1. Happy New Year Everyone! May your 2019 be filled with blessings of peace, prosperity, good health and joy.
2. Despite our assumption that we would be staying inside, out of the cold all day today, we got a call from a new friend from the Lutheran church to come over for tea and to meet her husband this very afternoon. Sooo....OF COURSE we went! It was a great afternoon together. I met her at the Christmas seasonal choir at my church and discovered we have many other Lutheran friends in common here in the city. She and her husband are wonderul folk. We are going to all go out to dinner together soon.
3. This evening my husband and I spent two happy hours sorting through piles of old recipes we have been lugging around for years. We kept a very small percentage of them, tossing out about ten pounds of loose recipe papers and small booklets. Oooh, tossing out things we will never use feels SO good!! Every toss away will make the next move that much easier!
4. Had a lovely talk with my parents on the phone this evening to wish them a very happy new year. Dad sounded good, just amazed that after a whole 2 weeks (as of tomorrow) his abdominal incision is still so painful. He truly has no idea about surgical recovery times as he has had so few as an adult. The home care nurse replaced all the dressings just this morning so we know there is no infection. It is painful simply from the natural healing process. Abdominal incisions are always painful for a good long time. Mom sounds completely exhausted from having to wait on Dad hand and foot while he recovers. She also wasn't able to hide her disappointment that they weren't able to attend the facility New Years Eve party this evening due to Dad not being up to it. I SO wish she could feel peaceful about stepping out to things on her own, but she refuses to leave him for 5 seconds unless he is tucked safely into bed. Sigh....
5. On the other hand....about 40 minutes after our conversation, Mom called me back. Dad had fallen again just after our chat, as he has NO balance and tried to take a few steps without his walker. He never seems to learn. Aaaaargh!! He smashed his head into the bedroom dresser and was bleeding horribly...typical head wound. He freaked out, Mom called the ambulance and the EMT's pronounced it a surface cut not requiring stitches nor a trip to emergency unless he wanted to go. Of course he didn't want to go back there, so HOPEFULLY he is now sleeping soundly for the night. My mom won't sleep a wink and will be checking him every time he so much as twitches in bed tonight. I have NO idea this evening as to what an appropriate prayer is for either of my parents. Dad is falling down regularly, often a pre-curser to dying for one reason and another, (in his case a broken hip is a looming possibility), his heart is acting up again and he has to see the heart specialist a couple of days from now. Mom is so tired I am expecting her to drop in her tracks any day and then what is going to happen to Dad? I just have no clue how to talk to God about this situation properly.
6. Our son texted that he is off to a New Years Eve party with his Buddhist buddy. At least we know he will be relatively safe! Not much drinking going on with that crowd.
7. We shall see what tomorrow brings after a second bitterly cold night. I am hoping the low temperature means there will not be many drunken party goers standing at the bus stop half the night hollering "Happy New Year" at the top of their lungs. Last year it was also cold and that kept the noise down far better than the warmer New Year's Eve the year previously.
8. I am trying to stay awake for another 11 minutes until the new year actually arrives....not sure I will make it....zzzzz...
Monday, December 31, 2018
Sunday, December 30, 2018
The Best Christmas Week Of My Life
Two weeks ago this very minute we were arriving at our local airport to pick up our son and bring him home for a week's visit. That week was special, very meaningful, healing, fun, relaxing...you name all the good things and they describe my week with my son perfectly!
Christmas Day dinner with the same friends who threw the patio party today was an unexpected treat. Over the past week we enjoyed all the leftovers from our son's cooking efforts, we had a special meal out together just the two of us, there was another turkey dinner for us to share in this past Friday evening, there were art gallery visits and friends coming over for dinners, there were visits with two sets of cousins, one set from each side of my husband's family, there was good weather and bad, there were grocery shopping trips that netted us all manner of delicious "once a year" goodies, there were boxing matches on tv, there were new video games to play on the slower days....it has been two straight weeks of joy! Boxing Day was literally the only day in the two week period where we stayed home all day. It has been MY kind of holiday and even my tired husband has enjoyed it all with me.
Now we have two days of wickedly cold weather before another warming trend arrives for awhile. No matter....we are both ready to spend a couple of days hibernating indoors after all the fun and socializing we have experienced over the holidays.
Usually the whole Christmas season is one of painful dread of bad memories for me. This year it was like being dropped into a different life, someone else's life where the painful past Christmases simply went unremembered.
I am grateful to God, to family and to friends for this wonderful time of celebration and fun. Now my husband and I have some time to veg and chat, pray and try to discern what our next move should be as a new year soon begins. We both suspect that two days at home hibernating will be more than enough for both of us...this socializing thing is too much fun to step away from for too many days in a row! hahaha
Christmas Day dinner with the same friends who threw the patio party today was an unexpected treat. Over the past week we enjoyed all the leftovers from our son's cooking efforts, we had a special meal out together just the two of us, there was another turkey dinner for us to share in this past Friday evening, there were art gallery visits and friends coming over for dinners, there were visits with two sets of cousins, one set from each side of my husband's family, there was good weather and bad, there were grocery shopping trips that netted us all manner of delicious "once a year" goodies, there were boxing matches on tv, there were new video games to play on the slower days....it has been two straight weeks of joy! Boxing Day was literally the only day in the two week period where we stayed home all day. It has been MY kind of holiday and even my tired husband has enjoyed it all with me.
Now we have two days of wickedly cold weather before another warming trend arrives for awhile. No matter....we are both ready to spend a couple of days hibernating indoors after all the fun and socializing we have experienced over the holidays.
Usually the whole Christmas season is one of painful dread of bad memories for me. This year it was like being dropped into a different life, someone else's life where the painful past Christmases simply went unremembered.
I am grateful to God, to family and to friends for this wonderful time of celebration and fun. Now my husband and I have some time to veg and chat, pray and try to discern what our next move should be as a new year soon begins. We both suspect that two days at home hibernating will be more than enough for both of us...this socializing thing is too much fun to step away from for too many days in a row! hahaha
Dangerous Dancing Beans!! (Culinary Disaster #5)
Ya' gotta watch those blast(ed?)(ing?) baked beans!
Today after church some friends decided to throw a pantry party at their home for ourselves and another couple. We all raced home to grab whatever foods we had handy and then got together to see what sort of meal we could cobble out of the items we brought.
Since my husband spent two full days preparing his delicious baked beans, of course that was one of the items we took to the party. Sigh.... I should have let my husband be the one who ladled them out of the big bean pot and into the smaller casserole dish for taking to our friends' place. Part of the fun of the party was for each couple to race off across the city to get home, grab whatever food items were closest at hand and race back to our hosts' house as quickly as possible. I decided I could save us time by leaving my winter boots laced up and simply reach across the small space between the edge of the floor mat and the stovetop to ladle the beans.
Why do I never learn? While my husband watched helplessly, after offering to help his stubborn wife who refused to listen to reason, I managed to ladle an entire scoop of beans out of the bean pot, directly onto the kitchen floor, where I managed to step on one of the errant little beanies and subsequently smoosh it into the floor mat with the sole of my boot. YICK!! YUCK!! EEEEWWWWW!!! Orangy, tomatoee, navy bean mush all over the carpet and no time to wash it out before having to race off for the pantry party. Such fun to clean when we finally returned home several hours later. And no, I didn't make my husband help me wash out the goo. I owned my own disaster this time.
The beans however are very, very tasty! He used the right amount of molasses, mustard, sage, rosemary and basil and the flavour is to die for! The people we ate lunch with certainly enjoyed them and our host was pleased that he was able to keep the small carton that was left over after we gorged ourselves on those beans, as well as two types of Italian sausage, mixed greens salad with maple syrup dressing, dill pickles, rosemary bread, fruit and nut whole grain bread, whiskey laced cheddar cheese and a dessert of the freshest, most delicious stollen I have had the pleasure of eating in a long time, plus whole fresh dates and cherries. We washed down our feast with red wines and hot tea. The party was great fun!!
We didn't eat dinner until after 8pm this evening....some VERY plain chicken meatloaf, green beans and carrots and another spoonful each of baked beans because they are just so danged delicious!
That is when I found out how dangerous baked beans with ham cubes can truly be! Now forgive me if I am the last person on the planet to make this discovery, not being a real cook and all, but I had no idea that trying to warm my dinner in the microwave was going to result in the massive explosion of several beans and two of the ham cubes! Aiiii yiiiii What an horrendous mess inside the microwave. The explosion blew the cover right off my plate, so the bits of food and sauce ended up evenly distributed inside the entire microwave space, not just under the plate cover. What a disgusting looking accident!
Sooooo....I simply shut the door on the microwave and wandered into the living room to watch some tv while we ate our dinner. There was plenty of time afterward to go and clean up the exploded beans and ham. Cleaning up took quite some time....blecch!
Well....I won't do that again! (Ya' wanna bet?? sigh......)
Today after church some friends decided to throw a pantry party at their home for ourselves and another couple. We all raced home to grab whatever foods we had handy and then got together to see what sort of meal we could cobble out of the items we brought.
Since my husband spent two full days preparing his delicious baked beans, of course that was one of the items we took to the party. Sigh.... I should have let my husband be the one who ladled them out of the big bean pot and into the smaller casserole dish for taking to our friends' place. Part of the fun of the party was for each couple to race off across the city to get home, grab whatever food items were closest at hand and race back to our hosts' house as quickly as possible. I decided I could save us time by leaving my winter boots laced up and simply reach across the small space between the edge of the floor mat and the stovetop to ladle the beans.
Why do I never learn? While my husband watched helplessly, after offering to help his stubborn wife who refused to listen to reason, I managed to ladle an entire scoop of beans out of the bean pot, directly onto the kitchen floor, where I managed to step on one of the errant little beanies and subsequently smoosh it into the floor mat with the sole of my boot. YICK!! YUCK!! EEEEWWWWW!!! Orangy, tomatoee, navy bean mush all over the carpet and no time to wash it out before having to race off for the pantry party. Such fun to clean when we finally returned home several hours later. And no, I didn't make my husband help me wash out the goo. I owned my own disaster this time.
The beans however are very, very tasty! He used the right amount of molasses, mustard, sage, rosemary and basil and the flavour is to die for! The people we ate lunch with certainly enjoyed them and our host was pleased that he was able to keep the small carton that was left over after we gorged ourselves on those beans, as well as two types of Italian sausage, mixed greens salad with maple syrup dressing, dill pickles, rosemary bread, fruit and nut whole grain bread, whiskey laced cheddar cheese and a dessert of the freshest, most delicious stollen I have had the pleasure of eating in a long time, plus whole fresh dates and cherries. We washed down our feast with red wines and hot tea. The party was great fun!!
We didn't eat dinner until after 8pm this evening....some VERY plain chicken meatloaf, green beans and carrots and another spoonful each of baked beans because they are just so danged delicious!
That is when I found out how dangerous baked beans with ham cubes can truly be! Now forgive me if I am the last person on the planet to make this discovery, not being a real cook and all, but I had no idea that trying to warm my dinner in the microwave was going to result in the massive explosion of several beans and two of the ham cubes! Aiiii yiiiii What an horrendous mess inside the microwave. The explosion blew the cover right off my plate, so the bits of food and sauce ended up evenly distributed inside the entire microwave space, not just under the plate cover. What a disgusting looking accident!
Sooooo....I simply shut the door on the microwave and wandered into the living room to watch some tv while we ate our dinner. There was plenty of time afterward to go and clean up the exploded beans and ham. Cleaning up took quite some time....blecch!
Well....I won't do that again! (Ya' wanna bet?? sigh......)
Saturday, December 29, 2018
More Cousins! More Leftovers! (Leftover Food That Is, Not Leftover Cousins)
This afternoon we spent a couple of hours with cousins from the other side of my husband's family! The parents of a younger cousin who moved here recently, as well as her siblings, were here this week for a visit and today we got to have tea and snacks together. What a lovely afternoon.
It has been over three years since we have seen most of the members of this family. What a treat to get together and get caught up on each others' travel adventures, moves to new accommodations, university updates, career plans, new significant others, church experiences and life in general. It was just marvellous and today we realized how much we have missed seeing these relatives as often we we used to when we lived closer to them. Of course we forgot to take any photos on my phone....duh....but at least we have hopes of seeing them again in the not so distant future.
Today we finished up the rest of the leftovers and fresh cooking ingredients our son gifted us with during his visit. Rib eye steak and eggs for breakfast, melted blue cheese on sauteed veggies for lunch and tonight we used the remaining tomato sauce on our pita pizzas. Oooooh, so good, just the right amount of heat in that sauce. My husband made a delicious salad out of the leftover fresh produce: basil and rosemary and cilantro chopped onto a bed of arugula and radishes sliced paper thin, minced red pepper and small chunks of celery. It was so delicious, particularly when we added the last few drops of the salad dressing our son made. And now our delicious "kitchen cheat foods" are done with. Tomorrow it will be time to start cooking for ourselves again. In the freezer this evening I discovered a container with half a chicken loaf in it, so that will be thawed for tomorrow's lunch or dinner. I have some long grain wild rice that will be tasty with it and the last of the vegetable casserole from yesterday. Reheating previously frozen and cooked foods....a gentle re-entry into cooking for ourselves once again. hahahaha
It has been over three years since we have seen most of the members of this family. What a treat to get together and get caught up on each others' travel adventures, moves to new accommodations, university updates, career plans, new significant others, church experiences and life in general. It was just marvellous and today we realized how much we have missed seeing these relatives as often we we used to when we lived closer to them. Of course we forgot to take any photos on my phone....duh....but at least we have hopes of seeing them again in the not so distant future.
