A LEGACY of LETTERS (cont'd) . . . and the BEST FISH ever!

Jan 31^st 1983

I got most welcome letter on Sat, I thank you so much as I didn’t expect it as you are busy now.

You wrote that you may build a house, first see how much the lots will cost as some say they are more than a house.

I got a letter and a parcel from Stasia on Sat too. 

 

 I sent today to Ukraine the shawls you brought at Christmas. 

It’s a big difference sending it in big envelopes than in a box, it cost me less for the two parcels than I paid in April for one.  I even wrote them that I am not sending no more, they be surprised when they get it.

 

I have finished three cushions to embroider and that runner I bought when I was at your place.  But still got to do three more and that picture Karen gave.  I hope it’s not complicated but it’s wool thread so I think it is crewel embroidery, so are the cushions I bought.  I embroider that in the evenings and try to do Ukrainian cross stitch in day time.  I still knit sometimes, I have always started ones to do when I can’t embroider.

We planning to paint the house in and outside this year.  I will have to wash the inside, will likely start when days get longer.

Dad is not well, the head seems to ache all the time, even the pills don’t help, tonight he’s warming it with hot water bottle.  And his stomach always bloats up so he had to go to get his medicine.

Donald been fishing a lot lately, the fish been catching good, he gave us a lot, I forget the name but they always small.  Oh perch. 

                            Diana will be coming back on Sunday.

Oh the cousins want black or wine velveteen, I can’t get here, you see if there is any or phone fabric places, just see if there is any, don’t buy, when I be down I will get it if there is any as Mrs. Feuillatre couldn’t get any in Winnipeg.

God bless you all.

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Aline’s mother, Mrs. Feuillatre, with grandson, Nick

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I remember Mom and Dad at the stove and fish, dredged in well-seasoned flour . . . then served, beautifully brown and still sizzling, straight out of the frying pan and into a plate held up by each of us kids in turn . . .   .   

Sprinkled it with vinegar . . . and, soon as it was gone, you lined up for another piece!

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The house lot we found backed onto a park :)

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P.S. Today, we marinated halibut for only one hour in a lime juice,  oil, and hot pepper mixture

and then grilled it for 5 minutes on each side until it Pwas barely done. 

Result:  not impressive.  A tough, dry exterior with no notable BBQ flavour.   Next time should be Mom & Dad’s way!



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P.S.  About the photo of our relatives in Ukraine, Vern is in the back row.  It was his 2nd trip to Ukraine.

Oksana says it was taken about 20 years ago.  " I was 15 on this picture...Serg is standing behind all on the left. My younger brother Petryk in red pants is in the center on front of me."

CHINESE TREASURE SOUP . . . inspired by a letter from Mom

Jan 24^th 1983

           

It’s a while since I wrote to you so I have free time as I was embroidering cushions and got tired of that and besides my eyes are sore. 

I have finished 2 cushion tops already and I am on a third. 

Aline traced them from my old cushion top with heads of a deer and baby deer head.

            I may get her to do one more so I could have two pairs.

            I am going in tonight with Karen to take more lessons on Ukrainian cross stitch and tomorrow I have to go see the doctor, I don’t like this one.

            Last week Mervin Presniak’s burned down, today they are moving to Lornie’s place, yesterday the women were cleaning the house.

           

David’s birthday was yesterday so on Sat. I bought him a special card for Grandson.

          

  Dad got more pills for his head but says they don’t help him.  Dad been complaining if not one thing then another.

            I been knitting mitts but not always, it’s only when I am out of work.  I be at all summer the way I am going and besides which were small, now they need men’s size.

            I am all better, before I had to go to bed for a while after each meal, now don’t rest in afternoon but I still stay in bed in the morning.

                                     I sent the pictures Stasia wanted on Sat.

            I haven’t written to Nestor for a while, will get around soon.

                                            Diana going to Vancouver on Jun 28.

           

At 4 o’clock Dad watches Steven Yan cooking Chinese dishes.  But I haven’t been doing any.

           











 The priest has visited us Jan 21^st, he goes then from house to house, he sprinkles the holy water so we should be all right now, ha, ha.

            There is church this coming Sunday but Dad says we may not go as we were to church two times this month.

            I am sending in for transfers for tea-towels.  May do some for Christmas presents.

            I haven’t sent the kerchiefs to Ukraine.  I am still debating whether to send the two of them or send one and it’s a problem to send one, Dad says to get her the velvet which she wants. 

            May your days be all bright and lot of happiness.

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It made me smile when I read about Dad watching Steven Yan cooking on TV. 

I don’t think there’s anyone in our family who doesn’t love Chinese food.

Donald and Karen often go on Sundays to the Chinese smorgasbord in Russell. 

We’ve also enjoyed dinners with them in Birtle’s Chinese restaurant. 

In Neepawa, we had good Chinese food with Helen and her sister, Lily.

