#they don't have any good breakfast food so like a good canadian I just go to timmies

[seat-safety-switch]

There is a secret war happening in the heart of our world, friends. Combatants strive for absolute supremacy, a way to force their onerous new rules on regular human beings just like you and me. You only need to go to the cereal aisle at your local grocery store to see it for yourself.

When I was a kid, there were thousands of breakfast cereals. It was big business: fill kids with sugar laced corn byproducts. Quick breakfast, get them out the door. That was before the Carb Panic, which is not related in any way to carburetors, which remain a perfectly valid form of fuel metering and injection. Suddenly, breakfast cereal wasn't "cool" anymore. Sales dropped. MBAs freaked out. And a huge portion of our shared cultural history evaporated, just like that.

Even now, people of a certain age still have these brands woven into their sense of identity. You will lumber through the rest of your life, sleeper-like, until abruptly activated by a series of names that industrialists tattooed onto your prefrontal cortex. Post Oat Flakes, your brain will screech, we remember the titan it once was. A gentle frisson of nostalgia, followed by a haunting void and an awareness of the irreversible march of time.

Reduced competition means an easier time making money, right? Not so: as our civilization slowly looks down, Wile E. Coyote-like, and realizes that we actually stopped doing anything at all a couple decades ago in favour of moving some numbers around in Excel, people are cutting out things like Fruit Loops in favour of "eating actual food" and "paying my rent." This time, though, the cereal pushers learned their lesson. If the grocery stores don't want to stock their cereal because of low demand, they can simply hike the prices so that everyone gets their respective beaks wet. Seven bucks a box! Sir Grapefellow would have been ashamed.

Don't worry, though. I've got a plan. You see, the Canadian government stocked a bunch of anti-nuke bunkers with food and water and other supplies way back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. In the 80s, they had kind of gotten used to the whole idea of being obliterated in a millisecond and largely stopped caring as much. All that cereal is still perfectly good. If you bring your dad's old bolt cutters, we can probably sneak out a couple boxes before the Mounties figure out we're there. Might be a little stale, but that's better than living under the whip hand of Bob Kellogg's. I swear to whatever deity is listening that I will once again sup of Count Chocula.

[snekknack]

Canadians should be paying attention to what's going on with the NHS, as some of the Premiers here have been underfunding public healthcare (controlled by the province) for over a decade to the point where we are in a crisis where we don't have enough doctors and nurses working in healthcare, but we have a ton of donestic and foreign trained health professionals ready to work (but the number of and funding for healthcare "administrators" has gone up). Last year the premier of Ontario played his hand; after underfunding healthcare in his province during a global pandemic, the solution he took several years and thousands of taxpayer dollars to come up with, was to fund a return to privatized healthcare.

We have had publically funded healthcare for decades, and when I lived in the US the Americans loved to go on about how much it costs us and how poor the care is; the thing is those people have no idea what they're talking about. They see the higher provincial sales tax and assume we're being swindled by the sherif of nottingham, but PST goes to other provincially funded stuff like schools (school bussing is free), roads, etc. Healthcare is funded by provincial income tax, which varries from household to household, but everyone recieves to same level of care; and if you're not wealthy enough to own a home, chances are you paid nothing or next to nothing in income tax.

But what is the quality of that care? Compare and contrast my experience in both American and Canadian hospitals: In the US, I had to go in for major reconstructive surgery. I was 17 so my step-father's health insurance covered the cost, but I couldn't be operated on at a regular hospital as per stipulations in the insurance, I had to be treated at a childrens hospital. It was a nightmare, as I woke up after the surgery with no pain management for SEVERAL HOURS before they pumped me full of several pain meds that didn't work at all; at some point they decided to knock me out with Propofol, and if that sounds familiar, it's the drug that killed Michael Jackson. The next day I woke up vomiting my guts out only to be told to eat a slice of pumpernickle bread with american cheese and a jello cup for breakfast.

Comparatively, when I went to a Canadian hospital for pain in my nether regions, I didn't have to figure out which hospital I'd have to go to, I just went to the nearest one, handed them my provincial health card, and got a bed despite not intending to stay overnight. The first thing they gave me was morphine for the pain, and asked if I'd like something to eat (I was there when lunch was being prepped), and I got a plate of food that was just as good as the diner down the street (not 5-star dining, but good tasting and enough to fill me up). After maybe 30-45 minutes of waiting, I saw a urologyst who diagnosed my pain as being caused by a kidney stone; he said I could either wait to pass it at the hospital or take a collection kit and pass it at home. At no point did I pay a SINGLE CENT for this entire experience, and even when I got injured while travelling out of province, I had the same excellent care at the same cost of NOTHING. The only time I've had to pay for health insurance was when getting travellers insurance while travelling to the US (~100$ to cover medical expenses up to 5 million) so I wouldn't have to choose between foreign medical debt and dying. On to of all that I don't have co-pays for seeing my GP; the only thing it costs me is my time (which isn't anywhere near the outlandish claims made by US news media).

If you like not dying and not suffering while not having to go into debt for medical emergencies, pay attention to who sets the rules and don't let them sell out your health and wellbeing for their own personal profit. Private healthcare is a scam meant to fill someone's private piggybank; any resources afforded to them can just as easily go to public healthcare when politicians aren't actively sabotaging the wellbeing of their citizens to scam them into a for-profit trap. Healthcare is a right, don't let the intrests of a bunch of wealthy demagogues turn the right to live into a privilage to pay!

[paris-geller-was-straightwashed]

*walks in after five months with starbucks and a new chapter*.....sup

[whatsaboutalaska]

Bocas del Toro

This is going to be a very long Blogpost, because I spent a month on the beautiful Islands of Bocas del toro and I have a lot to tell you about :D

Isla Colon

It’s the main Island and although it’s one of the bigger ones, the city (bocas town - the capital of the whole Archipel) is very tiny. It won’t take you more than 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other, what might seem a bit boring, but there's always something new to discover :) !

Where to stay

Normally I don't give anti-recommendations for hostels, but although everyone I asked recommended me to stay at Selina in Bocas, it was my worst hostel experience ever. If you're like me, and more into cozy small hostels, where you easily feel at home, and not into party party, I'll recommend you not to book at Selina, especially not friday and saturday! You don't need to stay there to hang out at their dock, or join the parties at night. But I love to sleep. So these two nights were horrible for me :)!

Skully‘s House

I would have loved to stay at this hostel, but unfortunately it was fully booked when I was there. But I still spent a few hours at the place, and the dorms look amazing :)! The cheapest option for a night at Skully's are 15$! It is directly at Paunch Beach, it has a pool, and a very tasty restaurant, which unfortunately is not really cheap.

