Saturday this and that . . .

 

This is my parents Wedding Photo. My sister has it framed and sitting here in the Dining Room. I took a picture of the picture with my camera.  Mostly I was testing being able to upload photos with the camera cord I bought.  My camera didn't come with one.  I used to be able to use my kindle cable to upload photos from it, but that died.  I have been having to take out the memory card and stick it into the computer each time since then.  I had ordered several cords once upon a time, but neither one worked for transferring Data.

Of course in the old days you could just go into a shop and ask a person, now with Covid that is a lot harder and in the UK it was impossible as I was  not going out or to the shops at all. Anyways, on my son's advice, I ordered one from Amazon the other day and was testing it. It worked. Yay!

My sister still has mom's wedding dress and shoes. She was such a tiny woman.  I might be able to fit my big toe into one of her shoes, and my head is probably bigger than the waist in that dress! haha 

 

Dad looks like the cat that got the cream in the photograph. Mom was 22 and dad was 20 heading for 21.  Believe it or not they had only seen each other in person twice before they got married. They had met at a dance on the base in Greenwood, NS, and my father got posted to Newfoundland shortly afterwards, so most of their correspondance had been by letter or on the telephone. My father asked mom to marry  him over the telephone. I suppose that is not so different than someone meeting on the internet and "chatting" for a time before getting married.  In any case, I was born 10 months later.

It is hard to believe that Dad will be 87 tomorrow. Heck, its hard to believe that I am 65!  The years have just flown by. Like sands through the hourglass.  We are going to make his favourite supper, Shake and Bake Chicken Wings (if we can find some wings today) and I will bake him a plain white cake filled with jam.  Also his favourite. 

 

I passed my eye test with flying colours yesterday, both the ordinary and the diabetic. Only a very slight change since I got the glasses I am wearing (several years old and needing to be replaced). My opthamologist said I am seeing better than 2020 with my glasses on.  I just need to have one more test that they couldn't give me yesterday because of the eye drops they give you for the diabetic test. (a field range test) So I am going back next Thursday for that and then I should be able to go back to the DMV and get my licence exchanged.  Things are working well thus far.  I was so relieved and I thank you so much for your prayers and happy thoughts on my behalf.  

Speaking of cars. The insurance people decided to write my father's car off and he has bought himself a new one which is pretty much identical to the old one, just a new model with all the bells and whistles. He does love his cars.  They bring him a lot of joy and he always takes great pride in what he drives. He was here last night for supper and he had had a fresh hair cut so he was looking very dapper. My sister had made his favourite macaroni with hamburger, tomatoes and cheese in it.  I have to say it was quite delicious, and I don't normally enjoy hamburger mixed in with things.  My sister buys the best ground beef. She gets it at a local farm market called Gouchers and it is grass fed, organic.

 

I follow a blog called Miss Abigails Hope Chest.  Kathleen has been making things for her niece Abigail's hope chest for years and years.  Abigail got married in June of 2020 and 18 years worth of needlework projects were gifted to her by her Aunt.  What a treasuretrove to receive.  I have been inspired to want to do the same for myself.  Create a bit of a hopechest of needlework projects to help replace what was left behind. A way to keep busy here in the house while I wait to find a place of my own.  

 

I have started embroidering teatowels. I sit on my bed in the evenings watching Netflix/Acorn tv and just work quietly at it.  I already have two sets of beautiful pillow slips that my friend Elaine had gifted me with over these past couple of years and I managed to secrete into my suitcases to bring over with me. My plan is to add to these things over the weeks and see what happens.  I had bought some yarn to crochet a blanket, but I'll be honest, I hate the colors I chose and it just isn't happening. The yarn doesn't feel right either. I got it at Walmart and it just doesn't feel as  nice as the yarn I had in the UK.  I will keep looking. 

I would love to make or buy a quilt at some point. I had an old blue and white quilt which got left behind and I do so love a bed with a patchwork quilt cover. Once I get my own place I will get myself a cheap sewing machine. I want to make all my own curtains, etc. We shall see what happens. 

My Relief Society President telephoned me yesterday. We had a nice conversation. I had known her from when I lived here before. She is a widow now and also on her own.  She was saying she would like me to do a cooking class for the Relief Society Sisters on Zoom. I am amenable to that but I have no knowledge of how to go about doing a zoom. I can log into an already pre-existing zoom, but I don't know how at all to instigate one.  People think that I am really computer literate, but I'm not!  Anything I know I learned from making mistakes, sometimes real doozies too!  Its hit and miss, but I am kind of good at figuring things out.  I have learned through the years that if nothing else works sometimes it is just best to shut the computer off and restart it.  I don't think that would work with zoom however.

