Junk in the Trunk

Disclaimer: If you were hoping tonight’s blog entry would be about ghetto booties, you’ll get your reward at the very end, so keep reading.

My little hatchback car has carried a lot of gear in the 5 years I’ve owned her. From lost and injured dogs to a band’s musical instruments, gangs of friends and roadtrip gear, my teeny tiny car gets the job done.

Sometimes a little too well, though, I thought as I looked into the trunk space this evening.

I decided to give it a quick cleaning out and discovered a variety of random things that I just found in the “boot” as my UK, European and Aussie friends would say.

Hence, a listing of random junk in my trunk.

• a load of re-usable grocery/shopping bags
• roll of duct tape (everybody needs this!)
• pet first aid kit
• glitter streamers strewn around from the “birthday party on wheels” day with our friend Adrian
• a bent fork
• a rad Scotland flag rain poncho
• 4 umbrellas (all but 1 broken)
• 2 pairs of gloves
• 5 hats (I have a hat addiction: winter caps, straw hat, baseball cap, cowboy hat, etc)
• human First Aid Kit from my friend Gatesy who got extras on some safety workshop she went on (thanks!)
• broken branches and wood chips (from scavenging dead wood along the roadside en route to bonfires)
• lens cap for my Canon
• Happy Meal creepy baby toy
• a small bursted-from-freezing container of touch-up car paint
• driftwood, shells and beachrocks
• picnic blanket
• small empty gas can (I’ve been known to run out of gas a time or two, pushing the “low fuel” light limits)
• 1 Energizer battery
• bag of roadside safety stuff (no idea where that came from or when, but glad I have it)
• case of old music cds (that I should really go through and see what’s still listening-worthy)
• collapsible bucket
• Crocs kneeler (I think made for gardeners, parents, kids, etc but I use it for when I’m on photo assignment and need to get down on the ground. Super padded and comfy)
• a bag of recyclable plastic bottles
• leg off a piece of furniture
• broken badminton racket
• frisbee
• Worst Case Survival handbook (full of humourous yet practical quizzes)
• bits and bobs of a mummers’ costume

Before I finish up for the night, as promised, here’s a bizarrely random picture that came up when I googled the words “car trunk”. Take a good look at all that’s going on in this shot. Yowzas.

What’s the most random thing you’ve found in your trunk? I’d love to know!

A Real Trooper

You may have heard the shocking story of an injured cat who pulled himself up into a residential driveway in western Newfoundland after being hit by a car. Shivering, broken and bleeding, he huddled there, alone, unable to move another inch. More than 24 hours pass. Some notice him. Eventually, help is called for.

Still alive, the poor creature was found frozen to the ground, face down with legs splayed apart at impossible angles. He was embedded in ice and required buckets of warm water poured repeatedly over him to free him. His rescuers, volunteers of SCAPA, then rushed him to a vet clinic.

He had survived being hit by a car. He survived being left to literally freeze to death. Now, Trooper, as he’s been named by those who saved him, is still fighting.

Flown to PEI for specialized veterinary care, Trooper is facing amputation of a leg. Not from whatever first injured him, but from being left to hypothermia and frostbite. This could have been avoided if help had been called sooner.

How any human being could, in good conscience, knowingly overlook any creature, human or animal, in crisis is beyond me. I’ve seen a lot of disheartening things in the last 7 years as an animal rescue volunteer. But I’ve also seen the good that can happen when people who care pull together to make up for those who don’t.

This is that kind of moment. Right now, Trooper and his rescuer, Gwenn Samms of SCAPA, are appealing for donations of any size to help Trooper continue his fight. Even with 3 legs, he can live a happy, full life as a beloved pet. His story has moved people from the Avalon Peninsula to Australia. Will you be one of them? I’ll be donating and I hope you will consider it too.

Click here for Trooper’s Facebook Page where you can find out ways to donate and spread the word to help this brave survivor get the surgery he needs. He has shown more courage than most humans ever could.

He may have been thrown away by previous owners. He may have been hit by a car trying to survive out there in the world. He may have found himself frozen to someone’s driveway while waiting for humans to make a call for help. But you can help him have the warm, loving ending his story deserves.

If you see an animal that is injured, don’t wait before reporting it. If you see neglect or abuse happening, says something to authorities, anonymously even. Our compassion and humanity should be extended to all living creatures.

My Nan would say “animals were put on Earth to judge mans by”. And my Nan was a wise woman. Let’s be judged by our actions. Let’s help Trooper and the others like him out there.

Thanks for reading, and caring.

Jennifer

How Sweet It Is: Sugar Mama’s

There’s a cute little cupcake boutique and bakery in Mount Pearl that I discovered this past Fall. It’s called Sugar Mama’s.

The place has a great retro vibe with diner style tables and vintage ad posters adorning the walls. You can buy your favourite cheeky vintage print right off the wall while you wait for your cupcakes.

What’s better than the fun atmosphere is the baking. Wow! I’m serious, owner Laine Rideout and her staff sure knows their way around a cupcake. They taste just as good (if not better) than the ones I’ve tried in those wildly popular gourmet cupcake shops in New York City.

Sugar Mama’s really has the look, feel and taste that makes it a refreshing little speciality spot that I’m happy to be a customer of. In December, I had custom cupcakes made to order for a petsitter thank you party (below), and the reaction to them was what I’d hoped for. I plan to come up with more fun ideas for future parties and go back to their bakery for more.

Thanks to Sugar Mama’s addictive deliciousness and beautiful presentation when you buy a box of cupcakes, I’ve become something of a “cupcake fairy”.

This involves surprise cupcake runs after snow storms, dropping off delicious pick-me-up treats to housebound friends on miserable days.

Nothing like a little bit of sugar to perk you up, sure.

And since I’m not much of a baker myself, I can always bring an order of their mini cupcakes to parties and potlucks, and still contribute something delicious to the table. I hear their custom cupcakes are becoming popular for weddings now, too.

Another fun idea they do at Sugar Mama’s is cupcake bouquets delivered to your special somebody. Surprise a family member on their birthday, or cheer up that friend who’s feeling down with an edible bouquet

I like that you can do custom orders with colours and designs to match your party theme, like their awesome Republic of Newfoundland cupcakes with colourful icing matching the flag, as well as partridgeberry and bakeapple jam in the centre.

That would definitely make your friends go “oooh” and then “mmmm!”

My favourites are the Mama Drama (chocolate with the smoothest pink buttercream icing), The Pearl (vanilla) and the Paradise Colada (pineapple and coconut).

Copyright: Sugar Mama's Flickr stream - click this photo to see more pictures of yummy treats.

If you haven’t been there yet, you really should swing by. It’s tucked away in the little strip mall next to Staples and the Shoe Company, near Walmart and Dominion.

Sugar Mama’s is Mount Pearl’s best kept (taste) secret, if you ask me. I love shopping locally and supporting homegrown Newfoundland businesses.

Have you had a taste of Sugar Mama’s yet? What’s you favourite flavour? Any other best kept secrets around the Avalon that you can recommend? It’s always great hearing your feedback!