16 November 2007

TGIF My LuckyDay!!!!


Today is my lucky day! I have been tagged for the same MEME by two special ladies out there in the blogosphere. I would like to thank my new found friend Marie of Proud Italian Cook and my mentor Deb of Debs Key West Wine & Garden for tagging me for the "4 Things" MEME. Why is this my lucky day you ask? Firstly to know that people are reading my blog with all it's ramblings and recipes makes my heart do somersaults. The fact that anyone is in the least bit interested in my life and past life is also an honour. Plus the fact that I can kill two birds with one stone and do two MEME's in one!!! So here goes!!
In case you're wondering that is a much younger me and my oldest brother pushing my "dollies" in their buggy.

4 PLACES I HAVE LIVED

I grew up in Cambridge Ontario in the 70's. It used to be Galt, Preston & Hespeler until they emalgamated. Sunday was family day and we would go for Sunday drives all over Southern Ontario, have barbeques, you name it...our time was special....

I moved to Calgary when I was 19 with a friend of mine. We hitchhiked across the country and I ended up staying there for 8 years.

I moved back to Ontario and lived in Oshawa with my husband and our new baby. Oshawa is a bedroom community of Toronto. A 40 minute Go-Train ride would get you right into the heart of the city for anything you desired.

We moved to the Okanagan Valley 12 years ago, and remain here. As you can see I have not lived outside of Canada but I have moved back and forth from east to west. I also lived in Corner Brook Newfoundland for about 3 months, but, I didn't think 3 months would cut it to say I had lived there compared to the other Provinces.

4 JOBS I HAVE HAD

I worked for a temp agency and did everything from working for a snow plow operator, catering company and a textile mill in Ontario.


I worked for Hartford Fire Insurance Company at the Calgary Stockyards Building. We insured cattle and once even insured 12 reindeer to the Yukon at Christmas!!

I worked for a Home Support company.

I work for a doctor's office to this day. It is an allergy/respiratory/immunology office for the British Columbia Interior. We have patients from all over the province.

4 FAVOURITE FOODS

Perogies

Spanakopita

Dolmades - I eat them like candy!!

Poutine!!!!!!!!

4 PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON HOLIDAY

Western Europe when I was 18. Partly on a Contiki tour and partly backpacking. I celebrated my birthday for an entire week!! Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Austria......

Negril Beach, Jamaica. Met many wonderful folks there from all over the United States and Canada. Two glorious weeks on 7 miles of white sand beaches, diving off of cliffs to see underwater caves.....

Cuba! Love this country and would go back in a heart beat!! Definitely head to Havana if you ever get the chance. We drove to Casablanca and discovered all the charm of these wonderful cities!

I talk endlessly about my trip to Greece on this blog, so, instead I will say I have been to Quintana Roo, Mexico. We went on a time share but spent no time at our hotel at all. We were always out discovering the Mayan ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula. I would love to go back or to Manzanillo on the west coast.

4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE

This is a hard one, there are so many places I'd rather be. Now don't get me wrong because I love it here, but it is wonderful to see other parts of the world!

Anywhere in Greece sipping raki or gulping Mythos and dancing to the strains of bazooka music overlooking the Agean Sea!!!!!! Lesvos has a cooking school!!!. The experience would tell me if that adventure would compare at all to my 8 glorious days on the island of Kea with Aglaia & Costas and their family and friends at Keartisanal . Picking fresh ingredients from their gardens and making wonderful dishes from the garden and the sea and sharing with their dogs Pope and Melek. I had to get it in there anyway!!!

I would like to be sitting drinking Margaritas at a 1 week cooking school in the heart of Mexico in Tlaxcala (tlas-ka-lah), 2 hours from historical Mexico City. At Mexican Home Cooking with Dona Estela.

Sailing through the Aeloian Islands, a string of seven volcanic islands off the coast of Sicily with side trips to Pompeii and Naples. Soaking in the history and culture.

With Pat & Pailo in their home in Tuscany at La Cucina Povera at their cooking school in Tuscany at Taste Italy sipping wine from the Italian wine regions and making wonderful Italian dishes and pasta to my hearts content.

FOUR FANTASTIC BLOGGERS I'D LIKE TO TAG:

Holler at Tinned Tomatoes

Marye at Apron Strings & Simmering Things

Aimee at Under the High Chair

Nora at Life's Smorgasbord

Best Blogger Tips

14 comments:

  1. Valli,Great job! I love your spirit of adventure!! Hitch hiking! I once did that when I was young and crazy!(ha ha) Thanks for your meme!

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  2. So you are a pucca Canadian huh?:) Happy Thanksgiving a day early to you!
    Great to read your MeMe. I love Europe too, yet to make a trip to Mexico though.

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  3. I always love learning more about my blogging friends!!!

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  4. I am going to post my answers later..You know I have kicked off a new random blog, and am in the midst of launching a coffee/tea blog..LOL!
    ANYWAY, my dear cyber friend..I had that same stroller, I swear!
    I will post my answers today or tomorrow...
    You are too modest about your blog and your capabilities...you get way more comments than I do and you are such an oincredible cook AND photographer AND a great writer.

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  5. We were young and crazy. I could say it was a different time and it was safer hitchhiking in those days, but that would not be true.
    Yes Asha I am Canadian ....eh!!!
    I love reading other peoples MEME's and posts as well Deborah!
    You are one busy and strong woman Marye!!!! I am blushing at your complements, but thank you!

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  6. Good job Valli! I will go with you on your places you'd rather be. All sound great! Thanks for playing along. These are fun Meme's as we get to know a little more about our blogging friends. Now if we could just meet up some day for an ultimate blogging party, that would be cool!
    Oh, before I forget, have you been over to Katiez' site, Thyme For Cooking? She is hosting "Seasoned Eatings" and I thought you may want to join in. Sounds like fun!

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  7. I heartily agree on all your favorite foods. I LIVED on Dolmades when I was in greece, those little cans were great for taking on the ferries - not to mention the homemade ones.

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  8. Well Valli, you know I love your blog!!! I love your pictures and your recipes!!! and I like to think of you how a blog's friend!!!xxxxxxx Gloria

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  9. It's nice to get to know you, Valli :)

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  10. Great read, Valli! You are so fortunate to have lived in the Okanagan for so long. Huge thanks for tagging me, that was very sweet!
    Alas,I am so short on time (not to mention brain power) these days, that I may have to shelve the MEME for a while....

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  11. Thanks for sharing these little tidbits Valli! It is always great to learn more about my blogging buddies than what they ate last night (although you know how much I love that too!) :)

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  12. You have had an exciting life Val! Imagine insuring reindeer! Can I ask what they were doing, that they needed insurance for? Were they on Santa's yearly trip?
    Thanks for tagging me, I am thinking about it as we speak! Although I feel a little at a loss as to what I can tell that will be of interest! You have set a high benchmark!

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  13. Hi Valli, it's so nice to know more about you. And I love that photo of you and your brother! I love that stroller.

    Thanks for tagging me. I've actually done this Meme a few months ago. You can find my responses here:
    http://lifesmorgasbord.blogspot.com/2007
    /08/fantastic-4-meme-david-lebovitzs-black.html

    I hope that you are having a fantastic weekend.

    x Nora

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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