Musing While Awaiting The Next Thunderstorm!

 Looks like a slow moving prairie storm system is going to clip us pretty severely over the next 24 hours.  We had a bit of rain earlier this morning. Right now it is 9am and the storms that are supposed to be blowing in soon from the west are nowhere in sight. The swirling winds and dark clouds are coming out of the south east at the moment.  So, we shall see what happens...and what happens to our basement this time around if we do indeed receive storms for the full 24 hours they are predicted to last.  My husband discovered some more sealant in a pail in the basement the other day, but has not been feeling well enough to fill the rest of the cracks that opened up during the last storm. Hopefully this time we will not get the gusts of wind that pounded so much water into our basement last time.  We are supposed to be delivering some meals to a friend this afternoon so I don't want to have to cut things short because we have to bail out the basement again.

We had a good weekend.  We accomlished a lot of house chores, cleaning and laundry, so didn't feel like sloths the entire time, for a change.  Kat and val came over for a visit one afternoon and that was such fun. Val presented us with a lovely new tea pot, so my husband has now gotten rid of a couple of smaller, older teapots that were inadequate to serve more than one other person a decent cup of tea.  YAY!!  We gave them some fresh herbs in exchange so we all benefited from the visit.

Church was very good again on Sunday morning.  the preacher did an awesome job. She takes her time, never rushes, makes herself clear and comes across as the epitome of relaxation.  The content of her message was also worth hearing, about all the gifts God has bestowed upon us.  The music was excellent.  We sang my favourite chorus, "Ten Thousand reasons".  A friend shared her composition based on Psalm 103 and we sang "To God Be The Glory", which was our wedding processional back in '77.

My husband's CFS is the worst it has been in a long time, so I am praying and cooking up many, many vegetables and proteins for him, staying away from all grains and hoping that once his sister's funeral is over he will be able to relax and start getting over this latest episode.  He returns to work tomorrow, so has managed to check out the readings for Sunday and start getting an idea of what he will be preaching about.  YAY!

Friends sent beautiful photos from their vacation in Jasper.  O my, Mount Edith Cavell has a lot of snow on top already.  It was such a peacful scene from over the water, looking toward the mountain over top of the green spruce trees.  I am so thankful to see the beauty of the mountain terrain, but am  sorry we are not going to get there, again, this year.  My husband had no energy to do any sort of outdoor activity on his holidays: no hiking, no canoeing and certainly no serious climbing.  Perhaps it is just as well, since most of his favourite areas are completely closed due to bear activity that has given a number of folk a terrible fright.  A few more people than usual have been killed by bears this year, so I admit I am happy, selfishly, that he was unable to go out there this summer.  I know though that he feels sad about it and that hurts my heart.  He has come to the realization at last that his climbing days are over and it has been a tough realization.  Sigh....

The rest of the family is doing well.  Raymond is hanging in, maybe by a thread, but hanging in none the less.  I am praying that he will not have a terrible let down again once the funeral is over.  He will have his own cancer check up afterward and that may not bring happy news.  Mom is doing exceptionally well over all, some days better than others of course, but I am pleased with how she has held up mentally as well as physically.  Our son is burning out from work busyness, but in two more weeks that burden will lift a bit.  His girlfriend made it back across the border after her family visit to Canada, so she has been advising him on what he is going to have to do to return to NYC if he comes here for a visit this autumn.  Sounds like quite a procedure and if the US border still doesn't open after the presently declared date of Sept. 21, I am not sure if we will get to see him or not.

we have talked a lot about friendships, my husband and I.  We have some very good friends, some new and some of long standing.  We feel very blessed to have these people in our lives and we do hope that once my husband retires we will be able to spend more and better quality time with them.  We will be seeing some of them when we go to AB in a few weeks, Lord willing and the Variant numbers don't rise.

It is time to go and make a peach cobbler for one of the friends we are seeing this afternoon, but hopefully we won't ruin it due to exhaustion.  The kids next door were up pounding around in the stairwells and hallways until nearly 1:30am, so we didn't sleep much.  When my alarm rang just after 6am today for me to go grocery shopping, it was only the knowledge that tomorrow morning could well be too stormy to shop that hauled me reluctantly out of bed during the bit of sound sleep I was finally enjoying! My husband fared no better, so instead of patching basement walls he is flaked out in front of the CNN newscast that is sharing the latest news of the Hurricane Ida disaster in the USA, as well as the news that southern NEvada is being evacuated due to a giant ground fire!  Oh, those poor people!!

I didn't go shopping this morning at the least expensive store...I only picked up 3 items there I couldn't get at SaveOn.  I went to Saveon because they had everything else I needed and although they are a bit more expensive, there are fewer folk to be in contact with there at 7am.  It was good to pick up all but the other 3 things I needed and only have to spend a very few minutes among the crowded aisles of the discount grocery.  There are times when "cheaper" is NOT the main consideration, even for people on our budget.

Tomorrow will be a busy, happy day. I have an appointment at the eye clinic to have my glasses tightened and an appointment for a hair cut in the afternoon so that I will be all ready for easy hair care when we go to Alberta.  Almost like a SPA day for moi! hahaha

off to shower and get that peach cobbler made before the lightning starts.  Have a great day everyone.    

So, How Was Your Holiday? (They Asked Me)

 That has been the sixty four thousand dollar question this week.  It has been coming at me from all directions it seems. hahahaha  I have to laugh because for me the question is not worth asking or answering.

"Our" holiday has been just what my husband has needed after a whole year of stress due to his sister's problems and the stress that continues as her funeral is still to come.  Other than our nine days away at the beginning of the month of holidays, we have not left this suite for so much as a day trip because my husband needed to rest and stay home to have some recovery time. His CFS has been terrible all summer and the best thing for him has been to do exactly what we HAVE done in regard to having local fun, taking day trips and seeing out of town friends:  in other words, NOTHING!

Having a staycation has been a time for him of reflecting on this past year and putting serious thought into the future of his public ministry, a time to gather what little energy he has and complete a few small house chores and projects that have been outstanding for a long time.  It has given me great joy to see him having time to do anything he wants or nothing at all.

However, the idea that I myself have had an actual vacation is quite ludicrous, although I do appreciate people taking enough interest in me (us) to ask about it.  

For me this vacation consisted of the three days we were in Lethbridge and Taber visiting friends. They were a marvellous three days, but they are the only actual vacation days I have had this year.  The other days we were away do not count as vacation because they were spent caring for my mother. They were wonderful days and I enjoyed every one of them, but they were not a vacation.  I cooked, cleaned, shopped, emptied garbage, recycled, did laundry and whatever else was necessary to make my mom's life easier. It was great to do those things, but it was not a vacation.

Since coming home from our time away I have continued to cook, clean, shop, empty the garbage, recycle, do laundry and whatever else is necessary to keep our lives easier.  I have not had a break from those daily chores apart from that wonderful three days in southern Alberta.  I have had no break from the same old, same old, daily humdrum, boring existence at any other time this month, apart from enjoying a handful of wonderful visits with friends...the same wonderful friends I have allowed myself to see throughout the safer times of the current pandemic.

I am not complaining, I am just stating facts.  The last time I had a real vacation was in June of 2018 when we went to New York City to visit our son for ten glorious days. THAT was a vacation!!  So it has been over three years since I have had a real break from being a housewife and "gettin' the job done" week after endless week after endless year.  It is just life, no biggie and I enjoy my life for the most part, boring as it is.

