We had moose soup for lunch yesterday. It was a soup my parents had made so I don’t quite know the recipe–except I do know about the moose.

It turns out that the last time my Dad went moose hunting, he shot a hermaphrodite moose. It looked like a bull moose with horns and everything–so he shot it. When he started gutting it, he realized it had both male and female organs. But, hey, it was a moose. Do you know how many families you can feed with a moose?

I’ve had lasagna made with that moose before. And now, I’ve had moose soup. Tomorrow, my Dad says, we’ll have spaghetti bolognaise a la hermaphrodite moose.

How’s that for interesting?

I’ve been working on my Mum and Dad’s computer. I’ve found a few pictures of them that I’ve taken over the last few years. I just love them. I love my parents. They are as real as you can get.

PS: No live sightings of the Northern Lights so far. It is cloudy this evening.

Well, I’m home for the holidays. I’m here in Whitehorse for three weeks. I just wanted to start putting some pictures up so you could see what Whitehorse is like in December. When I got up this morning, the thermometer read -25C below 0. Brrrrr. But not enough to dissuade me from taking a walk. I bundled up: four layers on the bottom, five layers on the top, toque, neck warmer, and mitts. I walked the full circle of Fireweed Drive out here in Mary Lake (approx 5 kms or 3 miles). Not bad for a California girl–in the -25C too! I would like to mention that the sun didn’t come up until after 9h00 am. And, by 11h00 am when I was walking, the sun was only high enough to shine on the treetops and hillsides–not on the ground. Just something I noticed because people in California keep asking me how long the days are in winter. I didn’t notice when the sun set today. I was visiting a friend. I’ll have to pay more attention tomorrow.

My parents stocked the refrigerator and freezer for the holidays. Hopefully all of this food lasts the lot of us for more than two weeks. I’ll come back to California all fat and happy if it doesn’t. I’ll try to keep things in check though. I’m planning on walking or skiing everyday I’m here. Maybe, I’ll even get to snowboard at the local ski hill one day. That would be fun.

The newspaper says we should be able to see the Northern Lights. It’s clear enough outside tonight. I think I’ll go check before I go to bed.

My parents put a compostable toilet in their house. My parents live in a two-story log cabin in Whitehorse, Yukon–so it somehow doesn’t seem so far-fetched. It’s actually quite a good toilet as far as compostable toilets go.

If Mum’s in the middle of her quilting projects, she doesn’t have to run downstairs anymore to visit the loo. It’s right there. I think she’s put a kettle upstairs too–for tea. Cozy. Warm. She’s settling in for the winter.

Best of all, Dad’ll have the downstairs completely to himself. If she settles in, he won’t see her until spring.

I had dinner with my friend KatieBird the other day. We were talking about cooking and eating and food in general (one of my favourite topics–of course!). She mentioned that her husband likes variety–trying something new all the time. She said she’s completely happy plugging along eating the same thing–well–because it works.

I said I had a few recipes on my blog. I also said I would put up a few more. I like salads. Here’s a recipe for smoked trout salad.

1 filet of smoked trout. I get my smoked trout at the local fancy grocery store in a rush, or at Costco when I’ve actually planned it out. My parents, on the other hand would probably go out and catch the trout themselves. They would probably go camping at Fox Lake, Little Atlin Lake, Tagish Lake or any one of the those completely accessible lakes within camping distance of their house. Then, they would probably bring it home and smoke it themselves. My parents are retired, by the way. They have time to go out and catch the trouts and bring them home to smoke them.

1 head of butter lettuce. I also get this at the grocery store. My Mum and Dad grow their own. No surprise there. Mum has an award-winning garden. My Dad recently built her raised garden beds–because they are easier to garden in. But of course she grows her own. Did I mention my parents are retired?

Some purple onion for colour and flavour. Slice it as thinly as possible. Razor-thin strips. Just for that hint of onion flavour.