Today we finished up the rest of the leftovers and fresh cooking ingredients our son gifted us with during his visit. Rib eye steak and eggs for breakfast, melted blue cheese on sauteed veggies for lunch and tonight we used the remaining tomato sauce on our pita pizzas. Oooooh, so good, just the right amount of heat in that sauce. My husband made a delicious salad out of the leftover fresh produce: basil and rosemary and cilantro chopped onto a bed of arugula and radishes sliced paper thin, minced red pepper and small chunks of celery. It was so delicious, particularly when we added the last few drops of the salad dressing our son made. And now our delicious "kitchen cheat foods" are done with. Tomorrow it will be time to start cooking for ourselves again. In the freezer this evening I discovered a container with half a chicken loaf in it, so that will be thawed for tomorrow's lunch or dinner. I have some long grain wild rice that will be tasty with it and the last of the vegetable casserole from yesterday. Reheating previously frozen and cooked foods....a gentle re-entry into cooking for ourselves once again. hahahaha
Trying a Change in Dietary Carbs
Starting today at lunch time I am going to begin a new regime to do with my carbohydrate intake. I have decided to attempt to greatly restrict my carbs from grain products and vastly increase my carbs from vegetables.
Bread has been a problem for my husband and I for the past 5 or 6 years as we cannot eat the same types. The lower fat and sodium content, whole wheat, artisan breads that would be thought to be good for us both, tend to also contain either other North American grains my husband is allergic to, or else a variety of South American grains that I cannot tolerate the taste of. White bread is out for both of us and has been for some time. The regular large-bakery, store sliced loaves are so full of fats and sodium, along with their ingesting them being akin to running against the wind with your mouth open for texture and flavour, do not appeal to either of us. So we both tend to overeat the few types that we can enjoy.
We have loved bread, both of us, all our lives and the idea of cutting back any more than I all ready have is rather abhorrent, but I want to see how my A1C turns out and how I feel generally once I change over to the plant based carbs. So, my lunch today will be leftovers of the veggies I took to our friends' dinner last evening and some yogurt. The cheese in the veggie will give it a higher fat content than I need, but since I used mostly lower fat cheese and there isn't that much of it mixed into the huge casserole I made, o well....... Freshly steamed veggies with a smattering of white balsamic vinegar is delicious and close to being fat free, so that is another option.
I want to radically alter my diet once again, partly for recovering from the boredom of nearly six years of the same old same old and partly because I truly think the loss of grains will be more healthy than not for me.
Guess we will see how it goes over the next three months until my next diabetes blood work. Here's hoping the sacrifice is worth it!
Bread has been a problem for my husband and I for the past 5 or 6 years as we cannot eat the same types. The lower fat and sodium content, whole wheat, artisan breads that would be thought to be good for us both, tend to also contain either other North American grains my husband is allergic to, or else a variety of South American grains that I cannot tolerate the taste of. White bread is out for both of us and has been for some time. The regular large-bakery, store sliced loaves are so full of fats and sodium, along with their ingesting them being akin to running against the wind with your mouth open for texture and flavour, do not appeal to either of us. So we both tend to overeat the few types that we can enjoy.
We have loved bread, both of us, all our lives and the idea of cutting back any more than I all ready have is rather abhorrent, but I want to see how my A1C turns out and how I feel generally once I change over to the plant based carbs. So, my lunch today will be leftovers of the veggies I took to our friends' dinner last evening and some yogurt. The cheese in the veggie will give it a higher fat content than I need, but since I used mostly lower fat cheese and there isn't that much of it mixed into the huge casserole I made, o well....... Freshly steamed veggies with a smattering of white balsamic vinegar is delicious and close to being fat free, so that is another option.
I want to radically alter my diet once again, partly for recovering from the boredom of nearly six years of the same old same old and partly because I truly think the loss of grains will be more healthy than not for me.
Guess we will see how it goes over the next three months until my next diabetes blood work. Here's hoping the sacrifice is worth it!
A Way I Enjoy Using Fresh Rosemary Leaves
I am learning how much I enjoy having a fresh leaf of rosemary topping a chunk of cheddar or Pacific Rock hard cheese. O my that is tasty. Again, so simple but so delicious. Our son discovered on his recent trip to Italy how simple the pasta dishes and appetizers are there. The toppings on the pasta bowls are minimal, but so delicious and the appetizers in the places he visited are known for flavor rather than difficulty in execution. It was fun learning a few easy culinary "tricks" from him this visit. Rosemary leaves topping a small chunk, not a flat slice, of cheese, even the low fat varieties I usually have to eat, then placed on a cracker of any kind makes a delicious finger bite. My husband sliced a baguette into thin slices and baked them in the toaster over to make crispy "chips" and they were wonderful with the cheese and rosemary. Yummy!
I have never been the least bit interested in cooking or culinary creativity, ever in my life, but recently I have been enjoying figuring out a few things and learning some simple tips for making plain foods more interesting. Thank you son! After watching you cooking in my kitchen I am feeling at least somewhat inspired!
I have never been the least bit interested in cooking or culinary creativity, ever in my life, but recently I have been enjoying figuring out a few things and learning some simple tips for making plain foods more interesting. Thank you son! After watching you cooking in my kitchen I am feeling at least somewhat inspired!
Yummy Cheesy Vegetable Recipe
I was thrilled with the way the vegetable casserole I made last evening was enjoyed by all the folk at the dinner. It is so easy...aka Just My Style! hahaha Here is the receipe if you are interested in making it some time:
Pre-cook the following:
4 peeled carrots
3 large sticks of celery
1-2 cups each of green beans, cauliflowerets and broccoli heads
Drain the vegetables, then put into large baking dish or pot and let cool.
In a separate large bowl mix the following:
3/4 cup real mayonnaise
2 oz. blue cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar
Salt/pepper to taste
(I actually added half a pack of chicken wing herbs/spices to give it a bit more zip.)
Combine cheese/mayo mix with the cooked veggies.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese over the top and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Leave the lid off the baking dish/pot.
Pre-cook the following:
4 peeled carrots
3 large sticks of celery
1-2 cups each of green beans, cauliflowerets and broccoli heads
Drain the vegetables, then put into large baking dish or pot and let cool.
In a separate large bowl mix the following:
3/4 cup real mayonnaise
2 oz. blue cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar
Salt/pepper to taste
(I actually added half a pack of chicken wing herbs/spices to give it a bit more zip.)
Combine cheese/mayo mix with the cooked veggies.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese over the top and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Leave the lid off the baking dish/pot.
Happy Memories From Our Christmas Week
Our son has been sending us the photos he took when he was visiting last week and I got a kick out of this one of my husband: I am titling it "Exhausted, But Exuberant"! I can see both elements in the man's face.
Friday, December 28, 2018
Things Culinary: 1 Disaster, 2 Disasters, 3 Disasters, 4!
Sigh....
For some reason I cannot fathom, instead of waking up at my usual time, thereby ensuring all my meal times would be straightened out today to line up with the early dinner with friends I knew we would be having tonight, I slept in until nearly 9:30am...a good two hours late. Yikes.... So, I ate a lighter breakfast than I generally eat in order to be able to move my lunchtime up by a half hour, but it set me up for a touch of the crabbies. Disaster 1!
After breakfast I decided to make tonight's dessert: brownies. For Christmas a friend gave me a quart sealer jar filled with the ingredients required, all layered in the jar to make it look like a sand painting. It felt like blasphemy or something opening that jar to use the layers of flour and cocoa and sugar and chocolate chips. hahaha Unfortunately the layer of brown sugar right on the top had dried just enough to mold itself to the top inside of the jar, meaning that the lower half of the sugar did not fit through the narrower jar opening. I had to get a sharp knife blade to break it up into chunks small enough to get through the opening and that created a risk of it falling out very quickly and the ingredients beneath falling all over the kitchen counter or the floor as I shook out the brown sugar chunks! Fortunately that didn't happen, but it almost did and my hands were shaking by the time I was able to pour the rest of the ingredients safely into the bowl. Then I nearly spun the mixing bowl off the edge of the counter. Fortunately I was able to catch the bowl in time before it fell, but in the process still managed to clumsily lose some of the flour onto the floor. O no....disaster number 2, but other than being a bit gooeyer than they would have been with the full complement of flour, the brownies were edible and our host and other guests seemed to enjoy them. Whew!
Disaster number 3 happened during the preparation of the vegetable casserole I was making for tonight's dinner. I had all the carrots, celery sticks, green beans, cauliflower and broccoli pre-cooked and spooned into the baking dish to await the cheese/mayo mixture that was going to be added in, when I reached into the cupboard for a glass one cup measure. In the process my arthritic fumble fingers smacked into the glass two cup measure and it fell off the cupboard shelf onto the edge of the stove where the stovetop meets with the countertop. It smashed into a gazillion fragments and long shards of glass and guess where most of it ended up: yup, in my freshly prepared casserole dish of vegetables! Sigh.... I had to dump the entire dish of freshly prepared veggies into the garbage, thoroughly vaccum out and then wash the baking dish, then while I was vaccuming up the rest of the glass from the countertop and floor and stovetop I had to assess whether or not I had sufficient vegetables left to remake the casserole or had to make a fast dash to the grocery store for all new ones. Fortunately I had just enough fresh vegetables left in the refrigerator to recook the entire dish. Thanking God I had not yet mixed in the cheeses and mayo as I used all of those products in my refrigerator and would have definitely had to race to the store to replace them, leaving me little time to get the dish completed before leaving for our friends' house. Whew!!
Disaster #4 was more specifically a diet disaster as there were no more issues with the actual food. The disaster is that I simply ate way too much of it. I ate so many carbs that if I was to have an A1C done right about now I would be on insulin for the rest of my life!!!! I suppose it was the realization that this was the last of our holiday meals and celebrations and that starting on Monday, after some final, less food filled visits over the weekend, real life begins again in earnest and at this moment I am not terribly excited about that. O well.....all good things must come to an end. We cannot continue to feast and frolic forever, right?
We arrived home from our spectacular evening visit and dinner to a sad phone call from our son. He found out yesterday that due to some of the southern president's new laws, the cost of renewing his visa this summer has now doubled. Barring a near miracle of finances he is not going to be able to afford to renew. He is feeling devasted, confused and afraid after not sleeping a wink last night. He sees his dream coming to an abrupt and unexpected end and needed to talk about his troubles to his parents who have had all manner of similar shocks and disappointments in life. I think he was feeling a lot better after we reminded him of how God has provided for him in times past and how finances or lack thereof can be a wonderful way of discovering direction in life. He still has six months to figure out what is going to happen next. I suspect he also just needed to hear us telling him that if all else fails he is always welcome to come live with us, wherever we may be by then, while he looks for Canadian employment again, so that he knows he will not be homeless if everything he is presently attempting to achieve falls through. That seemed to relax him. I know one thing for certain: if he ever finds himself living at home again at his age, there will be no greater motivation for him to be finding a full time job that gets him back to his own accommodation and life! hahahahahaha So, we are praying he can sell a couple of paintings over the next few months to pay off his upcoming US income tax bill and provide for his visa costs if he is to stay in NYC, or elsewhere in the south. That makes all three of us looking at possible huge changes in circumstances over the next six months....not the first time we have all been in this position at the same time. hahaha Okay God, what are you doing NOW? hahahahaha
Life is never boring is it? Hallelujah!!!!
For some reason I cannot fathom, instead of waking up at my usual time, thereby ensuring all my meal times would be straightened out today to line up with the early dinner with friends I knew we would be having tonight, I slept in until nearly 9:30am...a good two hours late. Yikes.... So, I ate a lighter breakfast than I generally eat in order to be able to move my lunchtime up by a half hour, but it set me up for a touch of the crabbies. Disaster 1!
After breakfast I decided to make tonight's dessert: brownies. For Christmas a friend gave me a quart sealer jar filled with the ingredients required, all layered in the jar to make it look like a sand painting. It felt like blasphemy or something opening that jar to use the layers of flour and cocoa and sugar and chocolate chips. hahaha Unfortunately the layer of brown sugar right on the top had dried just enough to mold itself to the top inside of the jar, meaning that the lower half of the sugar did not fit through the narrower jar opening. I had to get a sharp knife blade to break it up into chunks small enough to get through the opening and that created a risk of it falling out very quickly and the ingredients beneath falling all over the kitchen counter or the floor as I shook out the brown sugar chunks! Fortunately that didn't happen, but it almost did and my hands were shaking by the time I was able to pour the rest of the ingredients safely into the bowl. Then I nearly spun the mixing bowl off the edge of the counter. Fortunately I was able to catch the bowl in time before it fell, but in the process still managed to clumsily lose some of the flour onto the floor. O no....disaster number 2, but other than being a bit gooeyer than they would have been with the full complement of flour, the brownies were edible and our host and other guests seemed to enjoy them. Whew!
