February 1 ST GIVE AWAY

My day started again at 3:00 am.  This is three days in a row, no wonder I feel so tired and my eyes are blurry.  Once I had a coffee part way into me, I had to do up a "Crabby Cabbie" invoice so Rob could be out the door before 6:30 am.  He was out the door with me following shortly after with giving each of the "Checkerboard Aussies" their first out and about to start the day.

The remainder of my morning was spend getting a few things prepped and ready for ..... The "Crabby Cabbie" Facebook page, as well as a couple other Facebook media resources.

"The "Crabby Cabbie" Taxi will be servicing Wiarton & Area for the Wiarton Willie Festival from 6 pm Friday Feb 1 until Sunday Feb 3 at 6 pm. Business Number to call for South Bruce Peninsula is 519-477-5950. See you out there in Willie Country!"

Many thanks to Karen Lancaster of Karen's Creations & Scrapbooking for setting up a template for The "Crabby Cabbie" Wiarton Business Cards.  A huge thank you to Holly Morrow of The "Cluttered Cupboard" for making us up a QR Code, linking it it to  The "Crabby Cabbie" Facebook page.  Another big thank you to Koreen Ryan of RAM Trophies and Sportswear for issuing Rob's "Crabby Cabby" logo on his shirts, hats and jacket.  I can't say enough how much I admire the talent these three wonderful ladies possess.

Pssst .... got a minute?  *Click* on the above business names and give them a BIG old "LIKE" on their Facebook Page, and tell them I sent you around (this will be a surprise to them, believe you, me ... *smile*).

Another huge thank you goes out to the Explore the Bruce Team for posting the above SHOUT OUT on their Facebook page, as that was a big help to get the word out at the last minute for us.

Nice to know there is such "awesome" teamwork and support within our Community.

Actions like these are why I LOVE supporting the Communities and the Small Businesses who Support them and Each Other !  HOORAY !!!!

Speaking of talent, some of you will remember not too long ago I won an original drawing from local Bruce Peninsula Artist, Michelle Hogan Equine & Fine Art.

"This is the drawing, "Carefree".  Read all about it over HERE."

When Michelle had been down my way to drop off my "Carefree" to me, she had also dropped around a beautiful package of her Gift Cards, you can read more about that HERE.

"Today is the day I am offering theses same Michelle Hogan Equine & Fine Art Gift Cards in a Give Away."

Rules to Qualify for this February 1st, Give Away:

1)  You must be a FOLLOWER of my Blog, by a) Joining As a Follower, b) Through Subscribing Via Email   Both these options are available at the sidebar of my blog;

2)  You must leave me a comment that you do follow my Blog and how you follow it, either in the Comment section below, or via Email at justnorthofwiarton@live.ca

3)  Go to Michelle Hogan's Facebook Page HERE,  to "LIKE" it, leaving me a comment you have done so.  Should you not have a Facebook Account, go to her website HERE and leave a comment for me here, or via email on which one of the three photos on Michelle's Contact page you liked the most.  (I expect full honesty on the Facebook Acct, please).

A winner will randomly be drawn one week from now on the 8th of February, 2013.

Please note I do not receive any remuneration from any of these businesses I have mentioned in my post.  I believe we support each other, as I LOVE doing so,wishing many more would think this way. or as people in general should as well.

Okay now for the January No/Low Spend and Declutter Challenge update I had entered in over at the lovely Carla's at My 1/2 Dozen Daily.

The following is what I am going to try and attempt to do, when and if I am able:

Declutter Challenge:

1)  Declutter and clean the whole portion of the basement where the dogs reside; DONE

2)  Declutter and clean the downstairs bathroom;

3)  Declutter and clean the bottom stair area; DONE

4)  Declutter and clean the kitchen cupboards.

Trust me there is more to do, but I have to begin somewhere, and this is enough at the moment.

The Declutter Challenge I think I did amazingly well considering I had a lot of other personal things going on in the Month of January.  I had also decluttered the Bathroom Linen Closet, cleaned the Fridge from top to bottom, and decluttered some more from our Bedroom Closet.  

Low/No Spend Challenge:

1)  Spend absolutely no money at the grocery store, making an exception for milk and bread;

2)  Having 6 out of 7 "no spend" days per week; 

3)  No eating out for the month, with the one exception outlined below (good thing we had King's Buffet today, is it not?);  DONE

JANUARY SPENDING:  

Groceries:     $  104..56  (went beyond the milk & bread);

Misc:               $    63.50  

Canada Post:  $   16.78  (this was part of the "giving" to someone else, making me happy too)

Even with the pre-planned trip to Costco, my total spending this month was only $378.16.  

Not sure about what Carla will think, but I am thinking I might not get an A+ this Challenge, but I most certainly should get a big E+ for the Effort !

Now for the 5 week "Check In" on the 52 Week Money Challenge, Toni, Judy, Stacey, Michelle, Diane, Ellen, Debby, Cathy, Jean, Karen, Elsie, Gill, Darlene, Vicki, Abby, Marg, Janet, Farmgirl Files, Christy, Alice, Monica & Kathy.  

Hoping everyone is still "on board"?  realizing, of course, everyone is doing the Challenge what their own budget allows with the end result being the same.   I will do another update with this Challenge in another month's time.

My Rob would LOVE to extend a really big Thank You for all the Birthday Wishes you all sent his way.  It sure put another *smile* on his face, other then the one when he was going to dig into his piece of Carrot Cake of course.