About one cup of dried cranberries. I get these at Costco in bulk because I LOOOVVEEE dried cranberries. My Mum would go pick them herself from Wolf Creek Campground or somewhere just by her house. I don’t know if she would dry them though. Oh–who am I kidding? Of course she would. She would also grow her own onions.

I like glass bowls for my salads. I don’t know why, I just do. Find a creative-looking glass bowl in your cupboard. Tear up the butter lettuce into bite-sized pieces. It makes it nicer to eat. Flake the filet of trout over top. Sprinkle the cranberries. Top with the slivers of onion.

Now for the dressing. It’s the same dressing I use for French Tuna, Tomato, and Corn Salad. I don’t think my Mum makes her own mustard. But she may–I don’t actually know. Did I mention my parents are retired?

My Aunt and Uncle from Nanaimo visited my parents in Whitehorse in May. Mum sent some pictures. I think it was the end of May too. Look at the snow!!! There is still snow on the mountains. Beautiful. Mum takes some great pictures of the scenery. She asked in her email if we remembered where they were taken. I definitely recognize the places with the people in them and Palmer Lake. I needed some help with the ones in the middle.

Having a BBQ.	Follow Wolf Creek to the Yukon River.	View from top of Miles Canyon.
Aunt Midge on left. Mum on right.	Typical bush plane North of 60.	Big Atlin Lake–not Alaska!
More Big Atlin Lake	Big Atlin Lake in background	No name lake in foreground
Palmer Lake	Palmer Lake.	Palmer Lake.

How’d I do Mum?

Here are some links to this year’s Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Can Can girls and other dancing entertainment. HA!

• Snowshoe Can Can Girls — Now that takes talent!
• Moulin Rouge Can Can Girls — As the Shuffle Demons say: “Yukon Girl. Yukon Girl. Like to have me a whirl with a Yukon Girl!!!!” Have yourself a whirl with these Yukon Girls!!!
• Dancing Pigmies — My parents get a kick out of these guys.

Any body out there got pictures of the Can Can Guys??????

My mum sent me this email and these pictures from Whitehorse today. For those Californian’s who want to know what life is like below zero (Centigrade of course!).

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Hi Girls.

Attached are some snow sculptures which Dad took this morning. These were done over Rendezvous weekend. I tried taking some on Saturday but nearly froze my hands doing so. It was a cold miserable wind out. When Dad took these this morning, he nearly froze his hands off too. There is a cold wind in town especially around third avenue. It was quite nice at our place as I went for a walk at 4:00 pm. A bit of a wind but not nearly as bad as in town.

Love Mum

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Click here to see the slide show. (I love Picassa!!)

It’s almost time for Rendezvous in Whitehorse. The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous is a mid-winter festival that gets people out of their cabins (thus avoiding cabin fever) in the middle of winter. There are different events: the Queen competition, tub races, flour packing, beard contest for men and women, hairy legs contest for men and women. (What can I say? We are pretty real in the Yukon.) There are Can Can Girls. There are Can Can Guys (I can’t find a picture of these fellows–which may be a good thing.) There is also, from what I remember, a group that does the Snowshoe Can Can. There is also music–lots of music (mainly because Rendezvous follows the Frostbite Festival). All in all, it’s pretty entertaining.

Every year, there is a Rendezvous parade. I was sorting though some pictures the other day and I found a picture of me as a majorette in this parade. Now, what do you think of when you think of a majorette? Batons. Yes. Twirling skills. Yes. Choreography. Yes Synchronized moves. Yes. But, what are they wearing? Usually, they are wearing body suits and wee skirts, no? Isn’t that what you think of when you think of a majorette?

Well. In Whitehorse, Yukon, in the middle of winter for a parade that takes place in the middle of winter, the majorettes are wearing many, many layers of clothing, winter boots, and if you can believe it–mittens! Yes. Mittens. Now–that takes skill.

The other day, I was eating dinner with my friends Katie and Sean. They were making wine in their garage and I wanted to take pictures. Originally, I thought this blog entry would be about how Californian’s make home-made wine, but then, when we sat down to dinner, Sean said: I’m so hungry, I could eat the crotch out of a rag doll!