Fun Fact: The hostel in designed in Pirate theme and the owner is a bearded pirate with a real woodleg :D

Coconut hostel

It's the cheapest place I could find on the Island, and it's one of few places in Bocas where breakfast is included! Pancakes with fresh fruits! What else could you wish for? :D Although the bathrooms in the hostel are really not nice, I completely enjoyed my stay! The vibe is very family-like and they even have a rooftop full with hammocks for 5$/night if that's your thing :)! I meet an awesome israeli musician while I stayed there, who gave me a private concert the night before he left. Such an incredibly talented guy!

Pro Tipp: It doesn't matter where you stay, I really recommend you to use the loundry service at coconut hostel! They charge 3$ instead of for example 10$ at Selina!

Where to eat

Panaderia Alemana

For Germans and Austrians the hardest part while travelling is to find bread. And I mean real bread. I spent every free minute in this Bakery on Isla Colón, having breakfast, just a snack or my favorite pastries.

Pro Tipp: try the maracuya cheesecake!

Restaurante chitré

It's one of few cheap places in Bocas del Toro, and normally you just see locals eating there :)! For 4,75$ you get a huge plate of grilled chicken, rice and salad - and it's not just cheap, it's super tasty! It's also a good place to practice your spanish, while chatting with panamanians.

LaItaliana

Normally a bit pricey, LaItaliana offers a happy hour in the afternoon, where they offer a pizza plus drink for 6$! One of the best Pizzas I ever had! I recommend you to take a large pizza, the small ones are just for hobbits :D

Pollo Rosti

This little restaurant offers nothing else than grilled chicken and fries. But I can guarantee, that you won't find better chicken for this price on the whole Island! For 7$ you get half of a roasted a chicken, including fries and dips. The only thing which is bothering me, is that they serve their food on single-use plastic tableware. #savetheplanet

What to do

Rent an ATV

Flying Pirates belongs to the owner of Skully's House and is the company you want to go with, while racing through the jungle. It's definitely not a cheap activity, but by far the best I have experienced on this trip! Nearly the whole island is covered with jungle, but only Flying Pirates have access to it, because they pay rent to the owner of the land. To make sure, that no ATV drivers of other companies can enter this property, the pirate placed many traps along the trail! So make sure you listen carefully to his instructions, because you don't want to drown your ATV or die...

So go for it and enjoy this amazing adventure, but be prepared: you will get back very very dirty and maybe a bit injured. #dontflip #yesIdid

Cacao Ceremony

In Bocas del Toro I experienced my very first cacao ceremony! I'm not religious or spiritual, so things like that always seemed a bit strange for me but honestly I enjoyed it a lot! It's a gathering of different people who mostly sit in a circle, drink cacao, and combine that with for example yoga, sound healing or dancing. Since centuries cacao is used for physical and mental healing, it actually increases your bloodflow and produces endorphins. This topic is so big, it deserves a whole blog post itself, so if you're interested and want to know more about it, I share this article with you: http://www.balispiritfestival.com/blog/cacao-ceremonies-what-why-and-how

Bioluminescence Tour

This tour is definitely one big highlight of my whole trip, because it is so different than any other boattrip I experienced. You have to be a bit lucky to get the experience, because you're only able to see bioluminescence in the water when it's really dark, so tours just take place around new moon. I did my tour exactly on new moon, and it was a breathtaking experience for me. It was quite scary to jump into the sea, in the middle of the night, and I definitely overcame some fears on that trip! Because it was completely dark, our guide was whistling all the time, to make sure we find him in the water and don't get lost. If you want to know some more about the tour and about bioluminescence in general I recommend you to read following article: https://hellotravelpanama.com/packages/bioluminescence-tour/

Surf!

I'm not a very comfortable surfer, so I never tried it in Bocas. Butt everyone else does, because it's a great surfer destination! The waves are really high and often very dangerous, so it's not the best place to start with surfing, but you'll definitely love it when you're a bit more advanced. But don't surf at Bluff Beach! In the last years, a lot of people died surfing there, and nearly everyone who tries breaks their boards.

Zapatilla Tour

Although Bocas del Toro is a very expensive place, you can book daytours for not more than 25$/person! A must do is a tour to Cayo Zapatilla, which should include a stop at dolphin bay, sloth island, Hollywood (starfish island) and the coral snorkel spot. This tour is definitely a highlight for me so far! I've seen a lot of dolphins, but unfortunately you can't go for a swim with them, because the bay is full of jellyfish!

Stand Up Paddling!

From Isla Colon you can easily paddle to Isla Carenero, which is just one minute away if you take the boat. If you are not very familiar with surfing or stand up paddling, I would NOT recommend you to rent your gear at Selina, because they also have no Idea. So I ended up with a big surfboard, instead of an SUP board, sitting on it and trying not to fall. Well, at least the board was pink :D!

Plastic Bottle Village

I have no idea how I could have missed this place, but it's so amazing, that I definitely need to share it with you!

Years ago, a Canadian called Robert moved to the Island and started to collect water bottles, instead of throwing them away, and in the last years he built a whole village out of these bottles. He designed a huge castle, and even built little houses you can rent and live in, for a very good price! With his program he wants to draw attention to the excessive use of plastic, and with the money he earns he supports the local community and tries to educate children about this important topic. If you want to know more about this project, visit the website! http://www.plasticbottlevillage-theline.com/

Where to shop

Black Cat

This shop is not just my favorite for shopping clothes, it also sells very extraordinary souvenirs. Everything they sell is unique and nearly all their designs are self made. Unfortunately it's not backpacker budget friendly, but I love every piece I bought there! They also sell underwear with very special prints in four different sizes and three different shapes, which are 15$ per piece, but super comfortable and unique!

Tutty n Fish

Best place to buy fish and seafood to cook it at home! Unfortunately I never had the chance to buy the tuna because it was always sold out, but I heard it's amazing, and it's super cheap!

Farmacia el Javillo

It seems a bit weird to recommend a farmacy, but unfortunately I spent a lot of time in pharmacies and also been to the hospital in Bocas del Toro. Apparently it's very easy to open a farmacy in Central America, for which reason the quality and the prices of the products differ a lot. With this farmacies I never had any problems, they gave me good advices and they also speak a little english :)!

Isla Bastimentos

Because Bocas Town was a bit to much party for me, and I definitely wanted to stay at a beautiful beach, I moved to Isla Bastimentos after three days, and very spontaneously I started to work in an incredible hostel directly at Red Frog Beach!

