Happy Halloween 2012 !!!

 "Happy Halloween Everyone .... "Pumpkins Up"!" 

~ Photo Courtesy Via Email this Morning (thanks Marie) ~

I had been invited out to a Halloween Zumba last evening, by my friend, BJ, who is a Zumba Instructor here in Wiarton.  I was there in respect to taking a few photos (over 400 is what I had taken, with around 200 turning out?).  I had also been appointed the "pick out costumes for prizes" person.  

Wow I had never been to a Zumba class before ... everyone has so much fun !  Check it out yourself.

"BJ had lots of Halloween Music selections to Zumba to.  She started most of the first part instructing up front on the Stage, then .... "

"Got down on the floor with everyone else getting some more Halloween Spirit going with Michael Jackson's "Thriller"."

"Once all the girls had Halloween Zumbaed their little hearts out there was an amazing spread of goodies waiting them."

"BJ had really been in the Halloween Spirit by providing "Witches Fingers", along with rings for everyone.  Scarrrrrry .... "

I really enjoyed watching everyone have a Halloween of a Zumba good time.  Thanks for inviting me along BJ !

Should anyone really want to keep fit and have fun both at the same time through Zumba, please give BJ Guest a call at 519-534-3687 for either the Tuesday evening Wiarton location or the Thursday morning Sauble Beach location.  $5.00 Drop-in applicable.

With all the weather changes the past few days I have been a huge aching puddle of pain between my Osteoarthritis, Rhematoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia ... along with the usual dreaded headaches.  Unfortunately I had to cancel on on Volunteering for the Wednesday morning Wiarton VON SMART Exercise program.  It is really frustrating to be feeling so much pain, with so many people not understanding of it because 1) they can't see it; or 2) they don't have it themselves, so they do not even try to imagine what it would be like since they have never experienced themselves.

I try so hard to empathize and understand towards others when they express they are feeling not well or having something myself has never experienced.  Just because I can't see it, does not mean it is not there and happening to that person(s).

Along with good days and bad days, you take people the same way I suppose.  Those who are caring and understanding, and then those who are self-centered, unfeeling and close minded (unless it comes to themselves of course).  I feel I have to speak out, as the more people who do speak out, hopefully gives a better chance for others to have a better understanding of the realities of some things they "can not see" for themselves.

These of course, as always, are my opinions and not those of anyone else, but I am sure there are others like myself who tend to feel the same way as I do.

 "Today was a good day to stay in with a nice hot cup of Earl Grey Tea."

I also had done some setting up of photos, along with deciding which ones I wanted to share this day.  These next two photos are from BJ's husband, Paul, from when they had been way up "North of the Checkerboard" yesterday showing some of what we had received in way of High Winds from the edge of the Frankenstorm.

"This photo was taken out at Indian Head Cove.  *Click* this link HERE, and you will see what it looks like on a "good" day."

~ Photo Courtesy of Paul Guest ~

"This photo is of the Grotto.  Amazing shot is it not?"  *Click* HERE to find out more about Bruce Peninsula's Grotto."

~ Photo Courtesy of Paul Guest ~

Amazing photos and so much appreciated they had been shared with me, so I could further share them here. Thanks Paul !

Speaking of Paul.  My Paul went into the Wiarton Salvation Thrift Shop with me this past Saturday when they had been visiting.  I really should have purchased this for him for tonight ...

"What do you think?  I think the "do" and the "colour" are befitting of my youngest Son !  Hahaha...."

Two and a half hours away to come right up here to "wring" my neck for posting the photo won't be happening any time soon....so sad too bad ...hahaha!

Other then making my bed, doing up a few dishes, taking the "Checkerboard Aussies" in, out and about when need be, and sitting on my behind the majority of the day, I did manage to do two very small, but productive, things this afternoon.

"I removed and washed the glass shades from our Living Room lamps.  Oh I do so love me those glass shades ... easy to take off wash, dry and put right back on."

"I also got most of the huge bunch of fresh Parsley my Auntie and Uncle had sent home with me the other day, all washed up and into the dehydrator.  I am making another salad in the next day or so, keeping out enough for that."

"Today brought with it some Happy Mail in the way of some Free Samples.  Nice...thinking Rob is going to love that Schick Hydro Razor for Men, as much as I love mine for Woman!  Thank you Samplesource.com !"

My Co-VON Volunteer, Diane, had dropped around late this afternoon to drop off some stuff for me.

"Check out all this lovely Yarn, Co-Volunteer and friend, Cathy, sent along to me for my Sister Donna to use for the Charity knitting she does.  Thank you so much, Cathy, as I know how much this will be appreciated !!! "

"Co-Volunteer and friend, BJ, sent me the "finger".  Um, not too certain how I am suppose to react over this one, however Diane and I did have quite a laugh about it !   Thanks BJ , I really appreciate "The Finger" too !"

