Last night I attended the 4th Annual Irish Feast in Yorkton.  (I went to my Mom’s house for supper).  My mom’s a fabulous cook and each year she wow’s us with these delicious Irish dishes.

We started off the night with Brambracks with cheese.  Brambrack is a traditional Irish recipe for a classic holiday teacake.  (We ate it all before I even thought to take a picture.  Woops.)

Next came the Guinness Bread.  This is amazing!  If you have a slice of this for breakfast, you’d be full for the rest of the day!

Supper was Colcannon, Bacon & Cabbage and Beef in Guinness.  Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage.  The Bacon & Cabbage is exactly what it sounds like and Beef in Guinness was a fantastic beef and carrot stew in Guinness.  Delicious!

Dessert was a yummy Guinness Apple Sauce Cake with a Lemon Icing.

I have to say I love being Irish, I love food, and I love my Mom for taking all of the time to make this amazing feast and still feeding her kids even though we are all grown up.

Fun Fact for today … The original St. Patrick’s Day colour wasn’t green, it was blue.

Word of the day … hegira (hih-JYE-ruh)
: a journey especially when undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation : exodus

I found a list of a few more strange rules when it comes to food etiquette around the world.

• When in China, you should burp at the dinner table if you enjoyed the food
• When in France, the bread is typically placed directly on the table rather than on a plate.
• When in Italy, you should never ask for extra cheese on something unless it’s offered.
• When in Korea, drinks from elders should be accepted with both hands.
• When in Japan, finishing everything on your plate signals the meal was good and you are finished.
• When in Portugal, don’t ask for salt & pepper if they aren’t on the table. It will offend the chef.
• When in England, bananas should be eaten with a fork and knife.

– List25.com

I didn’t know a lot of these.  Be careful what you do at the table when you travel!

Fun Fact for today … In Athens, Greece, you can lose your driver’s license for being “poorly dressed” or “unbathed.”

Word of the day … magnum opus (MAG-num-OH-pus)
: a great work; especially : the greatest achievement of an artist or writer

This morning Craig Wallebeck from our News room brought Danny and I in a treat.  He made homemade Cajun burgers last night and he brought each of us one to try.  They were fantastic!  Craig said he wanted something to help him warm up, with this never ending cold weather.  These burgers definitely did that.  They had a little kick of spice but not too much and were delicious!  Craig was nice enough to give me the recipe and said I could share it with everyone.  I’m going to make these for my husband!  Remember, I really don’t cook so he will be very surprised if I make homemade burgers.  Thanks Craig!

(The above picture isn’t a picture of Craig’s burger.  Danny and I ate ours way too fast to even get a picture.  But you get the idea.)

Craig’s Cajun Burgers

1 lb. ground beef
handful of bread crumbs
1/2 – 3/4 of 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped or dehydrated onion flakes (Craig uses the onion flakes and says they work really good)
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. Super Burger hamburger binder (this is found in the gravy and spices section)
1/4 cup water
dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of hot sauce (Craig likes Louisiana hot sauce)

Mix the above ingredients together.  Press and shape meat into burger size patties.  You can cook these on a George Foreman grill, the BBQ or fried.

Fun Fact for today … Of the 1,000 varieties of cherries grown in the United States, only 10 are grown commercially.

Word of the day … picayune (pik-ee-YOON)
: of little value : paltry; also : petty, small-minded

I’ve been going to Yoga classes since this past September.  One is a beginner class and it is the most relaxing thing I could ever do.  The other is a cross between Yoga Fit and Hot Yoga.  In this class the heaters are blasting and you move from one Yoga position to the next very quickly.  It’s surprisingly hard yet relaxing at the same time.  Plus I love the heat!  I can’t wait for summer.

Yoga has definitely made me think more about my posture and my lack of core muscles. (I’m working on those muscles).  So, when I saw some tips on ways to stop slouching it interested me and I thought I would share.

WAYS TO STOP SLOUCHING:
Your body adapts to the position that you most often assume, which for most people is hunching in a chair. To break your slump, adopt these 3 habits …
✓ Set your work email to ping every 15 minutes to remind you to sit up straight with your shoulders back.
✓ Twice a day, perform this diaphragm-strengthening drill: Lie facedown on the floor with your forehead resting on your palms. Breathe in through your nose and drive air into your belly while keeping your chest relaxed. Exhale through your mouth. Repeat 10 times.
✓ Last but most importantly, strengthen your back so it’s as strong as your chest. Regular reps of back-strengthening exercises can fix this imbalance.
– “Men’s Health”

Fun Fact for today … Fill your bathtub with water 20,000 times.  That much water falls over Niagara Falls every second.

