Amanda Mackay Blog Profile

April 13, 2014April 14, 2014

My Stepdad David Blades

This past year had been a rollercoaster of emotions! I had 4 people very close to me pass away, 2 of them being my fathers. My step dad was one year ago on April 13th.

The picture is my Mom & Dave

My step dad passed away in April 2013, he had been battling cancer. Until I seen what Dave went through, I never realized how awful cancer could be. Dave was very sick and in so much pain, that it was hard to comfort him and tell him anything like “you will be ok” or that there was some medicine that would help him.

Me and my mom spent months in and out of the hospital being told one day he has days to live, the next he’s getting better, then being told he wouldn’t make it till Christmas, then getting to spend Christmas with him. There were days when the entire hospital could hear Dave in pain, there were days he was laughing, you never knew what you were going to walk into.There were days I would get calls at work and Dave would tell me he just found out he had cancer…he had lost his memory. Yet no matter how stressful it was for me, I knew it was harder for mom and Dave then anyone. Mom did so much for Dave in and out of the hospital, even when Dave was not sick enough for the hospital, he needed round the clock care at home.

My mom never stopped, she stepped up and she was amazing. Dave would tell me often how much he loved mom over his last months and that she was his angel.. But he didn’t need to tell me, I seen how he looked at mom and how mom cared and loved Dave in everything she did.

Dave was so loved by his family and it showed because his family, friends and coworkers all made sure he never spent 1 hour of any day or night alone for almost 2 months. Everyone took turns helping mom when she couldn’t be there. After months of this continuing..my mom was exhausted. I am forever grateful for the people that helped and understood what we were going through.

You would be 20mg levitra canada foea.org really happy with the magic that it does to your health. So you have to be careful and stay straight. view now now canadian generic cialis This helps you to accomplish and keep up an erection. cialis properien browse around that drugshop The issue found to be including both physical cheap sildenafil uk foea.org and psychological concern. Towards the end Dave told mom she would know when he was around when she seen the pretty birds. The day he died mom seen a Cardinal at the hospital and funeral home. It was so sad when Dave left but also a relief because Dave was in so much pain.

I think of Dave often. I knew how much he loved me because he told me often. This bear was a gift he got me for my first Christmas with mom. He told me before he died that he wished he had had kids, but that I was also one of the best things to happen to him.

Dave was kind, gentle, loving and a very amazing person. He treated my mom like an angel. Dave never had a mean thing to say about anyone, I only ever heard him speak kind words. Dave treated me like his daughter and I remember him telling mom he wanted to pick out my Christmas gifts from him, not Mom. He wanted it to be special from him. Dave was there for me for many hard times in my life and I never forgot that. When someone was mean to me he would offer to beat them up for me lol but I knew he was joking! Dave understood my constant battle with weight and food as Dave loved food almost as much as I do lol. Step parents have a special place in your heart, Dave was kind and loving to me always! I loved Dave like a father.

Dave asked me to make him something for the nurses that were taking care of him, these keychains said ty 4 caring 🙂 Not many people knew this but Dave asked me to do something special for him before he passed. He wanted to give me his money and buy mom a new computer because their computer was crashing and he wanted to get mom one last special surprise gift. He was giving until the day he died.

April 10, 2014June 18, 2014

Donair Meat and Sauce Recipe | Donair Recipe Ground Beef

This is a Donair Recipe made with lean ground beef. I have been making my own donair meat and sauce for a while now, and this recipe is now perfect for my tastes. I originally obtained this recipe from and friend and a site in Halifax. I have used this meat on a pizza with a garlic butter base and a donair sauce base, I have also want to try this soon as a hamburger on the barbeque.

Donair Sauce Recipe

( Best made the day before)
• 1 can of evaporated milk (not fat free or 2%, must be regular full fat)
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of white sugar
• 2 tsp of garlic powder
• 4-6 tsp of vinegar

Directions and Tips

1. In a glass or pyrex container with a plastic spoon mix sugar and garlic powder, then add the can of milk and mix until sugar grains are dissolved.
*** do not use a metal bowl or utensils of any kind
2. Add 4 tsp of vinegar quickly and stir gently 5-6 times. Put sauce in the fridge to chill for 5-10 minutes.
3. Take sauce out of fridge for a minute and stir until clumps are gone. Put sauce back in fridge for 10 more minutes.
4. Add vinegar by the tsp to the sauce if still very runny and repeat the process. Keep sauce in fridge and chilled.

Donair Meat Recipe

350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp of flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
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• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 large package of ground beef, 1 – 1.3 pounds

1. Mix all items well, I used my mixer and my dough hook
2. Form in long loaf and wrap loosely with tinfoil for first 40 minutes while baking. Check often as different loaf sizes will cook quicker.

