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.

Despite the torrential rains on Saturday we managed to get out to celebrate Cindy's birthday! We went to Jonny's Cookhouse in Berwick.  Cindy and I each decided to order the bacon cheeseburger so that we could compare it with the ones we have gotten at the other place here in town when we go out to supper with dad.  

There was definitely lots of bacon on the one we got at Jonny's, as you can see, it was more than a few miniscule crumbs like the other one.  But we also both agreed that we enjoyed the meat patty more at the other place. We thought the one at Jonny's was a bit too salty. Or maybe, it was all that extra bacon!

Anyways, we enjoyed being together, all of us. Dan did great driving in all that rain. Dad managed to eat most of his supper as well. He had a kiddies hamburger and chips.  We went back to Cindy's afterwards for cake.  I had gotten a Double Fudge Chocolate LaRocca cake and boy oh boy it was some good.

All in all, I think Cindy had a pretty good day. She heard from her kids. We sang to her. She got some nice cards and gifts.  Love her so much and am so happy she had a great day!

I am so grateful to have a Cindy in my life.

 

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Dad took a bit of a tumble, okay . . . .  he outright fell over in the parking lot at the Tim Hortens here in town yesterday.  I just happened to be talking to Eileen on the iPad when it happened and she told me.  (She was at the Tim Hortons.) Somebody helped him up and got him into his car, thankfully. 

I was able to call Cindy before she left the house to pick up Dan, who was golfing. I wanted to let her know so that she would be there as soon as our father got home so she could check him out.  I thought he might be a bit shook up.

He had a few grazes and cuts, but nothing was broken, thank goodness. She got him cleaned up and into his pajamas.  

What a conundrum. Personally, I don't think he should be going out by himself like that with his mobility being as bad as it is, but you can't keep him home. He is determined to go  and, socially, it is really important for him to be able to get out.  

I can't do anything at the moment but maybe when my car is back up and running I will try to pick him up and go with him at least every second day or so.  That will be in a few weeks however.  He needs to be using his cane, but he won't use it.  I think he would be quite a bit more stable walking with a cane. (Pride is a terrible thing.) He didn't get hurt this time, but next time he might not be so lucky.

I am grateful that he was not injured and that someone was there to help him up and into his car.

 

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I didn't get to church yesterday because Glenna is away and I can't drive my car at the moment.  I have missed a few weeks now.  They are going to think I am going inactive, lol.  I still had a pretty spiritual day here at home, however.  I watched/listened to Music and the Spoken Word  on You Tube, as well as a few talks from the last conference. I think I have listened to all of the talks multiple times now. I updated my journal. I am grateful that I am able to feel the spirit here in my own home.

Yesterday in my journal,  I was focusing on the temple.  

I have not been to the Temple since before all this happened with Todd.  Its not that I don't want to go, I do and I miss it.  I have kept my Temple Recommend up to date, and I keep myself worthy to go. I just have this mental stumbling block which is preventing me from going.  It is a bit like returning to the scene of one of the deepest betrayals in my life.  I knelt across the altar, in good conscience, with this person whom I thought was such a worthy man, and he betrayed and hurt me on every level. 

For me, it feels a bit like a reminder of a huge huge  mistake in judgement on my part. I need to get over that.  There is so much more about being in the Temple than just being sealed together as a couple.  I love the peace and the quiet of the Temple.  I have always loved the closeness I feel to my Heavenly Father and the Savior in the Temple.  

I have tried to make my home a Temple, and that is not a bad thing. I do feel very close to them here in my little home. That has been a great blessing to me.

 

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My next door neighbor has been calling me every day to see if I know when Glenna is getting back.  I think Sheila may be getting a bit forgetful.  Every day I tell her that  I don't know. She said yesterday that she didn't have Glenna's son's telephone number any more. I do, but I did  not feel that it was appropriate to give it to her, so I kept quiet on that front. I felt the number was given to me in confidence and I shouldn't be passing it on.  

Last I heard from Glenna she was enjoying her visit with her daughter's very much. I think she had an open-ended ticket and so she will return when she feels the time is right.  I was able to share that with Sheila yesterday.  I said we will see her when we see her.  In the meantime we can be happy knowing she is with her girls and having a nice visit.

It was last year when she went out to see her girls that she had the stroke a couple of days after she returned home. I think she is a very brave woman to go traveling across the country, alone,  like she has.  Kudos to her!  I am praying for her to get home safely and to be healthy when she does.

I am grateful to have a neighbor like Sheila who cares so much about all of us here on the street.

