Friday 28 October 2016

October Snow

The first snow fall of the season is usually sort of magical.

I didn't feel it this year.

Maybe because it's October.

I'm missing the warmth of summer already.

But these girls aren't.






They didn't even want to come in for supper.



Brenda

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Caking and MOVING!

I've been baking and caking.





With a big influx of Mennonite families in the last couple of years, the locals have decided to shop at their farms instead of supporting the local farmers' markets.  Sales were so low last year that I decided to not return to the Eganville Market.  I applied to the Carp market and was refused.  My only other option outside of the "Mennonite" zone was Deep River.  I went up twice....it's an hour long drive....but I didn't sell enough to make it worth my while.  I didn't realize that it would take an entire summer to get established in another market.  Many people remarked at how beautiful my pies were but it just wasn't something that they would eat.  They seem to be very health conscious....many were looking for something gluten free.  It just wasn't a good fit for me.





Then I was contacted by Wilton to become a cake decorating instructor.  I was very excited about the idea.  I took all the exams and got my certificate...even paid for my apron and books.  They assigned me the Michael's store in Pembroke.  Trouble was that I would be paid by Michael's....not Wilton.  The trip to Pembroke for a 2 hour class....along with prep time....and expenses of icing and supplies....with being paid a wage of a Michael's employee was just going to cost us too much.  It wouldn't even have been enough to pay for the gas!





I'm busy with cake orders but I no longer need a baking kitchen....because I'm no longer baking large amounts for a market. 

So....the big news around here is....

We're MOVING!

To Emmett's!

We have been sanding floors and painting and busting out walls all summer!

We have been making Emmett's home our home.

The kids have asked if we are still going to call it 'Emmett's' when we move there.

That's a good question.

Brenda

Monday 24 October 2016

I'm BACK

HEELLLLOOOO!

I'm here.  I'm back.

My last post was Mother's Day....so very long ago!  I'm not even sure where to start....

Summer came and we were all so busy I just didn't bother blogging.  I was surprised when I'd see someone and they would mention that they were missing the blog. 

I didn't think anyone read it!

My Aunt Dianne especially loved the blog.  She always encouraged me and supported me and told me to never stop blogging.  She told me that I was teaching people about our way of life...and it was so very important. 

Dianne passed just last week.  We celebrated her life with a beautiful Mass of Christian Burial on Friday and then we had a delicious turkey dinner.  There were about 250 people there and we exchanged stories about Dianne as we all mingled and ate.  It was grand....that's the word that she would use to describe it.  She used the word 'grand' all the time.

Her obituary is here.

Dianne passed of cancer.  I went to down to visit her in Kingston at the end of August and again just before Thanksgiving weekend.  I treasure those visits.

She had a very long career in nursing.  She graduated from the Lorrain School of Nursing in Pembroke and then moved to Kingston where she worked at Providence Manor as the Director of Nursing for many, many years.  She started a campaign for pillows in August...when she was very sick with cancer.  She told me that it didn't matter where she worked that there was always a shortage of pillows.  Pillows are so very important in the care of a patient.  They aren't just for under your head.  They are used on other parts of your body to give comfort, provide pain relief and prevent sores.  She wanted to raise enough money to buy 1000 pillows for the various care facilities in the Kingston area.

If you would like to give a small donation, the link is this https://give.uhkf.ca/diannespillows or here.

Dianne's passing got me thinking about the blog this past weekend and then a complete stranger messaged me saying that she was missing my stories!  So here I am.

I'm thinking I will have to sort of back track and update about where we are and what has been going on during the last 5 months!

I have so many stories to share.....

It was a pretty big deal for us to head to Kingston on Friday.  I think that is the longest trip that Sophie and Lydia have been on.  As we were leaving on Friday morning and driving down the lane, Lydia asked...

"Will we be passing thru Florida?  Do you think we will see any dolphins?"

Aunt Dianne would have been smiling.

Brenda