Dear Neighbor . . .

 

(source)

 FRIDAY, April 25th, 2025
3 Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
5*C/ 42*F  Overcast

Dear Neighbor,

It was such a beautiful sunny day yesterday.  Dry and warmish, neighbors were sitting out on their decks. Cindy and I went to Will's viewing yesterday afternoon. It was nice to be able to pay our respects to the family. Lots of photographs were on view. Will looked lovely and at peace, with her bible and her rosary in her hands. She looked ten years younger. Cindy said Will would have loved that idea. But then again, who wouldn't.

The sun was just beautiful coming through the windows last evening.  I couldn't help but notice the special glow it gave to Cinnamon's fur as she lay sleeping in her basket in front of the window.  Such a brilliant color. It is hard to believe that they both fit into that basket comfortably once upon a time now, but they did. They will be three years old soon. 

That dark grey tabby was back to visit them yesterday. I had to go out and shoo him away with the broom again.  He hisses and spits and growls at them and attacks the window screen. I don't know who he belongs to. I did see a collar on him yesterday, so he does belong to someone.

It's a dangerous thing to let you cats just wander about. Especially with such busy roads close by, not to mention the coyotes. Someone posted on FB the other day with a photograph of a cat they rescued that had been shot with a paintball gun.  What is wrong with people?  Man's hearts are surely waxing cold in this modern-day world. There are still plenty of good people about for sure, but there are plenty of nasty ones as well. It makes me sad to think about it.

Just a sign of the times they say, and I suppose it is.  Makes me happier than ever for my little spot of repose here within my four safe walls. When I am out and about, I try not to be judgmental of others.

  "Be kind everyone you meet is carrying a heavy burden." 

~Ian MacLaren 

It is hard though. I may not be outwardly unkind, but sometimes I cannot help those unkind thoughts from creeping in. I know it should not matter. Kept in the mind, those thoughts are not really hurting anyone. Who am I really harming by thinking those things. Well, the answer is a simple one. Me.

In thinking unkind thoughts, I am reinforcing a habit of negativity and that is not something I really want to do.  If no one else, I am wounding myself. I am not being my best self, and "I" know it, even if nobody else does.

Our thoughts always matter. I need to be better at letting go of my own righteousness and giving people the benefit of the doubt, even if I am the only person who knows I am doing so.

My stack of crochet squares grows taller. I need to start crocheting them together or this blanket will never be done. I wanted to pick up some cotton yarn the other day when Cindy and I were at Michaels.  They did have cotton yarn, but it was not the one I am used to. The kind that comes with the dishcloth pattern attached.  I was going to pick up knitting needles also, but did not know what size to get.  I love those knitted cotton dishcloths most of all.  I much prefer them over any dishcloths that you can buy these days. The normal ones seem to be so flimsy in comparison.

Mom had a lot of those hand-knitted dish cloths and hand towels as well. I had one of mom's hand towels, but sadly it got into the wash and discolored with all of my underwear not so long ago along with something that dyed everything an ungodly splotchy grape color.  Sigh . . . 

I noticed a few ants in the bathroom the other day.  Ant season is about to begin, and I hate it.  Because we have no basements beneath our units, our homes here sit directly on a concrete slab.  Our soil is very sandy here and ants are a problem anyways, but even more so when there is no cellar beneath the house. I dug out all of the ant traps/baits I have stored up and am planning on giving everything a good vacuum today and then putting them out.  Let's see if I cannot nip them right in the bud.

I remember when I had finished my vocational training and gotten my first job away from home. For a few months, until I got married, I worked at Atlantic Speedy Propane in Kentville. I boarded with an older woman in a big old Victorian house in Kentville. Mrs. Boats.  She had ants.  I can remember watching them crawl around the edge of my dinner plate. A shame really as her food was really good.