 

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Speaking of prayer, every night when I wake up to use the loo in the middle of the night as you do, being an older person and all, I pray all the way to the loo and back to bed that I stay upright.  My knees have been so bad  lately, and cause me so much grief and pain, that I am afraid of falling.  (Talk about pride!! I should be using a walker perhaps at night. )  My prayers are being answered however,  as I am getting there and back to my bed safely. Also on the way back  to my bed I am praying that I will be able to fall back asleep easily and those prayers are being answered as well!  God is good!

On a positive note, I have ordered myself some Nordic Walking Sticks.  Maybe they will help me to walk better, especially out of doors.

 

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Tomorrow is garbage day and so I spent some time yesterday going through stuff and getting rid of some paper and things for the recycle bags.   I had a box of Merci chocolates that I had bought several years ago as a thankyou gift to give away at Christmas, but it never got given.  So I had to empty that out,  unwrap all of the chocolates and put them into the compost and the wrappers into the recycle bag. That took a while as it was quite a big box.  (PS - there is only a 20% chance of rain tomorrow. Here's hoping! It usually rains on Garbage Day.)

I got it done however.  Sometimes when you have a  lot of little things to do it can seem a bit overwhelming.  I think you have to look at is as if you are eating an elephant and work at it one bite at a time.  I am grateful for getting these small and simple chores done. One by one, they all add up.

I had ordered new chair covers and a tablecloth for my table a week or so ago, in an attempt to lighten things up in here. I think they go together well.  (They haven't arrived yet.) But perhaps I am deluded?  I don't know.  Are they too busy?  

My table and chairs are such dark wood.  I had wanted to get a white table set when I was setting up my place, but Ikea doesn't deliver down this far or at least they didn't at that time, and then there was the problem of putting it all together.  I got what I could buy locally and I have been regretting the darkness of it all ever since.  So I have been trying to lighten things up  in here, as there is not a lot of window light that comes in.  This is my latest attempt. I do like the flowers and of course I love the checks.  I like pretty things as you know.

I am grateful that I can surround myself with things that bring me joy.

 

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I love these socks.  I wish I was a bit more adventurous in the way I dress.  I am far too laid back.  I see other women of "size" dressing much nicer.  I tend to stick to dark colors and  am very low key.  I really admire Diane Schiffer and her bravery in dressing vintage.  I wonder does she dress like that all the time or just for the camera?  I would love to have the courage to wear a house dress each day instead of my pants which are covered in cat picks.  

I need to get some new pants, but I cannot find any that I like.  I have been wearing these same pants for years and years and years.  I used to buy them online at JD Williams in the U.K., same model, in black and navy, and I would get six pairs every year.  I have not gotten any now in at least 5 years. They are getting a bit tatty.  I need to find some here that I like. 

I have ordered the odd pair from other places, but when they come I don't like them. All they seem to have in the shops locally are leggings.  I hate leggings. They are so unflattering to women of my size. Maybe I can get some brown paper and make a pattern of the pants I have and try sewing myself some?  That's an idea.  Something to think about.

Grateful for my ability to be able to sew.

 

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There is a heat warning in effect for today. It is supposed to go up to 30*C/86*F with a humidex of 38*C/100.4*F, hot and sticky.  Thank goodness for my heat pump which will keep things cooler in here.  I remember July as always being miserable here. Hot and sticky with high humidity.  We would always come to visit mom in July and it would be so horrible temperature wise, and she would always have the heat still on. She was so thin and kept the heat on year round.   I would just feel like I was perishing.  I would wish so much that I had a car and could drive out to the shore to partake of the cooler temperatures there.  This heat and humidity is to continue on until at least Wednesday, if not longer.  I feel for anyone who has to do any heavy work in these kinds of temperatures. It must be terrible. 

I am grateful for my heat pump which will help to keep things bearable in here. 

Oh, life is not all humidity and bad things, there is much good to think about as well. I do not mean to moan and complain about such things.   I am well and truly blessed in my life to have a lovely little home to call my own, family who love me, relatively good health, food in my belly, clean water to drink, two lovely cats to cuddle up to, a job to keep me busy, my faith to sustain me and much, much more.  I do wish that I had better mobility. I wish that I could walk longer and further like I used to be able to.  Arthritis is no fun.  I see much older people walking around my street, etc. and I envy them even though I know it is not good to be envious of others. But I can walk a little bit and I am grateful for that. It is my goal this week to be able to walk my compost down to the compost bins at the end of the street.  (I normally drive it down.) Wish me luck!

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *I am beginning to learn

that it is the sweet simple

things of life which

are the real ones after all.

~Laura Ingalls Wilder

In The English Kitchen today, Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta.  Rich and creamy, quick and easy to throw together.  Delicious.

I hope your week ahead is filled with lots of lovely small and wonderful things, things which bring you joy and peace.  Whatever you get up to stay safe and healthy, be happy, don't forget!

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And I do too!