Happy Birthday Forever Soulmate !

It has been nasty for me in the sleep department per usual.  It was 3 am I was up this morning, which makes for a long day.  What made it worse was a Migraine Headache.  What makes it even worse is knowing another storm front will be following along shortly.  I need a break from daily headaches, and we need a break from snow.  

Today was a very special day.  Today was my Forever Soul mate, Rob's Birthday !!!

First thing at 6 am  I had coffee and a Birthday Card ready for him.

Rob left early, and me? I was feeling ill with the Migraine that the Axert, migraine medication, hadn't even began to touch.  I still had to make the icing for his Birthday Cake, so I tried to get going on that.

I was making my Auntie's recipe for Shiny Icing.

I got off to an awful start by putting the water in then adding the corn starch.  Where was my head this day? obviously not attached.  I finally got it straight by sifting all the dry together then gradually adding the hot water while whisking.

I got 'r done.

Recipe please?  FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE PLEASE *CLICK* HERE.

I was to go downtown to take photos of the Wiarton's Got Talent for 1:00 pm.  I had our driver, John, pick me up as I didn't trust myself to drive feeling the way I was.  We stopped to pickup my neighbour who also had to go downtown.  When I went in to collect her I could not believe my eyes when she had pointed up by her door.  Was I ever happy I had my camera with me !!!

He didn't barely blink an eye the whole time I was observing him and taking photos.  Truly I was thrilled to have seen this little guy up close and personal.  Wouldn't you have been?

The Petro Canada Gas Station had ran out of fuel, but around lunch time the truck had arrived to fill the tanks.  A lot of people were certainly happy about this.  Our road is STILL closed going North of the Checkerboard.

I never did stay downtown to take photos as I felt too ill and had to leave.  This afternoon was spent doing nothing.  Dinner was easy for me by the time my Birthday Boy arrived home, leftovers from last night had been just as delish.

My Forever Guy, LOVED his Fudge Ribbon Cake.  It was a huge Birthday success, and another favourite to add to my collection.

Recipe please?  FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE PLEASE *CLICK* HERE.

I was happy my hubby was happy, and despite having to work on his Birthday, he really had a good one.

I really am feeling quite ill, so I am going to call it a wrap and head off to my bed, Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

Four New To Me Foods

How else would a typical January day in North of Wiarton begin without Snow .....

Not only did it take me a bit of time to get our Van cleaned off, but my hands almost froze off doing it.

A perfect day to make my Sister, Donna's Fagioli Soup (Low Fat).  Rob & I had this for our lunch today, one of those Soups that is really really Good, with being much much Gooder better the next day too.  Simple to make & Simply Delish.

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

I was on a roll today, making yet another "new to me" recipe.  This time it was a new Slow Cooker Recipe, Baked Chicken with Mustard Barbecue Sauce.

With all the fixing ready preparations were on the way in no time.  Another very simple recipe to put together in a short amount of time.

After our lunch we had to drop one of our Cabs off for repair (again), this time for a leaky power steering line.

Off we went, out through the Snow, what else ....  The plows have been working like *mad* this past month with the exception of the one week of January thaw when it had rained.  *Sigh* our roads were still closed from our house up to Tobermory, again today.  

Once I had retrieved Rob, he dropped me at home while he went back to work.  I got going on another "new to me" recipe.  I decided I would make Rob's Birthday cake today for his birthday tomorrow.

This is the recipe I had decided to try.

It was yet another very Simple Recipe to make ....

Rob did come home, again much to my amusement this time around ....

... his silly moments never fail to amuse me.

Before Dinner was almost ready, I had decided to take up some soup to our neighbour.  With the winds having picked up it had been way too cold to walk up the road to her place, so I had to drive.  Ha ! the soup would have been frozen by the time I had gotten there should I have walked.  I was so happy I had taken her soup, as I had found her down with a flu bug, the poor dear.  She sent me home with a Birthday Present for Rob !!!  he is so good to her by going up with the tractor to clear out her driveway, and she so appreciates him doing this.

Rob could not wait until his Birthday to open his gift of a Tim Horton Gift Card, Chocolates, Baileys Irish Cream & a lovely glass to serve it in.

Dinner was totally AMAZING !!!  The Fudge Ribbon Cake looks totally AMAZING !  The cake will be iced and sampled tomorrow ... I can hardly wait.

