Wednesday Witterings . . .

 

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 I saw this photograph this morning and I just had to share it. How sweet is that. It made me think of my two babies when they first came to live with me. Kittens are so cute.  They followed me everywhere in the house and were never very far from each other either. They trusted me so implicitly.  I was their new mum.  It was and is a role I took on and take very seriously.  I love them dearly as if they indeed were my children.  And like children, they sometimes act up.  

Last night Nutmeg decided that he was going to be the center of attention and situated himself on top of my faux fireplace, right beneath the television and in front of the little light that makes it possible to change the channels with the remote.  Not a problem really as I was watching the voice and didn't need to change the channel at that point.  I did get a bit worried about my toadstools however and moved them out of the way and over to my dining room table temporarily.  I didn't want anything to happen to them. Sometimes if just laying there soaking in my attention isn't quite enough he will start to grab things and toss them over.  

Who me?   

Yes, you.

He is such a little character.

I had a paper bag from having gone to the farm market earlier and so I put it on the floor, tossed some treats into it and he got down pronto before anything was harmed.  He is a right monkey, but he makes life very interesting.

 

Sissy just watches from her perch and calls him out for being the ham that he is. I can hear her thinking, "What a Maroon."

 

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Cindy and I went to the farmer's market while Dad was having his tea at Tim Horton's yesterday.  We went to Goucher's first.  They have had their potatoes on for 30 cents a pound for a time now and we thought they got their baked goods in on Tuesdays.  We love the cheese bread they get.  I got myself five pounds of potatoes as I was completely out of potatoes, a couple of nice-looking baking apples and a small butternut squash.  Their baked goods hadn't come in yet.  Sigh  . . .  no cheese bread for us.

Then we went to Spurr's on the off chance that their baked goods HAD come in and we struck gold. NO cheese bread but they had all of their lovely sour dough breads from the French Bakery.  I picked up my favorite olive sour dough, and a spelt loaf.  Oh, a cheeky small lemon tart, which I confess did not last long.  I also got a jar of beetroot sauerkraut (naturally fermented) and some gingered pickled beets.

When I was pregnant for my children, I craved beetroot like crazy.  I know I am not pregnant now. That would take a miracle on all counts, but I am craving beetroot.  There must be something in them that my body is telling me that I need.

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I started reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage this week. It is compelling reading. I don't know why I had never read it before. I have heard people speak about how good it is through the years, but for some reason had never cracked it open myself. It is very good and if you are a person who wants to get to know the Savior better, I highly recommend it.

 

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I called Jacqueline who is still in the hospital in Halifax yesterday. She got through her operation on Monday to remove the clot okay and was hoping to be allowed to come home today. She sounded quite tired, naturally, and said she had not been drinking much.  She doesn't drink tea or coffee, and she only drinks distilled water, and she said they only had tap water in there.  I wish I lived closer to the hospital as I would bring her in some distilled water. She needs to be drinking, or they won't let her go home. I am sure of it. She is probably staying hydrated at the moment because of a drip or whatever.  She is very fussy about what she allows to go into her body.  She always has been since I have known her.  Only fruit in the mornings. No dairy. No combining of proteins and starches, etc. To be honest it can sometimes be a bit of a nightmare to feed her, but that is just the way she is and how she lives her life.

(I know I need to be a bit more like that in choosing what I allow to go into my body.)

Anyways, it was good to hear her voice, and I am sure she appreciated the call.  I told her that Cindy and I would pop up to see her when she gets home. I am sure she will require a lot of care for a time, meals etc.  Having multiple strokes is no small thing. 

 

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It rained pretty much all day yesterday. If it had been a tiny bit colder it would have been snow and we would be snowed under now. It did not get as warm as it had been the day before, but it is supposed to warm up a bit today.  This time of year, the temperatures are so waffly.  They swing back and forth like the pendulum on a clock. It is no small wonder that people find themselves coming down with head colds and all sorts.  I am doing my best to avoid that if I can. 

