A Life, Lived

Classic Nuts and Bolts

Do you remember this snack from your childhood? This is one of those recipes that you can play around with and really make your own - in fact, my grandmother was famous for her version. We still do not know what made it so special but when she packed up a big batch into mason jars to give away as gifts each year we were disappointed. Our disappointment did not last though as there was always another batch just for US!

Looking at the ingredients I think I know what it was - a full pound of butter? MMMM

I've seen 'modern, healthy' versions of this snack.I've even saved a few of these recipes but I always come back to the one that tastes like the version I had as a kid.

You may be wondering about the name - apparently the pretzel sticks and the cheerios used to be able to be stuck together like nuts and bolts. Alas our modern cheerios are far smaller and this is no longer the case. These days when I make my version I add ringaloos and crunchy cheetos which allows me to put together nuts and bolts just as I did when I was a kiddo.

For those who want to play around with ingredients I estimate that in the original recipe  you would have about 20 - 22 cups of ingredients (with the boxes of things and cups of things). So long as you keep to that same ratio you are golden!

 

Classic Nuts and Bolts

1 lb. butter
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion salt
1 1/2 tsp. celery salt
4 cups “Cheerios”
4 cups “Life” cereal (corn chex)
4 cups “Shreddies” or “Wheat Chex”
2 boxes pretzels or pretzel sticks
2 cups peanuts (salted if you insist!)
1 box “bugels”
1 box cheese nips or cheese bites

Heat oven to 250 F. Place butter in very large roaster and put in oven to melt butter while oven in preheating. Add all ingredients and stir well to coat evenly with butter. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 1/2 hour.

The Kindness of Strangers

The other day I took mom, Paul, and Rose into the city for an evening out. We started off at the office - they wanted a tour and they received the full hour-long version. Easy to do when the office is closed and there are no distractions.

We had a good dinner at il Fornello (although I wasn't able to eat most of mine thanks to the lasting effects of this damn flu).

Then we saw the musical Come From Away - an improbable musical about the days after 9-11. Imagine - a musical about 9-11. The very thought is almost a repugnant insult.

Except this story is not really a tale of mayhem and death rather it latches onto the better sides of the human psyche . . . hope, helpfulness, and looking out for one another.

The show tells the tale of how the citizens of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed almost 7,000 grounded travelers and the crews from 38 planes which were redirected to the town airport in the hours after the 9-11 terrorist attacks after the US closed its airspace. I had read rave reviews of the show as it was developed over the past few years - first as a part of the Sheridan College theatre incubation project and then as it was refined in studio in La Jolla, Seattle, and Washington DC. The Toronto show is the last stop before the play opens on Broadway.

The underlying theme to the play is the extraordinary efforts ordinary people can take when they see a need and the lasting impacts of these efforts. In the scary and uncertain times following 9-11 the citizens of Gander and the surrounding towns welcomed the stranded passengers from those 38 grounded planes and transformed them.  The true Canadian spirit - optimistic helpers who get things done against seemingly insurmountable odds - was the central theme to this play. It is a role we find joy in and play on the world stage.

Lately this is something I have reflected upon a fair bit.

Service to others.

It is a significant part of my familial DNA. Always in the background, quiet . . . but ever present. We do not run for office - that would be too much, but we do join in if necessary or even work independently to try and get things done. This service can present itself in odd ways at times. It has been the source of laughter, stress, and considerable comfort over the years.

I find as I grow older (something I plan on writing about in the future as I have been reflecting a lot on age for some weird reason) it is people being kind to one another in unplanned and unexpected ways that elicits a strong emotional response in me. When I read a new story about a stranger helping out a stranded family when they were in desperate need I can be moved to tears.

This is one of the key trickles of glue which holds us together as a global tribe. It is one of the things we will need to nurture, celebrate, and encourage over the coming years as the world seems to be moving down a dark and mean path.

Now back to that play . . .

The show was fabulous. One of the best theatre productions I have ever seen . . . and I have seen many. I would say 'go and see it' but the reality is it closes in a week and if you did not buy tickets back in October you are SOL.

If you're able I'd suggest go to Broadway and see it.

Now that brings up an interesting thought - how will a play which is as sweet as Canadian Grade A Maple Syrup play in New York? It has been suggested that Broadway might be a bit to cynical for this tale of infinite goodness. Then again, given the mood growing in the US right now it could be just the thing to remind New Yorkers of their shining moments of togetherness where their collective good made a difference when faced with great evil.

I'm Back . . . Sort of

Well, that was fun.

Being sick on vacation always seems like you've been shortchanged but sick on Christmas vacation takes the feeling to a new level.

You're supposed to be visiting with friends and family, laughing, drinking, eating rich food, yet you can barely raise your body out of bed and are spending most of your day staring down at the business end of a commode.

I won't get all gross here but I could. Oh baby, I could.

Any interaction you do have with real people is taught and fraught with crankiness welling up at unpredictable moments. This I know because Paul told me. Nicely, but I was told. ;-)

I broke one of our family rules - I didn't shave. This was big. We males were taught to shave. Daily. Twice a day if we needed to. It could be the end of the world, buildings toppling to the ground, but the males in our clan would face it with a smooth jawline.

The good news is that I am feeling almost human today.

Almost.

I spent the entire day yesterday moving from the couch to bed. I read. I played games on my iPad. I watched Harry Potter movies. In short I lived the live of a 12 year old . . . and it was OK - being an adult is a lot of work.

Yesterday was the first day there was no puking involved.

A positive sign.

Today our plan is to head into the city with mom and Rose. They will get the grand tour of the office. After a suitable level of ohhsss and ahhhhhs we will head to the theatre district for dinner at an Italian restaurant and to take in 'Come From Away' at the newly renovated Royal Alexandra Theatre.

I am sure this exertion will have may laying in bed for the next two days but that is OK.

 

Lucky Me . . .

Toronto Zoo Panda Plays with a Snowman

On Tuesday the zookeepers at the Toronto zoo build a snowman for one of their resident pandas.

The video of the aftermath almost broke the internet today.

Watch and I dare you not to smile . . .

 

 

Tortellini en Brodo

Italians will often serve tortellini en brodo over Christmas. When we were in Italy over Christmas 4 years ago we took a cooking class with our friend judy. She showed us how to make this classic dish.

She posted some pics on facebook yesterday and the memories came flooding back . . .

Travel Tuesdays - Christmas in Rome

My facebook memory posts are full of reminders of the three weeks we spent in Rome at Christmastime. It was only four years ago but it seems like a million!

Christmas Kitties

As we get closer to Christmas there is generally a day where the cats get decked out in their Christmas outfits.

Dante was a reindeer for 5 seconds.

He did decide that he liked the holly collar and has worn it ever since.

Beckett is more subdued - wearing a jaunty scarf.

It is funny how much cats love hanging out UNDER the Christmas tree. As soon as we had placed the tree skirt Beckett got settled in . . .

Ikea Christmas Tree

Photo Hunt - Fur

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'fur'.

this little fur ball in Rome was very well dressed.