The car....and other things.
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Posted:Jan 14, 2008 4:08 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 3:42 pm 16252 Views
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So what has the old Bear~man been up to. you ask. Why I have been trying to take care of the wife and keep things here on the homefront all quieted down. It didn't help that just before Christmas the dependable Neon died on us....twice. So my wonderful, always wanting to spend more money than she has, wifey decided we needed a new car. See the picture? Yeah, it's a sandstone coloured Avenger SXT. We....and I mean she because I didn't physically stop her...decided to keep the Bear family car of choice a Dodge. (Personally, I wanted a Chevy or a Buick.)
Anyhoo, now you know what I've been up to....which is trying to deal with sticker shock!! Those new cars are nice, but the price is enough to make you cry!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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A Journey In Reflection.
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Posted:Jun 30, 2007 8:38 am
Last Updated:Mar 11, 2009 10:25 am 17067 Views
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For those who know me best, you know that I am always on the move, always seeking out life's little mysteries and the things that make life worth living. But recently I was reminded that one of those things is family.
My paternal grandmother slipped away a few days ago. She was a true friend, probably the only one in the family that understood me best. It's where I get my weird side. HA!! I'm a six foot tall, 278 pound rough cut man who can live off the land in almost any conditions, and yet I like classical music and chamomile tea. I am the last person you might expect to knit or crochet with tiny hooks or needles, and if you saw the way I am built, you would NOT expect my favorite color to be YELLOW. But yet, my granny knew. Yellow was her favorite color too, and we often times traded crochet books.
And as I reflected the things I have had the blessing to do with my grandmother, I found out that others in the family were not so blessed. My cousin Sandy said at the funeral that he had not seen granny in over 21 years. I thought about it and realized that was when the family got together to say goodbye to Uncle Charlie. I suddenly felt so sad.
After the funeral, Uncle Buddy (Sandy's father)invited the family to his house for an informal reception. I did not know he lived so close by, only about 3 or 4 miles from where I live. That was another shock to my system. And then it occured to me, that Sandy comes to visit his father twice a year. And even Sandy did not know I lived so close to his father. As close as Sandy and I were when we were growing up, that's what probably hurt me the most. He taught me sign language so I could alwyas talk to him, because he is deaf. Yes, we were THAT close. He and I would sometime fuss between ourselves, but if anyone ever raised their voice to him....well, let us just say I handled the situation in an honorable family way. 
Then Sandy got the shock of his young life when he found out that he lives only a six hour drive from Aunt Pat. (Sandy has to drive for almost 10 hours to get here from his home in Tennessee.) Aunt Pat learned sign language so she could help Sandy with his homework when he was very young, so the two of them have a very special bond as well.
I remember Aunt Pat cried so hard at Unlce Charlie's funeral that Sandy stood on on side of her and told me to follow his lead. I got on her other side and then we tickled Aunt Pat unle she promised not to cry any more. She also threatened to burn our eyes out with hot pokers while we slept or something nearly as violent. HA!! So at granny's funeral, Aunt Pat was especially weary of where she stood and exactly how my she cried. I wonder why.
I get on my wife all the time about how she needs to spend time with her family, call her grandmother from time to time, blah, blah, blah. I think it's time I started taking my own advice too. It hurts when someone you love passes, but I think the greater pain is in not having known someone well.
Until next time, remeber to call your family!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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Thing You Should Know
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Posted:May 31, 2006 6:50 am
Last Updated:Jan 2, 2008 6:38 am 17962 Views
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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON'T
1 . Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.
2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.
3. The dot over the letter i is called a "tittle".
4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
5. Susan Lucci is the of Phyllis Diller.
6. 40% of McDonald's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.
7. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.
8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red eyes. He was an albino.
9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents, daily.
10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.
11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small sized dog.
12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.
13. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.
16. Upper and lower case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower' because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the 'upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that store the smaller, 'lower case' letters.
