tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88305818200661671672024-02-19T05:41:54.742-08:00Finding the Fork in the Roadhonbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-25759191334615591192014-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:002014-12-05T20:33:53.793-08:00Using Technology Instead of Being Used by TechnologyI have written in the past about my <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2014/04/my-microsoft-surface-rt.html" target="_blank">Surface RT</a>. I have been using it for quite a while and simply love it. It's so easy to use - I find I reach for it before almost any other device. I read and respond to most of my personal emails using it, I read the news every day using the Bing news feeder, I play games on it, watch Netflix, order pizza on it. When we need to find something - we use the Surface to Google it. Yes, it doesn't have the full-blown Windows OS - it uses the RT version of Windows 8.1. But the RT version is elegant in it's simplicity. I rarely find myself going <em>If Only</em>. It does everything I need it to. Well, almost everything.<br />
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I have only been able to find two things it can't do that I wish it could do - both software related. Because it doesn't run the full version of the Windows OS I have to use the Windows Store as the single source for any application I might want. There are two applications I would love to be able to run on my Surface - Adobe Elements (a photo organizing and editing tool that I use all the time on my laptop), and Minecraft (a game that Walter and I love to play). For Adobe Elements there are work-arounds ... I just need to play with some of them to decide what might work the best. For Minecraft, there is Discovery and Block World - unfortunately, neither of them compares to Minecraft. The only other issue I've had is that I can't use our current printer with the Surface - it's a few years old and the Surface RT doesn't have the driver for it and the Windows Store doesn't have anything Canon driver's on it. So I either have to use my laptop or break down and buy a new printer that the Surface can communicate with. I haven't gone there yet.<br />
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When I first got the Surface RT I bought the touch keyboard - an accessory that was used for both keyboarding and as a cover to the screen. The touch is OK in a pinch, but for long sessions of typing it is a bit of a pain - you have to remember to press, not push, the keys. I recently bought the Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard - a small Bluetooth keyboard that comes with it's own cover, making it extremely portable. As an added bonus it has a little switch that allows it to pair not only with Windows devices but also Android and iPad/iPhone devices. The keyboard is small, but it's far easier to type on it for long periods than the touch keyboard. Along with the keyboard I also got the Microsoft Wedge Touch mouse. Also a Bluetooth device, it's small and yes, wedge shaped. Despite it's diminutive size it actually feels quite comfortable in your hand. The two are a great travelling pair. I'm sure I will be taking them to meetings and when we go on vacations. Why didn't I get the Microsoft Type cover and the ARC Touch mouse that they always show paired with the Surface tablets? Because the Type cover costs $129.99 and the ARC Touch mouse costs $59.99. That's over $200 with taxes. My little set cost me just half that. And I can use them with my ASUS Memo Pad HD 173 Android tablet (it's a 7" tablet that I use to play Minecraft on!) which is a total bonus in my books.<br />
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If I were on a tight budget and wondering how best to get setup up with some kind of device that I could write on, be creative on, and connect to the world with ... I think this combination I've put together would be it. The long battery life, the build quality, the size. It's not buggy - I'm not worried when I press the power button ... I know it will work. It's simple to use - Walter and Manuel don't have any difficulty using it. It's portable and with the long battery life I can go all day without it dying on me.<br />
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Would I love to have the Surface Pro 3 and all it's cool accessories? Of course, but I don't need to spend that kind of money to enjoy what I've got here.<br />
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<em>I typed this whole blog post using the Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard and Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse. No hassles encountered.</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-31631359630166899462014-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:002014-11-30T10:33:38.821-08:00Saving on Black FridayI'm not an American and I don't live in the US. I'm a Canadian living in Canada. Like most Canadians I live very close to the border that runs between Canada and the US. Because of that proximity, the US tends to be a big influencer. Take Black Friday. We don't <em>technically</em> have a Black Friday in Canada. Our Thanksgiving occurs way back in early October. But we hear and see all about it, and over the last few years it has started to become incorporated in businesses north of the border.<br />
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The draw of big savings is hard to avoid. Everywhere you see and hear about savings, savings, savings.<br />
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I was able to snag the biggest savings of all. I stayed away. I stayed away from the stores, both physically and via the internet. By not shopping I didn't spend any money which gave me a big 100% savings.<br />
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Did you also save big? Good for you!honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-48669158514230306002014-10-31T21:00:00.000-07:002014-11-30T12:02:26.323-08:00Halloween 2014Yes, Halloween is over now. We've gathered up all the decorations ...<br />
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... and the last of the bats have been caught ...<br />
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... and everything has been boxed up for another year.<br />
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But everyone has been asking for a look at Walter's costume. He wanted to be a guinea pig this year. We bought the fake fur from the fabric store. Felt and fingerless gloves from the dollar store, and some scissor and sewing action from Mommy made it happen.<br />
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The fingerless gloves were the paws.<br />
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You can see how effective they were at making Walter act the part of a guinea pig.<br />
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The guinea pig face was two pieces of felt cut into a mask shape, sewed together with thick cotton thread, and some fur fabric remnants as ears.<br />
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Walter <em>loved</em> his costume even though I thought I could have done a better job.<br />
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Another costume stored away.<br />
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Do you ever re-use your costumes?honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-30848923726469289622014-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-25T15:25:01.663-07:00Family Retreat on Vancouver IslandWe spent the Victoria Day long weekend away at a family retreat with a huge group of families from Walter's Out of School Care group (in Canada <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Day" target="_blank">Victoria Day</a> falls on the last Monday before May 25th - this year that was May 19th). There must have been over 300 parents and kids relaxing, challenging themselves and each other, and eating. Occasionally, they let us sleep!<br />
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<em>Be warned, this is photo-heavy ... but oh so beautiful ...</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.qwanoes.ca/" target="_blank">Camp Qwanoes</a>, near Crofton, on Vancouver Island.<br />
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There were various accommodations to choose from.<br />
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Cabins ...<br />
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Treehouses (unfortunately, not open at this time of year) ... <br />
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and dorm rooms ...<br />
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The advantage of the dorm rooms was that they were heated, had indoor plumbing (including showers), and relatively comfortable sleeping ... they <em>were</em> made up of multiple bunk beds, but heah, this is a camp that tends to see a huge number of teenagers each year and bunk beds hold a lot of people. We chose a dorm room.<br />
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For me, it was about the beauty of the surrounding area. Despite my height-induced vertigo these stairs led to a beautiful expanse of ocean.<br />
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The view beyond the stairs ...<br />
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With the tide out it was a great place for wandering and gazing off ...<br />
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From Manuel's perspective it was all about the climbing challenges. He managed three quite different, but way-up-in-the-sky ones.<br />
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First up, the Elevator challenge, so called because of that rectangle floating way up in the sky (an old elevator shaft metal frame).<br />
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Manuel climbed up it so fast ...<br />
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I barely had time ...<br />
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to frame my pictures. And then? He had reached the top! Apparently, he broke their record :)<br />
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After coming off of that he decided to try a simpler wall climb.<br />
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After climbing the easy and medium walls on this, the difficult wall defeated him because the stones were so far apart that he wasn't tall enough to do it. I think, with practice, he would learn how to overcome that kind of obstacle.<br />
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He took the rest of the day off (!), but was back at it again the following day with the Sky Scrapper challenge. Because of my height issues another parent partnered up with Manuel (you had to be in pairs to ensure you clamped on and off properly).<br />
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Not sure which of these pictures shows just how high up they went. There were three levels. Originally, they were going to start on level three and work their way down, but Manuel's partner realized how daunting it was once they got to the second level, so they worked their way around that one.<br />
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Crazy! Manuel said it was really hard work and doing just that one level was good enough.<br />
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We were exhausted, and coming home to a softer bed was heaven.<br />
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Walter wants to go again next year ... I guess we have a year to re-energize.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-89405134709478031802014-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-14T08:00:08.565-07:00Dehydrating ApplesA friend of the family has an apple farm in the Okanagan. We always purchase a few boxes from them, and they generously let us pick several more boxes for free. Last fall we ended up with 12 boxes of apples. I don't know if you can appreciate how many apples that is. We are just now on our last box. We've given a lot away, eaten an apple a day every day all winter long, made pies, applesauce, apple crisps, lately we've thrown out way too many bad apples (so sad), and recently I pulled out my dehydrator to see what I could do to save some of those apples.<br />
