Saturday This and That . . .

 

 

I had a terrifically busy day yesterday, which thankfully was here at home and not out on the roads.  They (whoever they are) were calling yesterday "Frantic Friday." From 1 pm yesterday afternoon, millions were expected to be hitting the roads for their holiday getaways, with severe traffic jams and long queues to be expected on all of our motor ways . . . our motorways are a nightmare at the best of times, but throw in a holiday and some fog and they are nuts, nuts, NUTS!  

 

 

Decided a long time ago I wasn't going there or doing that!

What a nightmarish way to begin your

Holiday weekend!

NOT FOR ME!  

 

 

 

I had enough to do here at home.  I knew that today would be a wash out, what with Audrey's Memorial Service and all (I am speaking at it) so I needed to get most of my work done yesterday.  A cleaning and tidy up of the house from top to bottom was in order.  You want everything shipshape before the holidays don't you.  So I cleaned the bathroom, did all the laundry so that the laundry basket was empty and hung it to dry in the spare room.  I baked a few last minute bits and bobs . . .  made some cabbage rolls, did the filling for my Christmas Eve Tortiere and then the pastry . . . and put it together  . . .

 

 

Ready to enjoy on Christmas Eve!  It smelled so good while 

it was baking. It really did.

 

  

 

I still have my date squares, feather squares and ginger biscuits to bake, plus I had wanted to do a Buche de Noel this year . . .  that may have to go by the wayside because I also have a turkey to cook for Doreen.  Today.  I do one for her every year.  I am thinking I might do it in the slow cooker for her, which will leave the oven free for other things. I can always brown it off in the oven after.  It is only a turkey crown. 

 

I discovered later in the day yesterday that I had somehow scratched my hand somewhere, and so I quickly treated that with some anti-septic and bandaged it.  A friend of mine cut her hand in the garden back in September and ended up in the hospital  with sepsis.  She almost died.  It attacked her heart and she is only just now getting out of the hospital.  Her experience has certainly inspired me to be a lot more careful with scrapes and such, no matter how small they might seem.  You cannot be too careful! 

 

Then I got mail.  Beautiful lovely mail. 

 

 

 

First a swet package from my Sister and Mum, containing some low dose aspirin (buffered) that I can't get over here. That will keep me going for a while. (Thanks so much sis!)  plus some Penaten Cream, which I also cannot get over here and some lovely tiny bite sized bars of treats I miss from home. All bundled up in a cute sewing tin. I love these kinds of tins. My sister knows.  I used to have quite a collection of them.  I have never seen bite sized kitkats like that!   It all brought a smile to my face . . . 

Then there was another knock on the door.  Todd asked, what did you buy now??? 

He had to sign for it.  Signed for post always makes me nervous.

But that is just me.

 

 

 

It ended up being a lovely Chatbook remembrance from Lura and John of their visit here last April!  What a lovely book!  We both sat here and enjoyed looking through it and enjoying again the wonderful week we had spent together.  Thank YOU Lura!  You are such a sweetheart and it was such a surprise.  It was wonderful experiencing the week all over again through your words and eyes! 

 

 And then there was another package. 

 

  

 

I had done some work for my friend Gouri from Holy Lama Spice Drops a few years back and every year she sends me a lovely Christmas Card and  pressie. This year it was this gorgeous painted elephant ornie.  Thanks Gouri!  Its so cute! 

 

 But that is not all  . . .  there was one more package.

The prayers of an 8 year old Nova Scotia girl have finally been answered,

and it only took 54 years! 

 

 

 

Santa came early in the way of a sweet Tammy doll, along with her sister Pepper and some clothes and copies of the inserts that used to be in with the clothes when you bought them, and some patterns to make more of my own!  I was gobsmacked to say the least!  All the way from Newfoundland as well as a beautiful letter that I think I read about fifteen times.  Thank you so much Sandy!  I bet you didn't know you would one day be the answer to a little girl's prayers! Just goes to show you . . .  God hears all our prayers, even the simple ones of a little girl praying for a Tammy Doll!  He takes His own sweet time answering them sometimes.  And sometimes we may not get the answer we wanted to get, or the answer is no, or not now . . .  He always knows best, what is best for us.  As an 8 year old, I might not have appreciated the significance of such a gift, but let me tell you as a 62 year old the meaning was not lost on me, and I will cherish this sweet gift for as long as I live!

Thank you so much Sandy!

I really enjoyed your lovely letter that you wrote along with it.

I think I have read it about six times already!

I cannot wait to make some more clothes for them, and

to show them England.  I might even take them to the 

Cavern and show them where the Beatles got

their start!

 

 

The icing on my Christmas 2017 cake this year will be finally meeting our dear friend Sybil one day this coming week.  What a sweet treat to end the year on.  We have been corresponding since our old AOL journal days and now to finally meet in person, well, it is a dream come true!  Can't wait!  Pinch me I must be dreaming!  

 And now back down to earth, with a most humbling experience. 

 

 

 

Yes it has finally come down to this.  Its the only way I can keep them all straight.

I finally had to break down and get one of these.

and it doesn't include the bedtime ones

which I keep upstairs.

 . . . 

 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.  You'll find stardust in your story,

and the stuff all precious things are made of,

if you honor it enough. Every crooked

path got you here. You are beautiful.

Own your story. Celebrate it.

~S.C. Lourie      •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER - Today's Reading - 2 Nephi 25:27-26:11
Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? How can the Spirit help us to keep pride in check? 

 

My Thoughts - If we are living to have the Spirit with us, we will be aware of our true relationship to God and other people. That each person is of great and equal value to God, that all our talents and blessings come from him, and that we are weak and fallen men who need the Lord's and influence to be good. When you have this perspective, I think it's very difficult to be proud. 

 
Nephi is so troubled to see so many of his descendants destroyed, but he understands that God is just. When we know that God loves us, then we can rely on Him to deal justly and mercifully.  All the destructions come as a consequence of THEIR pride, THEIR foolishness, and that THEY yield and choose works of darkness rather than that of light. Pride is fighting against the spirit. Pride declares of itself, "I know how best to live my life, I know the way to be happy". The law requires of us a "broken heart and a contrite spirit". To submit ourselves to God is putting off the natural man and then we become saints and children of Christ. Heavenly Father knows our potential better than we do, therefore we must trust in Him, and follow the guidance of the still small voice and he will guide us and bless us to paths we never dreamed we could possibly walk.

 

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 65) -  2 Nephi 26:12-30 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? How do you recognise the subtle flaxen cords around your neck before they become too strong?

 

 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  a Quick Fruited Tea Cake.  Time to kick your feet up and relax!

 

Have a lovely Saturday.  I hope the roads are not too busy when we need to go out later and go to the Memorial Service.  Wish us luck!  If you have to go out yourself, stay safe and stay calm! Don't forget!

 

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And I do too!