A Tad Icy This Morn With Lots of In & Outs

I lay in bed looking out the window into the grey morning light of the wee hours to see the trees swaying in the wind as it howled around the house.  It really was one of those mornings that we like to cuddle deeper into the covers to keep ourselves away from the coldness of what is waiting outdoors.

The floors were cold when I did get from out of the warmth of my blankets.  The wood stove had been easy to start this morning, as there had still been a bed of hot coals waiting to be fed more wood.  I did manage to get a coffee before it was time to get dressed and brave the cold icyness of the outdoors with each of our Aussies.

"Just think I was going to put the Snowman in the window away last week.  Good thing I hadn't since the iced window made a lovely backdrop for him.  I had a challenge this morning, and was glad Rob was home, as the basement door facing the East had been frozen solid and I had needed him to open it for us.  While I was on Aussie duty, Rob had gotten busy cleaning off our vans,, as his "Crabby Cabbie" vehicle needed dropped off at the mechanics first thing."

Yesterday our "other" Crabby Cabbie vehicle had been in as the Distributor Cap had needed replacing.  This morning Rob's went in as it needed a Master Brake Cylinder.  It has been quite the challenge keeping up with the vehicle repairs the past two months.  However we need to be safe, and know our vehicles are well maintained keeping in mind our Customers safety first and foremost.

The drive was a bit challenging however going slow and steady it was not too terribly bad.

We returned home to find out our appointment with the Doctor had been cancelled due to weather conditions being worse further North of us.  That worked out okay as there is always something to be done around here.  Everyday seems like the things to do are never ending to me most days.  Ha! I can tell I am tired when I start making comments like that one.

Rob and I were both amazed when we received a phone call from the Wiarton OPP Detachment that our Police Checks were ready to be picked up.  That was only one days time, rather then the usual up to two weeks wait.  We must have "hit" a good time to have dropped them off yesterday.  Off we went to retrieve them ...

"The Highways were better then they had been earlier in the morning, however the back streets were still a bit "tricky" in places.  The temperature was on a slow but steady rise.  By lunch time the roads were pretty good and the freezing had left the air."

Back home we came after dropping into to the Adult Continuing Education Center, who in turn was going to pass on our information that we are seeking to employ a reliable driver(s) with a clean driver's record and proof of existing personal auto insurance, as well as a clear Police Check.

It baffles me how difficult it is to find employees, with so many seemingly unemployed.  I thought even a retired person would enjoy driving part-time throughout the week, however we can not even find us one or two of them either.  Fingers and toes crossed we find us one or two reliable and honest people to employ for the Summer time, with hopefully staying on with us Year Round.  Honest is the operative word here. especially when dealing with "cash" sales, as well as seniors or mentally challenged persons, in our line of business.

It didn't seem long that we had been home long when the phone had rang with Rob having to go back out again.  Of course this had been just the time I was going to be preparing our lunch.  I had lunch and carried on with what else I had been working on, then prepared Rob's when he got back home again.

With Lunch barely over, we got the phone call that Rob's "Crabby Cabbie" vehicle was ready to be picked up.  Out the door again we went ... there was no ice on the highway from the front of our house to the other side of Wiarton, as I am sure we had burned it off with us being up and down that highway since early morning !!!  Jeez Whiz ....

Before I forget ... are you looking for some fun for yourself and a friend on a Saturday night?  then check out the following dance where you can have fun and support a local charity event all at the same time.

With so much running the roads back and forth most of the day I really didn't get anything whatsoever accomplished in the way of housework, or much of anything else for that matter.  I am tired too, but I will blame that on the weather since us Canadians are so good at doing that anyway.

We are having a bit of a fun draw over at The "Checkerboard Aussies" Facebook page.  In order to participate you MUST "Like" their Facebook Page.  This is what I had posted to their page once Rob had given me a hand taking a couple of the roly poly Missy Mercedes this afternoon (where did I ever find the time to do this I wonder?).

"The "Checkerboard Aussies" are going to have a pool. In order to qualify you must LIKE their Facebook page (the page, not a post or photo on their page, please). Mercedes is due on or about the 28th of April 2013. Post your "guess" on how many puppies she will have, and whoever guesses the right number will be entered into a draw to win a Gift Certificate. Please feel free to "share" this Puppy Pool with your family & friends. Best luck to the Winner once the happy day has came and gone !!!  I will be announcing this shortly after the big day."

Would love to have you join in on the fun, and you may do so by going to The "Checkerboard Aussies" Facebook page by *clicking* HERE.