Where to stay

Palmar Beach Lodge

Where should I start! I stayed one month volunteering at this place, had the most amazing people around me, spent Christmas and New Years Eve here and couldn't wish for a better time! This place is a very nice mixture of a hotel and hostel. They offer very luxurious bungalows and tents, but also cheap mixed 8-bed cabins which are the most amazing dorms I have ever seen! The only thing that doesn't really fit into the low budget plan of a backpacker, is that there is no guest kitchen at the hostel. So you have no choice but eating at the restaurant all day long, which is super super tasty and backpacker budget friendly :)!

What to do

Red frog beach

If you stay at Palmar this beach is directly in front of your door. It's the most famous beach in the whole Archipel, but honestly not the most perfect one for swimming, because mostly the current is really strong, and there's always a red flag. To spot a red frog you have to be very lucky, because they are super tiny!

Polo Beach

It's a 40 minute walk through the jungle and on the beach to get from Red Frog Beach to Polo Beach, and it's 100% worth it! There are no hotels - just Polo lives there. He's an old guy who built himself a little cabin and sells coconuts, drinks, and sometimes even fresh grilled fish.

Wizard Beach

To get to this beach it's quite a long walk through the jungle! Unfortunately I never arrived there, because the time I tried there were so many ants that I turned around. Make sure you get back before it gets dark, because you really don't walk this path at night! The last years there were a lot of robberies along this trail, so make sure you don't go alone and don't take valuable things with you :)

Up in the Hill

If you walk 20 minutes uphill from Old Bank, the main town of Bastimentos, you get to this cacao farm, run by a Scottish family. Unfortunately I never booked a tour there, but I hiked all the way up to bring back their lost dog, but apparently it wasn't their dog... (it was the dog of another cacao farm)

Pro Tipp: Try their selfmade brownies :)!

Marina

It's the place where all the private sailing boats and catamarans dock, and normally you're not really supposed to go there because it's a private property, so your only allowed there if you have a boat. But you definitely have the most beautiful sunset view in Bastinentos :)!

Isla Carenero

If you’re a fan of party and you want to join filthy Friday (it’s like a pub crawl every Friday, but they take you to different islands for this group drinking experience) you can just stay at Agua Lodge, and get Filthy Friday for „free“, because every group will stop there. I didn’t stay in this hostel, because I’m not really into party, but they have a trampoline where you can jump directly into the water.

Isla Solarte

Bambuda Lodge

This hostel is usually fully booked. Even in low season. So be fast, if you want to stay in this amazing hostel! I didn’t sleep there, but spent a full day at the island and had dinner at the hostel. It doesn’t have a guest kitchen, so there is no other choice than eating in the Bambuda restaurant, or going to the main island. The restaurant is pricey (one meal is around 12-15$) but i strongly recommend you to eat there at least once! You can pick out of four different meals, which change every day, and the food is delicious!

If you are not a guest, and just go there for Dinner or the Pool, expect to pay a fee of 5$.

Transportation

If you're not a friend of boat rides, you will have a hard time in Bocas. Around three times a week I took a shuttle from Bastimentos to Isla Colon, just because I really enjoy cruising between the islands. Fortunately all this boat trips were free for me, because it was a private shuttle from the hostel I worked at, otherwise you'll pay a lot of money on boat rides while you stay there. Don't hesitate to negotiate, all the locals will try to rip you off.

Tipps and Tricks

Just buy necessary stuff!

As I already mentioned, Bocas is super expensive. So bring everything you might need, and try to avoid buying medicines, technical devices and other things you can probably buy on the mainland or town, because the smaller islands are even more expensive!

Use the free shuttles

If somebody asks, I never told you about this! But there are many hostels who provide Free Shuttles between the islands, and they never really check if you're a guest or not. Make use of it and save some money :)

Bring a shopping bag

The whole Archipel of Bocas del Toro is completely plastic bag and straw free! Isn't that amazing? So if you plan on buying some groceries, bring a shopping bag!

Don't bring expensive clothes

Living in the jungle kills your clothes. It's close to 100% humidity, mold grows easily and you will never really have the feeling of fresh smelling clothes. Sad but true, make sure that you store your clothing always in the fresh air to prevent the worst.

Never buy tours online

It doesn't matter where you go, but NEVER ever book tours online, especially not on TripAdvisor. All the Tours you'll find on the internet are two or three times more expensive! There are so many tour companies, especially in Bocas del Toro, you really don't need to worry about saving a spot. Book spontaneously, that's where you get the best discounts!

Mosquitos!

Make sure to use enough repellent and don't spend to much time on the beach and the docks after it's getting dark. If you don't want to use too much chemical products, you can prevent Mosquito and sandfly bites with coconut oil.

Learn to say NO

Especially in Bocas Town, everyone tries to sell you tours, boat trips, food and mostly they are really good in what they do. When I started this trip I always had the feeling I need to be nice, and thought it's rude to just walk away. I learned very fast, that this isn't how it works, and that you clearly have to tell them that you're not interested. "¡No, gracias!" , will be your new favorite phrase.

I completely enjoyed my stay in Bocas del Toro, and definitely would love to come back some day :D

[jepleurs-icry]

My Life, My Mess, My Legacy Part 3

This chapter is perhaps the hardest to write because of how much I invested in this relationship.

