A blur of sugar, flour, raisins, cherries, sprinkles, vanilla, cocoa and spices that is!
Oh, and pounds and pounds of butter!!
The cookie business I mentioned the end of October did really well! One Saturday found me lugging 102 dozen cookies to Market!! I stopped counting after a bit, but I made, with the help of my Right-Hand-Gal, thousands of cookies!!
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane
The Molasses Gem - The Cookie that started it all.
(which may be a blog unto itself sometime!)
Snickerdoodle in front - Russian Tea in back
White Chocolate Cherry
Chocolate Crinkle
Eggnog Cookie
The Classic Shortbread
Twix - Shortbread, Caramel, Chocolate - Brilliant!
There were 15-16 different types of cookies. Sometimes making it too hard for shoppers to pick which kind they wanted. Basically we were the Tim Hortons of Cookies. You could pick what went in your dozen. For those who "froze" in the process of trying to decide I would suggest an assorted dozen so they could try one of everything. That usually "thawed" them out and they would be seen happily carrying out their special box. :)
We eventually expanded our product line to include Cupcakes, Caramel Popcorn, Magic Bits, Dog Biscuits, Christmas Pudding, Oreo Fudge and 13-14 types of Gluten Free Cookies!
It was such a successful first attempt that I hope to do it again next year. Since I will already have my sign, business cards, leftover boxes and addicted customers it'll be sure to get a move on faster the second time around!
Also adding to the blur of November was Neela. She came when she was seven weeks old and for her first week here we basically got zero sleep. We were trying to crate train her, but she also had a UTI and it was hard going! With the help of a cranberry supplement and the "forgetting of the crate" (we just gated off the kitchen) she started to feel better and sleep at night.
Sleep. Is. Wonderful.
She is a bright little gal for which we are so pleased and thankful! By 8-9 weeks old she was doing lots of tricks. Sit, down, spin, shake, come, drop-it, go-get-it. At 3.5 months she can almost do "roll-over". Barking (or more like a funny half-snort, gruff throat clearing) when she hears something unknown outside just started a few days ago. It'll be nice to have a real-live warning system in place. :)
She can be full of beans and does what I call "Crazy-Lady" once or twice a day. Tearing through the house pell-mell and you'd-better-try-to-keep-out-of-her-way-running-loops-around-everything kind of crazy. There are no more carpets in sight. She rarely has "accidents" but guaranteed when she did it was on a carpet. :/ She is really very calm the rest of the time, not getting into stuff in the kitchen (I am still lacking bottom cupboard doors) and when she does get restless grabbing a handful of treats and getting her to run through her tricks a few times settles her down. It's quite easy to see she is a working breed and needs to be kept stimulated and have a purpose.
Bagheera, the barn cat, is slowly accepting that this dog is here to stay. (The Youngest has done some dog-sitting and the cat was always happier when they went home) It is quite hilarious to watch the older-wiser feline, purposely tease the younger, gullible puppy into a tangled mess with her long line. Bagheera knows how to dart here and there while Neela chases him and before she knows it Neela is left with only a foot or two of line. haha. At which point the cat slows down to a saunter and struts his stuff just out of reach of the dog.
I said for years that I was not a dog person. I always admire and enjoy other peoples dogs, but the three dogs we had when the children were small and we lived in a little house were always too much for me. So it has come as quite the surprise that I am enjoying having a puppy in my home. (and just generally being OK with messy floors, peed on stuff etc etc etc) One day last week I was watching Neela and thinking....."I can't believe this is my life and I am fine with it". I am fairly certain that it is because my youngest is fifteen (and doing most of the training and entertaining) and we have a large farm house with more space. Whatever it is, Neela has brought more joy and laughter than I thought possible and I am glad for it. :)
November the 20th was a life changing day for me.
I had a job interview and was hired ten minutes into it!!
Other than working at the Grain Elevator this past summer (which felt more like playing) I haven't worked for pay for many, many years. When I started to think about putting together a resume it seemed like it would look rather ridiculous so I wrote up a letter instead. Since it's a bit fun to read I thought I would share it with you......after the date, address, "Dear So-n-So" etc......is.....
You are receiving this letter in lieu of a resume.
It's been over 28 years since I worked at a “real job”. In those years I raised and home schooled four children who all turned out to be decent, contributing citizens. At least I think they did! :)But let me tell you about myself so that you may determine if I am someone who would add value to your team......· I have great people skills and am gifted with children.· I ran a successful day care business for years in Ontario· I am a good cook and can manage a kitchen well· I have common sense and a sense of humor· I learn fast and if I don't understand something I am not afraid to ask questions.· I believe in giving 110% in all I do and take pride in a job well done.· I am organized and punctual (except in cases of snow or sleet..... ;)· I am honest, kind and customer oriented· I'm a team player and work well with others (even the difficult ones! ;)· I have passed the Food Safety Course and First Aid/CPR· and above all I am humble. :) haha.
So writing this blog today is ..... A-brand-spanking-new.....Short Order Cook.
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!! That's now a wish of mine! The cafeteria I will be flipping burgers at is located at Ski Wentworth. It's a twenty minute drive and The Man-Son is working his second season at the Rental Shop which hopefully means we'll be able to car-pool sometimes. I am happy for the seasonal aspect of it. I have plans in the works for a spring-summer business (the spa) and the cookie business (Nov-Dec) So having something fill in while the farm sits dormant for winter and the Grain Elevator is closed is ideal!!
Well, there's November's high-lights for ya. Lots of other little things were tucked in around the big stuff. But we all have stuff both big and little don't we?
It's life.
We just happen to be doing ours out here in Nova Scotia, on a farm, in an old, drafty farmhouse, with a puppy, a barn-cat and a bunny rabbit. :P It's already border line "Funny Farm" around here but Wingin'-It-Farms will be a "full blown" Funny Farm by Spring most likely. It's then we plan to add Guinea fowl and chickens to the craziness!! :)
So stay tuned.....until then.... see you in January where you'll hear about December.
(which might be kinda boring cause it was mostly about cookies as well!! LOL )
Cheers!
** Credit for the cookie photos goes to The Man-Son and were a big help to the success of my business!! Makes them look kinda edible eh? :)
