Oopsie !

Who in this World would not want to wake up to these gorgeous skies in the morning?  First to the East, and second to the West.

We had some Sunflowers reseed themselves this Year, much to my delight as I love Sunflowers, however they are getting a bit tired now.  The Blue Jays have been at them already however I was not quick enough to capture them this morning.

Below the Hen has been nurturing some Chicks the past couple of weeks.

After Dinner last night Rob had put the stock pot on the stove with the Turkey carcass to simmer for hours to make a Turkey stock.  After it had cooled the carcass and veggies were removed with the stock put into the fridge.

This morning I got going on the Chicken Stock I had made the day before.  Tomorrow it will be the Turkey Stock.

The fat had congealed, rising to the top.  I skimmed most of it then strained the remainder through a clean tight weaved tea cloth.  Half I froze and half I made Chicken Noodle Soup with.

I was awake again most of the evening.  After I had finished with the stock and putting the soup on to simmer I had felt like a "Mack Truck" had hit me.  Once Rob had arrived home about 11 am, I got a pillow and hit the couch.  Of course the phone rang, someone came to the door, and the dogs all were barking ... needless to say I did not get the much needed sleep/rest I had needed.  What I did was listen to the old Western Rob had on the TV with Doc Holiday and Billy the Kid.  It had been a really really old one.

This afternoon I had a couple of errands to do downtown.  The fog finally cleared from my head and by 3 pm I started feeling a bit better.  When Dinner time came along I was back up to speed.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Salad really hit the spot.  

Except for the "oopsie" I managed to have ....

.... while I was peppering my soup the shaker slipped from my hand into my soup bowl with a good amount of soup landing in my lap.  Really who hasn't had this happen to them before?  Me? a few times over the years.

Yes I had to get myself changed before I could start my Dinner.

In-between my errands today I had some amazing chatting time with some gals.  I love when I can sit down and enjoy conversations that are easy going with company who are fun to be with.  Makes a person's day when there is this kind of down time we all need from time to time.

I have had a lot on my mind the past while.  Between my lifestyle over the past Year, fatigue and stress I have been feeling it has really been overbearing with me finding myself being less active and overeating.  I have put on 15 lbs over the past 2 years, and that in itself has really getting me down.

I find when I am tired I eat, when I am stressed I eat, when I am bored (which I should never be bored) I eat.  So in part and parcel I have been eating a lot more then I should be, as well as not being as active as I also should be.  Between fatigue, lifestyle and pain I have also slowed down a lot the past Year.

I am the only one who can control this, but I have been struggling with it all the past few months.  I did start walking again a month or so ago, however life got in the way ending that.  I got Rob to hook up my Wii so I am hoping I will find the time and energy to start the Wii Fitness again.

I know two years ago before the surgery x 2 on my right knee, when I had been more active, that I felt much better then I do now.  I just need to somehow get back to being close to what I had been doing.  It has been on my mind for sometime, and if I say it enough I might be able to actually put it into play for myself.  Nothing comes easy, and everything worth something takes effort and work.

I MISS MY OLD BORING ROUTINE !!!  of housework, exercise, cooking and baking.

The old saying comes to mind, "should you fall off your bicycle, get back on and ride again".  I will be doing that until I get it right.  Wish me luck !

I am having a difficult time getting used to it being dark by 7:30 pm, with me not looking forward to the time Falling back in a couple of weeks.  What about you?

The next couple of days I will be busy, and can you believe it is Thanksgiving Weekend in a short few days????  oh my goodness where does time fly too so quickly !!!  the nerve of it not stopping to wait up for us to catch up.

On that note I think I will wrap it up and go take a puppy called Portia outside, Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

Short & Sweet

I was up and at it with a plan in my head.  Have I not learned by now not to make plans, apparently not ?  I was all geared up to get tons of stuff done today, however other plans had been made for me, but I did get  my bed made.

I had to "cover" Wiarton for our Crabby Cabbie driver today.  Really it wasn't busy, it is just you think you can start something and you might get a call in the middle of it.

I had nicely gotten settled into organizing the bookwork that needs done and entered on the book by the end of this Month, and get a Chicken broth simmering on the stove top before I got a call.

 When I had returned from the Out-of-Town call, I took advantage of being downtown Wiarton to make some personal calls to drop off a few Crabby Cabbie cards to a couple of places.  While I was down at the Wiarton Chamber Office, I was thrilled Wiarton Willie had been out having his breakfast.

He truly is a cute little guy, and really not too shy whatsoever.  There had been about 5 people milling around taking pictures.  He was so busy eating corn and carrots he could have cared less.

There had also been more progress done on beautiful home located on the South Hill of Wiarton.  Definitely not a job for someone like myself who is scared of heights.  Thanks to the Wiarton Echo for the following article on this home: 

 http://www.wiartonecho.com/2013/06/26/grand-old-home-being--restored

Late this afternoon when Rob had returned home, he went out into the garden with me to pick some more tomatoes, as there is rain in the forecast for the next few upcoming days.  I am hoping once I get the Crabby Cabbie books done I will find time to do down some Stewed Tomatoes for this upcoming Winter.  I never had canned Stewed Tomatoes left from year to year, as I love using them in sauces, soups and stews.

