Tempus Fugit

Ever wonder why we need it all? All that “stuff”? The mall is the perfect example of excess and catering to our desire for stuff. All in one place, more stuff than anyone can use, or afford. Perhaps that’s it, I’m frustrated and anoyed by being exposed to so much stuff that I’ll never have or use or enjoy or whatever.

Bookstores are the worst. Who reads all these books? Too many of every kind which makes it hard to decide between all the stuff that you can’t possible use or consume or enjoy. Frustration sets in and its easier just to walk away. Easier on the wallet too.

The making of an Icelandic Tradition

Back on December 8th we re-vitalized an Icelandic tradition that has been in our family for as long as I can remember. My Ama made it, then my Mom, made it and somewhere along the line I started making it. For a few years we sort of dropped the ball for one reason or another, mainly because we lost our connection to a good source of Lamb flanks. But this year, we’ve re-instituted the tradition with a little help from Thor’s Meats and Groceries in Selkirk, Manitoba, a great source for boned lamb flank. FYI, boned flank saves a ton of work. Anyway with the main ingredient secured, we began the 6-8 day process, prepping the meat as shown in the photo.  They turned out fabulously and we’ve enjoyed it several time this season with friends and family. We’ve even managed to share it around the country by sending some to my sister and brother-in-law in Victoria, and cousins in Toronto. If you’re thinking of giving it a try, here is the recipe, complete with brown bread. This recipe must be the real thing because it lines up with my Ama Einarson’s hand written recipe exactly!

Want to try some Pönnukökur (Icelandic Pancakes) or other delicacies? This web site seems to have some authentic stuff.

I was looking through some drawers the other night and I came across some pictures from my Mom & Dad. Two little 3 x 3 booklets of black and white pictures from 1950s. Is these pictures I’m 3 and Gail would be 7, and were standing in front of the first cottage in what would be several cottages I’d experience growing up.

The cottage was build by my Grampa and Dad, all by hand, no power tools. Quite an accomplishment and one that still impresses me today. Just spend some time with a hand saw cutting 6×6 posts to length and you’ll know what I mean. I have a couple of vivid memories about this cottage. One is about a salt lick we had on the lot and watching the deer that came quite close to us to get to the salt. The other involves a car. Just to the right of the boardwalk is the driveway and it’s a little steeper than it looks. At the end of a weekend when Mom & Dad were loading up the car to go home. Gail & I were put in the back seat and told to “sit there and don’t touch anything”.

Well, after a while a guy gets a little bored and a car is a fascinating place. I leaned over into the front seat and was playing around with the steering wheel and then the gear shift leaver, and suddenly we were in neutral and rolling backwards down the driveway. Just then Dad and Grampa came out the door, dropped whatever they were carrying and came running to grab the car.

This is the view down the driveway to the lake. I was always told that the car might have rolled down, across the road, and throught the lot in front of us, and into the lake. Looking at this, I think the trees would have stopped the car first. Anyway, they managed to stop the car and get in and put the parking brake on. I think there was a stern talking to and perhaps a spanking involved, but all I really remember was being rescued. A good cottage story with a happy ending.

I’ve been getting a little flack for not posting anything to the Blog for a long time so here is an update.

I’ve actually been thinking aboot a lot of things for a post but just not putting the thoughts down.

One of the recurring thoughts is around sentimentality and memories. For the last number of months I’ve looked at stuff around the lake or house and had some strong memories triggered about my parents. One example was a day at the lake when I needed to take some tools down to the dock for a project. I looked around for the orange plastic tool tray but then remembered that somehow I’d left both of them at home in Winnipeg.

I looked around under the work bench and there it was. A well worn galvanized sheet metal tool tray that I made in Grade 8 and given to my Dad. He had kept it all those years and as I loaded it up with tools I remembered many of the times we’d worked together on a project with that tool tray near by.

Mom and Dad have been gone for 10 years this month. I think of them every day and “tool tray” moments really keep the memories alive and meaningful. Memories triggered by things that might have been thrown out or replaced by something shiny and new.

At times these old treasures make me feel like my dad’s hands are on my hands. This summer I used a classy brass plumb bob with a string wound on a stick. It was my Grampa’s, then my Dad’s and now mine. The brass part is in perfect condition and I put some new string on the well worn stick a year or two ago. I’ve seen that tool off and on all my life and when I used it it was like they were there with me.

For me some of these old ordinary things that have been around my life for a long time are some of my fondest treasures. Treasures that trigger precious memories.

In just under a week I’ll be heading off to ride the MDH trail in North Dakota with the boys. For many years we made an annual trip to ride this outstanding single track trail, but this will be the first time since 2005.

I’ve been taking with some of the guys and everybody is getting pretty excited about the trip. Its quite the action packed weekend with a 9 hour drive thru the night, breakfast at 4am, a brief nap in the vehicles until the sun comes up and then all day riding!
I think we’ll be riding the northern section and taking in some near by trails on Saturday. Sunday we’ll ride for half a day in the Buffalo Gap area. As some would say, it should be GTs. I’m looking forward to it.

I’ve kicked my 2 a day Starbucks habit! For a whole week I didn’t pull that shiny gold Starbucks card out of my wallet, not once!

Did I give up coffee? Not a chance, well at least not yet. I’ve replaced Starbucks by brewing my own at the office with a French Press and coffee ground at home. Mmm, good coffee at a fraction of the price. Sorry Barista buddies, you were just too expensive a habit to maintain.

This is no April Fools joke, unless you consider Mother Nature a joker. Even though we Winnipeger’s should know better, we still expect it to be warmer, and to have is stop snowing sooner, and of course it would be nice if it didn’t flood everywhere, but such is not the case.

Out the front window this morning.