Recipe please for the Baked Chicken with Mustard BBQ Sauce ... FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE, PLEASE *CLICK* HERE.

That was a pretty darn good day behind me considering I made Four New to Me Foods.  Yikes, almost forgot about the 4th New to Me Food I made today ... Quinoa, pronounced kee-wah, the Super Grain food.  It was very good with both, Rob & I enjoying it, and you can find out more about it by going where I went HERE.

I was to go downtown tonight to take photos at the Wille Mystery Dinner, however I am suffering with neck pain, and a headache right now, so I decided it would be best I stay at home.  Besides with the winds now howling outside our windows, I suspect it is drifting pretty good out there again.  Me, Night Driving, Snow & Drifting Snow ... NO Thanks !

... this is all she wrote this day, Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

This One Or That One ?

On the sixth day, God turned to Archangel Gabriel and 
said, "Today I am going to create a land called Canada. It will be a land

of outstanding natural beauty. It shall have tall majestic mountains full
of mountain goats and eagles, beautiful sparkling lakes bountiful with bass
and trout, forests full of elk and moose, high cliffs over-looking sandy
beaches with an abundance of sea life, and rivers stocked with salmon."

God continued, "I shall make the land rich in resources so
as to make the inhabitants prosper, I shall call these inhabitants
Canadians, and they shall be known as the most friendly people on the
earth."

"But Lord," asked Gabriel, "don't you think you are being
too generous to these Canadians??"

"Not really," replied God.. "Just wait and see the
winters I am going to give them!

... and so the saga continued today.

When Rob had left this morning I had made sure I swept and vacuumed the front entrance before it got wet with our snowy boots throughout the day.  I had been up extremely early, once again, so I didn't really feel like doing a whole lot today as I was feeling wrung out after doing half our bedroom yesterday.  

Regardless once Rob had been back home, lunch was over with and he had headed out to clean the driveway out for the umpteenth time this Winter, I got myself motivated thinking if it gets done it will be done.

I am also trying to declutter anything I come across that should no longer be of use to us.  Rob had his collection of savings from the Crabby Cabbie for the VON Piggy for Pennies stashed in his bedside table.  I thought it was high time they be moved and delivered over to the VON offices in Owen Sound once Mother Nature relaxes for a bit.  I finished washing the other two walls, and just need help putting the bed back against the wall before our bedtime.  That is one heavy bed that barely the two of us are able to budge !

I have decided we would paint our bedroom Antique White, rather then a blue.  This way I can "change up" the colours of bedding, etc, anytime and not worry about the paint.  Our house in Waterloo had been all white, and I had carried one colour throughout the house even if it had been a splash.

Outside my window this day.  I never get tired of the view outside my windows.

If you get tired of looking at my scenery outside my windows, you might want to change it up a bit and go over to Gill's or Jane's to check out their views, HERE & HERE.  A change is always better then a rest, true to the old saying ?  Now if my friend, Lynn, would post her snow photos in WI, as well as quit sending her bad weather my way, I could direct you down that way too.  But alas she is all about the kitchen that woman is, but truly a change is what we all need, so you can find her HERE.

What kills me the past couple of days is the online weather is warning of the Big Storm that is coming to Ontario next week.  Is this not a big storm we have been having the last three days, and what would you call the Blizzard we had before this??  *Sigh*

Dinner was put in the pot earlier today, that being the Crock Pot.  The house smelled lovely as it cooked slow all day long.  Roast Beef surrounded by veggies.

My dear, hubby, Rob is celebrating his Birthday this upcoming Friday.  He has ordered a cake.  More specifically a Fudge Cake.  Well I checked out a new recipe book, Simply Delicious Desserts with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condense Milk, I had just been given where I had came across the following recipe:

Then I had googled some Fudge Cake Recipes and came across a Melt In Your Mouth Old Fashioned Fudge Cake recipe HERE.  Now to decide, which one do I choose, this one or that one?  Truly I hate deciding when given choices, so why did I bother to keep looking when I had found the first one.  Who knows ????  I am leaning towards the first, as it is something "different", and I like to try something different rather then just a plain Jane type at times.

