Monday Morning Sunshine.... Our Daily Dinner

Monday Morning Sunshine....

chuckieb 7 years ago
Good Morning Everyone! Just popping in quickly. I am meeting up with three friends today for another "Afternoon Tea". My contribution is
Coronation Chicken Sandwiches
I got the mixture prepped yesterday afternoon with the exception of adding the mayonnaise. I'll go put them together in just a bit but still trying to be quiet as Jim's still sleeping.

Had an issue yesterday afternoon with the dog's across the street. We have new neighbours over there and haven't officially met them. We don't even think they actually live there as we see cars arrive around 8 every morning followed by loud barking by numerous dogs and then again around 5 p.m. Sometimes the barking lasts all day long and often times we will hear a man yell "SHUT UPPPPPPP". It's rather suspicious. Anyway.....Jim walked up to the end of lane way to fix our recycling which had blown over and a large German shepherd from across the road confronted him on our property growling and barking. Jim stared it down and it put it's tail between it's legs and went back to it's side of the road. Jim walked to the top of the lane way and shouted at a man further down that his dog was out and off their property and the man tried to herd that dog and others back to their house. It's bad enough to have had to put up with all this barking. We call them "The Hounds of Baskerville", but neither Jim nor I will put up with being growled and barked at by someone else's animals on our property. I wrote up a fairly brief succinct letter to them saying this was unacceptable and put it in their mailbox. (Sound familiar Shona???) I didn't have the best sleep and am in a rush this morning but perhaps this afternoon I will go through the Ottawa Bylaws and see about reporting them. I will also alert the neighbours on either side of us as we have all complained to each other about the dog noise before. What a PIA.

Have lots of leftovers in the fridge so am not going to worry about dinner. Hoping everyone has a lovely day. I include two photos below of the squirrel nest that "Red" built on the BBQ shelf. :)
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mommyluvs2cook 7 years ago said:

Morning! Have a good time at your Afternoon tea Janet! Wow, that is a PIA! You were right to write them a letter, I love dogs, but cannot stand when owners do not take care of them and keep them locked up properly. We have neighbors down the road a bit that let their dogs roam the neighborhood. One of Bri's Under Armour softball slides was missing Saturday morning off of our front patio and as we were leaving we saw it in their front yard all chewed up. Michael went up to the lady sitting in their garage and told them they need to keep their dog's locked up and she just stared at him smoking her cigarette with a stupid look on her face. Some people! It really pissed him off lol.

Getting some things done around the house today then I need to run to the Sprint store when they open to get my old phone activated. My current phone is having charging problems so I have to send it in to get fixed and it will take about 2 weeks supposedly. UGH. Thanks goodness though we keep our old phones instead of selling them back. Otherwise I would have to get a loaner phone that would cost a certain amount of $$ each day.

I pulled out about 5 lbs. of ground beef and I am going to make a HUGE pot of chili for dinner and then freeze the rest. We really need freezer dinners for the busy weekends so we aren't eating out constantly. Have a great day everyone!!!

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laurieg 7 years ago said:

Hi everyone.
Becca is driving us crazy with the anxiety level (and herself) I just don't know how to help her and everything you say makes her cry. She had a job interview (2nd first was a phone interview) then she has a job shadow tomorrow for a company that she already interviewed with last week. Today I resorted to what is the worst case senerio, you don't get the job there will be others. People are suffering from cancer and this is not that traumatic. So I am not winning any mother of the year awards.

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chuckieb 7 years ago said:

Morning Michelle. Ugh on your neighbourhood dog that roams as well. So frustrating. Good luck getting your phone fixed. Does it cost money to get your old phone activated as well? And I guess there's no insurance or anything that covers if the phone needs repairs to cover the cost or give a loaner? Neither Jim nor I have a cell phone so I am not savvy on such matters.Good plan doing the giant batch of chili. Indeed, that is exactly what your busy family needs! :)

Sorry to hear Becca's having a hard time Laurie and then in turn you. :) You could win a Mother of the Year Award and Becca would probably also vote for you, but.....today was a bad day.

Managed to get down and do our work out. Just going to eat something small for brekkie since Afternoon tea starts at noon!

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Good4U 7 years ago said:

Have fun at your Afternoon Tea, Janet. I definitely look into the By-Laws barking dogs are so irritating especially when they bark along time. Being loose on your property and growling at Jim is quite a concern. We have been lucky so far with our neighbour's dogs. Annie next door sounds like she is saying, Mom, when she wants back in and it sounds so cute.
Good luck getting your phone all set up, Michelle. A good idea making a big pot of chili so you can freeze the rest. Bummer on your dog problems as well!
The shower went very well and Camden is adorable and such a good baby. Almost everyone got to hold her and she wasn't the least bit concerned. She is just over a month old now and is sleeping 5 hours straight during the night so it won't be too long before she sleeps through the night. She has more Grandparents than any child I have ever met. She has three Great Great Grandma's, 4 Great Grandma's and 2 Grandma,'s pretty cool eh! I am sure they would need a few cars to get all the gifts home. Lol she is going to be a spoiled one for sure. After the shower, I came home to watch the end of the Sens game and we won! YAHOO! I am not sure what we are having for dinner yet.

