Fine China Teacup

Not much to report for today...the water went off around 9:30 this morning and didn't come back until noon. The the water was brown for a couple of hours after that so I didn't even want to make a cup of tea. I went over to my friend J's house - she's lucky enough to have a water cooler so I was able to have a cuppa over there. The only thing I made today was a salad with homemade poppyseed dressing.

So hubby is transforming a bike that I bought for $4 from a yard sale so it will be usable. Today he put new tires on the bike and he says that he'll try and find some new brakes.

So I've decided now to use my wedding china for tea now. I really, really love the china I got for my wedding: Sheraton Blue by Aynsley. But you know what? I've been married for 11 years now and the stickers are still stuck to the bottom! I've only used them about 3 times in 11 years. My mother always siad that tea tastes better in a china teacup and you know what? She was right. What is it about drinking tea out of a fine china cup? I feel so elegant and not so much of a suburban housewife, a proper lady (imagine!). Anyway, I now am thrilled that I've gotten over the "just for special occasions" rule for fine china. I feel like I'm living it up in my suburban kitchen - I know, such a small thing to get excited over but that's my life now.

The Happy Birthday Top 40

June 28th was my 39th birthday. Instead of being sad and depressed at the fact the I am getting older I have decided to embrace this coming year. I am making a list of 40 things to do before I turn 40. I admit, these last few years I have been in a rut of sorts trying to make something of my life, but this year I will take charge and get things done. Here's my list so far:

1. Take an hour each day for myself
2. Try lobster
3. Get my business off the ground
4. Take a knife skills course (I'm a chef wannabe!)
5. Learn to speak a different language.
6. Find something to laugh at every day.
7. Volunteer.
8. Try one exotic food per month, ex. truffles (not the chocolate kind), caviar, and any other food that I have previously turned my nose up at.
9. Run in a 5 K.
10. Run in a 10 K.
11. Ride my bike.
12. Say "I love you" to my husband and kids at least once a day.
13. Paint a picture and not be afraid to hang it on the wall.
14. Start writing food articles.
15. Make all my own Christmas presents
16. Do one good deed a day and not expect something in return.
17. Each day sing out loud and do a silly dance to a song on the radio, no matter who is watching.
18. Organize my underwear drawer.
19. Use my good china.
20. Tell my Mom and Dad that I love them, every day.
21. Plant a tree and watch it grow over the next 40 years.
22. Paint my toenails a really weird colour and then wear sandals to show it off.
23. Wear a really cool winter hat.
24. Knit a sweater.
25. Go to the Art Gallery with my kids.
26. Learn to make croissants and then make them on a regular basis.
27. Organize my photos.
28. Eat more sushi.
29. Learn to change my own tire.
30. Take the bus instead of the car more often.
31. Dress up very fancy and wear falsh eyelashes, just once!
32. Dress up for Halloween.
33. Make a Holiday meal (Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter) all by myself.
34. Drink good champagne, at least once.
35. Visit a city I haven't been to before.
36. Hug my friends and let them know how much they mean to me.
37. Speak out in a crowd, don't be shy.
38. Eat more healthy foods and drink 8 glasses of water a day.
39. Do something wild and crazy, just because.
40. Play with my children more.

That's the list! I'm going to document it here on my blog with pictures and words. It's exciting to see this list and look forward to the year ahead.

Happy Birthday to me!!