Disaster number 3 happened during the preparation of the vegetable casserole I was making for tonight's dinner. I had all the carrots, celery sticks, green beans, cauliflower and broccoli pre-cooked and spooned into the baking dish to await the cheese/mayo mixture that was going to be added in, when I reached into the cupboard for a glass one cup measure. In the process my arthritic fumble fingers smacked into the glass two cup measure and it fell off the cupboard shelf onto the edge of the stove where the stovetop meets with the countertop. It smashed into a gazillion fragments and long shards of glass and guess where most of it ended up: yup, in my freshly prepared casserole dish of vegetables! Sigh.... I had to dump the entire dish of freshly prepared veggies into the garbage, thoroughly vaccum out and then wash the baking dish, then while I was vaccuming up the rest of the glass from the countertop and floor and stovetop I had to assess whether or not I had sufficient vegetables left to remake the casserole or had to make a fast dash to the grocery store for all new ones. Fortunately I had just enough fresh vegetables left in the refrigerator to recook the entire dish. Thanking God I had not yet mixed in the cheeses and mayo as I used all of those products in my refrigerator and would have definitely had to race to the store to replace them, leaving me little time to get the dish completed before leaving for our friends' house. Whew!!
Disaster #4 was more specifically a diet disaster as there were no more issues with the actual food. The disaster is that I simply ate way too much of it. I ate so many carbs that if I was to have an A1C done right about now I would be on insulin for the rest of my life!!!! I suppose it was the realization that this was the last of our holiday meals and celebrations and that starting on Monday, after some final, less food filled visits over the weekend, real life begins again in earnest and at this moment I am not terribly excited about that. O well.....all good things must come to an end. We cannot continue to feast and frolic forever, right?
We arrived home from our spectacular evening visit and dinner to a sad phone call from our son. He found out yesterday that due to some of the southern president's new laws, the cost of renewing his visa this summer has now doubled. Barring a near miracle of finances he is not going to be able to afford to renew. He is feeling devasted, confused and afraid after not sleeping a wink last night. He sees his dream coming to an abrupt and unexpected end and needed to talk about his troubles to his parents who have had all manner of similar shocks and disappointments in life. I think he was feeling a lot better after we reminded him of how God has provided for him in times past and how finances or lack thereof can be a wonderful way of discovering direction in life. He still has six months to figure out what is going to happen next. I suspect he also just needed to hear us telling him that if all else fails he is always welcome to come live with us, wherever we may be by then, while he looks for Canadian employment again, so that he knows he will not be homeless if everything he is presently attempting to achieve falls through. That seemed to relax him. I know one thing for certain: if he ever finds himself living at home again at his age, there will be no greater motivation for him to be finding a full time job that gets him back to his own accommodation and life! hahahahahaha So, we are praying he can sell a couple of paintings over the next few months to pay off his upcoming US income tax bill and provide for his visa costs if he is to stay in NYC, or elsewhere in the south. That makes all three of us looking at possible huge changes in circumstances over the next six months....not the first time we have all been in this position at the same time. hahaha Okay God, what are you doing NOW? hahahahaha
Life is never boring is it? Hallelujah!!!!
Thursday, December 27, 2018
A Day Well Planned and Executed...Pip, Pip.....
So life is returning to the usual state of affairs now that the son has returned home. He sent us a photo on Christmas Day evening from a lovely rooftop pub where he was feasting with a friend. In the background, through the floor to ceiling windows, the view of the Empire State Building and surrounding buildings all lit up with Christmas lights was just gorgeous. I can understand why he is so content with life there. Today, back at work for the second day since his holiday, he was eating delicious Israeli food on his lunch break. hahaha When it comes to food my son doesn't "do boring"!!! hahaha
We had an excellent day. Every errand went as scheduled for a change. We were up early to get the car into the dealership for a change of airbag after a recent recall....the second air bag recall in the past three years. The mechanic also replaced a burned out bulb in the tail lighting system. A shuttle was available for rides to and from the dealership, so that was most convenient.
I was at home afterward just long enough to do the ironing from yesterday's laundry extravaganza before we headed out to do foodie errands: replacing our reverse osmosis water jugs, getting to a couple of banks for grocery money and going to the large Superstore on the east side for the groceries I need to prepare some veggies and a dessert for dinner at friends' tomorrow. The running of errands went like clockwork...no hold ups, no discovery of a business closed for the day that we had counted on being open. We had time for a bit of lunch at a new pub on Quance, just west of Leopold's. It is called The Hop and Vine and it opened a month ago. The decor isn't much, and it is mostly a sports bar with a poor selection of beer and wine, as in the cheapest "popular" brands, BUT the food was very good. My husband had the vegetarian pizza and said it was the best selection of veggies on a pizza he has ever had. There wasn't enough green pepper to overwhelm the other flavours, what a nice change of pace! The parmesan cheese in the shaker was actual ground parmesan, not that icky powder that is the usual in restaurant shakers! I had the special: a bowl of cream of chicken/veggie soup and a hot hamburger sandwich. Everything was piping hot when it arrived at the table, so that was a treat. The soup was creamy and full of veggies and chicken. The hot hamburger was a HUGE patty of decent meat smothered in that thin packaged, pale "gravy" that I don't care for, but under that gravy was enough sauteed onion that I forgave them for it. It was on one slice of garlic toast and I was grateful for that. When there are two slices of toast on a hot sandwich it is difficult to find enough room on the plate to discard the one I can't eat and I end up with a mess. Gourmet food this was not, but it was hearty and tasty and not badly priced. The place was clean and the service was excellent. For lunch I would definitely try it again sometime.
When we got home mid-afternoon we had time to do some emailing and make a couple of phone calls. I stumbled across a local news item that the price of gasoline is going to skyrocket here tomorrow, so I went back out with the car and filled the gas tank at the lower price. My husband had a nap. After dinner we watched a silly movie and enjoyed the reality break! Now it is time to get to sleep, but I have a book I want to finish first.
Yes, it was a good day, despite the continued snow showers and the dropping temperature outside. We are in for about three or four days of temperatures in the -20C to -27C range and then we will be experiencing a return to unseasonably high temperatures....at least that is the forecast for the moment. I do hope it is correct!!
We had an excellent day. Every errand went as scheduled for a change. We were up early to get the car into the dealership for a change of airbag after a recent recall....the second air bag recall in the past three years. The mechanic also replaced a burned out bulb in the tail lighting system. A shuttle was available for rides to and from the dealership, so that was most convenient.
I was at home afterward just long enough to do the ironing from yesterday's laundry extravaganza before we headed out to do foodie errands: replacing our reverse osmosis water jugs, getting to a couple of banks for grocery money and going to the large Superstore on the east side for the groceries I need to prepare some veggies and a dessert for dinner at friends' tomorrow. The running of errands went like clockwork...no hold ups, no discovery of a business closed for the day that we had counted on being open. We had time for a bit of lunch at a new pub on Quance, just west of Leopold's. It is called The Hop and Vine and it opened a month ago. The decor isn't much, and it is mostly a sports bar with a poor selection of beer and wine, as in the cheapest "popular" brands, BUT the food was very good. My husband had the vegetarian pizza and said it was the best selection of veggies on a pizza he has ever had. There wasn't enough green pepper to overwhelm the other flavours, what a nice change of pace! The parmesan cheese in the shaker was actual ground parmesan, not that icky powder that is the usual in restaurant shakers! I had the special: a bowl of cream of chicken/veggie soup and a hot hamburger sandwich. Everything was piping hot when it arrived at the table, so that was a treat. The soup was creamy and full of veggies and chicken. The hot hamburger was a HUGE patty of decent meat smothered in that thin packaged, pale "gravy" that I don't care for, but under that gravy was enough sauteed onion that I forgave them for it. It was on one slice of garlic toast and I was grateful for that. When there are two slices of toast on a hot sandwich it is difficult to find enough room on the plate to discard the one I can't eat and I end up with a mess. Gourmet food this was not, but it was hearty and tasty and not badly priced. The place was clean and the service was excellent. For lunch I would definitely try it again sometime.
When we got home mid-afternoon we had time to do some emailing and make a couple of phone calls. I stumbled across a local news item that the price of gasoline is going to skyrocket here tomorrow, so I went back out with the car and filled the gas tank at the lower price. My husband had a nap. After dinner we watched a silly movie and enjoyed the reality break! Now it is time to get to sleep, but I have a book I want to finish first.
Yes, it was a good day, despite the continued snow showers and the dropping temperature outside. We are in for about three or four days of temperatures in the -20C to -27C range and then we will be experiencing a return to unseasonably high temperatures....at least that is the forecast for the moment. I do hope it is correct!!
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Sleeping In
It is quarter to 10am on this Boxing Day morning. I forced myself out of bed just before 9am to keep my meal and medication times somewhat on schedule, but my dear husband is still deeply asleep. It is his first day with no scheduled commitments since his job ended. I hope he will sleep until noon. There is not one thing that he absolutely must do today here at home or anywhere else.
My heart rejoiced to receive a text from our son yesterday as he rode in the taxi home from La Guardia. He is back to work today after having a delicious Christmas Day meal last evening. I am sitting here enjoying the mixed carnation, baby’s breath and fern arrangement he and his father surprised me with the other day. This evening I will enjoy their other gift to me: a drink of my favourite Black Fox cucumber gin. It needs no mixer.
I was afraid my husband would be too exhausted to enjoy the fabulous Christmas dinner with friends last night, but he had a wonderful time. He had a long discussion with our host about construction and architecture, our host’s background as well. We met the children and grandchild of our hosts: long term missionaries in South Africa. It was fun hearing about their adventures there. The 8 year old granddaughter is precocious, very intelligent and going on 30 for vocabulary and thoughts. What fun to hear her expounding on her favourite author of plays, William Shakespeare! She is a seasoned world traveller who is most curious about the geography and culture of the many lands she has all ready seen in her short life. As we were having dessert, the next door neighbors dropped in, so we were able to meet them and expand the conversation to include stories about their jobs on seismic crews and telephone soliciting. What an eclectic group!
As happened yesterday, unforcast snow is drifting down. We don’t actually have much snow on the ground after the warm stretch last week, and what has come down since is less than 5cm so far. There are a few bitterly cold days coming soon, interspersed with days of unseasonal warmth, so dressing appropriately for the outdoors during each temperature change will be very important in order to avoid seasonal colds and influenza. The worst part of these light snowfalls is the way vehicle tires pack the snow into glare ice so quickly. The sidewalks can be clear enough to walk safely on, but crossing the streets at the intersections is treacherous. It is like walking on a curling rink.
Received an email this morning from one of our former parishioners in Japan. The social and theological/cultural issues facing their country and Christian churches are similar to our own. Our parishioner has just completed his thesis for his Masters in theology and it reads like something my husband could have written.
Tomorrow I need to put together a small gift to send to an elderly Japanese couple who were dear friends when we lived in Tokyo. After two happy years where we were able to convince them that gimu no okurimono (obligatory gifts) were no longer necessary now that they are in a nursing home and unable to get out to shop, a few days ago a small box of gifts arrived at our door that they sent. Someone must have gone shopping for them. Sigh....the postage costs for me to return a gift, even a small one, are staggering. The lowest cost for me is more than four times the lowest parcel mailing cost for them! However, I really don’t mind. Their friendship was invaluable to us in Tokyo and has remained deep over the past 18 years despite the language barriers. It is nice to be able to honour them in this small way. I think I will find some smoked salmon for them as it is one of their favourite Canadian treats.
Well, it is on the way to 10:30am. I wonder how quietly I can unload the dishwasher so I don’t wake my husband. I have had a full week of over indulgence at meals and enforced inactivity. My body and mind are screaming for the return to a somewhat more regular schedule. Tomorrow will assist that process as we have to have our vehicle at the dealership before 8am for an airbag replacement. This will be the third attempt to install a bag that does not end up being recalled over possible safety defects.
Here’s to a great rest of the week for one and all!
My heart rejoiced to receive a text from our son yesterday as he rode in the taxi home from La Guardia. He is back to work today after having a delicious Christmas Day meal last evening. I am sitting here enjoying the mixed carnation, baby’s breath and fern arrangement he and his father surprised me with the other day. This evening I will enjoy their other gift to me: a drink of my favourite Black Fox cucumber gin. It needs no mixer.
I was afraid my husband would be too exhausted to enjoy the fabulous Christmas dinner with friends last night, but he had a wonderful time. He had a long discussion with our host about construction and architecture, our host’s background as well. We met the children and grandchild of our hosts: long term missionaries in South Africa. It was fun hearing about their adventures there. The 8 year old granddaughter is precocious, very intelligent and going on 30 for vocabulary and thoughts. What fun to hear her expounding on her favourite author of plays, William Shakespeare! She is a seasoned world traveller who is most curious about the geography and culture of the many lands she has all ready seen in her short life. As we were having dessert, the next door neighbors dropped in, so we were able to meet them and expand the conversation to include stories about their jobs on seismic crews and telephone soliciting. What an eclectic group!
As happened yesterday, unforcast snow is drifting down. We don’t actually have much snow on the ground after the warm stretch last week, and what has come down since is less than 5cm so far. There are a few bitterly cold days coming soon, interspersed with days of unseasonal warmth, so dressing appropriately for the outdoors during each temperature change will be very important in order to avoid seasonal colds and influenza. The worst part of these light snowfalls is the way vehicle tires pack the snow into glare ice so quickly. The sidewalks can be clear enough to walk safely on, but crossing the streets at the intersections is treacherous. It is like walking on a curling rink.
