Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

Monday, August 7, 2023

The Long Weekend Ends

Thank you to the dear friends and fellow blogger who commented on my last post. I truly appreciate it. Monday concluded one of the busiest long weekends of the summer in my province.  I didn't get up to much or go too far. I always like to avoid the crowds as much as I can and I'm still recovering from a  recent hospital stay. I find I get tired even more quickly than usual.

On Friday, I completed the oral antibiotics I was prescribed.  The skin infection, wounds and cellulitis on my legs have all improved significantly.  But the redness and tenderness on my right leg is still a bit evident.  On Sunday I had an appointment with wound care nurse at a neighbourhood clinic I've never been to before. My skin wounds are healed but I thought it best to keep the appointment and see what the nurse had to say. She confirmed everything is healed but she will call me in a week to see how things are going.

After my clinic visit I took a walk to the library to return two books. The book, There There is a debut novel of a Native American writer from the USA. It comes highly rated but I didn't enjoy it that much. It's basically about a number of troubled Native Americans and their individual troubled circumstances and how they all congregate (unknown to one another) at a Pow-Wow (dance competition/celebration). Sadly many of them end up dying there. I didn't enjoy the characters or even empathize with them and the plot line seemed quite pointless.

I was in great anticipation for the newest Lisa See novel. I've read most, if not all of her other novels and enjoyed every one of them. This book is based on a true story of a female physician from 15th century China. The novel takes you through the restricted life of a woman in 15th century China and how this doctor had to do things in order to be able to treat a few patients. While I did enjoy the book, it was not as engaging as all the other novels I've read by the same author. Don't let that remard deter you from reading it though because I still rate it 4 stars out of 5.

After I cooled down at the library and rested a bit, I walked on to the local Farmer's Market. I had no plans to attend but when I learned there was one a few blocks from the library I decided to go and take a look. I arrived at the market shortly after 1 p.m. and the market closes at 2 p.m.  I didn't find anything that I wanted to buy. Besides, the prices at Farmer's Markets here are much higher than even the expensive supermarkets I shop at.  I still like to attend from time to time in case there is something unique or interesting.

We're in a drought here so you might notice a lot of yellow grass especially at the park.  A bit of rain is forecast in the next day or two and I hope it does indeed arrive.






Once I wandered around the market I decided to take a trip to another neighbourhood to see what I could find to eat. I'd been feeling nauseated all day and my appetite was not good. However, I know from previous experience, that not eating will only prolong the problem.

I couldn't find anything appealing as I wandered down the street. The restaurants I used to like have all changed hands and menus. I resorted to something I know I can generally eat, and ended up ordering a Chicken Bahn Mi which is a Vietnamese Submarine sandwich. It came with an iced coffee.

There are a number of produce stores in the area which is a good thing because I needed some veggies and fruits.  I picked up some carrots, zucchini, rhubarb, plums and blackberries. It was a bargain compared to where I usually shop and came in at just over $8.00 Canadian.  I also stopped at the Dollar Tree to buy some bleach and a few small things. The bill was much higher at $24 or so. I still wasn't feeling that great so I hopped on the bus to get home and rest.

It's always so nice to get home isn't it?

Some of you may remember me wanting to purchase a new phone so I could take better photos for blogging. I finally ordered one today.  It will arrive next week and I'm looking forward to seeing if it will meet my needs. 

I spent a bit of time catching up with a couple of friends, one local (by phone) and one up country (via email). It's always good to catch up with friends. It seems like most of us hardly have any time to do that these days.

I spent Monday doing some meal preparation for the next few days. I didn't get to everything I wanted to make but I did bake 2 loaves of bread and cooked up some ground beef stew and chicken curry with rice. I also took out the salmon from the freezer. I had washed and prepared it prior to freezing but I want to marinate it for grilling to be served with a cous cous salad.  Preparing a few meals ahead helps me to be prepared for the days ahead.

I'm hoping to add a photo of the ficus lyrata I mentioned in my last post. It's new leaves are doing really well and I'm excited about it. I think I need to put my few other plants outside for some sunshine.

