Around The Block & Home Again

My poor tired "Crabby Cabbie" never got home until 4:30 am this morning.  I, myself, had gotten to bed around midnight only to have the phone ring at 1:30 am.  That did it there for me between the pain going through the whole of my body and being woken up, I couldn't get back to sleep.   I had still been wide awake when my dear Rob came to bed.  *Sigh*  I finally drifted off just after 5:00 am sometime to awake again shortly after 7:00 am, as our "pack" had slept all night and needed some attention by then.

These are nights we could all use "less" or "more" of, however this is just the way the "cookie crumbles" sometimes.

"This should read 14x happy, as they left Children/Grandchildren and Pets out of the equation."

Our grandson, Aiden, is turning 8 years old this month on the 12th.  I always like to get Birthday Cards in the mail a little earlier then when the person's birthday actually is so they can enjoy the card a little longer.

"I had gotten Aiden's Birthday Card all ready this morning so Poppa could get it in the Mail today."

I must remember to get his gift all packaged up and ready for when they come up to see us next, or hopefully if we get down that way beforehand.  Something I had best be putting my never ending "to do" list.

Rob did get up around 11:00 am, showered and took off for work again.  Really in my opinion he should have stayed "put" in bed, the poor guy.  I spent some time doing some "Crabby Cabbie" bookwork since it was the month end again.

"Paperwork and invoicing took a little bit of almost two hours today, with still the July and August books needing done.  Ho hum, never done."

With the all the paperwork I was going to be doing today done, I spent some time outside with each of our Aussies, then got a load of towels washed and hung out on the clothes line to dry.  What a gorgeous day it has been.

Rob called me to say there was no business going on in the way of taxi business and he was heading on home.  Yippee !!!  I contacted our friends, Doug and Vicki, who were up visiting other friends over Owen Sound way to let them know we could get together with them today after all.

The game plan was to have a bit of a tour out and about on our bikes and lunch together, not necessarily in that order.

"The whole crew landed in the driveway all about the same time.  Why is it the guys make no time at all at separating themselves from the Women I wonder?  Please guys, don't answer that question."

My girlfriend, Vicki, reads my daily blog, most days I am sure.  She did read the one when Rob and I had tried out the "Hungry Bear" located over by Sauble Falls.  This is where we had decided a week ago we were all going to go to have our lunch this day.

"First order of the ride was to get ourselves right on over to the "Hungry Bear" as we were all hungry as Bears."

I had asked owner, Val, if her and Bob had received the link to my blog on the day I had first posted about the "Hungry Bear", just a week ago HERE.  She had told me "yes" it was over on the inside table and people had been reading all about it.

"Let me "Tell the World", it is a pretty weird feeling seeing something I had wrote sitting in full colour out in the "real" World right under my own eyes.   Val and Bob had printed off what I had blogged about their "Hungry Bear" and displayed it for all their customers to see.  Wowsers .... this "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard" gal is really getting herself "out there"."

Let's just have a glance around while our six orders of "Hungry Bear" Fish and Chips are being prepared by owners, Val and Bob, themselves.

"This Bear here is both my and Rob's favorite.  Any idea who "chainsawed" this Bear? none other the Bruce County's "Chainsaw" gal, Bobbi Switzer of Switzer Studios.  Care for your own personal "chainsaw" piece of art, just *click" on the highlights and you can contact Bobbi yourself to do so."

"I am sure everyone looks towards this window frequently, as this is where the "Hungry Bear" Fish & Chips come out from."

"Outside seating taking in a view not far from Sauble Falls."

The moment we have all been waiting for ....

"The "Hungry Bear" Fish & Chips.  Hungry bears both Rob and I were, we ordered two pieces of fish each.  These were my pieces of fish."

"These were Rob's.  Huge, eh?" 

Nobody could believe I ate both those huge pieces of fish..  Owners, Val and Bob couldn't even believe I packed that all back.  Well when one meal a day is going to be all your having, a gal has to make good of it when she can ... Ha !  I showed them all I could do it !

"This would be Owner, Valerie.  Sorry I never got a photo of Bob, maybe next May 24 when they re-open I can capture him behind the scenes."