Received an email this morning from one of our former parishioners in Japan. The social and theological/cultural issues facing their country and Christian churches are similar to our own. Our parishioner has just completed his thesis for his Masters in theology and it reads like something my husband could have written.
Tomorrow I need to put together a small gift to send to an elderly Japanese couple who were dear friends when we lived in Tokyo. After two happy years where we were able to convince them that gimu no okurimono (obligatory gifts) were no longer necessary now that they are in a nursing home and unable to get out to shop, a few days ago a small box of gifts arrived at our door that they sent. Someone must have gone shopping for them. Sigh....the postage costs for me to return a gift, even a small one, are staggering. The lowest cost for me is more than four times the lowest parcel mailing cost for them! However, I really don’t mind. Their friendship was invaluable to us in Tokyo and has remained deep over the past 18 years despite the language barriers. It is nice to be able to honour them in this small way. I think I will find some smoked salmon for them as it is one of their favourite Canadian treats.
Well, it is on the way to 10:30am. I wonder how quietly I can unload the dishwasher so I don’t wake my husband. I have had a full week of over indulgence at meals and enforced inactivity. My body and mind are screaming for the return to a somewhat more regular schedule. Tomorrow will assist that process as we have to have our vehicle at the dealership before 8am for an airbag replacement. This will be the third attempt to install a bag that does not end up being recalled over possible safety defects.
Here’s to a great rest of the week for one and all!
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Just Like That, the Visit is Over and Life Goes On
Merry Christmas everyone!
After a fun Christmas Eve service at church last evening, we decided to skip the second later evening service and get some badly needed sleep. So glad we did.
Getting up at 4am was not that difficult after a solid 6 hours of sleep and our son was safely delivered to the airport at 5am. Both his flights have been on schedule and right about now his Toronto flight should be taxiing down the runway, preparing for take off to La Guardia. We didn't have to worry about him starving himself on this flight as there was time to make him a couple of sandwiches and toss in a few pieces of fresh fruit to avoid him having to purchase another brown looking twelve dollar airport salad in Toronto. What a grand week for us all. The other three hours of sleep my husband and I enjoyed after our trip to the airport is certainly making for a happier day here.
As we left the church service last evening, another couple from the congregation told us they expected us to be at their house late this afternoon to share in their family Christmas dinner. We were rather startled by this "won't take no for an answer" invitiation, but have decided to take them up on it. Why not? It will make the day less focused on the loss of our son once again to The Big Apple. I think we would feel less need to be with other people tonight if the visit with our son had not been one of the best in a very long time.
What we noticed about this visit is that as our son has transitioned away from all the relationship mess in Vancouver, he has truly become himself again. It has been a good ten years since we saw him able to focus on anything other than art for conversation and thought. He was able to truly enjoy our visitors and show a genuine interest in their lives and ideas. Over the past couple of years we had nearly given up hope that he would be able to act like himself ever again, that the scars of what happened to him previously would ever be sufficiently healed to allow him to relate to other people in a normal fashion. The changes that have occurred in him over the past two years have been amazing and such a blessed answer to many anguished prayers. Thank you God! It has been a tough ten years for our tiny family of three, but the healing is happening and we are encouraged and thrilled.
It wasn't long before regular daily life intruded once he left. hahaha We had an email and two text messages from Honda to make sure we are going to keep our vehicle servicing appointment a couple of days from now. Whap...talk about a solid return to earth! hahaha Kind of shocking to so quickly leave the happy cocoon we were enveloped in for the past week.
Yup....the special times happen and then life goes on as per usual.....regular life is what brings out the "specialness" of visits like the one we just had.
After a fun Christmas Eve service at church last evening, we decided to skip the second later evening service and get some badly needed sleep. So glad we did.
Getting up at 4am was not that difficult after a solid 6 hours of sleep and our son was safely delivered to the airport at 5am. Both his flights have been on schedule and right about now his Toronto flight should be taxiing down the runway, preparing for take off to La Guardia. We didn't have to worry about him starving himself on this flight as there was time to make him a couple of sandwiches and toss in a few pieces of fresh fruit to avoid him having to purchase another brown looking twelve dollar airport salad in Toronto. What a grand week for us all. The other three hours of sleep my husband and I enjoyed after our trip to the airport is certainly making for a happier day here.
As we left the church service last evening, another couple from the congregation told us they expected us to be at their house late this afternoon to share in their family Christmas dinner. We were rather startled by this "won't take no for an answer" invitiation, but have decided to take them up on it. Why not? It will make the day less focused on the loss of our son once again to The Big Apple. I think we would feel less need to be with other people tonight if the visit with our son had not been one of the best in a very long time.
What we noticed about this visit is that as our son has transitioned away from all the relationship mess in Vancouver, he has truly become himself again. It has been a good ten years since we saw him able to focus on anything other than art for conversation and thought. He was able to truly enjoy our visitors and show a genuine interest in their lives and ideas. Over the past couple of years we had nearly given up hope that he would be able to act like himself ever again, that the scars of what happened to him previously would ever be sufficiently healed to allow him to relate to other people in a normal fashion. The changes that have occurred in him over the past two years have been amazing and such a blessed answer to many anguished prayers. Thank you God! It has been a tough ten years for our tiny family of three, but the healing is happening and we are encouraged and thrilled.
It wasn't long before regular daily life intruded once he left. hahaha We had an email and two text messages from Honda to make sure we are going to keep our vehicle servicing appointment a couple of days from now. Whap...talk about a solid return to earth! hahaha Kind of shocking to so quickly leave the happy cocoon we were enveloped in for the past week.
Yup....the special times happen and then life goes on as per usual.....regular life is what brings out the "specialness" of visits like the one we just had.
Monday, December 24, 2018
Coping As the Visit Draws To a Close = Over Blogging!
I suspect I am going to burst into tears and totally embarrass myself at the airport when our son goes through security tomorrow morning and gives his last wave before disappearing into the waiting lounge. I can all ready feel it coming on........sigh.....
Probably the reason it is so difficult to say farewell this time is because of the uncertainty happening about the future in all our lives right now. Our son has work until March, then may have to be looking for a new employment situation again, as well as possibly seeking new accommodation if his current building goes up for sale. My husband is unemployed now and we have zero ideas about what will happen next, if we will be forced to move to a cheaper accommodation, or right out of the province.....nothing is certain, so this little quiet bubble we have been living in together for the past week has been incredibly calming.
This morning we didn't sleep in for quite as long, so we got laundry done and had a relaxing cup of tea before heading out for brunch at India Palace. It was delicious....I am not actually much of a buffet fan to be honest, as it is such a different style of cooking than for fresh off the menu items, but India Palace does a pretty good job.
Then we had to go to two different banks. Not only did my husband's long awaited study leave reimbursement cheque finally arrive, but so did a long awaited cheque of my son's. How nice he was here to collect it and make his own deposit into his Canadian account. YAY!
We spent the early afternoon playing with my husband's new turntable, attaching myriad old speakers and experimenting with the sounds. As suspected, we are going to have to get some new speakers to pull out the mid-range sound more effectively. Everything else we have cobbled together for components is working well.
In a couple of hours we will leave for the family service at my church. My son is interested in seeing the building and meeting the pastor. Then we will come home to munch on some yummy leftovers before the next service, a more traditional Anglican service from the Book of Common Prayer. I am still trying to decide if I will attend it as well, or send the men on their own while I stay home and make up some sandwiches for my son to take with him on the flight tomorrow. I don't want to have to be making them at 4am or who knows what he will find between those slabs of whole wheat bread?? Not a morning person...and neither is he! Aaaargh....4am wake up time....blecch!! BUT it will get him into Toronto early enough to have less hassle with late arrivals to Pearson and possible shorter delays from there to La Guardia. That is the hope anyway.
This week has gone by too quickly. All the uncertainty in our lives means we have no idea when we will all be able to see each other again. That is unsettling to me, hence the teary reaction to him leaving.
We had about 3cm of snowfall overnight and throughout this morning. It is quite beautiful outside, despite the drop in temperature and driving on streets that seem to be covered in oatmeal! After we arrived home our son took a nice walk around Wascana Lake to enjoy the fresh snow and the nippy winter air. The next couple of days are to be much colder, so we will plug in our car tonight to ensure it starts tomorrow at 4:45am! Wouldn't that be something, eh? Rushing to the airport at the last minute for an early morning flight and the car too cold to start....a nightmare. Thank you Lord for block heaters and power cords for vehicles in the winter!
Probably the reason it is so difficult to say farewell this time is because of the uncertainty happening about the future in all our lives right now. Our son has work until March, then may have to be looking for a new employment situation again, as well as possibly seeking new accommodation if his current building goes up for sale. My husband is unemployed now and we have zero ideas about what will happen next, if we will be forced to move to a cheaper accommodation, or right out of the province.....nothing is certain, so this little quiet bubble we have been living in together for the past week has been incredibly calming.
This morning we didn't sleep in for quite as long, so we got laundry done and had a relaxing cup of tea before heading out for brunch at India Palace. It was delicious....I am not actually much of a buffet fan to be honest, as it is such a different style of cooking than for fresh off the menu items, but India Palace does a pretty good job.
Then we had to go to two different banks. Not only did my husband's long awaited study leave reimbursement cheque finally arrive, but so did a long awaited cheque of my son's. How nice he was here to collect it and make his own deposit into his Canadian account. YAY!
We spent the early afternoon playing with my husband's new turntable, attaching myriad old speakers and experimenting with the sounds. As suspected, we are going to have to get some new speakers to pull out the mid-range sound more effectively. Everything else we have cobbled together for components is working well.
In a couple of hours we will leave for the family service at my church. My son is interested in seeing the building and meeting the pastor. Then we will come home to munch on some yummy leftovers before the next service, a more traditional Anglican service from the Book of Common Prayer. I am still trying to decide if I will attend it as well, or send the men on their own while I stay home and make up some sandwiches for my son to take with him on the flight tomorrow. I don't want to have to be making them at 4am or who knows what he will find between those slabs of whole wheat bread?? Not a morning person...and neither is he! Aaaargh....4am wake up time....blecch!! BUT it will get him into Toronto early enough to have less hassle with late arrivals to Pearson and possible shorter delays from there to La Guardia. That is the hope anyway.
This week has gone by too quickly. All the uncertainty in our lives means we have no idea when we will all be able to see each other again. That is unsettling to me, hence the teary reaction to him leaving.
We had about 3cm of snowfall overnight and throughout this morning. It is quite beautiful outside, despite the drop in temperature and driving on streets that seem to be covered in oatmeal! After we arrived home our son took a nice walk around Wascana Lake to enjoy the fresh snow and the nippy winter air. The next couple of days are to be much colder, so we will plug in our car tonight to ensure it starts tomorrow at 4:45am! Wouldn't that be something, eh? Rushing to the airport at the last minute for an early morning flight and the car too cold to start....a nightmare. Thank you Lord for block heaters and power cords for vehicles in the winter!
Long Ago and Far Away....
Our son sent us a few old photos of himself from 10 years ago, standing in his studio during his "dot painting" phase. Like the rest of us, he too has aged over the 10 years!
Mommmeeeee....It's (nearly) Over........
It is 12:45am as we begin the final day with our son before he flies back home on Christmas morning....sigh....I am trying not to think about it too much as every time it hits me that he is leaving after a visit I feel nauseous! Thankfully, unlike visits in earlier years, I do not have worries about what will happen to him when he returns home. He is older, wiser and gainfully employed in The Big Apple. He has solid friendships with good people who care about him and there appear to be no crazy women stalking him in his new city of residence. His circumstances are more settled and secure in most ways than they have ever been, so the nausea this time is strictly because I will miss him so much and have no clue when any of us will be able to afford to get together again.
This evening was spectacular, spent with great friends who plied us with good wines and their particular brand of humour and who enjoyed listening to old Jesus People music albums that we found in our collection of rather elderly LP's. A couple of the records did warp slightly during their 18 years of storage in various outdoor facilities, basements and attics, but even those are playing just fine on the new turntable. There are very few scratches on our favourite old albums. Listening to Barry MacGuire and the Second Chaper of Acts singing and telling stories on the old "The Bride" album, circa 1970-something, brought back wonderful memories from our early 20's when we were able to attend their tour concert in Calgary and provide some accommodation for the night for them afterward. Our friends, although a few years younger than ourselves, still caught the tail end of that particular era of Christian music and were singing along with us as we listened to the album. What fun! Our son couldn't believe we all still knew all the lyrics to those old songs, but he has no idea how often they were played and sung at Jesus People gatherings.
My husband also found a box filled with old Jesus People newspapers from Canada and the USA that our son found fascinating. He had never heard of Jews for Jesus, or about the various leaders in the Jesus People movement. He had never seen the old fashioned psychedelic '70's art and had his cell phone camera going many frames per second as he took pictures of several album cover art works and newspaper articles for further examination. We had forgotten about that old newspaper collection. One of the Canadian papers was edited by a fellow who now holds several PhD's in science and theology and whose daughter is a well known environmentalist. What fun to remember "the good old days"! hahaha
We feasted fantastically well tonight. Our son prepared perfect medium rare rib eye steaks with an excellent sear, roasted baby potatoes and carrots and an arugula, blue cheese and pear salad. We had lime cheesecake with fresh rasperries for dessert, although he didn't make that. Me 'n' the health food store managed to put that together for the gluten free diet member of the party. My husband set out a wonderful pre-dinner board of various cheeses, crackers and olives. I am going to have to return to the Italian market for more of the huge green olives stuffed with lemon rind. SO good!! Our guests were thrilled to have our son cook them a special meal to thank them for their friendship to him. His father and I were the happy "collateral recipients" of the excellent food.
