Dear Neighbor . . .

 

(source)

 JULY 10, 2026

Estate Lane

Nova Scotia

19*C/66*F

Rain and thunder storms

Dear Neighbor,

Its dark and rainy this morning and I have heard rumblings off in the distance. Still fairly warm however, so that's good. Its supposed to clear in about an hour.  They are calling for rain over the next few days. I hope they are wrong as I don't want Doug and his family to have a rainy time at the camp they are attending, but I suppose that the camp will have things in place in the case of rain. Anyways, I hope they are having a good time and that they continue to do so.

 

(source)

Yesterday would have been our mother's 94th Birthday.  Cindy, Dan and I went up to the cemetery to spend some time in the morning. It was lovely and peaceful up there, but quite dry. Dan and Cindy weeded the little flower bed in front of mom's tombstone and Cindy and I watered them.

I noticed our cousin John has had a beautiful headstone laid.  I messaged my cousin Sheri to tell her how lovely it looked (his sister.)  She told me that our cousin Maria had bought it and had it installed, so I messaged her. What a sweet testimony of love it was to see.

I quite liked the look of it. It is very similar to the one I wish to have. I will have to look into it.

 

(source)

Eileen got through her first night in her apartment alright, although she did sleep on her sofa and not on her bed. Hopefully she slept in her bed last night.  She had her visit in the morning. Her worker helped her to unpack a few bits and then she walked down to Tim Hortons, which was good.  Great exercise for her to walk there and back. She messaged me when she got home and I went over with a few things for her.  I brought her her tool box and some blankets, a nice throw to put over the sofa, and some potato salad.  Things are looking very nice in there. She was watching the new Little House on the Prairie (which I also started yesterday). I showed her how to pause the television when she has other things to do such as phone calls, etc.

At any rate, she seemed to be very happy and comfortable.  She was going to make herself some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with tomatoes for her supper along with some hotdogs. I messaged her at bedtime and she was fine. 

I think everything will be okay.

 

(source)

I got quite a bit of laundry done yesterday and cleaned up the bedroom where Eileen was staying. Changed the bed, etc. Swept, vacuumed and washed the floor. So that is all sorted. I found a few things under the bed that she had forgotten so I brought them over when I went to hers. 

By late afternoon I was quite tired so I lay back in my easy boy chair to have a quick nap. Cinnamon always jumps up and has her own nap laying on top of me. She makes biscuits and sings for a while first and then lays back and snoozes. Its "our" time.  Sometimes Nutmeg will come and chase her off and have "his" time with me as well.

My nap was interrupted (I didn't mind) by the lady next door. She had an invitation for me to come to a little Birthday get-together she is having next Tuesday afternoon for the new lady from across the street, so that she can get to know the ladies on the street better. What a lovely gesture to make.  

I often see her (her name is Zilla) going around doing things for the neighbors. She is quite fit for her age. She brings them their newspapers, checks their mail for them. I have seen her weeding the garden and raking up in the lady across the street's yard and her husband brings over her garbage and green bin on garbage day so she doesn't have to. She needs a walker to get around. (The lady across the street.)

Zilla was telling me she does crafts and goes to the sales in the autumn. That's my kind of person.

 

(source)

I picked up my eye glasses earlier this week, but haven't been able to wear them for very long yet. I know I need to just put them on and leave them on and I will get used to them, but I have had to go out a fair bit and don't want to get sick in the car from my eyes being wonky.  There is quite a difference between the old lens for my left eye and the new lens, plus they are the ones that get dark in the sunlight, so they will take a bit of getting used to.

I will eventually.

 

(source)

There is this food blogger I have been following for a number of years now. I purchased her first cookbook back when I was still living in the U.K. Half Baked Harvest. She takes the most beautiful food photos, and I used to love watching her reels and videos.  She is probably one of the most successful food bloggers in the world I reckon, aside from Pioneer Woman.

I have had to stop watching her and following her.  Its been like watching someone literally die in front of your face. Very alarming. This young woman clearly has an terrible eating disorder. You never did really see her eat anything that she cooked, or at least you never saw her swallow any of it. She did take the occasional bite.  The last few years all you see are her hands and they are getting thinner and thinner.  She posted a video of her talking a few weeks back and I was horrified by what I saw. She is literally nothing more than a skeleton with skin.  Anyone who showed concern for this in the comments was quickly shot down by other commentors and told to mind their own business, or called a bully.

I can't watch it any more. Its been haunting me ever since.  I fully expect one day to wake up to the news that she has passed away.  I hope not, but I expect it to happen.

Have any of you followed her?  I would be interested in your opinion on this. I know that there is not a lot that we as a viewing community can do, but what about her parents and family?  I don't know. I know it is really none of my business but its very distressing to watch someone die slowly in front of your face and not see anyone doing anything about it.

 

(source)

Speaking of diseases . . .  one of my cousins has been diagnosed with a very rare disease recently. Whipples Disease.  They have been treating him for Rheumatoid Arthritis for years but it appears now that it is this Whipples Disease which can be fatal if not treated.  He is in hospital now and is expected to be in hospital for about a month, and then treatments will continue at home, but he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. 

 

(source)

There hasn't been a lot else going on in my life at the moment.  Things pretty much stay the same. I started the new Little House series on Netflix. I have only just watched the first episode. It is quite different than the old series we are used to seeing, but so far it seems very good.  I am slowly working at decluttering some areas. Its that old adage, "how do you eat an elephant," one bite at a time. If you look at the full picture it can be overwhelming, but if you take it in small bits, then it is quite doable. I don't know how I accumulated so much in such a short time, but I have.  I don't want to be a burden on my family when I die, so I need to get rid of stuff now. I do want to enjoy my life, but I also don't want to leave them a lot of stuff to have to dispose of.  I have given a fair bit to Eileen already. I took over some tea towels to her yesterday.  There will be more things I am sure she can use.

And with that I best end this missive. Time is galloping on and I am running behind.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

*There's something about

childhood friends

that you just can't replace.

~Lisa Whelchel

I know I sure appreciate mine!

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Swedish Cinnamon Buns. These have cardamom in the dough and a sprinkle of crystalized sugar over top.  Other than that they are pretty similar to regular cinnamon buns. Yes, they are delicious. 

I hope that you have a lovely day today. May you be blessed with some sunshine and all that you stand in need of.  Be blessed. Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!