Tuesday 31 March 2020

The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

 

 FOR TODAY, March 31, 2020 


Outside my window...
Its fully light out and I am just starting this daybook when I am normally finishing it.  Darn you time change! LOL  Is anyone else having a difficult time remembering what day of the week it is?? 

I am thinking ... 
Today is the day my kids should have begun their journey over to see us. Trying hard not to be bummed about that, but hopefully the trip still can be made.  They have to use their tickets before the end of the year.  I hope and pray that they can.  It took Eileen so long to save up all that money. I would hate for her to lose it all.  Hoping and praying that this lock down doesn't last too long, but prepared for the long haul. 

I am thankful for ...
My God and my Saviour, prayer, a humble heart, an open mind, family, friends, modern technology, the NHS, our Government.  We can do this.  

In the Kitchen ...  

Anything Hash & Perfectly Poached Eggs 

Anything Hash with Perfectly Poached Eggs.  My  blood sugars have been up. Its hard a challenge to control them when you are cooking on food storage. Anyways, I made a hash using one leftover baked potato, some swede (rutabaga), broccoli stems, carrots, a small onion. . . . topped with a poached egg, this was our supper yesterday. 

On my "to Cook" list ... 

Food 52  Kindred's Milk Bread.  

Good to Know ...  

  
I am creating ... 
 

Red Ted Art. Paddington Bear  using Toilet Roll inserts.  

Crafts on Sea.  Free colouring Pages for Adults.  

   

The Body Shop.  Upcycled Foosball Table. 

  

Red Ted Art.  Easy Fidget Spinners.


   
 

Priscillas.  This is so pretty.  

I am reading ...  

Woman of Clay, by Linda Caddick 


This vivid story of love triumphing over human weakness plunges you into a vibrant drama in 1st century Israel.

 "In her mind’s eye, she saw herself cowering as the blur of that first stone hurtled towards her, its keen edge cutting into the soft flesh of her neck. Then another, striking her on the temple with a head-splitting blow, stones slamming into her from every direction. She felt the terror of death and heard her own screams inside her head. “God, have mercy on me,” she whimpered."

Self-deception, passion, and turmoil threaten to destroy everything Shana holds dear, even her own life. Driven by a burning quest for happiness, she sacrifices the love of a good man to satisfy a need she can't identify, paying a high price for the legacy of her father's rejection.

A shocking face-to-face encounter with a controversial young rabbi reveals the truth. He claims her heart and gives his life in exchange, but still she must suffer the consequences of her choices. A cruel twist of fate presents her with a final test - her will or God's will? Love requires a sacrifice, but can all she has lost ever be restored?

From bestselling biblical fiction author Linda Caddick, this poignant account of a woman’s journey from brokenness to healing through redeeming love, provides an enlightening, true-to-life experience of history during the time of Jesus, that illustrates the bible in a new way.

I am really enjoying this.


Dreaming About ... 


Hobbit houses  . . . 


 
Foxes and pintucks  . . . 
 
 
  
(source
 
 
Tabby's in scarves . . . 


(source)  
 
 
Dogs in jaunty caps  . . . 


 
 
Linen  . . .  ribbons . . .  buttons and lace edging  . . .   
 
 
Makes me smile ... 
 
 
Jake reading to his guinea pigs. 
 
 
Something to watch ... 
 
  
 
Unorthodox on Netflix. Compelling . . . 


A thought to carry with you  ... 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *
For He shall give His angels
charge over there,
To keep thee in all thy ways.
~Psalm 91:11•。★★ 。* 。 
 
 
Corners of my kingdom ... 
 
 
Ghost town on the Underground, London.  Millions work from home. This space is usually crammed to the hilt with people.  Happy that people are doing what they should do. 
 
 
And that's my daybook for this week!



  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 




✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
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Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!   


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And I do too!    

 

Monday 30 March 2020

Small and Wonderful Things . . .

 
 

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard  

 
A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life.   It's the small things in life which truly mean the most.  Simple abundance . . . it's the best.


  

Even though we are not able to attend church together at the moment, the people in my church Ward are going to amazing lengths to make sure that nobody is missing anything and that anyone with an internet connection can remain included.  There have been virtual Sunday School Lessons, RS and Priesthood Lessons, etc. Yesterday on our Ward FB page we were all encouraged to bear our testimonies.  Some did it via short videos and others in writing.  All were uplifting and soul enriching.  Sundays are different for sure, but in some ways they are even better.  Its hard to explain. I love how we are all pulling together, lifting,  sharing, and I love that our leaders were inspired enough several years ago to prepare us for just such an eventuality. 




Communities are pulling together and going out of their way to make sure that everyone is okay.  From picking up essentials for the elderly who are not able to go out at the moment and leaving them on their doorsteps, phone calls, etc.  There is a coloured card program going at the moment where by if you are alright you have a green card in your window, to if you are in trouble you can put a red card in the window.  The Chester market is offering free delivery of food items to shut ins that are not able to get out and shop for themselves.  The grocery shops are having dedicated hours for NHS staff and the elderly.  I still have not been able to get a slot for online shopping.  So it is impossible for us to get things like sugar, or flour, etc.  But I can get meat and cheese, eggs and produce. It could be worse. 



People are getting back to the basics reassessing their lives, prioritising what is really important. That's not an entirely bad thing. I do wish I had thought to store seeds so that I could grow some things like herbs, etc. however I did not.  I do have some summer savoury seeds my mother sent me years ago. I wonder if they are still any good.  


Over the last few weeks I have been reassessing what I keep foodwise and what I throw away.  I discovered a 10 year old packet of pasta. It smelt okay and so I cooked it and we ate it.  We lived to tell the tale.  I have also used tinned tomatoes that were several years off date and some tinned vegetables.  They were fine.  If its not discoloured, the tins are not bulging and it smells fine, its probably okay.



The old ways of doing things in many ways were the best ways.  Make do, mend what you can, wear it out, use it up.   

I have many, many blessings in my life.  Food in my belly, a roof over my head, fairly good health, clothes to wear, enough for my needs, and someone to share it with. You can't ask for much more than that.

That's all I have for this morning.  I have not slept well since the time change.  I have always been able to cope with the autumn one but the spring one always throws me for a loop.  For two nights in a row I have not been able to fall asleep until gone past 1 in the morning and am up at the crack of dawn. 

 A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *
No matter how you feel
get up, dress up, show up,
and never give up.•。★★ 。* 。 



Another good thing about all of this is I am having to stretch my abilities.  Yesterday I made Homemade English Muffins and they turned out fantastically! 

Hope your week is filled with an abundance of small and wonderful things.  Don't forget! 

 
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!