I hope you are all enjoying the lazy days of summer. As for me, I still have a lot of work to do to reorganize my space. Hopefully I can do most of it before the summer ends and experiment a bit with the new phone camera.


Thursday, August 3, 2023

A Little Update

 Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

This is a brief post to update those of you who have been wondering what happened to me.

Since my last post, I have continued to be busy catching up on house projects and major cleaning.

I was able to vacuum and wash the carpet in the living room, clean the windows and window sills, dust the cobwebs from the corners and move a cabinet from the entry way to a corner of the living room  I usually try to wash the carpets twice per year and will likely do it again just before Christmas.



I put put the curtain roads and curtains. This project has been on my 'to do' list for so long that I've forgotten just how long it's been.  I actually put up a rod once before but the screws didn't hold. In the meantime I shopped for special drill bits that are supposed to go through metal. They worked better but I was still unable to drill deep enough in a few sections. I was worried the curtains wouldn't hold again but I put the curtains up anyway and I think everything will be okay. I'm so happy because I think it will really help keep the draughts out this winter and make heating more efficient

The gold floor lamp in the photo below is a new addition to the living room. I don't know how it happened but a small knob fell off of my original floor lamp. The lamp is quite old so I bought a new lamp to be sure I have a good light source. I'll also try to repair the broken lamp and I know I can use it if I can fix it.




The fireplace mantel is always changing, usually because a plant or two has died.  I keep trying but it's so hard to keep plants alive with little light and inadequate warmth over the winter.  One of the houseplants, a ficus lyrata was almost dead. I think it had 2 half dried leaves left on it. I put it outside in the heat and sun and it has sprouted about 12 new leaves in the past 2 weeks! I'll keep it outdoors for a few more weeks and hopefully it will become healthy enough to keep indoors over the darker, cooler months.

Just when I was making excellent progress on work indoors, I got very sick.  I  went to Emergency and ended up being admitted to hospital for about 4 days and 3 nights.  It turns out I had a skin infection (caused by eczema on my left foot and ankle) and cellulitis in my right leg. I was treated intravenously for several days before any sepsis set in and then sent home with oral antibiotics. I had good care at the hospital but was glad to get home after a few days. 


Breakfast one day.


 (Sesame beef) Dinner one day


Steamed Pork Dinner another day.


Hooked up to IV 

Entering my room. I had a room to myself for some reason.


The view out my hospital room.

Since being released from hospital I've eaten out a bit more than usual. I haven't felt up to cooking much though today I made spaghettini and meat sauce. On other days I made cauliflower-vegetable soup, rice and BBQ chicken.

Friday's Bento Box dinner


Chicken Souvlakia dinner (minus the skewers)


Spaghettini and meat sauce with shredded Parmesan Cheese

I haven't been able to do much housework or running of errands this week. I've done a bit of reading instead. 




Wednesday night I went out to buy groceries for the week I'll try to make a few meals ahead (stuffed pork chops and cauliflower, chicken or chick pea curry, beef brisket with rice and greens and chicken and baked sweet potato fries). 

Today I mustered up enough energy to sweep and wash floors, wash a load of towels and bath mats and clean the master bathroom toilet. I still feel tired so I'll be focussing on doing only essential housework this week. I also have a few appointments to deal with this week.

I hope all of you are safe, happy and healthy. Thanks for stopping by!


Sunday, July 9, 2023

Summary of What's Keeping me Busy & Why I Haven't Been on Line Much

I started projects way back in August 2022 and kept a record then (see the link) for my own interest and review.  I don't actually enjoy doing many of these projects and I don't go about it very methodically.  It often takes me many weeks, even months to do a small project.  It's taking me forever to do all the little jobs I have on my list. I find that it takes much longer in a smaller home to do the work because there is no where to put anything when you are trying to do a project and you constantly have to move and remove things.  It can be quite a challenge at times and also physically tiring because a lot of the items are heavy.  There were also many weeks where I was very tired, or in pain, or both, due to several long term health issues.  