I will get one more day of vacation in September when we go to Alberta again.  First there will be three days of taking care of Mom, then a vacation day visiting several old friends north of Calgary, on our way to the funeral in Edmonton.  I am focusing on that day and I know it will be a fabulous day.  We have three couples to see that day and I can't wait!!!!  YAY!!  So, I DO have a vacation day coming that, for me, truly is a VACATION day!!  We will spend a night in a hotel and eat out. I am very excited about it.

So, how was my holiday this month of my husband being off work?  The actual holiday of three days was fabulous and that is the time I think of before I answer the question!

Pretty Great For A Cold and Rainy Day!

 Days like this are a joy for me!  I woke up ahead of my alarm, after a decent night of sleep...thank you Lord and prayer warriors....and was ready in plenty of time for my walking partner to meet up for a visit.  It was raining far too hard to go walking, so we spent "only" 2 1/4 hours visiting. I learned about her most recent holiday and about the amazing online programme her recently graduated from high school son is going to be taking from a college on the west coast.  The time flew past so quickly, as it always does when we get together.  When I looked at my watch as she was leaving for work, I was shocked to see how long we had been talking!  It was a WONDERFUL time!

 

She brought us two jars of yummies from her recent summer canning project. One is a jar of swiss chard relish....absolutely fabulous!  It is not sour like most pickled relishes, but slightly sweet.  It went very well with the sausage I was eating at lunch time. She says it is delicious with turkey too. For dessert after lunch we each had a slice of bread with a teaspoon of her equally fabulous jam made from Russian haskap berries she recently picked in the Yukon.  AMAZING!  She got just the right blend of sugars and pectin to retain a bit of tartness from the berries. Instead of the usual disappointment with fruit jams of tasting only sugar and pectin, we can actually taste the true flavour of the berries....fantastic job my friend. Wow, we are going to enjoy these gifts!

After lunch I had a great chat with an out of province friend I haven't talked to in weeks.  It was good to get caught up on her life as well and hear how things are going in her town, a town we also used to live in.

I was greatly inspired by the sunshine that broke out about the time I was done on the phone, to get about cleaning the rest of this suite, so have just finished that task.  I do so love "CLEAN"!!  I don't know why some weeks I struggle with getting the housework done because I am always overjoyed to see the last of the dust and lint for a few days. 

I have an email from an out of town friend that I want to answer right away.  She is such a good friend and her emails are always so spiritually encouraging in the midst of the many medical issues she and her husband have been dealing with over the past three or four years.  We originally became friends when we lived in the same city and were introduced through a misunderstanding that I had about something I heard her say....not an auspicious beginning, but as I went through the process of approaching her to apologize for my stupidity, the situation was sorted out and a lovely friendship rose from the ashes of what could have been a broken, tense, unhappy situation.  I have always been so grateful to God for her graciousness toward me at that time and ever since.

My husband had his first follow up appointment this morning after his recent lab tests. Everything looks good so that is a relief.  He is still waiting to hear from the imaging clinic and I am wondering if he ever will.  They are impossible to talk to in person, but have not yet contacted him to set up an appointment nearly 2 weeks after the referral. Maybe he will hear from them next week???  Next on the list for us both is to make appointments with the eye doctor as soon as we return from the funeral next month.

Wow, the present sunshine is the best thing!  It isn't going to last long as thundershowers are predicted for later on today and tomorrow and possibly the day after that, so I am going to sit here at my computer, right by the window, throw it open and enjoy every bit of sunshine and warmer air I can get while I type a response to my friend!

Blither Blather Blither Blather

 It is past my bedtime and since I slept poorly last night I really do need to get to sleep now, but it is difficult to shut off the random thoughts cycling through my brain, so I will post something here in hopes I get sleepy by the time I am done.

Last night's dinner at our new friends' home was the most wonderful time.  The food was great, but even better was the visit and the ambiance took me back to having dinners at the homes of my parents' friends when I was young:  beautifully appointed homes on large, elegantly landscaped properties, the best china, antique cut crystal wine glasses, proper table settings, elegantly dressed hosts and guests, walls covered in works of art and book cases filled with artists' biographies and academic texts, people with enough reserve that no one had to worry that the conversation would ever take a too personal or embarrassing turn, but with still enough personal sharing to relax everyone....the amazingly wonderful forgotten memories of times just like this that occurred when I was growing up...BONUS!  It was like stepping back in time, before life became confusing and frightening and eventually hum drum like it is now.  I am grateful for last night's entertainments on a variety of levels. Thank you Lord for letting me know that there are still people like this in the world that I am privileged to be getting to know.  What a blessing!

After a wretched sleep last evening, I allowed myself to laze around this morning. By noon I was concerned that another lazy day was not going to be good for me, but just after lunch I remembered that my walking partner is coming over tomorrow morning and the weather may not allow us to go walking anywhere outside this suite!  I gazed about at the dusty furniture and lint covered carpets, tried to remember when I last cleaned the bathroom properly or washed the kitchen floor and realized it is quite possible that if my walking partner does make it over in the morning that I didn't want her to see such filth and disarray!!!  Suddenly I became VERY motivated to get moving and start cleaning!!  By dinner time I had everything but two of the upstairs bedrooms cleaned!  YAY!!!  It felt absolutely wonderful to get so much done.  I unplugged the phone and shut off my iPad so I wouldn't be tempted to be distracted and worked away very happily for several hours.  Talk about an encouraging day!  Once I got going the energy came back.

My husband spent a second day on cleaning up my computer both internally and externally.  As it happened, the extra RAM he ordered for both our computers arrived at noon today...talk about perfect timing!  By this evening he had everything up and running again and the whole process of logging on has become a far less arduous process.  This PCU has been known to take up to seven full minutes to get up to speed and let me into my programmes.  Now it is down to around two minutes to load everything up. What a difference!  It is going to need a new hard drive soon, but for now, it is marvellous to use.  Bless that man for his tenacity with these computer projects. He is self-taught, learns as he goes along, so he isn't fast, but he gets the job done.  Oh that I should be as smart as he is with such things!

Tomorrow he is going to see the doctor for his recent test results. Fortunately he has already seen them himself online, so there shouldn't be too many unhappy surprises. He is still waiting for his appointment for a bladder scan. I cannot imagine what is taking so long.  It is nearly two weeks since the referral was made and today he tried calling the imaging clinic to see if anything had been set up yet, as he wants to save them the hassle of rebooking around our trip to the funeral. He left a message but no one called back. So tomorrow he will tell the doctor he hasn't had the scan yet, get his prescription refills based on the other lab work and sit around waiting some more I suppose.  What a different experience from my own bladder scans a few months ago at a different clinic.  I had my doctor's appointment in the morning, the same afternoon her office manager called me to tell me when my appointment was and the following morning I got a call from the imaging clinic confirming that appointment.  My husband, on the other hand, has been waiting nearly two weeks to hear from anyone at all.  Different clinic, different process I guess. He did check with the doctor's office manager to see if the referral had been forwarded to the imaging clinic and it definitely had. And so, we wait.........He was so hoping to have it before we left for the funeral, but hope is fading I am afraid.

Had two good conversations with Mom today.  She had an in person doctor's appointment yesterday, her first in well over a year and it was a good appointment. She got some help with lesions on her scalp and some creams and ointments for other skin issues, so she is happy for the assistance.  She went to Happy Hour again today and had a great time, even happily endured the country music musicians who were "entertaining" the residents.  hahaha  She has really come alive since the COVID19 restrictions have eased and her heart medications have helped her cope with her medical issues.

