Summerlicious: Amaya

It is time for Summerlicious again. What a wonderful way to explore restaurants you might not think of visiting otherwise. Yesterday, I went to Amaya, an Indian restaurant on Bayview, south of Eglinton. Go there. It is excellent. We had a salmon appetizer and the portion was bigger than some of the entrees that I have had elsewhere. The more important point is that it was excellent. The butter chicken that we had for a main with basmati rice and naan bread, again excellent. I am not going to as many restaurants as in the past but this one was definitely one that said visit again.
Will be visiting Pangea on Tuesday and will report on that after. Have heard nothing but good things.

Chick Pea Salad

Not sure if I already posted this recipe but it was enjoyed so much by the ladies I had lunch with that I decided to post it again.
Enjoy.

Sweet and Sour Chick Pea Salad


2 cans (19 oz each) chick peas, drained

1 cup chopped green pepper

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic crushed and finely chopped

2 tablespoons, finely chopped parsley

½ cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper



Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight. Drain. Serve salad in a bowl garnished with onion rings and additional chopped parsley.

4-6 servings

Remember to Ask all the Right Questions!

This is a story that was published by the Retired Teacher of Ontario.

Remember to ask all the right questions!



Big waves, big breakfast = not a good idea.


A number of years ago, my husband Michael and I were in sunny California. It was March and the grey whales were heading back up north after breeding on the west coast of Mexico. We love whales and thought the best way to spend our last day in California would be to go whale watching. The whale watching tour we chose took off from Half Moon Bay.



We made our way to the boat site and were very early. Since the buses to Half Moon Bay from San Francisco did not run very often, the particular bus that we took was more than an hour before the boat launch. This was the one that made most sense. Breakfast also seemed like a good idea.



Now why breakfast seemed like a good idea to someone who gets motion sick, I will never know. I get sick watching micro-fiche in the library. It is the motion of the objects on the screen that do me in. I have also managed to get motion sick playing slots on the ferry from Bar Harbour to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Again, it is caused by the motion of the objects on the screen. It does seem to take me a while to learn.



After a hardy breakfast, we headed out to the pier to wait for our boat. The water looked quite calm. This was not really the case but I am not a person who has been to oceans very often and therefore, I did not understand breakwaters but I soon would.



The boat was small; we were off to see whales. Oh, that was not to be. Once passed the breakwater, the ocean became choppy and the boat was tossed about. A number of us became very seasick. It seems that there are different degrees of seasickness.



One of the passengers was so sick that she lay on the deck of the boat and could not even move when the crew warned us that we were turning back and waves might come overboard. The warning was well intentioned. She was soon soaking wet having been covered by a wave. Others hung over the back of the boat commenting sadly that they had paid to do this. Like me, they had not anticipated the severity of the trip.





Relief was finally stepping on land that did not keep moving and swaying. After some time on shore, I started to feel better. We wanted to head back to San Francisco. Our flight home was early the next morning. We stood at the bus stop waiting with anticipation for the ride back to the city. Nothing appeared for some time. We asked a young boy passing by when the bus was expected. He knew nothing. The store we were standing in front of closed. We started to get worried.



Finally, after a long wait a bus appeared, it was going to opposite way but we were so desperate that we were ready to ride on the bus and come back. Thank God we asked the bus driver if he was heading back to San Francisco. Yes, he was heading back but it was a passenger-less run. It was time to take the bus back.



We pleaded and mentioned that we were from Canada. That did it. He was a former football star who played for the Ottawa Rough Rider. He took pity on us and also was pleased to be helping Canadians. He took us over the mountains and back to San Francisco. We were so happy to be taken back to the city. We were heading home the next morning and had no idea how we would have gotten back. You never know when you are going to come across someone who will help you.



This is one trip that we still talk about many years later. I have a feeling that we will be in rocking chairs and will tell anyone who will listen about our whale watching trip.

Mathematics without calculators!

This is about Longfellow Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia and a teacher who has the courage to fight the system and others who have authority and teach without computers. Instead he makes his students think. He uses old text books because they have better examples and are not confusing with irrelevant material. Interesting, I have thought that mathematics has gotten off track the past number of years. Sadly, I am often thought of as a Luddite because I oppose the use of computers and calculators without considering why they are being used.
It seems that the tools that some teachers are using are interesting toys but do not really teach the students. Wonder when teachers will accept that sometimes the old ways are actually relevant and work.
When will this leap to technology stop and when will educators and their superiors stop and reflect what is going on?
If you can access the article: Why your Kids can't add without a calculator, do. It is very revealing.

Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day.
Time to celebrate Canada and what we have. Interesting watching the United States they have a health care programme but it is not as good as ours. People still have to purchase plans and as we know not all plans are a like. There are fewer restrictions on medical conditions which is good.
This is not all that is good about Canada.
Enjoy the day and remember to appreciate what we have.

Summer is here

Summer is finally here and after the long wait, I am already getting organized for the fall. One tennis membership has been submitted and now another one came by e-mail. Amazing how you are in one season and getting ready for the next. I am also booking chamber music performances.
Supposed to be very warm today but so far it is good. Not complaining. Hopefully, this will be the last of the really warm weather for a bit.
Enjoy summer.

Music Exams

The next 3 days will be filled with music exams. I will be listening to playing exams starting at about 10:30 this morning. I must stay focused on what student plays. It will be hard but I can do it. Hard to stay focused on exams this long. I have to admire examiners at institutions like the Royal Conservatory. They have to do weeks of examining.
Some of the students who I will be listening to will be tested by me for the first time which is unusual. I have not taught them but they are on my list of classes. Oh well, we will manage.