someday at the National Gallery. She calls it 'Dad':

Play group

This morning we went to play group, which is just starting again, apparently. Imagine a whole room full of 2 year olds. Then imagine them with paint.


My dad and Donna arrived this evening. The highlight tomorrow will be when we leave Emily and Hope with Dad and Donna and we go to the fancy fancy hotel downtown for afternoon tea. oooee.

In Ottawa

I arrived yesterday evening in Ottawa. I'm here for a week visiting Karen, John, Emily and Hope. Here are pictures from this morning (at least this morning, a Sunday):


After the mellow start to the day, we (except for John who stayed at home to get some work done) we went to the tea shop where we had tea and scones. The we walked to the parliment buildings and enjoyed the view.

I'm not sure the plan for tomorrow yet, but I expect that Emily and I will do some baking, some crafts and a walk or two. Stay tuned for more cute pictures.