My husband spent some time on the phone with Raymond this evening.  Between them they have the funeral for Ruth planned out and are now only awaiting a last conversation with the priest to confirm a few details.  

There....my plan is working....rereading the details of my day is so boring, I actually am starting to fall asleep....better hie away to bed before the feeling leaves me again!

Wisdom From "Wisdom"

 I have been asked to do a reading at my sister in law's funeral next month.  There are many scriptural passages appropriate for the loss of a loved one, but my favourite is from the Apocryphal Book of Wisdom Chapter 3, vss 1-9.   (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)

  

Wisdom Chapter 3: 1-9

 1. But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,

    and no torment will ever touch them.

 

2. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,

    and their departure was thought to be an affliction,

 

3. and their going from us to be their destruction;

    but they are at peace.

 

4. For though in the sight of men they were punished,

    their hope is full of immortality.

 

5. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,

    because God tested them and found them to be worthy of

    himself,

 

6. like gold in the furnace he tried them,

    and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.

 

7. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,

    and will run like sparks through the stubble.

 

8. They will govern nations and rule over peoples,

   and the Lord will reign over them forever.

 

9. Those who trust in him will understand the truth,

   and the faithful will abide with him in love,

   because grace and mercy are upon his elect,

   and he watches over his holy ones.

Swashbuckling ‘Til 1am! Yawn.....

 After nearly two hours of mopping, towelling, bailing and cussing, we have tarps screwed into the siding outside above the basement windows that are directing the water away from the window wells and out onto the lawn. We have also put  wide wooden planks under the tarps, across the length and most of the width of the wells. Hopefully these things will work sufficiently well to save all the items that are stored in the basement until we can go outside later this morning to check out the situation in the light. We had to put these protective measures in place in the pitch dark and as quietly as possible to try to avoid waking the neighbours....not an easy task! hahahaha It has been quite an adventure! hahahaha

My husband pounded a shim into the concrete basement wall where the worst crack opened up inside, then wrapped a strip of flannel sheet around the shim to wick the water into the pail below. He has a similar wicking process going in the other crack, but since we have no more big pails, he has the water directed into an aluminum roasting pan with a siphoning hose taking that water along the floor and into the floor drain. 

Thank God for my handyman husband! I know what needs to be done, but do not have the skills to do it. He never complains, just sets to work solving these types of problems as well as he can. I am proud of him! 

Just one more issue pushing us toward our move next spring. We can’t do this type of thing for much longer in a rental unit where these sorts of building maintenance issues are supposed to be fixed by the property management company. We have loved the rent credit they have given us the past few years because we have been doing their work for them, but now we are tired of doing these sorts of things. These types of adventures we can now do without I 🤔 think! The rain is still falling, so who knows what kind of a mess we will have in a few more hours, but for now we should try to get some sleep. 

At least the tornado watch has ended for now.

Cloudburst!

 It is 11:30pm. The rain began just before 8pm.  The thunderstorm, big winds and massive downpour filled our window wells with water and the pressure forced open new cracks in the basement walls underneath them. My husband is outside in the pitch dark putting up plastic sheets to staunch the flow coming down the walls of the building by redirecting it onto the lawn, while I am off to mop and wring wet towels in the basement. Sigh..... Yup, gotta move out of here!

A Good Week, A Degree Of Spontaneity!

 The week is starting off well.  My husband was able to sleep in this morning, which always guaratees a happy start to his day.  We spent the entire morning reading emails and chapters of various books together, then went for a long walk before a late lunch of leftover lentil soup and beef stew.  hahaha  I really enjoy "Leftovers For Lunch Day"!  We usually have some wacky combinations.

After lunch my husband went online and found his recent lab test results. For the most part they are very good, unexpectedly good.  There are a couple of numbers on the high end of normal, but coupled with whatever results he gets from his upcoming scan there is likely lots to be done to help bring those numbers down.  He braved up and called the sassy office manager at his doctor's clinic and found out the referral to the imaging lab was made and he is to wait to hear from that lab for his appointment time and day.  If he hasn't heard anything from them in a couple of more days he will call them directly and see when the appointment is because we have to arrange things around the upcoming funeral for his sister in Alberta.  At least we know now which lab he has been referred to, hallelujah.  He did well on the phone, stayed calm and didn't ask me to make the call for him!  BONUS!  He IS feeling better today!  Of course he is still too tired for me to be very relaxed about his health, but if we are still "only" dealing with CFS I know the pattern now and this too shall pass eventually, at least to some degree.

My mom had a successful taxi booking today to go to the ophthalmologist for her monthly eye injection, so she always feels good once she has mastered that stress.  She sees the specialist again later this month about the eye that has pretty much lost all vision, to see if he can figure out why it hurts so much sometimes.  No one has found any infection in it, so I pray it isn't anything terribly serious and that whatever is causing the pain that comes and goes will be something she can either get help with or can learn to live with.

 Our son has three more weeks of excessive work at his job.  The paintings for the artist he is working for have to be mailed to Paris by September 14th for a show there.  Then things at work will slow considerably for a few weeks.  It has been intense on the jobsite for the past three months, but our son has only this morning felt too tired to want to go to work this week.  He is a workaholic like his dad and we pray he doesn't ever experience the same CFS issues his dad has. 

We have an invitation out for a patio dinner later this week from a very elderly couple from my church.  He just turned 90 a few weeks ago.  They are a lovely couple and it will be an honour to be with them.  They are lonely due to the former pandemic restrictions and want to have this dinner before the ever rising numbers force restrictions back into place, as it seems inevitable that they will.  He is the most interesting fellow.  In his college days he worked summers and holidays at the Lake Louise Lodge in the dining room as a server.  In those days it was a popular spot for visiting Hollywood celebrities and he has a ton of fascinating stories about the old time stars of Hollywood, all of who have passed on now.  We love hearing about his adventures with the then rich and famous.  She is an elegant lady of an earlier time, so gracious, so well dressed and made up.  We are excited to have this opportunity to share time with them.  They are the definition of "class" and we are amazed they want to include us in their social circle. Another "classy" older couple will also be there and we love them too.  He is from Amsterdam, nearly as old as our host and also happy to tell us stories of life from his younger days. She buys all her clothes in Amsterdam and always looks beautiful in her interesting outfits that she would never be able to purchase here on the prairies.  I am envious, I admit.

The sun has come out today after a full day of rain, but there are thundershowers forecast for overnight.  I had to wear a jacket for our walk today....talk about a cool down after so many very hot days earlier this month. 

I am hoping to soon arrange a visit with my walking partner who has been on holidays and is just home.  I haven't seen her in weeks and weeks, so am excited to get together once again.

That Was So Great, I Did It Again Today!

 This morning I received word that another friend had taken a tumble in her home and would be in need of temporary assistance in preparing meals. I am so sad for her as she is very elderly and while fortunate to survive the fall, she is going to be laid up for some time as she heals.

I think I am finally getting an answer to my prayers of the past few months to be able to be more helpful to people in a tangible, practical way. Right now that answer is to find people who need some meals prepared and do it for them. I spent the afternoon making paprika chicken, mushroom rice with corn and a hearty beef stew.

