Gratitude December - Day 9

Many of you know that I get most of my reading material from the local library. I always have numerous books on hold and try to schedule them to arrive sporadically, rather than all at once so I have time to read what I've borrowed before getting new books out.  Well I seem to have come up in the queue very, very quickly this month for many books, both eBooks and paper books  and that has made me fall behind in my reading.

I'm grateful today for completing the book entitled leaving time, by Jodi Picoult. This was a most enjoyable book for a multitude of reasons not the least being a focus on elephants and their behaviors in the wild and in captivity. It was very cleverly and masterfully written and I could not have foreseen the ending.

I'm grateful for having completed the book and I will also try and complete The Bookseller's Secret today so I can make a trip to the library on Friday to pick up more holds.

Reading Challenge 2021 - Progress to Date

 

These are the books I've read in 2021. I met my reading challenge long ago and didn't set a new one. I'm reading now for pure pleasure rather than meeting a goal. I have no new number of books to read in 2021 or pages to complete. This year seems to have been the year for reading biographies and autobiographies. I read 8 of them and that is far more than usual. It was also a year for reading resource books on sewing projects and books written by Indigenous authors.  They were all very good too. The two books that show only a generic Goodreads cover are: Joseph William McKay - A Metis Business Leader in Colonial British Columbia & Merchant and Mills Sewing Book by Carolyn N.K. Denham.

There are approximately 6 weeks left in the year.  I'll be interested in seeing how far I get for the rest of the year because soon I'll be too busy with cleaning and Christmas preparations and there will be less time for reading.

Did I have a favourite book this year?  Not really.  though I have to say Gail Tsukiyama's books are always a delight and I really enjoyed reading Youngblood of the Peace.  Youngblood is about the life of a priest who used to preside in the far north of British Columbia where many of my relatives live. Everyone knew him and I heard about him a lot as a child so it was very interesting to finally read his life's story.  I'm so glad a northerner took time to make sure his story is documented.  It made me appreciate how much the early missionaries went through to "Christianize" people.  I also enjoyed Edward Rutherfurds' book, China. I've enjoyed all the books I've read by this author so far. Last, but not least, The Dictionary of Lost Words was a very interesting book and kept me entertained.

I hope you are enjoying your reading. I'd love to hear what book you enjoyed most this year, or any other year. Maybe I can still find it before this year is over.

Happy reading.

p.s. If you are interested in the Kenyan missions, please see my update from the last blog post.

On My Walk Today

 Hi friends,

I've had a busy few days despite the rainy and stormy weather we've been having.  I had to run out and do errands on Friday and Saturday. I also did some browsing at the thrift store, shopping at the dollar store, made 2 different library runs and picked up a doctor's prescription. I got my walks in on both days and I've also been tired.  So please forgive the late entry to Skywatch Friday.

I absolutely love autumn colours and this year it seems most of my photos were taken on rainy days. These are not the best photos but they bring me joy nonetheless. I hope you enjoy them too.

On my reading pile this week are: 

I've only just started the first one and haven't yet started #2 and #3. Mrs. March is a book of psychological suspense. The Night Hawks is a murder mystery and City of Girls is a love story set in the theatre world of 1940s New York City.  I've got a very busy week or so ahead of me so these books will keep me entertained in between appointments, visitors and 'to dos'.  

Enjoy your week ahead and thank you for dropping by!

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.

A Snapshot of the Last Few Days

It's peach season in British Columbia and lately I have been craving peaches. I purchased some to eat about 2 weeks ago and over the weekend I purchased a 10 pound box of peaches for canning. I haven't canned anything in years so I took my time reviewing the process.

First I had to take the big canning pot from it's resting place and thoroughly clean it before I could sterilize the jars. It had accumulated so much dirt and grime due to no enclosed storage and no ventilation in the kitchen for a dog's.  The actual canning process was a bit messy because even though I purchased the peaches the night before I did the canning, they were likely sitting at the store for one week before I purchased them.  They were a sale item and I  bought them on the last day of the sale.  When I opened them up they were going a bit soft.  Have you every tried blanching, then peeling and slicing, slightly mushy peaches? It gets a bit messy but oh so yummy.
 

I canned 10 - 500 ml jars in total. It wasn't cheaper than buying a can of peaches at the store due to the cost of the peaches and also having to buy the jars and lids. Fortunately I already had the big pot for sterilizing and canning. At least now I have a supply of freshly canned peaches to satisfy my sweet tooth over the coming winter (I know, let's not think about winter just yet, lol). The added benefit is I used the smallest amount of sugar I could get away with. One can actually can without sugar but it affects taste, colour and shelf life.

The finished product. I could have packed them a little more tightly.

 

In  some of my more recent blog posts I've mentioned that I have all these household jobs and projects I want to accomplish.  I don't seem to be making quick progress on them but slowly and surely I am getting things done and will ultimately achieve most, if not all, of my goals.  the majority of the projects are small and one category of projects is mending.  Anyone who mends knows they usually have a pile of things that need mending when you can find a few moments here and there.  I tackled a  small mending job on a hand towel.  About 2 years ago I purchased a set of expensive towels that were supposedly made from high end cotton.  Within a very short time the edges on one of the  hand towels significantly (see the first photo below). I didn't know whether I could repair it because there was very little of the edging border left. I did my best and I'm hoping it will hold together (see the second photo). This repair was done by hand stitching not by machine.  Trying to sew such a narrow border by machine would have probably been more obvious of a repair and also more of a finicky job for me.