My next expirment I am going to attempt using these same spices for hamburgers and barbequeing them and making Donair Burgers!

This past St. Patrick’s Day I spent with my uncles Ken and Dave and my aunt Orpha and my mom. We had supper, played, Phase 10 and had a blast!

New earrings I made for St. Patrick’s Day. Made with a 4 leaf metal clover and green Swarovski’s.

Ken and Dave have a beautiful house, and beautiful interior design talent! Loved the fresh tulips and green decorations. We played cards and had a beautiful chicken dinner.

Dave and Ken run an antique store in Brenton, NS. http://yaciuksantiques.com is their site!

April 7, 2014June 18, 2014

Lemon Pie without Meringue instead Whipped Cream

I hate meringue, so I make my lemon pie without meringue and instead used whipped cream! I also use some lemon zest on top.

I made this from scratch today.

Lemon Pie without Meringue

1 cup of sugar
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of water
2 lemons, juice and rind zest
2 tbsp butter
4 egg yolks
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1. Mix dry ingredients then add water and lemons.
2. After boiling add butter, remove from heat temp and quickly whisk in egg yolks. Cook until thick.

Pour in baked pie shell and top with whipped cream with a bit more zest on top.

Here in Nova Scotia today its finally sunny and nice. Over the weekend me and the family decided to get back into geocaching. The kids had picked up these coins too long ago so just put them in my geocache called “over the hedge” and added many more trinkets because the cache was an absolute mess! One of the coins I activated and asked them to try and get travelled to New Zealand, Alaska and Europe! The turtle shaped coin started in the Netherlands, to Germany, then Sweden, Toronto, Canada, and then Nova Scotia.

Another sign of spring…sidewalk chalk…love having my driveway decorated:)

September 11, 2013June 18, 2014

Christmas Scent Jars | Homemade Christmas Gifts | Non Allergenic House Fragrance Hypoallergenic

With allergies I cannot buy many scented candles, air fresheners, or room sprays so I have found a great alternative! Stove boiled house freshener! Sliced lemons, limes and oranges and spices. Below is a Christmas scent jar, it smells awesome. I received this as a gift from a friend at work.

Ingredients in Scent Jar

1 tablespoon of cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
3-5 bay leaves
2-3 Lime Slices
2-3 Lemon Slices
2-3 orange slices

Directions

1. Slice your fruit
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3. Put all ingredients in a mason jar.
4. Fill jar with water.
5. Seal jar and keep in fridge till use.

Usage Instructions

1. Pour contents in a pot.
2. Simmer on low heat and keep adding water as needed.

What I have been making lately! This stamped washer sells for $10.00 and can have anything that will fit stamped on it!

May 29, 2013June 18, 2014

7 Grain Crackers | Homemade Crackers

I recently started making everything from scratch, bread, tortillas, pasta sauce, pesto.. a little bit of everything. So after talking to a co-worker who had made crackers on the weekend, I was ready to try a cracker recipe from scratch. I love that you can entirely customize the flavor ( I use very little salt) and shape and crispiness. If you love sesame seeds, this recipe is definitely for you.

7 Grain Cracker Recipe

1 cup white flour and 1/2 cup seven grain flour(purchased at Yarmouth naturals) (can use all white too)
3 tablespoons of millet
1 tablespoon of whole flaxseed
1/2 of a cup of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
1 teaspoon of garlic
salt to taste, optional I like low salt crackers
1 tablespoon of white sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/3 cup of oil (or any kind of oil canola is best)
2/3 cups of water (warm – room temperature)
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Kneed dough together until a soft ball ..Let sit 10 minutes.

Cut ball in half and roll out (dust with flour if sticks to rolling pin)

If dough is too sticky, try rolling between 2 pieces of parchment paper and then no need for extra flour or the mess.

Roll out as thin as you can and place on parchment paper on cookie sheet.

Cut into cracker shapes (I use pizza cutter..works well) or cookie cutters. Sometimes the dough is to wide or long for the pan, I just cut to pan size and put aside to bake at the end.

Bake 12-15 minutes in oven (I don’t use top rack, I use the one just below)…Keep an eye on them…edges tend to cook faster as they may be thinner.

You will no doubt need to make these in 2 or 3 batches so when the crackers are all done, if there are some crackers that were in the middle and not as crisp, throw them on the pan and sit them in the cooling oven with the door cracked open. This will dry the crackers really well.

I have been lacking in posts lately due to time and the passing of my step father. He was Diagnosed with cancer in October and passed on April 13th. I am sad he’s gone but my family and I are doing OK!

My life has been so crazy busy up until now. I am thankful for the little things.. Like time with loved ones and friends and time alone to relax, focus and start designing new jewelry again. This past weekend I spent the entire rainy weekend playing with beads, creating and making orders!