I was so ticked off with myself that I had forgot my camera, as I missed so many good photos, even on the drive there we happened upon a huge Snapper Turtle waddling across the road and a Charlois Cow in the ditch....great moments, not to mention the ones once we were at the Market.....lol, darn, darn, and triple darn, but such is life !
We weren't even barely parked and through the Keady Market gates, but who else would we run into but, our one and only, Ralph Shular, with his nephew, Harold (who was one of the crew I grew up with in Southampton). Ralph always has his camera with him......but oh no, he did not either !!! I could not believe two social butterflies like myself and Ralphy being out and about the Countryside with either of us without a camera????? Unheard of, but sadly true yesterday on our outing at the Keady Market.....*sigh*.
We did have a pleasant time though pricing out Freestone Peaches along our way through the crowds, deciding to make our purchase from the cheapest vendor on our way back to the car after we had perused the whole of the Market.
If you are from Bruce County, you can almost guarantee you will run into somebody you know at the weekly Tuesday Keady Market, and other then Ralph and Harold, we also ran into my cousin, Bill Masterson, and another Southampton guy, Butch Stewart, whose family used to live behind my Mom and Dad's place in Southampton, who I might add hadn't seen for years and years and then some more years.....lol.
Even Rob ran into a lady he knew from Wiarton, who, unbeknownst to Rob, makes garlic butter and has a booth there at the Market ! Unfortunately, nobody could outdo Ralphy though, as he used to have a booth at the Market himself, and knew lots of people !!!
I was pleased with the purchases I made, which were two Christmas gifts for our grandsons, an oil lamp I loved, so I can give my niece one of my other ones, one very large broccoli, and my mission of purchasing 4 - 3 litre baskets of peaches for $3.00 a basket, not $5.00 a basket as most vendors were charging.. Rob didn't make one purchase, but he did get a tub of garlic spread given to him by the lady he knew....lol, he is such a "chick" magnet, or should I say, "he thinks he is?".......NOT !!! Ha,ha,ha....
We got back to Wiarton where I had to drop my "Crabby Cabbie" off to pickup the Taxi from his partner in crime, Zolton, and made my way back home. Once home and settled in a bit with my purchases put in their respective places, I took to placing my daily phone calls to various agencies in Newfoundland.
I am pleased to report that the girl at the Cancer Society Office in Grand Falls-Windsor was more then helpful, and is looking into if there is anything in the way of volunteer drivers or respite care in any capacity that would be a benefit to my brother-in-law, Cecil. Yeah, I made a tiny break through !!!
After I made a few more phone calls here and there, I went to pick a few beets from the garden for our supper, thinking since my girlfriend, Reenie, was coming over today I had best call her and see if she could use some Zucchini and/or beets. Yes, she could use Zucchini, and turn down beets? Not in this lifetime !!! LOL, she absolutely loves beets as much as Rob and I both do !
After Reenie and I were talking for a bit, she obviously heard the frustration and stress in my voice, telling me to stop all the phone calls and take care of myself for the rest of the day. If she had been there in person with me, I am almost sure she would have given me a "good" shake. Do you know I took her advice, as I do not want to return to the edge of the stress level I was at this past Spring in my role of Caregiver for over 4 years with my Mother. After we finished making our plans for today, I took myself to my garden and did some much needed therapeutic weed pulling, much to my growing vegetables delight I am sure, lol.
*Sigh* I find it very difficult not to worry and care by trying to help when there is a need, but I still need to better learn my limitations where my own health and concerns lie, and to remind myself to take a "break" for myself from time to time, come up to breath and live a little bit for myself....as the song goes, "it gets better with a little help from your friends".
Rob arrived, Dean and him chatted and I got on with preparing supper for Rob and myself. Once Dean left, we had our supper of leftover steak, fried onions & potatoes, and freshly cooked beets. Yummy.
After supper was over and done with my niece and I had a very productive phone call, and then Rob and I went on up "North of the Checkerboard" to pay the guy who had baled our hay for us. We had quite the lengthy visit there, as you know how those farm boys get when they start talking over things....but we did make it back home just before dark.
It is raining outside my windows and has been since I got up at 4:35 a.m., so I think I will check out the weather for the rest of the day before I venture any further. Here is the link to the Wiarton Airport's weather forecast:
http://text.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/city_e.html?on-130&unit=m
Rain, rain and more rain, the whole day long in good ole' Bruce County.
I have made plans with my friend, Reenie, for the day, part of it to go visit my Mother first, then after that I am not sure, but let me tell you I am certainly looking forward to my day ahead, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".