Wishing everyone a great day!

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chuckieb 7 years ago said:

LOL @ your neighbour dog's barks sounding like "Mom" Joce. :) Very happy for you that you had such a good time at the shower. That is indeed at lot of Grandparents! :) That Sens Game was a nail biter and my throat hurts a bit this morning from yelling so loud when we won. :)

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Good4U 7 years ago said:

Poor Becca, Laurie! Anxiety is so hard to deal with and she is so young. You are right though there will be other jobs and there are worse things that could happen. Maybe get some professional help for her like a Psychologist to help her deal with it. Psychiatrists just give out drugs which don't teach anyone to deal with their problems IMHO. There must be a few books out on the market to teach people dealing with anxiety as well.

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Good4U 7 years ago said:

Here are some books they recommend, Laurie.
http://www.developgoodhabits.com/stress-anxiety-books/

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laurieg 7 years ago said:

Thanks she is already seeing someone. She goes once a month, this month she went twice. I may have to call the councilor. So far no drugs have been mentioned but at this point I think one of us needs them ;) !!!
She says she did not get the job she interviewed for today. He said he had alot of candidates and it was going to be a hard choice and that she should keep her options open and not wait for him. Tomorrow is the job shadow but its my understanding that if you shadow you pretty much get the job? The other thing that makes her anxious is driving to places that she hasn't gone before and she obsesses about what route to take.

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Good4U 7 years ago said:

I think we are all a bit anxious about driving to a place we have never been before. I had never been to the place I had to go to for the shower yesterday, Laurie. Before I left I went to Google Earth or Google Maps and drove it virtually via the directions given me by Google and it was great. Then you can view landmarks etc. which made so simple for me when I was driving there. She might want to give it a test drive. I hope she gets that job.

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LindaLMT 7 years ago said:

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Enjoy your tea this afternoon Janet. That's not right with your neighbors and the dogs ... for you and for the dogs. I'm a big animal lover and it sounds like nothing is being done right. Good for you speaking up and if you need to take the next steps do so. Big aggressive dogs are a serious concern. The picture of the squirrel nest is cute!!

Freezer meals sound ideal Michelle, especially with your busy schedule. Good luck with your cellphone. Hope it's an easy fix.

Sorry Becca is dealing with anxiety issues Laurie. She is too young! and it's stressful for a mom to worry too. It may be something physically that is triggering her anxiety, not just mental. Wish there was an easy answer to find the root.

Happy the shower went well and was fun Joce. That is an incredible amount of Grandmothers!!

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LindaLMT 7 years ago said:

It just started raining here again which is welcomed. DH has been a real PIA this past weekend and past week for that matter. Nasty at times, difficult ... he sees his primary care doctor Wednesday and I'm going to ask about meds to keep him calm. Hate to want to put him on them but ...
Pulled out ground beef for dinner and will grill patties. Perhaps a salad side and veg.

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LindaLMT 7 years ago said:

Tina ... LOVE the wedding cake idea, love the different tiered flavors! IDEAL and sure to please everyone. I too never heard of a groom cake but now know what one is.

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gaspesiangal 7 years ago said:

I hope that you enjoy your afternoon tea, Janet. Yummy sounding sandwiches. That really sounds like a doggie daycare going on. I'm fairly certain that Bylaw will tell you that the owner must have control over the dog and that it must be leashed when off property. That is totally unexceptable behaviour. Barking dogs drive me nuts and for that reason I taught all of our dogs to knock at the back door to be let in. I love the pic!!

More dog problems, Michelle. Some people have no idea!! Great idea to make a big batch and freeze some for later.

I'm so sorry Laurie, dealing with someone else's anxiety is difficult. Sending good luck that she gets a job.

That is a lot of grandparents, Joce and I love the name Camden. I agree about being anxious when driving, I know that I'm like that.

Aww, Linda...I was so hoping that things were improving. You have to do what's best for you too. Yea on the rain.

Awesome game yesterday and I'm so happy that the Sen's won. I about to head out and get some yard work done.
We have finally found out what was wrong with Annie and I am furious. The food was the culprit. I spoke to the people at the pet store on Sat. and they of course denied that there could be something wrong with the food and brushed be off. However, as soon as I reintroduced it back into her diet the systems returned so what else could it be? I went back in today an tore a strip off the owner and of course I was given the name and number of the local rep as well as the name and number of the company's head office. I really dislike having to go to such extremes but sometimes you have to or they don't listen. I have used this store for 20 years and have never complained and I send all of my clients there. I basically told them that I was considering taking my business elsewhere and that I would be taking my clients with me. Dinner will be smoked sausages that I bought at Costco.