17. Leonardo DA Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time ... hence, multi-tasking was invented.)
18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.
20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan; there was never a recorded Wendy before!
21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and silver!
22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.
23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death.
24. Due to a VERY limited budget, the mask used by Michael Myers in the original "Halloween" movie was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white.
25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of Money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you won't sink in quicksand.
27. The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider or longer than your thumb.
28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples!
30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.
32. Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
33. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind in a space suit damages it.
George Carlin said it best about Martha Stewart. "Boy, I feel a lot safer now that she's behind bars. O.J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant are still walking around; Osama Bin Laden too, but they take the ONE woman in America willing to cook, clean, and work in the yard, and haul her fanny off to jail."
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Special From The Cafe.
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Posted:May 29, 2006 2:38 pm
Last Updated:Jun 30, 2007 8:38 am 17757 Views
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Bear's Cafe is always proud to present you with hot meals and cold drinks, but we here at the old cafe are also proud to give you something to feed the mind and give you something to laugh about, other than the ridiculously written menus. Here's the Bear's Cafe's salute to moms all over the world.
"Why God made Moms."
(Answers given by elementary school age to the following questions.)
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2 . God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.
Many Blessings.
Bear.
PS...Yes, that is a pic of my mom.
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New Year, New Looks.
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Posted:May 22, 2006 12:33 pm
Last Updated:May 29, 2006 2:29 pm 16665 Views
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As I write this, I am reminded that this is another year I have been at AFF, 3 of them over and a new one just begun. I am reminded of this fact as it is also the time I renew my lease on the appartment. But seriously, with each year there have been changes. I remember when I first came to Chinese FriendFinder that there were no blogs. I remember also that I had hair down to here....**Points to the middle of his back**
Yes, dear friends, I cut it al off. I sent what I could to Locks of Love. I don`t recommend you cut your pretty tresses, but if you`re of the mind to do away with them and start all over, or maybe just want to shed because you`re like me and are afraid of the heat this year, then you know what I say.....make the most of it. And that I did. I`m sporting a clean head these days, so that recovering can have a wig to cover their little heads.
I also remember a time when LLocks of Love needed a much larger , another thing which has changed. Now they need only 10 inches, due to a new method of bonding hair to the wig base. So you KNOW they used a LOT of my hair. Oh, and that's something new too. It's the first time I've been scalped by a woman. I used to do this all by myself.
Well, let's see where this new year takes us, and what adventures it holds in store.
Many Blessings.
Bear.
PS.....Thank you, AFF, for another wonderful year.
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The Winter's End.
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Posted:May 22, 2006 12:33 pm
Last Updated:May 29, 2006 2:02 pm 18079 Views
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Well, I am sure you missed you old Bear friend, as you know, we little Bear spirits have to hybernate for the winter. Hahaha. Anyway, just to let you know, the season is right, the sun is shinning and the Bear has come out to play again. I have been reading your posts, as I have made mention before, just not replying to them so often as I'd like. But that's about to change. The warm air and constant sun have given the old Bear a new lease on life, opened his eyes, and lited his weakened spirit once again.
Yeah, ok, so I don't sleep too well in the warm months anyway. Try as I may, my wife won't allow me to use the air conditioner much when she's home, says it makes her too cold. Sorry to say it folks, as much as many of you think I am a doting hubby who fawns all over his wifey, I sometimes wish she'd actually be as uncomfortable as me when the heat is on. I think the girl eats so much ice that she has cold water running through her viens. As for me, I do NOT take well to the heat.
Well, so much for my rant. Hope to hear and speak to you all again very soon.
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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Cheese Sables.
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Posted:Jan 11, 2006 9:29 am
Last Updated:May 22, 2006 12:15 pm 18764 Views
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Ok, this one is so easy even Debz can make it. Hehehe. Neener, Neener, Puppy!! It's a little something I whip up for company, and it's great with soup or a cup of Earl Grey tea.
