December OSCAR - Old Ottawa South

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Page 34 The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR Tasty Tidbits from Trillium Bakery The Gift Of Time…For An Extraordinary Life. By: Jocelyn LeRoy Many of us are gearing up for Christmas. “Time” becomes a precious and elusive commodity. We watched the glorious sunny days of October fly by. Darker November is upon us. The bakery is humming; we’re filling up every corner with ingredients for the up coming holiday baking. We are dusting off our unique recipes. The elves have their baking hats on, ready to play, and work. We are somewhat a kin to the nutcracker suite (no peanuts)! We see many harried, stressed-out customers juggling jobs, kids, home life, cooking, planning for Christmas and shopping. What to buy? Where’s the money? What novelty will impress the kids? The elderly folks all seem to be downsizing and getting rid of possessions. The kids already have too much. What meaningful things can I buy or do this year? Let’s take a wee pause. Maybe we’re looking at the perfect opportunity, amidst all the busyness, to give the gift of time. “What time? Are you kidding? I hardly have enough time to get things done each day. None left to “give away” you say? Ahh…let’s rethink our motivations. They’re all good, right? Of course! Many people in my life have created extraordinary happenings~ both small scale and large-through their gifts of time, and as a result feel blessed with an extraordinary life. A teenager, Matt, who worked in the bakery, gave his Saturdays to the local “in from the cold” supper by making desserts and baking bread for hundreds of guests. All that practice led him to fulfill one of his dreams~ earning a degree in fine baking and pastry making. Think of what he will have to offer when he becomes a fireman-(another goal) to his comrades at the fire station. There’s Joyce, who is blind and doesn’t get out often, living alone. She has a wonderful listening ear, a grateful heart and prays for all whom she knows in difficulty. She is so concerned for our staff, and enquires often to see who might be working too hard. When I take her special muffins to her she makes sure I put my feet up. I always feel inspired in her presence. Jim, our “recycle angel” picks up all our recyclable material, just to help out. He is one of the legions of volunteers at a regional drop-in program. People find time in their busy lives to wash dishes, cook, talk to the guests, pick up supplies, clean up, and spend quality time with the appreciative folks who look forward to their special Saturday at the church hall where they don’t feel lonely and can enjoy a great meal. Same huge impact that is created by the hundreds of helpers at the Food bank, making a gift of their time. And, there are all the dedicated Moms and Dads who give their time to Scouts and Guides and their kid’s sports, dance and school events. My friend Maureen has a measured amount of time to live. Her life is rich with her gifts of sharing her time. She has set up a medical program for women in Guatemalasaving lives and educating women, resulting in a burgeoning movement Put down your Blackberry, i-phone, i-pad, whatecer, for a moment. Just be thankful Santa Claus comes every year, and so does Trillium’s great Christmas line up of unique holiday baking. The bakery elves are very busy . Have a cup of tea (or somthineg) and take a moment to savour the important things in your life. with far reaching effects for now and the future. A very busy young Mother has made time to travel to Senegal to help set up a school for “Talebe boys” to improve their options for a future without begging. A future with acquired skills of fishing, sewing, reading and math, to move forward towards a better life. And at home, in Ottawa she pencils in hours, and even stolen moments to share her time and love with her children during even the most packed schedules. And for others who need a helping hand- she always finds the gift. The gift of time. I know when I feel my best, those magic moments when time seems to stand still: out on the water at either end of my canoe, either end of the day. When listening to my Grandchildren telling me their stories. They all do that. Telling fortunes at my daughter’s annual Halloween party, sharing time with a customer or friend discovering how different or how similar our outlook is, listening, or offering to help. Gratefulness for the smallest of life’s gifts seems to bring big dividends. A simple way to give a gift of time is to write your choice of gift on a card, put an expiry