How to spend a week . . .

 

This week  began with a trip to the airport.   We didn't want to do it, but we had to do it.  Tatiana had to get home.   All good things must come toan end and on Sunday past we saw the end of her visit with us here in the UK.  The time had gone ever so quickly.  It always does when you are having fun.

Normally we would have gone to church on Sunday, but because we had had to be up at 3 am to be able to leave the house at 4 am we ended up going back to bed when we got back to the house from the airport.  Todd was able to sleep.  He didn't get up until after noon!  I gave up trying about 10 am and just got up.

I did the usual things such as call my mom and call a friend of mine who lives in Wrexham, and then we watched a bit of telly in the evening, so it was quite a quiet day really.

 

Monday was our usual prep day.  I had my blood tests first thing in the morning so I got that over with first of all, and then we went about the business of taking down Christmas.   Why does the house always seem to be so empty when Christmas is done and dusted?   I don't know, but it just does.   Every year I think I am going to remember what I put and where I put it when I am putting all the stuff away, but I know that next year when it comes right down to it and I go to  put everything out again there will be things I cannot find.  This is unexplainable as well, but it happens every year.  Once we had everything down and dusted and put away we got down to the brass tacks of organizing our week.  With me having had the shingles over the holidays and stuff we have gotten a bit behind in things so we had a lot to pack into this week to play catch up with!




Normally on Tuesdays we would have District Meeting, but it was canceled this week for some odd reason.  I was a bit disappointed about that as I really enjoy District Meeting, but nevermind.   We did have some bills to pay so that is what we did in the morning.  We have discovered over the past few months that home visits etc. don't really work in the morning.  That is when most people are out and about doing things they need to do so they are more often than not just plain not available.   So we did our bill paying, or I should sasy Todd did the bill paying.  I tidied the house and did a bit of cooking, and we did our visits in the afternoon and early evening.  Generally speaking most people are quite happy to see us, so that is good.  I would hate it if they weren't.



Wednesday was a bit of a wash out as we had an appointment for the boiler man to come and service our boiler.  You know how that goes . . .  they tell you they are going to be there at some time between 9 am and 6 pm and you sit in all day waiting.  True to form, we waited in all day for nothing, which is somewhat frustrating to say the least.   In order for our boiler to be serviced we have to remove one of the Christmas Cupboards from the wall, which means it has to be emptied and then taken down.  Then after the boiler man has finished it has to be put back up and everything needs to be put back in place.  This is quite a chore as you can imagine!  Todd does most of the donkey work . . .  I just supervise.  ☺

We should have gone to the Street Display in Chester during the day, but because we were waiting for the boiler man that didn't happen for us.

Wednesday evening was Missionary Correlation where we go and report all that we have been doing  for the past week, and key up for the week to come.



It was back to visits on Thursday.   One of the people we were able to visit was a man who is battling Leukemia.  He is such an inspiration to me.  Despite all that he is going through he remains so very positive and upbeat.  He is such a great example of positivity.  He had been having chemo every day in the run up to Christmas Eve and then had ended up in hospital after Christmas due to an infection he came down with.  Chemo really plays havoc with your immune system and you end up coming down with everything that's going.  We had not been able to visit him when I had and was recovering from the shingles, so this was our first opportunity to go and see him, now that I had recovered.

Another thing which I started doing again this week was giving Mitzie her dinner packed into her Kong.  She's been super bored what with Tatiana leaving to go back to Greece and the weather being so lousy.  Jose had also been giving her extra walks but he and Ariana are in Spain at the moment.   If I pack her dinner into the Kong, it makes her really work for it and it takes her about an hour to eat it.   I pack in layers of cooked chicken and raw carrot and then seal it all in with a layer of peanut butter.  It keeps her happy and busy and makes for something different in her day.  Otherwise she would just be sleeping and she is far too young a dog to spend her day just sleeping.

 

There were more visits yesterday.    I got to chat with my sister in the morning.   She's been having a lot of tattoo work done recently and they are coming out very nicely.  Tattoos are a lot prettier now than what they used to be.   Todd went into town in the morning as he had a library book to return and he likes going into town.   It makes for a change.  I usually just putter around the house and do things here that need doing.   In the afternoon we went to visit a church member who had fallen off a wall about 4 months ago and broken his neck.   He is such an inspiration to me.   He's in his 70's but I tell him he is like the ever-ready bunny, he just keeps going and going no matter what.  Prior to his fall he had been one of those people who is always doing something for somebody else, and of course having to wear a halo has really clipped his wings.  He is hoping that it can be removed soon.  I bet it will be a HUGE relief for him when it comes off.  He remains very chipper despite it however and we had a nice visit with him.

Then we went to visit another shut in who isn't able to get out to church anymore.  An elderly woman she is and just so sweet.   Her husband is not a member, but he's always very welcoming as well.   She'd been struggling over the Christmas holidays as someone had given her some hyacinths and she had not realized that she had an allergy to them.  She said they smelled so lovely but she came down with flu like symptoms, not realizing that they were giving off a lot of pollen    You just never know do you.   In any case we had a lovely visit with her also.

We have decided that we need to update our sat nav for the car.  It keeps taking us in the wierdest directions and yesterday was no different as it took us to a dead end at one point.   They really are a huge help to you when they are working right, but when they aren't working properly they can be a huge nuisance and much time was wasted in trying to find our way out of the dead end and back in to civilization again!

When we finally got back home I was very surprised to see some mail having been pushed through the letter box.  There was a lovely note card from my dear friend Suzan in Australia.  Its so nice to get letters from afar.   I shall have to get busy and write a few  myself.

People are so kind.



There was also a note from my dear friend Monique in Canada and she will probably be embarassed by my showing it to you but I must as it was so dear . . .



Gold bows and pearls.     So very kind of her to send me this.   I didn't expect it and it made me smile.    I had only mentioned these things I love in my daybook on Tuesday.  These arrived here so very quickly, almost as if on an angel's wing . . .  but then again the wings of friendship are just like angel's wings don't you think?

And it doesn't stop there . . .



There was a gift certificate from Amazon in my e-mail so that I could buy myself this calendar (which I hadn't been able to this year) from Amy.  This treasure also I was not expecting . . .

Unexpected blessings.  So kind.  My friends, you are all so very kind and I am so humbled that you think enough of me to want to do these things for me.  There is no way I can ever repay such kindnesses which are priceless to me, except to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and I do . . .



I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart.  Your kindnesses are a treasure to me beyond measure.  And I know it goes beyond these tangible things which I can touch because there are also many more treasures meted out to me from all of you who are kind enough to waste some time during your days in reading my words . . .  kindnesses received in happy thoughts and prayers and just knowing you are there.

YOU bless my life in countless ways and I thank each of you for that.

And that is how you spend a week.

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

¸.❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“`¸.❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“`
Go . . . Be . . .  Love.
The World needs you.
~taken from last year's Susan Branch Calendar
January (I thought it very fitting for today)
¸.❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“`¸.❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“`





In The English Kitchen today . . .  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.   I promise you I didn't do anything but taste these delicious little goodies!  It was the young lad next door's birthday earlier this week and I baked them for him!

I hope there's a great day ahead of you! I am off to the grocery store this morning to get in some fresh food.  yay.  I haven't been able to do so since before Christmas.  I can't wait to dig into a tasty salad.   Have a great weekend, and don't forget!

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And I do too!