Having had two previous relationships that went sour, I was much more aware of how this person behaved. Not just what he said, but how they acted.  In a way, I was leery of getting into another relationship. In fact, I went back to the singles dances once a month and joined a mixed soft ball league .  A fun league to enjoy a sport and make new friends. A social person I am not.  I am introverted, have way too much "empathy" and I am not a person who is well liked for some reason.  Why? I don't know; it was like that in school. People didn't know me, but they had a judgement of me.  Being unpopular was a way of life.  I really did not care. I had a lot of pride in me.  This was because "our" natural family had been split apart, and we were made fun of at school.  My pride came from my thinking that my family did nothing wrong except be poor.  It wasn't my fault.  It was something that we had no control over. So, to continue on, this pride made me tough, indifferent to what others thought of me.  I did not care.  If they could not take the time to talk to me, or want to be friends, even though I tried, I let it go and observed others but always from afar. The bullshit that people say to each other, boasting and bragging and back stabbing made me stronger.  I didn't want to be like them.  I grew up always observing others.  And I heard a lot of things that people would say, and totally behave another way. So, I enjoyed playing softball, that summer, it was fun! I was not an "A" player, more like a "C" player. But it was fun! But, it was at a singles dance one night, my girlfriend and I were doing a line dance, and I could see this man standing near the bar, but kinda off to the side a little.  He kept staring at me nearly all night. Time went on for awhile, and a few months passed some more, and the next dance I went too, I did not see that man at all.  I kinda forgot about him. I saw him playing on another softball team that summer or spring.  1995 I believe.  My girlfriend would come and watch the games sometimes and she knew I was a tad lonely, so she called out to this man and said something to him.  I think she told him he had a nice ass.  He laughed. I ignored him, as most of the guys there were looking to meet someone or they already had their significant other. At the next singles dance, he was there, and my girlfriend told him he could come sit with us.  But I said no, the seat next to mine was taken.  Although it wasn't; I wasn't prepared to have a jackass sit next to me all night. But, it turned out he seemed to be a nice guy, loved to talk and laugh.  He did talk a lot.  He told me he was a recovering alcoholic and was sober for about 6 months.  He was an alcoholic all his life and had learned it from his Dad. I was very careful, as drinking was not something I wanted in my life, although I did drink on weekends like at a dance or a dinner party.  He would talk and talk.  About, how going to AA had helped him so much. He had a better understanding of how to work out problems without using alcohol.   He had amends to make as well, with his children, family members, co-workers, etc.  He wanted to be a better person. It took me 2 months before we had our first kiss.  He would come over to my place in the evening and we would have ice tea outside.  And, he would talk about his life.  All of it.  I listened to every story he had to say about his family, his Mother and Father, brothers, his ex-wife, his children, his disease (alcohol). Eventually after about one year, the next softball season came upon us and we joined the same team.  He became a popular and was well liked by all.  Especially the ladies. the guys were jealous of him.  He liked to brag about his sport's skills, and about his AA recovery.  That was fine, but hearing it all the time it becomes an Ah-ha moment. Without having good problem solving skills in life, a person does not know how to find solutions to their everyday challenges.  An alcoholic cannot find a way to resolution, therefore drinking is the solution. Eventually we

became a couple.  Slowly, we talked and got to know each other.  I was not sure I liked everything about him.  He used to "spit".  I told him to stop that and use a kleenex, it was gross! He used to swear, which I hated, I asked him to stop doing that too.  This was his old alcoholic behavior talking.,.,  Gradually those things went away.  He worked on himself.  I was proud of him, but still cautious. He was a smoker, and I was not.  He never smoked around me, but he said he was willing to quit, (and I know that's really hard).  He went on the patch at first it helps you to quit.  But he cheated. He would smoke with the patch. Finally after a few months he said he manged to quit for good.  Or so he said. The patch helped him not get the cravings. One day, he was out at the mall, we were living together by then, it had been a year, so I was good with us living together.  That day, I decided to go to the mall to the get something at the drug store.  The mall had a food court and he would meet his AA buddies there, have coffee, and do lotto scratch tickets. When I got to the mall, I finished my shopping and was at the cash and saw him sitting with one of his buddies, doing a scratch ticket and smoking! So much for telling me he quit!  He lied.... I hated liars.  I went over and confronted him.  I was calm, but shaking inside.  I told him I didn't like liars and I didn't want to see him again.  I walked back to my apartment. I don't remember if it was the same day or the next day in the early evening he knocked on my door.  He said he was sorry he lied.  I couldn't help what else he lied about.  He asked me to forgive him and would really quit smoking and never lie to me again. That was not true.  There were many times, he lied about things.  I think it had to do with being so used to lying to his family about his drinking and hiding things, it was second nature to him. But...I was tired of being alone.  I enjoyed his company. I had grown fond of him so I gave him a 2nd chance. Eventually, we took a trip to Kelowna, BC to visit some friends that lived there.  We stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast.  We fell in love with this small town. Later the following year, we decided to move out there because we thought it was beautiful.  So that August, we moved to Kelowna in 1997. I found part time work at the Real Canadian Super Store, and he was on disability for his back, since he had had a couple of surgeries on his back.  When we moved to Kelowna we had to quit our jobs, but for him he pretended to have back issues so he could get long term disability for 2 years. I got tired of him not working and being home all day.  He started whining about things because he had no car, as I was using it to go to work.  We moved to Richmond the following year, cause I wanted to work full time and in Kelowna full time jobs that pay well are scarce.  After we moved, he was still on disability. He could not find work.... He still lied about things.  During that year in  1999, he found a job being a sales rep for an artificial plant company, that would sell plants to restaurants, or commercial offices. One day he took me by surprise, he said he went to the GM dealer to buy a used van so he could carry the plastic plants around in it, as these plants were quite large.  But I really didn't want to be in debt for a van, which meant another 320.00$ a month. In the long run, no one would buy any plastic plants so he never made a sale. But, we still had the van to pay for.  After 2 years his disability ran out, and there was no more money coming in from his side. In the year 2000, in the month of July, he sat me down in the kitchen and told me we had to move back to Montreal, since he could not find a job in BC. I was devastated. He also said we had to file for bankruptcy because he could not pay rent or insurance any more.  He had zero money coming in.  We were married by then, back in Kelowna we had the Minister come to our house and we had a very small wedding in our living room. So, I would be dragged into bankruptcy too.  He

told me he would take the van and drive back to Montreal with two of our dogs.  I would fly down in a couple of weeks with the other small dog. It was a very difficult period.  I had to give my convertible back to the bank as we could not afford to keep both vehicles.  I was furious, I resented him and what we would have to go through.  I had never been a person who had bad credit. Once he was in Montreal he found a place for us to live, and he did find work almost right away.  We went to a solvency company and declared bankruptcy.  I was ashamed, humiliated, angry and embarrassed all at the same time.  I blamed my husband for having to put us through this. It was easy for me to find a job a couple of weeks after, we moved back to Montreal.  Between the two of us we wanted to rebuild our lives, so we started to invest in RRSP'S.  In 2 years we had enough for a down payment and moved to the suburbs of the suburbs. It was a really nice house, with an outdoor pool, a huge yard, and a Master bedroom downstairs with a private bathroom.  I loved it and we were happy for awhile. After about 6 months of being in the house, my husband became depressed.  His boss was "grinding" him, and there was conflict at work.  This made him grumble about everything he had to do around the house.  He lost interest in me. I encouraged him to write up a new resume, and start looking for another job.  So he did that and within 2 months he found something else, and quit the job he had. His behavior around me did not improve.  I felt him pull away.  Not sure if it was the depression or he just got tired of me.  It was 9 years we were together.  He felt broken, tired. We ended up selling our house and moving back to the West Island to be closer to our work.  The relationship was ending I could tell. We lived maybe 1 year in the new house and we decided to split up.  I moved out into a small townhouse and we split the little money that was left over from the sale. During this 6 month separation, I thought he would really look at what he wanted in life, at our relationship.  I thought he would work on "us", but it didn't happen. Instead; he flew to Hawaii for a softball tournament, where he met another female player called Louis. He knew her from other teams and they hooked up in Hawaii. At one point, I wanted him back, as I still loved him and I was heart broken that all of this happened.  So we tried re-connecting.  He thought he could have her and me at the same time.  I said no.  I said it is better for us to get a divorce now. He drew up the divorce papers and they were signed I think in 2005 or 2006.  The last time we were together and he left for the last time, I walked around the apartment feeling empty.  It was like the ghost of him was still there.  I went from room to room feeling his presence.  It was an awful feeling. It took me a long time to get over him. I'm not perfect.  I was hard on him, to push him to get that other job, to try to get him out of that depression.  Once he was apart from me, he found his joy back.  I could tell. For me, I decided to move to Ontario in early 2007.  Fourteen years later I was still in Ontario.  It was the year of 2012 that I realized I no longer had sad thoughts about me missing him.  I finally was free too, and went back to college to learn something new. I found a new career in medicine and loved it. After 5 years my joy had come back to me as well.  Since then, I am happy, working, almost retired but happy.  I have everything I need and want.  Single yes, but I have good friends that know me and know my heart. That's all I need. There probably will never be another man in my life.  I think 3 was enough.  At least now, if I create a mess with my life, it is my mess and I am not forced to fall into someone else's. I hope you enjoyed my memoirs.  I enjoyed writing about it.  It will give my children a chance to know more about my life once I am gone. Thank you Chickapea

