Knitting SitCom!

Couldn't wait for the next installment of "Feel Me..." to post this.  There's a great idea for Hamiltonians who might be, uh, less than excited about the rapid Torontofication of Hamilton.

Getting There

From Copenhagenizecom

There's been a lot of discussion in Hamilton about the demise of the bus-only lane on a main thoroughfare through town and the inability of the city council to get the light rail transit system going.  So Environment Hamilton, the same folks who put together the Lake to Lake ride I did last June, have started a campaign called Throw Council on the Bus, which lets Hamilton residents pledge money for a councillor (or multiple ones) to commute by bus for a week.  You wouldn't believe some of the blow-back and some of the excuses.   It's clear that many of the councillors are out of touch with reality and have no understanding of the integral part public transportation plays in many people's lives.

In  the meantime, the Hamilton Bike Share program, SoBi, has deployed a number of bikes throughout the city ahead of the March launch.  Initially I thought I had no need for a bike share membership; after all, I do own four bikes.  However, last week, I was meeting the ladyfriend for a gift consult after my regular "beer and a half" date with a friend.  It was then that I realized that if I had a SoBi account, I could ride to my various appointments and catch a ride home with the ladyfriend (I know - the accursed car!) rather than meet her at home ten minutes later (okay, I know, poor Claudia - waaah, another ten-minute bike ride.  I know, I know).  All this to say, while city council is dragging its heels and investing in the continuance of car culture, there are little victories all over the city.  Every time I ride my bike, I feel like I'm contributing to the greater bike culture of Hamilton.

Rent My House - Really

Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in Hamilton?  Ever wanted to understand why I love this city?  Yes, I love Hamilton.  It's a city with no pretensions and a lot of possibility. (If you go to the link, please note that #4 is being amended constantly; there are more and more good restaurants in this city.)

We're off on sabbatical for part of next year and are trying to rent out our house.  You can check out our listing on Sabbatical Homes.

Three Pigs and a Cow

walk into a bar...

Not really.  There were three organic pigs and a cow (carcasses, mind you) at the sausage making weekend I got to participate in a couple of weekends ago.  I missed the first day where they broke down the cow (not used for sausage) and only got a few hours in on Saturday when we were cutting away all the meat from the pigs.  However, I did learn, on the last day, how to twist sausages.  Next year I just plan on living with the hosts so I can be there for every single minute of it.

I have to say, it was a great experience.  Even though I wasn't there for the whole thing, I learned a lot.  (Of course whether I retain this info is up for debate.)  But I also got to take part in a great moment of community.  I entered the weekend just wanting to learn what goes into the process as well as to "meet my meat," so to say.  I was there to help the primaries (the three guys, including the farmer whose animals we were using, who do this every year) put up their sausages and salamis (okay, that sounds like a sexual innuendo, which is totally unintentional but amusing considering the source).  Not only did I get to meet new people (I'm learning that Hamilton and its environs has some very cool characters), but they shared some of the results of the weekend with me.  Seriously, I was not expecting my own little portion.

One of the hosts said that the weekend felt like what the holidays should be about, and I have to say, I couldn't agree more.

We worked in the garage.  It kept both the meat and us cold.

Working on a side of beef.

 I hadn't arrived yet so I have no idea what that guy (whose name I don't recall) is looking at, but look!  there's salami on the table.

I just love this photo because it's got both glamour and pork.  What more could you ask for?  Oh yeah, the pig's feet - they all came home with me.   Yay!  I'm going to make trotter gear and The Breslin Pig's Foot - a kind of pig's foot sausage, which I believe was inspired by musette, a sausage that I got to sample at dinner on Sunday night.  Oh my beautiful musette.