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Cheese Sables
1+1/4c. all purpose flour
1+1/2c. grated cheddar or other sharp cheese
2/3c. butter, cut into small bits.
1 egg yolk
sesame seeds for sprinkling
Lightly grease several cookie sheets. In a large bowl, mix the flour and cheese together. Add the butter and mix with your fingers until well combined.
Stir in the yolk and mix to form the dough. Wrap the dough and chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400*f. On a floured surface, roll the dough very thin and cut with into 2+1/2in. (about 3cm)rounds, reroll the trimmings to form more rounds.....you should have about 35 of them when all is said and done.
Place the rounds onto the prepared cookie sheets, sprinkle the tops with the sesame seeds and bake for about 20 minutes or until the sables turn a nice golden colour.
Transfer them to a wire rack to cool before serving.
NOTE: You can use other shapes for these. I find that enjoy them cut into animal shapes....and I like mine cut into the shape of gingerbread men. Hehehe. Enjoy!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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Rasberry's Scones.
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Posted:Jan 8, 2006 7:45 pm
Last Updated:May 22, 2006 12:35 pm 18341 Views
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I have a bit of a multi-purpose for this one. Hehehe. Crafty little devil, aren't I?? First, it honors my favorite Chinese FriendFinder member and my oldest Chinese FriendFinder friend. Second, it is a taste from home for my newest Chinese FriendFinder family member, take a bow, DogDarko!! But also, it's another family recipe from my maternal granny, the 83 year YOUNG half Scotswoman that still can run circles around ME!!
Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this one, it's a great treat to help start the day.
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Rasberry's Scones
4+1/2c. (4.3 metric cups)self rising flour
8oz. (15.8 metric Tbs.)unsalted butter, cold
1c. (0.9 metric cups)sour cream
1/2c. (0.48 metric cups)sugar
2pints (4.4 metric cups)fresh raspberries
Dash of milk
Additional sugar for dipping
Preheat the oven to 325*f. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Work in butter, as if for pie dough, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sour cream and enough milk to make dough into a soft, whole mixture. Take care not to make the dough too wet.
Gently fold in berries.
Separate dough into 3-ounce pieces. Dip tops in additional sugar, and place on parchment-lined or greased cookie sheet, sugar side up.
Bake until light golden and a knife or tester inserted into middle of scone comes out clean, about 8-10 minutes
Notes: Raspberries are a very popular fruit in Scotland, as I am constantly reminded by the MANY different preserves and jams that come from different regions of the Highlands. But if you do not care for the powerful taste of the common raspberry, you can always substitute them for other fruits or chopped nuts. My favorite is to use candied cherries or a half and half mix of dried cranberries and hazelnuts.....but any mix will work. Enjoy!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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Confussion Solutions......Part 1.
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Posted:Jan 8, 2006 2:30 am
Last Updated:Mar 5, 2006 9:28 pm 17713 Views
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Ok, Debz, you got me on the last one, so here are some helpful tips that I have managed to use over the years, because until I got married 3 years ago, I didn't have a lot of high-tech cookware. I had to make due with a LOT of ordinary supplies and use a LOT of substituions. And for those of you who aren't Deb, these tips may come in handy for you too. Hahaha.
With a lot of recipes for summer and spring requiring beer, you can substitute it for non-alcoholic beer, apple cider or beef broth, if you're like me and do not wish to use a lot of alcohol in your food.
A lot of recipes that I use call for honey, and while nothing beats the rich taste of honey, not everyone keeps it on the shelf. The best substitution is to use 1+1/4c. of sugar and 1/4c. of water or apple juice for each cup of honey required. If the mix is a little too sweet, add a pinch of salt to tone it down.
Raisins are best in many desserts, but not everyone likes them, and I fall into that group. Hahaha. I even have a friend who refuses to eat them, she says they're tortured grapes. As for me, I use dried cranberries or dried cherries, but you can always use any number of dried fruits such as; dates, plums, apricots, red currants or even dried ginger.