But at long last I'm starting to see and feel, the positive results of the changes I've been making and I'm happy with them.  I still have a ways to go before I'm finished.  There are projects in several rooms: living room (put up curtain rods), dining room (install the light fixture), main bathroom (do something about the toilet). I've decluttered a lot and I've got lots of items in bags which need to be dropped off at a charity.  I'm collecting as much as possible so it can be dropped off at one time rather than here and there.  I also still have a lot of paper to shred though it's mostly sorted and put in different piles. These are the main outstanding jobs. I have other job ideas in my August 2022 list but they could be considered 'nice to complete' rather than strictly necessary.

I plan to look into getting the master bathroom tub replaced with a walk in shower once I've completed the above items.  The tub replacement would have to be done by the professionals.  I also plan to undertake 2 reupholstery projects myself.  It will be my first time doing this type of work and I've studied one of the jobs on Youtube before deciding to tackle it.  The other job I can figure out myself and I've starting collecting what I need for it. 

Here is a list of projects I've completed so far in 2023.

DIYs & Household Improvements 

  • Painted kitchen backsplash (May 2023)
  • Installed 2 shelves in kitchen (May 2023)
  • Cleaned and reorganized under kitchen sink, food cabinet & standing shelf unit where dried goods are stored (April, May & June 2023)
  • Cleaned tile grout in kitchen and both bathrooms (June 2023)
  • Repaired and painted walls and cabinets in 2 bathrooms (April/May/June 2023)
  • New shower curtain in master bathroom (May 2023)
  • Installed new cabinet knobs in master bathroom (June 2023)
  • Replaced toilet fill valve and flapper in master bathroom (May 2023)
  • Replaced towels in master bathroom (May 2023)
  • Replaced shower curtain liners in both bathrooms (April & July 2023)
  • Replaced laundry baskets in master bathroom (July 2023)
  • Installed towel shelf in master bathroom (July 2023)
  • Replaced door knob in master bedroom (June 2023) still need to replace 2nd bedroom knob
  • Installed new wall sconces in living room (March 2023) and master bedroom (April 2023)
  • New floor lamp for living room (July 2023)
  • Decluttered hundreds of small items (Jan - ongoing)
  • Decluttered hundreds of papers (Jan - ongoing)
  • Decluttered most of the cracked pots and other items from patio
  • Replaced wall clocks in dining room (February 2023) and master bedroom (January 2023)
  • Decluttered dozens of items from patio and garden (May - ongoing)

Other
  • Lots of paperwork relating to income taxes, property taxes, city government forms completion requirements, retirement requirements, banking etc.
  • Lots of medical tests, management of blood glucose, sleep & body work (physio, massage, reflexology, exercise), dental crowns and cleanings
  • Participated in several webinars relating to health and exercise
When I get tired of projects I read, watch a good movie, get together with a friend or make something.
Once my 'to do's are nearing completion I hope to spend more time on creative things. 

Some of the makes & alterations this year include:
  • Crocheted a blanket (February 2023)
  • Crocheted a Pineapple doily (June 2023)
  • Sewed a summer top out of double gauze cotton (July 2023). I'm hoping to make another one in white soon along with pull on trousers or a dress.
  • Sewed a navy light knit summer top (July 2023)
  • Shortened a wide leg pair of trousers  I bought in 2022 (July 2023)
  • Sewed pillowcases with Star Wars theme for my niece (July 2023)
  • Hemmed various trousers (July 2023).  I've got lots more to do, mostly trousers requiring hemming and other items requiring small repairs.


Read 36 books or 13,158 pages (Jan - July 2023). The goal is 50 books or 20,000 pages, whichever comes first.

Planted small community plot (DH does the weekly watering) (April 2023)


This post summarizes my projects so I can look back later and see what I've done and when I did them. It also serves to show why I haven't been on line very much. 

I'm sorry I haven't had the time or energy to keep up with blogs but now and then I try to read your posts.  I don't seem to be able to do my work and blog at the same time.  The projects weigh me down and interfere with other plans. If I go ahead with other plans, the projects don't get done. 

I think once I've cleared away the 'stuff' and finished a few of the next projects, I'll feel a sense of 'freedom' and a weight lifted off my shoulders. There are lots of things I want to do besides decluttering, reorganizing and DIYs and I'm looking forward to the day....hopefully sooner rather than later if my energy holds.  

