The other day I purchased a Genius Eye 110 webcam. The specs looked reasonable and, I felt, this webcam would be ideal for it’s intended purpose which was to talk to my baby (Ana) via Skype.
It installed fine on my Windows XP machine. Skype recognised it straight away. I wasn’t happy. The image looked great, however, as soon as I moved my head everything went blurry. What’s the point of having a webcam that can’t maintain a clear picture? I took it back the next day.
I was quite surprised at just how bad this webcam was. After all, I have a Creative Webcam GO that’s over SIX years old now. They share the same resolution and yet the creative is far superior in it’s ability to produce clear video. There’s over six years of technological difference here! What gives?
Now I’m on the lookout for a good webcam at a reasonable price. I don’t need the latest and the greatest, just something that works well with Skype. Ana & I love Skype. Skype has kept our relationship strong during the times that we’ve been apart. It’s great for talking to family and friends and has saved me an absolute fortune in overseas phone calls.
Its true. The therapeutic qualities of seawater have been known for centuries. Hippocrates wrote about the healing affects it had on the injured hands of fishermen. The seawater reduced infection, and patients treated with seawater found that it also promoted pain relief.
My husband and I had a great opportunity to go for a swim recently and it felt GREAT! I dont remember when was the last time I jumped in the sea (or even in a swimming pool) and I know for sure I should do this more often. Living in a city like Rio and also so close to the beach, it seems I have no excuse for not swim. It was absolutely great going to Paraty. Its here, so close, and I have forgotten about this wonderful and relaxing place. (ps: there are many more places I want to show my husband – and have fun with him).
The glorious Crist Statue blessing my Darling Husband and my Rio. (and this is the place where my Cameron proposed to me!!!!!)
I decided to become a healthy girl. (obs: I would love to try these health raw bars: Larabar)
So I bought a book at Amazon US called “Vegan with a Vengeance“, buy Isa Chandra Moskowitz (a.k.a. America´s most awesome vegan chef).
I will write some recipes:
1) Gourmet Green Salad Raw and delicious!
Ingredients:
large handful endive leaves (buy the “frissee” kind – it looks like curly leaf lettuce and is dark green)
1 broccoli crown
a handful of raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sweet fruit (raw raisins, apricots, peach, mango, avocado, etc) chopped if necessary
dressing of choice (I use balsamic vinaigrette, but oil and vinegar will suffice if you use balsamic vinegar)
Directions: Frissee is a kind of endive that is not as bitter as the traditional Belgian endive, and therefore does not need to be cooked. It looks like kale, or curly leaf lettuce, and comes in a bunch that has a common stem but long, curled leaves. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Place the endive leaves on top, and dip them under the water with your fingers, very gently. (this is called “floating” the leaves. It cleans the leaves without bruising them or making them wilt). Place the leaves in a drainer and set in the sink.
While leaves are draining, chop broccoli (rinsed, of course) into small pieces and place in a large bowl. After broccoli is chopped, shake each piece of endive (to remove excess water) and tear into bite-sized pieces and place in the bowl with the broccoli. Add your toppings: seeds, fruit, dressing; toss with two spoons to gently coat the leaves. ENJOY immediately!
2) Pumkin Bread 
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup water
egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves (scan’t)
Directions:
Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture and beat well.
Use a non-stick 9x 5 loaf pan (or a non-teflon pan *very lightly* sprayed with Canola Oil cooking spray). Pour batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before moving to wire rack.
3) Eggplant Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 package lasagna
1 large eggplant
1 cup bread crumbs
1 jar tomato sauce
1 pound soy-cheese (optional)
Directions:
Slice eggplant, and sprinkle with alot of salt, and let dry. Dip in oil or water, and then breadcrumbs, and fry. Set aside. Boil lasagna in pot, until soft. Layer lasagna in pan. Then sauce, then eggplant, until gone, and layer with 1 layer of soy-cheese (optional) Bake for 30 min. – cut, and enjoy ! (Makes a great midnight snack, cold!)
Serves: varies Preparation time: 30 min.
I always enjoy thinking about the wonderful moments we had (and we always have) together. This picture was taken during a picnic we had in a cold evening, in the middle of a forest between Whangarei and Auckland, in the back of Cam´s old red car. It was probably in Sept 20, 2004, if I remember correctly. It was such a special moment because we shared lots of confidential talk and ate loads of cheese and bread! I have to mention about another very special moment we had on the first time we met. We were sitting in a comfortable couch, close to a fireplace, drinking a delicious red wine, at Killer Prawn (Whangarei). We had a very serious conversation about our future!! We declared to each other our intentions to stay TOGETHER.
Happy Anniversary, my Beloved Husband!!!!! 2 years of a WONDERFUL marriage!!!! We had a lovely little celebration in Paraty, Rio, January, 4th, 2008.
THANK you for being my Darling perfect Husband! Thank you for being my Tiger Tiger!!! Thank you for being my best friend and my family !!!! We celebrated at the Sky Tower restaurant, in Auckland. January, 6th, 2007.
Thank you for making me feel the most important woman in the Universe!!!!!! obs: we had a little wedding reception at Everest Hotel in Ipanema, Rio. January, 13th, 2006.
This is us on the first time we met, Sept, 2004. Queen St. , Auckland.
YOU ARE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!!
Today, January 11th is my father´s Roberto birthday. 75 years old!!!!
Well, I wish him lots of happiness, health and THANK YOU for being a wonderful father.
My Darling Husband gave me a lovely powerful and wonderful laptop when we arrived together in NZ because he knows how much I love internet and I needed to speak to my family in Rio. It works so well! I even downloaded good movies. He bought my laptop in a shop in Auckland and it was a very good deal. I LOVE it!!!! I MISS it!!!!!!! Also Cam gave me this wonderful mixer for my birthday (January 19th) and I also consider it my 2 Years Married Anniversary present because I like it so much! Only a couple of minutes and I have smoothies, juices, salads….. lots of things that I like so much. Cam bought my mixer at Casa & Video department store. C & V is such a cool place to buy things here, in Rio. Still it has very good prices. We also bought very nice things for our place in NZ (little plates, table cloth, knifes, kitchen boards, etc….. and I will go there and buy us more things thats for sure). Yes, C & V is a very good place for us to buy things for the house, DVDs and even computer stuff. Today, on my way to have lunch with the Aunties, I will buy some fruits, yogurt and coconut water at Hortifruti (very close to the Aunties place) and make delicious and healthy drinks!!!!
Love you, my Husband!! Thank you so much for the Mixer and my little Laptop!!!!