Now it is 1am. The snow is falling outside and there are eight hares running about below the bedroom window, having an apparently wonderful time together. There is no traffic at the moment to disturb the snowfall on the road, so everything out there is pristine white....including the bunnies!
Tomorrow will be a quiet day. The entire city will shut down by about 3pm so that everyone can begin their Christmas Eve festivities. 28 more hours before we have to watch our son going through airport security to head for his plane home. Sigh.....
This evening was spectacular, spent with great friends who plied us with good wines and their particular brand of humour and who enjoyed listening to old Jesus People music albums that we found in our collection of rather elderly LP's. A couple of the records did warp slightly during their 18 years of storage in various outdoor facilities, basements and attics, but even those are playing just fine on the new turntable. There are very few scratches on our favourite old albums. Listening to Barry MacGuire and the Second Chaper of Acts singing and telling stories on the old "The Bride" album, circa 1970-something, brought back wonderful memories from our early 20's when we were able to attend their tour concert in Calgary and provide some accommodation for the night for them afterward. Our friends, although a few years younger than ourselves, still caught the tail end of that particular era of Christian music and were singing along with us as we listened to the album. What fun! Our son couldn't believe we all still knew all the lyrics to those old songs, but he has no idea how often they were played and sung at Jesus People gatherings.
My husband also found a box filled with old Jesus People newspapers from Canada and the USA that our son found fascinating. He had never heard of Jews for Jesus, or about the various leaders in the Jesus People movement. He had never seen the old fashioned psychedelic '70's art and had his cell phone camera going many frames per second as he took pictures of several album cover art works and newspaper articles for further examination. We had forgotten about that old newspaper collection. One of the Canadian papers was edited by a fellow who now holds several PhD's in science and theology and whose daughter is a well known environmentalist. What fun to remember "the good old days"! hahaha
We feasted fantastically well tonight. Our son prepared perfect medium rare rib eye steaks with an excellent sear, roasted baby potatoes and carrots and an arugula, blue cheese and pear salad. We had lime cheesecake with fresh rasperries for dessert, although he didn't make that. Me 'n' the health food store managed to put that together for the gluten free diet member of the party. My husband set out a wonderful pre-dinner board of various cheeses, crackers and olives. I am going to have to return to the Italian market for more of the huge green olives stuffed with lemon rind. SO good!! Our guests were thrilled to have our son cook them a special meal to thank them for their friendship to him. His father and I were the happy "collateral recipients" of the excellent food.
Now it is 1am. The snow is falling outside and there are eight hares running about below the bedroom window, having an apparently wonderful time together. There is no traffic at the moment to disturb the snowfall on the road, so everything out there is pristine white....including the bunnies!
Tomorrow will be a quiet day. The entire city will shut down by about 3pm so that everyone can begin their Christmas Eve festivities. 28 more hours before we have to watch our son going through airport security to head for his plane home. Sigh.....
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Cutting Back on Stuff!
This morning while we were waiting for our son to awaken, my husband and I had a serious talk about what we are going to do with all our material possessions if we end up moving again in the early spring. I am amazed by what he seems willing to part with!
The dining room table and chairs are not coming with us, none of our three major storage cabinets will likely survive another move, although they are very functional still and don't look bad on the outside, all the old bookcases are not worth the cost of transporting, the living room sofa has not held up as well as the matching chairs, so it won't likely be going with us, some lamps are on their last legs and don't need to be transported....my husband even confessed he is willing to go through all his camping gear and get rid of an awful lot of the old stuff he hasn't used in years and that could be easily replaced.
Fortunately almost everything we would not take still has lots of use left in it! There are students and new immigrants that could make good use of our things for at least a couple of more years. A retired missionary couple from my church has just started a Give Away site for the church people, so I think most of our things could go to people who look on that site. We have many new immigrants in my church and a few dozen foreign students needing school dormitory furniture, so maybe some of these folk would want our things. Most of the items would be listed as somewhere between Fair and Excellent condition, so....
Whether or not we actually move elsewhere in a few months, it was so good hearing my husband say sincerely that there are many things he is prepared to eliminate from the load of possessions needing to be jammed into a moving van!
The dining room table and chairs are not coming with us, none of our three major storage cabinets will likely survive another move, although they are very functional still and don't look bad on the outside, all the old bookcases are not worth the cost of transporting, the living room sofa has not held up as well as the matching chairs, so it won't likely be going with us, some lamps are on their last legs and don't need to be transported....my husband even confessed he is willing to go through all his camping gear and get rid of an awful lot of the old stuff he hasn't used in years and that could be easily replaced.
Fortunately almost everything we would not take still has lots of use left in it! There are students and new immigrants that could make good use of our things for at least a couple of more years. A retired missionary couple from my church has just started a Give Away site for the church people, so I think most of our things could go to people who look on that site. We have many new immigrants in my church and a few dozen foreign students needing school dormitory furniture, so maybe some of these folk would want our things. Most of the items would be listed as somewhere between Fair and Excellent condition, so....
Whether or not we actually move elsewhere in a few months, it was so good hearing my husband say sincerely that there are many things he is prepared to eliminate from the load of possessions needing to be jammed into a moving van!
Not Quite the Visit I Was Envisioning, But.....
....it has been good in a different way. I thought we would be running around to art galleries and restaurants for the past 6 days, but that is not how things have gone. It has been far more restful than that.
My son has spent many hours on his computer, learning how to change his website that has not been updated properly for over a year, learning how to reprint texts of his own writings from other sites in formats he wants to have, syncing things up with his phone, etc. He has had two naps per day every day and has cooked us up some wonderful meals, and shared in the prep and cleanup of other meals I have put together. He is so calm and relaxed. He and his dad have been on a walk, a second hand store shopping trip and out for pub lunch, catching up on all the philosophy books they have each read over the past six months. Lots of time has been spent soaking in hot water in the bathtub because all he has at his home in NYC is a shower. hahaha He has happily done laundry for all of us and is a great dishwasher!
My husband has had a lot of rest as well this week. Other than a few chores the three of us did together a couple of mornings, he has been happy as well to rest and enjoy the chats with his son rather than spend every afternoon racing to galleries. Yesterday the two of them went shopping for a small amplifier and speaker to go with the lovely turntable he received from his now former office mates as his goodbye gift. They were gone for hours but only went into three stores. They both love looking at every detail of every item before making choices for purchase....and I am one of those: "Oh, look, there is exactly what I am looking for. Wrap it up please, I'll take it!!" kind of shoppers. hahahaha I was happy to let them go without me on that excursion! hahaha
What has saved me, in the midst of all this resting and tech "stuff" has been the company coming to our place in the evenings. Preparing for company has given me something to do while the guys are doing their thing. Tonight friends are coming from Moose Jaw and our son is going to prepare steaks and roasted vegetables and an arugula and pear salad. After the tremendous Italian pasta dish he prepared for us last evening, I have no doubt I will be overeating once again tonight!!! I have a gluten free lime cheese cake for dessert to accommodate the special diet of one of our guests. I have to say it smells fabulous!!Hope it also tastes that way!
So, while this week has not been what I expected, it has been good. All three of us have been able to do what we wanted to do, what we needed to do. How often does that happen in a family during a twice a year visit?? Having our son here has kept my husband from crashing after his last day of work. It has brought him back more slowly to earth as he relinquishes the feeling of responsibility for what will be going on at the office and in the diocese in the future.
I am very grateful for this week, but cannot believe we have only tomorrow with our son before he returns home. Sigh...with all this resting and relaxing how could the time have gone by this quickly??? Tomorrow we will go out for a Christmas Eve lunch, then do our son's laundry and help him pack up. We will be up at 4am on Christmas Day to take him to the airport and THEN I think my husband will really crash out and spend the rest of the week sleeping! hahaha Well....that will leave me free to do whatever I want to do on my own....nyaaa haa haa......
My son has spent many hours on his computer, learning how to change his website that has not been updated properly for over a year, learning how to reprint texts of his own writings from other sites in formats he wants to have, syncing things up with his phone, etc. He has had two naps per day every day and has cooked us up some wonderful meals, and shared in the prep and cleanup of other meals I have put together. He is so calm and relaxed. He and his dad have been on a walk, a second hand store shopping trip and out for pub lunch, catching up on all the philosophy books they have each read over the past six months. Lots of time has been spent soaking in hot water in the bathtub because all he has at his home in NYC is a shower. hahaha He has happily done laundry for all of us and is a great dishwasher!
My husband has had a lot of rest as well this week. Other than a few chores the three of us did together a couple of mornings, he has been happy as well to rest and enjoy the chats with his son rather than spend every afternoon racing to galleries. Yesterday the two of them went shopping for a small amplifier and speaker to go with the lovely turntable he received from his now former office mates as his goodbye gift. They were gone for hours but only went into three stores. They both love looking at every detail of every item before making choices for purchase....and I am one of those: "Oh, look, there is exactly what I am looking for. Wrap it up please, I'll take it!!" kind of shoppers. hahahaha I was happy to let them go without me on that excursion! hahaha
What has saved me, in the midst of all this resting and tech "stuff" has been the company coming to our place in the evenings. Preparing for company has given me something to do while the guys are doing their thing. Tonight friends are coming from Moose Jaw and our son is going to prepare steaks and roasted vegetables and an arugula and pear salad. After the tremendous Italian pasta dish he prepared for us last evening, I have no doubt I will be overeating once again tonight!!! I have a gluten free lime cheese cake for dessert to accommodate the special diet of one of our guests. I have to say it smells fabulous!!Hope it also tastes that way!
So, while this week has not been what I expected, it has been good. All three of us have been able to do what we wanted to do, what we needed to do. How often does that happen in a family during a twice a year visit?? Having our son here has kept my husband from crashing after his last day of work. It has brought him back more slowly to earth as he relinquishes the feeling of responsibility for what will be going on at the office and in the diocese in the future.
I am very grateful for this week, but cannot believe we have only tomorrow with our son before he returns home. Sigh...with all this resting and relaxing how could the time have gone by this quickly??? Tomorrow we will go out for a Christmas Eve lunch, then do our son's laundry and help him pack up. We will be up at 4am on Christmas Day to take him to the airport and THEN I think my husband will really crash out and spend the rest of the week sleeping! hahaha Well....that will leave me free to do whatever I want to do on my own....nyaaa haa haa......
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Thankful for Humidifiers, Fa La La La La, Etcetera......(Thank you Pogo!)
Several years ago a friend sent us a small room humidifier. We have made good use of it over the years in our series of one prairie winter accommodation after another. For the past couple of years we have not had need of it after adjusting to our surroundings quickly, staying put for 4 years and learning the good trick of extreme water consumption, particularly at bedtime.
However, our son, living first on the west coast for twelve years and now living on the eastern seaboard, can hardly breathe when he comes to visit us in the winter, even when following our example with the water consumption. So, this visit, out came the wonderful little humidifier once again. He is running it 24 hours a day and what a huge difference it has made to his ability to breathe. His eyes are not watering, his sinuses are clear, his skin is not dry and itchy. What a remarkable difference proper hydration makes to a person's body.
One of our visitors last evening has been suffering all his life from intense migraines. However, after his last headache he discovered a book written by a medical doctor who decided her life was not going to worth living if she had to continue constant suffering from her own migraines. She spent several years doing an intense study on how foods, water, minerals, sleep patterns etc. effected her headache patterns and has come up with an extremely complicated but effective dietary regime that works for her. Our friend has been on a version of her diet since the end of last July and has not had a headache since then....not one. He still has the visual auras that signal an oncoming migraine, but he has had no pain. The time of day he drinks water and ingests salt are some of the main factors in his recovery, as well as eliminating many grain carbohydrates and sugars from his diet.....low carbs, few refined or even fruit sugars....hmmmm....do we see a pattern here as to how these things also effect other illnesses that we are plagued with in this day and age? He too keeps his environment humidified now. He has a plan that works for him when he knows he is going to be cheating on his diet and he utilized it last evening so that he could eat a half banana and a cookie for dessert. He drank no water during or after his meal as he had hydrated before he came over. The diet sounds like a miserable nuisance, but no one can argue that his diligence has improved his health in more ways than "just" eliminating the migraines. Very impressive. When he returns from his Christmas vacation in a couple of weeks' time I will get the name and author of the book and post it in case any of you are interested.
Sleeping in has been our MO this week. Although we have managed to get ourselves to sleep earlier than the wee hours of the morning for the last couple of nights, still we are sleeping in until middle to late morning. Resting seems to be what all of us need this week, particularly mental resting.
I did manage today to get myself to the banks before noon! hahaha It wasn't easy to find parking as both my banks are near or incorporated into shopping centres. There wasn't a space to be had in the parking lots as people raced about the malls doing last minute shopping for Christmas presents. I gave up trying to get anywhere near the store where I purchased a few bags of cashews for my husband for a treat. I managed to find a spot about a block away, so had a rather chilly walk to the store and back. What a relief that our Christmas shopping days are long over! Since we have no grandchildren to shop for, the only gifts this year were for my parents, mostly edible treats and I had it packed and sent over a week ago. Whew...no more crazy shopping during the holiday season!