If you have time, I'd love to hear how you cope with DIYs and projects and whether you too find they interfere with your social media activities, and blogging in particular.







Monday, July 11, 2022

The Last Week

 Hello friends,


Thank you to all who left well wishes and comments on my last post. I truly appreciate your beautiful words.

I trust you are well and enjoying summer/winter wherever you are in the world. There is so much going on around the world.  Most of it is not that positive so it's important we do what we can to safeguard our mental and physical health to help us cope. Some of the ways I safeguard mine are through enjoying nature (the sky and gardening), reading, short walks and some self-care now and then (exercise, prayer, deep breathing, relaxation, slow routines, mani-pedis and massage). I was blessed to do most of the above this week. All the photos in this post were taken this week.

Today (July 10th) was a lovely day.
 

I had my second booster shot a few days ago. All went well save for a sore arm on the second day after the shot. Not everyone in my province has had their first booster shot yet let alone their second shot. They have to be eligible first and eligibility is generally based on health status and age. For some reason the head doctor here makes the age cut off very high unlike all other jurisdictions in the country. I think that is wrong headed but I'm not the one making the decisions.  Just the other day however I read that the government has opened things to everyone aged 12 and older to get a booster shot in the fall when Covid cases are expected to increase once more. 

Jonah had his 2 vaccinations in Kenya and that was good enough to travel and enter Canada when he travelled in May.  But like most insurance there is a waiting period to get a health card here in the province of BC before he can register for his booster shots. Once the waiting period is over he can complete health card registration provided he has received the permanent resident (PR) card issued federally. 

Canada is very backlogged in virtually every area of service due to the pandemic so PR cards and other things are taking months to receive instead of a week or two. We were happy that Jonah's card did indeed arrive at just under 2 months wait time and he has been able to register or apply for the last bits of documentation he needs.  It's a huge relief since many people are experiencing significantly longer wait times.

 

Jonah has been very busy getting accustomed to life and work here and he has been enjoying both.  The other day he joined the work party at the community garden to help repair the raised beds that were falling apart and to do some extensive weeding around the plots. Weeding and general upkeep of the community garden area is the responsibility of all gardeners who have a plot but most of them don't seem to do much. Maybe they don't know that they have to volunteer 4 hours of time over the summer to the work needs of the garden. I certainly didn't know until the new chairman pointed it out a few weeks ago. Basically, Jonah's garden work on Saturday fulfilled the volunteer hours required for this year.  In addition, my nephew's girlfriend put in several hours of work a few weeks ago so we have more than covered our volunteer work hours requirement for the year.  We only have one plot which my nephew's girlfriend has planted and tended this year.  I'm hoping next year she will be able to get her own plot because she loves the gardening process. I hope they don't say she is disqualified due to living too far from the neighbourhood.

 

My left leg is still giving me problems though I do see signs of improvement here and there. I'm trying to make sure I take time to do the exercises and the walking recommended by the physiotherapist.  It's been a difficult balance  because it doesn't take too long before I've overdone the walking. I had such a day on Friday when Jonah and I went out to do our business. I came home very tired and spent the rest of the weekend indoors to recover and get the housework done slowly so I can be ready for the week ahead. I also spent some time outside in the garden. When I wasn't outside I left my patio door wide open and enjoyed seeing the little hummingbirds come by.  I also enjoyed the chirping of birds. They were very active this weekend. I don't remember hearing them last summer when there was so much smoke in the air. That couldn't have been good for their little lungs at all.







I finished reading this new book French Braid by Anne Tyler.   It was a quick read and I enjoyed it although it was far from one of my favourite reads.  Unbeknownst to me I also started reading another book by Anne Tyler just a few days before.  That one is called A Spool of Blue Thread: A Novel.  I thought the two books seemed quite similar but French Braid seemed to flow a bit better and so I finished it first.

Last, but not least, I finally made time on Wednesday to get a mani-pedi. I've been needing a good clean up of the nails for quite some time but don't like to pay the prices or sit for so long. I was glad I did get there as the young woman who worked on me had a very pleasant personality and I asked her to give me an extra long hand massage because she asked me to wait for my manicure while she worked on another client who was there with a friend. I agreed to her request and she gave me a nice long massage when she returned to work on my fingernails. 

In the "old" days one would always get a wonderful hand and foot massage as part of the mani-pedi. Nowadays you mostly have to pay a premium for these services.  If a salon does happen to include a massage with their basic service it is usually nothing to speak of.  Often you don't even get one especially since they started using gel nail polish. While I was waiting for the nail tech to be free, I enjoyed a nice, long massage on the massage chair.



It's been a busy week despite the leg issue and I'm expecting another busy week ahead. 

I wish you all a wonderful and happy week where ever you are in the world. 

Stay safe. 💓💓💓

Thursday, November 11, 2021

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.

 








Saturday, October 9, 2021

Update - Mostly Health and Decor

 Hi again,

 It seems so very long since I've written here about what is going on so here goes.  I meant to post on Thursday for Skywatch Friday and post some autumn photos but time slipped away on me.



I'm still recovering.  My face still looks like quite a fright but the swelling has gone down a lot.  Now I watch the colourful bruises change from day to day.  I have a big bump under my right eye. When I touch it is is very hard.  This is where I have a fractured bone. After a lot of telephone tag, I finally have an appointment to see the plastic surgeon in just over a week. 

I've been working very hard for over a month to try and manage my blood sugar levels better. I had been eating well, exercising and watching snacks but the sugar levels just keep going up. I have been researching all about the causes of insulin resistance and the effects of low carbohydrate diet on insulin and blood glucose. I am now on one meal a day (OMAD) and Intermittent Fasting. I'm glad to say the blood sugar level has come down a lot. I compared my current reading to the last few years and I see that I haven't had such a good reading in 4 years.  So I 'm very excited and will keep doing what I'm doing. Hopefully in 3 months the blood sugar will be even better.  Since I've been trying this new way of eating I am not posting photos of my cooked meals.  It just isn't that interesting but if I should somehow become more creative about the meals, I will post about it.

I haven't been able to get back to household routines while I've been recovering. I'm too sore and tired and I still have a lot of neck and shoulder tension.  But I am moving forward every day to complete a number of 'to dos' and errands that I've been wanting to get to for long. That is how I happened to be out to get some photos some of which I'm sharing today.

The Sea bus to the North Shore leaves regularly from downtown.

During Covid it has been much harder to do the shopping for anything other than groceries and medicines.  Over the summer things opened up more and  now I'm running around trying to get what I need.  I'm also worried that things might become more restrictive again so the more I can do now, the better.

Most of my 'to dos' have been focussed on trying to fill the gaps and needs in my home.  I'm doing everything on a very tight budget so it takes a lot of looking around, consideration of the overall theme and colour scheme, seeing about the size of pieces and how to get them home. Truth is, I've been looking for some of these items for a few years already but wanted to get rid of other things first. I'm not much of a decorator. I usually see something I like and then I try to make it work. But now I have to be far more mindful if I want to avoid collecting a bunch of things that just sit unused.

I took this photo from the downtown Simon Fraser Uni. campus

I have needed dining chairs for a very long time.  Whenever I'd have people for dinner it would usually be a crowd so we didn't sit at the table anyway. We would gather on sofa, ottoman and side chairs.  Before I got different chairs I wanted to get rid of my old ones.  I did that just over a year ago. I've been searching for quite awhile for just the right chairs: sturdy, right colour, appropriate style and good price.  I finally bought some thrifted dining room chairs and they are absolutely nothing like I originally planned to buy. In the end I got tired of looking and considering and these chairs will do just fine. As it turns out my late sis owned a set of these oak dining chairs an an oak table to go with them.