No, I am not tooting my own horn....please hear my heart:  I have been sitting in this suite feeling more useless to the rest of the population with every passing day and now I have a direct way to help people with some home cooked meals.  Making double sized meals for my husband and I, then sharing half with someone else is not that expensive and it gives me a sense of purpose I haven't had for a long time.  Please hear my delight in an answer to prayer, and don't take my explanations in this and the previous post the wrong way. Thank you, and no, I will not be blogging about every single opportunity that I have to cook for people.  I am just blown away at how wonderful this particular answer to prayer is turning out to be.  It is so great not to feel so useless right now.

Church online was good this morning.  We had a sermon about Psalm 8, the only psalm said directly TO God.  It is a reminder of how wonderful he is and how we can trust him because of who he is.  The music was really good again and it was nice to be able to sing along to a good variety of styles.  So grateful for how the leadership is addressing the music now that our beloved, long term music minister has retired.

My husband's digestion treatments are working well.  He felt so much better today than he has since starting them.  Yesterday was a little bit better than the day before and today was excellent.  He was working on some writing projects and doing a bit more work on the leaks in our basement as the rain came down for nearly ten straight hours today....just teeming all morning!  It is as cold as an autumn day outside right now and there is more rain in the form of thundershowers on the way soon.  Where was this marvellous rain in June and July when it would have done some good for the crops???  It has certainly been nice to not have to water all the plants on our deck the past few days.  

Tomorrow we will get busy getting follow up appointments made to continue the process of my husband's annual physical exam and track down why the medical office clerks have not yet set up an ultrasound appointment that was supposed to be set up early last week.  I am so tired of chasing down referral appointments that should have been made days, weeks or even months after the doctors have requested they be set up by their office staff and then the referral appointments don't happen.  It is exhausting having to advocate so hard for our own health these days.  I have had a lot of experience doing it in three different provinces now and so am used to it, but just once it would be wonderful if I could trust the medical system to actually work like it is supposed to.....I certainly am not alone in this.

We are about to embark on my husband's last ten day or so of holidays.  I am so sad that he has to go back to work.  I love having him here at home all the time and not rushing around getting sermons recorded and having meetings of all kinds about all manner of issues.  Call me selfish, but I am going to miss the freedom we have had for the past month to go anywhere or nowhere, do things or do nothing, OUR choice. 

Finally, A USEFUL Day In The Best Sense Of The Word!

 I love days like today!  Finally, a day where I got to help someone else instead of tending to my own plans for yet another day of feeling useless to humanity at large!

My friend phoned me this morning.  She has been immobilized for the past couple of weeks with a badly bruised coccyx after a bad fall and as of yesterday the pain has made her completely bedridden.  The coccyx apparently holds a ton of nerve endings from the upper body and that explains the severe pain that lasts for so many weeks when it is damaged.  Her husband is struggling to do the cooking, but at the age of 82 it isn't the easiest transition for him. He is a "manly man" and needs to complete the shingling of the roof on their house, not get tangled up in the kitchen trying to figure out recipes for soups and stews.  He really does need to get the roof project completed and there is still lots to do before winter. There is a skylight involved.....for you roofers out there, need I say more?? Since he is working alone on the roof he has to work away at the project as quickly as he can and not be distracted by a lot of other things. 

I took them food once before and since she mentioned that while we were talking on the phone, I knew my friend was asking for help once again.  I had a blast getting some containers filled for her.  I had just completed a pasta and sausage casserole before she called, so half of that is now in her refrigerator. My husband donated a large carton of the lentil soup he made yesterday and I threw a peach/cranberry pudding into the oven to bake.  After lunch we took the food over and had a short visit with our discouraged friends.  She has had so many medical issues in the past five years, mostly due to a joint surgery that went completely wrong and has left her in terrible shape as far as her mobility.  It is doubtful anything can ever be done about it at this point and she is fighting depression and worry.  I don't blame her. I would be too.  My prayer is that the Lord will do something very special for her to encourage her in the coming weeks.

After our visit, since we saw the state of their empty refrigerator and realized his limitations a a chef, we went to the grocery store and bought some meat and veggies. Tomorrow I will make a stew for them and a chicken casserole and a rhubarb/banana loaf, so that should tide them over for awhile.

 What a fun and surprisingly useful day!  Thank you Lord!!

Society's Regression

 I am NOT a fan of online shopping.  The people of my son's generation and younger have no idea that for we older folk who grew up in the 1950's and '60's, particularly those in rural areas, we did all our shopping for clothing, housewares and appliances through SEARS and other catalogues. There were no big stores in the vicinity of most farms and teeny towns carrying the products we wanted and it wasn't always possible to go to the city to view the products we needed in a retail store or warehouse facility.  For me, online shopping is just a more tech savvy way of returning to the dreaded catalogue shopping.  I can only see photos and read partial descriptions of the items I need to purchase.  I cannot go into a store to see the products for myself, to check the quality of the manufacturing, to make sure the appliances and computer parts and whathaveyou actually do all the things I need them to do, to try on the clothes to be certain they fit properly and are well made and the exact right colour, length and width and actually are styles that suit me.  I spent my early childhood gazing at pictures in the SEARS catalogue and having my mother order things sight unseen. Sometimes the magic worked and sometimes it didn't. When it didn't there was the laborious process of trying to return the item and waiting for a refund....it was actually far less laborious than attempting to return an item purchased online, believe me, it was!!  The pandemic has forced a return to "catalogue" shopping....trust me, apart from online shopping being more difficult to deal with when there is an issue with the product received, online shopping is simply another sign of the devolution of our western society!

Online shopping....blecch, pooey!!!  BLAH!!!!  💩

 

It rained quite a bit overnight last night and drizzled most of the day. The moisture is very welcome!  I love the cool temperatures the rain has ushered in and looking at the long term forecast it may be safe to return my floor fan to the basement and cover it up with a plastic bag until next summer.....ooh, that would be so lovely!!  There is more rain forecast for next week and the temperatures are not going to warm up much between now and then.  YAY!!

A crash inside the next door neighbours' suite awakened me at 4:15am and I didn't go back to sleep, so at 6:15am I got up and dressed, ate a bit of breakfast and headed off for a 7am grocery shopping extravaganza.  Even though it was Friday morning, a notoriously busy day no matter how early the time, today wasn't too bad for crowding.  I hit two stores and was home before 8:15am to unpack and relax for the rest of the day.  My husband was feeling terrible all day, due to starting to take caprylic acid again to rid his gut tract of yeast issues. (and yes dear friend who will just have to let me know how much you know about such things, teehee, he IS also taking acidophilus as well...so there!) Once he adjusts to it, he will feel better in another day or two.  Caprylic acid, if it is working, seems to be that way...two days or so of misery as it starts to do its work and then he feels ever so much better.

I received a confirmation this morning from the furniture store that my order has gone through and I SHOULD have my new couch in less than 3 weeks....it would be lovely if it actually arrives prior to having to leave for the funeral in September. So that is my prayer for the Lord today. YAY!

This evening we watched Nomadland with Frances McDormand.  We so enjoyed it!  There was hardly a scene or a character or a lifestyle portrayal in the entire movie we couldn't relate to....amazing!!  Although it hit far too close to home for us in some ways, we loved the movie and will probably watch it again sometime.  One of our retirement options has always been fitting out a van of some kind and going on the road until we are too old and ill and incapacitated and requiring Long Term Care.  It is a rough lifestyle, but we have had more than one time of rough lifestyle since we got married, so what the heck!!  It wouldn't be our first choice, but we surely could manage to do it for a few years if we had to, particularly now that cell phones exist.  Yup, could be done in a pinch....the movie has us thinking and talking about the future again.