The "Hungry Bear" Fish & Chips is open annually from May 24 until September 3rd; Contact Phone No 519-422-0169.  Well worth the drive to Sauble Falls.  Vicki, Doug, their friends, Paul and Linda, were not disappointed one iota, as either were Rob, nor I, being our second time around within a week.  Thanks Val and Bob, we will be back again along with our "Hungry Bear" appetites.

"Sauble Falls Provincial Park happens to be located right beside the beautiful Sauble Falls."

"We began our "Around the Block" Tour by heading back through Oliphant way."

"I do so LOVE touring on the back of our Goldwing snug as a bug settled behind my Best Forever Friend and Hubby, Rob."

"Hey there is my friend, Reenie's house.  Hey Reenie, that was us who honked !"

"There goes Wildwood Lodge.  This is where I had  my first job in their Kitchen when I returned to live back in Bruce County.  I weeded that front flower bed that same Spring."

"Just coming into Red Bay."

"The Bruce Peninsula has many beautiful and quaint B & B's to stay at while visiting the Peninsula."

"There is the Red Bay Campgrounds.  Always seems to be a very busy place any time we have driven by here."

"There is Joyce & Earl's place.  Joyce is Rob's first Cousin, retired up here now 18 years.  Hey you two, hope you had a wonderful Sunday !"

"Left turn at Howdenvale, heading towards Pike Bay."

"Rob brought me up to "By The Bay Resort" for a bike ride and a Poutine a couple of years back now.  Yummy yum yum, was their Poutine."

After driving through Pike Bay we headed back up towards Highway 6 North.

"A, what Rob and I call, "another broken down barn"."

"Even though this weekend has been a Holiday for some us, the farmer still has to "Make Hay While the Sun Shines."

"Here we have arrived at Ferndale.  This is where I turn right to head over to the Good Doctors in Lion's Head every Friday for my "shot in the arm"."

"We stopped here so Rob could gas up the Goldwing and everyone else could get an ice cream cone.  Rob and I had just eaten two pieces of "Hungry Bear" Fish each, how could I have possibly managed a cone, especially one of this size !  Vicki is demonstrating her ice cream eating techniques here for Rob.  Ha ! and this was a "small" cone."

"Awww how nice of you girlfriend to share with your Doug a taste.  Can you imagine one of these small cones for only a cost of $3.00 ?  that was a lot of ice cream."

"Next time I don't have my belly so full, I am going to try an ice cream myself at the "Chill Out" in Ferndale.  Lunch next Friday anyone?"

"... and so many flavours to choose from.  Where would a girl begin?  I believe they allow you to mix and match."

"Rob and I are bringing up the tail end.  Oh and there is a Ponytail directly in front of us!"

"My home away from home every Friday morning.  Hail Lion's Head."

"There it is as "big as life", a genuine Bruce County Tail gate party going on in the middle of a field.  A "Fact", not "Fiction" people ... hahaha."

"Hellooooo Barrow Bay."

"Another "broken down" farm."

"Grieg's Caves is a very popular place to take in on the Bruce Peninsula."

"Let's take a little detour down this way...."

"... is this not simply beautiful?  The Gateway to Hope Bay."

Before we moved up to live on the Bruce Peninsula, we took to camping at Hope Bay.  One of our son, Paul, my and Rob's favourite "to go" places.  All three of us still cherish our camping memories from staying here.

"Is that a "why are you taking my picture" look my girlfriend, Vicki, would be giving me here?  Nah, she lets me take her picture all the time ! "

"Speaking of Hope Bay Memories.  Rob and Paul still laugh about when we went hiking up on that escarpment way over there Yonder with me being in tears as we were up so high, and I so terrified of heights.  Oh man it was always those two against poor me back in the day."

"Way further up along Bruce Road 9, we are now in sight of Colpoy's Bay."

"... and its Government Dock."

"Look at here, will ya, "Home Sweet Home", Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard."

We made it "Around the Block and Home Again", safe and sound.

By the time we gathered up a few veggies from the garden to send back home with Doug and Vicki the time had gotten onto almost 6:00 pm.  Rob is exhausted from his work the past couple of days and has been sleeping since 8:00 pm, poor guy.  I have spent a bit of time catching up with a few people, given allotted time to each our our Aussies and here I am almost finished up with today's post.