They are just solid, oak wood chairs that will blend in with many other furniture items and decor.  These are not very popular chairs where I live.  Most people want modern or post-modern furnishings, not traditional or farmhouse.  However I happened to look at a new issue of Victoria magazine and saw the chairs featured in a restaurant and in some beautiful photos. I also saw them in a music joint in a You Tube video featuring Zydeco music and dancing.  So I'm thinking the chairs are popular with restaurants and bars in rural areas of the USA.  I think if I lived in a rural area in Canada, I could also find a lot of these chairs but not here in the city.  I found some on the Wayfair website (see photo below).  They vary in price from about $250 per chair to $550 per chair. If you find the chair in a brick and mortar store I'm certain they would cost a lot less.  In fact, my late sis used to own the exact same chairs and an oak table to go with them.  They and can be stained or painted a different colour and that was one of the reasons I bought them besides the fact that they are solid.  I had been looking for new chairs in a more traditional style and primarily made of wood or a neutral coloured fabric.  It wasn't easy to find anything in a style and material that I like and that won't need constant tightening of the screws and also fit the budget.  The antique oak and cane dining chairs I gave to my cousin needed regular tightening of the legs and I grew tired of dealing with that.  It seems modern chairs may be no better.  My cousin lives in the country where there are craftspeople who can repair what needs repair. In fact, her father-in-law did the job of fixing up the chairs for her and she absolutely loves them.  I am happy too that I found a good home for them because my late mother bought the chairs for me as a gift.  I picked the chairs against my mother's better judgement. I should have listened to her.

One chair on Wayfair for $450.

When I'm up to it, I'll share a few of my container finds from the thrift store for those of you who like thrift hauls.  I did a bit of research on the pieces I bought before I decided to go ahead and buy them.  I wanted to be sure the prices were not too high and I also wanted to consider whether I would really use them or they would just become clutter.  I hesitated to buy them at all because I'm not yet ready to display and use them.  I  need to get a few shelves to put up  in the kitchen and then I'll be ready to put out the containers.

I  also found new planter pots to repot some the aloe vera plants and other large plants that already out grew the pots I put them in over the summer. I was glad to complete this job before winter arrives.  They should all be good in their new pots for a long time to come. 

I've long had an interest in Chinese porcelain but to be honest, they don't go with my decor. I have such eclectic tastes which lean toward bohemian or classic. However this past 6 months or so, I've been trying to hone in on a style and I'm going for ethnic or tribal bohemian to incorporate different things I've collected over the years. It might seem a bit strange to hone in on a style as I head into my the last third of my life but I see it as one way to harness my purchasing habits so that I don't end up with a lot of needless things as the years go by.

  • Can anyone relate to being indecisive about what style you really like or do you just go all eclectic? 
  • Does anyone relate to ethnic or tribal bohemian decor?  
So the Chinese porcelain doesn't really fit in though perhaps some small items here and there will work. 

A jaunt to Chinatown to check out plants and porcelain

 

The Bamboo Village was my destination. They carry a lot of plants and pots

The thrift store where I bought the dining chairs was selling 2 Chinese porcelain pieces that had not yet been priced. I was a bit interested in them so I went to Chinatown to see if I could price similar items. I also checked on line and then went back to the store. It turns out the larger porcelain piece, which is the one I liked most, had been sold just a few minutes before I arrived.

I found out it was sold for $140. I couldn't believe it because though that is less expensive than what you will pay on the Wayfair website, it is definitely not what I consider thrift store prices. I also think you can buy a similar piece in store for a lot less if you look around.  he thrift store isn't an antique store and of course like all thrift stores the items are donated to them for charitable purposes.  I just don't agree with pricing donated items out of the range of most thrift shoppers. I likely wouldn't have purchased it anyway but I had to go through the process. The store has a second item which hasn't been put out yet because the lady who prices the items told me she is still researching.  When she researched the piece she found it on line for $3000. and on that basis she is going to price it on the expensive but hasn't yet decided on the final amount.  

I had discovered that there is a city in China (and quite likely many cities) where making porcelain reproductions is their chief business. So I asked "how do you know the vase isn't a reproduction?" She didn't have a good answer for me and acknowledged it could be a reproduction and that she hasn't finalized her research.  This is another reason why thrift stores should not try to act like they know about authentic art vs. fakes and reproductions.  If they keep prices on the high side they might end up selling something to some unsuspecting person who pays a lot and the purchaser might end up with a fake!  Anyway, I'm glad I was not interested in purchasing the piece.  It is a vase with butterflies painted on them similar to the photo above.  It wasn't that pretty to my eye.  The one in the photo is nicer. If I ever do purchase a Chinese porcelain pot or two I won't be looking to buy originals so I don't want to pay high prices. I am no collector of fine porcelain. I just want something pretty that catches my eye.

