What I'm Doing During the Cold

 Hi friends,

As I mentioned in my last post, it's been very cold where I live. Actually it seems to be very cold everywhere but we aren't used to these low temperatures in my city and I can't get it warm enough inside. 

So during the cold days of winter, I usually don't do a lot besides sit under warm blankets with a hot drink and read.

I hope to reduce my reading this year soI can work on projects.  But having a good book handy when you need one is a wonderful thing.

I just completed Barbra Streisand's very long autobiography, My Name is Barbra. It's a very detailed account of her life in theatres, movies and in song. She tells us everything we might want to know. She intersperses these details with snippets about her family and personal life, her activism and her love relationships and marriages.

Having finished the autobiography, I am now reading this debut novel A Grandmother Begins the Story by Métis author, Michelle Porter. I haven't gotten too far but don't you just love the cover design? It's beautiful Métis beadwork.

The next book I'll read is called The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.  I read his novel, Cutting for Stone a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with his story telling. I'm very much looking forward to starting it in a few days once the hold arrives at the local library.

In an earlier post I mentioned that my theme word for 2024 is "Create". I hope to make or bring new things into existence more frequently this year. It can mean new dishes in cooking but more likely in my case, it will mean new things I've sewed or crafted. I've been giving some thought to a few projects I'd like to make and have collected a few supplies. Some of what I hope to create is new to me so I'm just learning what I'll need. It seems I'm not quite ready to get started on one of my projects because I need more materials. It's okay because it's too cold for me to sit and make things right at this moment.  I have time to collect what I need.  Here are some of the materials I've been collecting.

I've already sewn these strips of fabric together.

I bought the fabric strips (bubble bees, daisies and solid yellow fabric) at the dollar store just before Christmas and sewed them together before the new year.  There isn't a lot of fabric but I have an idea for what I'll make with it.  The Star Wars fabric will likely be for a cushion or two for my niece.  I'm always looking for items for here with a theme I know she will enjoy. The items in the top photo are for surprise projects which I'll unveil along the way. I've got lots more I want to make but these are some of the projects I have in the top of my mind.

Speaking of cooking, I did in fact make one new to me dish during these cold days. It's my version of a a rice noodle and prawn soup with broccoli. It was quite good and warming but the noodles took forever to cook and soften. Next time I'll probably use a different brand of rice noodles.

These are just some of the activities I'm trying to keep myself busy during the cold days. I've been reading on line about how cold it is elsewhere and I  hope you are keeping warm enough wherever you live. 

My "baby" brother has been away in Thailand and Japan. I'm looking forward to him returning tomorrow. When my loved ones travel, it's hard for me to relax until they are safely home even though I do pray for them. On this journey there was the large earthquake off the west coast of northern Japan just before my brother was expected to arrive there. Of course I was praying a lot and all has gone well with his journey this far. He seems to really be enjoying his time in Tokyo despite the fact it is winter there too.

It's Cold & Dark

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2024 will be a great year for you wherever you may live. 

Since it still gets dark so early it's lovely to see the lights at night. It's been cold for a few days and is expected to get much colder Thursday night (minus 17 Celsius then warming a bit) for a few days. I took the opportunity to go out today and run errands in case I don't want to go out later.

How is the weather where you are?

Joining in with Skywatch Friday

Sad Happenings & Christmas Loading

I'm checking in after several days recuperating from double ear infections.  The ears seem to be getting better but I've had to reschedule my ENT appointment at the hospital. They don't see patients who exhibit cold or Covid like symptoms. Thankfully I have been rescheduled before the end of this month.

I have sad news. 

Pastor Jonah (in Kenya) lost another family member. Rebecca was his aunt on his father's side and the eldest remaining member of the family on his father's side. She was a strong, fearless woman who did her very best to keep her extended family on the straight and narrow path and to encourage them all to live in unity. She had been battling a number of health issues including Covid 19 at the end.  She didn't want to be a burden on her family and when she found out they were planning to sell family land to meet the hospital bills she refused further medical interventions, primarily oxygen, to hasten her demise.  Kindly keep this family in prayer. Medical costs in Kenya are beyond the ability of many, many families. This woman's husband is a retired police officer. In Canada, police officers get well compensated and have a decent pension but in Kenya that isn't the case though things are slowly changing for some. The family is raising funds for the accumulated hospital expenses (accrued over many months of going back and forth to hospital), mortuary fees and funeral expenses. For now they have raised enough to pay the hospital costs.

On this side of the ocean, I learned from the brother to a long time pen pal and prayer partner of mine, that my friend Arlene is in critical condition in the hospital. Due to several underlying health conditions, she cannot have surgery and she has directed that no interventions are to be made. Arlene lives near Orlando, Florida where she moved to be closer to her brother as she got older.  Her brother is now overseeing her affairs and readying her for hospice care. Arlene was a very dear friend.  We met on line on a Christian website where I met many lovely people who were sharing their knowledge with one another as well as praying for one another. After some time the website developers switched their website to paid church membership only, meaning only churches could join.  Arlene and I were no longer able to stay on the website but we remained friends and  prayer partners.  She prayed so many times for different needs in Kenya. In fact I was just going to write to her and update her on different things when I received the sad news from her brother. In the last 2 years I did not burden her with prayer requests due to her age and failing health but she did ask me from time to time about things and I liked to share any good news with her.  Update:  Arlene died on Friday morning Eastern Standard Time, November 12, 2021. Her brother Stuart informed all of her email contacts. I'm grateful he had access to her email otherwise I would not have known.

