One Of Those Days

It is usually always "one of those days" when you don't sleep most of the night before, is it not?  This is exactly how it was for me this morning.  Mojo? what is that? something to drink?  cause I sure didn't have any of that either.

It doesn't help when the weather is so darn damp and wet.  Anyone with joint ailments or otherwise can testify how that plays havoc on the body.  When out at 6:30 am with the Aussie gang it was rainy and difficult to walk through two inches of wet snow that had accumulated, feeling like I had done a 2 mile marathon first thing.

We are not the only ones in Ontario receiving this wet damp snowy weather.  Accumulations up in the Ottawa Valley, Karen and Paula's way, has been apparently much worse then what we have had here, so I learned through Facebook.  I don't even have to leave my front door to get around to other part of the country.  Look at all that money I don't have I am getting to save !  Whoopee !!!

The "Crabby Cabbie" books had to be finished up today, so I tackled them, always striving to get the worse out of the way first.  Of course before anything was begun, our bed had to be made.  I finally got the books out of the way just before lunch time.

I was apparently not the only one today who was feeling a little beyond sleepy .... as there had been a whole bunch of sleeping going around within all different parts of the house today.

There is always a little brightness in a person's day when they get HAPPY MAIL.  My friend Toni with an "i" , had before Christmas pointed out to me a Mars Canada Inc. Promotion on Facebook.  We entered to qualify for a FREE pair of Mitts with the Canada Flag knitted into them. Alas there had been a glitch in the Instant Win Prize notifications and the mitts had all been spoken for.  Overlooking this error on the system, Mars Canada contacted everyone who did not qualify for the mitts to let them know they would ensure the integrity of the Promotion would be maintained by sending each and every entry product coupons valued at $7.50.

"I received 5 Coupons for Free Mars products today.  Way to go Mars Canada ! on handling a situation and still making people happy."

I am sorry to say Pedigree Canada did not step up to the plate as well as Mars Canada by any means.  After blogging about their decrease in quantity of dog food with prices not reflecting same HERE, I had posted the question to them on their Facebook page.  This is the response I received from them, along with everyone else's concern there about the same matter:

Hi Cindy, thanks for your message. We very much appreciate you taking the time to contact us about this. As you’re aware, the new PEDIGREE® Vitality +™ food for dogs is a top quality product made with only the best ingredients. We've seen a rise in cost for both the raw ingredients and transportation; something that’s been a challenge for most of the petfood industry this year.

In the face of such rising costs, we had 2 choices: keeping the bags the same size and raising the price significantly, or reducing the size of the bags so that the price can stay in the same range. Most consumers preferred the lower price as well as the convenience of having smaller bags to carry.

Thanks again for your feedback – it’s extremely important to us and it will be forwarded to our PEDIGREE® brand department for review.


Wasn't that a nice "copy & paste" way of dealing with a problem rather then on an individual basis for each complain posted to their page.  Smaller bags, with no lower price attached though !

I have used Pedigree Dog Foods for 25 years plus, always recommending it to anyone who had ever purchased a puppy from me.  This will be the case no longer, as I am on the search for a new brand of dog food that will satisfy my dogs requirements, as well as my budget.

Oh yes, they suggested I buy newspapers to see if there were coupons in there at any given time for their products.  Wow that would really be a further gain in the savings department for me after purchasing how many newspapers before I found a $1.00 off coupon?  Silly people.

Today I had decided I was going to try my hand at making Shepherd's Pie in the Slow Cooker since I had leftover gravey in the fridge to be used up.

"I first got started with the potatoes, carrots and onions needing peeled and boiled.  Then it went onto stirring the gravey into the browned beef and garlic, with the cooked veggies along with a pot of Knorr Beef Bouillon next, then the frozen peas that had been produced in our very own Vegetable Garden last Summer."

"With the meat mixture thoroughly mixed, heated, then put in the bottom of the Slow Cooker, it was time to mash the potatoes and milk to top everything off with."

"Two hours later it was steamy hot and plated to be enjoyed.  Enjoyed it was with me being pleased at my very first time making Shepherd's Pie in a Slow Cooker."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

I am happy to say I received a lovely comment on my post of yesterday from my Secret Sister, Susan of The Food Allergy Chronicles.  I am delighted you were pleased with your Secret Sister Gift, Susan.  It really is fun surprising and giving to another, especially to a Secret Sister !

I absolutely know I am going to have myself an early night with high hopes of a full nights sleep ahead of me, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Quantities Down Prices Up

A certain girl had my attention very early this morning.  This girl being Lexus with her demands of wanting out immediately.  I hurried myself to get dressed, leaving behind a half finished coffee ... the trials and tribulations of being a Mama to four Australian Shepherd Dogs some days.

"Still bleak before 7 am, I was surprised at the amount of snow that had fallen again through the night.  I am certain there was another 3 inches on the ground."

After I had attended everyone's needs, along with their food requirements, I finished up finally getting back to my coffee.  Once Rob had gotten up, we had decided we would make a trip into Owen Sound as there were a few things I had wanted to pick up today that I could not purchase locally in Wiarton.

"Road Trip !  not without first stopping for a Large dbl cream and a triple triple, yes that is right a triple triple.  Really any ideas how I can "wean" my man from so much sugar, as I have even tried to "shame" him into it to no avail.  Check out the awesome new coffee cozies the sweet Virna at Craftmates handmade for my "Crabby Cabbie" and I.  And the height of those snowbanks along the highway!"

Shopping can be at its best exhausting some days.  First stop was Walmart, second stop over to the Dollarama, then the final stop was Bell World where we ducked in for a moment for me to look at a new "heavy duty" cell phone, the Sonim XP5520 BOLT PTT.  I have to admit after looking at the online specs for this phone, I have to agree with Rob that it does look pretty durable and attractive with a 3 year guarantee backing it.  Check it out yourself should you be looking for such a phone by *clicking* HERE.

It was going on to 1 pm by the time we had finished up with the shopping we had wanted to do.  Before we had left the house I had asked Rob if he would like me to make up some breakfast, which of course this never happened as he wanted to leave right then and there.  I was famished at this point.  Rob took us around to our favourite little Chinese Restaurant the Twin Dragon in Owen Sound for a buffet lunch.  It was very good especially at the price of $22.00 and change which included a $2.00 tip.

We had to buy dog food.  I can not begin to express at, once again, how disappointed I am with rising prices of everything but "incomes".

"Not sure what happened with Walmart's Roll Back the Price on this item, nor what is up with Pedigree with them having decreased the size of bag from 18kg down to 16kg.  Two months ago we paid $26.00 and change for a 18kg bag at Walmart, which is no longer available.  Today a 16kg bag cost $29.00 plus change.  That is a very huge difference, is it not???  Once again people "quantities have been decreased while prices have increased" !"

How anyone is suppose to cut any more out of their every day living with prices of everything constantly on the rise, is beyond my understanding.  There is going to be no room left for enjoying any part of life in the way of having an odd meal out, extra activities, and any hobbies, or much else for that matter.

When I was at Walmart I had some photos printed out, since I had bought a frame well before Christmas that I have been wanting to get filled.

"Four of my favourite photos of four of my favourite "Checkerboard Aussies".  I can not wait now to get it hung, but where I still am working out."

This afternoon I also finished up putting together my Secret Sister gift.

"I could not find a suitable box to mail it in  when out shopping today so a Christmas Box will have to do.  Just a little "peek" inside ... okay that is enough."

I am so excited about getting my Secret Sister package off into the mail tomorrow.

This is the third Secret Sister Swap I have participating in since Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily had created and began hosting them last Spring.  Thanks again, Carla, as you know how much I LOVE this swap ! Hugsssss.

At 4 pm my Lexus needed out, so away we went.

"Check out that sky over in the East.  Looked pretty unsettled to me, however  it had been very mild  today.  It almost looks as if Lexus was peering up at the sky as well, however her mind was more on the squirrel who is presently inhabiting our wood shed.  She is fixated on it, she is."

There is not a day goes by without me having myself some "puppy love" ....

"I had myself some love with the now squiggly balls of fur.  I can not believe what a heavy weight Bindi has become, nor how cute that little tongue of Spite's sticking out is.  Semah and Lunette? sleep sleep sleep !  Way too much cuteness."

Trust me I am enjoying every moment of their restricted mobility, as before you know it they will be four weeks old, next week already, with sharp little teeth and the beginning of the weaning process.

Another day has gone by in a *blink* of the eye so it seems, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".