Happy Days for modern technology as "hot off the press" I just got the following photo ...

"I do so believe these two Transformers have taken over our Grand Boys bodies ... scary stuff goes on at Halloween you know?  Happy "Trick or Treating" boys !  xoxoxo "

I just now got off the phone with both Aiden and Connor.  They were so excited with all the Loot they had gotten, never any mind to how wet they both where from the rain.  Aiden told me "two bags full right to the top, Grandma, with just only two blocks!"  Ha !  I do remember those Halloweens so well myself ... why would I remember those times?  cause I LOVE me some HALLOWEEN that is why !!!

Since I didn't go anywhere today or really do anything much today other then lay around reading articles or editing some photos, it was a pretty eventful day around here.  By the way, where did the past 31 days go, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Really? More Spiders !!!

The "Frankenstorm Sandy" was not as bad as it was thought to be, at least not here on the Bruce Peninsula is what I mean by that statement...with there have been some pretty high winds and power outages in and around our area.  Nothing even close to what the emergency situations have been in New York City and other places which have seen much devastation.   

"The Canadian Red Cross has a Hurricane 2012 Fund in place.  Should anyone like to donate to this Fund giving assistance to the chaos created by Hurricane Sandy, you may do so by *clicking* HERE. 

Before I get going onto my Today, I had forgot to share my Happy Mail from Yesterday ...

"This is the Post Card I received through Post Crossing all the way from Belarus.  The card depicts "The First Frost".  Lovely, is it not?"

I also was able to "scoop" a photo off of Facebook of one of our "Magnificent Seven" Checkerboard Aussies from the 2011 Litter.  

"This would be Boston.  Now just over 1 1/2 years old, belonging to my Cousin's daughter, Erin and her husband, Mike.  What a handsome well groomed fellow Boston is."

It really is so nice to still be in contact with person(s) who have purchased one of our "Checkerboard Aussie" puppies.  

Now back to my Today.  

"Once I had came in after taking Lexus and Missy Mercedes out this morning, Rob was so kind to have gone out in the early morning light to give Buddy his first thing in the morning walkabout.  It was a really nice little break for a change.  Thanks Honey.  You can tell by the garden how much rain we have gotten, and it is still coming down now as I type away here."

For some dang reason I am still not feeling quite up to par, this of course I am still blaming onto the weather changes.  Regardless the one thing I wanted to get accomplished today, which wasn't overly strenuous, was some Homemade Bath Salts.

"I tripled the "recipe" for the Homemade Bath Salts, which yielded me nine Jam Jars.  Once they had been filled I got to decorating their lids with some Christmas material and ribbons my Auntie Gladys had given me.  Thanks Auntie !  I know have these nine jars all ready to go as gifts on hand when needed.  Homemade, thoughtful and for a wonderful use."

Recipe/Method please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Once I had finished up with the Bath Salts, it was after the lunch hour and time to head "North of the Checkerboard" as Rob and I had an appointment with the Good Doctor to get our Annual Flu Shot.  This flu shot by the way was not the one on the News last night that has been on "recall", so we were safe to go.

With our appointment over with, Rob and I took advantage of the RBC Bank and Foodland grocery store while we were in Lion's Head.  Once we had attended to our needs we took a little drive down towards the Lion's Head Marina.

"We had noticed a couple of trees down and up rooted around town.  A crew had been there cutting this one up for its removal."

"There had been quite the show going on with very high waves coming in and smashing against the breakers."

"The high winds and waters were equally intimating as well at the shores edge."

As I had stood outside our vehicle taking photos, I could not imagine the force of a Hurricane, as truly it would be overpowering and tremendous, or so I imagined it would.  I am very thankful we live where we do.

Finally we made it back home late this afternoon, where I got our Supper prepared right off the cuff.  Today I was trying a "new" chicken recipe I had recently came across (there are a never ending supply of recipes only a keyboard away, you know?).

"Another Easy Peasy as 1-2-3 Recipe added to my ever building collection.  The flavor was all in the "toppings"! "

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Since I do LOVE Halloween so, you can imagine my delight when a fellow Member on "Cindy's Recipe Exchange" submitted a recipe they had "tried, tested and made true" for our exchange.

"Really?  More Spiders?  Ha... not that Member, Delynn, knew how much I detest Spiders.  What a wonderful job she did of these, also commenting that all the Adults and Kids at her Day Group today loved them !  Way to go, Delynn, they are totally awesome, spiders or not."

Recipe/Method please?  *Click* HERE. 