The number of COVID19 cases, mostly Delta variant, have risen dramatically in our city and province over the past ten days.  In about three weeks' time our number of new provincial cases has gone from 17 per day to today's current  high of 244.  Over 80% of those cases are among the unvaccinated folk, but 15% of the remaining cases are among the fully vaccinated.  Although extreme illness/hospitalization/death are not associated with those vaccinated folk who get Delta, I prefer not to get COVID19 at all, so am making some difficult decisions about the next few weeks while we wait for the funeral trip.  Sadly we will not be going to church in person at my church now that they have dropped most of the masking and distancing rules. People are singing in each others' faces again and my husband and I don't feel safe.  Before he returns to work, depending on the pandemic numbers here, my husband has to meet with the wardens of HIS church and decide what to do about their own in person services.  If they want to continue that, HE will be masked and staying up around the altar for the entire service, as far away from everyone as he can get other than when he is serving the elements at the Eucharist.  I can't help hoping they decide to close the churches again until this latest variant is more under control. It is more work for the priests as they end up spending an extra day every week putting their sermons, or whole service liturgy, online, but for safety's sake I would really like it if my husband had to return to that for awhile longer.

Oooh, I cannot wait for my husband to retire!  I am so grateful he took his entire month of holidays at once this summer.  He has had time to completely veg out, has kept commitments to a bare minimum, apart from medical appointments, has had the opportunity to sleep in every morning, to do household "chores" he has been wanting to do for a long time, to read books and newfeeds and even just sit and stare at the walls if he so desires.  Unfortunately, I suspect his energy level will come up again just as he needs to go back to work in September.  I am praying for a miracle that will allow him to retire at the end of this year, but we shall see what God does.  If not to provide for an early retirement, perhaps a good dose of energy so he can work another year would be just as good.    

 

Thank You Lord For Something New!!!!Th

 This afternoon I lost all patience with our old couch. It is scratched and the springs have given out completely on one end, and are separating now on the other.  It was damaged when it arrived from the factory over six years ago: the fork lift on the loader had pierced the delivery box and gone right through into the bottom half of the couch when it loaded it into the truck to bring to our place. Trying to prove the company had caused the damage was going to be more trouble than it was worth, so my Mr. Fix It husband invented a way to repair the damage and restitch the upholstery, never thinking the couch would last this long. Yay, it did! 

Today I was in so much pain, again, with my hip hardware after sitting on that couch for less than an hour that I decided it had to go out...be gone....leave! My husband agreed and ten minutes later we were off to our favourite furniture store to place an order. The new couch  is similar is style and has the same colour and upholstery, so it will fit right in with our remaining living room furniture. It also has a different spring system that should last even longer than the first one. It is slightly shorter and less bulky, so it will be easy to move next spring and will fit well into whatever downsized suite we end up in. Yay, again! 

The price is right too and it should arrive from Vancouver in a month or less. So, once again yay!!!

I had some computer issues yesterday so my husband spent most of the day scanning, trouble shooting and repairing the problems. I changed all my passwords and started a new spreadsheet to keep better track of some things I am doing online. So, we have had a productive day! Y.A.Y.!!!!! Being on holidays means my husband has accomplished all sorts of house and personal chores that have been on the back burner for months due to his limited energy. As it sinks in that he only has one more year of work, he is relaxing and enjoying the idea of full retirement.

We received a tax notice today that we are getting some unexpected funding that we are very surprised about. Looking at the information they sent we couldn’t reconcile their numbers with our last year’s income amounts, so we called their office. We were certain a mistake had been made and we did not actually qualify for this lovely surprise bonus. Shockingly we did not have to sit on hold for an hour. The tax assessor answered the phone immediately and checked our filed income tax information. He led us through the formula used by the tax department that arrived at the information we were sent today, and voila! We DO qualify for this bonus!!!!!! The man said we made him feel like Santa Claus because we sounded so surprised and thrilled. We made his day and he made our day!! What an incredible blessing today has been! So thankful are we!

Glorious Rain!

 The rain began last evening around 9pm. There were some thunderstorms overnight and I pray the lightning in the area did not ignite any more fires. This morning at 8am there is a gentle rain falling that is supposed to continue for another couple of hours. Hopefully the now forecast scattered showers tomorrow and full day of rain the following day will come to pass. The rain is coming too late for the farmers and some of the ranchers, but the city flower beds and yard gardens will still benefit. The bonus is that the air temperature has cooled down considerably. What a relief! 

Our trip to Last Mountain Lake today has been scuttled by the weather but later next week should be a good travel time. I suspect that by the time he returns from his lab work this morning my husband isn’t going to feel much like taking a trip out of town anyway. Today we will prepare some lentil soup and beef stew instead. Cooking together has become a lot of fun over the past year. 

My Plebian Holiday Joys

 Today for me has been the perfect holiday type of day!  So simple, but for me it works.  

I got up early this morning and pampered myself with a hot shower and some hair styling, followed by a leisurely breakfast with my husband.  Then we had a chat and did a few simple home chores before deciding to walk a half hour or so to our friends' home for lunch. The high altitude forest fire smoke was high enough up in the sky that there wasn't much odor to it and it kept the hot sun from shining in our eyes.  Along with a gentle, cool breeze, it made for a very pleasant walk.  

Lunch with our friends was spectacular for us, the two people who live on potato salad and chicken sandwiches with devilled eggs for the entire summer!  I really do need to haul out my remaining recipe books and actually COOK something again really soon.  My poor husband......  Our hostess started us off with a lovely sangria.  We are not sangria fans for the most part because so many people make it with the cheapest of red wines and it tastes absolutely ghastly....like I would imagine gasoline mixed with water would taste. Ick!  This was marvellous stuff and she got the proportions of wine and fruit marinade to club soda just perfect.  The main meal consisted of a generous slice of her delicious tomato/cheese pie, fresh cucumber slices with fresh dill and a wild rice salad with diced green peppers and other goodies that was the best salad I think I have ever eaten.  It was filled with fresh cilantro, my favourite.  Lunch was perfect for such a meal: three kinds of sherbet in a wide mouth stemmed glass with an accompanying vanilla sandwich cookie.  We had a lovely Portugese sparkling white wine with the meal and it went with every element.  We are not much for sparkling wines or rose`s but this is a good one.  The visit was the best part of the afternoon as it  has been well over  a year since it was safe enough to visit these friends in person.  We all feel the pandemic restrictions on our movement have aged us badly.  'Tis true!

After our visit we walked a couple of blocks further on from our friends' home and returned my husband's library books, then chose a route home that took us through three different inner city parks along the way.  There were pretty flowers and shady trees and nice clean pathways.  We ambled along slowly, somewhat reluctant to return home.

Days like today are the kinds of days I consider to be holidays.  I am finding that I don't need to drive anywhere or go to any special attractions or events to feel like I have had a break away from the day to day ho hum activities.  I just need to take a long walk with my husband, visit a few friends together, share a meal with someone....nothing elaborate. No big outlay on gasoline, miles driven or meals out or hotels....just a nice, quiet, happy time with my husband and other friends occasionally in the course of a week with no other really big "have to" committments.