I made a call to the Specialist who I had been referred to for my Gall Bladder problems, as I had been referred way back before Christmas with not hearing back yet.  I know between the Holidays and all the wonderful Old Fashioned Winter weather we have been having that they are maybe a bit behind.  Still I left a message as the stomach pills my Good Doctor prescribed me are not seeming to work as well as they first did when I had started them.  I am feeling quite a bit more discomfort as I had been when I had the attack.

 Hopefully it will not take months down the road before I get to be seen.

Oh yes, later today I tried to finish off the deck with the brand new electric snow shovel Rob has used twice. It isn't working anymore.

And that is all she wrote this day, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Another Half Done Job

I was pretty upset that somehow I had fallen asleep watching Canada's MasterChef 2nd episode last night.  On a more positive note, all is not lost as I had asked Rob to tape in on the PVR for me, so I will still get to see it (hopefully).  It never fails .... how many times has there been a show I have wanted to see forever then end up falling asleep the last 5 or 10 minutes? too many times that I care to count.

I calculate I fell asleep around 8:30 pm.  No wonder I had been up again at 2:00 am.  Good thing too as the fire had almost been out, so that took me until after 3 am to getting it going properly.  I went back to bed and could not get warm for the life of me.  At 7:00 pm when I had to get up I didn't want to get up.  Murphy's Law.

With all the Aussies taken care of, the dishes done and the bed made, I got pumped up for my morning jaunt on the treadmill to some April Wine over at Tropical Glen's Free Oldies Music.  Lots of tunes to rock out to on the treadmill can be found there.

Once Rob had gotten back home I had him help me move out our dressers from our bedroom walls, as today I was finally going to get started on the washing of our bedroom walls.

First I cleared out the hamper, waste container.  Bandit was happy as he found three balls of his under the one dresser.  I was not so happy as I found a whole pile of dust under all the dressers.  I am scared to move the bed, as I am certain there will be a lot more under there despite me vacuuming under as far as I can get every week, or was that every two weeks? *scratching head*  The carpet will hopefully be replaced this Year too, unfortunately not before the new mattress arrives in 2 weeks time.

Nice clean walls, along with the closet door all wiped down.  Yes the water that went out of the pail down the toilet was far from clean.

Decisions decisions ... now to decide on a colour to paint our bedroom.  Shall I go an Antique White? or a shade of Blue ?

Unfortunately because of my neck I could only accomplish washing two walls today, so that leaves another job half done until tomorrow.  Still a job well done until tomorrow.

This is the view looking out our bedroom window.  I can't begin to count the amount of times I have stopped to admire the Pine tree there.  It seems almost perfect to me if not for the double top it would be with it's wonderful shape.

After Rob's one call out this morning, he only had gone out one more time, as we have been getting slammed with Old Man Winter once again.  Bruce & Grey Countries have been crippled again this day.  North Bruce Peninsula pulled their plows at 12:30 pm today, as did Georgian Bluffs due to heavy drifting snow and poor visibility.  I read one report where an OPP cruiser went out to Hwy 21, just outside of Owen Sound, to assist a stranded vehicle, and when pulled over and stopped he was hit from behind.  Later the same day, as the OPP vehicle had been left there with the officer taken to the hospital to be checked over, his vehicle had been struck again.  Visibility was obviously NIL, as it is many places in Bruce & Grey Counties this day.

A reminder to anyone who decides to take a chance going out driving on CLOSED ROADS, your Automobile Insurance is "NULL & VOID" should you be in an accident.  Really is there something that can't wait until the road re-open???

Rob had his work cut-out for him again this afternoon.  It seems like he has been doing snow removal for a Month of Sunday (I really think he has been).

Rob also was able to "bust" through the very deep drifts at the front of our door so we can once again let Bandit out this way.  The drifts out front were at least 5 feet in some spots & 3 feet in front of the doorway.

Rob had a hankering for French Toast, so Lunch was French Toast.  Dinner was easy with leftover Chicken made into yummy toasted Chicken Salad Sandwiches along with a bowl of Chicken Veggie Noodle Soup.  Dessert?  pick a fruit.

Really this Old Fashioned Winter weather we have been having for the past couple of weeks is starting to get a bit tiring, do you not think?  On a positive note, I am pretty happy about it as I won't drive out in it which means I am getting some things done around here that have been bugging me for awhile.

