There's A Hole In My Bucket, Dear Cindy, Dear Cindy

There's a hole in my bucket dear, Cindy, dear Cindy.....then fix it dear Robert, dear Robert....LOL.  This was is a well remembered tune from my childhood years in Grade School at Southampton's G.C. Huston Public School, but with Liza & Henry playing the parts.

Whooohoooo, Spring 2011 officially arrived last night at 7:21 PM.   At 3 AM this morning it was raining so hard, I thought Spring had sprung a leak in the sky!  Unfortunately Rob wouldn't wake up to get that darn leaky bucket in the sky fixed.

It is pretty foggy outside my door right now, so I will see what the Wiarton Airport has to report on my upcoming day ahead:

Today:

Rain at times mixed with drizzle ending this morning then cloudy. Wind southeast 30 km/h becoming light this morning. Wind becoming west 30 this afternoon. High 6.

Tonight:

Cloudy. Becoming cloudy periods after midnight. Low minus 3.

Yep, just as I had figured it was going to be, cloudy, wet & dreary, so I had better make my own sunshine today.

Last night's supper was a success !  All three of us Guinea Pigs enjoyed the One Pot Macaroni & Beef dish (posted on yesterdays blog).  I think I will keep it as one of my favorites for when I want my good old standby of Macaroni & Tomatoes (one of our staples when growing up at home) spiced up a bit.  It will be a good compromised as well, since I don't like hamburger in mine & Rob does, but with the extra spices & veggies in the Canadian Living Recipe we are both content with the same dish.

I just love food & recipes.  I have spent lazy Sunday afternoons mulling over recipe books just for the shear joy of reading all the different recipes with good intentions of trying some different ones, but forgetting to bookmark them & not finding the same recipe again when it came to mind at another time.  One of my goals this year is to organize all my recipes in categories, with one section at the front of each category being my favorites.  The only problem with that is I would be able to find all my favorite Christmas baking recipes, and my sister, Donna, would be disappointed if I didn't phone & ask for them again just before Christmas every year. (this has been happening for at least the last 25 years).  I suppose I could still organize them & pretend I couldn't find them once again?  LOL.....

What would I have done without my two sisters, Jeanne & Donna, all these years?  The advantage of me being the youngest is they both had a number of cooking years under their belts before I started cooking, so when I started calling them they had made their own mistakes, so I was getting their tried, tested & true spin on things.  How many times had they been called to be asked, "how do I make gravy or beef stew or the length of time to roast a turkey or roast of beef?"  Let me tell you, I am sure it was many times, and those times are good memories in my memory bank.  Now I am not a young Mother in my twenties any longer, I still call either one of them should I need one of their opinions on a cooking or baking situation I might find myself in.  Now that I have my own cooking & baking experience under my belt I get the occasional call from them as well, which sure makes me feel good giving "the big sisters" my advice.

One of the funniest baking incidents I can recall is the very first time I attempted to make bread from scratch (must tell you Jeanne can do this in her sleep).  I followed the Purity Cookbook (my cooking bible back in the day) right to the "T".  I waited & waited for hours for that bread to rise.....I finally called Donna & explained it all to her.  After patiently listening to my, I am sure ranting & raving as I was so distraught, she asked me to find the yeast packages & check the best before date.  Well how in the heck was I suppose to know yeast expired !!!!  I laugh now, but I sure didn't laugh then & have never attempted to make bread again until later years when the 'Bread Makers' were all the rage. 

It is a wonderful thing if we are able to laugh at ourselves & have people laugh with us.....sets off that little bubbly feeling in the tummy.

Back to yesterday, Rob & I were off to Sauble Beach to pickup an outside dog run our friends had given us, and that will be most greatly appreciated once those puppies arrive, and otherwise.  On our way there was a flock of Wild Turkeys in the field across from our house.  We returned the trailer later in the day, after suppertime, so I took my camera this time & was able to get a shot of the two local swans.  Then going to Saugeen to fill up with gas, two deer stopped up the French Bay Road in front of us before going back into the bush.  Spring is in the air when you start seeing all the wildlife out & about (I love when we come across wildlife).  Almost everyone I have spoken to lately has seen a Robin; I have yet to see one myself, but I am sure the chances of me seeing one soon are pretty good now.

This Birdie link has been around for sometime.  It was sent to me via email not too long ago, and it is just so enjoyable to watch.  When Aiden was here, I am sure I replayed it at least 5 times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6CsNyx5yK4

I just looked at the clock (bad move on my part, lol) and hadn't realized the morning is getting ahead of me.  I am still in my Bathrobe.....I start rambling & time slips right on by.  Must be off and running to get this day into gear.