Desserts are always calling for new and expensive serving dishes, and in many cases you have to steam them too, as in the case of my Honeyed Rice. You don't need special and expensive dishes or a steamer, just a little know-how. Use ordinary glass dessert cups, cover them with aluminum foil, place them in a pot with about an inch of water, cover the pot and bring it to a slow simmer. This will steam your desserts just as well as a conventional steamer, and you don't have to alter the cooking time.
A wild ingerdient that I see in a lot of recipes is sour cream. If you don't have any, you can use unsweetened plain yogurt. Of course the trick works in reverse too, using sour cream instead of the plain yogurt.
This little trick is not really a substitution, more so than just a trick of the trade. I am ever the health nut, and always look for new ways to spice up my foods at the same time I also look for ways to make things healthier to eat. I love pastries and cakes, but as you know, cakes often require a LOT of oil. All that fat isn't good for your system, but at the same time, you need moisture for your cake. You could try to replace the oil with water, but the water will only burn away and then you have a dry, hard door stop cake. Anyway, my mother actually gave me this tip. Replace half of the oil with apple sauce, it makes the cake a little heavy, but it is so moist!!
Ok, so you're thinking that these are good, but what about the average person at home. Ok, Miss Plain Jane, here's a tip for you too. When you're making your time honored meatloaf, DON'T use bread crumbs or crumbled up crackers. Use oatmeal instead. Yes, ordinary dry oatmeal. Oatmeal helps fight bad cholesterol and is a MUCH better binding agent than bread or crackers. It's a double treat!! Save the day old hard bread for French Toast.
Bear's tip of the day: The Blender. I reffer to the food processor a lot these days, and honestly, I don't have one. Hahaha. As I said, I am not exactly the high-tech kind of guy. Anyway, You can use a common variety blender to do many of the things a food processor does. By pulsing the blender (repeatedly turning it to the highest setting and then turning it off quickly) you can make wonderful toppings, side items, even dips or pastes just like the professionals. (Trust me, I am a professional.) Hahaha. Now don't tell anybody, but I make guacamole and salsa in a blender, and they are both better and fresher than anything you can buy in the store. (A recipe for a day to come soon?? Hmmm....)
Well, This concludes the first semester of Cooking 101. Be sure to come back later this week for semster two. Hehehe. Enjoy!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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Honeyed Rice Pudding.
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Posted:Jan 4, 2006 10:44 am
Last Updated:Mar 5, 2006 9:28 pm 18735 Views
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As you all know, I love a good challenge, and one has been given to me, so you KNOW I have to respond to it. Hehehe. Thank you, SwallowTsui, and I want you to know that this is only one of many Chinese desserts that I have found, and there will be others joining it. Oh, and Debz, I think you might appreciate this one too.
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Honeyed Rice Pudding
1+1/2c. (300grams) rice
2Tbs. honey plus extra for drizzling
a large pinch of ground cinnamon
15 dried appricots (but get the soft ones), chooped
3 pieces of preserved ginger, chooped
8 whole dried appricots (Again, use the soft kind)
Put the rice in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Stir the honey and cinnamon into the rice.
Blend the chopped apricots and ginger in a food processor until it makes a paste. Divide the paste into four equal portions and shape them to fit the dessert dishes.
Grease 4 small (150ml) ramekin dishes or dessert cups. Put half of the rice in the dishes and top with the apricot paste, then top with the remaining rice.
Cover the dessert dishes with wax paper and foil, steam them for about 35 minutes or until the puddings have set. Allow them to set for about 5 minutes to cool, then turn them over on on slightly warmed dessert plates. Place 2 whole apricots on the top and drizzle with a little more honey.
Tip: The puddings may be left to chill in their dishes after being steamed. Served as a cold dessert they can be topped with whipped cream or served ala~mode (topped with ice cream).
Enjoy!!
Many Blessings.
Bear.
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