Well it is business as  usual at Mission Meats! We are coming into Easter and what a busy month we have had so far. 
I have been trying to eat properly. Doing things like actually having something to eat before 11 in the morning. In order to do this I have been making smoothies. Mmmm Mmmm! They are so good, and easy too! And boy do they fill the gap. No lethargic feeling right after I eat either. In fact I have been eliminating gluten based products from my diet for the last couple weeks and I sure have noticed an increase in my energy level.
So Randy and I (mostly I) have decided to do an experiment and do gluten free for 2 months to see what if anything changes. I read the book "Wheat Belly",  and to be honest have not before now put too much store behind gluten free living unless you are celiac or have an allergy to wheat. But according to this book there are quite a few "ailments" that can be attributed to gluten consumption. So I started today and like I said, we shall see. In particular I am curious about Randy's inflammatory issues.  For me it is the tiredness I feel at the end of the day or right after lunch.  
Now  this may be tough because bread based products are very easy to throw together at the end of the day for a quick meal. But I feel this can be done. It just takes a little planing because as you all know, I am very Busy, Busy, Busy! 

Being green can be easy. I think it needs to be simplified. 
When I grew up life was simple - we reduced, reused and recycled all the time. We just did not know that we were doing it. 
We reduced by gardening, canning and raising our own animals. We had a milk cow; Mum made butter from the cream and baked all her own bread and baked goods. We had chickens and pigs. They provided us with eggs and meat. So a trip to the grocery store was rare indeed.
We had a compost and there was no curb side garbage pick up so it made us think twice about what went into the garbage can. 
We reused - We cleaned with cloths that you washed and used again. I do not even remember a paper towel roll in the house.The cloths hung on the line and smelt fresher and cleaner than any additive that you could put in your laundry now a days to make your cloths smell so fine. And new cloths were some thing you got once a year to start the new school year. Other than that you got hand me downs from the neighbours or the salvation army! 
We recycled everything! Only we did not call it that - we called it being frugal and being poor. We could not afford to replace things each time we got tired of our possessions. 
Now I realize that we can not all have chickens in the back yard, nor a milk cow at our disposal. But there are great ways to compost, do upright gardening and create a small "farm" environment at home. It can be done. We just have to believe that we can do it. And you know what - our kids would benefit so much from learning about how to grow your own food, how to can ( it really is not that hard)  how to compost-indoors with a worm factory! 
So I say you can do it ! It really is easy - and our kids are up for - Growing up Green! 

Oh how wonderful it is to have the extra bit of sunshine at the end of the day! I am able to get so much more accomplished when the sun is shining!  

I just love the people who shop in our store! Sometimes it is hard to have all cuts available on the counter. We don't know what cuts people are going to want on a given day or week and sometimes it is hard to guess just when to have some of those special cuts on the counter. So I am always happy to serve a person who is willing to be flexible and improvise on the dish they are going to cook! 
What is even more fun is helping them in deciding just what and how to cook something! It is like a great adventure of cooking! What were you thinking of doing?  What can you do with what we do have on the counter? Then best of all....the feed back - that what we did deicide on turned out simply amazing and they are excited to do it again! 
So my feeling is if we don't have what you are looking for it is a sign! A sign that you too can learn to be flexible  - for as the saying goes..."Blessed is he who is flexible - for he shall not break" !

What glorious weather we have been having! In my estimation anyway,  not too cold, no rain, and a bit of sun that just gives you a taste of what is to come here in the Okanagan. Sunday was a day that I decided to clean house and get a few of those nasty chores out of the way, so I organized, washed, dried, swept and mopped my way around the house. Had the doors open and had the breeze blowing through, could hear the birds chirping and overall had just a great day. Even though it was technically a day off - it felt good to do the work that I had been putting off. It is amazing how good it makes you feel to walk into a clean house!
Off course now I am guarding my handy work - trying to keep the floors clean and the counters tidy! So beware you who want to walk through the house with shoes on and make a mess! You may walk in like a Lamb but I may chase you out like a Lion! 

Time is such an elusive commodity at times. The winter months are suppose to be the months that are a bit slower and  as such, I would have more time to get ahead of all those little things in life that don't always get done. NOT! Business is booming and I need to be in training and working and keeping busy in the shop. Not that it is a bad thing but it seems that when you count on things to be one way they turn out completely the opposite of what was expected! 
So it is "full steam ahead" at the shop. Easter is coming and we will have our hands full with that one as well! Easter Hams to cure, fresh Turkeys to receive and sort, not to mention the  Lamb and Veal to sell!  It is going to be an even busier time! 
Woo Woo! Here we go! Full steam ahead!

Okay - so you know when you go through a period of time that all you can think about is food?
Well that is what I have been doing. Randy and I want to make a vegetarian burger so I did up a recipe with chick peas - It tasted really good! But fell apart a bit through the cooking process. I also have been baking - the excuse was a Tupperware party ( which turned out very well - thank you to all the ladies who attended!) - of course I like cheese so had to have the plates of cheddar and my Zucchini relish along with sweet potato chips. Then my favourite ...... peach coffee cake. 
There is also a leg of lamb on the counter that I have been eye balling! I am really wanting to have that for dinner one of these nights! Yum - I love lamb. I may have to invite someone over to help eat it......cause if I don't get off this food train I may have to get on the tread mill! Which is not such a bad thing ;)

It seems just when I think it will be time to relax and take life easy - it get's busy! Gurrrr.

Wow! What fun to have the Gold Medal Culinary Championships here in Kelowna.  Three chefs chose to shop at our store for their meat and we are very excited and hopeful for each one of them, mostly for Mark Filatow our local chef and restaurant owner.  They were here a bit early - one of the guys phoning me at 7 am to make sure we had the product they felt would be best for the pairing - but it`s all good, I was happy to help. These guys are all a great bunch! 
This competition will only be held here for another 2 years then will go to another city. So we need to get out and enjoy it while it is here. This may be hard to do as the tickets apparently sell out quickly - although there is a few tickets left for the grand finale on Sunday! 

Life as the butchers wife really started back in 1990 when Randy and I got married. He has been a meat cutter since graduating high school! 
In 1997 we bought Mission Meats and have spent a lot of time working together. We often get people asking how we are still married considering the amount time we spend together - my answer is "we know our place!" - he in the back and me in the front. For the most part, this works. There are days when our paths cross and things get a little tense but usually it is too busy for us to dwell on small stuff and you know what they say "it is all small stuff".
I would like to say it has been smooth sailing all the way, but that is just not how life works! We have had to work very, very hard for most of the 16 years we have owned the meat shop, and you know - I wouldn't have it any other way! Cause it is the struggle that makes you strong and helps you to appreciate all you have, including all the great customers who support us. Some who have supported us since we first started, some we have met along the way, but everyone has contributed to the success of our products and service! Making it all worthwhile.