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You can, of course, make fruit leather with a dehydrator. I didn't. I was too lazy, which is likely why it's taken me this long to get the dehydrator out. I could make excuses - there was lawn furniture in the way all winter long. But really? It just seemed such a bother. In any case, I finally got out my handy-dandy <a href="http://www.londondrugs.com/Nesco-American-Harvest-700-watts-Food-Dehydrator---FD80/L3256484,default,pd.html?start=12&q=nesco" target="_blank">Nesco dehydrator</a>.<br />
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I bought it a few years back when I had big plans to dehydrate everything we were getting from the family farm (which was so much produce a lot was going bad before we could use it). Dehydrating is a great concept. Simply slice your fruit or vegetables into similar sizes/thicknesses. Place in your dehydrator and let the machine slowly dry the food. The problem is, of course, how long it takes. You have to realize - I'm used to waiting a bit when making bread. It's not like I don't have some patience. But dehydrating? Man, it takes <em>forever</em>. I did have a great piece of equipment for peeling, coring, and slicing my apples (10 seconds per apple!). Another Lee Valley item, the <a href="http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=45729&cat=2,40733,44734,45729" target="_blank">apple peeler</a> (catchy name, eh?).<br />
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The nine apples that I could fit in the dehydrator were ready in a couple of minutes. Laying the apple slices out on the six trays of the dehydrator was another few minutes. Plugging it in. No problem. Then, waiting. A whole day later (from 6 PM Saturday night to 6 PM Sunday night). 24 hours is what it took.<br />
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They look pretty, in a dehydrated kind of way.<br />
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But ... that's a lot of time listening to the hum of a dehydrator for two jars of dried apples that likely could be eaten in a single afternoon of snacking.<br />
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Would I dehydrate apples again? Yes, but likely not a boxful since that would take a full week of running the dehydrator to get it done. Perhaps 2-3 days tops is all I could likely stand.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-83956816726487396982014-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-12T20:44:27.413-07:00Popcorn Without a Microwave
If you are of a certain age you will likely remember making popcorn on the stove top. Some oil in the pot, add the kernels, put the lid on, and start shaking vigorously so those kernels wouldn't burn. If you were smart, you would start the butter melting before beginning this process so that it would be ready to pour over your popped kernels.<br />
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Nowadays, most people just grab a box of microwave popcorn while doing their grocery shopping. Those microwave popcorn bags are so easy - a couple of minutes in the microwave and you have a piping hot bag of popcorn, all self-contained. Eat and toss the bag. Nothing to wash up except, perhaps, your fingers. And, as long as you don't eat too many bags a day, likely fairly safe. Not great for the environment, but oh so tempting.<br />
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Except, we don't have a microwave. Yes, you read right. We don't have a microwave. When we bought our house it didn't come with one. Although we had one in the townhouse, it wasn't used too much ... except for making popcorn. Once we read about <a href="http://www.theweek.co.uk/health-science/49132/what-popcorn-lung-and-how-dangerous-movie-snack" target="_blank">popcorn lung</a>, we really didn't want to use it for that either. So, new house, no microwave. No problem. After reading how little difference there was between heating water on a <a href="http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cooking.html" target="_blank">stove or in a microwave</a> (we're talking 0.087 kWh for a microwave compared to 0.095 kWh on a stove top), it wasn't about money savings. Time is certainly a savings from the microwave perspective, but if you plan things right there really isn't much difference there either.<br />
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Does this mean we no longer eat popcorn? Of course we do! In fact, a couple of Christmas seasons back Santa gave the family the best present ever - he got us the <a href="http://www.leevalley.com/en/gifts/page.aspx?p=64273&cat=4,53214,64273" target="_blank">Lee Valley Whirley-Pop popcorn popper</a>. With this popper we can have popcorn in approximately 3 1/2 minutes.<br />
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1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup popcorn kernels into the Whirley-Pop. On the stovetop, medium-high, turning that little handle ever so slowly. The sizzle of steam, and a few seconds later the kernels begin to pop. At that point, we just turn the stove off and we're done. It's that simple. <em>I'd show you how much we get, but it gets eaten so quickly it's hard to even capture some of the finished product (those orange bits are grated cheese!).</em><br />
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We make popcorn at least once a week. Friday night is popcorn dinner night :) ... by Friday I just don't have it in me to be creative in the kitchen. I want a break, but I don't want to order in. Popcorn is a fairly nutritious food source, if made right. High fiber, high protein. The grated cheese adds more protein and dairy. We often have this with a fruit smoothie to balance everything out. The perfect lazy end to the week.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-91365516916124468582014-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-07T07:22:04.240-07:00Learning the Art of Bread MakingI have been making bread for many years now. Sometimes with success, sometimes ... well, the results haven't always made me happy. With the recent purchase of my <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2014/01/and-winner-is.html" target="_blank">Bosch Universal Plus Mixer</a> (four months and counting!) I have not had a failure. Is it the machine or have I been slowly learning the art - and science - of bread making?<br />
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Bread, at it's essence, is the simple marriage of wet (water, milk) with the dry (flour, salt, sugar). The leavening agent (yeast) along with some lubricant (oil, butter) brings the happy union together. The heat of the oven finishes things off. The result? Heaven. Yet, making bread scares most of us. I know it did me for many years. Bread can be temperamental. It needs to be worked to bring out the glutens in such a manner that the yeast will properly marry to it. Only then will you get the proper rise required for a delicious loaf of bread. Kneading, so required for that success, is something learned over time.<br />
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I have to give credit to my <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2012/10/homemade-pizza-it-really-is-easy.html" target="_blank">pizza making recipe</a> for teaching me how to knead. The recipe created a small enough amount of dough that I was able to learn how to knead. I learned the right look and feel of the dough. The soft touch that meant the dough was ready to be rested.<br />
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Having learned how to knead, the Bosch has given me the ability to vastly increase the amount of dough I can make at one time. A recipe that makes 2-3 loaves of bread can easily be doubled. The machine takes care of the arduous task of kneading. I simply look on. I <em>do</em> clean up, but am always drawn back to the Bosch. I stare at the mixing dough, seeing it pull away from the sides of the bowl, being kneaded by the dough hook. I occasionally stop the machine and touch the dough. Too sticky? I gently add a bit more flour and let the kneading continue. After 10 or so minutes I stop my Bosch and do a final touch of the dough. Soft, pliable, but not sticky? Perfect. I pull it out, giving it just a bit more kneading by hand. Then into an oiled bowl, turning the dough over to make sure it's coated. Covered with a tea towel, I place it in the oven for 40-70 minutes of proofing.<br />
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The proofing is when the dough rests and grows. it should double. There is nothing more magical then seeing your dough doubled. Success. You kneaded the dough perfectly. Once doubled, you take it out ... and pound the dough, shrinking it back to somewhere halfway between it's doubled size and it's original size. At this point there are so many things you can do with it. Pizza shells, buns, breads, cinnamon rolls, twists.<br />
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With a doubled recipe I usually do three loaves of bread and use the remaining dough for treats. I've made cinnamon rolls, hot dog buns, rolls, and pizza. Bread sticks are always fun for a change.<br />
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I want to share with you one of the recipes I have been using recently. It's the culmination of 3-4 recipes from various sources, tweaked until the resulting dough works for me. You might want to tweak it a bit yourself, so that it becomes yours.<br />
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<em>One special note - please use yeast from a jar. Those individual packages? I've NEVER made great bread with those.</em><br />
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Ingredients</h3>
Water, warm - 1 cup<br />
Active Dry Yeast - 4 1/2 teaspoons<br />
Sugar - 2 teaspoons<br />
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Water, warm - 4 cups<br />
Salt - 3 to 4 teaspoons<br />
Sugar - 1/2 to 2/3 cup<br />
Oil - 1/4 cup<br />
Flour, whole wheat or rye - 2 cups<br />
Vital Wheat Gluten - 1 tablespoon<br />
Flour, unbleached all-purpose - 12 cups<br />
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This recipe is for a double batch. If you and your mixer can't handle this amount feel free to cut everything in half. No worries. <em>Note also, my instructions will be for the Bosch.</em><br />
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First, place the first 1 cup of warm water and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the mixer bowl. Swirl with your fingers to blend together. Add the yeast and swirl again, so that the yeast is wet. Cover and let rest for approximately five minutes. While this is happening, measure out the remainder of your ingredients.<br />
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Once the yeast mixture has become frothy, you can continue. In a separate bowl mix the remaining 4 cups of warm water, salt, sugar, and oil. Mix and add to the mixer bowl. Pulse to combine. Next add the whole wheat or rye flour and the vital wheat gluten. <em>If you are using only white flour you probably won't need the vital wheat gluten. It's useful when using flours that need more protein, providing an improvement in the texture and elasticity of the dough.</em> Pulse to combine. Add approximately 4 cups of the regular flour and start the mixer on 1. Watch as the dough hook stirs the ingredients. Slowly add more flour. The mixture will start to thicken and the kneading begins. Continue adding flour, slowly, until the dough leaves the sides of the mixer bowl clean. Now let the mixer knead for another 5-10 minutes. Check the dough occasionally to see if it's too sticky. If it is, add just a little more flour (perhaps 1/4 cup at a time). You don't want to add too much flour - then you'll have a dry, unmanageable lump of dough. A little sticky is better than too dry.<br />
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Determining when enough kneading has occurred takes some practice. The dough shouldn't be sticky. It should feel as soft as a babies bum. Take the bowl off the machine. Pull out the shaft from underneath and remove the dough hook. Pull the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. <br />
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Knead just a few times to make sure the dough is at the right consistency. If it isn't, you'll have to do a bit more kneading by hand. Place the dough into an oiled bowl that will provide enough room for doubling of the dough. Make sure the dough is rolled around in the oil so that all the surfaces are oiled. An un-oiled dough will dry and crack and this cracked surface is impossible to remove or re-incorporate into the dough. <br />