I had a very good chat today with a fellow who is visiting for the summer at my next door neighbour's suite.  He is only about 20-25 years old at most and has the most hacking cough I have ever heard from someone who is not dying of COPD or tuberculosis or the like.  Today I finally told him I am very worried about him. He told me he quit smoking cigarettes at age 16 after a dressing down by his grandmother who died from lung cancer shortly thereafter, but then he started smoking cannabis oil with high levels of THC, resins and terpenes("shatter")for a few years and blew his lungs right out.  Now he is too incapacitated to work, can't stop hacking and coughing from the depths of his toes and smokes medical weed constantly to help cope with the pain and the depression.  I managed not to cry in front of him, but it broke my heart to see this hulking, burly young fellow completely destroyed by habits he aquired as a teenager.  It is incredibly sad.  He lives with his mom and auntie and doesn't do much of anything at all that is useful or productive.  His lungs run out of air in a matter of seconds just from standing up and walking around.

What a blessing my own life is, old age and all.  I have actually REACHED old age with decent mobility, somewhat clear thinking and no chronic health issues that I can't get treatment for.  The young man I spoke to has nothing much to look forward to in future beyond an earlier than expected death. Sigh....oh how I am praying for him.

Pretty Fun Monday!

 Other than my husband's trip to the doctor, the rest of the day has been fun!  while he was in the office seeing his physician, I was touring the WalMart beside the clinic and finding some of the items we couldn't find for Mom in calgary a couple of weeks ago.  She will be delighted to receive them in the mail at week's end.

My husband finally got out of the clinic, lab requistion in hand, just before noon after a long wait in the clinic.  So, he decided we should go to Knotted Thistle for a Steak Sandwich lunch.  Our steaks were quite decent, not a lot of fat to be removed, no gristle despite those sorts of cuts never being the best quality, so we had a good portion of beef to go with our mixed green salads with no dressing!! (No time like the present to get back on track!)  We had a very relaxed time of visiting over our meal in a deserted corner of the pub and the waitress remembered our favourite drinks, bringing them without having to take the order. Bless her.  

We came home to spend a long time on hold when phoning for a lab appointment, but it is all set up now for two mornings from now.  My husband is being given some extra tests this time and we are awaiting a call from the imaging lab for an appointment there as well.  Hopefully it will be fairly soon or else it will have to wait until after our time away in September for the funeral.  Once all the tests are in, my husband will have a follow up appointment with his GP.  He is not holding out much hope that THIS time the tests will actually show something indentifiable.  If they do it will be a first in a long time, apart from chronically high cholesterol.  Between his CFS and the past few months of extreme stress, everything is off kilter for him. Praying he is okay and that there is nothing new gone wrong with his health.

After we settled the lab appointment, we watched another movie:  The Tomorrow Man, starring John Lithgow and Blythe danner.  It is very, very slow....and very, very well done!!!  I recommend it for anyone over the age of 60  because it depicts so much about our age group in an honest way, plus I would recommend it for younger people who know how to appreciate the older actors who excell at their craft after a lifetime of experience on screen and on stage.

Yup, a good day indeed!

Just A Tad Uneasy and Undecided

 We are trying to figure out what to do as far as attending my church's in person services these days.  Yesterday, for a variety of reasons, we ended up staying home and watching the service on Zoom, where we noticed that mask wearing and most social distancing has been scrapped about two or three weeks earlier than originally agreed upon.  People were sitting close together, unmasked, singing and praying aloud.  How comfortable are my husband and I with that at this point?  Hmmmm.....just so unsure we want to be that exposed to possible Delta or Lambda variants.  We have this week to think and pray about it. With compromised immunity systems we are definitely in the higher risk category, so, no snap decisions.

It is nice on one hand to see so many of us have returned to in person services, just not particularly comforting to see the loss of pandemic safety practises as the provincial case loads are rising once again.  Hmmmm.......so not sure. Hoping for more clarity by next Sunday morning.

We had a lazy Sunday here, in preparation for a rather busy week.  We caught up on emails and watched boxing matches and movies on tv.  We really enjoyed The Good Liar with Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen.  It took an unexpected and very dark turn toward the end, so that added to the interest for us.  Mom was having a good day again and the son is still floating happily out in space over his good news.  We heard from Raymond and he is managing life okay, enjoyed his son's destination wedding. He is hoping to take a trip to SK to see old friends and family sometime soon.  

Off to the doctor now with my husband.  Annual physical time for him and I can only pray for leniency and compassion on the part of his doctor now that my husband is only starting to get back on his diet and exercise plan after nearly three months of throwing all caution to the wind due to stress and travelling.

Had the wierdest dream last night where I lost my shoes, lost track of my husband, couldn't find my friend who had started off being in the dream but disappeared part way through, couldn't make sense of text messages from my son, climbed a muddy, grassy hill, shoeless rather than take a nice paved sidewalk to get to my destination....no reason. hahaha  It was nonsensical to me even during the dream. hahaha

Well, off to face the day's +35C temperature.

Grace Note......

 Received an email from our son this morning.  He just got word that one of his paintings from his recent show has sold and that is great news.  First time shows in NYC by relatively unknown Canadian artists are not really known for having any sales, so this is a real bonus for our son.  We are delighted because we know how hard he has worked for the past twenty years to achieve his dreams of showing art in NYC, so a sale first time out is a big deal for him. "Slow and steady wins the race"; this has been his motto from the beginning of his career.  Thank you Lord for his faithfulness to follow his dream and to do the work necessary to bring it to fulfillment.  He and his girlfriend are celebrating tonight with champagne and oysters....IF they can pry themselves away from the air conditioning unit long enough to face today's NYC heat.

My husband has had to attend the church planning meeting at my church on his own today.  I was expecting to go as well, but last night was such a sleep deprived disaster, that I am at home instead, taking it easy this afternoon.  I got to bed by 10:30pm last evening and set my alarm for 7am, but just after 11pm there was an absolute "eruption" of forest fire smoke that invaded our area of the city.  Since I had fallen asleep with all the windows open and the fans running, I managed to competely fill our suite with the rank odor of burning trees.  My Claritin has been working well, but last night there was so much reeking smoke that I had a terrible allergic reaction to it.  My respiratory system wasn't too bad thanks to the antihistamine, but unfortunately I did experience the worst part of intense allergic reactions.  I woke up seven times overnight to rid my kidneys of the allergens in my system.  It has been a few years since the last time I experienced a reaction that bad, but it wasn't unexpected based on past history.  I didn't sleep much until I finally fell sound asleep sometime after 6am.  When the alarm went off I nearly fell out of bed, it startled me so badly.  After staggering around for the better part of an hour trying to eat breakfast and get dressed, my husband and I realized there was no way I was going to be fit to go to an all day seminar and planning meeting.  I made a lunch for him and off he went on his own.  I crawled back into bed, but sleep would not come, so I got dressed again and went for a long walk, delivering books I read over the spring and summer to a community library box about a mile away.  Stopped in at the grocery store afterward for a few things, then came home and had a very sound sleep before eating lunch.  I feel a lot better now.

The temperature outside has nearly reached its forecast high of +35C and it is not even 2pm, so I suspect we will surpass that temperature by a degree or two.  When I went for my walk this morning, well before 10am, it was already +26C.  Two more days of this and then the blessed lower temperatures are supposed to arrive at last.  Since we are entering the latter half of August, I can only hope that the heat domes are over for this year. Perhaps next year we will be better prepared to deal with them, as I doubt they are going away with the global warming we are experiencing.  I am wondering too if we are going to experience an earlier than normal winter.  Everything is becoming topsy turvy between the world's weather, the global pandemic, crazy international politics, etc. etc. etc.  So, just writing that summary of the present world situation is depressing enough to chase me back to the sofa for another nap!! hahaha

The Best News This Year!!!!