Glenna was out taking down her Christmas decorations the other day. Her son had put this garland all along her railing using zip ties and she had been unable to cut them off.  Someone from church lent her the proper tool and she was able to finally remove it.  The zip ties were very effective in keeping the garland in place, but not so easy to remove it afterwards. I had a card to give her from my toenail lady as Glenna had expressed interest.  Sheila was also there keeping her company with her wee dog Bailey. Monday was such a mild day. None of us was wearing heavy jackets, only sweaters.  It felt good to be out and about a bit.  I noticed also that Will (my mother's old friend) was walking up and down the street using her walker on Monday as well, along with her daughter.

Will was the lady who cut my hair short back when I was in Grade 8.  I had wanted to get my hair cut for a long time and my mother finally relented and let me have it done.  Will's husband was my math's teacher at school and a very good one he was.  

I have never had a head for Math.  It was always my worst subject.  I still struggle with Math to this day. I always needed extra help with it. Thank goodness for calculators.

 

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My eyes marvel at the sight of all of the green shoots appearing in the garden now the snow has all gone. It is like they know some secret that we are unaware of. It feels too cold for them to be showing their faces, but there they are.  Hope.  Chasing the Winter away. Only one more day and it will be officially Spring.

Our roads are loaded with potholes.  We drive dodging around them as much as possible.  We must look like a bunch of drunkards on the roads. Some of them are quite nasty if you come upon them. They could very easily blow out a tire or ruin your suspension given half the chance and one needs to use a lot of caution when driving out and about.

With the receding snow comes all sorts of surprises that have lay hidden over the past couple of months, the frozen secrets of Winter that are now appearing.  My lawn to the left is covered with deep ruts where the cowboys who plowed our snow over the winter have dug it up. It is very messy to look at.  IN other years they have used a snow blower, this year they used a John Deer fitted with a plow blade when it got really bad and two youngsters with shovels when it was not so bad. 

Cutbacks.  Penny pinching. We see it everywhere except for where it would make a huge difference. Food costs keep spiraling, and I cannot see them getting any better.  It makes me grateful that I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to things like that. Except for the fresh.  I do have a store cupboard that is loaded and a freezer as well.

 

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Now that the wearing of the green has passed the season of yellow will soon be upon us, as those garden shoots grow and expand and explode into daffodil and narcissi.  I know that already in the U.K. those yellow heads are bobbing in the breeze and delighting the eye. We are about a month behind here.  There was a roundabout in Saint David's Park where our chapel was in the U.K. that was loaded with daffodils this time of year. They were so pretty.  There were daffodils everywhere this time of year. On the verges of the motorway, plant pots, gardens, etc. Everywhere it seemed there was an explosion of yellow.

Such a cheerful color after the greys and pewters of Winter.  It will always be a regret of mine that I did not take the chance to travel to Ullswater during Daffodil season and lay my eyes upon Wordworth's daffodils . . . how beautiful that would have been.

 

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I am not sure what I will get up to today.  I still have my taxes to work on and of course my usual work, for which I am most grateful. There are people who say that miracles have ceased, but to them I would respond . . .  my whole life is a miracle. That I was prompted to monetize my blog when I was that last autumn in the U.K., that was a miracle, a miracle that gave me my very first paycheck one month after I arrived back in Canada.  I remember my friend Jan saying to me in August, why had I not ever applied to Mediavine, that I could be making some pin money.  It was not something she hadn't said to me before but I had never really considered it.  For some reason that day I was prompted to do it and the rest is history.  You might call it a coincidence, but I would call it a miracle. God's timing is always perfect.  Miracles happen when we listen to and follow the promptings that are sent to us.

And that is only one of the miracles in my life. It is filled with others.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day. It is gone past 8:30 and I have miles to go before I sleep.

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˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *.Never let loyalty and kindness leave you.

Tie them around your neck as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart.

~Proverbs 3:3  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

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In The English Kitchen today . . .  Chicken & Potato Gratin. I saw someone making this on YouTube the other day and just had to try it for myself.  DELICIOUS!  Honey mustard glazed chicken, baked on top of a creamy and rich gratin. Fabulously tasty and such an easy make.

I hope that you have a lovely day today.  Dad and Hazel are going to go out for a Chinese tonight. I will not be joining them.  Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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And I do too!