A bit of this and that . . .

 

Brene Brown 

I've been waiting three days to be able to get in and edit my grocery order which is arriving tomorrow. I think this will be the last one we get, and we are darn lucky to get that one. Yesterday you could only edit orders for yesterday and today.  So I went in early this morning, thinking that I could edit my order for tomorrow,  but no dice.  I wanted to add bin bags and laundry soap and flour to make bread. I have been unable to do so.  You cannot buy flour anywhere online. No mills are selling any. All sold out.  I can't book a new delivery slot for groceries either not even three weeks ahead. I had paid for a year of free delivery slots.  Money wasted. All sold out.  

So here we are, a senior couple, with no family to bring any in, not able to get out to do any shopping (not that there is much to choose from on empty shelves anyways judging by what I have seen on tv.) Thankfully we do have a bit laid by. No fresh veg or meat, but I do have tinned.  We do have a kind neighbor who is willing and able to do whatever. We are the lucky ones.  We will just have to make do with what we have for as long as we can.  There are many who have far less. 

I will apologise in advance for what you 

are about to see.  The bad language. 

 

You may have to click on it to make it large enough to read.  I despair to think that we have raised generations of children with attitudes like this.  I really hope this is a rare bird.  I wish I could report it as a hate crime and have it traced.  But evil always hides behind the cloak of anonymity.  Sometimes I really get afraid for the type of world my grandchildren are growing up in. I really do.  This is pure and utter hate spewed here.  I know people are afraid but  . . .  this is so totally unnecessary.  It is actually quite frightening to think that there are people like this among us. Of course I did not publish the comment.  I wish I had the means or knowledge to report it. 

 

In the meantime the birds are nesting and singing lovely songs to cheer the heart. I spied a sparrow on the roof of our shed the other day with a whole ball of nesting material.  I cannot wait to see the baby birds when they come.  They are so cute.  Baby anything is cute  . . . fledglings . . . 

 

Yesterday was one of these days.  The wind was very cold, but if you stood still in the sunshine, and outside of the wind, the sun is gathering warmth.  It won't be long now. I said to Todd, we are luckier than most.  We have a lovely back garden that we can sit out in and enjoy some fresh air without having to worry about coming into close contact with people. That will be nice once the warmer weather comes.  And we have some fresh berries to look forward to as well as the weeks progress. 

  

My son is tapping his maple trees.  I am not sure how much he gets from them.  Is there anything as gorgeous as the flavour of Maple syrup?  I think not.  It is a flavour love I come by quite naturally. My father has always adored Maple Walnut anything and I do too.  I have not had a scoop of Maple Walnut Ice Cream in years now.  We used to sometimes get a treat of those little maple leaf shaped candies when I was a child.  Maple sugar  . . .  so yummy.  Have you ever visited a sugar bush to see the trees being tapped and the sap boiling down into sugar.  It is a great experience.  Sometimes if there is snow they will treat the children to some snow candy, which is basically thick hot syrup poured onto the snow in droplets so that it forms small suckable candies. 

 

For many of us these next several months will be a season of "Trust."  We will be relying on our trust greatly.  We are having to trust our Governments like never before.  We are having to trust our faith and our God.  We are having to trust in the goodness of our fellow men.   We are having to trust that none of our faith and trust has been misplaced, and to trust that in the long run . . .  Good will prevail. 

Something such as what we are all living through at the moment is a great opportunity for us to sit back and assess, to reflect on what is really important in this life, and the things that truly matter most.  It is the small things to be sure.  The things we mostly take for granted.  Lets appreciate them for what they are.  Blessings.

I have seen a great outpouring of love, despite what I have shared about with that nasty comment above.  People calling, checking in to make sure we are safe and alright, do we need anything, can they help us in any way.  Yesterday that kind woman who helped Todd the other day put a card through the letterbox with a note.  Just thinking of you.  Hoping and wishing that he was alright. So kind.  So kind  . . .

Do not be taken in during this time by people with offers of things to be too good to be true or other deceptions. There are plenty of scammers about, and they love nothing but situations such as this so that they can take advantage of vulnerable people.  Be aware.

 

My brother posted this update on his FB page and it did make me smile. He has a great sense of humor.  I do feel that we need to be aware.  My father is very vulnerable to things like this.  My sister has warned him hopefully.  Older people are too trusting in many ways. 

My friend Jeanie who lives in the Lake District was out on a walk in their neighborhood yesterday with her husband and heard screaming and  then two young men wearing hoodies went running past, almost knocking them over.  Two young men had been robbing an elderly woman.  Thankfully they were filmed doing so and were later arrested.  Hooray!

Be vigilant. Be careful. There will always be those on the prowl to deceive, to hurt, to take what isn't theirs to take.  Praise God that there will also always be, and in far in greater abundance,those who work in the  opposite way and are ready to watch and to help and to care. 

Don't listen to or take to heart a lot of the health advice that is being bandied about on Facebook and other social media.  Rely only on trusted sources for information such as the World Health Organization, Federal Government sites, etc.  They will not lie to us.  

Be grateful to all of the health care professionals and others who  are working hard on the front lines to keep us all safe and healthy.  Help them to do their jobs.  Support them as best as you can and however you can. 

Know that things are bound to get worse before they start to get better, but know that eventually they will get better.

Pray, pray, pray  . . .  for our Health care and other essential workers, for our Governments, for our countries, for our communities, our families, our neighbours, ourselves.  And never give up hope. 

  

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Even the darkest night will end,

and the sun will rise.

~Victor Hugo, Les Miserables •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Abbeys.  Oaty almost shortbread like biscuit/cookies dipped in chocolate. 

Have a wonderful Sunday.  Be safe and know you are loved  . . . 

 

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And I do too!