date on it (more likely to get redeemed) and present it. You can even surprise someone with an early Christmas present ~ babysitting so parents can get out alone, or clean the house, or take a break. An hour or two spent with an elderly person you know, to visit or read to, or share lunch: they may be dying to have some good conversation and a hug. Take a teenager in your life for a coffee or to a concert. Let them pick Scotch Shortbread Pre-heat oven to 325º F. Cream 1 cup butter. Sift together: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup confectioner’s sugar, ¼ tsp. salt. (My grandmother used fine brown sugar, insisting that was real Scottish.) Blend. Pat the stiff dough into a 9 x 13 ungreased pan. Poke with fork every ½ inch. Bake 25 -30 minutes. Cut into squares while warm. Gluten-free Shortbread Pre-heat oven to 350º F. 2 cups rice flour 1 cup icing sugar 250 grams butter 1 egg or 1 tsp. xanthium gum Blend together. TRILLIUM RECIPES DEC 2011 a restaurant or event, and let yourself into their world for awhile. Younger kids love to spend time with an Aunt or Uncle, Grandparent or neighbour. Show them your collection of whatever you’ve got. Do lego with them, take them Christmas shopping. Buy some small useful or delightful gifts for street people, wrap them up, and give them out. Spread a little joy! It’s a win-win! How about a new popcorn popper and those movie style containers; munch away with kids of all ageseven if the movie is lame? Magic moments show up when you give the gift of time. And who doesn’t welcome/ need/ relish a little magic- often? Your life may begin to feel extraordinary. Courtesy of my best birthday card from Dr. Michael Gibson, prescription for an extraordinary life, “Identify your values Say thank you. Sleep. Be grateful. Give your time, money, and talents. Smile. Drink water. Say I love you. Send hand-written notes. Forgive someone who wronged you. Have relationships that matter. Play.” That’s what Christmas is: the season of giving. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us at Trillium. Jocelyn, Mike, Jean, Gail, Valerie, Anne, Loretto and Grant. Roll out. Cut into shapes. Bake at 350º F until very pale golden, approximately 10 minutes Maple Syrup Shortbread Pre-heat oven to 325º F. ½ cup butter, at room temperature ¼ cup sugar ¼ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ cup maple syrup 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. salt 1 tbsp. turbinado sugar (optional) Mix the first six ingredients to a soft dough. Pat evenly into a 9-inch tart pan. Prick dough with a fork. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool in pan. Cut into wedges.
DEC 2011 THE WINDSOR CHRONICLE PART 28 OLD DOG, OLD TRICKS THE WINDSOR CHRONICLES – PART 28 For nearly eight years, from February 2000 to August 2008, OSCAR carried a monthly column, The Windsor Chronicles, written by Zoscha the Wonder Dog. Zoscha became something of a celebrity in our neighbourhood, and her observations on the passing scene, from a canine perspective, attracted her share of loyal readers as well as critics. OSCAR is reprinting some of Zoscha’s musings from eight years ago. The editors have annotated where we feel that today’s readers may need to be informed of references that may no longer be remembered by readers today, or where recent scholarship has shed further light on the world described in the Windsor Chronicles.. November, 2002 Dear Boomer, The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR Page 35 Old Dog, Old Tricks This is a wonderful time of year. The dried fallen leaves are the same colour as my fur, so it’s easier to creep up close to the squirrels before they notice me. The squirrels are fat and don’t run as fast as they do in the summer, which gives us more of a sporting chance. And in the evenings, Alpha builds a fire in the fireplace, giving me something to watch while Alpha and the Pup cuddle on the sofa and watch the noisy box. Humanoids have erected the hockey boards at Windsor Park. This gives me something to jump over as a way to impress pups of our own species. But the humanoids accompanying these young dogs don’t seem to like this display of prowess. Seems that they regard the hockey boards as some kind of corral to prevent their dogs from running off and having fun. Well, before the humanoids begin building ice rinks in the interior and spoiling it for the dogs, I’ll do my best to teach the next generation how to leap over boards. But, Boomer, I have to tell you, it’s getting harder to do this. I’ve put on a little weight over the summer, and it takes so much more effort