[coffee-n-bagels-comic-universe]

Blood & Roses or Strawberry Milk

Quick Tag List: @kuruumiya @spacelizardtrashboys @enigmaticandunstable @nattinngrst @amyofaquitaine

This passage contains potentially: swearing, blood, whump and fluff content and violence.

Summary: A continuation of the previous chapter but more specifically, within this chapter Kirby and Roddy get to know each other better before splitting up for a while.

Kirby's POV:

Roddy stopped, realising what he had just said, "Sorry, I got overexcited."

"It's okay, just don't get a stiffie, alright?"

Roddy laughed, "Alright. I should get going, … unless you want to get breakfast together."

"Sure, you need a new shirt, unless you're planning on spending today in just the kilt."

"Maybe I will."

"Roddy, don't."

He shoots me a reassuring glance, "I think, my hotel room is the floor above."

"You're telling me this now?"

"let me check if I still have the key," He opened the pouch of the sporran and got the key out, "Room, one-hundred and fifteen."

"I believe that's actually down the hall."

Roddy left for a couple minutes, coming back wearing a black t-shirt covered by a blue plaid shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Oh wow, I almost forgot you were Scottish for a second, Piper."

"Ha, so very, very funny, Kirby. That reminds me of something."

"What?"

"Where does your name come from?"

"Old Norse, originally it meant 'Church Settlement'. However, my parents named me after the artist Jack Kirby, I think."

"Norse, as in, Vikings?"

"Norse as in I'm a quarter Norwegian."

"So, you're Scottish, Norwegian, anything else I should know about you?"

"I'm also Welsh and Irish. I grew up in Cardiff and my mother grew up on the Isle of Skye."

"Where exactly on the Isle of Skye?"

"Uig, I believe, near Kilt Rock."

"Wait, Kilt Rock?"

"Yes Roddy, There is a place called Kilt Rock."

"Well then," He adjusted his collar slightly, "Shall we." He tries to sound as suave as possible.

"Nice try, Romeo, it's not going to make me like you any more."

I grabbed my old leather jacket from within my suitcase and we started walking and, eventually, reached a small diner, we settled into a corner booth and I started scanning the menu for something to please my appetite, my wallet secure in my jacket pocket, I slid my mask into the opposite pocket, it stuck out slightly but wasn't noticeable.

"Good morning. My name is Debbie, I'll be your server today. What can I get for you two lovebirds?"

"I'll have," Roddy began, clearly either avoiding correcting the young waitress or not caring to correct her, "the 'Power Breakfast' with toast and a regular latte."

"And the lady?" she looked over from Piper to myself, before doing a double and take fully taking me in.

"I will have, the 'Tropical Waffle' with a side of 'Canadian Bacon' and a strawberry milkshake, please Debbie."

"Y-yes, Miss. So, that's the Power Breakfast and toast with a latte for the gentleman and the Tropical Waffle with a side of Canadian Bacon and a strawberry milkshake for the lady?"

"Yes." We said in unison, watching the waitress walk away.

"Roddy."

"What?" He scoffed

"Oh I don't know, perhaps you should have clarified that we," I gestured to him and then myself, "Are not 'lovebirds'?"

"Oh come on, you know if I let her know that she would've pried into our lives, y'know."

"Really now, Piper?"

"Yes, and stop calling me Piper, it's too formal, we know each other better than that, it's Roddy, or Rod, not Piper from now on, alright?"

"Alright. Roddy."

When the food arrived the waitress seemed to want to get the food to us and get out quickly.

"How's the leg?" I inquired before shoving a forkful of strawberry and waffle into my mouth.

"It hurts a little, but I've been through worse."

"Like bottling yourself." I mumbled through the mouthful of sugary bliss.

"Exactly." Roddy said through a mouthful of toast and turkey breast.

"You really should stop doing that." I warned him.

"Why, you care about me getting brain damage or somethin'?"

"No, I just, I can't stand the idea of you getting hurt, not after last night." I tried to keep my concerned tone to a minimum.

Roddy reached out to grab my hand and ran his thumb over my knuckles, "I'm okay. you made sure of that."

I know I should listen to him but I shrugged him off and went back to my meal, finishing it all as Roddy was around 3/4 done with his meal. Sipping my drink and gazing at Rod's beaten up face, focusing on his hairline still tinted a dark red with blood.

"You alright Kirby?"

I looked away quickly, "You're hair, it's …"

"Brown, I know. It's boring, why?" Sarcasm rang clear in his tone.

"No, Roddy, you're hair is tinted red, from the blood."

"Still, I thought I washed all the blood out." He was clearly joking but it stung me slightly and I don't know why.

"Y'know Kirby, Schultz was right about you."

"Really, how?"

"You're a fighter, a real tough guy, uh, gal, but you're nice, sweet even. You care about people, regardless of who they are."

"You were bleeding to death in a hotel corridor, right outside my room. I heard you get thrown against a wall. Would you rather I let you die?"

"I'd rather you'd left me and ran after the asshole who hurt me."

"It would have resulted in your death, Roddy. I couldn't let you die."

"Why not?"

"Because … because. I don't know okay. I chose to save you and that's that, alright."

"Alright, we should pay and get outta here."

