How Is Your Week Going?

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope the week is going well for you.

It's been busy here at the homestead.

It rained heavily on the weekend an a bit on Monday and Tuesday but otherwise it's expected to get quite warm for the rest of the week.  Possibly longer.

Monday started with a bang.  The workmen delivered a few pallets of cement blocks to the patio using a small crane. It was interesting to watch. These cement blocks will be used to build the garden wall which will then be filled with soil and ready for planting.

I had to make several phone calls. It's the season of birthdays and graduations in my world so I was on the phone making plans or confirming plans for both occasions. Everyone is busy these days so it's hard to find the mutually free time to get together but it works when everyone makes an effort.

I don't have too many indoor plants these days since I now have 2 large artificial trees. However I like to have live plants around me whenever  possible. Though the conditions in my home are not the best for plants (I have too little direct sunlight light and it's too cold for much of the year),  I still like to try to grow them. I purchased a fern that was on clearance and have just recently hung it up after looking for a wire chain and pot to use. I'll need to find another pot as I'm using the blue one as a liner. I'll look for a slightly smaller pot to repot the fern which is root bound. Hopefully I can put it outside in the sunshine even while the work outside is ongoing outdoors. Of course I'll have to do it when the workers  aren't working 

I continue to try and make healthier meals for the dinner hour. Stir frys are a favourite because they are quick and you can add so many different veggies to the noodles, rice or meat.

I'd love to know what is your favourite healthy meal to make?

That's all for today. Thank you for stopping by!

A Busy Day and Some Happy Colour

Things have been rather busy here in my corner of the world. I guess I'm in a slightly whirling dervish mode since it's the end of the summer and I've had so many jobs I put off due to Covid 19.

On Friday I went for my annual eye check up albeit a half year later than I should have. Actually I had an appointment scheduled for 6 months ago.  However I postponed it and requested that they give me an appointment with the eye specialist who did my surgery.  Not the back up eye doctor who has been seeing me the last two times. They called again to make a new appointment for me but it was still with the back up doctor. 

I relented and went for the check up because I really must stay on top of things. But I told the front desk staff  that next time I really would like to be booked in with my original eye specialist.  She is the reason I started going to that office in the first place and she is the one who did my eye surgery about 3 - 4 years ago.  They understood my frustration but told me that my doctor has been cutting back on her hours and they couldn't promise that they could make it happen. Now it causes me to wonder if the young doctor is already burned out. Eye specialists here seem super busy.  Too busy to sustain their demanding schedules.  I heard a few years ago that due to Canada's aging population the eye specialists would become even more busy.  I wonder what my future holds in this office.  Since I first started going to the office they have added 3 new specialists.

For the time being the back up doctor told me there is no diabetes related damage to my eyes, my vision is okay and he confirmed that I have dry eyes as per my observation.

The doctor confirmed that my right eye is in fact the drier of the two.  I am still using eye drops every day but I don't use them as often as directed on the box.  Eye drops are so expensive and they are non prescription eye drops so the cost adds up; especially when the drops only come in 10 ml sizes.  I forgot to ask the doctor if the dry eyes might partially be caused by the air blowing through the top of my CPAP mask. It doesn't always leak but sometimes when I move around during sleep, the mask goes out of alignment.

Of course when ones eyes are dry, the vision is also reduced.

I finally got my paperwork in for the new CPAP machine and after my eye appointment I went to the Sleep Clinic to see what models of CPAP machines are available.  My current machine is well over 5 years old and it's time for a new one. I submitted the paperwork a few weeks ago after many delays on my part due to needing to get doctor's signature and input.  I haven't been getting much done from March to August due to the coronavirus and wanting to stay safe.  The paperwork was ultimately submitted a week before last, but I've learned from the supplier that the insurer says it didn't receive the paperwork. It needed to be submitted again and so there is a delay. They were very apologetic but I wasn't upset. They can't help it if the insurer lost papers even though the paperwork is faxed, not mailed.  Once the insurer makes a decision it will be easy for me to decide which machine I would like now that I've been to the Sleep Clinic.

After I finished at the Sleep Clinic I stopped at Michael's craft store and the medical supply store.  I didn't buy much at Michael's.  I'm trying not to buy any more yarn and most items there will simply add to clutter.  At the medical supply store, I was there to see what was available in terms of what the arthritis physiotherapist recommended I use to help me manage with arthritis.  I dealt with a very nice young woman at the medical supply and we have arranged for the new items to be delivered on Tuesday night.

