Wednesday this and that . . .

 

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It hardly seems possible. but here we are almost halfway through the year 2022. May the fourth be with you!! (Sorry, always wanted to do that!) We had a beautiful sunny and warm day yesterday.  I did not have the heat pump on all day and never had it on this morning either. It won't be long now before we will be complaining that its too hot. 

I guess I should put the humming bird feeder up soon. I am looking forward to another season of watching them visit.  The chipmunk has been visiting daily.  He/she sits on the railing eating her nuts, driving the cats crazy.  Their tails wave back and forth madly along with their little chattering. 

In fact now when they see me picking up the container of peanuts they get all excited and run to the window in anticipation of Chippy's visit. 

 

What do you mean its not a fancy new cat bed???

I bought a couple of rolling carts to store all of my nuts and keto/gluten free baking stuff in. They arrived yesterday. (Thank you Amazon.)  As per usual they are do-it-yourself-er's.  Nothing arrives ready made today. We all have to put things together.  I got one put together, but am struggling with the other one.  Mind you it was a bit later last night when I started it. They are both very different. This one went together very quickly and easily, despite having to remove the cats from it several times.  They like to be a part of everything I do.  Its quite endearing actually and I don't mind in the least.

I will attempt the second cart again this morning while I am more awake.  The desk has arrived as well but that is not something I will be able to put together on my own. 

It was my next door neighbor Sheila's 82nd Birthday yesterday.  She had mentioned it the other day when the missionaries were here working in the garden.  I had in mind to do something for her to mark the day and so I baked her a wee cake and took it over, along with a card for her.  It was just a cake mix I had in the cupboard.  I baked it in six in layer cake pans and then split each layer, sandwiching them back together with some strawberry jam.  I then sandwiched both layers with some vanilla buttercream and then iced the whole cake in more vanilla butter cream.

I created some marshmallow flowers with marshmallows and sprinkles.  You just cut the marshmallows into slices with scissors and dip the cut edges into the sprinkles.  The sprinkles stick to the cut edges and the marshmallows curl into pretty petals.  Arranged on the cake and with some larger sprinkles in the center they looked quite pretty.  I also had some spearmint leaves in the larder which I cut and used to make leaves for the flowers.  Simple but very effective and she was very pleased when I took it over to her.  

 

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I was saddened yesterday evening to learn of the passing of my long time friend Leona's husband. He had been in Halifax these past weeks having an operation and then recovering from it. Leona had been staying there with him.  He had not been doing very well and so I suppose it was not entirely unexpected, but till sad nonetheless.  I am sad for Leona as they had been married for a very long time.  I used to jokingly call him her toy boy because he was quite a bit younger than her.  She will really miss him.  I was texting with her daughter last night.  I will need to go out and get a card and then send it along with a letter once the dust settles.  My heart aches for my friend. 

All of my close friends are widows now and on their own for the most part, except for my two friends in the UK. I suppose as women we get to an age and  we outlive our husbands.  Well I am not a widow as you know, but am on my own.

My felt arrived yesterday for my Luna Lapin doll.  I will have to get busy making one now. There is no excuse not to!  I had also sent for some pretty little vintage fat quarters to make clothes for her, in old fashioned prints.  Small things and all that . . . I will enjoy putting her together.  Life needs to be a balance of  both work and play after all. All work and no play is not a good life for anyone.

I am also really wanting to take that art course by Jean Haines.  Its just having the time to devote to it. I have been so impressed with all of the work Monique has done with it.  She has produced some beautiful pieces. I am not sure I am near as talented . . . really.  And I say that genuinely. Monique. You are so talented as well as being humble. I don't call you the Susan Branch of the North for nothing.

 

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Getting serious here for a moment now.  I am taking a break from talking to my daughter again. She sometimes breaks my heart and while I try to make allowances for her learning disability, that doesn't mean she is not capable of hurting me. 

We were talking the other afternoon (between 5 and 6 every day for the most part) after having had a break all weekend whilst she and Tim were in Halifax visiting with friends of theirs.  I was telling her how her Uncle David was coming down in June for a visit and how we would have a picnic in the park together so she could see him, etc.

Now in Nova Scotia the numbers for Covid are still quite high.  Last week the case average was over 777 every day.  (and that is just the official number being reported. (We know the numbers are really much higher as some people are not reporting they have it, but simply staying at home.) We had the largest numbers of deaths in the province that we have had since this all started. 24  The most who have died in one week since this started.  That might not seem like a lot to  you all, but this is a very small province.

"Nova Scotia's health minister said even though the provincial government removed its indoor mask mandate on March 21, the province still recommends masking and physical distancing."  (From the Nova Scotia Covid site.)

So I told her we wouldn't have to wear masks outdoors when we were eating, but we would still need to physically distance because she and Tim are not actually in our close contact list and because they socialize with all sorts of people and are not masking or socially distancing at all.  I felt this was a great compromise on my part as they are not being careful in the least.

She took great offence to this. I was accused of not loving her as much as her father does. Of not having enough faith in God because if I did I would not be afraid to die, etc. Of pushing her and Tim away. 

She does not seem to understand that I am in an extremely vulnerable group.  With three health conditions myself that put me at risk, aside from my age.  With a very elderly father that I wish to protect and a sister who is also in a vulnerable age group with health conditions.  It is not that I am afraid to die.  I am not afraid to die, but I am not going to jump in front of a bus or off a cliff or take other risks, like socializing in close contact with people who are not also being careful.  I might not die if I get Covid, but then again, I might be one of the ones that do. Or I might pass it on to my father or sister who may or may not die, but who also might die.  Its called being responsible.

She seems to think that God will keep us all safe.  I do not want to argue with her faith. I am grateful that she has faith. But she should also not call mine into question.

Yes, we do need to learn to live with Covid, but we also need to learn to live with it without taking unnecessary risks especially if we are extremely vulnerable ourselves, or in close contact regularly with people who are also extremely vulnerable.

So I am taking a break from her again. She is a very combative individual. Combine that with her disability and it is really difficult to deal with her at times.  I admire that she is willing and ready to stick up for herself . . .  and her rights as an individual  . . . but she also needs to learn respect for other people's opinions, needs and rights.  And she also needs to learn that you can't hurt people just because you are not getting your own way on things.

I am trying really hard here to make her understand these things.  But I need to keep my stress levels down also. Its difficult. 

 

I've been watching The First Lady on Crave. About President's wives. So far so good, but I have to say that I do not enjoy Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt.  I keep seeing and hearing her portrayal as Margaret Thatcher in The Crown. It doesn't seem to be jiving with me.  I am not sure but what they couldn't have gotten someone better to portray her, but it is early days yet and I have only watched two episodes.

Just living the best week that I can. Enjoying the small comforts of life.  Being with my kitkats, enjoying some quality television programs, cooking, writing, studying, keeping house. Life.  Enjoying every moment that I can while I can, because none of knows really when it will end.  Each day is a precious blessing.  Every moment a gift.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*Happiness does not depend on outward things,

but on the way we see them.

~Leo Tolstoy•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Perfect Air Fryer Eggs, hard or soft.  I enjoyed testing times etc. yesterday to cook eggs in my air fryer with excellent results!

I am meeting my father and his two lady friends tonight for supper again this week. They seem to really enjoy my company and I know they are all people who are staying careful and safe.  Whatever you get up to today do stay safe,  and  happy, and be blessed.  Don't forget! 

Have a beautiful day and don't forget!  


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And I do too!