This has pretty much been my day thus far in a "nut shell".  I have promised a friend I would go meet her at 7 pm this evening as there is some Halloween activities she thought I would love to be at (can you believe I am going out for an evening?  I am not sure yet that I can myself).  I am off and running, once again, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Wrapping Up October 2012

A number of events have been going on with "Wrapping Up October 2012", in my little World here.

October has been "National Breast Cancer" month.  What a better reminder to "Rethink Breast Cancer" then Your Man Reminder ....

Where the "studies" correct? that woman are more liable to watch a video ?  Ha ! could be.   Also a "gentle" reminder to men, "men can also get Breast Cancer", you can read about some of those facts by *clicking* HERE.  Take good care of your bodies.

Halloween also will be "Wrapping up October 2012".  Here are a few tips and such on that subject ...

"I wish I could be this creative, but alas I am not ... but I do like "sharing" others talents."

~ Photo found on Facebook ~

"WARNING !!! Don't throw out those "pumpkin seeds" as they have lots of Health Benefits .... check them out here, http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-pumpkin-seeds.html?page=1, then use the "pumpkin" in your pies of course !"

~ Photo found on Facebook ~

Even Rob was involving himself in some "Wrapping Up October 2012" chores around the house.

"Yeah !!!  A few more "dead" items cleaned out from the dungeon we call our basement."

"Cindy's Recipe Exchange" on Facebook was "Wrapping Up October 2012" by drawing a name for the Exchange's very first "give away".  Within the past week, prior to the Winner's name being drawn today, there had been 13 Member "tried, tested and true" recipes posted to the exchange, as to qualify for the Give Away.  Always the "Cream of the Crop" I might add all the recipes are, and Easy Peasy as 1-2-3 too.

The Winner of the Give Away, just so happened to be a local gal, who I was very pleased to have met to give her the Draw Prize in person.

"Congratulations went to Angie for Winning the very first "Give Away Draw" at Cindy's Recipe Exchange, and for submitting her "tried, tested, & true" recipe for Cheese Scones!"

"Photo and Recipe Submitted by Exchange Member~Angie King Webber."

Recipe please?

Cheese Scones

4 cups of all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Approx. 2 cups cold water
1 cup of your favourite cheese, 3/4 cup diced, 1/4 cup grated

Mix dry ingredients together; add water mixing as you go with a fork. Once a sticky dough as formed add diced cheese. Sprinkle with flour using your hands to ensure it is covered top, bottom and sides. Cover with bowl and towel for 10 minutes. Lift and place dough into a greased 8x12 pan; flatten to edges gently. Add grated cheese to top for the last 5-10 minutes of baking time. Bake in 350*F oven for approx. 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Once again, congratulations to Angie and thank you for your recipe !!!

Today I thought I would be "Wrapping Up October 2012" by making one of my most favourite soups, as well as a new recipe I have been hankering to try out .... of course I had all ingredients in the house for the new recipe, but for one, so off downtown to the local grocery store I went.

"I never come out of that store with just that "one item" I needed !  but however I did very well on all of this for only $17.00.  The steaks will be chunked up and froze for when I want to make up an Old Fashioned Stew in my Slow Cooker.  Oops it was two things I had needed at the store I have now realized as I look at this photo.  Celery and the Orange Juice.  The celery were marked down to 49 cents each, and the Fruit Yogurts (my fav) were marked down 1/2 price to $1.50 each."

"I got all my Ducks lined up in a row before the dicing and chopping began in ready to put together the Big Batch Chicken Soup."

"Chopping, sweating the veggies in a bit of olive oil,  with simmering of all to follow,  brought it together in a bowl alongside a Grilled Cheese  on Multi-Grain bread."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Once the soup had been simmering to doneness and perfection, I got onto making that recipe I had been hankering to try.

"The batter was prepared, with the filling next ... then came the layering, and baking of it all."

"Then there was there was the wonderful aroma of apple cinnamon filling the house.  Cooled and served up on a Platter in all its mouth watering goodness .... oh yes, it was."

Recipe for Grandma's Cinnamon Apple Cake, please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Now on of the most important things to be done before "Wrapping Up October 2012".  This would be to  send out our positive thoughts and prayers for all those who are in the path of the "Frankenstorm Sandy". 

The winds are high and the air is feels extremely cold outside where we live, but on watching the News forecast there are worse effects of the storm going on South at our Neighbours in the US.  Rob and I were discussing that maybe the Generator should be taken from where it is presently stored to be placed closer at hand in our basement, as the Storm is to be heading our way with its full wrath to be here tomorrow.  It is times like these with threats of power outages and such that I am so happy we have wood as our source of heat in the event of no power.