So here’s another good Chinese recipe for you to try.

EIGHT-TREASURE SOUP (I’ve eliminated one of the ingredients so this recipe is really for Seven-Treasure Soup J)

-      Based on Kenneth Lo’s recipe in The Encyclopedia of Regional Chinese Cooking

5 cups chicken stock

8 ounces chicken breast

4 ounces lean raw pork

2 ounces lettuce

4 ounces spinach

350 g medium tofu

2 tomatoes

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ cup pickled (preserved) bamboo shoots

¼ tsp chilli garlic sauce (or more to taste)

1/8 tsp pepper

 Salt

1 egg

1 green onion

·        Finely slice the chicken breast and set aside.

·        Finely slice the pork and add to the chicken.

·        Finely slice the lettuce and set aside on a different plate.

·        Finely slice the spinach and add to the lettuce.

·        Cut the tofu into small cubes and set aside.

·        Chop the tomatoes into small cubes.

·        Measure out the bamboo shoots and set aside.

·        Finely chop the green onion and set aside for garnish.

·        Bring the stock to the boil with the pepper.

·        Add chicken and pork and cook for 2 minutes.

·        Add the lettuce, spinach, tofu, tomatoes, soy sauce, and bamboo shoots.  Cook for 1 minute.

·        Add salt to taste.

·        Beat the egg.  Stir into the soup.

·        Serve immediately garnished with the green onions. 

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P.S.  The baby leaning on Aline’s deer-embroidered cushions – that was George and Aline’s son, Nick.

P.P.S.  A blue cross-stitched quilt is only one of several Mom made as gifts.  In particular, I remember one done mostly in red.

Marilyn's Day

Happy Birthday, Marilyn!

I hope to see you sometime this year. . .

maybe at a Family Camping Get Together?!?

As you noted yourself:

September, 2013

– Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you. —

VESPER is a YEAR OLD! . . . and VERY SPECIAL BURGERS!

"The Bond Babies", January 2013

A new home for Vesper 

 

More Early Days

One of my first walks with Vesper

 Now, Vesper comes along on many of our long, daily walks to McDonald’s.

We take along this cosy bed and blanket on colder days.

But Vesper has always preferred walks where she can smell the flowers

And go off-leash.

Even camping is fun . . .

But some tents are just too complicated.

Now, Vesper's a year old.

 

On her birthday hike, Vesper zoomed around off-leash 

 

on the way to a waterfall.

I had fun, too.

A cheeseburger crown for Vesper’s Birthday Dinner

And Frozen Vanilla Yogurt for her Dessert!

She's really good at opening presents . . .

This one was from Diana  :)

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The Vesper Cocktail J

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Vesper’s burger was simply ½ pound of ground beef grilled and topped with cheese.  The humans are at her party also had burgers but  “cumin-scented” and “spiked with fresh mint”. J

VERY SPECIAL SPICY BURGERS:  4 burgers

            from Chatelaine Magazine:  August 1997:  This is a great recipe for using up whatever mint you have. J  I made these burgers once with a cup of chopped mint.  This time I had only 1/3 cup but that was very good, too.    

Ingredients for Burgers

1 bunch fresh mint (1/3 cup to a cup chopped)

1 pound ground beef

4 to 6 ounces onion

2 garlic cloves

½  jalapeno pepper  

1 egg

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cayenne

4 hamburger buns

Tomato

Cheddar cheese

Lettuce

Dill pickles

Prepared Mustards

Ketchup

Ingredients for Sauce

½ cup plain yogurt

½ jalapeno pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

PREPARATION:

1.    Chop mint leaves.  Set aside in medium sized bowl.

2.   Finely chop garlic.  Add to the mint leaves.

3.   Finely chop onion.  Add to the mint leaves.

4.   Divide jalapeno in half.  Discard seeds.  Finely chop one half and set aside on a plate.  Finely chop the other half and add to the mint leaves.

5.    Set up the table so that everyone can help themselves to:

-      Washed and dried lettuce.

-      Sliced pickles

-      Sliced tomato.

-      Mustard and Ketchup.

6.    Prepare Sauce: Mix together yogurt, ½ diced jalapeno, lemon juice, and salt.  Set aside in fridge or on table.

7.   Preheat broiler.

8.   In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, cumin, salt, and cayenne, mint, onion, and garlic.

9.   Shape into patties.  Place on grill pan.

10.                Slice cheese to top the burgers and set aside.

11.  Slice buns and set on baking sheet.

12.                 Broil meat until browned (about 4 minutes).  Turn over and broil 2 to 4 minutes longer until cooked through.

13.                Toast buns under broiler.

14.                Arrange cheese on meat patties and broil until melted.

15.                Serve.  Don’t forget the yogurt!

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With Foxy . . .    "Daw", by the way, was one of the first words, our daughter uttered.