I laughed and said: Hmm. My Dad would say: I’m so hungry I could eat the asshole out of a skunk and come back for the ears! Sean loved that saying. Then I thought that I would make a blog about my Dad’s sayings becasue they are pretty colourful.

Here are some more Dad-isms:

• “If clues were shoes, you’d be walking on the cheeks of your ass!!” For when you do something stupid.
• “If conceit were consumptious, you’d be consuminated.” For when you might think it appropriate to congratulate yourself a bit too much.
• “Cuttin’ hair and building igloos.” For when somebody asks what you are doing and you think it is fairly obvious exactly what you are doing–nothing!
• “It’s so cold out there, you could freeze the balls off a brass monkey in mating season.” For whenever it’s below -30 degrees Centigrade AND there is a wind chill factor.
• “My back teeth are floating and my front teeth are singin’ Anchor’s Away.” For when you have to piss so badly, you can’t even see!.
• “Up and down more times than a whore’s pair of drawers!” For when you are running up and down the stairs by the side of the house because you’re working on the deck at the back, but all the tools and wee things you need are up at the front.
• “As ugly as the second coming of Christ.” Usually used to describe people that you don’t particularly like.
• “As useless as tits on a boar.” Use this phrase to describe what you really think of something, some person, or some idea.
• “Have to use a shingle to scrape my leg.” For when you are in San Francisco and you are driving with your daughter and she goes through a red light because she’s pointing out all the sites and simply doesn’t see the red light.
• “Skunk hungry.” Derived from the quote: I’m so hungry….(above). You can use this phrase to describe how hungry you are.
• “Skunk dinner.” Again, derived from the quote: I’m so hungry…(above). Use this phrase to describe the dinner you just ate because you were skunk hungry. Also, if it so happens that you had liver and onions for your skunk dinner, you can use this phrase to describe how you smell because you ate a skunk dinner!!!
• “So hungry, my spine is talking to my belly button!” Again, you can use this phrase in reference to food and how hungry you are. (Hmmm….food seems to be a dominant theme with my Dad!)
• “Well, you know what thought did!” When you try to explain something with what you thought was a pretty reasonable explanation–but is actually pretty lame. If somebody says this to you, you have to sheepishly admit: “He thought he farted and he shit himself!”.
• “Being a dumbass isn’t covered under the warranty!” A new quote for my Dad, but I think he might use it. Derived from a recent episode where HE filled my tank on my 2005 Honda Civic with diesel fuel.
• “Covered in {tar | paint | glue } from asshole to breakfast.” For when you are taring, painting, or glueing and you get the stuff all over yourself, the wall, the trinket, the roof–whatever project you are trying to complete.
• Added because Jorden said it to Chantel the other day, but we all know where he got it!!: You can shit in the middle of the table and say you’re sorry…” For when you do something and say you are sorry but it doesn’t change the fact that there is a big, stinkin’ pile of crap in the middle of the table.
• Not necessarily a saying from Dad, but from my sister Nat and along the same lines: “Who pissed in your corn flakes this morning??” You ask this question indignantly when somebody seems to be pissed off at you for now apparent reason. And you let them think about it.
• Added 25 April 2006 “Suckin’ the hind tit!” For when you’re feeling behind the game and like you’ll never catch up. Derived from the fact that the runt of the litter always gets the last tit available–not to mention that it’s also the closest one to all the shit.
• Added 18 April 2008 “Slower than molasses in January!” For when you’re trying to do something and it needs to be done really fast and there’s someone or something who’s holding you up. You’d say: “Come on, let’s get going. You’re slower than molasses in January. My Mum would say to me: “Come on Miss Jibbs. You’re slower than molasses running uphill in January!” Apparently, I always took my time when I was young. I geuss I had the time when I was young.

Redd, Nat, do you have anymore? I know you do. Save them in the comments and I’ll update this entry.