More fun for me was going to the fabric store and buying muslin and cotton fabric and cotton webbing. I have some tea towels on hand that I want to turn into some bags.  This is just to occupy my time and perhaps give some gifts as it is that time of year again. I have one or two people in mind for the bags. 

We celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada on Monday. I will be making ham for dinner so we don't have turkey for two holidays in a row. I like to have turkey on Christmas Day. If you are a Canadian reader, have a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

 

One of my brothers who lives far from me will be visiting with his wife a week after Thanksgiving. They are coming to Vancouver on a short vacation and it will be nice to see them again.  Since it's Covid times, their options for travel are limited.  Though we've talked and visited by phone, I haven't seen them since mom's funeral service in April 2017. Time does fly by so fast.

Last but not least, I'm reading a bit. Here are 3 books on my list at this time. I can recommend them all. 

 

The Book of Candlelight is a mystery set in a town called Miracle Springs. The town suffers a flood and mystery unfolds concerning the death of a Cherokee pottery maker. 

Under the Table is chick literature.  The story concerns a woman who separates from her husband, moves to New York City to live with her sister and start a new life through cooking and catering private dinner parties. On one of her jobs she meets a reclusive, nerdy multi-millionaire and with his consent, begins a process of making him over.

1000 White Women is a fictional book based on a historical fact. It's the story of May Dodd who was committed to an insane asylum by her rich family because she married a man they felt was beneath her station in life. In 1875, she decides to volunteer to travel to the American West and marry the chief of the Cherokee Nation. The marriage opportunity is through a secretive government program and she joins up so she can escape the asylum.

Enjoy your weekend and the week ahead.


Sunday, October 25, 2020

This and That

 Hi friends,


It's been a busy week and I've been fighting a cold. It is something I fight every year in October when the weather transitions from warm autumn to cooler autumn. It's a bummer but it is what it is.

This October I have been busy decluttering and I've written about it in this space from time to time, not just in October but over the past long while. Some weeks and months I do much more in terms of decluttering than other weeks and months.  This  month the kitchen seems to be getting a lot of attention and so far I've gotten rid of many items from my small cupboards.  Metal bake ware, plastics and Tupperware which are long past their prime and lots and lots of glass jars, plastic and metal coffee containers, papers, cardboard and so on have been recycled.  I also got rid of lots of small items from the bathroom and many items from the closet, dresser drawers and shoes I no longer fit or need, have been given away. Several items were taken to the storage unit in the building and one standing fan had to be taken to the recycling center. I also have 2 large metal patio chairs which are past their better days. If they fit in the car they too can go to the recycling center.  Otherwise I'm not sure when I can take them.

In between decluttering jobs, I clean the cobwebs from the corners. Literally.  I did this less than 6 months ago but the cobwebs seem to accumulate very quickly as does the dust. I've been trying to keep on top of it all.  There is still a lot to recycle and to get rid of but I'm starting to see a real difference in the spaces in my home. I will keep at it and when I am all done with the tasks I will see what I can do to free up actual floor space.  I am not aiming for a minimalist home as such. But I am aiming to pare down the items I use and keep only what I actually use.  I intend to keep doing my hobbies too and hobbies tend to take up a lot of space.  I am trying to find a happy balance for daily living and for hobbies, some of which may be more sporadic.

I'm still doing Flylady routines almost every day.  It seems to help everything run more smoothly even though I haven't implemented the full Flylady system. Once I get started on doing things and cleaning things I just keep on going.  It means much more is getting done every week.

The weather here has been beautifully sunny this past week with the exception of Friday when it poured rain.  But it has also been very cold. I took some garden photos on Saturday. I'm sharing what might be the last of my garden photos for this year.