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Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a draft-free place. (Dough doesn't like to get cold ... cold slows the doubling time.) I like to place my dough in my oven. This keeps it warm, and safe. Set the timer for 40 minutes. At the 40 minute mark check the dough. If it's doubled, great. If not estimate how much longer. Sometimes it can take a total of 60-70 minutes. For dough with more whole wheat/rye it can take longer. In the winter dough takes longer to rise then during the summer months. Wet weather, dry weather ... all types of weather will effect your dough.<br />
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Once the dough has doubled take it out of the bowl. Place it on your counter and pound it down. you aren't beating the life out of the dough, more like pressing the excess air out of it. It shouldn't shrink down to it's original size, but somewhere between. Now, you can cut it into pieces for various baking items. This amount of dough will make 4-6 loaves of bread. I only have two loaf pans so I always make two loafs of bread, I use a square cake pan for a square loaf, and perhaps the rest of the dough becomes rolls or breadsticks placed on a cookie sheet ... or I might roll it out for a couple of large-sized pizzas. For the bread pans and cookie sheets a light oil will prevent the bread from sticking. I place these filled pans on top of my stove and cover everything with tea towels. While the dough rests and rises again I heat the oven to 350F. Usually 25-30 of rising is all that is necessary. <em>For the pizza dough, no rising is necessary - once you've rolled it out you can put your sauce, toppings, and cheese and bake at 425F for approximately 20 minutes.</em> For the rest of the breads, 25-40 minutes of baking at the aforementioned 350F will do.<br />
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I hope you try your hand at bread making. Once learned, a whole new world of baking is possible. You'll be released from ever needing to buy store-bought, plastic-wrapped bread from the grocery store. You'll <em>know</em> what your bread contains. You'll actually be able to pronounce every ingredient. You'll be able to create something wonderful that you can share with friends and family.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-54343860713031607532014-05-04T18:00:00.000-07:002014-05-04T21:24:42.474-07:00Taking a Break from BakingIt's been one of those weekends where the weather tends to keep you shut up inside. Useful for getting laundry and housework done. Certainly gives you time for baking ... but even the lovely smell of baking bread wasn't enough to keep us inside for ever. Halfway through the afternoon the rain let up and we all decided we needed some fresh air, if only for a short time. So, we headed over to a nearby beach for a very windy walk along the shoreline.<br />
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Sometimes, even a short break is worth it.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-12202878659707148882014-04-14T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-20T21:45:17.772-07:00My Microsoft Surface RTYou may wonder why I recently purchased a Microsoft Surface RT. I have an HP Pavilion g7 laptop as my main home computer for writing this blog, paying bills, doing work from home, and surfing the net. It's what I use to edit my photos, and to email friends, family, and colleagues. It's been my go-to device for a couple of years now. It does it's job well and I have been, in general, quite happy with it.<br />
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It really all started with Manuel getting a new laptop to replace the old Toshiba laptop we'd had since 2006. The one that accidentally got beer on it's keyboard within the first week of ownership (which would have been OK except that Manuel and his friend Rick decided to use some special product that Rick used at work to help dry electronic parts ... except it literally melted the keyboard, making the down arrow obsolete from that point on - a bone of contention for me throughout the years we used the Toshiba). Manuel's new laptop was a fairly low-cost piece that came loaded with Windows 8. It's one great feature was a touchscreen monitor that <em>everyone</em> liked. But in the early days I was uncomfortable with the whole modern Metro User Interface (UI). From my Windows 7 experience it just felt all wrong. As the resident IT person for our house it was me that had to learn how to deal with it. I managed, but I didn't use it much in the beginning. But as time went on and I had more time with it I began to understand that Metro UI. I began to realize it was just brilliant. I could touch the screen for some actions and still use my mouse or touchpad for other actions. They co-mingled perfectly. There even came a point when I would be at my HP and accidentally touch the screen when I should have been using my mouse. I became frustrated that I <em>only</em> had a mouse and touchpad. I was ... jealous. The modern Metro UI that frustrated me so much in the beginning I now loved and longed for. It was simple and elegant. I loved that you could build the desktop to reflect your needs and design style. I <em>wanted</em> it for myself, but I had a perfectly working laptop. Sigh.<br />
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Now into Fall 2013 Manuel's old cell phone was barely working. That's when I started toying with the Windows phones. After much deliberation I bought myself a pre-paid cell phone - <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/12/catching-up-and-choosing-new-cell-phone.html" target="_blank">the Nokia 520</a>, a basic entry level Windows phone - so that I could test it out to see if it would work for Manuel. I liked it enough to encourage Manuel to buy one. He did and we became of family of Windows cell phone owners.<br />
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Those two cell phones were the beginning of my true infatuation with the Windows 8 eco-system of cell phones, tablets, and PCs. I started using my cell phone all the time - reading my emails, keeping our calendars up-to-date (I loved the family room concept that allowed Manuel and I to share not only conversations and photos, but to keep a synchronized calendar between us). It was the place I went to when I wanted to read the news (Huffington Post, Flipboards, Bing News, etc.). It came out at meetings at work, was in hand during weekly grocery shopping with the Simply Shopping app I had downloaded for free. I liked the Windows Store - it wasn't as over-crowded as the Google Play Store. I was able to find everything that I needed to make the phone useful, and fun. And, of course, those Nokia off-line maps. Wonderful.<br />
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I was so into the Nokia 520 that I started to fantasize about using it to maintain my blog. I tried ... but with only 4" of screen and no solid keyboard I came to the conclusion that it really wasn't a real option. Close - I could just manage to create a brief text based entry, but not sustainable.<br />
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At the same time, my old trusty <a href="http://store.archos.com/archos-internet-tablet-p-5003.htm?id=5003" target="_blank">Archos 43</a> tablet wasn't doing well. I'd had it since 2008. It had served me well. But it's aging 2.3 Android OS was clearly showing it's age, and Walter had banged the screen in his eagerness a few too many times.<br />
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I was thinking about something to replace the Archos 43. I toyed with getting an Apple iPad, but just didn't want to fork out that kind of money knowing that Walter would be using it. I considered just getting a cheap Android tablet that he and I could share. I so wished that Nokia had a tablet since I really liked the Nokia 520 cell phone. Although there were rumours while I was researching my options there wasn't anything available in the Canadian market at the time. That's when I started thinking about the Microsoft Surface. I had initially read such bad things about it. It seemed everyone thought the RT OS was just a bad concept, and the initial cost for the Surface made it as expensive as an Apple. But, by the end of January 2014 the prices were dropping on the Surface, and I was starting to find some people who like the RT. I also found out there were two styles of Surface - the RT/2 and the Pro/Pro 2. Because I was thinking about sharing it with Walter I liked the idea of the RT - a closed OS that didn't allow users to simply download and install anything they wanted. It meant I wouldn't have to worry so much about Walter did. And, just like with the Nokia 520, I wanted to see what I could do with the lowest level model - the <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/Surface/productID.283430200" target="_blank">Microsoft Surface RT</a>. I was able to purchase the 64G version at an educational discount for under $300. I knew I wanted to get a keyboard with it - I wasn't sure whether to go with the touch or the type. Again, I figured I would go low-end (touch) to see if I could make it work. The touch and type keyboards act as a cover for the screen which makes them wonderful double-duty devices.<br />
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There were posts complaining about the quality of the Surface RT screen (something much improved on the Surface 2) - I haven't had a problem with it. The screen resolution is just fine. Others complained that it could be sluggish in rendering websites - again, I find it just fine (and I work with some fairly high-end computers at work, so I know what fast should look like). I love the built-in kickstand which makes it a wonderful stand-in for a laptop.<br />
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The keyboard that I was worried about is an interesting experience. You don't slam the keys with the pads of your fingers - you press them. The keyboards come in multiple colours - Walter asked me to choose white. I like that it can be easily pulled away (it's held in place with strong magnets) when you just want to hold the tablet - so versatile.<br />
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Not only am I fine with typing on the touch keyboard, I actually enjoy it, and find that my carpal tunnel pain is less of a problem with it.<br />
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The Surface RT/2 comes pre-installed with Office. With the update to Windows 8.1 it even gets Outlook. So, I'm able to keep up with my work, as well as maintain content for my blog. I use the included OneNote to maintain notes and ideas. Since I keep many of my OneNote notebooks in the Microsoft OneDrive (nee SkyDrive) I have up-to-date content that's accessible at work, on my cell phone, on my laptop, and on the Surface - WOW!<br />
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When I'm done working, I can also enjoy Netflix or any number of games ... many free for download from the Microsoft Store. I can easily connect my Surface to our TV HDMI connectors, and with an Xbox PC controller we can have large-screen play time. I love that I can monitor Walter's access time with the Family Safety feature - it even sends me weekly reports to let me know how he spent his time.<br />
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If we were replacing our old Toshiba laptop today I would totally by-pass the laptops for Manuel and get him a Surface. It's just so practical for so many of life's everyday needs. When my HP laptop goes I will likely replace it with a Surface Pro (you <em>do</em> need the Pro level if you want to load software beyond the scope of the Windows Store). The Pro would allow me to install Photoshop Elements and Lightroom - two software packages I use quite a bit. Yes, I could definitely see us becoming a three-Surface family in the future.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-71272229027986009222014-04-11T08:00:00.000-07:002014-04-11T09:22:28.568-07:00Kruppa Joe - Our New Coffee MachineI'm sitting here writing this while sipping my wonderful cup of hot coffee made with our new coffee machine. Yes, after months of researching everything to do with making a cuppa Joe and going into countless stores to check out the display models we finally, unexpectedly, found the perfect coffee machine for our needs - The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/KRUPS-Precision-Programmable-Selection-Stainless/dp/B006LIAK5K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397226639&sr=8-1&keywords=krups+km+611d" target="_blank">KRUPS KM611D Automatic Drip Coffee Machine</a>.<br />
