Saturday this and that . . .

"They that are in the steam of Providence are borne continually to happiness no matter what the appearance of the means."
~Swedenborg

It can be very hard to find the joy in grey and dismal days that come one after another embroidered with cold rain and wind.  That is when you really need to play the Pollyanna game  . . . you know the one I mean . . . the one where you dwell on the good things instead of on the bad . . .

For instance, yes . . . this rain does not seem to be stoppable, but let's dwell instead on just how lovely and beautiful and green and fresh everything will be once the sun does deign to appear!

There, I am smiling already and not the least because I strongly suspect you are too!  Beauty and joy are where you find them and finding them is a conscious choice we make each day of our lives.  It's that glass being half full instead of half empty thing.



I started embroidering on pillow cases last night.  I have some putty coloured ones.   I think the official colour is "old linen," but it looks like putty to me.  I think I may add a ruffled edge after as well in a cotton in a bright pattern and colours.  I'll be sure to take some photos when they are done.  The Queen Anne's lace looks very pretty.

I have never been able to use an embroidery hoop.    I am not sure why.  I just find them very uncomfortable.  I am the same with a thimble.  Perhaps were I to use them anyways, eventually I would get used to them and it would make a difference.  I don't know for sure.   Maybe I should try???  I do love to sit in the evenings and do something with my hands . . . rather than just sit and vegetate in front of the television.   At least then I am accomplishing something, however small.



My sore throat has come out into a cold, but I thought probably it might do.  I hardly ever got a cold the whole time I worked at the manor, but since I left work it seems I spend almost all Winter battling colds on some level and they always go to my lungs.  I wonder why that is?  I think we have weak lungs in my family, and having had pneumonia on several occasions that means I am more susceptible.  I had been going to go on a crafting day with some friends today, but am giving it a miss now as I don't want to spread my germs and when you're not feeling quite up to par you just don't feel like being around other people much anyways.

I got a letter finally from the Cardiac Department of the hospital yesterday.  It seems me calling them three days ago and jogging their memories has gotten the desired effect.   The good news is that nothing appears wrong at all with my heart.  The muscle and valves are working as they should, and the CT scan showed no calcium deposits whatsoever, and my cholesterol is very good and so they are discharging me back to my own Doctor's care, which doesn't really explain the abnormal ECG's or my symptoms, but I guess we will have to look elsewhere for what is going on.

Todd thinks it's digestive and he is probably right.  Perhaps it is a combination of digestive problems and anxiety???   We'll see.  The good news is it's not my heart and that has me smiling.

 

One thing which really has me smiling most days is Mitzie.   She is such a delight.  She is so loving and affectionate and just wants to be a part of everything we are doing.  I don't know if I could do anything now unless accompanied by her cold wet nose nudging the back of my legs!  Mind you when I am down on my hands and knees and trying to get at something down low and she takes that as an opportunity to snuffle me and jump all over my head it does get a bit annoying, but then again . . . it's a sign of her love for me and that cheers my heart.    How can you be annoyed at love?    You just can't.  I adore her soft ears and love snuffling them . . . same with her paws that smell of popcorn, and when she jumps up next to me on the soft and tucks her head into my side . . . my heart completely melts.



Some people think this photo is scary, all teeth . . . but I see a very happy and relaxed pup . . . to me it looks like she is smiling.   Puppy smiles are a beautiful thing . . . she has calmed down a lot over this past year and is not as excitable as she once was.  People can now come into the house without feeling overwhelmed completely.   She's quite happy with a nice hello and a short scratch behind the ears.



There was a special Stake activity for the Young Women in our stake recently and I had been asked to do a special piece of artwork for it.   They were making it into key chains for the young women.   This is what I came up with.   The difference coloured stones represent the values of the Young Women:  Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue.  And because going to the temple is important to us, and because living those values will help a girl to be able to go to the Temple one day the stones are leading to the temple.   In any case, they were quite happy with it and that's what counts!

I got to see one of the key chains the other night when I was at the chapel for my meeting and they turned out really nice.   The girls were having a pajama party and were all wearing onesies.   All like animals.   Cute!   Why didn't they have cute things like that when I was a girl???  I am afraid I just would not be as cute in one now as I would have been then!  Put a cow onesie on me and I would just look like a . . . well . . . cow!

And with that I am babbling and so I will leave you with a thought to carry around all this cold, cold wet day . . .

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻
(¯`✻´¯)
  `*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
To experience true personal power
remember this:
a random act of kindness
SPREADS like a wildfire
because all of us respond to LOVE.
LOVE your LIFE.
~Blake Foster ´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..  


 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today, Apple and Blackberry In and Out.   Scrummy!

Have a happy Saturday!