Word of the day … sashay (sa-SHAY)
1: to make a chassé
2a : walk, glide, go b : to strut or move about in an ostentatious or conspicuous manner c : to proceed or move in a diagonal or sideways manner

Saturday was World Pangolin Day.  Did you know that?  I sure as heck didn’t.  I didn’t even know what a Pangolin was.  Well It’s an armor-plated mammal, super cute and looks just like a baby dinosaur.   It’s sad to learn about a new animal and then learn that it is being poached and is almost extinct.  That’s sad.

If you want to see one of the cutest animals ever check out the video.

http://io9.com/and-now-a-pangolin-cavorting-in-the-mud-1524058757

Orphan and mechanic Peter Lake (Colin Farrell) attempts to rob a Manhattan mansion only to find Beverly Penn (Jessica Brown Findlay), the daughter who resides in the home Peter believed to be empty. Thus begins the love affair between a middle-aged Irishman and a fatally ill young woman in a magical New York City. If you’re looking for a novel laced with fantasy and romance, this is a good place to start. Hopefully Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay do the characters justice! In theatres this Friday.

Jessica Brown Findlay played Lady Sybil in Downtown Abbey and was fantastic.  I’m excited for both the book and this movie.

Judd Foxman’s (Jason Bateman) father just died, and on top of that, his wife Jen had an affair with his boss, which recently became painfully public. Judd is forced to sit Shiva and spend seven days and nights with the dysfunctional Foxman clan, facing confrontation and dealing with old grudges. The book is hilarious and the movie features Jason Bateman and Tina Fey. Enough said.  Coming Sept. 12, 2014.

I’m a big fan of Jason Bateman, he was hilarious on Arrested Development.  And who’s better than Tina Fey!  Gotta see this movie and read the book.

Twenty something Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) lost her mother and her marriage all in a short amount of time. Four years later, with nothing to lose, Strayed took an 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in order to deal with her catastrophic past. This honest memoir is filled with suspense and humor, a journey worth the read. Reese Witherspoon takes on the role of Strayed and she’ll probably be her usual charming self.  Coming out in 2014.

This sounds like a really interesting book and probably in the end, motivational.

It’s Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne’s (Rosamund Pike) fifth wedding anniversary when Amy mysteriously disappears. Nick is oddly evasive and evidence is slowly going against him, but did he really kill his wife? Gillian Flynn’s novel is packed with suspense, twists, and plenty of emotions. Readers are pretty split on their feelings about the end, but the entire book is definitely thrilling and the movie will probably be just as captivating.  Set to be released Oct. 3, 2014.

Creepy, creepy, creepy.  That’s all I have to say about this.  I wonder if he did it.  Must read.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/books-to-read-before-they-hit-theaters-this-year

Fun Fact for today … Your tongue has 9,000 taste buds.

Word of the day … deracinate (dee-RASS-uh-nayt)
1: uproot
2: to remove or separate from a native environment or culture; especially : to remove the racial or ethnic characteristics or influences from

I’ve always been scared of sharks.  Probably because I watched Jaws as a little girl and started reading the book, until my mom found out what I was reading a said NO!  I’ve heard this before but I’ve never believed it … sharks aren’t the most deadly creatures on earth.

But, this list that I found proves that I can like sharks now and the next time I go swimming in the ocean I can make friends with them.  They didn’t even make the list!

