A very unique cook book - "From Our Homes to Yours"

There are two reasons why someone who does not cook might want to tell you about a new cook book now available for purchase. One, the menus and recipes would have to be very good and secondly, the profits would have to benefit a very special cause. From Our Homes to Yours scores very high in my books on both counts.

The Canadian Federation of University Women, Perth and District club is behind this initiative. In honour of their 40th Anniversary a cook book committee was formed to collect the most successful menus and recipes and create something that would be of interest to CFUW members. It takes many to make a project like this a success but rather than name everyone here I will say that my friend, Karen Hickey, chaired the committee and the book is dedicated to Anne Bradley founder and continuous supporter of their Gourmet Club.

From Our Homes to Yours is somewhat different in that it includes 19 menus and their associated recipes. The menus include International (Armenian Table, Mediterranean Spring, St. Patrick's Day Irish Feast, Thai Dinner, Thai One On, Trubute to Robbie Burns), a Vegetarian Feast, and some less exotic but wonderful dinners. You can use this cook book to plan a dinner or to find a new or special main, dessert, salad or hors d'oeuvre.

They tell me (having never read a cook book I have to rely on others) this book is also unique in that it includes a section, "How Our Gourmet Club Works" that will be of interest to those who belong to or wish to start a supper club with their friends and neighbours and need some help with getting started.

What I really like about this initiative is that profits from sales will be donated directly to the University Women's Club of Perth and District Scholarship Fund- established to financially assist young women in their pursuit of post-secondary education. In 2010, CFUW Perth and District awarded $17,500.00 to 21 women in the district through its Scholarship Fund Program. I love projects where you can see women helping women and isn't this a perfect example of exactly that?

So you see, you can help with this fundraising project and enjoy some great new recipes at the same time (and maybe you could invite me over to sample them!) The book costs $15.00 and you can order your copy by e mailing Karen at karen.hickey@sympatico.ca

This cook book makes a great Christmas gift - trust me on this one.

Carol Ann

Canadian Federation of University Women - Perth and District

This past weekend I reconnected with a friend of mine from my Bell days and beyond - Karen Hickey. I spent the weekend with Karen in her beautiful new home in Perth. I was there to speak at a Conference on Saturday marking the 40th anniversary of the Perth and District Canadian Federation of University Women. CFUW is a voluntary, non-profit, self-funded bilingual organization of close to 10,000 women. These women do wonderful things - go to http://www.cfuw.org/ to learn more.

I met so many wonderful women and to share a few with you first look at the picture on the left - and starting on the left - Caecilia van Peske, United Nations Women's Representative, Dutch Foreign Affairs Department / Ardith Toogood, Chair-International Relations Committee, International Federation of University Women / Anne Neill, President CFUW Perth and District / CAC / Lana March, Community Leader, Former Mayor for the Town of Perth and Monique Tougas, CFUW Regional Director, Ontario East. In the picture on the right you are looking at Caecilia, me, Karen Hickey and Anne as we shared a glass of wine and dinner on Saturday evening. (Picture taken by Anne's wonderful husband Bruce. Bruce and I have at least a couple of things in common - Bell and health "stuff.")

I could write a book about Caecilia but briefly I can tell you that she is a Dutch national who spent her childhood in Switzerland. Currently she is based in the Netherlands. Through her many years of working within the context of peace keeping, international election observation and capacity building in over thirty (post-) conflict countries, Caecilia has witnessed the suffering wrought by distrust among people and the damage caused by disregard for the natural environment. These experiences form part of her motivation behind her engagement in international development and co-operation. As of fall 2009, Caecilia was appointed United Nations Women's Representative by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this function Caecilia addressed the United Nations General Assemby in New York city earlier this month. Her statement placed focus on Women, Peace and Security in the context of Good Democratic Governance. Cecilia shared her statement with us - you could have heard a pin drop as she spoke. All of this and she is 40 years old only!

I met so many wonderful accomplished women during the day on Saturday and am sure I will stay in touch with many of them. Women helping women is always a good thing.

As many of you know, I do not "do kitchen" meaning I can't and therefore do not cook. So, it many seem strange to hear me talk about a cookbook and suggest you purchase it . . . The CFUW Perth and District have put out a wonderful cookbook just in time for Christmas giving. Watch for information re how you can order it. I will get to that in a few days. (It takes me longer to write about cooking, baking and kitchen in general.)

It's Election Day - get out and vote.

Carol Ann

Lord of the Dance - Jalen James

I do not carry many pictures with me so . . .

. . to my friends in Nova Scotia who gave me a hard time last week for not bring pictures of Jalen with me, these are for you........with love from Nana.

My Toronto "garden"

You know the commercials that poke fun of those of us living in Toronto when we could be living in Nova Scotia? The commercial talks about how far our money will go here versus there.

I moved back to Toronto to be closer to family NOT because I didn't love living in Halifax Nova Scotia. When I was home last week (home for me is Halifax) there were many jokes about Toronto. When I am here in Toronto there are many jokes about the Maritimes - I can't win!

So I want to share my "garden" with you. It's true that it isn't much of a garden compared to NS gardens. It is on my small balcony on the 21st floor overlooking the Rosedale Valley. Okay, it doesn't have any plants but it does show my love of old boxes, candles, sea shells, hearts and my very own buoy.

I promised a few friends in NS that I would post a picture of my garden to prove that I do, indeed, have a garden. It may not be what you expected but it's not that bad...is it????

Love

Carol Ann

A busy October and it's not over yet!

Hi there - I have returned to Toronto for a few days following a busy ten days working in Nova Scotia with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and in London Ontario with the Canadian Cancer Society. I don't make a habit of posting event pictures here but will share one with you from the fabulous CBCF Sydney breaskfast on October 8th. Susan Forrester and I met over breakfast and I am sure we will keep in touch. Susan is a wonderful woman and a proud supporter of CBCF. I drove from Sydney to Halifax with Nancy, Jaime and Cheryl and it felt like vacation for a day! Ever had one of those?

The week of Oct 11th was full of events, meetings and time with friends. The week did not all go as planned but these things happen- disappointments included. On the up side the weather was summer-like and I am sure I had 25 walks on the boardwalk - at least 25.

On Friday Oct 15th I was one of many who waited and waited on an airplane in Halifax going nowhere while we watched a lightening storm take over the runway. We eventually took off but by then I had missed my Toronto to London connection so it made for a very long day/night.

Laura Wall with the London arm of CCS Ontario was there to meet me so all was not lost. I had a great day on Saturday with the Volunteers and Staff. Made new friends, and connected with old. I think I have more CCS friends in the London area than anywhere else in Canada and I appreciate each and every one of them so much.

This weekend I am off to Perth to reconnect with Karen Hickey and others at an event hosted by CFUW - Canadian Federation of University Women. And, during the last weekend of the month I will have the pleasure of speaking at the Canadian Breast Cancer Network's National Conference for Young Women Living with Breast Cancer. The Conference theme is "Body, Mind and Spirit" and promises to be an exciting three days. I will get to see Shauna and Cheryl again too so that is an added plus. You can get the most up to date info about the conference at http://www.cbcn.ca/ so check it out.

Enjoy these last two weeks of October.