It has been a wonderful day.  I am truly blessed to have such a great husband and friends.  On that note, I believe I will call it a night myself as that was one big "block" I covered today, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Hello September 2012

"Hello September 2012 .... how is it going to be this Month?"

Here we are again, September 1st, but this time around with a "kick at the bucket" it is 2012.  September means, children returning to school, summer holidays are over for another year, shorter days, Fall fast approaching, along with many more .... however this Year September will also be a Challenge to me (and my "Crabby Cabbie", I am hoping), as outlined below:

I have joined along in Carla's "Savings Challenge" for the Month of September.  Since our Budget is so erratic with a "roller coaster" of income with a business of a Taxi at hand, I am hoping to at least curb some bad spending habits:

1.  Absolutely NO buying any household items, clothing, or any item pertaining to the household (getting rid of lots of items is totally acceptable);
2.  Try to generate some extra money by selling some unwanted, unused items on Swap or Kijiji sites;
3.  Limit my "Crabby Cabbie's" Tim Horton spending to 1/2 of what it is on a daily basis (looking good so far, as there was no Timmies coffee awaiting ME on the kitchen counter this morning);
4.  Any spending done has to be on a "NEED ONLY" basis, not a "I WANT, I WANT", along with a tantrum following;
5.  Groceries limited to, and not exceeding $50.00 per week, "Eating Out" not to exceed $50.0 per month, $50.00 for miscellaneous or unexpected expenses;
6.   Letters, mailing material costs limited to and not to exceed $20.00 (since I have now just began Post Crossing);
7.  Tracking and recording every receipt for the Month;
8  All business expenses, gas, vehicle repairs, etc are exempt from this Challenge, as well as all the usual monthly "fixed" bills and medical expenses;
9.  Personal vehicle expenses/repairs also excluded as I need to get to my weekly Doctor appointment as well as pre-scheduled dates and/or appointments for the month (hoping this doesn't happen, but we all know how Murphy operates);
10.  Total September Spending Allowance of $320.00.

Wish me LOTS of "luck" as I know I am going to be needing it.  Should anything go wrong, it usually happens when one has "made other plans", does it not?  I best be printing this September Challenge/Goal off and placing copies around the house in order to keep myself on track !

Now onto my day at hand ... that Cathy gal has been having the time of her Life on the Muskoka River, and apparently at my expense !  Now why on God's Green Earth would someone like myself disclose my personal name to such a person, is beyond me .... just because I have sided with her husband, Dave, over the way she hangs the toilet paper? she now has a beef with me?  Oh my Dear Cathy, Dave and I will be ruling the "Hang the Toilet Paper This Way" World before you know it !!!  Just watch us !

Ha !  Dave can call me Cindy, but you?  I suppose North of Wiarton & NOT East of the Checkerboard, will do for you, dear Cathy?  also here's to hoping you won't be having too many more boring drab days ahead of you.

I do LOVE the friends I have made along the way from blogging my personal journal, as well as some for their Zany humour, Miss Muskoka River Cathy!  Ha!

Going forward, here is a little glimpse, or two, of the "Blue Moon" off our deck last evening ....

"Didn't really look too "blue" to me, and I should know as I love the colour Blue.  Maybe it changed and I went to bed too early to see it do so?"

"I am really not too sure how I managed this photo, however it appears I added a "tail" to the Blue Moon somehow.  I just added the Sunflower photo I took this morning thinking it looks pretty cool with them set together as so."

"Really those Sunflowers were trying to reach over to the Eastern skies where the Sun was beginning to peak out at us this morning (below)."

"Someone came running pretty quick when they heard their food dish being filled early this morning."

"It appears we have been going through quite the amount of cheese slices in our house the past few days.  Whatever works, right? does Bandit really taste the pill as he inhales the cheese, is really the question at hand here."

"I was so excited when I was going through my camera case this morning to have found this little stash in there.  Um, do I have to claim this in the September Savings Challenge, I wonder? or do I just get to spend is as found monies?"