I was so shy back then.  Those couple of months I boarded in Kentville I did not do anything outside of go to work every day and home to the boarding house at night. I was in bed reading by 7 at night, all showered and in my pajamas. I would never have dreamed of taking myself to a movie or anything else. I was too afraid to do anything on my own. My big treat was to go to the Metropolitan lunch counter on pay day and buy myself lunch.  Mrs. Boats made me a packed lunch every day.  With homemade bread.

My home away from home.

Poor Sheila was knocking on my door first thing yesterday morning. Her heat pump again.  Apparently, her sister-in-law had been there the day before and had been fiddling with all of the buttons on it. I went over to have a look and sure enough she had put it onto air con.  I was able to put it back to what it should have been on for her. I think she fiddles with it herself a lot anyways. She is obsessed with it. Her electric bill was too high this last time she says, and she is blaming the heat pump, which is probably actually saving her money.  It was several hundred more than mine. 

 A lot of people's bills went up this last time. I am not sure why.  It is quite scary to these older people who are on fixed incomes. There is not a lot in place to help the elderly in this country. Not like there is in some other countries. I know that in the U.K. I had free prescriptions, eye care and dental. There is nothing like that here.  There is Nova Scotia pharmacare, but you still pay a premium for that.  I paid almost $600 for that last year, and I also had to pay a portion of my prescriptions anyways. One of my prescriptions is over $100 and the pharmacare does not cover that one so I pay the full knock. 

Everything is getting very expensive these days. I am grateful that I do not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. I do not know how people who do are making their ends meet. It must be very difficult for them.

I just keep muddling away and relying on the Grace of God to get me through whatever I need to get through.

 

(source)

I managed to do some work in my journal yesterday. I have filled the one and am now working on the second one. I don't know if anyone will put any value on any of them in the long run, but I do enjoy doing them.  They mean something to me.

I started watching a new program on Netflix yesterday.  Sullivan's Landing. I had not noticed it before. it takes place here in Nova Scotia. The scenery in it is beautiful.  It is up more towards the Halifax area on the coast. 

I think all of the coastline of Nova Scotia is beautiful anyways.  I wish I was brave enough and had enough money to take myself on a trip around the province, but it would not be much fun on my own and now I have the cats to think about as well.  

That reminds me, I need to have another couple of housekeys cut. Cindy cannot find the one I had given her.

Speaking of keys, these are the crochet key holders my sister has been making.  Aren't they cute?  I love them. I think she is planning on selling them. I don't know which one I love most. The pug dog is really cute, but so are the other dogs and that fox is adorable. I think she is planning on selling them. I am not sure of how much she will charge. It takes hours and hours to do one. Totally adorable however.

I don't know how she has the patience for this type of close work. I did when I was younger, but my eyes and my patience would let me down now.

She does such beautiful work. Everything she sets her hand to is amazingly well done.

The birds are all busy nesting now. I had quite a few at the fat slab again yesterday and even some mourning doves along the front railing. The cats were very interested in them. Nice big birds compared to what they usually see. My sister thinks that some crows have a nest in her yard.  She feeds the crows peanuts every day. They actually call to her reminding her that they want their peanuts. They are such smart birds. 

I admire all of these creatures with their wit and will to live. It is amazing to me that they live through the harsh winters that we have with all of the cold and the adverse weather. It is a miracle to me. God made them in such a way as they do, however. Bodys perfectly built to endure the temperature fluctuations. I am grateful that I do not have to do it.

And with that I best sign off and leave you with a thought to carry with you. Thank you so much for visiting with me each day. I surely do appreciate you.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.There is no trouble

so great or grave that

cannot be diminished by

a nice cup of tea.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

~Bernard Paul Herdux ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen today, Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken. This was fabulously tasty. It is a small batch recipe that goes together in a flash. You can be enjoying it in less than half an hour. Its delicious.

I hope you have a beautiful Friday!  I am not sure what I will get up to today, but I will keep busy for sure. Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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And I do too!