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<br />
We had gone to Costco's to buy one of those huge packs of toilet paper and, of course, like everyone else we wandered the aisles looking at things we didn't really need. Down one of the aisles we saw a couple of coffee machines, including the KRUPS. We lifted the lid, pulled out the carafe. 12 cups capacity - check. Strong brew - check. Finally, we checked the price $57. Hmmm ... nothing too fancy, but at that price it wouldn't hurt our bank account either. And really, having to keep things closed with a <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2014/02/hario-fancy-pants-coffee-grinder.html" target="_blank">piece of string</a> was getting old.<br />
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BAM! Done. And we couldn't be happier.<br />
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honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-18011208680047408412014-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:002014-04-08T20:38:23.312-07:00Why I Blog
I've been wanting to
write a post since … forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can't
believe how much time has passed since my last one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There's just so much I need and want to do in
my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There's a fulltime job, a
child to raise, a husband to connect with, a home to keep <span style="font-style: italic;">somewhat</span> clean, meals to cook, baking I want
to try out, DIY and crafty projects begging for attention, and a garden to
tend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, of course, time for friends
and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know how people can
juggle it all, consistently, on-going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it pains me because I enjoy creating this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Developing new ideas, building the content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it's work, but it's different from my
day job in such a fundamental way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There's no set agenda - I create it, I decide everything.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
All this fretting
got me thinking about why I enjoy blogging because it does add stress and work
to an already full existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized
there are at least three compelling reasons why I feel committed to this blog -
income, frugality, and creativity.</div>
<br />
<h3 style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
INCOME</h3>
Manuel and I have
good paying jobs with wonderful benefits, and a strong pension plan to draw
from when we retire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don't <span style="font-style: italic;">need</span> more money (although extra money is
always welcome in paying down the mortgage) … we do just fine on what comes
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are no guarantees in life
that tomorrow will be the same as today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We could lose our jobs, there could be some natural disaster (we do live
on the West Coast of Canada and an earthquake is a real possibility), one of
our vehicles could need major repairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You just never know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Developing
and growing new skills is just a smart idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It gives you more flexibility in adjusting to changes that can come your
way.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
The blog allows me
to think beyond my day job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It grants me
the opportunity to stretch my skills, to learn new concepts, and to try
different ideas out without worrying about failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the skills I've learned definitely
have the potential to bring in income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That's a total win for me.</div>
<br />
<h3 style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
FRUGALITY</h3>
It might sound
strange to follow income with frugality, but they do go hand in hand.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
There are two ways
of growing income - being paid more, or doing with less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of working harder and harder we can
choose to alter our life expectations so that we don't need as much money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By learning to develop frugal skills I'm also
working on that idea of you never know what tomorrow might bring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we lose one or both of our incomes having
learned some frugal skills will definitely come in handy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also love the challenge of seeing how I can
save money without feeling cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And,
there is the added benefit of having a gentler footprint on the Earth since
many frugal ideas include recycling, reusing, and reducing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another win in my books.</div>
<br />
<h3 style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
CREATIVITY</h3>
I love being
creative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was the kid with the huge
Lego set who could build and re-build for hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm the one who loved drawing and
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who saved her money so
that I could buy a 4-track machine to record music that I wrote and sang.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Having a grown-up
job, with a family that I'm responsible to has meant me dropping many of the
creative outlets I had when I was a young adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blog gives me the freedom to delve back
into that creative stream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love that -
being able to photograph, to write, to design.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coming up with ideas to try out at home, and then showing how I did
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's one of the biggest wins for me.</div>
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<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
There are other,
lesser reasons for wanting to write a blog, but these three are definitely the
most compelling for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that in
mind, I've got my creative energy revving and am planning future posts about …
our new coffee machine (yes, we finally committed to one!), my decision to buy
a Microsoft Surface RT (I wrote this blog post on it), and a baking challenge.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">Do you have multiple sources of income or have you
learned some frugal methods to help reduce your need for more income?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you bring creativity into your life?</span></div>
honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-69504294395152361382014-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:002014-02-09T08:00:01.614-08:00Hario - The Fancy Pants Coffee GrinderI used <em>frugality</em> as a label for this post which some of you might think is funny or just simply wrong, considering the title of this post. But hear me out.<br />
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We have had a few coffee grinders over the years. Our current setup includes a <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Proctor-Silex-E160B-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00006IUX5" target="_blank">Proctor Silex coffee grinder</a>. it's OK. Manuel likes it, but I find it a bit irritating because you can't get a uniform grind - it's all by look and feel. Manuel often over grinds and I definitely under-grind. This over/under scenario can leave us with coffee results that are lacklustre ... so sad because we really love our coffee.<br />
<br />
While I was researching for our new Windows Phones (and Nokia's in particular) I happened open Andrew Kim's <a href="http://www.minimallyminimal.com/" target="_blank">Minimally Minimal</a> blog. You might disagree with his views on certain products, but this 22 year old visual designer from Microsoft can truly open your eyes to the concept of design and esthetics ... to form and function. I love how he writes about objects that we use and, sometimes, lust for. So, after reading his post on the <a href="http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/nokia-lumia-1020" target="_blank">Nokia 1020</a> I continued to read through his blog. Which is how I happened to read about the <a href="http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/hario-skerton-ceramic-coffee-mill" target="_blank">Hario Skerton</a> ceramic coffee mill. At the time we weren't even thinking about getting a new coffee grinder, but after reading Andrew's post I got curious ... and then forgot about it.<br />
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Just before Christmas we were in Crate and Barrel in Oakridge and I happened to see the Hario.<br />
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At $50 CAD it wasn't cheap, but it was beautiful and well made. Andrew's post had already convinced me that it would be a wonderful grinder to own, and because it's manual and doesn't require electricity to use I figured it was both frugal and practical. I could even take it when we went camping since it wouldn't require power.<br />
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It's taken me a bit of time to get the perfect grind. Since you have to remove the knob at the base of the handle, remove the handle, and a little metal footer beneath the handle before you can manually adjust the coarseness/fineness of your grind it does take time to arrive at the perfect grind. I finally reached that yesterday. Wonderful.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm thinking we need a new coffee machine. Why, you ask? You see that string? That's holding the basket from flinging open. The clips been broken for eons. We have to shake the lid of the thermo pot to make sure it's moving - if we don't we often get freshly brewed coffee all over the place (and none in the pot) ... which is why the coffee machine is placed inside a tray. Yes, it's decorative, but it's real function is to contain that overflowing coffee. That tray saves us at least 1-2 a month.<br />
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<br />
I've been contemplating the <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Technivorm-Moccamaster-KBG-741-AO-Coffee-Polished/dp/B0055P70MQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1391900405&sr=1-2&keywords=technivorm" target="_blank">Technivorm</a>, a made in the Netherlands coffee machine that is supposed to make <em>the</em> perfect cup of home brewed coffee. I've hesitated because it's about $400 CAD. Is it really worth that much? Despite the string on our machine, it still makes a good pot of coffee ... when we get the grind right. We've been looking around for several months now and can't decide. Go cheap and get average coffee or take a chance on an expensive machine?<br />
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<em>What do you use to grind coffee? How far are you willing to go to make the perfect cuppa?</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-32899865526707513262014-02-08T08:00:00.001-08:002014-04-15T10:47:41.897-07:00Bosch Sugar CookiesI have a ton of cookbooks, but I'm finding I use the internet more these days when selecting a recipe to use. I tend to use my cookbooks to figure out meal plans, flipping through the pages to get inspiration.<br />
<br />
This recipe comes from the place I bought my Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer, <a href="http://healthykitchens.com/making_sugar_cookies.html" target="_blank">Healthy Kitchens</a>. It's great to get some actual Bosch-centric recipes because the machine is capable of making large batches of almost anything and having a recipe ready to use that volume makes it a no brainer.<br />
<br />
I loved making these cookies. It took me about five-seven minutes in total to mix them, separate them into batches, roll them, and put them in the freezer. Not bad, eh? <br />