"Already ahead of you." I pulled out my wallet and placed $35 on the table, calling the waitress over with my hand.

We paid and left, with me swiftly placing my mask back over my face. I caught Roddy staring at my face out of the corner of my eye.

"Kirby?"

I hummed in response.

"Why do you wear a mask, you're not hideous."

"I think every wrestling commentator I've ever met would disagree with you."

"what d'ya mean?"

"They call me 'The Ogress', Roddy. They call me a female Ogre."

"Then, they're wrong, you're not a hideous beast."

"Just because I saved you, doesn't mean I'm like that to everyone."

"How bad could you be? Sure you've made some dumb decisions in the past but the past's the past."

"Yeah, last night is also 'the past' Roddy."

"Look, all I'm trying to say, is, well, thank you and, don't listen to people, half the time they don't know what their words mean to the people they're saying them to."

"So, we are we headed, Roddy?"

"I don't know, maybe back to the hotel."

"Sure."

The rest of the walk back to my hotel room was silent, until we were inside the hotel room.

"So, who's better at conversation, me or André?"

"Well, Drey's got a natural charm to him, he's kind and knows the troubles that someone with gigantism goes through."

"Wait a second, 'Drey'?"

"Yeah, Drey, Why?"

"That's a pretty unique pet name. What is he, your boyfriend?"

"No, no, just an extremely close friend."

"Close, as in?"

"Close as in, we are just pals, you sound awfully jealous Roddy."

"Me, jealous. Ha! never."

"Never, really?"

I was trying to rile him up, and by the way he shifted his weight from one leg to the other before quickly shifting back, I could tell it was working.

"I'm not jealous, alright. It's just been a really long time since I've had a female friend as, nice, as you."

"Rod, come here a second," I got closer to him, to check the graze on his forehead, gently moving his hair away from his temple to get a better look, "Hold on, don't … don't move."

He held still and let me check the wound, it was healing, slowly but definitely healing. I changed my focus to the cut on his eyebrow on the other side of his face, gently placing my thumb next to the cut to hold his head still.

"Hey what are ya- Ah!" Roddy pulled away.

"Come back here."

"At least buy me dinner first." His tone once again became jovial.

"Roddy." I glared into his eyes.

He glared right back, as if to show how quickly he could switch his moods and making my breathing catch in my throat for a second.

"I think I need a moment" I whispered, turning to head to the bathroom before Rod grabbed me by the arm.

"I'm sorry," His voice soft and caring, "I didn't mean to scare ya."

This was new, a much softer and mellow version of Roddy.

"You didn't scare me that much, Roddy."

I continued to the bathroom and closed the door, undressing and getting ready to shower. I had been in the shower for only a few minutes when I heard the door to the room open and close suddenly, stepping out of the bathroom I realised that Roddy had left, leaving a note on the same page of the sketchbook that I had left a prior note to him.

"Thought I should get some rest in my own room. Thanks again. Roddy." I murmured as I read.

I hope he gets some proper rest, and heals quickly but I can't help but feel lonely without him here. God what am I saying, I don't like Roddy that much. Almost as if I love him, I don't for the record, I'm still not fully over Erik. God, I miss Erik. His kind smile, his flaming ginger hair, his goatee and the way any shirt would hug his muscles if he worked up a sweat. An extremely handsome man with the balls, or guts, to wear a kilt and not care what people thought about him because of it. There's no way I could give him up if the opportunity were to present itself ever again. I looked at the digital clock next to the phone and, realising how late it was decided to strip down to my underwear and get some rest.

I woke up to rapid knocking on my door and the door handle being jostled around from the outside. I hurried to get dressed and opened the door, my hair flowing over my right shoulder in loose waves. I swung the door open to Roddy, with a worried look on his face.

"God, what time do you call this?"

"I don't care what you're gonna say next, listen to me."

"Roddy," I looked over at the clock, "It's four in the morning."

"I know, but I could nae get ya off my mind." He stepped in, obviously stressed and closed the door behind him, "Listen ta me, just listen ta me."

"I'm listening Roddy" I huffed as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"How about you and me go out on a date, no one needs to know. Just you, me, perhaps a diner like yesterday, or a coffee shop?"

"Roddy, I fly back to Cardiff tomorrow, I haven't got time to have both a social life and a career involving another Scotsman, alright. I," I paused, "I'm still not over the last time I had my heart broken."

Rod dropped to his healthy knee, placing a hand on my cheek and looking me in the eyes, "I won't break you're heart, I promise, even if it takes a while for us to be near each other every single day. I won't give up on you. I swear on God above."

"Roddy, I … I guess it's worth a shot, I still have to fly back to-"

Rod cut me off by pressing his lips to mine, my eyes widened before I relaxed into the kiss, slipping one hand under his chin and the other around his back as he slipped his arms around my waist to lift me up to my feet, Rod having to lean up slightly as I leaned down into the kiss.

For the first time, in a long time, I felt at peace with the universe, the same feeling I had felt whilst visiting my aunt on the Isle of Skye.

Rod pulled away, breathing heavily, "I've wanted to do that ever since our first sparring session," He breathed a deep sigh, "Ever since I saw your face without that mask on," he took another breath, "It's funny what almost dying will do to you."

"Shut up, Roddy, just shut up." I pressed my forehead against his.

Then I woke up.

I woke up on the morning of January the eleventh, to silence, I looked at the clock, 5: 50, no signs of Roddy, I felt sick, like I had pushed my own boundaries too far. I rushed to get into the shower and clean myself of that dream, fantasy, whatever you want to call it.

I cleaned up the hotel room, got dressed and got to packing my things into my suitcase and duffel bag, before walking to the hotel lobby, leaving this hotel for hopefully the last time and heading to my truck. My dad had bought me a 1974 Dodge D200 when I was twenty.

A trustworthy vehicle and and a truck I could, albeit with a slight amount of discomfort. I packed the truck and planned on heading out to the next place, Queens, New York.

END OF BLOOD & ROSES or STRAWBERRY MILK.

