Wasn't It A "PARTY"

"Wasn't it a party?"  Could have been the whiskey, could have been the Gin, look at the mess I'm in.  My oh my it was the "Ontario's Blogger's Day" !!!  and check out all the new friends I made.

~  Snoopy on Facebook ~

Thanks everyone who participated and joined it !  I for one thoroughly enjoyed myself by dropping around to visit everyone's blog posts and reading all the "wicked" comments everyone left.  It was nice to see all the SHOUT OUTS and support of each other.  I am already looking forward to the next one, with hopefully seeing everyone again and meeting more new Ontario Bloggers along the way. 

Stay tuned ..... for the next future "Ontario Blogger's Day".

As everyone knows after such a great party we all have to return to reality, now don't we?   That's okay as I have had some fun reality the past few days that I really have no complaints about.  Let's see now where did reality set back in ....

"Tuesday night before the party was pretty "special".  Once I returned home from the "Bruce County "Walkabout" I put a lovely boneless Lamb Shoulder Roast into the Oven for my Rob and I.  I know I have never mentioned before how much I LOVE ME SOME LAMB ... my mouth is still watering remembering how good it was."

This lamb had not been from New Zealand, nor Australia, it was Ontario Spring Lamb purchased right in my own backyard from Dejong Acres Farm.  With Spring approaching at a steady pace, give them a call to place your order...how to do so? just *click* on their name which will take you right on over to their website.  Enjoy the Tour.

Wednesday morning brought with it the beginning of a new VON SMART Exercise Program Session.  Not only had a new session begun, we also had a new location to go along with it.

"The Wiarton VON SMART Exercise Program now takes place at the upstairs of the Wiarton Community Centre.  It is so roomy and bright, really making you want to get moving and fit ! "

Throughout part of the exercise program one of my fellow volunteers had asked if anyone had made any New Year's Resolutions.  I had answered that mine was to be "kinder".  She in turn said, "Cindy, how could I possibly be kinder then you already are".  That made my heart "sing".  Thanks Cathy, how so very kind of you to say such a wonderful thing.

Would you like to learn more about a VON SMART Exercise program?  Please *click* HERE to find a VON office to inquire about participating or being a SMART Volunteer in your area.  Maybe some would like to know what SMART means?  Well that is an easy question for me to answer, as it means...

 "SENIORS MAINTAINING ACTIVE ROLES TOGETHER".

The remainder of my Wednesday had been spent ... I think preparing for the Ontario Blogger's Day???

"I do know for a fact I made Rob and myself, my "healthy" version of Hamburger helper.  The Hamburger Helper in the box is just plain "GROSS" !  with me trying to wean Rob off of it (I sure don't buy it, so guess who does?)  This version is just as easy with some browned lean ground beef and the preparation of a few fresh vegetables you will be well on your way  to .... "

This recipe has been shared @ http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.ca/2013/01/foodie-friends-friday-linky-party_17.html 

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *click* HERE.

This takes me up to Thursday.  Everyone knows I was having myself  a PARTEEEEEH on Thursday.

Where was I? oh yes I am here and here now would be Friday.

"Everyone knows my "Crabby Cabbie" has been hanging out with the VON Piggy for Pennies, don't they?

"Well to date between The "Crabby Cabbie" and the "VON Piggy for Pennies" they have raised all this for Grey-Bruce VON.  Yes that scale reads "forty-two" pounds !  That sure is a lot of pennies."

It would take ME "forever" to roll up all those pennies, so I had to enlist myself some help. 

"I had to import the help all the way from YASS, NSW !!!  Can you believe that ????  Thank goodness I didn't have to wait too long for him to get here, since he is visiting just over at the other side of Colpoy's Bay from me."

"Our young visiting friend, Nathan, was so kind enough to come spend the day to help me with the rolling of the Pennies for VON."

"Bandit was thrilled he had a new friend.  Now would you think this could be classified as the "height" of nosiness?  Bandit almost could have jumped right into my camera getting himself that close."

Nathan and I never managed to get all the pennies rolled, but I would think we got more then half of them done.  A very good "dent" in the situation this is for certain.  We had a wonderful time visiting as we did this together, also enjoying a great lunch of Homemade Chicken Vegetable Soup along with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  I was pleased Nathan enjoyed my Homemade Soup as much as he did to have himself seconds.

Not too long after lunch, Nathan was collected by my young friend, Ashley, gone back to her home where he has been visiting.   I carried on with my day by doing up the dishes, being in and out in some rather unruly cold snowy weather with the "Checkerboard Aussies", and then spent some time trying to figure out what to do about this week's challenge from ....

"Carla over at My 1/2 Dozen Daily"

This week it is :

Decluttering Challenge: Choose a closet, any closet, and clean it out!! Pick 2 closets if you're feeling really energetic & determined!! Take before & after photos so you can awe & inspire everyone else participating in my challenges as well! ;) lol!

Financial Challenge: Give. Find a way in your budget to "give" financially somehow... It doesn't have to be grand, you don't have to go hungry. I just want you to go that 'extra mile' for someone else. Buy a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop, hand a $5.00 bill to a homeless person on the way to work, throw a little extra into the collection plate at church, toss your change into the charity box in front of the register at the grocery store, etc... simply give.

I thought to myself I have been so busy this week, with yet another busy week ahead of me, how am I going to swing this?  I needed to somehow fit it in, so I put the "pedal to the metal" by applying some pressure to myself  ....

