Posting?

Wonder how many of the rest of you find it hard to keep up with e-mails? I have not been away travelling to exotic places like Moose Jaw which we visited a month ago or Massachusetts. Have been home but keeping up with e-mails keeps me busy. I also send snail mail, have a great deal to send tomorrow. I think that I will be able to post this week but don't count on it. If I miss the morning, do not seem to be able to get back to my blog the rest of day.
I am not extremely popular but have a number of e-mails that I receive.
Hope that the rest of you are keeping up and enjoying yourselves at the same time.

Glass Buildings

Finally, an architect is willing to speak out and admit that glass buildings are not appropriate for Toronto at least. I have long wondered about the glass buildings that are popping up everywhere in the city. Yesterday, I heard an interview on the radio and the architect admitted that it is cheaper to build glass buildings, not necessarily safer, smarter heating wise. I often wondered what is motivating these builders. Also wondered that the purchasers of these units could not see the flaws. Units that face the sun would be overheated even in the winter as the sun shines into the units over half the day. The summer must be unbelievabley hot. Glass panes have fallen down and I am sure that will continue.
When will builders and others stop this madness and admit that this is not the best way to build?

Last Casualty of World War 1

Things that I learned while in Moose Jaw. One of these is about Private George Lawrence Price.
It is interesting that two places claim rights to the last casualty of World War 1. Private Price born on December 15,1892 in Kings County, Nova Scotia which is why that claim is made and he enlisted in the army in October 1917 from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Private Price completed basic training in Regina and was enrolled in the December 1917. He was transferred to the 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion on February 6, 1918 and then transferred to the 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion on May 1, 1918. He arrived in Etaples, France on May 2, 1918 and finally on the front on June 1, 1918.
A few minutes before the end of the war, Private Price's luck ran out. On November 11, 1918, at 10:50 a.m. Private Price of A Company was shot by a German sniper while carrying out a reconnaissance on the far side of the Canal du Centre. He was the last Allied battle fatality of WWI.
Private Price is buried within a half a mile of where the first casualty of the First World War was killed. Private John Parr, of the 4 Battalion Middlesex Regiment, died on August 21, 1914, about the time that Private Price arrived in Moose Jaw.
Sad that war continues and people are still killed until that magic moment. The end has been decided and still fighting continues.

Seared Tilapia with Chili-Lime Butter

Getting back to trying new recipes. This is the latest.

Seared Tilapia with Chili-Lime Butter. (My better half really enjoyed this.)

Chili-Lime Butter
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh Thai or red serrano chili pepper, including seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pan-seared Tilapia
Ingredients
6 5-6 oz. pieces skinless tilapia filets
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation
1. In a bowl, stir together chili-lime butter ingredients.
2. Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking. Saute 3 pieces of fish, tunring over once with a spatula, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 mintes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Repeat with remaining fish and oil.
4. Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chili-lime butter.

Excellent way to add fish to your diet.

Search for a restaurant

What happened to the Watt's and Diana Sweets of this world? I enjoy trying the cuisine of different cultures but sometimes it would be nice to have a simple salad or a simple meal. A group of us are trying to find a location that will work for us. We do not want something so noisy that you can not talk to each other. One location that we tried was so noisy that we could barely talk across the table. Group conversation was not possible. Our favourite restaurant, the Sierra Grill is bankrupt. Not sure what happened there after 33 years in business. It was wonderful.
Wish us luck finding a restaurant that is not themed and noisy.

V is for Vengeance

Love those mysteries. The newest is V is for Vengeance. Will tell you more after I have finished. Read 6 mysteries the past couple weeks. Sitting in airports makes for a great deal of reading. This coming week, I will have to wait while some students practise which means again more time spent waiting. Not complaining. Good to get a chance to read. As soon as I finish these books time to read some books about the Middle East that a friend loaned to me.
What books do the rest of you read? Always interested since I find so many books in the library. The only problem is that there does not seem to be enough time to read the books.
I have recently found time to bake again. Problem is that I have the urge to eat the cookies. Must fight that urge or get to more exercising. That is another item on my agenda.
Still not enough hours in the day.

Rita Mae Brown and books

I think that some of you already know that I love mystery books. The latest that I am reading is Hiss of Death by Rita Mae Brown. The focus is always a mystery and death but on the side, Rita Mae Brown does discuss the environment-in this case the urbanization of rural areas, health issues in this case-breast cancer and cancer in general, politics. It is interesting how she manages to integrate these issues into her work.
I love her books and look forward to future ones.