 

It has now been about 2 months since I did any work in the garden so I'm amazed at how well the plants have done though many of them are way past their prime.  This week I noticed that the pansies and the petunias are pretty much done. I think it was simply too cold for them as our temperatures went down to 4 at night. The geraniums are still producing a lot of new blooms but I'm not sure how long that will continue. 

Something was eating the leaves in  my garden this year but they didn't touch the leaves of most of the flowers. This is the first time I've had this happen and I'm not certain whether it is pests, rodents, or my neighbour's cat.


 

In any case, I am hoping that I will put the garden to rest by the end of October and wash and cover the patio chair cushions. I don't have storage for the patio things but I do try to keep the cushions out of the rain over the winter and I move the table umbrella and the table and chairs so they are no so directly impacted by the winter elements. As a side note, I read that the Farmer's Almanac forecast is for a mild November and a very cold winter.  The other day, our local meteorologist said that this year we are experiencing La Niña.  La Niña refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific and is the colder counterpart of El Niño.

The Black Eyed Susans have now lost all their yellow petals.


But the zinnias have new buds! I can't believe it. But they were very late to bloom this year and maybe they are confused.  The photo shows evidence of my neglect of the garden over the past 2 months since summer ended.

When it gets cold outside I usually start baking.  I saw this cinnamon loaf at Mari's Blog called My Little Corner of the World.  Check it out if you like cinnamon and sweets. I misread the recipe and ended up making two loaves but I only put frosting on one of them.  After trying both, I think it is better with frosting.  Overall though, the recipe is to sweet for me and I have to be careful about that due to blood sugar issues.


On Friday I went to the hospital to have a colonoscopy. I had one just under a year ago but the doctor couldn't find the one small cyst she thought she saw during that exam so I had to return in 6 months.  The follow up appointment was delayed due to Covid 19 and I also put off the appointment as long as I could.  But I had to get it over with or forfeit my spot in the GI follow up care and Friday was the day.  This time the doctor had a good look around she discovered I didn't have a cyst after all.  What she saw last time was actually a part of the colon itself. That was good news. 

She did find something, but it wasn't quite a cyst. I'm not sure what it is called but she said they are common and are often left intact. I suggested she cut it out anyway and she agreed. It will be biopsied as per the usual practice. 

The good news is I don't need to have another procedure for 5 years and I'm very happy about that.  Not only do I dislike the preparation but I get very nervous about the procedure itself. They sedate me but I am wide awake as per my preference. Due to the light sedation I didn't even need 10 minute recovery afterward.  They let me go but not before making sure my ride was there as stated.  I took a few photos but haven't posted any with people due to privacy issues.

Photo of the nursing station

Photo of the recovery room before they start bringing the patients in for recovery.


We had snow in the north and at higher elevations (none in the city) for the past two weekends. The record snowfall  created havoc on the highways and some serious accidents as well.
 
 
 
On Saturday we also had a provincial election. I voted by mail in ballot along with almost 700,000 other people.  Approximately 500,000 people returned their mail in ballots on time to be counted but the counting doesn't start until November 2nd.  Even without the mail in ballots, the election was handily won by our incumbent Premier John Horgan.  He now has a majority government by which to rule.  That was his goal when he took a gamble and called an election a year earlier than required. His win is historic in that it is the very first time that the New Democratic Party (NDP) has won 2 consecutive elections in the province.
 

In other big political news, the Opposition Party of Canada,  brought a "No Confidence" motion against the Prime Minister of Canada on October 21.  They wanted to create a special committee to probe the government's ethics and spending in response to the pandemic and a scandal related to the WE Charity.  Members of Parliament (MPs) voted 180-146 to defeat the opposition motion, with the NDP, Greens and Independent MPs voting with the Liberals.  It means we will not have a snap federal election this fall.

I hope things can settle down for awhile with all the politics here.  People want and stable governments to help steer the nation while we recover from the pandemic.

Thanks for reading my post today. Stay safe everyone and do what you can to stay happy and high in spirits. May you be blessed today and each day hereafter. May you and your loved ones have continued health or improving health. May you have the material things and the finances you need and last but not least, may you have the strength and confidence to handle whatever comes in your path. 


 

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