"I emptied out the whole bathroom closet this afternoon, piling it into the one spare bedroom.  Tomorrow morning I will get the laundry started then clean the closet from top to bottom, then force myself to begin sorting and decluttering everything that had been in it before putting only what is required back in."

Wish me stamina and luck, as for some reason I think I am going to be needing LOTS of both by tomorrow.

I am feeling pretty tired at the moment.  Guess I just can't party like I used to, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

A SMARTIE Party

Last night the dogs were making a ruckus as someone had pulled in our driveway.  It was Anita Dejong of Dejong Acres Farms.  I had won one of their Door Prizes from their "Open House" this past Saturday.

"My winnings had been this awesome Winter Planter.  It was "perfect" for underneath the Winter Wreath I had just made on Sunday, don't you think? "

Wow I can't believe I actually won two draws within days of each other.  I best be running out to get myself a Lottery Ticket, as one never knows !!!  Really truly I am very grateful for winning some of the things I have, hoping I always keep in mind to "Pay It Forward" in different ways when I am able.

Today was A SMARTIE Party !!!  Grey-Bruce VON (Victoria Order of Nurses) was hosting a party for all of the VON SMART Exercise Program's wonderful Volunteers.  My Smartie friend, Diane came on by to pick me up and further up the road we picked up Smartie friend, Andrea, to head on over to Owen Sound's Stone Tree Golf & Fitness Club for the Luncheon Party set for the Noon hour.

We arrived in good time to find us a seat with all our Wiarton and Sauble Beach SMARTIE girls.

"At each place setting we found a CD of some New SMARTIE music, as well as a 2013 Day Planner.  Here is Dorothy Embacher, our VON SMART Guru, along with Jessica Doer, both Coordinators for the Grey-Bruce VON SMART Exercise Program.  Jessica is leading up to introductions prior to Lunch being served.  Both these Dorothy and Jessica are "rocks" for the VON SMART Program and totally "rock it" for all us SMARTIE Volunteers."

"Introduced and speaking on behalf of Grey-Bruce VON is, on the right, Christine Vallis-Page, RN, BComm, MHA, CHE, District Executive Director, South West Ontario-North (boy oh boy that is quite the handle Christine has to remember, good thing I had her BCard), and Pat Foster, Grey-Bruce VON Board Member.  Both are very wonderful speakers voicing their sincere gratitude on how much the SMART Volunteers have all been the "backbone" of the Program."

"Dorothy is leading us into our Luncheon here.  The photo to the far right is of Marianne Fremlin, who is Office Administrator for the VON SMART program in the Grey-Bruce office.  Marianne is one person, behind the scenes, that contributes an enormous amount of time into keeping paperwork, etc in order to help the SMART Program run pretty much "seamless".  The SMART Program could not do without your efficiency I am sure, as Marianne you also "rock" in my books."

"Then arrived the LUNCH !!!  Oh my let me tell you, my Chicken pictured on the left was totally "yummy" with a salad along with a Balsamic Vinaigrette.  I heard no complaints from Andrea, so I am certain she felt the same about her Veggie Wrap."

"Dorothy, Jessica and Marianne had been very busy putting this Luncheon together.  We each had a "tag" with a Christmas Song on it, which we had to "hum" until we found the table with the person who also had the same Song.  Once we had determined which table we were destined to be at, each group had to "sing" the Christmas Song, in the groups as pictured below."

"They pretty much had us all "singing" for our Dessert is what it had all been about.  A Brownie with nuts, whipped cream, fruit and a Raspberry Sauce on the side.  Really it was as yummy as the photo depicts it to be."

"Oh my there is that "look" on Jessica's face!   I get this same look from my Son, Paul, when I have the camera pointed at him ... you know, the one that says, "Mom, not again !!!".  And my friend, Cathy, to the right, with her wonderful "knowing" look, expecting no less from me."

"More planned fun came our way by a "skit" being played out with "What is on your Christmas Wish List, Jessica".  Of course Jessica had a long list for Santa Dorothy on what she required in the way of a SMART volunteer."

"Santa had a couple of "hats" to wear, as you know how things are now a days with Modern Technology, so Text Messages had to "checked twice".  A little "boogie woogie" was going on too here with the "jiggly wiggly" hat.  Ha !"

"A prospective SMART volunteer had been found in the "crowd", with Elf Marianne adorning her with all  the SMART requirements being on Jessica's Wish List to Santa."

"Our story came to an end with the "perfect" SMART Volunteer, and a very happy Santa, Elf and Angel, as you can see."

"All good things must come to an end, with our SMARTIE Angel Jessica having to take off her Halo, while all us SMARTIES began to say our good-byes to each other."

A SMARTIE Party it was, and a most enjoyable one at that.  Everyone outdid themselves with us all going away with fond memories of the day we all had.

Please should you know someone 55 years or older who would benefit from a weekly VON SMART exercise program, or of someone who would love to volunteer as a SMART Instructor, please contact the Grey-Bruce VON office by *clicking" HERE.  It is a wonderful program, so much so another one has just began this Fall in Lion's Head.  They are coming together all over Grey-Bruce, so join up to be a part of it all, as you will not be disappointed.

Oh my, I just looked up at the clock and it is 7:00 pm already.  I have things to do and "Checkerboard Aussies" needing my attention here, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".