Happy Easter Sunday

First off I hope everyone had themselves a Blessed Easter Sunday spent with a loved one, family or friends, or even with their own company, which I don't mind spending time with myself most times, or even with a loved pet, or two.

This morning was not as I remember when growing up as a child in Southampton.  My few memories, one in particular, was of skipping down Victoria Street towards the United Church at Victoria and High Streets.  The Sun was shining and I was so happy as I had a hat with a ribbon around it, a light blue coat on, shiny new black shoes with straps and white ankle socks.  That was as far as my memory of Easter Sunday went, but it feels like it was a "good" memory I have often felt good reflecting on.

This morning was quite different, especially quiet with the usual morning chores with our four Aussies, plus one extra puppy.  Outside was very grey and bleak with a light rain falling from the skies.  Rob was sleeping, needing more sleep then he ever manages to get himself.  I turning, a rare occasion, on the furnace as it was very damp and chilly in the house.  

Rob did arise later in the morning being a great help to me by getting wood in and starting the wood stove up.  Finally the damp was gone.  There is just something about the wood heat that warms my bones much better then a gas or propane furnace will ever accomplish.  Rob also took over the remainder of the Aussie out, abouts and back ins while I got going on our Easter Dinner preparations.  There was only the two of us, however I was setting out to make a full Dinner, as why should we not have one for ourselves I could not imagine.

I decided I would make Rob's favourite pie for him today.  It couldn't get much easier then making a ...

" ... Lemon Meringue Pie.  I am really loving the great big see thru window on my Oven."

With the Pie cooling on the counter and the oven still warm, I took on the next task right away of making ...

"... our Grandson Aiden's favourite biscuit, even though he couldn't be here with us today both he and Connor were in my thoughts.  Wet ingredients gathered and mixed, met up with dry, then patted out to be shaped and cut out.  Onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper they went right after."

"Fifteen minutes later and lots of cheesy goodness was fresh out of the oven."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

This was not the time to stop ....

"Roux was made, potatoes and onions, peeled and sliced.  Before I new it there was a cheesy thick sauce ready to meet up with layers of potatoes and red onion.  These were covered and popped into the Oven along with the foil wrapped Ham Shank."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

"I am really seeking some honesty here with these photos.  Am I the only one who has such a mess when doing preparations for a meal????"

"Surely this looks much better after the baking was done, and Dinner preps finished with it cooking in the Oven."

"Rob's "Crabby Cabbie" driver, Carolyn, gave us each a Kinder Egg for Easter.  I dug out my Egg Cup from when I was a little girl to display it on the Buffet.  Then I went into the kitchen to find Rob swooping the Lemon Pie from the counter; it did not take long  for him to place it back where it belonged once he had been "found out".  Then I got the table set, as I decided we would have dinner buffet style from the kitchen counter to make things easier."

All the work and time put into our Easter Dinner was well worth the effort as ....

"... it was all Simply Delish and well enjoyed by both of us.  Not only was our Dinner enjoyed, it was wonderful to have the time we had to spend together, since most days that is very rare."

Rob did have two work related calls he had to go out on today, but the time he has been home was pleasant and not stressed since we enjoyed each others company making it truly a "special" day.  All the humdrum of the business and paperwork was set aside and we took the day "off" from it.  As Rob said, "the paperwork can wait one more day".

Oh yes, before I forget to share, my friend Carla shared a BC comic as her Facebook post this morning, which I borrowed and posted to the "Crabby Cabbie's" Facebook Page.  I LOVED it ...

Should anyone want to show my "Crabby Cabbie" support of his Facebook page, we would LOVE to have your LIKE by going to his page HERE.  Thank you to any and all in advance.  Even if you live out of the area and come up to the Southampton, Port Elgin and Sauble Beach areas for Summer vacation we would love to be your "get around" Cabbie, or just because you would LOVE to show us your support.

Dishes are done up, the "Checkerboard Aussies" Blog post is done and can be viewed HERE.  Rob is gone out on another call.  The Aussies have all been out, about and in, with only one more outing to go before we call it a night.

On that note I think I will get the kettle on to make myself a nice hot cuppa Earl Grey Tea, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

An Amazing Luncheon Date

Late yesterday morning I got a call from the Owen Sound Hospital's MRI department that they had a cancellation, no surprise with the blustery Winter weather going on here, could I come in for it at 2:00 pm.  I called up my "Crabby Cabbie" to see if he could have his gal cover for him so he could drive me in.  It was a go !!!

"By the time Rob arrived home to collect me I had a lunch made of a Turkey Sandwich & Homemade Oatmeal Orange cookies for him to go.  The roads were really not too bad, with only a few spots here and there."

The MRI only took about a 1/2 hour or so.  I am hoping the results will be up at my Doctor's this Friday when I go for my regular weekly appointment.  It is unplanned days like this when I am really grateful there are leftovers in the fridge to throw together to make something that is easy and tastes great for our Dinner when in a "pinch".  When we got back home I got going on making up a ....

"Turkey Vegetable Noodle dinner for us.  Easy? prepare a few veggies, throw them in a skillet until fork tender, stir in some leftover gravey, or cream of chicken soup, and serve over Egg Noodles.  Season with lots of Pepper and just a wee dash of salt.  Yummy !"

Recipe please?  FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE PLEASE *CLICK* HERE.

I still have not manage to get out of this nasty "funk" feel I have been buried in the past couple months.  It is really beginning to get to me with not sleeping well, nor getting much of anything accomplished around here which seems to bother me even more.  The new pain pills do not seem to be doing their "magic" I was hoping for.  Energy is a big thing, and no sleep does not help in that department either.

I am managing to go through the motions with our Aussies, puppies included.  Thank goodness they keep me moving and somewhat limber lately, or I could really be in "big" trouble.  

Today I did however have a another little "boost" which made me happy.  My Cousin Suzanne's daughter, Krista, had invited me out to lunch today.  Her Mom, Suzanne, and sister, Paige, also were able to join us.

Where did we meet? somewhere not one of us four had ever been for a meal yet, which was The Cocoa Vanilla downtown Wiarton.  Suzanne and I had met up there back in January for a coffee, where you can see and read lots more about the Cocoa Vanilla by *clicking* HERE.  

Once we all got settled in, we finally did go up to the counter to order Lunch and some beverages.  Suzanne had her usual beverage of coffee, while Krista and I ordered ourselves each a Chai Tea, and of course there is someone who has to be "right out" there and order something out of the ordinary ....

"That would have been our Paige girl ordering up not a regular Chai Tea, but a "dirty" Chai Tea.  Hahaha ... Krista and I actually had a taste of it, and thought we had obviously ordered the "wrong" tea for ourselves.  Paige won out and it was really "yummy" !

"Lunch was equally "yummy" and "amazing".  Suzanne, Krista & I order the lunch "trio" combo, which was 1/2 Panini Sandwich, Salad & side of soup.  From a nice selection of sandwiches, we ordered Chicken & Cranberry Chutney Sauce for two of us, and the third was a Turkey Club.  All with a side of Greek Salad and the Butternut Squash Soup.  Oh my these Combo Trio were not only "out of this World" good, but only $10.00 each per person !!!  Paige, once again having to be "different", ordered a thin crust Grilled Chicken, Tomato, Pesto and Cheese pizza.  She had LOTS to take home for her supper and more.  I think the Pizza was about $15.00, and would have been enough lunch to serve 2 to 3 people."

Darn, how could there only be photos of Paige, Krista and myself? how did Suzanne manage to wiggle out of that one?  Thanks again for lunch, Krista, it was so much fun to get together again.  You made my day.  xx

How would us four gals rate our lunch at the Cocoa Vanilla?  A definite 10 * plus in my books, and I am pretty sure I am safe to voice this as being the other girls opinions too.

Driving up for a weekend to the Bruce Peninsula?  some Saturday to take in The "Cluttered Cupboard" , which is located right behind Sadler's Home Hardware Store, or some of Wiarton's other little shops, drop in for a beverage or some food fare at the Cocoa Vanilla while you are in town.

When I returned home just a bit after 3 pm I busied myself with Puppy Clean-Up duty and getting everyone else out, about and back in again.

The weaning process has been going amazing well with their very first feed of hard kibble puppy food today. They all seemed to LOVE it, with Bindi even taking to laying across the dish while she ate from it.  Of course I did not have my camera with me for that shot, but I did get a great shot of Sprite having her very last suckle from Mama Lexus which you can see by *clicking* HERE.

I was also very excited to learn my friend, Carla of My 1/2 Dozen Daily, has put up her very own Facebook Page, Carla's Creations.  Carla does "custom" sewing orders that are beautiful in handiwork, pop with colour and give to a variety you could only imagine by going to her Facebook page and giving it a really big "LIKE" by *clicking* HERE.

Pssst ... while you are at it, maybe a great big "LIKE" would be loved by my "Crabby Cabbie" HERE, or our "Checkerboard Aussies" HERE.  Trust, you and me, your support and love is always appreciated.  And really? who couldn't use a whole lots of loving most days?

I always find it is most easy to give support for those we LOVE, who show us the same LOVE back, don't you?

A little feeling good music with one of my favourite "Blast from the Past" bands ....

Pssst again, don't tell anyone but I am calling it an early night here before I fall over, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard."