What A Fantastic SURPRISE !!!

Early to bed, and early to rise ?  that statement does NOT speak volumes to me.  Last night it was late to bed and early to rise.

By the time I had gotten home from the Wiarton Chamber meeting I am pretty sure it was going on to 10 pm.  I was happy my most favourite Crabby Cabbie driver was there to come pick me up.  He even took me to Timmies before going home to pick me up a Decaffeinated Coffee.  I am so happy I have Rob as a Best Friend, and a Husband, his is really sometimes a pretty good sort a guy.

Today I, once again, had great expectations for my day ahead.  Really I did not get much accomplished whatsoever.  

We did drop off one of the Crabby Cabbie vehicles to get new snow tires on the back AGAIN, as there was a mishap last night.

Yes a tire BLEW !  an almost brand new, maybe used one Season tire blew !!  *Sigh* so thankful this happened locally instead of on a long trip somewhere down the road somewhere.  Thank God there was an "experienced" driver driving when this happened as it definitely would have scared the Bejeezies out of me !!!

The weird thing about this blown tire was my friend, Toni with an "i" telling me about someone who's BRAND NEW just bought tire that had done the same thing yesterday, before I had even told her about this happening to us.  Quality? where has it gone in this "throw away" World we now live in.

This afternoon I made a trip downtown Wiarton, as a representative of the Wiarton Chamber of Commerce, covering some of the stores, who are Members of the Chamber, one store at a time to find out who offers Gift Certificates.  Why on Earth was I doing this?  cause I want to put it out there on Wiarton Facebook page, a few every day so people can get ideas of Gift Giving for their loved one, and do it LOCALLY !!!

Speaking of which, the Crabby Cabbie does offer Gift Certificates, and our Driver sold 10 today !  

I LOVE Snowmen, so we stayed with the Snowman Theme.  Aren't they cute.  Interested in a "Crabby Cabbie" Gift Certificate, please call Saugeen Shores:  519-373-7000, or Wiarton: 519-477-5950 to Order.  These make GREAT Stocking Stuffers too !

I also stopped into Karen's Creations & Scrapbooking today to double check if she offers Gift Certificates, to find out there was something left there for me.  I had totally forgot that Colleen of the Frank Street Baptist Church, who was one of the Leaders when our Grandboys, Aiden & Conner, were at Vacation Bible School this past Summer, had told me she was dropping off a couple of photos for me.

I almost cried when I opened the envelope to find these. What a fantastic surprise !  Some pretty good memories for me this week they had both been here with me.  A week I was fretful that was not going to happen, but it did and it was an AWESOME week.  I am looking forward to next Summer already with prayers already going upwards that it will be again.

I had some things I was trying to figure out late this afternoon.  I thought I would pickup the phone to give my Sister-in-Law, Delores, a call since it had been some time since I had spoken with her.  Thank goodness I had cause she had the answers I had been looking for ... Thanks Delores ! you are the BEST !!!

I am very fortunate to have family and friends when I am in need of knowledge or just a bent ear, that I can pick up the phone and call any one of them at almost any time, except of course when some have left the County to Alaska (Delores & Darol), or China (Cousin Vi), or Florida last Year (Auntie Gladys, but I had her Condo Phone # anyway), or Nova Scotia, which was no problem since I was there with my friend, Toni with an "i", so she had no other option to listen to me as she had been STUCK with me.

I always have my BFF, Colleen, who understand everything and anything I have to tell her, and Vicki, and .... this list could go on forever.  And of course my closet long-time friend, Bob, who is really more like family then a friend to me (we most certainly have had our bickers with each other throughout the Years).

FRIENDS & FAMILY totally ROCK this World, do they not ?????  Thanks everyone always forever.  Family, Old Friends & New Friends, and looking forward to friends yet to be ...

Every once in awhile I go back to the Year before to see what I typed into my On-line journal that same day.  Today was one of those days, but a year ago it had not been a Friday the 13th.  But it still had been the 13th of December, with a cute little video I might add, posted HERE.

Holy moly what's with all these feelings of Melancholy going on with me today?  not sure but I am just going to roll with it.

I think I am tired.  NO I am pretty sure I am tired.  I am so tired I am definitely going to be calling it a day here very shortly, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

With A Little Help I Could Do It !

In my post of Yesterday there had been a couple people curious on how much the Hand Painted Antique Ironing Board I had purchased at "Sweet Things at Dejong Acres Farm's" Open House this past Saturday had cost me, but there hadn't been anyone take a "guess" at the price.  If anyone has every been at the Dejong Acres Farm, or gone onto their website, they would know among other things they are "sheep farmers", so I really might have to admit I had fallen into a pile of "Sheep S**t, as the price I had paid....

".... for what I think is a pretty cool piece of decor was a grand total of $10.00 !  Can you believe it?  and I honestly think I "stole" it !  Regardless if I hadn't nabbed it I think Anita Dejong or Abby Miners' would have done so, that was for certain, but they been too polite not to grab it from my already firm grasp.  Ha !"

Last week I had blogged about Karen's Creations Scrapbooking, located downtown Wiarton, as having a couple sessions set up for people to make Christmas Cards and Tags for the cost of $15.00 per person, including all materials.  Last night my friend, BJ and I took advantage of this (what I thought to be one heck of a deal) since neither of us had ever made anything like these in our life before.

"Just before 6:00 pm last evening brought us down to Karen's Creations Scrapbooking on Main Street in Downtown Wiarton.  You may find out more about Karen's Creations at her website by *clicking* HERE, or joining her Facenbook Group by *clicking" HERE.  I hope I will be welcoming Karen to the Bruce County Small Businesses Reaching Out group on Facebook very shortly too."

"I am very pleased to introduce Karen Lancaster showing us the very first Card we were going to be making with the selection to the right being the full package along with tags."

"At our stations Karen did not leave BJ and I treading water by ourselves, being there to assist the whole time we needed her.  Hmmm, I am thinking it could have been possible BJ needed more assistance then I ? or was it just because I had the camera in my possession?  Ha !"

"Karen took a bit of time to show us how the stamps worked on making a "glitter" effect.  Once Karen had stamped the paper, she poured glitter onto the stamped pattern, shaking the excess glitter back into a tray, then taking a heat gun to "dry" it.  Pretty cool to find out some of the "behind the scenes" stuff.  Thanks Karen."

We had been getting near the end when the door had opened to see my "Crabby Cabbie" entering.  He thought he would stop in to be nosy say "hello" on his way home.

"It was kind of nice Rob had stopped in as he took a couple photos of the two of us hard at work on our Handmade Creations (of course with Karen close by)."

"Some of us needed to concentrate obviously a little harder then others."

 

I am pretty sure we had spent a good three hours with Karen, but then again that included inquiring and talking about a couple of other things too.  Personally I couldn't do anything ever like this on a regular basis as my neck could not take the bending over such a long time.  I am really *sad* about this as I can honestly say I really had fun and enjoyed myself.  It wasn't too difficult not to enjoy myself either since I had been in such good company with BJ and Karen.  Thanks girls.

"With a little help I could do it !  Check our everything I made ... are they not lovely?"

Can you believe within two days I made my own outdoor Christmas Wreath, five Handmade Christmas Cards and four Tags ????  I surely hope I have made an impression on all of my already "crafty" friends ... *Smile*.

Today was not a productive day whatsoever as I woke with my whole body aching from "head to toe" and my neck feeling like it was ready to come away from my shoulders.  That is "okay" because we all know anything needing done is always going to be there waiting for us.  It took me awhile, but I finally convinced myself of this.

However I did have to go out this morning to do some banking and pick up a couple items from our local Foodland store.  After lunch my "Crabby Cabbie" had called to say he had someone in Saugeen Shores was inquiring about purchasing some Gift Certificates for Cab Fares.  I had not too long ago been thinking about Gift Certificates, but of course it had stayed a "thought".  

I called the lady back on the behalf of my "Crabby Cabbie", introducing myself as his "Not So Crabby Wife".  I thanked her for calling us, as she had found our phone number in the Bruce Municipal Phone Book in Saugeen Shores after being turned away by some others.  She expressed her pleasure at me being immediately receptive to her needs.  I told her I would get back to her by the end of the week with some Gift Certificates.

I made a couple of phone calls to friends (thanks Pam), to get some ideas, then found a template online and whipped up our own "Crabby Cabbie" Gift Certificates.  I then drove back downtown to Karen's Creations to purchase some stock paper from her and within an hour or so .....

"I placed the call back to the lady to tell her the Gift Certificates she requested would be delivered to her tomorrow.  I am pretty proud of myself.  I am pretty sure I am creative, but in more of the "computer" sense then other things.  What do you think of the "Crabby Cabbie's" Winter themed Gift Certificates?"

Unfortunately, but at times a reality we need to worry about such items being "photocopied", as there is some who wouldn't even think about committing fraud if such Gift Certificates might fall in to the wrong hands.  On the suggestion of another friend (thanks Toni), I had purchased a unique ink pen for Rob to sign the Gift Certificates as well as numbering each one.  This will make them more authentic and easy to "stand out" to us.

Should anyone care to gift a "Crabby Cabbie" Gift Certificate for Christmas or any time of Year, please contact the Original "Crabby Cabbie" Rob at 519-373-7000 or 519-379-7700 to place your order.  Please keep in mind, "only the Name is Crabby"  (and Yes, I am zipping my lip on that one).

Are you on Facebook?  The "Crabby Cabbie" would love if you went there to "LIKE" his Facebook page by *clicking* HERE, .  I would like to extend a "Special Thank You" to Russ Ewing of Stinky Dog, as the "Crabby Cabbie" is now ....

"Getting into the "Christmas Spirit" over there on his Facebook Page."

It had been that kind of day for me, with not much really accomplished but something significant accomplished.  It is "all good".

I am pretty excited about tomorrow as there is something on my Calendar I have been looking forward to, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".