It is being said this Frankenstorm Sandy will be making History.  Oh I sure hope it's wrath spares many while it is doing so.

Take good care and be safe my "friends" with "all" being in my prayers this night, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Hurricane Sandy Turns "Frankenstorm"

Five o'clock am, voices travel from the far part of the house down into our bedroom.

My "Crabby Cabbie" has arrived home and was conversing with our Paul, who had fallen asleep in the Easy chair in the living room.  It is cold, Paul goes to retrieve kindling from the basement in order for Rob to "fire" up the wood stove.

Rob does eventually come to bed, with me lying there until 7 pm before I arise to come out to a warm house and my three boys, or four should I count our Bandit boy.

"Bandit gets lots of attention when the boys are visiting."

Once Holly had gotten up from bed, Paul and I headed downtown into Wiarton to retrieve us all a treat by getting us a Tim Horton coffee and the boys a box of Tim Bit Donuts.

"Frost layed itself across the roof tops and the clouds were cold and uninviting  when this day had first began."

When Paul and I had returned with the Tim Horton goodies we had been surprised Rob was up with having only had 2 hours, if that, of sleep.

"I suppose if he hadn't gotten up he wouldn't had time to spend with everyone or torment them all in his usual fashion.  I am pretty sure he had "grabbed" Holly's Blackberry from the table with them all trying to get it back from him here.  Ha ! never a dull moment."

Paul had promised the boys we would go for a walk this morning before they had to head back home, so the four of us got ready to head back towards town.  I was just hoping when we had returned Holly hadn't been any worse for wear by Rob's teasing ... as it was she did survive after all.

"The boys and I thought it pretty cool to follow this vehicle into town."

"We decided to bypass the Wiarton Marina and go straight down by the Water Treatment plant beside Colpoy's Bay."

"The Bay in front of us with the escarpment behind."

"We weren't too certain how fish could be caught in this cold windy weather with the water breaking as it had been?"

"It is not too often I get my photo taken with the Boys, so we took the opportunity of doing so.  Ha ... Aiden had said, "hurray up Daddy my *smile* is freezing"."

"Here are three of my boys !  The Fall colours always make such a lovely "natural" back drop for family photos."

"It didn't take us long to load ourselves back in the truck and head it up the North Hill on our way back to a cozy warm house."

The kids packed up their stuff and headed on home before the Lunch hour.  Thank goodness I got out of more meal making and dishes ... those dishes are never ending !!!  Ha !

My poor Rob went back to bed.  Me?  not a darn thing I did this afternoon as my whole body was in surmountable pain with every muscle from "head to toe" feeling as they were going to come right through my skin.  I am thinking this Fibromyalgia "flare up" has been caused with this sudden onslaught of weather change we are experiencing right now.  *Sigh* not a good thing for such ailments at these times, or otherwise.

Another day spent in a lull of fatigue and pain behind the scenes of the comfort of my own home, rather then out and covering the pain most times with a "mask" of "I am fine".  Anyone else who suffers from Fibromyalgia knows exactly what I mean when I speak of hiding behind a "mask" of wellness when inside the muscles are screaming and there is pain shooting through various parts of  your body.

Weather changes? there is lots of that going on right now with the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy, meeting up with two other storm fronts to the creation of a "Frankenstorm" so it has been named in the wake of a fast approaching Halloween.

It wasn't too long ago a friend had posted to her Facebook page a warning for the Grey Bruce areas, which can be found by *clicking* HERE .

Batten down the "hatches" to be prepared, as we never know what is every around the corner, now do we? Thoughts and prayers to all for to be safe and protected that are or will be in the path of this storm.

I had what I had thought to be 1 cup of pumpkin needing used up in the fridge, which turned out to be 1 1/2 cup.  I had a friend send me a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Muffins which I changed up to make my "own" late this afternoon.

"I gathered everything I would need together on the counter then got going on putting it all into action with 12 Muffin cups nicely filled.  I don't care much for "cooked" raisins, so I plunked a few in half the muffins for Rob, who does so love raisins cooked or not."

"The are really a Muffin moist and full of flavor.  I think next time I will add some apple to it to see how that turns out?   Another definite, "keeper" to be added to my ever growing collection of recipes."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Before I forget I must "share" the "what I thought to be a good read" on the behalf of women, over at my friend, John's at Tok Tok Place.  I found both humor in it to some extent, as well seeing the irony and bare truth of it all ... touche' for it being "put out there" in the defense of all woman in the work place, or not.  Thanks to John for posting.  For this read I speak of please *click* HERE.

I know it wouldn't surprise too many if I made the statement I am "tired" and won't be long from my bed this evening.  It has been a very busy couple of days in my life, however enjoyable, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard."