The Caveman is Leaving the Building......Bring On the HIghspeed !!!!

I am sooooooo excited!  High Speed Internet has arrived "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard"!  How much more exciting could my day be?  This is certainly breaking up the humdrum of it all for me.  Imagine I can surf in all those high waves at unimaginable speeds now, right alongside the best of them!  LOL.

Boy is sure did take a long time for Bell to run those fibre optic lines past our house & hook them into a transformer over at Kribb's Road (a little bird that was out checking my phone lines last summer told me most of this).  They ran the lines last summer, but sure took their time hooking into the transformer.

At long last the guy is coming to hook us up sometime today (this could be anytime in between 9 am and 5 pm, so who knows).  Not only will I be able to surf at high speeds, but the cost of having Internet will be less money and allow me to do more with less worry about uploading photos with it costing an arm and a leg.  Watch out now the pictures will be flying onto and out of my computer screen now (and even more so once I get a new digital camera, lol)!

I had a very productive day yesterday, or so I thought.  The kitchen floor got washed, our bedroom dusted/vacuumed and finally the Homemade Mustard got made!  Yeah ! 

The Homemade Mustard recipe was my Mother-in-law's recipe, Mother Roth.  I had never made it before until this past Fall.  Rob's sister, Delores, had the siblings for a Christmas gathering in November & I had given them each a jar.  They all appreciated this, and I receive their many compliments that it was "just like Mom's".  Let me tell you that made me feel very good. 

We had just finished the last of it when Aiden was here for March Break, so it was overdue the time for it to be made again

I am not a big mustard fan, but when Mother Roth gave us a jar, I used to put a couple tablespoons in my potato salad, and let me tell you how good that was!  It is a sweet mustard, so I am thinking that is why the grandchildren really liked it as well. 

Homemade Mustard

2 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 level tsp. dry mustard (Keen's)
2 heaping tbsp. flour or cornstarch
dash Turmeric
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water

Method:
Put vinegar & water in top of double boiler; bring to a boil.  In mixing bowl beat eggs, add sugar, salt, turmeric, mustard, cornstarch (or flour). Gradually add to boiling vinegar/water, constantly stirring; bring to a soft  boil until desired thickness is reached.

Note: 
I used a non-stick saucepan rather then a dbl. boiler (as I don't own one).  I doubled this recipe which yields 7 Jam jars, as shown in picture below.  A couple tbsp. of this mustard added to potato salad is awesome!

I made a Shepherd's pie for last night's supper....just before it was ready the phone rang and it was my cousin, Suzanne, wondering if it was a good time for her and her daughter, Paige, to come over to see the puppies.  We decided 6:30 would be fine, but then I called her back and said, "come on along now and have supper here".  She had her little granddaughter, Cameron, with them, so by the time they would had came here and gotten back home to make supper it would have been so late (especially the way us girls yak, lol).

I fed Rob before they got here, as he had to go out on a call.  We had a good visit over supper and so much fun with Lexus, Bandit and the "Magnificent Seven" afterwards.  I didn't get any pictures, but hoping Paige will email me the ones she took on her camera.   Two hours just flew by in a "blink of an eye".  Paige promised she would come back to hang out with the "Seven", which will be very beneficial to get them as much socialized as possible before they are placed in new homes.

Whew....that sure was another full day, then I got to watch my favorite show, "American Idol" at 8:00 PM.  So difficult to choose which one is going to be the next American Idol, as there certainly is a lot of talent there this year.  America will have to decide in the end, lol.

I will try to keep busy today while I wait for the Bell technician's arrival to "hook me up".  I am hoping to empty out some kitchen cupboards and get them wiped out (very very dusty  I am sure).  That should keep my mind and hands busy until he gets here. 

Oh almost forgot the Wiarton Airport Weather forecast.  It is warm here in the house this morning, so I am thinking we will be having a good weather day:

Today:

Sunny with cloudy periods. High 9. UV index 6 or high.

 

Tonight:

Clearing this evening. Low minus 2.

High of 9, that isn't too bad at all.

I had better go get dressed so I will be ready to escort that Caveman out the door and bring on in the High Speed "Just North of Wiarton & South of The Checkerboard".

Camera Falls Into Dog's Water Dish.....Not a Good Thing to Happen!

I began my day, yesterday, with getting up, dressed and driving over to pickup my girlfriend for our trip into Owen Sound.  Ha, ha, ha, I can remember when growing up how Friday nights was a big adventure to be able to invite a girlfriend along with me to go into Owen Sound shopping with my Mom and Dad.  Here I am how many years later (shhhh), driving myself and a girlfriend to go shopping in Owen Sound ! 

We managed to get a Birthday gift for her sweetie, as well as a few other items and arriving home, as I had planned, by the noon hour.

Once home with lunch out of the way, I started a double batch of chili.  Cooked, cooled and put into containers for the freezer, it ended up to be about 18 pounds of chili.  Man that is a lot of chili !  My brother-in-law is giving my sister, Donna, a surprise Birthday Party this month, and had asked me to bring something along that could be done in the slow cooker.  What could possibly be better then a "huge" pot of chili.

By the way, my sister is far from computer literate, so I have no worries that she would ever read this, unless it was read to her by me, and that isn't going to be happening any time soon.........

I had posted an advertisement for the "Magnificent Seven" on the online Kijiji Ontario site Monday.  So far I have had over 280 hits and two responses.  People, unlike myself at times, are curious and like reading what people have for sale.

http://owensound.kijiji.ca/c-pets-dogs-puppies-for-sale-Australian-Shepherd-Puppys-W0QQAdIdZ272420858

The one person I have received numerous email inquiries from requested more pictures with just the black/white males.  I got the camera, and Rob went downstairs to the whelping pen to give me a hand with the task of taking out the puppies for the taking of the pictures.  Now for some unknown reason I was holding the camera to push the on button, and it slipped completely right out of my hands into the dog's water dish directly below where I was standing.  It could only happen to "ME" !!!! 

Talk about being distraught.....I was not in a very good state of mind let me tell you.  After I pulled myself together, I went on the search for my very first digital camera, approximately a 10 year old Samsung.  I finally found it.  After taking sometime to settle myself down, I was able to figure out how I used to work it and did manage to take a couple of these "so required male puppy pictures":

These little guys are very "cute" and still "cuddly"

Thank goodness I had my old standby camera, as I am certainly not going to run out to buy a new one in the immediate future.  Needless to say, I emailed this person the pictures, with him responding he would be going elsewhere tonight to view some Miniature Aussies, as he thinks that he would like a dog a little smaller then mine !!!  LOL, part and parcel of the pleasure of being in the market of selling.  Such is my life at the moment.

I really think Kijiji is an awesome online tool for people to sell or purchase.  It seems to be almost as "big" as Facebook has become with the amount of traffic seemly coming and going.

Here it is, Wednesday, already the middle of the week, and I really am feeling I haven't gotten anything yet accomplished.  I do have my mind set out getting that Homemade Mustard made, so I think I will reschedule that event on today's agenda.

Wonder how the weather will be cooperating today, should I want to wash & hang out the spare bedroom bedding on the outside clothes line.  I must say, I am still enjoying the freshness of the bedding on our bed from having it dry outside on the weekend.  Best have a look see what the Wiarton Airport has to say about that:

Today:

Cloudy. 60 percent chance of flurries or rain showers. High plus 5. UV index 3 or moderate.

Tonight:

Clear. Low minus 3.

Nope, but the looks of this forecast it is not happening today, so I should get the wood stove fired up downstairs to hang the laundry on the lines down there.

Oh yes, one other thing to think about today......"what am I going to make for Supper".  This gets to be a daily think tank in my brain.  I will let that one linger around in there for a bit and make the 'big' decision later.  Might be a bacon, egg & toast supper tonight.  Will see how my day goes.

Best get dressed and that bed made or I will never get to that much needed second cup of coffee, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Will it be a Homemade Mustard Day Today?

What is up with this weather?  Oh yeah, April showers bring May flowers, that has to be it.  It is 0 Celsius with a very blustery wind outside my patio doors this morning, don't think any flowers will be popping their heads up today or anytime soon.  Brrrrr....and I am not putting my Winter coat away just yet.

It is funny how fast the weather changes, as Saturday and Sunday just past I had bedding out to dry on the clothes line.  Today if I hung laundry on the line, if I didn't blow away first, I would find it down in Colpoy's Bay !  Oh and by the way was it ever nice to crawl into those Spring fresh sheets Sunday evening; like I could imagine what a little piece of heaven would be like as it smelled so fresh!

Today:

Cloudy with sunny periods and 60 percent chance of wet flurries. Wind west 30 km/h gusting to 50. High plus 2. UV index 3 or moderate.

Tonight:

Cloudy with 60 percent chance of wet flurries early this evening and 60 percent chance of flurries overnight. Low minus 2.

Go figure, more wet flurries in the forecast.  Does not surprise me one bit.......and I will be keeping the wood stove fired up, keeping the dampness from our bones as long as this weather continues like this.  Patience is supposedly a virtue, so had better start practicing it until better weather arrives.

Speaking of patience, I was so proud of myself yesterday, after I finished up the laundry I had started on the weekend, I got Rob's downstairs bathroom sparkling clean!!!!  Let me tell you it was very, very scary in there, but I was a real trooper and got it done!  When there is something I really dislike doing, that I keep putting off and off and off, I try to get it in my head to tackle it first to get it over with.  Once it gets tackled and over with. it does bring on that feeling of relief....and what a relief it was to have that bathroom cleaned!

Let me see, what could possibly be on my agenda on a cold blustery day like today?

First things first, as my girlfriend wants me to take her shopping to get her sweetie a present for his upcoming Birthday.  We will venture into Owen Sound this morning to see what we can accomplish.  Zeller's has 50% off the drapery hardware, and I could use some tiebacks for my bedroom, and there are a few items at Walmart I wouldn't mind picking up.  I might as well make the trip worthwhile by picking up some grocery items I need, as it is cheaper to purchase items in Owen Sound then at our local Food Market here in town.

With gasoline and food prices on the increase, I am finding myself trying to be more frugal then I already am (I don't know how I could be more frugal then I already am at times).  I surely wouldn't want to be raising a young family right now with everything priced sky high for the necessities of life.

I would like to be gone and home early from shopping today, as I have it in my head to make some Homemade Mustard.  The recipe is from Rob's Mother, which I have only tried once before Christmas and was told it was "just like Mom's" by Rob, his sister and brothers.  I was very flattered by their compliments. 

Yesterday I washed all the jars so they are ready to be used, and I will just have to check the recipe to make sure I have everything on hand before I go shopping.

I just hate when I start a recipe thinking I have all the necessary ingredients to find, usually right in the middle of making the recipe, I am missing an ingredient (that I was sure I had), then have to run out to pick up the missing ingredient!  The one time this happened to me I was already to go to the store and realized I didn't have a vehicle that day; you can well imagine I was not a very happy camper when I came to the realization I was grounded......LOL.  I got by and of course that day has long passed by without the sky falling down on me.

I have also it in my head to make a double batch of chili, since I did take the hamburger out yesterday to thaw, so that will be another task to get done today.  I think my agenda for the day has been filled to the brim, so I had better not top it up any more.

I took chicken legs out for supper tonight.  I am going to make another one of Rob's favorite dishes from the Masterson Family Cookbook, "Chicken and Rice" a recipe of my Aunt Gladys'.

3 lb. chicken cut up or breasts
1 1/2 cup rice (instant not cooked)
1/2 pkg. Lipton dried onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cup boiling water
salt, pepper, butter, paprika

Method:
Mix soups, rice and water together.  Put in greased casserole; set in chicken.  Dot each piece with butter; sprinkle over top paprika, salt and pepper.  Cover and bake at 325-350 F for 1 1/2 hours.

I love the Masterson Family Cookbook, as there are some really good recipe favorites from so many my family members, and you know these recipes would have been tried, tested & true a few times over.

I am sitting here feeling a very cold chilly draft coming from somewhere.  I suppose I should be getting up off my duff to see about firing up this wood stove.  When it is windy like it is now the house seems to cool off faster if the wood stove has gone out....brrrr.

Once again, I am off and running, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

Time to Come out of Hibernation & Drop Those Extra Pounds......

Wow I hope that freaky snow we had last night doesn't send my body back into hibernation mode again!  That was wild to look out and see large pelting wet snow flakes covering the ground.  Much to my delight the rain took care of that & it was all gone this morning upon awakening.  Thank Goodness, as I for one am so tired of snow & muck......bring on the summer I say!

Today:

Rain at times heavy ending near noon then cloudy with 60 percent chance of rain. Risk of thunderstorms early this morning. Amount 20 to 30 mm. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 50. High 12.

Tonight:

Cloudy with 60 percent chance of rain showers early this evening and 40 percent chance of wet flurries overnight. Wind southwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming northwest 30 gusting to 50 before morning. Low minus 2.

Ummm this appears to be a very wet Spring day ahead.  Muck, muck & more muck.  Suppose that is better then snow, snow & more snow.

The boys left for home just before lunch yesterday.  It really didn't take me too long to clean up the aftermath of them being here.  We all really had a good time together with only a spilt coffee and no injuries.  Oops almost forgot, just one little Connor injury; when we were downtown he was trying to copy Aiden by skipping and fell.  I remember those days of putting my hands out in front of me to catch myself only to scrape them up on the little pebbly gravel on the sidewalk.  Only a few tears were shed and we were on our way to the store to purchase a colouring book in no time at all after the "big" fall.

Rob & I watched the movie "The Tourist".  Neither of us were impressed and we were both bored watching it.  Not what I expected from one of my favourite actors, Johnny Depp.  I had the movie figured out where it was going right from the start, so there was no anticipation in watching it for me.  Better we paid $4.51 to rent and watch it in the comfort of our own home, then the drive to Owen Sound when it came out in theatres at $10.00/person and not enjoy it.

After a supper Rob seen a flock of Wild Turkeys in our back field.  There must have been at least five of them.  Wild turkeys have really populated over the past 10 years, being quite a common sight in most farm fields.  Maybe we will having nesting Wild Turkeys this Spring on our property.

There have certainly been lots of Robins, Redwing Blackbirds, Killdeers, Cowbirds, and even a couple Pigeons around.

Since Christmas I have been working on shedding those accumulated pounds that come with such things as less activity in the Winter months, the joys of the spare tire caused by menopause, and what I call the "Hibernation syndrome", when the colder weather arrives our bodies tells us to store those fat cells in case we can't forage enough food for ourselves we can then rely on those fat cells (we are mammals you know).

I have gotten to the stage in my life where I still get things done, but it just takes me longer to get there then it used to.  My body's metabolism has slowed down, in turn causing calories not to be burned up as fast as they once used to.  There is an answer to all of this, but it requires a "lifestyle" change. 

I have been trying to change my lifestyle the past few months by way of exercise and choosing to eat differently.

I was very discouraged at first, as I was eating healthier and exercising every day but not loosing any weight.  Well I had forgot to measure myself right from the get go, and hadn't realized I was loosing inches and not weight when I first started.  Muscle weighs more then fat, so all along I had been loosing inches but gaining muscles.  Now after three months the weigh has been starting to come off.  Slowly but surely.

One does not want to loose weight at too fast a pace, as it goes back on just as fast those times I fall off the healthy lifestyle wagon and fill my face with some high calorie sugar or salt fix (ha, ha, ha, old habits die hard).  When I fall off the wagon, I don't get as discouraged as much as I used to and say the "heck with it", slipping back into my old lifestyle; I get right back on the band wagon again.

I am pleased with myself after Knee surgery causing less activity last November and Christmas goodies in December, I have managed to loose 10 pounds since my knee healed & I restarted my lifestyle change again in January.

I am limited to certain exercises but have found walking to be one of the best I have done for years with results every time.  Another exercise that I found that worked for me this past Winter was a Wii Balance Board, doing step ups.  I found I could manage the low impact just fine.  After two months there was a notable difference in my abs and thighs. 

Food choices play a very large part in maintaining a healthy weight.  When shopping I now read labels to find out calories, fat content, sodium levels, etc......  There are so many tools to educate one self out there now on how to change our lifestyles, so I use them to further educate myself in these areas.

Encouragement plays a very "large" part in a new lifestyle change.  Find a good friend or family member that will be there to give encouragement.  My sister, Donna, has been there to encourage me, as well as inspire me, since she lost 95 lbs in one year herself ! 

My best advice for myself before I fall off the wagon is to remember how I felt with those extra ten pounds on.  That was like carrying around a ten pound bag of potatoes all day long.  Phew not easy! 

I don't deprive myself of too much in the food department, and for those who know me well do know I love food !  I just try to watch how I eat, when I eat and how much I eat, along with daily exercise.

Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away the Pounds'  (can be ordered through any HMV store) and the Wii Balance Board were my best exercise tools these past few months.  Now that summer is almost here, the dogs and I will be once again hitting the pavement !

Here is a Low-Fat Muffin Recipe my sister, Donna, makes on a regular basis:

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup skim milk (add 1 tblsp vinegar to milk)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white sugar (if making a double batch us only 3/4 cup)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup of blueberries or cranberries (frozen or fresh) (when using cranberries, add 1 tsp. cinnamon)

Combine oatmeal and sour milk in a small bowl; let stand.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar.  Stir dry ingredients well.  Add egg & applesauce to oatmeal and mix well.  Add to flour mixture.  Stir just until moist, then fold in whatever fruit you prefer.  Spray muffin tins well (Do not use paper muffin liners).  Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Makes 1 Dozen Muffins with only 112 calories & 1 gr. of fat per muffin.

I also just came across a low calorie entree on the Canadian Living website I want to try out in the near future:

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/pepper_braised_chicken_thighs.php

Serves 6, and only 235 calories per serving.

My sister, Jeanne, just recently shared a ladies weight loss journey on Facebook with me.  This lady has just purchased a new book for herself by Liz Vaccariello, called the "400 Calorie Fix", 400 Ways to Eat 400 Calorie Meals.  I think this book sounds interesting enough to check it out.

On a positive note, don't forget the old saying, "Rome wasn't built in a day", and getting into a healthy lifestyle won't be either.

Now that the "Magnificent Seven" have decided to open their eyes to see the world around them, I will be sitting down at some point today to compose an ad to post on Kijiji Puppies for sale, as it will only be six more weeks and they will be all ready to go to their new "forever and ever homes".

Lots to do here today, so I must get myself dressed and get on with it, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Commotion in Motion ......

Lot's of commotion happening in this household with 4 boys, one mother, 1 cat, two dogs & the "Magnificent Seven" let me tell you.....if one doesn't need this, the other requires that.  I think I need a Day Away !!!  LOL  There isn't time to be tired with this much going on around one's self.

The boys arrived just after lunch.  Rob & Paul went off in one direction, Aiden, Conner and I in another.  The three of us went downtown to the drugstore, bank, Dollar store and the grocery store, then home for a snack of cantaloupe, cucumber with dip and cheese sandwiches.  Not necessarily in that order.

Before I knew it the big boys were back home and it was time to get supper on the go and the table set.

Supper of slow cooked venison sausage, boiled potatoes and fresh asparagus was enjoyed by all, with Layered Lemon Squares for dessert.  Couldn't get too much better then that.  The 'big' boys helped clear the table and the dishwasher washed up most of the dishes, with the pots being left up to "MOI".

Before I forget Rob did rate the Layered Lemon Squares and gave them a 5 out of 5.  Lemon does happen to be one of his favorites.  Paul laughed at me for taking pictures of the dessert, and I just can't imagine why?  LOL

With the looks of that grin on my Kitchen Cat, I am sure he is enjoying all of this publicity.

There have been a few Mariokart competitions, but I am not quite sure on who was winning or losing.  Paul and I had also rented the movie the "Tourist" with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.  That one will have to wait to be watched later today, after the boys are on their way home, as we were both too tired to finish watching it last night. 

Oh I almost forgot.....when I was showing Aiden and Connor the "Magnificent Seven" the little black & white one I choose to pickup had it's eyes open !!!  They are two weeks old today and right on schedule to having their eyes open.  They have grown so much just in two weeks!

To be quiet honest,  I am being very distracted with all this background noise of Mariokart, 2 little voices, 2 big voices and 1 Mother voice going on.  I think I will check in with the Wiarton Airport and call it a wrap.

Today:

Sunny. Increasing cloudiness near noon then rain mixed with wet snow. Rainfall amount 5 mm. High plus 5. UV index 6 or high.

 

Tonight:

Rain mixed with wet snow changing to wet snow this evening then to rain late this evening. Snowfall amount 2 cm. Rainfall amount 10 to 15 mm. Wind becoming southeast 30 km/h this evening. Temperature rising to 12 by morning.

Time to run to get the bacon, eggs, homefries and toast on the go here.  Wow, is this why it was called, "Labor of Love"?   Ummmm will have to give that saying some more thought.

Signing off from "North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

The Boys Are Arriving Today.....Hooray, hooray, hooray !!!

March is now behind us with April Fool's among us.  Remember you are the Fool if you attempted to make a Fool of someone after the noon hour yesterday!  I caught at least three April Fool's yesterday.  I think that is a record for me, unless someone out there is not admitting I got them?  It is days like April Fools that bring out the Inner Child in us, no matter what the age.

Speaking of Inner Child, I am tickled pink inside and out that my three boys are arriving today, making the count 4 with Rob.  Paul, Aiden and Conner should be here by the noon hour.  I believe I am prepared.  Dessert made?  Check.  Bedroom ready?  Check.  Supper Planned?  Check.  Sanity in Check?  Check.  Yes I am prepared. 

I am looking forward to a full 24 hours of fun.  After lunch we will make a trip downtown to rent a Movie for tonight, check out the Dollar Store, and maybe swing around to the Grocery store for anything that I have forgotten.  Poppa and Aiden will have to rekindle their Mariokart competition from where it left off at on March Break.  Conner will be getting all the toys out from the bottom drawer.  Paul will be taking Bandit outside for their usual romp when he is here.

There is no lack of action when those 3 arrive at our doorstep, and it goes way too fast for me.  It seems like they just get here, and before you know it they are pulling out of the driveway on their way back home.....oh well, I there are still the phone calls inbetween the visits.

Woohoo.....another "big" dent was made in the Spring Cleaning Cause yesterday.  The grid in the wood stove corner and across the patio door wall is now finished, with the exception of having to re-hang the valance above the door.  I really thought my arms had left me after cleaning the inside patio door glass with a Vinegar/Water solution and buffing it dry with newspaper.  What a shine, but let me tell you what a job!  I am glad it is done and over with, as I was certainly done in after completing it.  However, once again, it looks so nice.......

Thank goodness supper last night was a breeze.  Easy as one-two-three Chicken Pot Pie with a Bisquick topping.

Then there was the Layered Dessert made with Lemon Pie Filling for dessert (couldn't wait until today to try it out).  It is another easy dessert to make.  I used the Kraft Layered Dessert Recipe, substituting the Lemon Pudding with Lemon Pie filling.  I added the Cool Whip when serving. 

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/creamy-layered-squares-87729.aspx

Rob loves lemon meringue pie, so this square seemed to be a big hit with him, or I thought so, as I didn't hear any complaints while he was eating it.

Another easy supper for me to prepare tonight, as Paul wants venison saugage, which I do in the slow cooker.   I will do  potatoes, fresh asparagus and brocolli to go along with it.  A couple of weiners can be easily enough cooked up for the boys, as Aiden doesn't really care for the venison sausage.

Onto a less inviting subject, MOLES !!!  What an undesirable little creature these things are and what a mess they have made in and around our gardens by the shed and the pond.  Last year they ate all my Clematis roots, this year they have removed so much dirt around the Hydrangea I am surprised it is still standing.

I think if we had a smaller area of backyard, instead of fields sprawling behind us, we would have a better chance at practicing Mole Control, but I think we are doomed each Spring to just repairing the damage they have caused throughout the Winter.

I have found a very good article on Moles (the ugly little rodents) and how to rid one self of them:

http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-get-rid-of-moles

We have tried the Moth Balls to no avail, so maybe I will get Rob to read this article to see if he would like to make an attempt at any of the other options/solutions available to us.

If it isn't Spring Moles in the backyard, it is Summer/Fall Skunks in the front yard.  Think I will take the Moles over the Skunks any day....

If all life's problems were as simple as a few furry undesirables, wouldn't it be lovely?

It is so frosty out there this morning it looks like it dusted snow last night.  I hope this is a sign of a warm sunny day ahead:

Today:

Sunny this morning then a mix of sun and cloud with 30 percent chance of showers this afternoon. Wind becoming northwest 30 km/h this afternoon. High 8. UV index 4 or moderate.

 

Tonight:

Cloudy periods. 30 percent chance of showers early this evening. Clearing this evening. Wind northwest 30 km/h becoming light late this evening. Low minus 3.

 

Dang, I had hopes of sunshine with no rain.  Oh well, the weather man has known to be wrong before.  I can only hope.....

Lexus is sounding off in need of getting out for her morning romp, as she is very vocal and not as patient as our Bandit.  I suppose I should get myself dressed up warm and go out into the frosty -3 grey morning to get the remainder of these cobwebs out of my head.

Once again, here I go off and running, "Just North of Wiarton and South of the Checkerboard".

Snow Storm Coming In From the States this Weekend? Crazy!

Ha, ha, ha.......April Fool's !!!  Gotcha and it was just around the corner from the last day of March!  Now I have to think of a good one before Rob wakes up so I can get him too.  You have to get up earlier then me to stay ahead......or have a nursing dog named "Lexus", to wake you up early, who really needed to go out at 5 AM. 

March is now gone and the April Fool's are now among us.  Don't forget, you are the Fool if you attempt to make a fool of someone after the noon hour......

April Fool's Day, is a significant date to me, as we moved into this house seven years ago on April 1st, 2004 with a closing time of 3:00 PM.  Amazing the things I do remember at times, even though they aren't always the moments I want to remember, lol.  Wow that is a lot of time to reflect back on.....seven years.  I think I will leave that alone right now and try to reflect on what I did yesterday.

Yesterday was a "good" day.  Let me think....oh I cleaned the outside of the patio door and the inside of the diningroom window after taking down the valances and putting them on a delicate cycle in the washer.  Wow there were a lot of cobwebs up and around the tops of  the window and patio door that I could have started my own Halloween display with......lol, not that bad really.  I also did the baseboards up and down the hallway.

After all of that along with the every day humdrum stuff, I was "pooped" out and had to take a half hour siesta, or I wouldn't have had enough energy to make the Asparagus Bow-tie Pasta for supper (recipe posted yesterday).  I had my best Guinea Pig, who happens to be my very best man, Rob, rate this pasta dish for me on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best.  It got a 4 Star !!!  Wow !!!  I gave it that myself and will definitely make this again..

I did improvise the recipe a wee little bit, as one orange sweet pepper was going to cost $2.00 (at $3.99/lb.) and a little bunch of fresh oregano $1.99.  I had red sweet pepper in the freezer which I used and I substituted 1 tsp. of dry oregano for fresh.  It was all good.  With the prices of peppers, along with everything else, in the Winter months, I make sure I have some in the freezer for sauces and chili as they freeze well.

I am doing some homework on how to go about starting a Herb Garden this year, as I am coming across so many new recipes that call for fresh herbs.  From what I have been reading, Herbs freeze well and retain better flavor then when dried, so I think I will give it a whirl.

I do have an abundance of Dill in my garden now (more then enough, as I didn't realize it re-seeds itself), so I am thinking of trying some Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, and anything else I can think of when I am out buying the plants.  Here is one very informative website I will be using for reference:

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/tipsandtechniques/a/growingherbs.htm

With a few related links at the bottom that are interesting and helpful.

After Rob and I did a survey yesterday of our backyard and gardens, it looks like we have our work cut out for us once the ground dries up, as everything is so dead, brown and partially decomposing.  Lots of Spring cleaning to be done with raking and pruning back in the flowerbeds and around the pond.  This time of year  can be very overwhelming until you get going, like with anything else, and start to make a dent in it.  Then that feeling of accomplishment sets back in once you get started.

Rob put up the dog run that our friends had given us, just outside the downstairs back doors for when the "Magnificent Seven" start running around.  There are patio slabs right there, so Rob is figuring the puppy cleanup will be much easier and less mucky for us.  The "Seven" are getting bigger and fatter as the days pass by.....I have been checking every day to see if anyone has their eyes open yet.  It will be soon enough they will be getting into everything so we might be wise to enjoy them as they are right now.

Actually it brings to mind what my niece Shannon said to her Mother once.  It went something like this,  "Mom why did you spend so much time teaching us to walk and talk, cause in school they just tell us to sit down and be quiet".  Now isn't that the truth at times, lol !

I just had a "big" wave of tiredness go through my body.  I hope I get a second wind and get something accomplished today, as my three "Boys", Paul, Aiden and Conner are arriving tomorrow, and I won't get nothing done but enjoyment and lots of dishes when they are here.  I can't wait until they get here as I do enjoy the "enjoyment:" part.

I am going to make the Kraft's Layered Dessert recipe today, again improvising and using Lemon Pie Filling instead of Lemon Pudding, and maybe try the Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe which I can't believe how easy it reads:

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/super-easy-peanut-butter-cookies-85456.aspx

My sister, Jeanne, and cousin, Paula, have both tried it and loved it.  I will give it a whirl, since I know all three of my boys, and the 4th big guy Rob, would love having some fresh baked Peanut Butter cookies on hand for them to nibble down on.

I will have to try to fit some time, into this already seemingly busy day ahead, to re-hang the curtains I have washed and take the time for maybe a wee little siesta to recoop some energy before suppertime tonight.

Speaking of which, supper will be a breeze today, as I have leftover chicken breasts from last night, and I will make one of Rob's favorites, "Chicken Pot Pie".  Another really easy recipe using Bisquick:

 http://chicken.betterrecipes.com/bisquick-chicken-pot-pie.html

I love when "easy" comes into my volcabulary!

Oh must check in with the Wiarton Airport before I sign off for the day:

Today:

 

          Clearing this morning. High 8. UV index 4 or moderate.

Tonight:

Cloudy periods. Low minus 1.

Doesn't say sunshine, but does say "clearing", so this should be good.  I am sure the sun will manage to come out at some point today.

I must be off and running into my kitchen for that 2nd cup of coffee.  Signing off for now "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".