Later today I had also received a phone call from Sandi Richard's husband, Ron.  Ron called to let me know he will be mailing me off a copy of one of Sandi's "Cook Books" very shortly.  Stay tuned as that will be a very exciting upcoming Give Away, once I have Sandi's Cookbook in my hot little hands.  To say the least, I am very excited !  Did you miss the interview I had with Sandi? you can catch up by reading it HERE.

Also I finally got into a nice warm bed last evening and opened Steena Holmes book, Finding Emma.  It was easy to start reading right from the "get go".  Hopefully I will be posting a review of her book within the next week or two.  Should anyone not be familiar with Steena Holmes, please check out when she did a Guest Post a week ago by *clicking* HERE.

Oh yes, for all of us who are doing the 52 Week Money Challenge, it is Week 15 !  How are you doing,  Toni, Judy, Stacey, Michelle, Diane, Ellen, Debby, Cathy, Jean, Karen, Elsie, Gill, Darlene, Vicki, Abby, Marg, Janet, Marlyn, Christy, Alice, Monica, Kathy, and Rob?

On that note I think I will end my "a tad icy this morn with lots of ins and outs" as there are a couple Australian Shepherds that are needing an in and out themselves here, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Finding Emma

I could not be more pleased then to have new and upcoming, Author Steena Holmes, Guest Post on my little ole' blog here "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

How on God's green Earth would I know of such an up and coming talent right here in the whole of Canada?  well her Mother, Leona, and I just happened to be childhood friends growing up in our Hometown of Southampton together.  Thanks to Facebook, Leona and I reconnected a couple of years ago now.

I am pleased to introduce to my friend's daughter, and Author of Finding Emma, the lovely Steena Holmes.

~ Photo Credits www.steenaholmes.com~

Reading has always been a passion of mine. Spending time in the local library in Kincardine was a favourite past time of mine and at school - I used to sit in between the rows with piles of books by my side during my free periods. I always had a book (or three) on the go and I know I got my love of reading from my mom. I remember sneaking into my mom's room when she was at work and going through the books on her shelf to see what I could read. I remember once bringing home a bag of books I sneaked from a friend - they were Harlequin - I hid that bag in the very back of my closet and covered it with clothes so my mom wouldn't find them :) 

I always wanted to write - but I never thought it would be something that I was good at. For a long time, I was content with just reading books - until one day my husband told me about a contest and encouraged me to enter. I had six short months to write a book and I remember the day I entered it ... I slapped on a really quick ending and never imagined anything would come of it. Surprisingly - I won the contest and was offered a book contract! Well - that was it. That's all I could focus on and the stories started to come. I wrote a few stories that will never see the light of day and then the idea of Finding Emma came to me. 

Finding Emma is about a mother trying to find her kidnapped daughter and the journey that had her tearing apart another family. It's the story from my heart and I'm beyond thrilled at how well it has done. I'm a local small town girl who grew up in Kincardine with a passion for reading and chocolate who just happened to write a story that made it's way into the hearts of other readers. It's been an amazing journey, one filled with joy, endless supplies of chocolate (thanks to Cindy for all her recipes) and dreams coming true! 

Within the past year I've been able to pay off our debts, take my family on a Christmas vacation to Disneyland, buy a house and I'm about to go on a trip to Europe where I'm speaking at a conference. The best part of this trip - I'm going to be doing a chocolate tour through Paris and Belgium! I'm very excited! 

Thank YOU, Steena !  I am so excited for you, your family and your Mom.  I remember very well the conversation your Mom and I had last Fall on the telephone of all your excitement with you having wrote "Finding Emma".   I am also looking forward to following your future in the World of Books with high hopes of you only spiraling upwards to the dizziest heights of success and happiness.

Would you love to learn more about Steena Holmes and her new book, Finding Emma? please do so by going to www.steenaholmes.com  , or if you would love to follow Steena, you also may do so via her Facebook Page you may find HERE.  

One other really exciting fact you will learn is that Steena does PAY IT FORWARD and GIVES BACK:

make a difference

The moment Emma’s story unfolded before me, I knew that I would donate proceeds of every sale towards the Missing Children Society of Canada, an organization dedicated to reuniting families. As a mother, losing a child—especially having a child go missing—has to be our worst nightmare. This is one nightmare I never want to experience but with your help, we can support those who have. 50% of all the proceeds of every paperback copy of Finding Emma will be donated to MCSC.

One other fact I do know about Steena is there is one thing her and I have in common and that is CHOCOLATE ! with both of us feeling exactly that CHOCOLATE is the ANSWER!  to pretty much anything Life might throw at us.

~Photo Credit Facebook~

Many thanks, Steena, for stopping in to give us some wonderful "insights" as how you first began with Finding Emma, and where you are heading in the next short while.  Trust me, knowing that it is towards Chocolate, I do know you will be in good hands.  Hugssss !!!