This afternoon the fellows will head out into the shopping fray to seek an amplifier for the turntable my husband received as a farewell gift from his office colleagues. We are most grateful for the Christmas bonus he received yesterday that will cover the cost and allow him the treat of hearing our old record collection as he moves all the albums onto disks using his computer system. It has been so long since we heard any of those albums I admit I am hard pressed to remember what we actually have and I can only pray that our method of storing them has been successful in keeping them from becoming warped.
We didn't have our son's home made Italian pasta dish the other day for dinner. All of us were too full from late meals earlier in the day. SO, today is the day. After the amplifier shopping trip we will have a wonderful dinner. We could both get used to the idea of keeping our son here as our chief chef!!! He is like his aunt in that he takes great care with choosing recipes and fresh ingredients. He must have inherited his cooking ability from her! Like her own meals, his are absolutely delicious with great attention to detail. I can't wait for dinner and I haven't had lunch yet! hahaha
It is much chillier outside today, with a rather biting wind. However, we are still far from the temperatures in the minus 20's and 30's that often characterize this time of the winter. Apparently we should be relatively safe from those until sometime in January and by then I don't care any more. January marks the second half of winter to me, it can only get better within the following 2 or 3 months! The prairies missed the horrendous wind storm that the west coast got a couple of days ago and I am grateful for that with our son here to visit. Friends on Vancouver Island had a miserable go of it during the winds and a person was killed by the storm in their town. Thankful I am that our recent power outage of a few hours and a couple of short bouts of freezing rain are the worst weather conditions we have experienced so far.
However, our son, living first on the west coast for twelve years and now living on the eastern seaboard, can hardly breathe when he comes to visit us in the winter, even when following our example with the water consumption. So, this visit, out came the wonderful little humidifier once again. He is running it 24 hours a day and what a huge difference it has made to his ability to breathe. His eyes are not watering, his sinuses are clear, his skin is not dry and itchy. What a remarkable difference proper hydration makes to a person's body.
One of our visitors last evening has been suffering all his life from intense migraines. However, after his last headache he discovered a book written by a medical doctor who decided her life was not going to worth living if she had to continue constant suffering from her own migraines. She spent several years doing an intense study on how foods, water, minerals, sleep patterns etc. effected her headache patterns and has come up with an extremely complicated but effective dietary regime that works for her. Our friend has been on a version of her diet since the end of last July and has not had a headache since then....not one. He still has the visual auras that signal an oncoming migraine, but he has had no pain. The time of day he drinks water and ingests salt are some of the main factors in his recovery, as well as eliminating many grain carbohydrates and sugars from his diet.....low carbs, few refined or even fruit sugars....hmmmm....do we see a pattern here as to how these things also effect other illnesses that we are plagued with in this day and age? He too keeps his environment humidified now. He has a plan that works for him when he knows he is going to be cheating on his diet and he utilized it last evening so that he could eat a half banana and a cookie for dessert. He drank no water during or after his meal as he had hydrated before he came over. The diet sounds like a miserable nuisance, but no one can argue that his diligence has improved his health in more ways than "just" eliminating the migraines. Very impressive. When he returns from his Christmas vacation in a couple of weeks' time I will get the name and author of the book and post it in case any of you are interested.
Sleeping in has been our MO this week. Although we have managed to get ourselves to sleep earlier than the wee hours of the morning for the last couple of nights, still we are sleeping in until middle to late morning. Resting seems to be what all of us need this week, particularly mental resting.
I did manage today to get myself to the banks before noon! hahaha It wasn't easy to find parking as both my banks are near or incorporated into shopping centres. There wasn't a space to be had in the parking lots as people raced about the malls doing last minute shopping for Christmas presents. I gave up trying to get anywhere near the store where I purchased a few bags of cashews for my husband for a treat. I managed to find a spot about a block away, so had a rather chilly walk to the store and back. What a relief that our Christmas shopping days are long over! Since we have no grandchildren to shop for, the only gifts this year were for my parents, mostly edible treats and I had it packed and sent over a week ago. Whew...no more crazy shopping during the holiday season!
This afternoon the fellows will head out into the shopping fray to seek an amplifier for the turntable my husband received as a farewell gift from his office colleagues. We are most grateful for the Christmas bonus he received yesterday that will cover the cost and allow him the treat of hearing our old record collection as he moves all the albums onto disks using his computer system. It has been so long since we heard any of those albums I admit I am hard pressed to remember what we actually have and I can only pray that our method of storing them has been successful in keeping them from becoming warped.
We didn't have our son's home made Italian pasta dish the other day for dinner. All of us were too full from late meals earlier in the day. SO, today is the day. After the amplifier shopping trip we will have a wonderful dinner. We could both get used to the idea of keeping our son here as our chief chef!!! He is like his aunt in that he takes great care with choosing recipes and fresh ingredients. He must have inherited his cooking ability from her! Like her own meals, his are absolutely delicious with great attention to detail. I can't wait for dinner and I haven't had lunch yet! hahaha
It is much chillier outside today, with a rather biting wind. However, we are still far from the temperatures in the minus 20's and 30's that often characterize this time of the winter. Apparently we should be relatively safe from those until sometime in January and by then I don't care any more. January marks the second half of winter to me, it can only get better within the following 2 or 3 months! The prairies missed the horrendous wind storm that the west coast got a couple of days ago and I am grateful for that with our son here to visit. Friends on Vancouver Island had a miserable go of it during the winds and a person was killed by the storm in their town. Thankful I am that our recent power outage of a few hours and a couple of short bouts of freezing rain are the worst weather conditions we have experienced so far.
Cousins 'n' Colleagues
We had a wonderful evening with some cousins at our place yesterday. My husband is a ministry colleague with his cousin, so that makes the relationship even more special. Those of you in the family know who is who in the photo below. What a nice visit, lots of stories and laughter!
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Each Day Has Been a Treat This Week in the Midst of the Stresses
We have not heard from my parents today and decided not to call. Today is most likely the day Dad will feel the worst post-surgery, the most tired and crabby, so we will wait a day before we call again. Not hearing anything is a good sign that he is still at home and recovering well enough.
This staying up chatting until 1-2am is getting to be a bad habit. I have been eating breakfast between 9-10am each day, after forcing myself to wake up and get breakfast for the sake of my blood sugar. The guys are happy with all the foods we have kicking around so I have not had to make anyone's breakfast but my own. As we have each of the other days this week, we sauntered out to do our shopping at some point between 11am and noon and ate a late lunch.
Our son found the jeans he likes to wear to work over at the Bay, so it was fun helping him locate his faves and some Polo socks he just loves. Then we wandered down the street to the second hand record store and a couple of boutique gift stores just to take a peek at what they are offering during the Christmas season.
By 2pm we were finally ready to seek out some lunch. Since our son struggles to find decent oriental food in NYC, we took him to China Doll. He ordered pho and it was delicious. My husband and I also enjoyed our meals. I think China Doll is our permanent replacement now for the now non-existent Lang's.
We spent the rest of the afternoon resting, reading, doing emails and watching tv. This lazing around all afternoon after a huge lunch is not something I want to remain in the habit of after our son leaves. hahaha It makes for very late dinner times. Tonight our son is making Italian food from scratch after our visit to the Italian grocery yesterday, but we will not be eating until sometime between 8-9pm. These are the hours and meal times I used to keep as a young single person when I worked shifts. I think I am too old to return to this schedule as an ongoing lifestyle. hahaha
This staying up chatting until 1-2am is getting to be a bad habit. I have been eating breakfast between 9-10am each day, after forcing myself to wake up and get breakfast for the sake of my blood sugar. The guys are happy with all the foods we have kicking around so I have not had to make anyone's breakfast but my own. As we have each of the other days this week, we sauntered out to do our shopping at some point between 11am and noon and ate a late lunch.
Our son found the jeans he likes to wear to work over at the Bay, so it was fun helping him locate his faves and some Polo socks he just loves. Then we wandered down the street to the second hand record store and a couple of boutique gift stores just to take a peek at what they are offering during the Christmas season.
By 2pm we were finally ready to seek out some lunch. Since our son struggles to find decent oriental food in NYC, we took him to China Doll. He ordered pho and it was delicious. My husband and I also enjoyed our meals. I think China Doll is our permanent replacement now for the now non-existent Lang's.
We spent the rest of the afternoon resting, reading, doing emails and watching tv. This lazing around all afternoon after a huge lunch is not something I want to remain in the habit of after our son leaves. hahaha It makes for very late dinner times. Tonight our son is making Italian food from scratch after our visit to the Italian grocery yesterday, but we will not be eating until sometime between 8-9pm. These are the hours and meal times I used to keep as a young single person when I worked shifts. I think I am too old to return to this schedule as an ongoing lifestyle. hahaha
Eli and Pierre
Here is a photo of our visiting son Eli, along with fellow curator Jonathan Middleton at the City of Richmond Art Gallery. Between them is artist Pierre Vassura and his wife Fotiny. Mr. Vassura's works, some of which the group are standing in front of, are currently on exhibition at the Richmond Art Gallery and can be seen on into January.
A Requested Re-post on Advent Reflections from 2011
I realize Advent is soon coming to an end and I have been lax to get this reposted despite requests two weeks ago...but better late than never. My feelings about this season of the Church year have not changed.
My Advent Reflection.........
From Calvin Theological Seminary: "Secular
society knows a little something about Christmas but virtually nothing
about Advent. The danger for the Church is to end up going in this same
direction. In our rush to get to the manger, we are tempted to
downplay—or completely ignore—the Advent themes that the Church has long
believed are necessary so that we can come to the cradle of Christ in
the right way." (http://cep.calvinseminary link to Advent)
Dan Clendenin: "Praying to God for mighty
acts of deliverance is an entirely human and genuinely Christian
response to the pain and suffering of the world, of our neighbours, and
of our own lives. I intend never to stop praying for God's miraculous
intervention; such prayers remain a staple of my morning runs. But the
season of advent that we now enter adds an important qualification. God
is not a Cosmic Concierge. Human experience gives the lie to the
delusion, so deeply embedded in the American psyche, that every problem
has a solution and that every question has an answer. Sometimes we must
wait." (http://www.journeywithjesus.
Lamin Sanneh who teaches missions and world
Christianity and history at Yale Divinity School says "God has staked
the divine honour on the project to redeem and sanctify……God’s word [is]
powerful; it places God at the center of our ventures, as the first and
final surety. Christians, therefore, wait for the feast to come with
grateful hearts even though in the interim their minds are set on
unresolved troubles and unreachable horizons. Advent is quality time,
not because of its [noisy] and crowded demands, but because it provides a
time for us to receive God’s word and to collaborate in its fulfillment
by being the connecting rod between vision and action."
As a latecomer to Advent churches I found myself woefully ignorant of its tradition and practises. The
idea of spending time in lament and even despair for several weeks
prior to the excitement of the celebration of Christ’s birth was
originally abhorrent to me, in all my ignorance of the Advent season. And yet it made sense of my hitherto unexplained sadness, all through my adult life, in the weeks preceding Christmas. Since
the time of my recognition of Christ as the way to God, I knew
something had changed in my emotional response prior to the annual
Christmas celebration, a kind of darkness in my thoughts and feelings,
but I had no explanation for it. Finally I discovered the season of Advent. Indeed
it is a time for introspection, for admission that my life is not all
it should be; a time to examine the darkness surrounding a world of
political upheaval, wars, economic crises and violence; a time to admit
that neither I nor the most experienced of world leaders have answers
that will ultimately rescue the world around us; a time to face the
darkness and despair around the globe and the accompanying feeling of
hopelessness. Participating deliberately in the Advent
season is giving me new hope in the deliverance the birth of Jesus
Christ is bringing not only to me but to all the suffering world. The
truth that Jesus Christ is indeed The Answer is even more meaningful as
I now deliberately allow myself to feel, during the Advent weeks, deep
sadness for the misery of our world, to contemplate my own personal
failures and distresses, to begin to grasp the reality of a Christ-less
existence. At Christmas I now more fully realize and
experience the joy of a better understanding of the impact of Jesus’
birth upon the world; an overwhelming joy to see how his existence as
Lord of Lords moves us all toward the ultimate deliverance from despair:
the return of Jesus Christ as the Ruler and King of all creation. As we wait here in the darkness of Advent we have hope. The hope is Jesus Christ…the true light of the world.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Our Turkey Dinner Was Delicious!!
We decided to have our Christmas dinner tonight. I found a perfect, small turkey...just under 4kilos...at RC Superstore for ten dollars. It was supposedly utility grade but the only things missing were the heart and gizzard, neither of which we ever cook anyway. The men made the stuffing and gravy, I prepared the yams, carrots, peas and potatoes and at 6:15pm we tucked into our feast. O my....we all over ate but it was worth it. That tiny turkey had a ton of flavour and we managed not to over cook it this year.
As dinner was drawing to a close we realized we had not even considered any sort of dessert, but as we were talking about it the back doorbell rang. Outside were our next door neighbours, bearing a container of home made miniature gingerbread people. They were so delicious and because they were so teeny I didn't have to worry that one or two would upset my blood sugar. What a perfect ending to a big, heavy meal!
