If I say it's easy, you know it's gotta be easy!

I had an interesting recipe a few days ago, found in my Betty Crocker cookbook (yes, I own a cookbook - more than one, actually) in the 20 Minutes Or Less section (the only section I use)

Just thought I'd share. It may sound kinda gross when you read it, and it definitely looks gross when you're making it, but it tastes really good!

Asian Chicken Roll-Ups (not to be confused with fruit roll-ups, which are entirely different)

2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons teriyaki baste and glaze (you can substitute stir-fry sauce for this, which is what I did)
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon sesame oil or vegetable oil (I used canola because it was the only thing I had. Maybe using the proper oil will make it taste even better!)
4 flour tortillas (8 to 10 inches)
8 slices cooked chicken deli breast
1 1/2 cups shredded iceburg lettuce
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (you can use preshredded lettuce and carrots. I used broccoli slaw)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In small bowl, beat peanut butter, teriyaki/stir-fry sauce, brown sugar, water, and oil with wire whisk until smooth.

2. Spread about 2 tablespoons peanut butter mixture over each tortilla. Top each with 2 slices chicken, about 1/3 cup lettuce, about 1/3 cup carrots and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Roll up tortillas.



And that's all there is to it! Easy, tasty, and very quick!
If you don't own a dishwasher, make sure you soak the bowl that had the peanut butter in it right away. That stuff hardens like concrete!

Thornhill Village Festival

I spent Saturday working at the Thornhill Village Festival, manning a library information table with a co-worker. It was by far the coldest day of the summer (we're still technically in summer, right?), but there were advantages.

For one thing, I got to play with a bunny puppet all day (and yes, I will give it back).



Another advantage was the front row seats for the parade.

What's a parade without bagpipe players?

Followed by an incredibly cute troop of Beavers!


There was a guy in a motorized bathtub (with a motorized outhouse following behind him)


And two gorgeous Clydesdale horses, pulling a large wagon. I miss horseback riding sometimes.

Not sure what the heck this is, but it sure made a lot of noise!

There was a clown, towing some penguins around (we saw this guy a few times during the day)

And the recreationists for the mock-battle

These guys were the other side... I don't know who won.

It was a cute festival. I'd go next year as a visitor, except I think I'll be manning the booth as long as I'm working at my particular branch... but I don't mind. It was fun!

Knitting question

I seem to be back once more knitting hats and scarves (in light of the cooler weather)

I was thinking about knitting a scarf with an interesting pattern or design. Something not too complicated, but a little more complex than straight knitting.

Anyone out there know of such a pattern? Perhaps one of you who subscribes to Ravelry?

Cats Sleeping Funny (and my new haircut)

This is it for pictures, folks. Sorry about the overload. I only did a few pictures, too. There wer 105 on my camera!

Hamlet in his basket, sleeping in a strange position:

My new hair cut (this is an awful picture. It's hard to take a picture of yourself. It looks better in person!)

I can home from Ikea today (NEVER go to Ikea on a Saturday. I broke a cardinal rule!) and found Hermes sleeping like this:

Why was he in such a strange position? To avoid the kitten, I think:

Rest of the Long Weekend Pictures

Okay, here are the rest of the pictures

Pete, trying out the kayak:

Dee, Pete, and little Hamlet:

Hamlet has this funny habit of burrowing through my hair. Dee took pictures of it, so I could see what's going on (why do I always pick the weird cats?)

Look! Hermes and Hamlet are playing! (I don't think Hermes realized Hamlet was there until Hamlet fell off the chair and landed on his head. That was pretty funny!)

Okay, one more post of non-long weekend pictures and I'm done. Promise.

EDIT: The pictures are working now. Enjoy!

Very Photo Heavy Post!

I just downloaded all my pictures from my camera to my computer, so I thought I'd share. I'm also playing with Picassa, so if this post looks weird, that's why. Okay, onto the photos! I believe they're mostly of the long weekend at my parents' cottage:

Hamlet, in his new collar and leash, exploring the great outdoors for the first time

My sister showed me how to do some neat tricks with my camera, so we played around a bit with them. For example, I can set the camera to only pick up a specific colour, in this case, blue:

Then I tried it again (without my sister's help) to only pick up red. It didn't work so well. Later, she told me I can adjust the sensitivity, but that wasn't in time for this picture of Dee and Pete (who were holding something red. The rest of the picture was supposed to be black and white)

Dee and Pete decided they wanted to try kayaking. This is an awesome picture of Dee, with the ski hill in the background:

... okay, I know I selected more photos in Picassa, but only these ones showed up... hang on, I'll try this again.

Librarians in "Lirael"

Remember a while ago, I said I wanted to post about different interpretations of libraries/librarians in books (mostly fantasy)? I started off with Terry Pratchett and I've moved onto Garth Nix.

Let me start by saying I'm finally reading his trilogy (I don't think it has a name, but it starts with "Sabriel", then "Lirael", then "Abhorsen") and I love it! It's one of the best books I've read in a while!

But, onto the part of "Lirael" where the main character (Lirael - duh) wants to get a job as a librarian.

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The Chief Librarian had a large oak-paneled office, with a very long desk that was covered in books, papers, and a large brass tray with that morning's breakfast still half-eaten upon it. There was also a long, silver-bladed sword on the desk, unsheathed, with its hilt close to the Librarian's hand.

"So," said the Librarian, her deep, commanding voice making Lirael jump. "You want to be a librarian?"

"Y-yes," stammered Lirael.

"But are you suitable?" asked the Librarian. She touched the hit of her sword, and for a moment Lirael thought she was going to pick it up and wave it around, to see if it frightened her.

Lirael was already frightened. The Librarian scared her, even without a sword.
(pg. 79-80)

Then, there's the equipment that every librarian needs...

"Now, this whistle clips on the lapel loops here, so you can bend your head and blow into it, even if something's holding your arms. But you should whistle only if you really need help. If you hear a whistle, run towards the sound and do whatever you can to help."

"Of course, the whistle's good only when someone can hear it," continued Imshi, handing Lirael something that at first glance looked like a silver ball. She indicated that it should be placed in the front left pocket of her new waistcoat. "That's why you have the mouse."

"What's it do?" asked Lirael.

"It gets help. Anyway, you have the whistle and the mouse. Here's your belt and scabbard, and I'll just see which dagger is sharpest. Ow! That'll do, I think. Now we just have to put the number in the book, and you have to sign for everything."
(pg. 82-85)

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I wish I got all that equipment when I started working at the library.