[dopepoetrist]

Simple Insights Into Reasonable Stevia Sweetened Iso Xp Plans

Useful Ideas To Consider On Locating Aspects For Grass Fed Whey Protein Canada

But traditional dairy brands that have built companies through timeworn products like milk and cheese, are also taking on their new competition by fighting innovation with innovation. Lewis Goldstein, VP of Brand Marketing for Organic Valley and a board member of MilkPEP, said he sees the situation for dairy differently than many others in the category. The “enemy” of milk is not plant-based alternatives, he said, but water. Goldstein said he believes in many cases parents are uninformed about dairy’s nutritional value and instead of milk, they are serving their children water that lacks the same vitamin and calcium content. “The dairy industry hasn’t done a good enough job of reminding parents of the benefits of milk,” he said. “Our biggest challenge isn’t plant-based, it’s our own ability to communicate the benefits of our product in an industry that has traditionally been made up of regional brands that don’t do a lot of marketing.” According to Goldstein, one way Organic Valley is innovating is via its Grassmilk line of 100 percent grass-fed dairy, which offers a higher ratio of healthy fats than conventional milk products. Other companies, including Horizon Organic and Maple Hill Creamery, have similarly seized on grass-fed as an easily communicated differentiator in the dairy set. Some brands, such as Maple Hill Creamery, which debuted a chocolate milk variety at Natural Products Expo West 2018, have committed to working exclusively in the grass-fed dairy space. Over the past few years, Organic Valley has also begun focusing on grab-and-go RTD products, such as whey protein shake line Organic Fuel and breakfast replacement drink Organic Balance, which will launch a reduced sugar reformulation this spring. Another brand, Fairlife, which markets RTD products made with ultra-filtered milk that contains more protein and less sugar than conventional milk, has similarly carved a path forward via strong distribution and placement thanks to its ownership by The Coca-Cola Company. “We’ve seen the success of Fairlife, and their ability to connect with the consumer and that they could get distribution through their relationship with Coca-Cola, that shows that people want dairy to be unique and innovative and to change with them,” Goldstein said. Meanwhile, other brands are trying to remove barriers to milk that exist for some consumers, like lactose intolerance.

For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.bevnet.com/news/2018/expo-west-2018-dairy-responds-rise-plant-based

Easy To Understand Tips And Advice About Fitness

Some people are naturals when it comes to fitness, others will need careful planning to succeed. This article will help all types of people get the information they need to be successful in their fitness journey. Count the calories you consume to help you stay fit. Staying aware of your calorie intake will help you understand weight fluctuations on the scale. When you make an effort to record how many calories you are eating rather than guessing, you can get fit more easily and quickly. Do not worry. Biking is also a great exercise for endurance and stamina, especially if running isn't your strong suit. Hop on your bicycle, and enjoy a scenic, calorie-burning commute to work. If you have a relatively short commute, you make Whey Protein significant fitness gains by biking to work, especially when you take round-trip mileage into consideration. Maintaining strong leg muscles will protect your knees from injury. A ligament tear behind the kneecap is a frequent sports injury that can create life-long issues. To assure that your knees stay safe it is important to include quad and hamstring exercises. Both leg curls and leg extensions strengthen your hamstrings and quads. Exercise when watching television so you always have weight loss momentum. Sit-ups, leg lifts and walking in place can be done during the whole show or just during commercial breaks. Try small weight training as you sit on the couch. Always look for opportunities to get a little exercise in. You will receive greater benefit from running outdoors than using a treadmill. Treadmills are a great bad-weather substitute, but there's nothing quite like running on pavement. A lot of people give up on a diet program when they don't see instant results. Avoid using scales to keep track of your progress. Instead, simply note how you fit and feel in form-fitting clothing. By trying on the same snug outfit occasionally, you will be able to tell how well you are doing. Shoes that fit properly are a great exercise tip. Your feet are biggest in the evening, so this is the best time to shop for shoes. Make sure that you have enough space in the toe box to move your toes around as your big toe should not touch the front of the shoe. You should have the ability to move your toes. Start with a clean workout area by sanitizing the equipment before you start. The previous user may have left behind a variety of germs. The purpose of going to the gym is to get fit, not sick. Count your reps down instead of up. Instead of counting towards your desired number of repetitions, start at the end and work backwards. This will make you strive to complete your exercise set. Telling yourself that you have only so much more is very motivating. Whether or not you're one of the world's natural fitness enthusiasts, you will hopefully be able to make use of this article's suggestions. Learn each and every tip and find a way to fit it into your daily fitness routine. Try your best to get fit, and your body will thank you for the rest of your life.

A Few Questions On Easy Secrets Of Canada

Canada can’t relitigate projects every time a new government is elected: McKenna By Monique Scotti National Online Journalist, Politics  Global News WATCH ABOVE: Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says Ottawa has jurisdiction to approve pipelines and price carbon as she faces court challenges from British Columbia and Saskatchewan. “We can’t relitigate projects every time a new government comes into place,” McKenna said, referring specifically to the change in government in British Columbia that resulted in the province shifting positions on the Kinder Morgan pipeline. “It does not create investor certainty, nor does it really help protect our environment.” McKenna is facing pushback from the provinces on multiple fronts right now. In addition to B.C.’s staunch opposition to Trans Mountain, Saskatchewan is also heading to court to try to avoid having to impose a price on carbon pollution. WATCH: Saskatchewan files constitutional reference case over carbon tax The province is asking the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to rule on the constitutionality of the federal government’s carbon tax legislation. Ottawa has maintained it can force the provinces to come up with a plan to impose some kind of levy by the end of the year. McKenna noted that 80 per cent of Canadians already live in a province with a carbon tax. READ MORE:  Albertans are least likely in Canada to believe in climate change Asked if the systems of government in Canada are somehow broken, the minister denied that’s the case. “I think Canada’s working fine. The federal government is going to look after the national interest,” she said. “In the same week, we have Saskatchewan saying we don’t have jurisdiction to put on a price on pollution, which we do. We have the province of B.C. saying we don’t have jurisdiction to approve major projects like pipelines, which we do.” McKenna said her focus will remain on speaking directly to all Canadians, trying to convince them that the Liberals are able to balance the environment and economic considerations.

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Vitamin Do's And Don'ts For The Average Person