Both of these wonderful ladies will be greatly missed for the wonderful care they displayed to their loved ones and to humanity in general.  They both had kind hearts and those of us who loved them have the hope of seeing them again some day.

 ~~~

Though I have received this sad news in the last few days, I have been keeping busy with the day to day needs here at home too.

I've only been running out to purchase groceries or to  pick up parcels. 

I'm also trying to get my calendar organized with all the various appointments and follow ups so that I can assess when I might fit in a cultural event or two before Christmas. I bought a pass to the Christmas Market and I can go anytime after the middle of November up until Christmas. A friend and I have made plans to go together once she is on school break and I'll probably go once or twice alone. This will be my first year attending the Christmas Market which is held outdoors.  I have some other ideas for things I'd like to do but it will depend on how I'm feeling. I've already missed the concert I booked for last Sunday so I don't want to book and then miss out again.

Some of you may have seen my post for Tuesday 4.  The topic related to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think that subliminally I was thinking about holiday foods and also the cold weather makes me want filling and warming foods.

So today I cooked a ham dinner with potatoes au gratin and roasted cabbage.

I have enough left over for at least 3 or 4 meals, 2 of which will be ham soup with beans/lentils or split peas.This kind of soup is just the thing needed for cold, wet days and nights.

Wednesday was a very nice, dry day but prior to that it rained buckets for several days.  It's going to rain again all week but next week the forecast is for dry weather. I always look forward to a dry day here and then once the rainy season has started.

~~~

The Christmas card list is getting drawn up. I've got letters and a few parcels to prepare and I also need to draw up a list of small monetary gifts I'd like to send to several people in Kenya including Rose and her new born baby to be. 

 ~~

I also need to stay alert for Rose's delivery. Some of you might remember when I wrote about Rose and her pregnancy complications.  She had been doing fine and was at home but doctors are concerned about her ability to give birth without complications arising.  So she has moved temporarily from the village area where she lives, to the town of Kericho where she is staying with a friend until it is time to delivery the baby. This way she is close to a well equipped hospital in case special interventions or a C - section are necessary. I would like to add her to the Christmas list because she will need to stay in hospital for several days necessitating a larger than normal hospital bill for a typical expectant mother. In addition, the new baby will need some things.

 

A Frigid Day

It's been a very busy and a very frigid week. It didn't start out so cold but as the days went by it got gradually colder and it isn't done yet.  You can perhaps see the chill in the sky.

Sky

 

It was rush hour as I headed out to the library. 

Books

After I picked up the new books I head straight to McD's for a hot coffee and began to read the new memoir written by the country singer, Sara Evans. I'm enjoying it so far and the other books look really good as well. At least I have my reading material for the weekend.

 Snow

It snowed twice this week. Once on Monday and once on Tuesday but the snow didn't stick around. It is supposed to snow again on several days before the weekend is over. I found it very cold here and apparently the city smashed a 100 year record for cold weather in the last day or so. However the temperatures are nothing like it is in most of the rest of the province and in other parts of Canada and probably the USA too.

Meals

Saturday night I made some boiled bratwurst and had potato salad with it. Sunday night was the NFL Superbowl. We had BBQ ribs and chicken wings. I didn't have anything else. I don't actually watch the football game I just listen to the half time show and I was pleased and proud of Canadian, The Weeknd (not a spelling error) and his show. It's been reported that he spent $7M of his own money in addition to the production funds provided by Pepsi company,  to create a fabulous show. I don't know if that is true or a rumour but I thought the show was very, very creative. Did any of you see it, and if yes, what did you think of it.

Monday night we had fried fillet of sole with lemon pepper, buttery corn niblets and steamed rice.

Tuesday night I made roasted pork belly, stir fried kale and crispy tofu and steamed rice once again. It is only the second time I've made pork belly and it is quite delicious. I bought a fairly large chunk of it and have cut and packaged enough for another two meals in future.

On Wednesday night I made a tossed salad with a variety of greens, grape tomatoes cut in half and red onions. The dressing was made of grapeseed oil, mustard, honey and freshly squeezed orange juice.  We had steamed BBQ salmon and steamed rice.  Sorry my photo of the salmon shows a partially eaten dinner. I had forgotten to take a photo before I started eating.

I think it must be some kind of record for me to make steamed rice so often in one week.

Friday's dinner is going to be beef brisket with a homemade brisket rub, nugget potatoes and salad. I might actually make fried rice instead of, or in addition to, the nugget potatoes since I want to use up the leftover rice. Whatever is not eaten will be good for leftover lunch.

Here are some photos I took when I went brisket shopping. I didn't actually know I was going to buy brisket but always keep my eyes open for a sale on it. It has become very expensive over the years.

These ones were far too big and close to $100 Canadian.

I bought one of the smaller ones on the left.

Kenyan Missions

Pastor Jonah has had a busy week too and was unexpectedly called to a village where he is helping a widow with land issues in a situation where her husband died intestate. The matter is proceeding through court to get legal land grant and I understand that land and court officials and the area chiefs (local traditional leadership) want to make a site visit to assure themselves that everything is above board. Once this is done I don't think it will take too long to get a court hearing to hear the final verdict. I'm not sure how much longer after that it will take for all the grantees to obtain land titles in their own names as the widow/executrix is subdividing the land amongst the rightful beneficiaries. Then she can breathe easier knowing that she has a place to live until the end of her days.  It has taken long to get this far and also been costly. Kindly keep this matter in your prayers.

The usual helps have been given out to 5 people for medicine, medical care and food as well as some funds for medical insurance cover.

 

 I was planning to go to the lab for blood work on Friday but was thinking of  waiting until Monday due to the cold weather we're having. Now I see that it's Family Day, a statutory holiday on Monday so I either have to go on Friday after all, or wait until Tuesday.

Take care everyone and keep warm.

 Linking up with Skywatch Friday