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<h4>
Ingredients:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Butter, room temperature - 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups)</li>
<li>Sugar - 2 1/4 cups</li>
<li>Eggs, room temperature - 4 large</li>
<li>Sour Cream - 1/2 cup (I used yogurt)</li>
<li>Vanilla Extract - 1 tablespoon</li>
<li>Flour - 8 cups (I used 1 cup whole wheat flour, and the remainder unbleached all-purpose)</li>
<li>Baking Powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons</li>
<li>Salt - 1 teaspoon</li>
</ul>
Put the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.<br />
<br />
If you have them, use the cookie paddles as they can definitely handle the firmer dough more easily. If you don't have them start with the batter whisks and switch to the dough hook once you start adding the dry ingredients.<br />
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Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes, scraping at the 1 minute mark. Add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape after mixing in the second egg. Add in the vanilla extract. Next, put in half the flour mixture. Mix. Add in the sour cream. Mix. Add in the last of the flour. Do one final mix.<br />
<br />
Remove the bowl and turn & pull the cookie paddles to remove them. I divided the dough into four, rolling them into long logs, and wrapped them in wax paper. I put the logs on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer. <br />
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The other morning I grabbed a roll while making our lunches and baked a batch before heading out to work (375F for 12 minutes). Being able to have freshly baked, homemade bakery items is a total win for us. Knowing what the ingredients are is great, and going this route saves us so much money.<br />
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I'd say I could easily get 8 dozen mid-sized cookies from this recipe. You could easily make changes to the recipe to create different flavours - lemon zest instead of vanilla extract, some chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Candied fruit for a Christmas cookie.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-41794979252968601352014-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:002014-04-15T10:48:28.621-07:00My Bosch Universal PlusI've had my Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer for just over a month and thought it would be a good time to give you a review of it.<br />
<br />
First, I have to say I'm really happy with my choice. When I first got it I wondered if I should have gone for the smaller one, but the Universal Plus has been perfect. It has a permanent spot on the kitchen counter next to our coffee maker, ready to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJccZR5YxfTVmoDhddi4uYsDZ0ViD6k0azsChzlhI2UGg2RXBovCZ3zqeaK0WvcFh-wo84mgysNmlYcOJnkPfqqkEKD-IGAYwBZ-EryPNFy2xrcyTa_J9TZ3ZT038bMse2O96yrn_F1isE/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJccZR5YxfTVmoDhddi4uYsDZ0ViD6k0azsChzlhI2UGg2RXBovCZ3zqeaK0WvcFh-wo84mgysNmlYcOJnkPfqqkEKD-IGAYwBZ-EryPNFy2xrcyTa_J9TZ3ZT038bMse2O96yrn_F1isE/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Overview.jpg" /></a></div>
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I do keep the extra attachments in two cardboard boxes that I happened to have around. One of the boxes holds the food processor blades and other attachments necessary for food processing. The other wider and shorter box holds the whips, paddles, and scrapers. These boxes plus the blender attachment sit on top of the fridge, in easy reach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dzws9kxOuc12Qcb8GdZWhuiixf0fIH6Vu8AzrOLApmP_n_kkt9H2GvLal33YAm_rMttWF1Ha-BdS4HswlKQfLQ6SQ9H7dRdFeWpWcJDYgl97PjTF9Qe4a7yEI0XAvV4T7u0NwbgxSCDa/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Accessories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dzws9kxOuc12Qcb8GdZWhuiixf0fIH6Vu8AzrOLApmP_n_kkt9H2GvLal33YAm_rMttWF1Ha-BdS4HswlKQfLQ6SQ9H7dRdFeWpWcJDYgl97PjTF9Qe4a7yEI0XAvV4T7u0NwbgxSCDa/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Accessories.jpg" /></a></div>
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When I was doing my research I read some reviews where people complained about clean up after using it, but I've found it as easy as any prior setup I've used. Since it uses a drive shaft in the centre you do need to pull that out before washing it, but that's simply tilting it slightly to get to the underneath portion - turning the shaft and pulling it out. Here you see the underside with the drive shaft removed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMXhThFWjLMG4-CCrngXp_WyIE3s8ET94dHT2apgwDyuW7uUVdGVF5Nnk7ZitxrEivv2T2VtLgk_5dvwyWcikqlbBB6XR6loRtTvWFOzlDOkH30PCmljazFj8d3ip5A2nTQzMZcrFCB6E/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Underside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMXhThFWjLMG4-CCrngXp_WyIE3s8ET94dHT2apgwDyuW7uUVdGVF5Nnk7ZitxrEivv2T2VtLgk_5dvwyWcikqlbBB6XR6loRtTvWFOzlDOkH30PCmljazFj8d3ip5A2nTQzMZcrFCB6E/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_Underside.jpg" /></a></div>
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Then a quick rinse with warm water and soap and it's done. Nothing really sticks ... I haven't struggled at all to clean it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGJeFfU90FIr3AhrcGIxGOi68Lke1H2VQ1DuaqdD79SY1IsU3SBC8rzbNqEb1GnwOdpueDME9gcFlhwOrXe09RSvpSRbimgLY-vHeXZw1fjANPdPebIMtkPdX79cFMvyYQUeMchMiy2gR/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_InTheSink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGJeFfU90FIr3AhrcGIxGOi68Lke1H2VQ1DuaqdD79SY1IsU3SBC8rzbNqEb1GnwOdpueDME9gcFlhwOrXe09RSvpSRbimgLY-vHeXZw1fjANPdPebIMtkPdX79cFMvyYQUeMchMiy2gR/s1600/Blog_20140208_Bosch_InTheSink.jpg" /></a></div>
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I dry it off with a tea towel, and even roll up the towel so that I can put it into the underside drive shaft spot and turn a bit one way and a bit the other way to pick up any moisture that's managed to get inside. After that I just place it on a tea towel to completely dry. It <i>is</i> important to allow it to completely dry before putting it back together. Since the motor is at the bottom and the drive shaft connects to it you don't want moisture getting into the motor via that connection. A dry bowl ensures that doesn't happen. The one failing I find is that Bosch didn't supply a little cap to put over the connection to prevent anything from getting in there when the bowl isn't in place. I have come up with my own solution - I use a tiny china bowl and invert it over the spot. It fits perfectly, protecting the opening nicely. You can see it in the picture below with the drive shaft laying on it's side in front.<br />
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So, aside from not being supplied with a proper cap to cover the drive shaft connection point I'd have to say this stand mixer is perfect. It is extremely easy to mix anything ... and so quick. You're done in at least half the time.<br />
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I'd give it a 9 out of 10.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-80829788859494026052014-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:002014-02-08T09:31:31.855-08:00Life Lately ...Sorry for not posting for several weeks. Life has been pulling me in all directions and I just haven't been able to carve out any time to write, and take & edit photos. I'm amazed at the people who can publish on their blog 3-5 days a week. I do have a ton of ideas ... I just need to sift through them and select a few!honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-7024869176330366592014-01-13T08:00:00.001-08:002014-01-16T07:49:18.640-08:00Craigslist and Moral IssuesBack on <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/12/craigslist-final-results.html" target="_blank">December 23rd</a> I gave you a final results to my month long adventure in Craigslisting. One of the hi-lights of that post was the full asking price we got for the Honda. It was going to a young man who loved the car. Which made us happy.<br />
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Only, this fairy tale didn't end so happily ever after. A few days after we sold the car the new owner called to say it had stopped working. We thought maybe it was the security system and perhaps the battery had been drained from it. Manuel talked with the guy for a bit and everything seemed fine. Then on New Year's eve we got another call from the new owner. The car wasn't working and he had had a mechanic look at it - the mechanic thought the engine was toast. Ugh! After New Year's Day we got a hold of our mechanic and asked if he could have a look at it. It wasn't that we were obliged to do anything. It's a 24 year old car after all, things can go wrong with old vehicles, and we had sold it in working order. Not our fault. But, we figured we'd just make this gesture and be done with it. Our mechanic looked it over and said it was the timing belt. Unfortunately, the valve was likely bent in the mishap.<br />
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Now, at this point we could have walked. We'd definitely gone beyond what the law would say we were required to do. We sold the car in working order. The buyer bought it without having it checked. His choice. But ... he's a single Dad, just moved from Alberta. Young, inexperienced. We just couldn't leave it like that. So we worked out a price and bought it back from him. Our mechanic is going to fix it, and then we'll decide what to do next. We'll lose some money on it, yes. But we couldn't sleep knowing we hadn't done the right thing. Not the legally required right thing, but the morally right thing. I hope, at some future time, our buyer will in turn help out someone else. It's the way things should happen in a caring society.<br />
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<em>What would you have done?</em><br />
<br />honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-61351102963919371292014-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-13T21:05:48.155-08:00And the Winner Is ...The Bosch Universal Plus.<br />
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I bought it just after I finished writing about <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/12/dreaming-of-stand-mixers.html" target="_blank">all the different stand mixers</a> and how I really didn't <em>need</em> one. I guess writing just made me want one enough that I took the leap of buying it on-line, sight unseen. The order went in on December 30th and I got it the next morning - wow.<br />
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<em>I have to send out a big thank you to </em><a href="http://www.healthykitchens.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthy Kitchens</em></a><em>, the Cowichan Bay based company that I ordered from (that's on Vancouver Island for all those wondering where Cowichan Bay is), and a big thank you to Canada Post for such a speedy delivery.</em><br />
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And what do I think of the Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer? I'm in love - sigh. The first day we made smoothies with the blender attachment, cookies, potato pancakes with the shredder attachment ... oh, and bread! Since then I've made pastry dough, more cookies, cakes, cupcakes, scalloped potatoes, French fries, sweet potato fries, carrot slaw, and sliced apples for two pies. It's just so easy to do ... everything in it. The days have been short so I haven't had a chance to photograph it during daylight hours, but envision it sitting on my kitchen counter ready for action.<br />
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Right now I'm compiling a ton of recipes that I I'd like to try. I'll have to write out some of these recipes for you to try ... but you'll have to get your own Bosch 'cause I'm not sharing mine.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-50348477236153177932013-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:002014-05-20T21:56:08.558-07:00Dreaming of Stand MixersI have been baking by hand since ... forever. We do have an old Betty Crocker hand mixer that I sometimes break out, and my Mom gifted me a Bamix that likely sees more use than the hand mixer. But mostly I mix up ingredients with either a wooden spoon or with my own bare hands. This has worked, but there are recipes I avoid because they would either be impossible or just too difficult. Lately I've been lusting for a stand mixer. You know, those contraptions that sit on your counter, taking up enormous counter real estate. With a flip of a switch they stir your ingredients for you, usually much more efficiently and much quicker. Of course, there's a price to having this luxury which has made me think about if I really need one. While I ponder that, I started researching the various stand mixers available on the market. You know, just in case.<br />