Isn't it wonderful though that during the pandemic we have been blessed with such modern technology that has enabled us to stay in touch with our loved ones, friends and family. This would not have been as possible even as short as 20 years ago. Oh yes, we had e-mail, but not many of us had webcams, etc.  There was no zoom. Or even Facebook. I know many times the net is a bit of a double-edged sword, but it is also a great blessing.  I have not missed any church services or a Sunday School lesson. I have been able to be in touch visually with most of my family throughout the pandemic. What a blessing it has been in helping to make what is not a very nice time for most of us into a somewhat liveable, if not ideal, situation.

 

Personally, I don't think our lives will ever really get back to what we thought of as being "normal" but they can still be very good.  Everyone has to do their part however.  Such a small sacrifice to make for long time gain.  Just stay home whenever possible  people.  Wear a mask.  Avoid congregating in large crowds, minimalising contact with people outside your family/home bubble. Take as many precautions as you can.  Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Use hand sanitizer.  Practice impeccable SOCIAL DISTANCING!  Its not forever, its just fornow.  I truly believe that if everyone does these things we can get back to a new, more ideal normal.  

And I believe in the promises the Prophet of our church made in the last conference and the advice he gave us on how we could face and Embrace the Future with Faith. If there is one thing I have learned over the past 20 or so years it is that we cannot fail if we follow the advice of the Prophet.  Some of what he said was this:

 

1. Create places of security. Ideally this is your home.  A place of comfort and security where you feel loved and safe.  A place where you can be open to and able to hear the voice of the Holy Ghost. Your first line of defence against the evils in the world.  A safe haven. A harbor. A refuge from the storm.

2. Prepare your mind to be faithful to God. Just as we need a safe and secure place to live, so we need a secure and safe place for our soul. "Our spiritual foundations need to be solid and secure so that they cannot be shaken and torn down.when metaphorical earthquakes rock our lives, we can stand “steadfast and immovable” because of our faith."

3. Never stop preparing. Do not become complacent in any matters which concern you.  Satan never stops attacking and you need to never stop preparing in readiness for those attacks. Being self-reliant spiritually, emotionally and temporally has never been more important than it is now. "Your vigilance in safeguarding your homes and instilling faith in the hearts of your loved ones will reap rewards for generations to come."  If you are ready, then you need not fear the storms of life. You are better prepared to ride them out.  This isn't just food storage, or having some savings.  This is also filling our spiritual lamps with oil by following the guidance and example of, and trusting in,  the Saviour, and walking close to Him as much as possible.

I promise that as we create places of security, prepare our minds to be faithful to God, and never stop preparing, God will bless us. He will “deliver us; yea, insomuch that he will speak peace to our souls, and will grant unto us great faith, and … cause us that we can hope for our deliverance in him.” As you prepare to embrace the future with faith, these promises will be yours! 

What a wonderful promise from the Mouthpiece of the Lord. 

 

As bleak as things may seem at times, if we will only look to the future with faith, it can make our today's that little bit easier to face. I know this to be true, and this comes from someone who has faced some really difficult times over these past few months. If I can see and hope in a brighter future, it is possible for you, and you, and you  . . . . to do the same.  And if for a while we stumble and feel like we can't go on.  Just rise up and keep moving foward as best as you can.  Standing still never ever did get anyone any place they needed to go. By small and simple means, great things are brought to pass.  This is called faith. Faith helps us to turn our trials into Temples.

A thought to carry with you.

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°. . 
˛*When you notice your mental health declining,

do one small thing that brings you peace.

Take a shower, text a loved one, step outside.

One little step is all you need to remind yourself

that this is not permanent..° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 

 

In The English Kitchen today. A delicious Eggnog Cake.  I had bought a container of Eggnog for over Christmas. Eggnog was something I had  missed in the UK, but somehow we never got around to drinking it, so I used some of it to make an Eggnog Cake. It is delicious.  You don't need to use eggnogg if you don't have any. You can also use heavy cream in its place or undiluted evaporated milk. Just amp up the cinnamon and nutmeg in that case. It is dense and moist and delicious.  A kind of a pound cake. 

Have a great Saturday.  Whatever you get up to.  Know always that . . . 

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And I do too!