I had mentioned yesterday the Wiarton Optimist Club was having a Fund Raising Yard Sale to raise money for a local Basketball Court.  I wanted to "show up" to lend my support, however with the September Challenge just beginning I had to leave my purse in my vehicle, just incase.  Oh man, this was so difficult for me to do so, you have no idea.  I felt myself having withdrawals as I eyed up all this really "good used" merchandise.

"People were out and about pretty early checking out all the Yard Sales in and around town.  The Optimist Volunteers must have been out really early to get all of this set up."

"Once the BBQ was set up I am sure there must have been some business going on at this location to raise some funds."

"Before I left there most certainly were a few swarming around this table of goodies.  I personally had to drag myself away from a very tempting Cherry Pie."

There is a surmountable amount of work that goes along with these fundraisers, including the front runners and all the "behind the scenes"  people working to get it to the front end.  My hat goes off to all the volunteers who give their time and energy to these events.  Volunteers are the "Back Bone" of our Countries many many times over !

When I got back home Rob and I managed to have a "wee" bit of time together, and I do mean "wee".  Our friend, Lisa, came by to borrow a dog crate from us.  I could not let her leave without taking some Beets and Cucumbers along with her.  It wasn't long after Lisa headed back home that Rob had to put on his "Crabby Cabbie" hat to head South again.

Rob was barely gone down the highway when my friend, Diane stopped on it to bring me back some baskets I had sent along with garden produce in them a week ago.   We managed to have a bit of a visit.

I really think I have been a bad influence on Diane, as she was way up North of the Checkerboard to Lion's Head picking up some stuff she had purchased from a Facebook Swap I had introduced her too.

"Oh man did she "score" herself a couple of good deals.  A heavy iron and stone Bistro set for $20.00 and a beautiful Teak shelving unit for $30.00.  Way to Swap Shop Diane !!!"

Why does nobody come to my house when I have it "spic and span" spotless?

Of course, Diane needed to use my washroom facilities, which I hadn't yet gotten around to cleaning today.  *Sigh* ... thank goodness Diane reads my daily blog well knowing either how busy or fatigued I am at any given time.

Once Diane was on her way, I got to vacuuming our bedroom and tidying up a few other little areas.  I had to go meet up with my "Crabby Cabbie" over at Southampton before 1:30 pm yet today.  Knowing that he hadn't taken anything along with him in the way of food I got busy getting a surprise baked to take along for him.

"I had just enough crushed pineapple and zucchini leftover from the loaves I baked yesterday to make up 2 dozen Zucchini Pineapple Muffins."

"Wet meets Dry."

"Almost 2 dozen had I divided each muffin cup just perfectly."

"Fresh out of the Oven, with two semi cooled and put in a brown paper bag for my favourite "Crabby Cabbie" guy.  Where could I ever begin to tell how good these are?"

Recipe please?
Zucchini Pineapple Muffins
Recipe Source: allrecipes.com
Yields: 2 Dozen, more or less

INGREDIENTS:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple,
drained
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (24). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (48).
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour 4 muffin pans, or use paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the oil, eggs, zucchini, pineapple and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fill muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

WARNING:  You will not be able to stop at one muffin !

I did deliver the muffins to my dear Rob, spending maybe 1/2 hour with him before he had to zoom off to be the great "Crabby Cabbie" he is.  I actually helped him out by doing two (really easy, as it was someone I knew) calls for him before I headed back home.

Going through Hepworth I had noticed the "open" sign at With Love~Distinctive Gifts Your Heart Desires.  I wanted to see if there was still a Quilt there I had eyed up in the Spring.  Alas there wasn't.

"Regardless I had a nice visit with Owner, Jaime.  Either drop on in when you are going through Hepworth and you see the "open" sign, or visit on her Facebook page HERE."

I did finally make it back home again to four pretty happy Australian Shepherds and my two Guinea Pig House Guests.  Once everyone was attended to I prepared two envelopes, which will hold cash for my September Budget.

"I couldn't get away without an expenditure on the very first day, as Bandit needed some more Hydrocortisone Cream for his Hot Spots.  A dent in the Miscellaneous spending envelope already.  Oopsie, I just realized I need another envelope for my Post Crossing $20.00."

Another full day almost behind me.  Whatever will I do tomorrow?  I will have to wait and see what tomorrow brings, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".