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<h3>
What Do I Need a Stand Mixer to Do?</h3>
Since I'm capable of making cookies, cakes, muffins, pie and bread dough by hand, in these areas I'm looking to see a time savings. Instead of working on dough for one loaf of bread I want a stand mixer that can let me do 3-4 loaves at once in a shorter time frame. I want to be able to whip up egg whites or whipping cream without the walls around me (along with myself) getting splattered. I'd like a stand mixer to have a shredder/slicer attachment so that I can make coleslaw, French fries, hash browns, slice vegetables and fruits for the dehydrator, and slice apples for pies. It would be nice to have a machine that was strong enough to mix batters smooth - a velvety cheesecake would be a dream.<br />
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At the stores around my area I have access to Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Breville, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, Bodum, Kenwood, and Ankarsrum stand mixers. There is also a local distributor for Bosch stand mixers (although these must be ordered on-line). A few of these stand mixers have fairly limited use - if all I want to do is whip some egg whites or mix a cake the Sunbeam, Hamilton Beach, or Bodum would work, but for more difficult tasks, such as heavy cookie batters and bread dough, they would fail. So, I immediately excluded them. The Breville should work, but several tests have shown they can't handle bread dough. Another dropped from the list. That leaves the Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Kenwood, Ankarsrum, and Bosch to consider.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KitchenAid" target="_blank">Kitchenaid</a></h3>
You see Kitchenaid stand mixers everywhere. They have so many different models (and colours) that it can be difficult to know what you are seeing, and what each might be capable of doing. I learned that the Costco Kitchenaid was a slightly different size and most of the extra attachments that Kitchenaid offers wouldn't work with it ... so even though it's a good price it wouldn't be a good choice. I learned from the many articles and reviews I read that Kitchenaid stand mixers aren't great for lots of bread making - bread making really taxes the motor and often will shorten it's life considerably. There are many stories of people fixing their KAs several times before moving on to different makes. Price range: $189.99 (on sale) for the Classic, a 4.5 quart 275 watt machine to $699.99 for the Professional, a 6 quart 575 watt machine. All come with whips, paddle, and dough hook. Some come with bowl shields. Other attachments cost extra.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.cuisinart.ca/cuisinart_product.php?item_id=95&product_id=197&cat_id=18" target="_blank">Cuisinart</a></h3>
Another make you see a lot of in the stores is the Cuisinart stand mixers. Not as much variety as Kitchenaid - there's a 5.5 quart and a 7 quart. The 7 quart only comes in silver, the 5.5 quart comes in silver, white, and black (for some reason the white is always priced the highest). Both provide 800 watts of power. Although they seem to handle dough-making better than the Kitchenaid, some say it likes to dance across the counter while doing so. Also, not as many attachments. It does have a timer which many say is useful. Price range: $279.99 (on sale) for the 5.5 quart (silver) to $444.99 for the 7 quart. Both come with whips, paddle, dough hook, and bowl shields. Other attachments cost extra.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenwood_Chef" target="_blank">Kenwood</a></h3>
There are two models - the Chef (KMC010) and the Chef Major (KMM020). The Chef is a 750 watt machine with a 4.6 litre bowl while the Chef Major is a 800 watt machine with a 6.7 litre bowl. They come with a glass blender and a 5-cup food processor as standard. There are additional attachments to get. People who have them say they last. Price range: $499.99 (on sale) for the Chef to $799.99 for the Chef Major. Both come with whips, paddle, dough hook, bowl shields, glass blender, and food processor. Other attachments cost extra.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.ankarsrumoriginalusa.com/store/pc/Ankarsrum-Original-Mixer-AKM-6220-p7.htm" target="_blank">Ankarsrum</a></h3>
This is a Swedish made stand mixer that has been around since 1940. They have that hip factor, but perhaps a bit too unique for North American sensibilities? They come with 600 watts and a 7 litre bowl. Price range: $799.99 for the standard package which includes lid, dough roller, dough knife, scraper, spatula, cookie whips, dough hook, and a double beater/whisk with a 3.5 litre extra bowl; for $1,174.99 you also get a meat grinder, blender, citrus press, grater, strainer, cookie press, and pasta discs. Other attachments cost extra.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/Bosch_Universal_Plus_Mixer_MUM6N10UC.aspx" target="_blank">Bosch</a></h3>
This is a German engineered, built in Slovenia machine that has been around for a long time. Although Europeans and Asians have access to a wider selection, we North American's only have two choices - The Universal Plus and the Compact. The Universal Plus (model MUM6N10UC) is a 800 watt machine with a 6 1/2 quart bowl capable of handling 15 pounds of dough (this series has been in production since 1950). The Compact (model MUM4405) is a 400 watt machine with a 4 quart bowl capable of handling 6 pounds of dough. Price range: $199.99 for the Compact and $439.99 for the Universal Plus. Other attachments cost extra.<br />
<h3>
Which Would I Choose?</h3>
I'm drawn to the Ankarsrum and Bosch stand mixers. Quality, longevity, and the hip factor are big drawing points for me. The Ankarsrum is just too expensive ... which makes me lean towards the Bosch. But which one - the Universal Plus or the Compact? I've been reading lots of reviews and watching the videos. I'm really struggling here. I love the size factor of the Compact. It would fit so easily on almost any counter top. But the bowl size? Slightly too small. If it had been 5 quarts I'd buy it immediately. 4 quarts means doing more work for extra batches of baking. I'd like to be able to get through more batches quickly so that I can have time with Walter and Manuel. The Universal Plus is so big, but perhaps it's the more sensible choice?<br />
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And, of course, do I need one? No, I don't. I can bake with what I have. My reasons for considering one are to let me make more healthy, homemade products for us to consume while freeing up more of my time. I'm thinking I can save us money by making our own baked goods, and letting me process more of those fruits and vegetables we get in such abundance. I think I could recover the cost of one of these machines within 1-2 years ... maybe even less time if I plan carefully.<br />
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<em>Do you have a stand mixer? Which one? What made you choose it and would you choose it again?</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-64558427574140012522013-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:002013-12-23T17:25:05.896-08:00Craigslist - Final ResultsBack on <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/11/selling-on-craigslist.html" target="_blank">November 15</a> I posted about how I create a Craigslist post, and even gave an example to hi-light some of the points I made. Then, a week later (on <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/11/craigslist-where-im-at-7-days-in.html" target="_blank">November 23</a>) I gave you an update on how things were going. I think it's a good time for a final check-in to see how things have gone.<br />
<ul>
<li>Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55<br /> - Sold in 7 days, sell price $30 (54.5% of asking price)</li>
<li>Summer Extra Wide Extra tall Bedrail - $20<br /> - Sold in 7 days, sell price $15 (75% of asking price)</li>
<li>Combi Stroller - $55<br /> - Sold on December 19, 25 days - sell price $45 (82% of asking price)</li>
<li>Wooden Radio Flyer Rocking Horse - $75<br /> - not sold, no emails/calls - dropped price to $45 since there are a lot of wooden horses for sale at Christmas time</li>
<li>1989 Honda Prelude - $1750<br /> - lot's of interest, several people have come by, continued to get intermittent calls and queries beyond the initial two weeks, and finally sold today after 29 days - sell price $1750 (100% of asking price)</li>
</ul>
That means a total take home of $1840. 4 out of 5 things have sold within the month. Only the car had many calls/queries, and several test drives (and came with a few low-ball offers). The rest of the items sold to the one and only interested caller.<br />
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We've put $1000 into our household account to pay for the upcoming yearly city utility bill. Walter got $90 (I'll try to build in some spending/saving lessons with it). The remainder we split between us adults to do with as we see fit. I'll likely use mine for Christmas groceries and last minute stocking stuffers.<br />
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I have to say selling on Craigslist isn't always so successful. It can take a lot of patience and waiting before you see results.<br />
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<em>I'm actually feeling a sense of loss for the Honda. It was the car Manuel drove me in on our first date. I guess I was more attached than I realized!</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-7352206724922712652013-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:002013-12-21T23:48:49.709-08:00Catching Up, and Choosing a New Cell PhoneIt's been awhile since my last post. At the beginning of November I got the flu shot, went away for the weekend and came back with .. the flu. Ugh. I ended up being off work for a week, and then spent several more weeks with a rough cough. It really put me behind at work and I spent a fair bit of time getting caught up on projects, and coming home bagged at the end of each day. Just as the cough was nearly gone I got a cold and spent this last week again at home. Recovery has been much easier this time, but once again I'm behind with work projects. All this to say my life has been trying, and tiring, and busy, busy, busy.<br />
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It's only a few more days before Christmas and I'm off work for a couple of weeks - a chance to rest and recuperate. I love Christmas and hope to enjoy this time home with friends and family. It's going to be our first Christmas in our new home - a chance to build on family traditions in a new setting.<br />
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Before I got my flu shot and subsequently got sick (not, of course, from the flu shot - that was just a weird coincidence), I was doing research on replacing our cell phones. This research had it's origins almost 2 1/2 years ago, shortly after Manuel and I signed up for corporate cell phone plans with Telus. We both received Nokia E72 cell phones - we'd decided having the same phones would make it easier to share chargers, and make it easier for me to support Manuel (I'm the techie in this household). I really like Nokia cell phones - they work well, the quality is quite good, and I love-love the world-wide maps that are free and don't require data plans to use. Unfortunately, Manuel's cell phone took an untimely swim which damaged it enough to make it inoperable (within a couple of weeks of ownership). Luckily, we had several older cell phones that he managed to use for the next couple of years. Fast forward to this fall when the last available extra cell phone died. Now, we were paying for a cell phone plan that didn't come due until April 2014 and no phone to use for Manuel. I started researching. I learned we could re-new our contracts early and get upgrades. I also learned we could buy cell phones from almost anywhere as long as they were capable of communicating with the Telus network. We weren't sure we wanted to go for another contract (we are considering going pay-as-you-go). That meant we could buy used, buy a pre-paid, or even buy outright a contract phone. I was a little leery of buying a used cell phone. I've noticed a general trend with cell phones of good usage with a sudden, quick degradation before dying. I didn't want to buy something used that was almost at the end of it's life cycle. Buying a contract phone outright was expensive. If we could avoid data plan requirements the full cost was sometimes worth it ... still, $400-800 was a lot of money. That left pre-paid. With pre-paid you aren't getting the top of the line. These are either older models or entry level phones. If you don't need the latest, zippiest, wow-level they can be a great option. Next, I needed to consider the operating system (the OS). I really didn't want an Apple phone. They are too expensive, with built-in obsolescence, and require you to commit to iTunes ... another money grabber. I just didn't want to go there. That left Android and Windows as possible OS choices (I didn't even consider Blackberry - there just wasn't enough positives to consider it a serious contender). Manuel has a Samsung Galaxy S3 at work (Android OS), and I have an older Android tablet (Archos 43). Manuel has a Windows 8 touch-screen laptop at home while I work with Windows 7 at work and on my home laptop. The more I learned about the Windows cell phones the more intrigued I became. Manuel was ambivalent ... but it seemed he'd accept whatever I decided. Telus was selling the Nokia Lumia 520 pre-paid for $150, so I decided that I would try it out and if it seemed OK we'd get Manuel one. It was very simple - the London Drugs person simply cut my SIM card down (most SIM cards have now become micro-sized), and I was ready to go. I even used Bluetooth from my old Nokia E72 to copy over all my contact information and text history in less than a minute. Amazing.<br />
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The experience with the Nokia 520 has been incredible. I was a little worried that the entry-level display would leave me wanting, but my old eyes haven't had a problem with it. I'm loving the tiles - I've organized everything exactly the way I like to work with things. I've downloaded free apps (although there's a complaint that the Windows Store doesn't have as many apps as Google does for Android, comparing 200,000 to 900,000? How many does any one person need?). I've set up a Kid's Corner with games and applications that I feel are appropriate for Walter - this means he can play on my phone without inadvertently calling the Queen. And those Nokia maps? Better than ever. I don't need a data plan or even WiFi access to use them. They work from my cell phone - using triangulation to find me. And it's way faster than my old Nokia E72. I downloaded maps for several Canadian provinces, US states, as well as a couple of European countries. Not only do I have regular map viewings, but also satellite views.<br />
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Manuel now has his own (bought on sale for $89), and a co-worker got one too after seeing mine. We're all happy Nokia Lumia 520 users now.<br />
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honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-56492949441248512572013-11-23T12:00:00.000-08:002013-11-23T21:14:16.510-08:00Craigslist - Where I'm At 7 Days InIt's been a week since I placed my Craigslist ads. I thought I would give you an update of where I'm at.<br />
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The list ended up being slightly different. In my previous post on <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/11/selling-on-craigslist.html" target="_blank">selling on Craigslist</a> I had indicated a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, digital baby scale, and a folding dolly. What I ended up actually putting on Craigslist was a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, wooden rocking horse, and a 1989 Honda Prelude. I decided to hold on to the digital scale for now - it can be used for many things, such as fruit and vegetable weighing, and postal weighing. The dolly will likely get advertised later on. The wooden rocking horse has been sitting around taking up too much space for too long. And the Honda? It's been a great vehicle, but it really doesn't fit our lifestyle anymore.<br />
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So, what prices did I set and what results have I had?<br />
<ul>
<li>Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55 - Sold in 7 days - sell price $30 (54.5% of asking price)</li>
<li>Summer Extra Wide Extra tall Bedrail - $20 - Sold in 7 days - sell price $15 (75% of asking price)</li>
<li>Combi Stroller - $55 - not sold, no emails/calls</li>
<li>Wooden Radio Flyer Rocking Horse - $75 - not sold, no emails/calls</li>
<li>1989 Honda Prelude - $1750 - lot's of interest, several people have come by, no firm offers to date</li>
</ul>
To date I have earned $45. That's $45 more dollars then I had a week ago.honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-58572217029773166512013-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:002014-04-15T10:49:12.518-07:00Apple PieApples, apples. Everywhere apples.<br />
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I've been trying out several pie crust recipes as a means to work through that huge load of apples we have. I think I've finally settled on one ... unfortunately, I can't remember where I got it from. I found the ones that incorporated egg to be a bit chewy, and not flakey enough. This recipe has a very simple list of ingredients. With all pie crusts, the results are very dependent on the execution of the recipe. Cold is your friend - pastry dough loves to be cold. Keep that in mind before considering pie making.<br />
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Pie Crust Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Flour - 2 cups<br />
Salt - pinch<br />
Sugar - 1 tablespoon<br />
Butter, cold - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cubed<br />
Ice/Cold Water - 4 to 8 tablespoons<br />
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Filling Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Apples, peeled, cored, diced - 6, approximately<br />
Sugar - 1/2 cup, approximately<br />
Minute Tapioca - 1 tablespoon<br />
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Start with the pie crust ... you can even do this several days ahead (or keep the unrolled dough in the freezer for longer - just wrap well so it doesn't dry out). Put all the dry ingredients in a good sized bowl. Take your cold, cubed butter and start by tossing them in the dry ingredients. Then, use your fingers to work the butter in. You aren't trying to make the butter blend into the dry ingredients ... rather you are trying to break the butter into smaller pieces with some flour coating added to them. Your goal is coarse crumbs. If you overwork this part you'll end up with pastry that won't be very flakey.<br />
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Once you've got your coarse crumbs add one tablespoon of ice cold water - toss the flour mixture. Continue adding water by tablespoons and tossing until the mixture is moistened, but not wet. Form into a ball and flatten to a thick disk. Wrap in Saran and put the disk into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. These steps might have sounded quick-quick. They should be. You want the pastry dough into the cold fridge as soon as possible. [It's at this point that you can leave pie making to another day, week, or month.]<br />
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While the dough is chilling, prepare your filling.<br />
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Wash the apples. Peel, cut into quarters, and take each quarter and remove the core. Slice the cored quarter in half and then slice these halves into thin chunks. Yes, this goes against that pretty slivered apple pie you might be envisioning ... but, really? Chunks are far easier to cut through once the pie is baked. The pie won't fall apart, it also cooks better, and it's easier to eat. And ... it will still look lovely.<br />
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Now, add the sugar and tapioca to your cut up apples. The sugar is an approximate measurement because it depends on the apples you are using and your personal taste. If you are using tart apples you may well want a bit more sugar, if they are sweet (like mine were) go for less. the tapioca will help bind the liquids from the cooking apple, making a nicer end product. After adding the sugar and tapioca toss to coat ... you might even get in there with your hands because you really want everything well incorporated.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Now, you may have noticed that there is no cinnamon mixed in with the apples. What sacrilege you might say. I ... I prefer a simpler pie, free of other flavours that might overshadow the loveliness of the apple. I urge you to try my approach. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.</i></blockquote>
Turn your oven to 400F to get it up to temperature. Find your pie plate - you'll want it ready for when you need it. I prefer a Pyrex (glass) one for pie baking.<br />
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Back to the fridge for your pastry dough. Break it into 2/3 .. 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom, 1/3 for the top). Lightly flour your work surface and use a good rolling pin - I use a marble rolling pin for pastry dough since it's heavy and colder than a wooden one. Roll your 2/3 pastry to an even thickness. Try to do this quickly. This is the hard part where you have the greatest potential to ruin your dough by overworking it. Somehow you need to get it thin enough and big enough to fit into your pie dish without toughening the dough. Once it's big enough move it into your pie plate. Don't worry if there are cracks and funky seams. Patch where necessary by finding larger overhangs and cutting them to use elsewhere. It doesn't have to be perfect. It'll all bake up fine in the end.<br />
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Add your filling and then roll out the 1/3 remaining piece of pastry dough. Place it on top and pinch the bottom and top portions together, creating little ripples with your fingers (some people use a fork, but I think the finger press looks more authentic).<br />
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Place the prepared pie in your oven for 45-60 minutes. You want to see some bubbling happening, but you also want to make sure the pastry doesn't get too dark. Some people use tin foil around the edges to help lessen this - that's your choice.<br />
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When it's ready, take it out to cool. The cooling will allow the juices and tapioca to congeal nicely. Of course, it's hard to resist a fresh pie.<br />
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We had unexpected guests show up within 30 minutes of this pie coming out of the oven. Apparently it was delicious!honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-5468352238845608792013-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:002013-11-22T15:50:50.835-08:00A Place for All the Baking SheetsI do a lot of baking which means I have a lot of baking sheets, muffin tins, pizza trays, and other large, awkward pieces that are hard to store. Up until recently I kept them in one of the bottom cupboards in the kitchen. Every time I needed one of the cookie sheets (or something not even related to these cumbersome pieces, but stored nearby) I usually ended up with everything cascading out onto the floor or sliding sideways into other areas of the cupboard. I'm sure you can relate.<br />
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If you wanted that third cookie sheet from the bottom? Ouch.<br />
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Then, several months ago I bought one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. You know <a href="http://www.barefootcontessa.com/" target="_blank">Ina</a>, right? The Barefoot Contessa? A wonderful cook, evoking elegance, grace, comfort, and friends and families. I have five of her cookbooks now and have tried several recipes - all have been incredibly delicious. From her "barefoot contessa <em>how easy is that</em>?" cookbook I found a great idea at the back of the book for keeping large kitchen pieces accessible - a large wicker basket kept near the kitchen prep area.<br />