For me the nasty weather has been a win win situation, especially since I have also been cozy with the lovely heat from our Wood Stove.  For our business, it hasn't been the greatest with the days lost, but I would best have our drivers and vehicle safely parked at home rather then out in a raging Winter Snow Blizzard.

As long as I have lots of wood and food in the coffers, I am quite happy to stay put at home.

I am happy to say the Dropping Weight Sensibly Support Group I created on Facebook now has 15 members.  It is nice to always have an "extra" motivational support anytime we can, is it not ?

I think this Friday I am going to have to come down off the "Band Wagon" of strict weight sensibility as it my Rob's Birthday.  I am thinking an Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake is something he would be happy with.  How can I not make a cake for him for his Birthday?  *Sigh* I think I will just have to.

I still have a few dishes to do up yet, and my final 10 minutes on the Treadmill.  Hopefully I can stay awake a bit longer tonight so I sleep most of the night until morning, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Didn't Get 'R Done This Day

My day began outside in the dark grey of the early morning.  Clear & Cold.

With all the Aussies out, back in and fed, I was ready for my morning hot cuppa tea.  While it was steeping I stoked up the wood stove then went to retrieve it from the kitchen counter to find ....

OMG what a way to go forward with a person's day !!!  What the heck was that fly thinking it was doing ????  does he not realize it was -16 *C outside & he had NO BUSINESS being inside on my cuppa tea???  that was just GROSS.  A new cuppa tea was the next order of the day for me..

I didn't get a darn thing I wanted to get done today, including my bedroom walls washed.  Our driveway was filled in but for barely a single lane where Rob went out this morning, and I had wanted to get out first thing to head down to the Wiarton Chamber Office.  *Sigh* alas I had to wait for Rob to come back home late this morning to drive me in.

It was really good going into Town, once we got out of our lane way.  Not a problem getting into the Chamber Office to get the photos I had taken of the past two Wiarton Willie Events downloaded to the Chamber's computers.  It never happened since there was no SD reader on the computers.  I did upload one of the videos I had taken yesterday, which took quite a bit of time, however saved my Internet plan.

The entertainment yesterday had been wonderful at the Queen of The Festival Pageant.  This is one of about 5 videos I had taken of Dave Nixon & Brooklyn Hewton, both local to the Bruce Peninsula.

I can't wait until I get the other four videos uploaded to my account so I can share a couple more of our local talent.

The Chamber Office is located down in Wiarton's Bluewater Park.  The scene today had immediately today captured my attention.

The cold blustering over Colopy's Bay was beautiful, almost seeming surreal to me.

By the time we had headed home, early afternoon, the snow had came again quite steadily... it just does not want to let up.  The good thing about it is the possibility the Weather might be great for the Wiarton Willie Festival ahead on this upcoming weekend.

  

This afternoon I spend taking the Aussies out and in, and editing some photos.

Buddy I am certain was listening closely to possible mice or moles underneath the snow as he had been so intent, when he wasn't shooting off in another direction.

Rob is, you guessed it, out blowing our our lane way once again.  Dinner was very easy with leftover Homemade Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup.

Unfortunately our Bedroom walls that I had planned on washing never got done, but then again tomorrow is another day.  Although I am happy to report I had bumped up my treadmill time by 5 more minutes today.  It is nice having a Facebook Support Group in at Dropping Weight Sensibly.  Drop in anytime should you care to.

I am going to do up the few dishes in my sink, then wait for 8 pm to come along so I can watch Master Chef Canada, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Kings & Queens

My "Crabby Cabbie" was grounded again last night.  Bruce County had been closed up tighter then a drum.  The Highway in front of our house was not opened until late this morning.  Vehicles had been stranded all over the Peninsula and were being dug out this morning.  Drifts over 8 feet high were being reported, along with photos all over Facebook.  

Our "Old Fashioned Winters" seem to be returning to Bruce County, with my husband being the King of Snow Removal the last few days at our home.

There was still more blowing out of snow with the tractor again today, but some of the vehicles had to be actually "dug out", cleaned off and moved out.

It is coming, coming & it is OUT !!!

Today I had lots planned, including washing our bedroom walls with hopes of getting them painted soon, if not before our new mattress arrives.  This of course was not to happen, as the Queen of the Festival Pageant was rescheduled, after being cancelled Friday & Saturday, for this afternoon at 2:00 pm.  Also the Willie Snow Hill Bee was also taking place today at 1:00 pm.