ANIMALS RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING THE MOST HUMANS:
10. Domestic Dogs – When provoked, they can be as lethal as any wild animal. It’s important to note that most aggressive acts caused by dogs result from human misconduct.
9. Cape Buffalo – These 1.5-ton hulks attack humans with their sharp horns when they feel they are in danger. According to stats, they are responsible for 200 death per year.
8. Elephants – Large and in charge, they are responsible for an estimated death toll of 500 people annually.
7. Crocodiles – Huge and extremely dangerous, they become deadly stealth machines while in the water. It is reported that up to 2,500 people die by crocodile attack each year.
6. Hippopotamus – Considered Africa’s most dangerous animal, a docile-looking hippo can be vicious when provoked. Around 2,900 people are killed every year by hippos.
5. Scorpions – Only 25 of the 2,000-odd species of scorpions have poison dangerous enough to kill humans. Nevertheless, as many as 5,000 people are killed by scorpions annually.
4. Snakes – They kill an average of 50,000 people around-the-world every year. Most deaths are said to come from snakes that are threatened by human presence and activity.
3. Tsetse Flies – Responsible for spreading the African Sleeping Sickness, which affects as many as 500,000 people annually, 80% of whom eventually die.
2. Mosquitoes – These carriers of fatal diseases such as malaria and dengue kill between 660,000-to-1 million people every year.
1. Other Humans – Isn’t it ironic. There really is nobody better at killing us than we are. It’s estimated that 2.2 billion people have died as a result of wars.
– List25.com

I know, I know, not the happiest list to read but I thought it was interesting.  Here, this will cheer you up …

Feel better now?  That’s what I thought.

Fun Fact for today … A person will wait 40 seconds for an elevator before they start fidgeting.

Word of the day … anodyne  (AN-uh-dyne)
1: serving to alleviate pain
2: not likely to offend or arouse tensions : innocuous

I thought these were hilarious!  How would you ever enforce them?  It’s definitely good for a laugh.

• In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house without your underwear on.
• In Israel, you could be prosecuted for picking your nose on Sunday.
• In France, it’s illegal to name a pig ‘Napoleon’.
• In Australia, it’s illegal to name any animal you plan to eat.
• In Italy, anyone considered obese is forbidden from wearing polyester.
• In Barbados it is illegal to wear camouflage clothing.
• In Portugal, it’s against the law to pee in the ocean.
• In Samoa, it’s a crime to forget your wife’s birthday.
• In England, it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

Fun Fact for today … a shark can grow a whole new set of teeth in about 1 week.

Word of the day … simpatico (sim-PAH-tih-koh)
1: agreeable, likeable
2: being on the same wavelength : congenial, sympathetic

On the air today I was talking about animals predicting the outcome of sporting events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics.  Here’s some more that I didn’t mention during my show. I thought these were cute and surprisingly the animals were pretty accurate!

Jemma the Psychic Raccoon
Event: 2012 Summer Games
Technique: Choosing one of four buns to eat, each marked with a country’s name
Record: Jemma picked China to win the most total medals at the Games. She came close: they came in second. She did, however, accurately pick Spain to win the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.

Larry the Donkey
Event: 2012 Summer Olympics
Technique: Eating from one of two feed buckets presented to him by schoolchildren.
Results: Not so good — Larry went eight for 17 over the course of the London Games.

Maggie the Monkey
Event: Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2003-2009
Technique: Spinning a wheel, Wheel of Fortune-style
Results: Mixed. In her long run, Maggie’s record was more or less split. She had a disappointing final season in 2009, though it was the only time she correctly predicted the Stanley Cup winner.

Mr. Nuts
Event: Various
Technique: Choosing a litter box
Results: Mr. Nuts has accurately predicted three Super Bowls, as well as the 2013 America’s Cup and the 2012 US presidential election.

Nicholas the Llama
Event: Soccer
Technique: Knocking balls off sticks
Results: Nicholas predicted England to win Euro 2012 — which was dead wrong. But he’s had previous success predicting Champions League matches.

Princess the Camel
Event: NFL
Technique: Eating one of two graham crackers out of her trainer’s hands, each marked with one team’s name
Results: Princess picked teams for the last 10 years with a mostly even record. But her best season was 2008, when she accurately predicted 17 of 22 games. The 27-year-old camel died this week, just two weeks before the Super Bowl.

Sonny Wool the Lamb
Event: Rugby World Cup
Technique: Choosing which box of hay to eat out of, each marked with a country’s flag
Results: He correctly predicted all of New Zealand’s matches in the 2011 World Cup — but none of the matches where New Zealand wasn’t one of the two teams.

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/10-animal-sports-prognosticators

Fun Fact for today … 8 million pounds of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday along with 14,500 tons of chips.

Word of the day … logy
: marked by sluggishness and lack of vitality : groggy