Just before the pandemic was announced I had been to see the surgeon about getting knee surgery. He told me I was not a candidate and gave me several reasons, one of them being that I'm too young! I was not a happy camper but in the end I have to accept what he says. He did say that eventually I will need surgery. So in the meantime, that is why the physiotherapist suggested some aids to use.  I requested, and received a doctor prescription back in early January. I just hadn't had time to follow up on getting these things. I wanted to look at them in person and not simply ask for them over the phone.

By the time I finished at the medical supply store I was super tired and super hungry. I stopped for some Japanese food. This is the first time I've eaten in a real restaurant since February and the food was very delicious. Not to mention the added bonus of not having to cook or do dishes. 

 

After that I stopped at one more large pharmacy and browsed around looking at many different things. They sell all kinds of electronic items and household items not just vitamins and drugs.  In the end I purchased a pair of head phones with microphone for use with my desktop and laptop. I didn't want a wireless headset. I've already got two of those and frankly I do not like them at all. Unfortunately, the corded ones seem to have standard length cords which are not quite long enough to use with my desk and computer set up. I had to move some things around so I can use the headphones. If it isn't one thing it is always another.

Last time I posted here I mentioned that my garden was on it's last legs. 

Today I was pleasantly surprised to see it is still going. So I took a little time to water and cut some dead leaves. Perhaps it will revive a bit and hold for another few weeks.

In the coming days I am hoping to complete 2-3 more appointments and several more errands and outside tasks in addition to the usual grocery shopping. Once these are done I plan on retreating once again and isolating. When I go out and about I wear a mask everywhere and pretty much everyone else is too and most people are keeping an appropriate distance.  Around the house I'm hoping to try out the Fly Lady System (system for keeping the house clean and decluttered). I tried it once before but couldn't get into it. I'm going to give it another try and take the Baby Steps approach.  Of course, I know how to declutter and clean already but the thing that has gotten away from me as my health has changed over the years is keeping everything operating smoothly and preventing a pile up of clutter or cleaning. The Fly Lady has a system that so many women absolutely love.  Do any of you use the Fly Lady System? If so, what do you think of it and how has it worked or not worked for you?

So far I do not know anyone here at home who has contracted the virus but one young friend in Kenya and members of his extended family were tested a few days ago. His young nephew (about 10 years old) has tested positive. Next his young niece and a few others in the family are to be tested. Keep them in prayer.  There is a lot going on in Kenya amongst the people I know. Many are dealing with land issues and family tensions. These are difficult times. I do not want to say more about it here but only to ask for prayer for all these situations and the continuing material needs and medical needs.

Thanks for stopping by. As always I enjoy reading your comments and visiting your blogs.  Stay safe.

End of July 2020

Hi everyone,

I was reflecting this week that it was almost 6 months ago when this Covid scare began and the business of  self-isolating.  For the most part I've been okay and have not needed to do more than go out for food and medications. I did not go to the community garden much at all though I had planned to do so.  Things may change a bit in the next few months as at some point I'll need to have a doctor's appointment, a dental appointment and perhaps a minor hospital procedure and I really should go and get some lab work done.  But have no desire to expose myself to new people and new germs any more than I must  The hospital has been calling me to schedule a procedure on a non-urgent basis and I've basically been avoiding the calls. I will try and give them a call next week.

I've been thinking that it will be at least another 6 months before we can really get out and about and or even contemplate travelling. I thought I cannot go an entire year without seeing anyone in my circle so I'm hoping to organize a day here and there to visit with a family member and one or two friends.  Of course we will visit and keep our distance for safety reasons.

In some of my more recent posts I said I was going to adopt a (rescue) cat.  My application was accepted at one organization and I actually had virtual visits with 3 different cats.  Then I began to get cold feet. It thought it would be better if I met the cats close up and personal instead of just virtually.  That would mean two trips 1) to see the cat and 2) to pick up said cat. In the end I decided to wait until the 2nd wave of Covid 19 is well behind us. In the meantime I have a lot of jobs that continue to keep me busy.

Over the summer's cooler weather I've been catching up on paperwork and decluttering.  In between I read books or I cook and do a bit of cleaning.

I'm reading books 42, Book of Signs by Dr. David Jeremiah and 43, The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey.  My goal for 2020 is 45 books which I'll likely reach in August.  At that point I hope to redirect my focus to crafting and sewing.  I also have more paperwork to get rid of before I can commence some small house projects. I wanted to finish the house projects this summer but now I may not get to them until 2021. The interior light is not good once summer is over and so some things are better left until Spring.

Last week and again this week the summer heat finally arrived.  I spent some time doing more intensive cooking than usual. I like easy dishes in general that don't require a lot of standing at the stove but sometimes I feel like trying new things. The rice pilaf and tuna steak were 'new to me' dishes and both were tasty.

