All Things Nice . . .

 

(source) 

Old things abide - the good and true,

Things that are born and bred in you,

The love of children - faithful men

Spring in the warm sweet fields again,

Old people puttering 'round the place

Peace like a light on someone's face.

Bright lamps that shine above the snow,

And send out such a heartsome glow,

Across the lonely country night,

The glint of wings that catch the light,

A prickly thorn . . . a rambling brier,

Golden rod setting the world on fire.

A blue print apron and a shawl,

An old cow sleeping in a stall,

The odor of new hay and sheaves,

Rain dripping softly from the eaves,

A little girl with rosy cheeks,

A dog so smart he almost speaks.

Old things abide - a garden patch,

An old shed with a rusty latch,

A supper table warm and bright,

Windows shining against the night,

A mother gentle and serene -

These are the sort of things I mean.

~Edna Jaques, Old Things Abide

Roses in December, 1944

Most of the poems in this volume of poetry were written just prior to the end of the second world war. It was a very different time. Old fashioned values, which I embrace . . . they never go out of style. What was of worth then is of worth now, maybe even more so as our World appears to crumble around us more and more as the years pass. We have so much, and yet for many it is somehow not enough. Greed prevails it seems. Envy  . . .  People seem to want to look at life through a filter . . . they are not content in their own skins.  Bigger, better, prettier . . . thinner. Younger. 

I like old things. I like small homes, decorated humbly.  Faces with wrinkles that show you the bearer has lived and loved and laughed. Eyes that look wise and tongues filled with wisdom, the kind that only comes from living your life honestly, weathering the ups and downs with integrity, love and joy. I would be lying if I said I did not wish to be thinner . . . I would, but not emaciated . . . I also want to enjoy all the good things life has to offer and that includes butter . . . and sometimes often jam.

I do not ask for much. Just to have enough. Enough for me and then a tiny bit more so that I can share a bit with others. That brings me great joy. It always has. My love language is giving. Oh, that brings me so much joy.  I love to share. Wisdom us teaches that a joy shared is a joy doubled. And yet a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved.

It is funny how that works is it not?

One of the mysteries of life. 

 

(source)

Eileen got all the way up to Kentville yesterday morning only to discover that the appointment was not really what they thought it was. It was to do the procedure that she had already had done, and so she came back. No results are in yet so we are still waiting. I thought that had been rather quick, and to be honest it was a bit worrisome to have her be called in so quickly, so am happy that it was not for any results.

We continue to be patient and to hope. I will be picking her up at noon today for our sleepover.  We have a lot to do today.

 

(source)

We did not get much artwork done yesterday. Well, Christine did. Cindy was not there for most of the morning as she was at the hospital with Dad.  I spent most of my time chatting. It has been several years since I got to spend time with Christine and I don't think we ever have had time one on one, so it was really nice. 

She had taken a photo of Cindy and Dan's house so she was busy sketching that and then painting it while we chatted, plus she had a project that she was doing/preparing for the art classes that she teaches co-ordinates for the people who reside in the care facility her father had been in. 

David and Dan were gone to visit a friend of David's who lives further up the valley. He and David have been friends since high school, so a long time now. The plan was to take Dan up in David's friend's small plane. They had a great day and then went out to lunch, so they were not overly hungry when they got back, but that's okay. The rest of us were.

Dad's procedure went okay. (That's my Doctor, Dr. Fomani, doing it.) He was able to drain the cyst and relieve some of dad's discomfort with it. Now the hard part will be keeping dad from bothering it. I am sure it was quite an uncomfortable thing, but it is done now and hopefully will heal well.

When he and Cindy first got home, Dad said he could see better. I thought that perhaps maybe the cyst had been pressing on something, but his eyes got wonky again so I guess not. He thought the Doctor's uniform was pretty jazzy though. He was a bit tired so had a rest, but was up and ready to eat when supper time rolled around, and enjoyed a nice supper.

This is a photo my brother took at the Wildlife park near where I live when they visited it the other morning. The wetlands were dried up but there was still a lot to see.  Apparently this tree is marked by woodpeckers. This is what results from their pecking.  I know that I do hear a lot of woodpeckers hammering away a lot of the time, and I have several little ones that come to my feeder.

I thought it looked very interesting anyways and thought you might also enjoy seeing it.

A photo that my brother took at the restaurant the other night. (Wednesday) Unfortunately he cut out Christine and my dad, as well as Hazel who was down at the end across from me. If it looks like most of us were saying the same thing we were. I think it was the word "cheeseburger."

It was a good night out. We all pretty much enjoyed our meals for the most part. I ordered the turkey dinner. My stuffing was a bit dry, like it had been sitting too long, and my vegetables were cold, but the turkey was good as was the gravy.

It was just really nice being there together as a family. 

Cindy made us all dinner on Thursday. She made some lovely quiches. She makes great Quiches and we had fried potatoes and string beans with them.  Delicious.

I provided dinner last night. Chicken Pot Pie with Greek Salad and fresh fruit and I had picked up a Lemon Meringue pie at Peltons as well. Freshly made, how could I resist! 

My brother is getting his fair share of pastry while he is down. lol  It wasn't planned that way. I think he and Christine were going to go for a long walk after supper last night.

Tonight we are going out for an Indian meal which Eileen and I, and Cindy too, are really looking forward to.  I am a bit concerned about the long walk from where we will have to park to the restaurant, for both our dad and for myself, but we will do it. It is right on the main road, and near the lights/intersection, so you cannot really stop to let people out. 

We will manage. We do have a wheelchair for dad.

Look who was waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home last night.  Yes, it is Holly Hobbie. She is busy getting acquainted by her sisters on top of my dresser at the moment. She was my birthday present to myself.  My sister and I did not have a lot of dolls when we were children.  I love dolls. I am making up for it now.

 

She has such a sweet face . . . I am happy that I finally broke down and bought her. I had been looking at her for weeks and weeks and weeks  . . .  and hmming and hawwing to myself about it. Then I told myself, why not. Yes, it is a lot of money, but at this stage in life why not make a few of your dreams come true. I had wanted a Hollie Hobbie doll since I was a child. Now I finally have one. I do feel a tiny bit guilty about it, but what the heck. What good is a dream if you can't make it come true.

David and Christine living their best life up on

the foggy shore the other morning.

They are such lovely people. I have always loved my brother, 

but I also really "LIKE" him.  I love and "LIKE" my Sister-in-Law as well.

They are good, good people.

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

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

˛*We can only be said to be truly alive

 in those moments when our hearts 

 are conscious of their treasures.

 ~Thornton Wilder  *。*˚*。*˚ 

In The English Kitchen today, Easy Two Ingredient Pie Cups.  This was the dessert I made to bring over to Cindy's the other night. She had made it for us a number of weeks ago and I wanted to recreate them to post on here as per a request, so here you go.  Simple. Easy. Delicious!

I hope you have a lovely weekend. May you be richly blessed with all that you stand in need of and that brings you joy. Don't forget!

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And I do too!