 We just received an email from our son, letting us know he received a huge Canada Council grant today that will be one of the last "missing links" needed to be able to apply for his visa renewal a year from now!  Praise the Lord is all we can say!!  We are saying it over and over and over again.  Since the grant is specifically to be used for doing a project in the USA that is pertinent to his being there to study and work in the field of fine arts, it has many positive implications not only in the immediate but for his future as well.  Thanks be to God!

Safe Until 2025. Whew!!

 The City of Regina has just announced a nearly unanimous vote by city council to add fluoride to our drinking water.  Sigh.....When I first read the news headline announcing this I almost started to panic wondering how soon this is going to happen, as I need to make plans to leave the city when it does.  Unfortunately I am one of a very few folk who have a sensitivity to fluoride that leaves me drooling uncontrollably when I ingest it and covered head to toe in red rash when I shower in it.  I was relieved to learn it will not be happening until 2025, when the new water treatment facility at Buffalo Pound is supposed to be completed.  Whew and whew and whew!  Who knows where I will be by 2025?  I could be anywhere else in the world by then.  I could be dead by then.  It is four years up the road, so I know that I am safe to remain here until then.  YAY!!!  YAY!! 

It has been a productive day around here.  My husband took the vaccum to his upstairs office and cleaned everything in sight very thoroughly.  He went to the basement and caulked around the places where dirt is sifting in around the fibreglass batting stuffed into the holes under the front of the building that sticks out over top of the basement foundation wall. He checked in on his brother in law, who is on his way to his son's destination wedding this weekend, and all is going pretty well with Raymond at the moment. Yay and Whew!  He spent some time figuring out what happened to our computer back up battery after it went a little crazy on us the other day making wierd noises and shutting itself down.  Conclusion: it needs replacing, but not for lack of trying on my husband's Mr. Fix It part to resurrect it. So on Monday we will trek about the city to find a new one.  He decided to forego the drive today and fix up some of the drooping branches on some of our deck flowers.  Now he is working on another cleaning project in the basement.  The past two summers he has been too tired to do more than talk about doing anything much around here at all, so to see him starting to feel well during his holidays this year is very encouraging indeed.

While he was doing all this, I was making potato salad and ironing the mountain of clothes we managed to get dirty during our mere nine days away.  A clean outfit each every day due to the heat we experienced meant a lot of laundry and ironing when we got home.  Nice to have it all done now.

Finally received the agenda for tomorrow's church planning meeting.  We read it over and had a quiet chuckle to ourselves.  In nearly every previous church we have attended over the past twenty years or more, there has been a planning meeting with an agenda similar to this one and an outside facilitator to administer the various points we are going to cover.  In every other church we have completed this exercise with, the gap between the hopes and dreams of the participants has far outweighed the reality of the situation of their churches and thus in the end, no progress was made as a result of their day long planning session.  For my husband and I it would be easy to decide not to bother going, but perhaps, if nothing else, we can add a voice of reality occasionally during the various table discussions.  The agenda seemed to be written a bit more pretentiously than others we have seen.  For example, mid morning and mid afternoon breaks are not being called simply "fifteen minute break", but "Humanity Break to Tend to Needs as Chosen or Arisen".  Sigh....is it just me or........????  What is it about me that has a desperate need to respond to that particular phrase by saying, "Hey, man, we get a pee break!! Isn't that special???"  Of course I will say nothing of the kind anywhere but here in this post....I promise..... Yup, it will be interesting to see if this group of planners is any different than those in any of the other churches we have attended these sorts of meetings with. I am choosing to hold out hope for the best rather than the worst  case scenario!!  

Hmmmm.....3:30pm and all my work for the day is completed. Maybe I will treat myself to a bit of a book reading break or a look at a veterinary show on tv. Perhaps I will even have a nap. I am guessing by the absolute silence coming from the basement as of a couple of minutes ago that my husband has gone to sleep and is enjoying a lovely afternoon nap.  Good on him....he has worked hard around here lately.

 

 

 

 

Putting It Off Until Another Day

 My husband has another two and a half weeks of holidays this summer.  Last night we talked about going for a day trip today to Last Mountain Lake as there are some friends and some areas around the lake we would like to visit.  However, this morning we got a rather late start and we also realized today is Friday, so there will be maximum weekend traffic heading to the lake today on the two lane highway.  We canceled the idea but the potato salad and sandwiches I made for the picnic area lunch will be just fine to eat right here at home. Rather than slough off the whole idea though, we rescheduled it for the middle of next week.  If we don't reschedule we will continue to slump around here like a couple of elderly folk and then look back with regret once my husband returns to work. At least we have some plans now for next week!!

So today my husband is tackling some computer maintenance and repair chores and I will tackle the mountain of ironing I didn't get to yesterday.  We will take a short drive across the city at some point to get a new back up battery for the computers as our old one just died after many years of use.  Gotta pick up these odds and ends of needed odds and sods while my husband is still employed in parish ministry.  A year from now it will all be over.

Last night I got a call from a friend who recently fell and bruised her coccyx rather badly. She already has mobility issues that try her patience and now she can neither sit nor stand comfortably. Having had the same issue a few years ago, I can understand that grabbing pain and ongoing, never ending, miserable discomfort that can last for weeks.  There really isn't anything to be done, the injury has to heal on its own.  She wanted to see me so I threw together a pan fry dinner, a tuna casserole and baked a fruit pudding to take over and save her husband the hassle of making at least a couple of meals.  He is no cook, but he did try making soup last evening with some degree of success.  We had a short but sweet visit when I dropped off the food and if nothing else I can identify with that level and type of pain.  There is no pain killer that takes away that particular pain completely; not even with added codeine or morphine.  

Another friend emailed from the hospital emergency waiting room in the middle of the night.  She stood up from gardening in her back yard last evening, heard and felt a terrific snap in one knee and had to call her roommate in the house on her cell phone to get help to stagger back into the house. She couldn't put any weight on her leg at all. Unfortunately the x-rays she had to wait three or more hours for showed nothing but a bit of fluid build up around her knee, so she is struggling on today trying to work in her office while she tries to find out if she can get an MRI. Her doctor is rather unavailable, being in the preparation stages of moving out of province and not many doctors are taking new patients here, partly due to the 4th wave of COVID19 variants that is causing a great rise in active cases.

I got word as well yesterday of another friend who had fallen and caused himself great damage some months ago and who had a heart problem that was discovered as a result, and is now very ill once again, but no one seems to know how to help him.  He has been in and out of hospital umpteen times in the past few weeks and has rather given up on ever getting any substantial help with his problems.  He is in his 80's, so the situation is made even more dire by virtue of his age and his body's ability or lack thereof to recover from the problems without a lot of medical intervention that he isn't getting.

Another older friend who has been struggling with dementia for several years has now become violent toward her spouse and has had to be moved to a security facility.  She has done extremely well even with the dementia, but lately it has become impossible for her husband to care for her at home. His heart is broken all over again to lose her from his care.

Yet another friend has issues with an infection that she has been on medication now for several months and has learned that she will be on  meds until about a year from now as her infection is so aggressive and so hard to treat.

Other friends are dealing with recent cancer diagnoses, terminal in every case.....incredibly sad for them all and for their loved ones.