Shortly before 1:00 pm, Rob and I headed on into Wiarton.  The roads still snow covered and icy.

We arrived at Wiarton's Bluewater Park to find a wonderful crew of Worker Bees.  Creative Worker Bees I might add.  Lots of fun is going to be had on this Hill created for the upcoming 2014 Wiarton Willie Festival.

Need more information on the Events for the 2014 Wiarton Willie Festival?  please *click* HERE.

Next stop was at the Wiarton Community Centre where the Queen of the Festival Pageant was taking place.  I got lots of photos of "behind the scenes", as well as of the pageant itself.  I had over 300 photos on my camera today, but I am only going to share the "highlights".

A lovely lineup of young ladies, sponsored by local Wiarton Businesses, were excitingly awaiting for the Pageant to get underway.

There were speakers, including Mayor John Close, as well as entertainment while the Judges made their choices of 1st & 2nd Princesses, and their pick for the Queen.  Amazing entertainment including a Guest appearance by Wiarton Willie.

The moment everyone was waiting for ... the crowning of the new 2014 Queen of the Festival.  Congratulations to the very lovely Sarah MacCleod, sponsored by the Sauble Beach Pet Hospital.

The pageant went about an hour or so.  Rob had gone to get our van fuelled up, but had been waiting outside for me when I had finished up when the pageant had ended.

I had planned on making Chicken Pot Pie today, however it had been late afternoon by the time we had arrived back home, and I was tired.  Out came 2 containers of  homemade Turkey Stock from the freezer to make Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup with the leftover chicken from last night.

Love, love, love colouring a Soup, do you too ?

Rob is tired, I am tired, and really is it any wonder why?  I can see an early night ahead for the both of us, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Holy Drifts !!!

The wind must have been having quite the party out there last evening, as there was quite the surprise this morning when Bruce County residents starting waking.

Holy Drifts !!!  There were some pretty crazy "wave" drifts out there.

Rob got going on getting the laneway cleaned out.  Our Leyland Tractor was working hard this day.

The diesel in the tractor ran out before Rob was finished, so it was a trip into town to the Gas Station.  The Highway was closed just 2 houses up from ours, so we slipped through as at that time the blowing had subsided and the skies had been clear.

All that snow was quite something to take in coming in the driveway from the North.

Bandit was not let out the front door this day, and we had to dig ourselves out the side door before anyone got out this morning !

The Crabby Cabbie was closed down for the day, as not only was Hwy 6 from Wiarton to Tobermory closed, so was Hwy 21 from Springmount to Goderich.  Need a place to check Road Conditions/Closures? just check out the link HERE.

This is Winter with Winter conditions much like they were when I was growing up in Southampton.  I think we have been spoiled the last few years with the exception of one or two, forgetting what a REAL Winter is like anymore.

I was in my glory today with it being another "snow" day at home.  I got more laundry done, and not half of my bathroom cleaned (Aunt Gerry) but it all cleaned with even the floor washed !!!  Usually my days get interrupted with me ending up only get half of something done when I get started.

How many times have I mentioned  I LOVE my Crock Pot ??? many times, and I will many times more.  What a better day then today, or most days as far as  I am concerned, then to throw something into the Crock Pot.

Today it was a whole Chicken that went into my Crock Pot.  Washed first then set on a rack sprayed with Cooking Spray to be set on HIGH for 6 hours, and sprinkled with a bit of Seasoning Salt.  It was fall apart goodness served up with boiled Russet Potatoes & French Cut Green Beans.

Barely 24 hours old and the new Facebook Group, "Dropping Weight Sensibly" already has 7 members.  It is nice to have a support system without judgment or criticism when trying to loose weight and stay fit.  The more the merrier, so please drop in, if you should have a Facebook Account, by *clicking* HERE.

Beginning back on my treadmill, I completed 2 x 10 minutes again today.  The only problem I am experiencing with this is my Fibro is not too happy with it causing my arms to bulge feeling like my muscles are going to come right through my skin.  I am persevering as with more time into it I am certain this will mellow out for me.

Oh man I am tired, but then again my middle name is "tired" most days I am sure.  Truly I have been enjoying these past two days of snow and staying put at home, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".