Chia seed pudding, fresh blueberries and raspberries with plain yogurt and pumpkin granola for breakfast.

Grilled Greek Chicken, rice pilaf, roasted lemon garlic potatos, tzatziki sauce

Cheddar Smokies, Greek Salad, Potato and Egg Salad

Grilled tuna steak, rice pilaf, Greek salad

I took the following photos after 9 p.m. Tuesday night. The light was already insufficient. I tend to get better photos around sunrise.

The next set of photos were taken on Thursday evening.

I love the golden colour in the sky. Usually I only see this hue in the very early morning hours.

The Kenyan Missions

Since my last post, I learned that the primary crop we planted (corn/maize) won't be ready until October since we planted several months later than the norm.  Those who planted in January have been harvesting over the past few weeks but we did not plant until much later. 

In Kenya, the farmers plant and harvest corn and then they dry it in a shed.  Preferably a shed on stilts because it helps  with air circulation. Corn can get green mold or aflatoxins in the field or in storage and researchers have discovered that these aflatoxins are contributing to male infertility. Throughout the year the people take their dried corn to the posho mill to have it ground for unga (flour or maize meal). This maize flour is then made into ugali, a staple of the Kenyan diet. 

Ugali is not really nutritious but it is a common food and it helps to fill the belly. It is eaten virtually every day for the main meal and on a modest diet will be eaten with greens or sukuma wiki (fried collard greens though the Kenyans usually refer to it as spinach).  If the budget allows there might be chicken or beef stew as well. For a real treat at Christmas there might be goat meat.

Regardless of the issues with corn or ugali, Kenyans absolutely love ugali and they crave it just like in North America people where people may crave rice or potatoes. If you google the nutritional aspect of corn flour it sounds rather nutritious and perhaps it is relatively nutritious in the scheme of things. But when it becomes your primary source of food and there is little else that goes along with it, I think it leads to a malnourished society. I'm not a scientist but I'm finding that a lot of the adults we've been helping with medical needs are highly malnourished and it leads to challenges in trying to get them healthy again. First they have to have a much more nutritious diet on a consistent basis before they can start to get better. In fact, many Kenyan doctors now recommend their patients to take vitamins or eat a certain array of foods. This is all very challenging if you are a subsistence farmer. There isn't money left over for much else besides one's daily meal.

Photo Credit:  Cookpad Ugali and Sukuma Wiki Recipe

~~~

Pastor Jonah will be travelling soon to Kericho government offices to check on the status of Eunice's pension application.  Eunice applied for the pension for the elderly some years ago but has never received it. She has been in hospital for well over a year so cannot follow up on on a new application. I am hoping and praying that Jonah will be able to straighten this out for her and that she will get her pension soon.

It isn't a lot of money.

It amounts to about $18.00 (US) a month but it is paid every second month at approximately $ 37.00 (US).  If you've been to Kenya in recent years you know just how far these funds would go and how little it will buy for a foreigner.

If you are a Kenyan and you are buying food you can make it stretch and you know where to shop. It won't feed you nutritiously but it will help stave off hunger.

If you are in need or medicine it will perhaps cover the cost of one pint of blood or perhaps a month's supply of blood thinner. When Eunice gets here pension we will all rejoice as this is something that has been long awaited and much deserved for Eunice has been a life long community and church worker.  She's never expected anything in return and it would be nice if her last years could be made more comfortable.

~~~

We have helped a few other elderly to get their pensions.  Some have received it quite quickly but some others have not.  I would say, more often than not there are hurdles and challenges to any Kenyan getting a document or money from the government in a timely manner. It is always a wait and see what happens next kind of story and people who are entitled give up easily at times believing it will never happen for them.  But I am so happy when one of them gets a pension approved and paid or any other kind of government document. When I first started travelling to Kenya and helping the people there was no such thing as a pension for the elderly and the disabled.  Over time the government has been trying to improve many things but there always seem to be great setbacks and challenges, some created by thieving politicians.

