It has been said that this has been the coldest March on record for over 50 years here in the UK. When one pokes their nose out the door of a morning to see what the day is bringing (doesn't everyone do that?), tis a truth that is brought well home . . . as the cold air makes one positively shiver from head to toe. It's hard to believe that last year this time Todd was sitting out in the back garden in his shirt sleeves under the umbrella at our patio table reading and basking in summer-like temperatures, but it's true. That is exactly what he was doing. I remember going to the door and saying . . . "Shouldn't you have a hat on your head? You don't want to get sunburned!
But that was our Summer last year . . . two weeks at the end of March . . . it was replaced with a sodden mess for the remainder of the year that couldn't make up it's mind what season it really was, except for the unrelenting rain . . . and a Winter which now seems loathe to end. Ahh . . . England. Nobody comes here for the weather do they? Thank goodness for the history and the Royals and beautiful lush green countryside!
My mother has a firm date for her surgery now. Or should we say a "Tentative" firm date. They say it will happen on the 22 of April . . . unless somebody more important comes along and needs surgery first, in which case her surgery will be canceled and rescheduled for another date. Now . . . just what is a person to do with that information??? She tried to tell them that her daughter was making plans to come over from England so that she could be there for the duration and recovery time, but to no avail. So I guess what we are going to do now is make plans for me to fly over a few days before the 22 of April and to stay for an undetermined length of time . . . I'll aim for the end of May and then we'll take it from there. What else can one do??
You would think that . . . noting my mother's age (almost 81 by that point), the seriousness of her illness (lung cancer), her heart condition, and the fact that my brother is taking time off work and driving down from Ottawa just for the week she is in hospital and my own trip from the UK would hold some sway . . . but apparently it does not! What have we come to?? I think it's pretty outrageous that someone having been diagnosed with lung cancer on the 24th of November should still be waiting for treatment some four plus months later . . . five by the time they do the "tentative" surgery.
It does mean though that the travel health insurance we had bought for last year and never used . . . will be null and void . . . expired . . . and so we'll have to purchase more, which is a tad bit annoying! Had I been able to have this done and dusted before mid May we would have been okay! Best laid plans and all that . . .
Ours is not to wonder why . . . it changes nothing. We just have to take what we are given and work with it I suppose, and that's what we are doing. Todd is going to go into town today and price flights, etc. Me, I haven't been able to really make myself get up and moving since I have had the flu . . . my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went! I hope it comes back soon! I'm beginning to really miss it!
This is a piece I did yesterday afternoon. It's a fairy on laundry day. She's hanging out all of her wings to dry. Her laundry basket is a walnut shell . . . and her laundry post, a sweet pea . . . oh I did have fun doing this. I never actually know what I am going to do when I sit down. I just kind of start drawing and whatever comes out . . . comes out! I am sometimes even more surprised than anyone else is! That is one of the things about art I guess . . . it's as much a gift for the creator as it is for the recipient . . .
I wonder if that is the way God feels about us?
"If God had a refrigerator,
your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet,
your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every Spring,
and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk,
He'll listen.
He could have lived anywhere in the Universe
and He chose your heart."
~anon
Don't you just love it?
Yesterday's silver lining . . . eaves dripping and snow melting, despite the cold. Puppy dog snuggles, which I will really miss when I am away . . . and of course my loving husband.
A thought to carry with you through today . . .
In life there is no going back. The road lies straight ahead. You can't return along the track to seek out what is dead . . . Your past mistakes you can't undo and wishing is in vain. But don't forget it's true that you can always try again.
~Patience Strong
Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . a Potato, Cauliflower and Cheddar Bake.
Have a lovely day!
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