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It seemed like such a good idea. I tried it out by using a cardboard box - it worked like a charm. Everything was accessible, nothing crashed. It also meant that the space in the cupboards could be utilized much better. A win-win.<br />
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Now that I knew it would solve our storage problems I needed to find a proper basket. Sounded simple, but finding that perfect rectangular basket with enough height (but not too much) was more difficult than I originally thought. There were a lot of baskets that were just too short, and others that were too tall and more like clothes hampers. Finally, this week I found the perfect basket at my local London Drugs. <a href="http://www.londondrugs.com/London-Drugs-Water-Hyacinth-Frameless-Basket---48-x-32-x-36cm/L7329287,default,pd.html?start=78&q=basket" target="_blank">The Water Hyacinth Frameless Basket</a> had a tag reading $9.99. The price was right, but it was even better when I got to the checkout counter and found it was on sale for $5.99!<br />
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I moved everything from that temporary cardboard box to the new basket - everything fit perfectly.<br />
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There's still space to spare.<br />
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I'm really happy with this cheap, yet elegant solution.<br />
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<em>Where do you keep your baking sheets? Would you consider using a basket left out in the kitchen?</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-5810489566622005132013-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:002014-05-20T21:57:41.674-07:00Selling on CraigslistOn my last post I ended with a few things that still needed selling. These included:<br />
<ul>
<li>a bike trailer</li>
<li>a bedrail guard</li>
<li>a foldable stroller</li>
<li>a digital baby scale</li>
<li>a folding dolly</li>
</ul>
Now, I've had some experience buying and selling on Craigslist and I peruse it quite a bit (I keep a running list of items that I'm interested in ... <em>if</em> the price, quality, and location are good). I see a lot of good and bad ads. All this to say I've developed some steps that I take when creating my own Craigslist posts.<br />
<ol>
<li>Put together as many facts about the items as is reasonable. Who makes it, model #, year made/bought/age, original price, dimensions (not everything needs this, but if you'd want to know others will too - especially true with furniture that people will need to place in their homes), weight (if important), materials it is made from. You might not need all these details, but it's good to have them on hand.</li>
<li>Do some searching on-line to see if it is still sold new - if so, what's the price like now? Does it seem popular? Amazon reviews will give you a good idea what people think about your product. Key phrases might pop up that you can use when writing your ad.</li>
<li>Next, e-Bay. If you don't have an account with them consider getting one because this gives you access to some information that the average person doesn't get to see - what things sold for (and what didn't sell). This is known as Completed Listings. These completed listings often give you a good idea for a price range. It will also give you an idea of which ads work better - style, layout, descriptions used.</li>
<li>Now, Craigslist. See if your product is being posted by others. What are they asking? Is it similar to e-Bay prices? (Note: You could also look at Kijiji - I use Craigslist so I'm more comfortable remarking on it.)</li>
<li>Take a few photos. Yes, you need them. Would you buy something without seeing it? If there are multiple ads (and there usually are), do you go for the ones with photos first? Me too. So, take a few minutes to take some shots of what you want to sell - a few overview shots, some close-ups. Try different angles. The most important point I can make here is to get rid of as much personal background/detail as possible. You don't want people thinking "Gross, that stuffed toy looks like it's been kept in the filthiest garage I've ever seen!" ... you want them to focus their attention on the item you are selling. I've even used bed sheets to create a plain backdrop. If all else fails try to find an image from the store you bought it from and copy that into your ad.</li>
</ol>
Once I have done all these steps I'm ready to create my ad. <br />
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Let's try these steps out with the first item on my list - the bike trailer.<br />
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<h4>
Bike Trailer Ad</h4>
I bought this trailer a few years ago thinking I would bike around with Walter in tow like all the other parents seemed to be doing in town. Except ... it didn't really happen all that much. Maybe three times? I just felt really nervous with my precious little guy behind me and all these vehicles rushing past me. At the time we lived in an area nearer to secondary businesses which meant lots of truck traffic - these made me even more nervous. Suffice it to say the idea was a bust (although Walter loved it - he asked to go out every day!). I kept the trailer thinking that when we moved I would use it. Our new neighbourhood is very hilly, and there are no nearby bike paths. I'd have to drive with the bike and trailer, park, hook up the trailer, get Walter and myself all geared up and then <em>finally</em> start biking. Ah, nah. Instead, I traded my bike - which I never really liked - for a DSi for Walter.<br />
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OK, so what did I pay for it new? I bought it at Walmart for around $109 ... say with tax $120. It now sells for $104 with a current pre-Christmas sell going on for $50. Ouch! Looking at e-Bay I see a price range of 54-200+ ... but the 200 plus ones are way swanker than mine. The 54-74 range are closer to mine. On Craigslist the swanky ones are going for 200+ also. Not much under 100. Despite the sale at Walmart I'm thinking $55. This will give some wiggle room for potential buyers to negotiate (everyone likes to shave off a few dollars). I did do a couple of photographs of the box. I confess to not taking it out and setting it up. So, I copied the photo from the Walmart website (something many people do). If I have time on the weekend I'll set it up and take some more photos to make it more authentic.<br />
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So here would be my ad:<br />
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TITLE: <span style="color: #134f5c;">Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55</span><br />
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PICTURE: <em>I usually take a few photos, including the box, manual, and an overall photo</em><br />
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DESCRIPTION:<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">When our son was younger he wanted to ride in this bike trailer every day! Although it can hold two children, our son always had his stuffed toys, snacks, and water bottle taking up some of the space. Still, we could likely have put a few bags of groceries in there too!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Now that our son is older we've outgrown the bike trailer ... time for our son to have his own bike.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Our loss is your gain.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Bike trailer has been kept in pristine condition, in a no-smoking, no-pet household. We have the original box and owner's manual.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">If you are interested call, text, or email Louise (cell ###.###.####)</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"> ... cash only</span><br />
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That's it. I made the ad personal - which tends to draw people in. I'm a person, not a crook. The item being sold is mine, it wasn't stolen. I included details that made it seem spacious (it is), and that my child liked it (which was true). Having the original box and manual makes it sound like I looked after it (which I did).<br />
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I'm going to put it up now. I'll let you know if my strategy works!<br />
<br />honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8830581820066167167.post-2321800023443273232013-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:002013-11-14T22:07:04.244-08:00Getting Rid of ClutterBack in June I had a goal of participating in a <a href="http://findingtheforkintheroad.blogspot.ca/2013/06/goals-for-june.html" target="_blank">boot sale</a> (sort of a group yard sale) to get rid of things we no longer had any use for or had outgrown. It didn't happen. The boot sale was organized for every other Saturday during the summer season. Every time a boot Saturday was looming I either got sick (or someone else in the house did), or we were away, or some other event got in the way.<br />
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Finally, a couple of weeks ago (well into the fall season) I talked with the owner of Walter's out of school care program (OSC) to see if they would be interested in any of Walter's clothes, toys, books, and DVDs. Turns out they were interested in most things. The other day I managed to load everything into the back of the truck and drop by the OSC, and yes, they did take almost everything.<br />
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I went back home and looked at what remained. Boxes of cups, dishes, knickknacks, curtains and curtain rods, lamp shades, clothes, and miscellaneous toys. I loaded these into the back of the truck and headed out again. There were a couple of thrift stores in our town - one for a hospice and one for teens. As I drove along I thought about simply driving to the garbage dump and just getting rid of everything ... because what if neither thrift store was interested? I finally talked myself into driving by the hospice thrift store. I had already read their website and knew that they took drop-offs at the back of the shop. I drove around back and a nice lady told me to back it up and drop it off. In the end there were only three things that they wouldn't take - a Bob-the-Builder pillow, a stuffed dog backpack, and some old ski boots. I put the pillow and stuffed dog in the back seat of the truck, figuring they could be left there for travel times. That left me with just the ski boots which I'll see if my friends husband will take (he takes sporting equipment, cleans them up, and re-sales them).<br />
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Yes, I could likely have made a few dollars with the boot sale, but in the end I just couldn't organize myself. The pressure of all that stuff sitting in piles in the basement was getting to me, and donating took that pressure away and gave me a feeling of giving back. Since I'd already spent the money on these items long ago the money was already gone. The potential for getting a few dollars wasn't enough incentive for me - my time was more important to use in other ways. I'm sure if we didn't have jobs with good salaries I would have been more committed to accomplishing this goal, but it obviously wasn't the money I needed.<br />
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I did keep a few things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlg8ovlOAs2ic-gXmwjB_iexBSTlifUaDg9BLVCdAkE9uNR8GPHCp65qdPbZeMd70TtDxWdvxdU-h3CLzrxrm378zIu6SVjE94GUUqxr41wSOdBIM21mvOUjdQvNc23CohyphenhyphenJClTdTGp_R/s1600/Blog_20131114_CraigslistRemains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlg8ovlOAs2ic-gXmwjB_iexBSTlifUaDg9BLVCdAkE9uNR8GPHCp65qdPbZeMd70TtDxWdvxdU-h3CLzrxrm378zIu6SVjE94GUUqxr41wSOdBIM21mvOUjdQvNc23CohyphenhyphenJClTdTGp_R/s640/Blog_20131114_CraigslistRemains.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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These were bigger things that I figure I can put on Craigslist (except for the car seat - I'm not sure what I'll do with that).<br />
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<em>What do you do with things you no longer need or use? Do you think it's important to make money on them or is donating a valid option?</em>honbchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13490523476402775091noreply@blogger.com0