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Good4U 7 years ago said:

I am sorry you are having problems with your DH, Linda:( I hope his doctor will help him out on Wednesday.
Gee what is the name of the dog food Annie is getting sick from, Bren. Maybe there has been a recall on it or something? You never know. I agree it is best to let the home office know so they can do something about it. Or it maybe a strain of something? When she was sick and you took her to the vet did they give any antibiotics? I hope you get to the bottom of whatever it is.

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chuckieb 7 years ago said:

Nice of you to find a book for Becca Joce.

I get very anxious when I have to drive somewhere near too Laurie. Even today I had to drive to Alta Vista, the opposite side of town, and I didn't sleep well partially due to that. Thinking about what lane I had to be in at certain intersections, etc. I think the only way to appease that one is to drive more so it becomes 'old hat'. May be wise to book another session with a councillor for Becca. Anxiety and teenage hormones is a tough mix.

Sorry to hear you've had a rough week with your DH Linda. That is tough too. I really need to short list Grilled burgers. SO have a craving for one with potato salad. :)

I really don't think it's a doggie daycare Bren. I don't think there are any people over there for vast chunks of time during the day. I think it could be a breeder's or even perhaps a puppy mill. I think people mainly come twice a day for short stints to feed them. And I'm horrified if the dogs aren't being properly cared for. Makes me sick.

That's actually awesome you found out that it is the food that is causing Annie's troubles Bren. You certainly carry some clout as well being in the business you are and having clients who support that pet food store. Oh yum @ smoked sausages. I'd like that too! Good luck with your battle with the Pet food company. A person needs to stand up for things that aren't right.

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chuckieb 7 years ago said:

Oops....forgot to tell you about "Afternoon Tea". We had a lovely time and I only got lost once getting there. :) The friend who was hosting it set a lovely table and served coffee and tea as well as a little bit of Prosecco to toast my birthday with. :) She bought some adorable little mini cupcakes and cookies, some candies and strawberries as well as a huge Chocolate Bundt cake which we didn't even slice into as there was just TOO much food. Another friend brought the Victoria Sponge cake with lemon curd and cream filling. Another brought scones with devonshire cream and jam and I brought the Coronation chicken salad sandwiches. It was really nice.

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kimmer 7 years ago said:

Hello to all. Sorry you are having problems with the neighbor's dogs Janet. Just a word of caution regarding the German Shepherd. Having had Shepherds (which I LOVE and will have again once my heart heals from Charlie) an untrained German Shepherd is a very dangerous dog. I hate when people have these dogs and do not properly train them. Any dog for that matter. Charlie's job was to protect but he was also very well trained by us. We did not even have to speak, he was trained by both voice and hand commands. I could snap my fingers and point to the ground and he knew he was to not only stand down, put lay down now! Sorry you are having such troubles with your husband Linda. Perhaps medication will help. Send some of that rain up this way!!! Curious to know too what dog food brand Bren. Sorry for the anxiety problems with Becca, Laurie. My vote is drugs for you, lol!

Just having a big chef style salad tonight with some french onion soup. Store bought soup I wanted to try that someone told me was really good. Pacific Foods organic I think it is. We will see. Beats the heck out of making it homemade so hope it's good.

Enjoy the evening all.

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gaspesiangal 7 years ago said:

That sounds like a wonderful afternoon Janet. Great menu!!
A puppy mill is even worse than a daycare. As soon as it gets warmer I start craving potato salad, yum, with burgers. The sausages had a really nice flavour but the casing was odd and hard to chew.

The name of the kibble is Pulsar and I've checked and there is no recall. It's grain free and has fish, lentils and peas. No, I'm certain that it wasn't a strain of something, Joce, as she was better after feeding her chicken and rice but as soon as I introduced the kibble again the symptoms returned. The Vet didn't give her any antibiotics as she said that it was digestive.

I've trained my shepherds the same way Kimmer and agree that an untrained one can be dangerous, especially if they are frustrated or don't get the proper attention. They do NOT like being left alone. A well trained shepherd is a joy to have. Our Annie has the personality of a Golden Retriever, she loves everyone. Soup and salad would be right up my alley, enjoy.

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chuckieb 7 years ago said:

Oh Kimmer I would LOVE your dinner this evening. That would SO hit the spot. I should put French Onion soup on my short list. Haven't had it in a long time. I'm scared of the dogs across the street. I like dogs and I consider myself a dog and a cat person, but German shepherds are large.

Too bad the sausage casing was weird Bren. Eeesh on German shepherds not liking being left alone. I think those poor dogs across the street are left alone A LOT.

Feeling very sleep deprived. Can't wait to snuggle in this evening. It's cooling down a bit overnight so Jim has turned on the pellet stove and is going to light me a fire. So pleased I don't have to cook dinner. Looking forward to working outside in the garden tomorrow.

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