Our evening has been very relaxing with napping, watching an old Nova special on the use of origami techniques in modern science and technology, visiting, reading a couple of articles on the internet about art and philosophy....just a perfect time.
There has been no more contact from my parents so we assume this must mean that all is going well, Dad is resting and behaving himself. What a relief!
We are looking at another above normal temperature day tomorrow for our morning shopping, so we are all grateful for that.
The time with our son is flying by way, way, way too quickly!
As dinner was drawing to a close we realized we had not even considered any sort of dessert, but as we were talking about it the back doorbell rang. Outside were our next door neighbours, bearing a container of home made miniature gingerbread people. They were so delicious and because they were so teeny I didn't have to worry that one or two would upset my blood sugar. What a perfect ending to a big, heavy meal!
Our evening has been very relaxing with napping, watching an old Nova special on the use of origami techniques in modern science and technology, visiting, reading a couple of articles on the internet about art and philosophy....just a perfect time.
There has been no more contact from my parents so we assume this must mean that all is going well, Dad is resting and behaving himself. What a relief!
We are looking at another above normal temperature day tomorrow for our morning shopping, so we are all grateful for that.
The time with our son is flying by way, way, way too quickly!
Lots of Good Things Today!
We had the most relaxing morning of visiting, hot tea, cinnamon buns and the making of extensive grocery lists. At 11am we headed to the Italian grocery to pick up the ingredients for the pasta dish our son is making us for dinner tomorrow evening. Then we went to the health food store for some tea and another grocery for produce, also the Vietnamese grocery for some decent garlic and Japanese yakimo....oooh, how we still love those piping hot wee yams we learned to enjoy in Tokyo that were sold from the back of street vendor trucks late at night. I am delighted to have discovered some delicious and interesting gluten free desserts to serve to our next two sets of guests as two of the people are severely celiac. It is nice to find cheesecakes and Christmas shortbread that are gluten free so they are not stuck with rice crackers and cheese after dinner!!
The weather has remained beautifully warm, gale free and sunny thus far, so going out each day has been a treat.
We stopped at our favourite little pub for some yummy salads for lunch and then headed home, arriving just in time to meet up with the postal delivery truck driver who handed us a big parcel from Japanese friends....rice crackers and a lovely knit shawl, plus a precious note inside an art card that opens up into an origami crane. So pretty.
Just after we walked in the door, my father called! He was allowed to come home this afternoon. Only 1 of his 3 doctors thought he should stay one more overnight and he will definitely sleep better at home...so....praying it wasn't too soon for him to be released. However, he will be far more content. He has a list of instructions a mile long and he is frightened enough of messing up the surgery that I am sure he will obey them. He sounded so happy and Mom is obviously delighted by this unexpected turn of events...even the doctors were very certain his risk of dying during the surgery was extremely high and only did it because he insisted. However, I don't think anyone is more shocked to find him still alive than he himself. hahaha I am pleased for him and praying that the mesh screen in his abdomen will hold well and not cause him any problems. Lord, please may it stay in place and may he be extremely careful to obey all of the doctors' instructions! Thank You and amen!
So, I am about to put our teeny tiny Christmas turkey into the oven. The men have made a tasty looking batch of stuffing, the yakimo will go in beside the turkey to cook for the last hour in the oven, all I have to do now is prepare the yam and carrots. My husband has the fresh cranberries boiling on top of the stove and they smell wonderful. Feasting and walking around and chatting and resting....a proper end of the year holiday for a change as my husband has no more work committments. I cannot believe he is not crashed out in bed unable to function after the stress of the past year...perhaps that will happen after our son goes home, but for now it is quite a treat to see him so active and happy.
Tomorrow is jean shopping for our son, likely followed by a Chinese food lunch and then a late pasta dinner. The following day it is off to the butcher for excellent quality steaks and a trip to the market for fresh asparagus. Our son is a cooking fool and his dad is thrilled that they are cooking together several times this week.
I am beyond grateful for all the good things, those hoped for and many unexpected, that have happened thus far during our week prior to Christmas.
Thanks from Dad to everyone who was praying for him this week. I suspect my Dad has lately needed to experience the power of prayer as he considers his future with God. The doctors are rather shocked by his energy and his continuing life on earth and did not hesitate to ascribe somewhat miraculous qualities to the whole outcome of the surgery.
Blessings all.........and thanks from me and Mom as well for your prayers.
The weather has remained beautifully warm, gale free and sunny thus far, so going out each day has been a treat.
We stopped at our favourite little pub for some yummy salads for lunch and then headed home, arriving just in time to meet up with the postal delivery truck driver who handed us a big parcel from Japanese friends....rice crackers and a lovely knit shawl, plus a precious note inside an art card that opens up into an origami crane. So pretty.
Just after we walked in the door, my father called! He was allowed to come home this afternoon. Only 1 of his 3 doctors thought he should stay one more overnight and he will definitely sleep better at home...so....praying it wasn't too soon for him to be released. However, he will be far more content. He has a list of instructions a mile long and he is frightened enough of messing up the surgery that I am sure he will obey them. He sounded so happy and Mom is obviously delighted by this unexpected turn of events...even the doctors were very certain his risk of dying during the surgery was extremely high and only did it because he insisted. However, I don't think anyone is more shocked to find him still alive than he himself. hahaha I am pleased for him and praying that the mesh screen in his abdomen will hold well and not cause him any problems. Lord, please may it stay in place and may he be extremely careful to obey all of the doctors' instructions! Thank You and amen!
So, I am about to put our teeny tiny Christmas turkey into the oven. The men have made a tasty looking batch of stuffing, the yakimo will go in beside the turkey to cook for the last hour in the oven, all I have to do now is prepare the yam and carrots. My husband has the fresh cranberries boiling on top of the stove and they smell wonderful. Feasting and walking around and chatting and resting....a proper end of the year holiday for a change as my husband has no more work committments. I cannot believe he is not crashed out in bed unable to function after the stress of the past year...perhaps that will happen after our son goes home, but for now it is quite a treat to see him so active and happy.
Tomorrow is jean shopping for our son, likely followed by a Chinese food lunch and then a late pasta dinner. The following day it is off to the butcher for excellent quality steaks and a trip to the market for fresh asparagus. Our son is a cooking fool and his dad is thrilled that they are cooking together several times this week.
I am beyond grateful for all the good things, those hoped for and many unexpected, that have happened thus far during our week prior to Christmas.
Thanks from Dad to everyone who was praying for him this week. I suspect my Dad has lately needed to experience the power of prayer as he considers his future with God. The doctors are rather shocked by his energy and his continuing life on earth and did not hesitate to ascribe somewhat miraculous qualities to the whole outcome of the surgery.
Blessings all.........and thanks from me and Mom as well for your prayers.
So Far, So Good For Dad
Dad had his surgery late yesterday afternoon. He did incredibly well and when Mom talked to him last night he was cheerful and experiencing only minor post surgical pain. However, knowing Dad’s delayed negative reactions after his handful of other surgeries, I don’t think we will feel free to exhale until we hear that he has made it through the night.
Whatever anaesthetic they gave him sent him into the Great Land of Happy Hallucinations, so during the surgery he was busy shopping in an oriental market and quite enjoying himself. In recovery, as he was coming out if the anaesthetic, he apparently asked the nurse what she was doing in his garage! She told him he had just had surgery and both of them were in the recovery room. He responded that perhaps she was in a recover room, but HE was in his garage, thank you very much. hahaha
He has been very disappointed that he will miss the annual fabulous Christmas dinner at his and mom’s facility this weekend, but the chef told Mom that since they pre-paid for the meal, when Mom finishes eating, he will prepare Dad’s plate and she can take it to their suite for him. If he isn’t home yet, she can keep it frozen until he is. So, Dad will get his Christmas treats. Now he can relax about that.
Until/unless I hear otherwise later this morning, I am going to assume he is going to be okay.
Here’s to you Dad! As one of the five doctors in the operating room said, “You are a tough old rooster!”
Whatever anaesthetic they gave him sent him into the Great Land of Happy Hallucinations, so during the surgery he was busy shopping in an oriental market and quite enjoying himself. In recovery, as he was coming out if the anaesthetic, he apparently asked the nurse what she was doing in his garage! She told him he had just had surgery and both of them were in the recovery room. He responded that perhaps she was in a recover room, but HE was in his garage, thank you very much. hahaha
He has been very disappointed that he will miss the annual fabulous Christmas dinner at his and mom’s facility this weekend, but the chef told Mom that since they pre-paid for the meal, when Mom finishes eating, he will prepare Dad’s plate and she can take it to their suite for him. If he isn’t home yet, she can keep it frozen until he is. So, Dad will get his Christmas treats. Now he can relax about that.
Until/unless I hear otherwise later this morning, I am going to assume he is going to be okay.
Here’s to you Dad! As one of the five doctors in the operating room said, “You are a tough old rooster!”
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Surgery Today For Dad
We got to talk to Dad on the phone at the hospital this morning! He was so thrilled and we are so thrilled that the nurses took precious time from their busy schedules to run around the heart ward looking for the portable phone so Dad could talk to us in person. Thank you nurses of Rockyview hospital!
Dad has been ok’d for surgery and it will happen either this afternoon or late tonight, but it will be today. The anaesthetist is using a special local so that Dad can be conscious enough to alert the OR staff if he starts experiencing any chest discomfort or other heart related symptoms.
Thank you Lord that we were able to talk to him before the surgery because there is still a chance he will not survive it.
I trust God to do what is best for Dad.....and for Mom.
Dad has been ok’d for surgery and it will happen either this afternoon or late tonight, but it will be today. The anaesthetist is using a special local so that Dad can be conscious enough to alert the OR staff if he starts experiencing any chest discomfort or other heart related symptoms.
Thank you Lord that we were able to talk to him before the surgery because there is still a chance he will not survive it.
I trust God to do what is best for Dad.....and for Mom.
All is Well Here
The son made his connecting flight but just barely! The plane was delayed by seven minutes due to some issue with an inflight crew member, so the boarding gate stayed open just long enough for our son to be the last passenger allowed to board! Thank you Lord and we hope others with delayed first legs of their journeys last night were as fortunate. Hearing your name announced over the airport intercom as a late passenger is incredibly embarrassing....guess how I know this!
We got to sleep at about 2:30am after a visit and some chicken burgers and apple pudding. Our son had not had a chance to eat for well over 8 hours, so we hauled out the frying pan and some ground chicken. It was fun.
Now it is late morning. Not sure if our son is stirring yet, as he is exhausted. My husband is at the office turning in keys etc., so will truly be free after that. He was up bustling around this morning in the kitchen, seasoning cast iron pans and putting his latest tea purchases into sealing jars. I have cleaned up last night’s cooking mess and am waiting to hear the latest from Mom about Dad’s situation. The surgeon was going to review Dad’s heart test results this morning. Like me, he has a severe heart murmur that is most problematic during surgeries. At his age and with his other health problems it could be deadly for him with anaesthetic.
So we wait once again. One of Dad’s worries is that if he doesn't make it out of hospital or has an extended stay, he will not be able to open on Christmas Day the box of Christmas gifts we sent him. hahahaha Typical Dad....hahahaha
All being well, we will go to the MacKenzie Art Gallery this afternoon to see the current exhibit, as one of their curators is coming over to visit us tonight. Should be fun!
Have a happy day everyone! It will be a nice day here with blue skies and a high of +3C.
We got to sleep at about 2:30am after a visit and some chicken burgers and apple pudding. Our son had not had a chance to eat for well over 8 hours, so we hauled out the frying pan and some ground chicken. It was fun.
Now it is late morning. Not sure if our son is stirring yet, as he is exhausted. My husband is at the office turning in keys etc., so will truly be free after that. He was up bustling around this morning in the kitchen, seasoning cast iron pans and putting his latest tea purchases into sealing jars. I have cleaned up last night’s cooking mess and am waiting to hear the latest from Mom about Dad’s situation. The surgeon was going to review Dad’s heart test results this morning. Like me, he has a severe heart murmur that is most problematic during surgeries. At his age and with his other health problems it could be deadly for him with anaesthetic.
So we wait once again. One of Dad’s worries is that if he doesn't make it out of hospital or has an extended stay, he will not be able to open on Christmas Day the box of Christmas gifts we sent him. hahahaha Typical Dad....hahahaha
All being well, we will go to the MacKenzie Art Gallery this afternoon to see the current exhibit, as one of their curators is coming over to visit us tonight. Should be fun!
Have a happy day everyone! It will be a nice day here with blue skies and a high of +3C.
Monday, December 17, 2018
He Must Have Made His Connecting Flight
It left nearly an hour ago and we have not heard from him, so we are starting to relax....I say WE because my husband was even more worried than I was, he just hides it better, haha.
Aaaaannnd.....His Flight Was Delayed Leaving for Canada!
Right now I am praying like crazy that our son is able to make his connecting flight from Toronto, as his flight out of La Guardia was delayed by 80 minutes. He finally landed in Toronto about 15 minutes ago and unfortunately his connecting flight is leaving in 45 minutes and is still on time....crap! I was really hoping it would be a bit delayed as well to give him and any other passengers on late arriving flights time to make the connection. I can only hope he cleared immigration on the US side of the border and "only" has security to go through in Toronto...and I know what a nightmare that can be at this time of evening. Well, all we can do is pray that he makes the flight and is allowed to board...........oooooh, how I hate flying in the late afternoons and evenings, particularly on airlines based in Canada. Things get so backed up at Pearson International it seems any time after about noon. All ready I am trying not to worry about his flights going back home next week!!! Yowch! I am making Mommy Noises and my son is in his thirties!! How embarrassing.........
