"In Terrace, it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor because you always have a million dollar view"

This is very true. Terrace is surrounded by mountains. This can be awe-inspiring or stifling, depending on how long you have been here. Today I went for a walk to Lakelse lake where the water was so clear you could see the reflections of the mountains in the water. What did I look at? Why my own reflection, of course. But then you always knew I was self absorbed. Today I went for a walk downtown and stumbled upon the Hidden Treasure Gift shop, "Your source for Christian gifts". Did you know that you can actually buy anointing oil? Or Jesusfish shaped popsicles? Fascinating. My favourite items (and yes, I bought some) were "Testamints - Reaching the world one piece at a time". Each mint has a little piece of scripture printed on it. Physically and spiritually refreshing! Right now I am sucking on a piece of John. Or is it Paul? (Ringo?) Today is also Welfare Wednesday, so it is a little bit busier downtown. Appropriately, the Skeena Mall loudspeakers are blaring La Boheme. Surreal.
This morning, I baked muffins using a dog-eared recipe from the Terrace Hospital Women's Auxiliary Cookbook. Stirring the batter as the sun came up over Terrace Mountain, I felt at peace, serene in the knowledge that I was creating something nourishing for my friends. Then I looked at the clock. 6:10 AM. Damn Jetlag. So then I made baking powder biscuits, and bacon and eggs. And then I just felt like an indentured servant. But we had a lovely breakfast, and to tell you the truth, if I had to decide between traveling through Europe or baking muffins while looking at the mountains, I don't know which I would choose (well, I could bake muffins in Switzerland, but I think you need a visa for that).

Here is a recipe for muffins that turned out quite nicely. Courtesy of the Terrace Hospital Women's auxiliary Cookbook (with a few "improvements" by yours truly):

1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 TCP vanilla
1 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup bran
1 cup raisins, or blueberries.

Method:

Go on month-long European trip. Get severe jetlag as a result. Travel to remote Canadian town. Wake up at 4:45 with nothing to do. Decide it would be quaint to make muffins, even though you don't know where anything is in kitchen, much less light switch. Step on something warm. Realize it is cat. Oops.
Through perseverance and creativity, assemble ingredients and utensils needed to make muffins. Alternate between glancing out out of window to look at snow-capped mountains and apologizing to bruised cat:

Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk egg until frothy, add sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add soured milk and stir. Combine flour,
salt and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients in 1 addition and stir quickly. DO NOT OVERMIX. Add bran while you can still see white streaks (in the batter... not your mind). Finally, fold in blueberries or raisins. Fill buttered muffin tins 2/3 of the way and bake for 20 minutes. Please don't use those paper muffin cups. I hate them. Remove from oven, cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then continue cooling on rack, if they last that long.

Serve with cheddar cheese. Drink Red Rose tea. This is not the time for fancy caramel roibos or organic fair trade chai. Sit at old melmac table, listen to John Denver, watch sun rise and contemplate. Or not.
Serves 1-4 depending on appetites and how much of the batter you a) spilled on the floor, b) ate in the process.