Pssst... Steena's Mom lent me a copy of Finding Emma, so I am pretty sure I will be following up with a Review once I have gotten it read.  Thanks Leona xxx.

That is definitely a hard act to follow.  I think I will just leave it by saying my day was good, I spent some of it with Rob and a lot of it with my "Checkerboard Aussies", "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard"

All In A Day's Lack Of Sleep !

This day seems to be mostly a blur within my mind at the moment.  I have been awake, once again, since before 3 a.m.  Really I am beginning to feel the effects of lack of sleep over the last two weeks or so.

"All in a Day's Lack of Sleep" I did manage to .....

.... strip our bed, make it up fresh, do up some dishes, as well as a bit of vacuuming before I headed downtown to the Wiarton Foodland.  Lean Ground Beef is sale on this week for $2.47/lb., with our freezer being "void" of any for the past month or so, off I went ....

"Of course I never came home with "just" the ground beef.  However I did manage to get all this for $61.25.  The beef alone was $48.57,  so I did pretty good on all those mushrooms, a celery and cauliflower for .49 cents a pkg., then $2.99 for the Cottage Cheese."

"That $48.57 got us 19 - 1 lb. packages of Ground Beef for the Freezer.  I think will be good for a bit.  It doesn't take long to use up once I start making "Big Batches" of Spaghetti Sauces, Chili, and such for back-up "quick" and "convenient meals."

By the time I was done weighing and wrapping it was Noon hour.  Time does fly by .... with in, out and about, inbetween everything else, with the "Checkerboard Aussies".  I don't know if it was because I was so tired or what, but it seemed they wanted in and out more then usual today.  I can not complain as all four of them had been "perfect" yesterday with all the company being here.

Speaking of Company, after being out for a Sub Supper, we returned home to one really happy boy who was considering his banishment to the basement officially over ...

"Right back up on his Dad, loving him up like there was no tomorrow."

"It didn't take long for the two of them to be back into their regular routine.  TV and sleeping."

I had taken some Italian Turkey Sausages from the freezer this morning.  I "googled" Slow Cooker Turkey Sausages and found a recipe I thought would work for me.  I got to getting it prepared so it would be done in time for when my "Crabby Cabbie" returned home for our Supper.

"Layered Vegetables with Italian Turkey Sausages in the middle of the mix.  Garlic, Oregano and Basil stirred into a can of diced tomatoes to be poured over all in the Crock.  Slow Cooker set on HIGH to cook for  5 hours.  Later a side of long grain rice prepared in the Rice Cooker."

"I must say I really enjoyed all the flavours brought together with the veggies, sausages and spices."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE.

Later this afternoon I had full intentions of drifting off to sleep as my eyes were heavy and drooping, but alas this was not to be ... as it usually never is.  My girls needed my undivided attention, and there were a couple of phone calls with my Niece Joanne, my Auntie Gladys, and my Sister Donna.  Much more important then sleep any old day !  Ha !

My Niece Joanne had also participated in the Secret Sister Swap organized by the way too kind Carla over at My 1/2 Dozen Daily.  Joanne had received a most wonderful filled package this very day from her Secret Sister.  Since Joanne does not "blog" I have offered to "show off" her gifts for her.

"Feast your eyes on this unbelievable handmade Shawl in all those warm cozy colours, for Joanne to wrap herself in while she dreams away whilst reading "Style at Home", sipping on a cuppa Vanilla flavoured tea, while nibbling on a Lindor Chocolate Truffle or two...  Who would gift such a beautiful and thoughtful "Secret Sister" Gift, well none other then the very crafty talented Judi over at "Tales of a Blended Family". "

My dear Judi, you can be my Secret Sister anytime in my books !  Lovely !!!  Needless to say, Joanne is very very happy with her "Secret Sister" gift !

I almost forgot when speaking to my girlfriend, Leona, this past Saturday, we got caught up in so much excitement.  Her with telling and me being happy for her !!!  Leona's daughter, Steena Holmes had just landed herself a a Contract with Amazon for her published book "Finding Emma" .....  please do drop on over to have a "sneak" preview before picking up yourself or ordering a copy from Amazon.com.  Just *click* HERE for that sneak preview.

Once again a very big "congratulations" to proud parents, Leona and Doug.  And a really really huge "congratulations" to Sheena !  Way to go girl !!!  you make your family proud.

I am tired with still "blurred" eyes.  The dishes are done, the kitchen tidied up, so I am thinking it won't be long until I am thinking my bed might be looking pretty good within the next hour or so.  Wish me sleep, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".