Promises, part two

So, my Dad and Step-Mom came to visit?!

I am honestly surprised. After last summer, I thought we might be in for another blow up... but he came out without a fight and stayed three nights, leaving this morning.

We had a nice time and I think he enjoyed spending time with the boys... they enjoyed spending time with him.

He also brought a big box of my school work and photos from when I was younger. I have been wanting these things so much... I cried when I looked at some of it.

It turned out to be a nice visit.

The other thing that is going on is that we have a leak somewhere and it is leaking through the kitchen ceiling. It happens at odd times. the cut holes in the ceiling this morning and pulled down a bunch of drywall and there was mold growing on it. Then they clean up (poorly) tell me they fixed the leak and leave. I call the onsite manager and he comes over and turns on the water...it still leaks.

I start to cry.

The last time they opened the ceiling, Parker get very sick and was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease. They don't what causes Kawasaki Disease but believe it is caused by a microbe. I am petrified of him becoming sick again...:(

Promises, Promises...

My Dad is not a "my word is my bond" kind of guy.

My entire life he has made me promises... from promising to teach me to drive (he didn't, he said it was because I was a girl), to promising to show up for parent teacher interviews(he didn't... something at work came up and my teacher had to drive me home) to promising to come visit us out here in Calgary(a multitude of things have come up to prevent this). When I mention it to him he becomes angry and defensive and demanding.

For the past two summers he has been promising to come out and spend time with us out here. Inevitably "plans change" and he calls asking us to come out there instead. We suggest meeting in the middle (it is a 9 hour drive) and he makes a million excuses as to why that will not work for him. Last year they drove all over the West Coast in a motorhome and drove home through Red Deer and didn't bother to stop and see us.

I feel like I am digging in my heels, but I am so tired of his false promises and of being the person who is the peace-maker and tries to make everyone happy. I sent him a message telling him that we already had plans for next week and, if all else fails and he doesn't manage to visit us here this summer, like he has been promising, we will see him in September at my cousin's wedding.

I am feeling so angry right now...I think I need to go wreck my journal.

The Big Cook

I come from a family of cooks.

My Dad is a Chef and has taught professional cooking for the past 20 years. He makes Gordon Ramsey look like Carrot Top, but he is a great cook. He has temporarily vacated the cookingarena in favour of browner pastures...he currently lives in Qatar and teaches marketing comm.

My Mum is an amazing cook and just has a knack for knowing what flavours go together and how much of something a person needs to make a dish taste just right.

I grew up making deviled eggs, piping chox pastry and washing A LOT of dishes...

One slight problem, however, is that I never learned to cook small...I just cook big. I think that's why the concept of "The Big Cook" appeals to me. Cook all your meals for a month in one day.

So this week I prepared for a big cook of my own. I purchased about $400 worth of groceries, a new stock pot and came up with my own recipes (ok, so I rarely use a recipe more than once when I am cooking).

Last night I made 100 Swedish Meatballs, cooked and frozen.

Today is Beef & Barley Soup, Split Pea & Ham Soup and A HUGE pot of Chili.

Tomorrow will be Turkey and Wild Rice Soup and one of my personal faves "Happy Go Leeky" soup from the "Crazy Plates" cookbook.

Of course, to get the beef for the beef/barley soup, I needed to cook a sirloin tip roast...so we'll be having THAT for dinner tonight...and a Turkey dinner tomorrow!

From the look of things today, I could write my own cookbook and call it "The Bigger Cook"...I think by the time we are finished, we will have approx. 2-3 months worth of meals in our deep freeze. Add a salad, or veggies, biscuits or buns and Voila...meals in minutes.