Hello Tuesday!

The church steeple has been under construction for a very long time; at least a year or more. They moved the steeple from one corner to the other, raised it by several feet and added light to the cross so that it shines in the night.

The cross has not been lit up all week and I was wondering why.
Perhaps it just needed some bulbs or something.

Whatever the case, it is illuminated once again.

I like looking at the cross light up against the night sky.  I also like seeing the lights on the ski slopes.

After what seems like a very long and cold winter, the sun has returned and warmer temperatures are here.
 Spring is definitely in the air this week.

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I've been keeping busy assessing my mother's transition to the new care home and providing feedback to the facility.  This will be an annual process and our one big opportunity to make important changes if needed so I've been stressed about making sure I give the right messages without seeming like we are complaining.  Today was the day for giving informal feedback and the official meeting will be in another few weeks. The official record becomes a government record so I guess they don't want any surprises.  The feedback seemed well received and I am happy with the outcomes.

Mom is much happier where she is now.  Though of course there is never perfection, things are definitely a lot better than where she used to be.  The care is much better and more consistent. What a relief!

I've also been identifying some of mom's new needs. She is in a smaller space and believe it or not the needs she has are greater as we try to figure out ways to ensure she has access to key things. Other than that I've been busy making her appointments for personal grooming and adapting some of her clothing.

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On the home front, I'm finally feeling just a wee bit better after weeks of feeling oh so tired. I've been doing a bit of cooking, a lot of laundry, a little reading and a lot of errands. I've also had another appointment with the foot care nurse over the ingrown nails. It will likely take another few months before we conclude whether the nails are going to grow properly or not. I sure hope they do.
 
Outside, it is time for the garden debris to be cleared away.  This is my least favourite job of all time but it must be done.

Inside, it is also time to do some Spring decluttering.

I read a few interesting books in case you are interested.

(A thrift store find).

In Kim Izzo's novel, Kate loses her job and her grandmother at the same time. On top of that she loses the family home due to her mother's gambling debts. It sets her on a course to find a rich husband using the methodology of her favourite author, Jane Austen. This book is light reading and while it isn't the best book in the world, it certainly isn't the worst. I found it a nice distraction from the deeper cares of the week. It isn't too heavy to carry around when you are out and about in case you have time to read when you are running errands.

The other book I read is by an African author who now lives and works as a professor at the University of Kent in the UK.

(Another thrift store find).

Paradise is a tale about 12 year old Yusuf, who is sold into slavery in repayment of his father's debt. It is difficult to know the location of the story as it is never made clear.  It might be Tanzania but it could also be Kenya as there are numerous references to Kenyan coastal cities. This poignant story follows the young Yusuf over a period of about 6 years through his various adventures and the twists and turns in his life. It is an interesting look into pre-colonial Africa.

I am now reading a few different books.

I borrowed this book from the library.

and

This one is for my personal library.

Radiance of Tomorrow is the second book by Ishmael Beah.  Ishmael is a young man who overcame the nightmare of being a child soldier in Sierra Leone. He now lives in the USA and is an author.  He also does work with the United Nations to raise the awareness of the plight of child soldiers. 

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I know the snow is still falling in central Canada and other parts of North America.

I hope there will be relief for you soon.

Our World Tuesday