Psst ... check out the amazing recommendation my "Checkerboard Aussies" got yesterday by *clicking* HERE.  I am so proud !!!

That was a really big day !  Would you believe me if I told you I was tired? of course you would, friends always believe each other.  I am signing off and heading into my evening here, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

A "Checkerboard Aussie" Merry Christmas

Three am in the morning I was wide awake.  This does not surprise me, as it is just me.  The had been no "Crabby Cabbie" beside me in bed, so I put out a phone call.  A *sigh* of relief, he was in Hepworth on his way home.  He brings me a coffee, goes to bed and I sit wide awake starring at my lap top.

Not even a "tad" tired, I have a shower at 4:30 am, might as well be clean if I am going to be awake for the rest of the day, right?  While the bathtub was wet, what the heck might as well clean it as the bathroom was on the "to do" list anyhow.  

Six am, get all the Christmas Goodies out and start putting Gift Tins together.  Seven am, Checkerboard Aussie detail, or was that more like 6:30 am?  Wash up and back to Gift Tins.

Just a bit before Nine am, my Rob wakes up to the alarm going off.  Oops forgot to take that Homemade Big Batch Chicken Soup from the freezer ... run down, get that thawed, heated and into a Thermos.  My "Crabby Cabbie" out the door with me getting back to the Gift Tins.  I am sure there was something else going on in-between, as I couldn't have been doing Gift Tins for 3 hours ... oh yes but there was Aussie duty and other stuff in the middle, including bring wood up to get the wood stove going..

"Here they are ... pretty nice bunch of Gift Giving I would say.  I would just get one done and remember I had to do another.  I think there were two more others then what is pictured here."

A little after 10 am my brother comes in, as I had called him to drop around since I give him and  his little family a Tin of Goodies every year.  We had a little bit of a visit before he had to leave for Hockey.

Once the mess was cleaned up in the kitchen with all the containers of goodies put back in the downstairs fridge, I did get going on the remainder of the bathroom cleaning, then got my bed made up.

"We are having company before Christmas Day so I had to get the new Snowman tablecloth in place."

"Today we celebrated the First Day of Winter 2012."

"What a change from Yesterday's photo on the left to this morning's photo on the right.  The first Winter Day has been justified by being christened by a blanket of snow."

How did we celebrate the 1st day of Winter, you might ask?  Well we went out to enjoy the afternoon ....

"What a handsome boy our Bandit is."

"Bandit relishes the snow, not wanting to miss out on one  single Snowflake."

Then it was time to get our Annual Christmas photos taken.  What a perfect day to do this .....

"It appears I was going to get a little "lip" from the big guy once again, as much to say, "knock it off with the Photo shoot Mom !"  "

Since we were almost out off wood, I had to go out to our wood shed to load the bucket so someone can carry it in for me at a later time.  Hope I have enough until that happens or I will be back out there bringing one log in at a time myself.  Lexus joined me in the wood shed ...

"Out to the wood shed we went.  Lexus wasn't too much help as she was too busy looking for squirrels that apparently have resided in there since our Walnut trees started producing more nuts the past Year.  Darn, darn, triple darn little rats with hairy tails !"

"Then it was time to get her Christmas Photo Shoot done ... there she goes looking over just in case she spots some movement over by the wood shed."

Two down and one more to go.  This one not as easy as the other two, as she is such a baby at only just over 1 Year old now.  

Let her run a bit of "steam off" first.  Nope couldn't get the cooperation for the first couple tries as Missy Mercedes thought she was going to eat the antlers.  Third try we got some action while I prayed my camera shutter worked faster then it normally does."

"Merry Christmas from The "Checkerboard Aussies" in 2011."

"Merry Christmas from The "Checkerboard Aussies" in 2012."

Where is our Buddy boy you might ask?  he is a little bit more of a handful then my other three.  This tends to happen as I find when you don't raise them yourself it takes a lot longer for them to get adjusted.  Much easier I find when raising them from a puppy myself.  I am hoping this Sunday when Rob is home for a few hours he will help me with Buddy's Christmas Photo Shoot.

"Here is our Buddy Boy.  Who could not love a face such as this?  This is from our very first Snow fall in November.  We had really got dumped on that week!"

That was quite the day I had myself with what I did do and the great time I had spent outside shooting The "Checkerboard Aussie" Merry Christmas greeting.

At the first of last Year I had joined in for a De-clutter and Low/No Spend Budget Challenge over at Carla's at My 1/2 Dozen Daily.  Guess what?  she is hostessing another one in the New Year.

"Would you like to join in on all the hard work fun of  such a Challenge?"

You are more then welcome to join in on this January 2013 Challenge by doing so HERE.  See you on this one in the New Year, so get yourself "reved" up and in "high" gear.

Is everyone ready for Christmas?  I really wanted to do more types of goodies, but decided not to push myself any further as I still have a pretty good selection of what I got now.  I think I am in pretty good shape, other then needing to pickup some bread for stuffing and veggies, "bring it on baby !!! "

Oh man, my brain is on overtime, where are my manners???  I am pleased to welcome Bev from Black Ink Paperie and Monica as two of my newest followers.  Ladies it is my pleasure you have join me here for my daily journey and some ramblings here and there.  Thank you.

I just read Bev's most recent Blog Post today.  I have to say I was exactly as her daughter was at that same age ... nothing came between me and the horse stables.  Monica should you also have a blog, please direct me your way as I would love to also join you there.

I have company arriving hopefully very shortly at my doorstep.  Things to do, places to see, and people to entertain.  I am off and running, once again, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".