I am surrounded by people who are struggling with health issues, some older than myself and some younger....I am becoming most grateful for EVERY answer to prayer for these dear ones, no matter how small that answer is.  I am more grateful than ever for other friends who ARE healthy, or younger, or active, or whatever other positive attribute or trait or condition of health they possess. Knowing them gives me the encouragement and the spiritual strength to continue praying with hope for the other friends who are not doing so well.

Beginning tomorrow we will have three more days of intense heat here in Regina.  Then next Tuesday the cool down begins for at least a week or two.  Knowing that gives me the ability to happily face the next three days of hot weather.  There is hope!

And Life Carries On As Usual

 I knew for certain holiday travels are over when I spent all day yesterday doing eight loads of laundry. hahaha I landed back at home with a thud! Back to routine....oh well....it was a good day. After some grocery shopping this morning I will turn my effort toward ironing and next week it will be time to clean house again. Yup, very little has changed around here in the past few years, since even before COVID19. Life has taken on a predictable routine that I am comfortable with. Therefore our move next spring will be a combination of excitement over something new and temporary disruption for me. 

My walk scheduled for this morning was canceled when my friend contacted me to say she and her family had all been exposed to a babysitter’s stomach ‘flu’ yesterday afternoon. The poor babysitter had to rush home rather quickly so my friend went to her daughter’s home to provide care for the grandkids for the rest of the day. I am so grateful she let me know and had the sense to cancel our walks until she sees how virulent that tummy bug is going to be and I pray no one else in her family comes down with it. 

So, shopping with my husband instead. I am looking at the items on his list and thinking we will be going to Liquidation World. It is time for a bulk load of potatoes, onions and apples. Then we will swing past Mike’s Independent for a couple of items I need to get me through to next Tuesday when I shop for our usual monthly order. 

Another ho hum day in the offing, but I have learned to be ok with that.

And The Blessed, Cooling Rain Continues!! YAY!!

 We had such a good drive home on Monday after our week away.  Once we both started sleeping better at night life improved considerably and we started having a lot more fun together and with various friends.

Monday morning we got on the road before 8:30am!  YAY US!  hahaha  We sneaked out of our hosts' home without even waking them.  We met up with long time and somewhat long lost friends in Taber and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast together, reminiscing about  lots of good and not so good times we shared in days long past.  It was a lot of fun to see them again....five years since our last visit I think.

We drove in and out of rain storms on our way home, feeling grateful for the moisture, although it is insufficient and too late for this year's crops and cattle, unfortunately.  The rain made everyone we met feel happier and the drop in air temperature was welcomed by one and all after a whole summer of extended heat wave.  The drive was otherwise uneventful, with a stop for delicious lunch in Swift Current and a brief stop in Mortlach to visit another old friend and carpentry buddy we haven't seen in at least ten years. He and my husband renovated a church together about 15 years ago and they enjoyed sharing those memories and talking about what they are each up to these days.

Dinner that night was yogurt, rice pudding and melted cheese on toast.  We were too tired to make a proper meal and the Indian restaurants are mostly closed on Mondays. Apparently we will remedy that tonight and order in from DarBar or Caraway Grill.  hahaha

My minister invited us to participate in the long term planning retreat for my church that is happening this coming Saturday.  He told us he wants us there to be "a voice, or at the very least a comforting presence."  Hmmmm....is he expecting some fireworks over the decisions being made? hohoho!

Next week is my husband's appointment for his annual physical. He is worried about his blood pressure being too high and I am worried that he has cheated too often in recent months on his low cholesterol diet and exercise plan due to the stress involved in the loss of his sister. I just pray he will be okay and that any issues that have arisen in the past year will be able to be dealt with easily.

Today we did "chores" in the morning and then settled down to watch a few tv shows we taped while we were away.  We are having a calm, relaxed, happy day together. Thus far we haven't had any interruptions other than a phone call from friends to invite us to lunch one day next week. Hallelujah for a silent phone today.  

We both slept well in our own beds last night....sooo peaceful, so COMFORTABLE!!!  YES!!  Thank you Lord.

We are also happy to return to the sunsets over the lake across the street from us.  Here is one from last week, thanks to Kat's observant eye when she was over here watering our plants:

The Blessing Of Rain!!!!

 Although drought conditions here in southern Alberta are far from over, today brought the blessing of several hours of rain! Drooping plants in backyard gardens picked up tired leaves; stems stood straighter within a matter of a couple of hours. Small children came outside in their rubber boots to stomp and splash in the curb-side puddles. A steady fall of rain and cooler temperatures...what a marvellous way to greet the day. More rain is forecast to arrive early in the evening and continue for most of the night. Perhaps it will be a showery drive home tomorrow. Last night we tied up the exhausted looking stalks of our friends’ sunflower plants and pruned their tomato bushes, so they were all ready to greet the refreshing rain today. 

We enjoyed the local Anglican Church service this morning. The sermon was given by a Dominican monk who is about to be ordained in the church. It was nice after the service to hear the history of the origins of his order. After church most of the congregation happily stood outside in the gentle rain, visiting for an hour despite getting soaking wet! Such a relief to be able to enjoy a day away from the heatwave!

Tonight we will watch the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics with our friends. We will pack up and leave for home in the morning. What a lovely weekend of fun, friends, amazing meals, and deep conversation. The trip is ending on a much happier note than it began, partly due to getting enough sleep at last!

Having A Better Time!

 Started sleeping well again last night after making happier choices for the rest of our time away. We had a good time with our friends last night enjoying an outdoor bbq together and visiting while watching Olympics coverage in tv. 

Off to see the Japanese Gardens this afternoon and some other travelling around.

A wonderful day after a fabulous sleep.

I Am Getting Old.....sigh.....

 This morning I am feeling what I suspect is a symptom of aging: despite having a very good time with my mom, much more fun  and easier than anticipated, plus looking forward to driving to Lethbridge today to see special friends, I really just want to go home. Although I have slept well the past couple of nights, hallelujah, I want my own bed to sleep in. I want to make my own meals and eat them in the quiet confines of my own dining room on my own time frame. I want to go for long walks on familiar territory early morning n the mornings. I want to visit with my at home friends. 

That being said, I do have other reasons. My husband did not follow through on any of our planned visits with other family members and friends here in Calgary. We did not go shopping for any of the specialty teas and spices and herbs that we were both excited to buy. My poor husband is completely exhausted. He has spent the entire week sleeping 💤 in the hotel when not helping my mom with errands. Grief over his sister’s death has steamrollered him and has reactivated his CFS. Sigh.....I am tired just from watching him be so tired. I don’t know if visiting our friends in Lethbridge is actually going to be any more fun than this Calgary leg of the trip has been, or if the plans we made with our friends there will have to be scuttled because my husband will not be up for any of it. Sigh.....I feel terrible for him. Last time we went to Lethbridge was two years ago when his stomach issues had just begun, so that trip to see these same friends was a bomb. I can only pray he can rally and enjoy this second part of our so called holiday. 

I see my husband declining even apart from the symptoms of his grieving process so I think I am starting a grieving process of my own. Age and chronic illness are making their effects known in his life and it is making me sad.

So that is the reality of this “vacation” thus far. For those of you that have indicated lately that you prefer my cheerier posts, I will get back to those once I finish processing our current circumstances. It is actually ok for Christians to process grief and unhappy life changes and not be happy clappy every moment of the day. I was so relieved when I learned that a few years ago. Yay!