My young doctor friend, Carolly's grandmother is now out of the hospital and seems to be doing well for a woman of advanced her age (she is over 80 years of age). Carolly is slowly building her a new home to replace the one that was damaged during the floods in March. I do not have an update on the other gentleman and his family (7 members in total) who were flooded out of their home and coffee farm. I was not in a position to offer them any assistance at the time so I have no news.  In Kenya when you start asking questions about people's dire circumstances the expectation is that you are planning to help them. It's best not to ask questions then unless you really think you can do something helpful.

~~~

In the month of August I have been focussed on providing sheets and duvets to several households. In a few months it will be rainy season in Kenya and it will be cold.  In fact, last night I chatted with Sarah from the Kibra slum in Nairobi.  She said it was very cold.  Sarah has a few children and no husband and not enough blankets or food.  We helped to buy her some food and another blanket to try and keep warm.  Fortunately she lives very near the Toi Market so she can walk there and find what she needs.

There is no heating in most Nairobi homes that I've had the privilege of visiting and it can get rather chilly during certain times of year.  Warm bedding is a luxury in many village and slum homes and food, education, medicine and telephone air time would take priority.

Two gentlemen also received a duvet set (cotton duvet, bed sheet and pillow cases). Basically this involved researching prices and preferences as well as figuring out how to order and get the product to the intended recipients.  One of these is Alvin, the Engineering Graduate who was hoping to do a Masters degree in Canada. His application was not accepted but even if it was Covid 19 would have made it a nightmare to travel here and begin studies. He is now considering seminary and if accepted will likely continue studies in East Africa.

~~

The other man who received funds for bedding is Ernest.  He is the gentleman with diabetes. Each month we provide him basic food and medicine.  If we could provide a more nutritious, consistent diet it would help him so much but we do the best we can.  He is the man who was run down over year ago when he was walking to hospital to get his diabetes medicine. It has been a long journey toward healing and I'm not even sure his leg is completely healed. When last I inquired he was still walking with a walking stick and his ability to walk longer distances was slowly improving. I had hoped that if he could stand on both legs he might be able to go back to being a barber and thus be able to help support himself. That is still my hope.

~~

I had an idea to also provide some cooking equipment for Pastor Jonah; either an electric pressure cooker or an electric frying pan.  This way he might reduce the cost of buying tanks of cooking gas and it would relieve the pressure on his back of having to bend down.  He usually has a large gas tank which sits on the floor and then you put one pan on the top and you have to bend down to cook.  The tanks are not even 2 feet high so that is hard on one's back.

It might save some money to cook with electricity but even if it doesn't there will be a much greater ability to eat a variety of nutritious foods using either one of the gadgets. I told Pastor Jonah to research and pick the most suitable cooker for his needs.

~~

Last but not least, we've sent a bit of funds to a young husband and father I met about 12 years ago when he was selling books on the street.  After graduating from university he set up a small scale tourist operation.  However with the tremendous downtown in tourism he, like many others, is struggling a lot.

Prayers continue for Kenya.

Please contact me if you are able to help any of these individuals with food, clothing, medicines, transport or in any others ways (see side bar for further information).

I'm not sure when I will write again.

It will depend on when I can get some new photos and have something newsworthy to share.

Until then, take good care of yourselves.

Joining in with

Skywatch Friday.

Early Morning on the Patio

Hi blogging friends,

I  hope you are all doing well and keeping happy and busy.

We are still getting quite a lot of rain where I live and I haven't been out in the gardens much.  The long term weather forecast is for more rain over the next 2 weeks. It has also been cooler than usual. At the end of this new week we will crack the 20 Celsius mark for only the 2nd or 3rd time since the beginning of Spring.

I'm not complaining as I'm still self isolating despite restrictions being lifted. I will continue to self isolate and keep my eye on the community transmission developments over the next few months. Being indoors means I am slowly getting some old business done though truthfully it is taking me a lot more time than I thought it would. I guess the good news is I always have something constructive to do.

I was out in the patio garden very early one morning and captured these photos. Most of them are of a bush that I don't know the name of but which goes through a multitude of looks over the course of the year. Sometimes there are berries.

The photo below is the only one that is not of my flowering bush. I think it's a Salvia plant but I am not 100% sure as I planted it a few years ago and it never did very well.  This year it seems to be doing better.

My reading list includes this raw and powerfully written memoir of an up and coming Indigenous writer and activist, Helen Knott. Unfortunately her story of gender violence is not that pretty but the good news is she managed to overcome her addictions to drugs and alcohol and begin a new, cleaner life with hope and promise.  The gender violence the author had to endure throughout her lifetime fed into her addictions and the memories kept her addicted.

I'm currently reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Several years ago I saw a movie based on the book and I enjoyed it. I'm about half way through the book and I don't remember much about whether the movie is true to the book. In any case, I always like to try and read books on which movies are based and the writing is quite enjoyable.