to heave What To Put in the Green Bin The City of Ottawa’s Green Bin program will accept the following organic materials: Food waste or scraps: Baking ingredients, herbs and spices Bread, cereals, crackers and grains Candy and gum Chips, popcorn and nuts Coffee grounds and filters Cookies, cakes, muffins and pastries Dairy products (cheese, sour cream) Dough Eggs and egg shells Fruits and vegetables Jams, Jellies, Marmelades/chutney Leftover cooking oils, lard, shortening, fat, butter and margarine Meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, pork bones and scraps Nuts and shells Pasta, beans, rice and couscous Peanut butter Pet food Pits (all types) Salad dressing, mayonnaise, vinegar, sauces, marinades, dips and gravy Seeds Tea and tea bags Yard waste: Branches, twigs and hedge trimmings Leaves Plants and weeds Grass clippings Other acceptable items Animal bedding (e.g. bird and hamster cages) Barbeque Ashes Butcher’s meat wrap Cold fireplace ash Cotton balls Dryer lint Floor sweepings, vacuum bags and vacuum contents Food-soiled paper towels, napkins and tissues Food-soiled pizza boxes (pizza boxes should not go in black bin) Household plants, including soil Kitty litter Microwave popcorn bags Paper coffee cups, plates and muffin wrappers Pet fur, hair and feathers Soiled paper, boxboard and cardboard Sugar, flour and potato paper bags Waxed paper, cardboard and cold drink cups Wooden popsicle sticks and toothpicks Wood chips, sawdust and untreated wood scraps (less than four inches in any dimension) Not allowed in the green bin: Plastic bags of any kind (even the compostable varieties aren’t allowed) Diapers and sanitary products (as they contain plastics) Dog feces myself up and over. The first few times this year, I made an ungainly spectacle of myself, stuck with my belly on the top, while my feet motored the air and gray wooden boards. Alpha has cut back my food ration, and is getting me out for more exercise. I should be all right by the time the snow falls. But that’s not all. I’ve had to develop a new technique for landing that doesn’t put so much weight on my front paws. And when I’ve been lying around for a few hours, my elbow joints get very stiff. Alpha has taken to adding oils to my kibble, and every week he takes me to the vet, who gives me a needle while Alpha feeds me dog treats. I feel much better afterwards – more like my old self. And I feel it necessary to go around to sniff at the other dogs as a way of telling them I’m sorry I’ve been so crotchety and cranky lately. And it occurs to me, Boomer old buddy, that neither of us is a young pup any more. In fact, measured in humanoid years, Alpha and I are about the same age. (1) So I take my inspiration from him – from the way that playing with the Pup always makes him seem more pup-like. I’ve started playing with the Pup more myself. You know, he’s not such a bad pup for a humanoid. Very rambunctious. Too much energy. Always wants to rough-house – not just in the morning when I’m in the mood, but in the evenings too, when all I want to do is lie down by the fire and watch the flickering of the flames. But there are moments of sheer delight as I try to teach him new tricks – like how to feed me treats when I sit or lie down. I still haven’t managed the best trick of all: getting him to feed me scraps from the dinner table. But he’s still young, and I’m confident that I can teach a young Pup new tricks. Enjoying the peace and quiet now that the Pup has gone to bed, Zoscha (1) In November, 2002, Zoscha would have been seven years old. “The Pup” would have been approaching six. Alpha’s age is the subject of Windsor Chronicles Part 29, “Golden Years,” December 2002.
Page 1 and 2: By Paige Raymond Kovach Old Ottawa
Page 3 and 4: DEC 2011 OSCAR The The OTTAWA SOUTH
Page 5 and 6: DEC 2011 OSCA PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Page 7 and 8: DEC 2011 CITY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
Page 9 and 10: DEC 2011 By Brendan McCoy, OSWatch
Page 11 and 12: DEC 2011 By Brian Tansey What a sur
Page 13 and 14: DEC 2011 The OSCAR - OUR 38 th YEAR
Page 15 and 16: DEC 2011 A HARD DAY’S PLAY By Mar
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Page 21 and 22: DEC 2011 My name is Sarah Whiteside
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Page 39 and 40: DEC 2011 AFTER THOUGHTS from Richar
Page 41 and 42: DEC 2011 AMICALEMENT VOTRE Par Jean
Page 43 and 44: DEC 2011 Sunnyside Branch Library S
Page 49 and 50: DEC 2011 The OSCAR - OUR 38 Page 49

December OSCAR - Old Ottawa South

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