I have to say how amazed I am at how fast the number of LIKES the Wiarton Facebook page has received over the past week.  It has well surpassed 500 LIKES.  Do you live in Wiarton, have ties to Wiarton, or vacation and drive thru Wiarton?  Then please give its Facebook Page a great big LIKE by doing so HERE.

Rob recorded last night's episode of The "Voice".  I am off to watch that with him before I call it a night, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

**Please note all photos and contents of this Blog belong to the Writer.  Please request  permission before using any content, photos or otherwise.  Should permission be granted,  photo credits are to be linked back to the "Just North of Wiarton & South of the  Checkerboard" Blog and its Writer.  

Beauty Of The Morning

Just before 7 am, when I walked back into the dining room towards the wood stove something caught my eye outside the window .... I found my camera, hurried to get into my jacket and I was out the door, as I did not want to miss ...

"... the Beauty of the Morning."

It took my breath away with its beauty.  Absolutely stunning it was.  It never last too long; how blessed was I to have been able to take it all in.  I pray it is a sign for better days ahead.

The "Checkerboard Aussies" all taken care of and the bed made, before I headed North of the Checkerboard to my weekly appointment with the Good Doctor Loney for the hour of 9 am.

My appointment this day went well being the allergy shot didn't hurt too much, and my blood pressure was down from last week.  Both very good in my books.  I am being sent for more x-rays on my neck.  For those who know me, know I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease in my neck which 4 years ago was diagnosed with being Moderate to Severe, making for lots of pain and discomfort some days more then others, hence part of the reason for my headaches, the reason I do not knit or read rarely anymore  The neck pain is just one more thing that has slowed me down from life as I used to know it at 150 miles per hour, along with the Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Four years ago I had seen the Head  Orthopedic Surgeon at the Barrie Hospital.  After the consultation with him, with the MRI results of my neck removed, his personal examination and a discussion in length how and what I felt, his conclusion was I would no longer be able work at regular employment, suggesting I do not subject myself to repetitive activities, however also not recommending surgery as I was way too young and the outcome of  surgery could worsen my condition.

Dr. Loney has first ordered an x-ray before anything else, to see if this will show up anything to be worse then it was when I last had x-rays two years ago March 2nd after being in a car accident, wherein my vehicle flipped three or more times after hitting black ice.  I remember the attending Doctor at Emergency at that time asking me if I realized how bad my neck was, wherein I panicked thinking the accident had caused more damage to it ... a second x-ray at that time had been taken to make sure it had not.

I am pleased to say, Dr. Loney is pretty much "on top" of these things if there have been "red flags" put up.  My "red flags" have been that I have been experiencing absolutely no feeling from my neck down into both arms at times, since just before Christmas, to the point I have felt paralysed, sitting unable to move with a fearful feeling until it passed.  I feel very scared when this happens.

X-rays should be done next week, with it really not being too long until it is determined what the next "plan of action" will be from there on in.  In the meantime he has prescribed a different type of pain medication to see if this gives me more relief then what I have been taking.  I am confident it will be all sorted out in no time.

This is the reason why some days I get less done then other days ... oh for the days when I could do up our house and almost turn cartwheels at the same time.  Ha !

Truly though I am happy for what I do have more then naught,  which is countless blessings even though some days I get weighed down by other obstacles.

Really now, how could I feel down when the day began and touched me with such beauty?

The Chicken Stock I had made the other day needed packaged up and put into the, now working again, freezer.

On to the rest of my day ....

"I took a clean tea towel to strain sentiment and fat from the stock.  Look how rich and dark it is, as  I used a bright red onion along with the goodness of other vegetables when making the stock.  Seven containers there were for the freezer.  I can't wait until I need to make up a Homemade Chicken Soup to try it out... yummy."

"It was cold today but not overly for these two youngsters to be out romping together.  Buddy just turned two, and Missy Mercedes 18 months, it is good for them to play and wear themselves out with each other.  Trust me they both sleep very well at night, with not a peep from either of them."

I received mail this day from young Nathan Reynolds-Furry, who had been visiting last month from Yass, Australia.  Nathan does an article for the local newspaper, the Yass Tribune.

"Nathan was kind enough to mail me two articles he had wrote for the paper.  One was on corresponding with another as a Pen pal, touching on my relationship/contact with my friend, John Daley, who is now passed on from this World, and the other was based on his trip to Canada.  Very good Nathan, thank you for sharing with me."

For those who know me, know how much I love Easy Peasy as 1-2-3, with my Slow Cooker being one of my most favourite small appliances.  I first began my love relationship with my slow cooker when I had went back to College for a Computer for Business Course (at least 16 years ago now I would think), when homework was piled high and good meals needed to be easy and good.  The Slow cooker gave me both with a great meal all ready at the end of a long day.

"Dinner could not be made easier then this."

There is never a day I do not have myself some ....

" Puppy Love "

... for at least 5 more weeks !

I would love to welcome my newest follower, this being Kristen of About a Girl, who lives in Winnipeg, Canada.  I have already dropped over at Kristin's blog and know I am going to love following her too, as she loves to take pictures.  I do love picture taking as they tell such wonderful stories, do they not?  Thanks for the follow Kristin !!!

Oh my "Crabby Cabbie" Rob?  he is hard at work trying to chisel a living out of life for us.  I do love him dearly for that.  In-between he did manage to enjoy the wonderful Slow cooked Roast Beef dinner I had made for him.

I think that pretty sums up the day I have had myself, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".