Last, but not least,  I'm reading Shadows Along the Zambezi. It's as masterfully written as Shadows Over an African Heart by Diana M. Hawkins.  Both books bring focussed attention to the issue of elephant poaching in Zimbabwe and all the violence and corruption that goes along with it.

Young elephants having a mud bath at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage, Nairobi, Kenya

All but one of the books are digital loans from the library which for some reason is still closed to the public.  They don't even do curbside pickups. I'm not sure why they are still closed while most places are now open with new policies in place to stem the transmission of Covid 19.  Some time back I purchased a digital copy of the book on elephant poaching and am reading it on my Kobo device, Canada's version of  Kindle).  I'll be so glad once the library is open again so I can borrow paper books. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the digital option.

A short update on the Kenyan missions.

• A variety of crops were planted for one large, extended family.  Once the harvest is ready there will be corn, cabbage, carrots and a variety of vegetables for 3 or 4 households to eat.
• Elder Eunice is still in hospital. Though it was about 8 months ago that doctors said she would be ready to go home in a month or two that never happened. She is still in hospital and is more or less stable. We have no information as to the prognosis. 
• Alvin, the young engineer graduate was hoping to come to Canada and continue his studies.  Sadly he was not accepted and we have given up on the idea.  It is very expensive process to prepare the application packages and has lead to a "no" decision two years in a row. It is very disappointing.  Alvin is a very intelligent and studious person and he would have done well here but getting accepted to a Canadian university (easier to get acceptance and scholarship if one is freshly out of high school)is difficult for people from poor countries and is more so the case when money is not part of the family assets.
• Pastor Jonah has had a very difficult experience of late with one of his molars. He needed a root canal and the hospital where they did it did not do a good job at all. It was becoming septic. Fortunately he managed to get the tooth redone at a private dentist office and after a week is now very much on the mend. 
• Others continue to receive food and medical helps when we have funds to assist them.
• I thank those of you who continue to pray for the missions and/or lend financial support. May God richly bless each and every one of you.

That's all for now friends. I hope you all have a wonderful week. Please continue to stay safe. xx

How the Garden Grows

Hi friends,

If you are here from Skywatch Friday you can find that post here. Otherwise welcome. I'm always glad you have paid a visit and even happier if you are able to leave a comment.

It's been a wet, cold week. I was expecting rain but it turns out to have rained more than I was expecting. Consequently I didn't get out to the community plot. I am so very late this year and I already know there is no more soil or compost left for me from what the garden club orders each year. I haven't been that successful in finding appropriate starter plants either so not only am I a bit late to plant, I will be sowing seeds directly into the ground. I've decided to keep it simple and plant only a few things anyway so it should all work out.


In my little patio garden I've planted some vegetables and some flowers. I've got fewer containers this year and many of my terracotta pots are cracked broken.  I couldn't find replacements pots in the correct size when I looked last week.

We haven't started summer yet and the city has already announced water restrictions which will last until mid-October.  The month April was very dry compared to the norm although we managed to make some of shortfall up in the last week with heavy rains.  Watering can be done 2 days a week from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Even numbered homes can water on Wednesday and Saturday and odd numbered homes on Thursday and Sunday.  I remember I checked last year about whether the restrictions applied to condos or only to homes with lawns and the answer was the latter. This year it looks like vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees can be watered anytime if done by hand or with a spring loaded nozzle.  This is how I do my watering so it means I will have the flexible to water when I want.

I took the first set of photos in mid-April and the second set  of photos on May 1, 2020.

April 14, 2020

Solomon's Seal

Black Eyed Susan

Unidentified Tree

Two Weeks Later

Black Eyed Susan

 

Solomon's Seal in bloom

The tree is unfolding new green leaves every day.

The shoots coming up in the photo below were planted about 1 week ago and are now coming up. They are wildflowers and I've never planted them before so we'll see what comes up.  I planted them for the butterflies and birds.

The vegetables are not yet showing any signs of life but hopefully they will spring up soon.

The next photo is of some sunflower shoots. They have taken 1 week to get to this point.

I bought the potted fern last year and it was quite lovely. I let it stay out over the winter and most of the leaves died.
I cleaned it up a few days ago and already there are many new shoots coming up.  If you can the knobby "balls" in the center of the plant those are the new shoots that will unfurl into nice leaves.

I found 4  or 5 very small pots of pansies. I've mixed them in with the petunias.

I do have some pansy seeds and hopefully I might yet start some. Pansies seem to be a hardy little flower and have a long growing season compared to some flowers.

The next two photos just show the sky for the past week or so. Just because I never get tired of sky photos.

Sunrise

Sunrise and a seagull flies overhead

Where I live we are still under strict restrictions until May 15th. At that time or possibly just before we will learn what comes next. We expect some lifting of restrictions as we've been given hints but there will be no larger scale gatherings.
I believe different countries are already seeing restrictions lifted in various ways and means.
We should all remember that the virus is still out there. So please continue to be careful.
Stay safe and stay happy.
This too will pass.