Mind you, it could be worse, as it is presently for friends whose family was to leave from San Diego yesterday, grandkids and all, to come here to spend Christmas with the rest of the family. Just as they finished loading, they were approached by a thief who reached into their vehicle....reached right over top of the car seat containing their two year old....and grabbed the backpack from between the seats that held their passports, airline tickets and other important travel documents. They have lived Stateside long enough now to know not to argue or try to wrestle their belongings from a thief who most likely has a gun. They are intensely grateful no one was hurt, particularly the poor frightened two year old, but o what a hassle to replace their passports and try to find other flights here for the holidays. That situation beats our son's present flight stress all to heck!
It has been nearly 10 hours since my mother called to tell me my Dad is in hospital. She was to hear this afternoon if he was going to be cleared for surgery and said she would let me know right away. I don't know whether to be concerned or grateful that she hasn't called me. I assume she is at the hospital with Dad, whatever the decision has been about his condition. It is quite possible a decision has not yet been made. I know better than to try to track her down and bother her. She will let me know the score when she is ready and able.
I was so stressed after dinner tonight that I did some baking...BAKING...ME! I can't eat it but the men will enjoy it. It is a cake pudding filled with apple slices.
My husband and I went grocery shopping late this afternoon and purchased lots of fruit and yogurt and cheeses and crackers that our son enjoys eating. Hopefully he will be here for a very late night snack....TONIGHT!
Okay, blogging about these stresses has made me feel a lot better. Thank you for your patience.
Mind you, it could be worse, as it is presently for friends whose family was to leave from San Diego yesterday, grandkids and all, to come here to spend Christmas with the rest of the family. Just as they finished loading, they were approached by a thief who reached into their vehicle....reached right over top of the car seat containing their two year old....and grabbed the backpack from between the seats that held their passports, airline tickets and other important travel documents. They have lived Stateside long enough now to know not to argue or try to wrestle their belongings from a thief who most likely has a gun. They are intensely grateful no one was hurt, particularly the poor frightened two year old, but o what a hassle to replace their passports and try to find other flights here for the holidays. That situation beats our son's present flight stress all to heck!
It has been nearly 10 hours since my mother called to tell me my Dad is in hospital. She was to hear this afternoon if he was going to be cleared for surgery and said she would let me know right away. I don't know whether to be concerned or grateful that she hasn't called me. I assume she is at the hospital with Dad, whatever the decision has been about his condition. It is quite possible a decision has not yet been made. I know better than to try to track her down and bother her. She will let me know the score when she is ready and able.
I was so stressed after dinner tonight that I did some baking...BAKING...ME! I can't eat it but the men will enjoy it. It is a cake pudding filled with apple slices.
My husband and I went grocery shopping late this afternoon and purchased lots of fruit and yogurt and cheeses and crackers that our son enjoys eating. Hopefully he will be here for a very late night snack....TONIGHT!
Okay, blogging about these stresses has made me feel a lot better. Thank you for your patience.
Well....He Went to the Correct Airport This Time...BONUS!! =)
What a day this has been thus far. The good news is that our son made it not only on time to the airport for his flight later this afternoon, but to the CORRECT airport!! He asked me to send him flight and immigration info and reminders on the weekend and apparently he did more than thank me for them, he actually looked at them and made use of them. hahaha He is so much like his father about details when his mind is too full of "stuff". He has been working 4pm to 1am shifts at one of his jobs and day shift at his other job, preparing his time off and finances so he can make this journey back to the middle of nowhere on the prairies. (At least it is for him.) We are delighted of course that he asked to come home for the holidays.
My husband woke up promptly at 6:30am without an alarm this morning, so we ate breakfast and he headed off to run errands while I finished cleaning the house. We are both pleased with how much we accomplished today. Now he is dozing in front of the tv, but I cannot remember the end of any other job where he woke up the morning after his last work day and felt so good! Tomorrow he turns in his office keys and phone.
However, the possibly bad news is that my father is back in hospital as of last evening. He is having a recurrence of his abdominal issues and if his pain level 13 days ago with this first happened was 12 on a scale of 1-10, the EMT's are certain it would have had to be at least a 14 this time around. Sigh.....how much more does the poor man have to endure??
My mom called me this morning to let me know. She arrived home in a taxi at 2am so was exhausted and weepy and stressed. No wonder! Dad has been moved into the heart ward so that today and possibly tomorrow he will be assessed as to the viability of his heart to survive the stress of the abdominal surgery he badly needs. Although a spinal anaesthetic is possible, it will still be a great stress on his heart. Since Dad has not much will left to live, I am concerned he will go through with the surgery in the hope that he will just quietly pass away on the operating table. He has been so unhappy and incapacitated for so long now. Mom isn't quite ready yet to let him go, but recognizes his readiness to depart. Now our concern is that he will be gone before our son flies home next Monday and we are in the process of coming up with various scenarios that will get me to my mom's as soon as possible should something happen, without completely ruining my son's time here. I suspect I would take the vehicle and drive out there, help mom with the immediate details, my husband and son would remain here until the morning my son flies home, at which point my husband would fly out as well to join me and mom.
Can you tell I am the problem solver of the family? hahahahahaha I must needs have a plan B, or even C at all times for all circumstances! hahaha
Hopefully things are not as dire as my exhausted mother indicated, but any medical procedure for Dad is a huge concern and every time he has to have one involving any kind of anaesthetic we have to be prepared to lose him. It has been going on for so many years now that we have become a bit lax in our concern, but with his age and other current medical conditions, the situation could actually be very serious indeed this time.
So, I am trusting God to do what is best for Dad and Mom and to keep me from worrying about it all day, every day. What will be will be.......
My husband woke up promptly at 6:30am without an alarm this morning, so we ate breakfast and he headed off to run errands while I finished cleaning the house. We are both pleased with how much we accomplished today. Now he is dozing in front of the tv, but I cannot remember the end of any other job where he woke up the morning after his last work day and felt so good! Tomorrow he turns in his office keys and phone.
However, the possibly bad news is that my father is back in hospital as of last evening. He is having a recurrence of his abdominal issues and if his pain level 13 days ago with this first happened was 12 on a scale of 1-10, the EMT's are certain it would have had to be at least a 14 this time around. Sigh.....how much more does the poor man have to endure??
My mom called me this morning to let me know. She arrived home in a taxi at 2am so was exhausted and weepy and stressed. No wonder! Dad has been moved into the heart ward so that today and possibly tomorrow he will be assessed as to the viability of his heart to survive the stress of the abdominal surgery he badly needs. Although a spinal anaesthetic is possible, it will still be a great stress on his heart. Since Dad has not much will left to live, I am concerned he will go through with the surgery in the hope that he will just quietly pass away on the operating table. He has been so unhappy and incapacitated for so long now. Mom isn't quite ready yet to let him go, but recognizes his readiness to depart. Now our concern is that he will be gone before our son flies home next Monday and we are in the process of coming up with various scenarios that will get me to my mom's as soon as possible should something happen, without completely ruining my son's time here. I suspect I would take the vehicle and drive out there, help mom with the immediate details, my husband and son would remain here until the morning my son flies home, at which point my husband would fly out as well to join me and mom.
Can you tell I am the problem solver of the family? hahahahahaha I must needs have a plan B, or even C at all times for all circumstances! hahaha
Hopefully things are not as dire as my exhausted mother indicated, but any medical procedure for Dad is a huge concern and every time he has to have one involving any kind of anaesthetic we have to be prepared to lose him. It has been going on for so many years now that we have become a bit lax in our concern, but with his age and other current medical conditions, the situation could actually be very serious indeed this time.
So, I am trusting God to do what is best for Dad and Mom and to keep me from worrying about it all day, every day. What will be will be.......
Sunday, December 16, 2018
And Just Like That the Whirlwind Comes to an End
It is 11pm and I have just had a nice long chat with my husband, over a glass of good Goru red, some Swiss cheese and some stoned wheat thin crackers. We are not in the rush to go to sleep that we probably should be with all the housecleaning and other chores we have to do tomorrow before our son arrives. Today was completely tied up with morning church services followed by a long afternoon dress rehearsal for our church choir concert this evening. We are both a bit wired...too cranked up to sleep just yet!
My husband was finished with his church services this morning in time to take in most of my church service. I always appreciate having him there getting to know the same friends I am making. It is one of the reasons our social life has improved so dramatically over the past few months.
The concert went very well tonight. While our choir is certainly not the calibre of the one we heard last night, we did our best and our hard work paid off pretty well this evening. My husband said he could understand most of our words and we didn't make any discernible gaffs. Yay us! My husband did a good job portraying the prophet Isaiah for his part of the programme. Most importantly, everyone who participated from bell ringers to small group singers, to the carol singing audience members, to the narrators, to the food prep and hall cleanup folk, had a great time tonight. The Christmas story was well told. While it is still a bit jarring to my husband and I, after 20 years in the Anglican church, to have all this Christmas celebrating before the end of Advent, at least there has been some participation in this evangelical church in the concept and practise of Advent.
So, that is the end of an entire week of being on the go every day and night. Instead of resting tomorrow though, we have a ton of things to do. Our son is coming in late on the plane tomorrow evening, so that gives us the whole day to finish cleaning and doing other errands, but I suspect we will end up TAKING the whole day to get everything done. I am expecting we will not get an early start!!! I will stay home and wash floors while my husband does the away from home errands. Then I MUST discipline myself to do my usual housework in my usual way even after he comes home. I must, I must, I must!!
A new week of whirlwind is about to start.....I stupidly booked up so many nights with company coming for dinner...cook, cook, cook all week. BUT we really want to see all these people while our son is here so....my husband has all ready volunteered to cook one of the meals and our son is always up to cook steaks for dinner one night of each of his visits.
After so many years of forced inactivity and therefore loneliness, life is so great right now. We have friends, my husband made it to the end of this particular job without breaking down from the stress, I am happy with my church life, our son is making his way in the world with his head screwed on straight again......yup, life has been good lately.
Some Maritime friends sent an email to us earlier this evening to let us know that they will both be retired within the next couple of months. They are calling their retirement, "Welcome to Poverty". I think they will be pleasantly surprised by all that God does to provide for them. We are certainly looking forward to how he helps us over the next few months, so between the four of us there will be many opportunities to share our experiences and encourage each other along the way.
Think I will go and look for some drippy novel that I no doubt have stashed away among the stack of books I purchased at this year's Big Book Sale. I know if I start reading something like that I will be asleep in 5 minutes or less!
PS It was another warmer and windless winter day here today, so I walked to church...walking...outside on ice and snow free sidewalks....on December the 16th...unheard of. Yippee!!
My husband was finished with his church services this morning in time to take in most of my church service. I always appreciate having him there getting to know the same friends I am making. It is one of the reasons our social life has improved so dramatically over the past few months.
The concert went very well tonight. While our choir is certainly not the calibre of the one we heard last night, we did our best and our hard work paid off pretty well this evening. My husband said he could understand most of our words and we didn't make any discernible gaffs. Yay us! My husband did a good job portraying the prophet Isaiah for his part of the programme. Most importantly, everyone who participated from bell ringers to small group singers, to the carol singing audience members, to the narrators, to the food prep and hall cleanup folk, had a great time tonight. The Christmas story was well told. While it is still a bit jarring to my husband and I, after 20 years in the Anglican church, to have all this Christmas celebrating before the end of Advent, at least there has been some participation in this evangelical church in the concept and practise of Advent.
So, that is the end of an entire week of being on the go every day and night. Instead of resting tomorrow though, we have a ton of things to do. Our son is coming in late on the plane tomorrow evening, so that gives us the whole day to finish cleaning and doing other errands, but I suspect we will end up TAKING the whole day to get everything done. I am expecting we will not get an early start!!! I will stay home and wash floors while my husband does the away from home errands. Then I MUST discipline myself to do my usual housework in my usual way even after he comes home. I must, I must, I must!!
A new week of whirlwind is about to start.....I stupidly booked up so many nights with company coming for dinner...cook, cook, cook all week. BUT we really want to see all these people while our son is here so....my husband has all ready volunteered to cook one of the meals and our son is always up to cook steaks for dinner one night of each of his visits.
After so many years of forced inactivity and therefore loneliness, life is so great right now. We have friends, my husband made it to the end of this particular job without breaking down from the stress, I am happy with my church life, our son is making his way in the world with his head screwed on straight again......yup, life has been good lately.
Some Maritime friends sent an email to us earlier this evening to let us know that they will both be retired within the next couple of months. They are calling their retirement, "Welcome to Poverty". I think they will be pleasantly surprised by all that God does to provide for them. We are certainly looking forward to how he helps us over the next few months, so between the four of us there will be many opportunities to share our experiences and encourage each other along the way.
Think I will go and look for some drippy novel that I no doubt have stashed away among the stack of books I purchased at this year's Big Book Sale. I know if I start reading something like that I will be asleep in 5 minutes or less!
PS It was another warmer and windless winter day here today, so I walked to church...walking...outside on ice and snow free sidewalks....on December the 16th...unheard of. Yippee!!
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