All Things Nice . . .

 

(source) 

Christmas Toys

A little dappled horse, a scarlet ball,

A wooly lamb . . . a doll with sleeping eyes,

A small white angel for a Christmas tree,

A Christmas stocking with a bulky prize.

Red mittens on a string . . . a pair of skates

A toy balloon to drift above the house

Tinsel to glisten in the candle light

A little scarlet coated Micky-mouse.

A set of dishes for a little girl,

With tiny brier roses here and there,

A locket on a golden chain,

New patent leather shoes for her to wear.

O crisp December gay with mistletoe

Holly and cedar hanging on the door,

Old folks to love . . . carols to sing in church,

And little children to buy presents for.

~Edna Jaques, Roses in December  

 

Yesterday my sister was telling me how her cats liked to listen to cats meowing on YouTube. So, last night when the cats and I were sitting here, I looked for them and put them on.  They listened to them for a few minutes, but really could care less. Then I discovered this channel where they play all sorts of birds and animals, chirruping, coming to feed, etc.  

Nutmeg noticed first. He woke up out of a deep sleep and before I could say Jack rabbit he was watching it with intent from where he had been sleeping in the crows nest on top of the scratching post.

Next Cinnamon noticed it, from her perch on top of the back of the Lazy Boy chair. They were both mesmerized. 

And here they are this morning, watching it with the same rapt attention, although Nutmeg has now moved to the front window preferring instead to watch the leaves prance by in the wind. Cinnamon is now laying down and watching the television from the edge of the carpet. I think she would love to be chasing them in real life.  Every once in a while she moves in an effort to try to figure out how to get up there.   She has always been the hunter, chasing spiders and fruit flies, etc.  Nutmeg is much more laid back.  Right now he is watching a real life blue jay on the bird feeder outside the front of my house. 

I spent a part of last evening putting the tabs into my new journaling bible. These newer bibles don't come with tabs, but I am a person that has a much easier time finding things with tabs to show me where to go, especially when you are talking about the scriptures.  I fell in love with the cover of this one.  I do so love pretty things.  I got a package of bible highlighters also.

This year we are studying the Old Testament in our Sunday School classes at church, or Come Follow Me as it is also known. I love the Come Follow Me program. I am looking forward to getting the new manual. I know a lot of people like to do it online, but I am one of those queer ducks who enjoys a paper one that I can hold in my hand, and make notes in. I am very old school when it comes to learning.  

 

(source)

I received an e-mail from my landlord in the UK this morning. Actually I am sure it is from his nephew  as Denis had no idea how to use e-mails or anything and I know he is in Ireland at the moment, not Chester.  There was a photocopy of a water bill that is owing for 33.82 pounds sterling.  I think he wants me to pay it.  The bill is in Todd's name, not mine. I will pay it, but only if the water company sends it to me here in Canada and in Canadian dollars.  I am not able to pay bills in foreign currency from here. 

I would have thought actually that the final bill would have been issued well before this.  At the time I did try contacting all of the utilities companies and having things switched, but none of them would deal with me as I was not the account holder.  It is a bit of a conundrum.

The tenant he had after me had to be evicted forcibly by the police. He was a bad, bad tenant.  A druggie and criminal. He made my next door neighbor's life hell the whole time he lived there. He also left the house in a terrible state, with holes bashed into the walls, railings missing, door knobs taken, etc.  The house will completely need refurbishing and decorating.  (I know all this from the next door neighbor who has told me.)  At least Todd and I were good tenants.  Always kept the house clean and tidy, caused no damages, paid our rent on time every month, etc.

 

(source)

It is hard to believe that we are only a week away from Christmas. This year seems to have passed by very quickly and still we are in the grip of Covid. Still living in fear.  My sister stopped by yesterday to bring me a gift card I had bought for my father for Christmas at A&W. She was all masked up.  Apparently someone she works with (she works two days a week) has a daughter who has tested positive for the virus, and he had a cold and had been to work earlier this week when she was there.  So she was unsure if she had been exposed or not.  Scary times we are living in.  Good news is that later yesterday she was told this guy had tested negative for the virus, so she was safe, but still  . . .  it shows you how very quickly the virus can spread and how vulnerable we all are.

I had hoped that the end of 2021 would have brought us closer to the end of the virus, but here we are again, things being closed once more, measures being put in place, one step closer to lock down all over again.  

The good news is that somehow we have all, in my family, managed to keep ourselves safe thus far, but I am thinking it is only a matter of time. They say every family will be touched by it to some degree.  I have been trying to get on a waiting list for a booster, but the lists are all full.  In the meantime I keep on being as careful as I can be. That's all anyone can do. 

I really don't have a lot else to say and I was very late waking up this morning so I best get on with my day since it is already a quarter to ten and I am sitting here still in my jim jams and my bed is still unmade.  I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *Always end the day with a positive thought,

no matter how difficult this day has been,

tomorrows a fresh opportunity to make it better.

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

 

In The English Kitchen today . . .  Mom's Feather Squares. A Christmas tradition!

Have a wonderful Saturday. Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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And I do too!