Good health can be achieved by eating well. If you are looking for healthy solutions, then this article can help you. Read on to find out more. Vitamins are also essential for getting good results from exercise. Your body must be fed and nourished by supplemental nutrients so it can get rid of fat, build new muscle tissue, and recover quickly after workouts. If at all possible, it is best to ingest minerals and vitamins in their natural form by enjoying a well-balanced diet. Get between 5 to 7 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Supplements can be used as a last resort if you cannot do this. Any supplement with fat needs to be taken on a full stomach. Several vitamins, including E, K, and A are best absorbed by your body when taken with a meal. They work best if the food you are eating them with contains fat. Why does your body hurt so much? Rather than seeking medical care, increase your mineral and vitamin intake. Fish oil and vitamin E are two supplements that soften strained muscles, easing those muscular aches and pains. To boost red blood cells, get more iron. These cells are most important; they carry oxygen to each cell in your body. Women need more iron than men, and often vitamin supplements that are specifically for women will have extra iron. If you are feeling exhausted or having trouble breathing, you may not be getting enough iron. If you are in menopause, it is not a good idea to consume prenatal vitamins. This type of vitamin supplement can encourage hair and nail growth. This is usually safe, but not wise for women that have already been through menopause since it contains more iron than they need. Vitamin C is in many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamins and minerals taken in supplemental form are perfect to eliminate any deficiency you may have. It helps your immune system stay strong while beating back your acne. There have also been studies done that show vitamin C has assisted patients with ADHD, Alzheimer's, and dementia. Always get your vitamin and mineral supplement information from a reliable source. A lot of ads are aimed at selling, not informing. Question anything you hear to make sure you are getting the truth. Speak with your doctor if you are unsure of anything. If you're already on calcium carbonate for better dental and bone health, make sure it's taken with food. You can get away with taking calcium citrate on empty stomachs; calcium carbonate needs to be accompanied by a meal. If you do, it is unable to get absorbed. A lot of OTC medications and prescriptions have nasty side effects when combined with certain supplements. Some could be fatal. Let your doctor know what supplements you take. Also, discuss your situation with the pharmacist so he or she can advise you as well. As you now know from the previous paragraphs, vitamins and minerals are not something to take lightly. If you use the tips and advice you've just read, you'll begin to feel healthier in no time. Share these ideas with your friends and family so they can also enjoy a more healthy lifestyle.

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I Tried Out Hello Fresh So You Don't Have To

As the title suggests, this past week my first order of Hello Fresh came and I decided to write a quick review of it for those of you that might be interested in the service, or similar services. What is it? Well, it's a weekly/bi-weekly or monthly subscription service that delivers fresh ingredients and recipes to your doorstep. Hello Fresh boasts it is healthy as well as sustainable, and as far as I could tell after using, they weren't lyin'. Personally, I wanted to try it because between taking Dakota for his walks, going for my runs/to the gym, planning and prepping dinners gets a little exhausting, and sometimes due to time constrains leaves us not eating until 8pm some nights. The meal subscription option seems like a good one for two people to use once in a while just to ease that stress of figuring out what to make, spending a bunch of money on ingredients that almost always go to waste after making the meal, and spending too much time running around to grocery stores to find everything you might need. So, over the next few weeks I'll be trying out a couple different services with hopes that I find out that suits our needs, isn't horribly expensive, and actually tastes good. My first box was slated to arrive this past Monday, and it did at approximately 12pm. This is how it looks when it arrives.

Big heavy box.

Inside, 3 smaller boxes and all of your prep and cooking instructions on handy little cards. All of the packaging is recyclable. If you're not home when they deliver, they just leave it outside your door - or if you're like us an in an apartment building with a concierge that can accept parcels, they left it with them. I should also mention before I go any further, that this week turned out not to be the most ideal week to have ordered for, as I ended up having to work the evening shifts, which meant I made 2 of these meals for my breakfast/lunch, and packed up Matt's portion for him to reheat later. First up we had Lemony Chicken Paillard. All of the ingredients are packed neatly into it's own little box, so no additional sorting is required on your part. The instruction card includes pictures and detailed instructions, as well as breaks down the caloric content and nutrients of the meal. All of these were quite healthy options, so that's another big plus for us since we're sometimes a couple who struggles with coming up with healthy alternatives to meals we love.

All properly labelled so you really can't mess this up! It said the prep time was about 30minutes, and it was pretty spot on. This is the final product:

The sweet potatoes were delicious; not crispy but not mushy either, and the cumin spice was a nice touch. The chicken was fantastic although ever so slightly too lemony for my own pallet, but I finished the entire piece feeling well satiated. The dressing for the salad again was far too lemony for my pallet, so I actually didn't finish that, and I'm also not a huge fan of grape tomatoes. If I made it again, I would use significantly less lemon in the dressing. Overall, I give this meal a 7/10. Matt's rating: 7.5/10. He actually really enjoyed the salad and the tomatoes and gobbled the remainder all down, he thought it was very refreshing. The chicken was still good reheated but he thinks he overcooked it and dried it out a bit. He wasn't crazy about the sweet potatoes. Next up we had Sizzlin' Beef Stir Fry.

I had never made anything with Bok Choy before so I was excited to try this one.

A heaping portion! I gave myself a bit less than I set aside for Matt since this one clocks in at about 720calories - it turns out that that didn't matter because I couldn't finish it either way. This was super feeling, but a tad bit on the bland side, and the beef was a little tougher than I would've liked. If I had to make it again, I would cook the beef on a lower heat or for less time. I'd also add something else to the sauce mixture to make it a bit more exciting. My rating: 8/10. It filled me up more than I expected for sure. Matt's rating: 8/10. He felt the beef was a little tough as well, but overall thought the meal had a nice flavour. Lastly, and the only meal we actually cooked together all week as a result of my wonky schedule, Minted Lamb Burgers with Feta. 

Since we had to wait a few days after it was delivered, we did put the ground lamb in the freezer so that it wouldn't spoil. We were worried that might compromise the taste a bit, but it didn't at all. The ingredients were just as fresh on Saturday as they were when they had arrived on Monday.

This was by far the tastiest meal we had all week. We overcooked the burger slightly on one side but it was actually amazing. I would DEFINITELY make this again.  And it clocks in at less than 500calories for delicious, nutritious, and filling dinner. My downfall of this meal? The salad was just OK. It utilizes the remaining ingredients that are left over from the burger which is great because you don't waste, but as a result I felt unenthusiastic about it. It was still better than the overbearingly lemony dressing from the first meal, though, so overall I give this one a 9/10. Matt's rating: 9/10. He was surprised with just how easy and fast it was to whip it all together, and says he could've eaten 4 burgers since it tasted so good. The salad, he agrees, was just OK. I think if we had paired this bad boy with a more interesting salad we would've been over the moon with it. Overall, I was happy with our experience with Hello Fresh. The website is very easy to navigate, very easy to skip weeks or cancel your subscription at any time, and I was generally happy with all the meal options. It forces us to try things we might not normally, and that's a big bonus for me, too. Now, I tried out this service using a promo code, so I only paid $35.00 for the 3 meals, which is a great fee for this amount of food delivered conveniently to your door. At regular price, this would cost $80/week. Pretty steep. Would I pay that going forward? I'm not so sure, but we'll have to wait until I try a few more services to determine that! For now, I have skipped the next couple of deliveries. If this was enough to entice you to try Hello Fresh, use my discount code JJAKOB at checkout to receive the same discount as I did for your first box! I will reiterate, it is VERY easy to cancel if you're not happy with your experience! My next box arrives later this week from Goodfood - a Canadian company, so stay tuned!   Click to Post