Homemade green (and fruit) flavoured smoothies and cappuccinos have been on  my menu this week.  I've had my eye on a Nespresso machine for quite some time.  I saw it recently for a good discount so I snapped it up. Now I have to stock up on coffee pods which are super expensive. But I'm also going to get some refillable pods to cut down on both the cost and the environmental waste.  So far  I've made 2 cappuccinos and one larger cup of coffee and I really enjoyed all. I also continue to enjoy the smoothies. This one is banana, strawberry, vegan protein powder, MCT protein powder, ice and water. I didn't want the banana due to the sugar content but the bananas are going bad and I don't need any more frozen bananas.

I mentioned the book below in my last post and it is now in the completed pile.  I give this book a 4 out of 5 mainly due to what I thought was a clever plot line and a heroic feat in bringing all the puzzle pieces of the story together.

I went to a new specialist doctor recently and this is what the waiting room looks like. I loved the views from the lobby looking toward downtown Vancouver.

 

Signage to keep people apart in the seating area.

Last but not least on the home front, here is a collage made of  my garden and sunrise photos taken on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. The garden never really bloomed properly this summer and some things didn't take at all. I think the intense heat was to blame. The other blame goes to the great many sow bugs that were looking for something to eat. I didn't realize that was the issue until very late in the season. I'm so happy that the garden is still giving colour though my plans to sit outside on the patio and relax this past summer season did not pan out at all. I hope next year will be better.

In Kenya, we have been helping a pastor who has travelled from the outback areas of Marigat Town.  Pastor Jonah was able to host him for a few nights in Nakuru, Kenya.  

The two pastors at the hospital (Jonah in the blue, Pastor P in the brown).

 

Pastor P is from a very small village and receives little by way of stipend so having a safe, free place to stay while in the big city of Nakuru is a huge burden off his shoulders.  He has been experiencing stomach troubles and had to go for endoscopic procedures and other tests at one of the city hospitals. He is being tested for cancer amongst other things but we are hoping it is an infection that can be treated through antibiotics. 

The drinking water that comes from the well where Pastor P lives is not suitable for drinking.  This is a real pity because it is the well need Pastor Jonah brought to my attention back in 2007.  We helped in the early days of the to get an engineering report done and to raise awareness with organizations that might help to undertake the well project.  There were many others who helped along the way including people from Israel who ultimately built the well. Even though the water is not really suitable for drinking, the people still drink it because they have no choice. I heard that the Kenyan government is trying to see what can be done about the water situation.  I don't know exactly what the government is doing or whether it is actually serious about doing anything because the community had been left on it's own regarding water needs for a great many years.

Livingstone will return to the doctor in Kericho next week for follow up concerning his broken his leg. He has been in a cast for 3 months now and has been sticking close to home because he is a patient who also recovered from Covid. He is doing well for the most part. 

Livingstone and Pastor P need our prayers as does Rose, who is with child. So far she is also doing okay at home. Pastor Jonah also needs prayer support as he has a lot on his plate. Right now he is waiting for the hospital to get a new supply of vaccines which are arriving in Kenya imminently if not already. His doctor wants to give him a different vaccine (vaccine mixing) this time. I think this is a good idea as it will mix AZ and Pfizer and I've read that early studies show this boosts effectiveness of AZ by 6x. However I've just heard on the news that people who mix vaccines are prevented from entering certain countries or they have to quarantine due to the fact that some governments don't recognize mixed vaccination as 'full vaccination'. Everything is so complex. We pray for wisdom in this regard.

Beautiful Light This Week

 Hi friends,

Popping in to the blog after a time away because I captured a beautiful sky today and a yesterday.  Now that the heat is not quite as intense, I find the light very beautiful. I get out bit more now that Covid restrictions have largely lifted. I still take precautions as most people do and all places have protocols in place as a condition of re-opening.

The very intense weather we've had this summer has been very hard on the garden. I've also had a real problem with sow bugs this year and they have chewed up most plants with leaves and thus the plants haven't thrived at all. I'm grateful that some things survived despite the challenges.

Updates:

In other news, I've been off line a lot during the past few weeks.  I wanted a break to try and enjoy what's left of the summer and restore my equilibrium.  I've found it a pretty stressful time this summer. In addition to dealing with Covid like everywhere else, my province has also been dealing with intense heat for several weeks.  We are dealing with a large number of wildfires across the province and the destruction of several villages and towns and many people are now homeless.  I'm not directly impacted by the fires but I know people who are and of course, I just feel for the people who have lost everything since I don't think they are getting the help they need from our elected officials.

I wanted my niece to visit late summer but the wildfires mean that this has had to be put on hold indefinitely because of where she lives. We are just waiting to see what happens from day to day and maybe we will manage to get a visit in before the warm weather has come and gone. 

In the meantime I've been dealing with other things like small house projects and organization. I've been slow to get things done due to the heat. I'm still hoping to get a lot done before the cold weather sets in.

One of my favourite things to do is read and I have been doing a bit of that.  The books below have been completed recently and I would recommend all of them. The first two books are works of historical fiction based during the time of the Last Empress of China, Empress Dowager Cixi. These books have different perspectives on Empress Cixi but both are very interesting. The third book is a biography of American Bob Gersony, consultant to the US government, who lived a very interesting life working and reporting on the major conflicts of the world.

The next book is one I came across  when scouring the internet. I came across someone who had recently read the book and though she didn't say much about it she seemed to enjoy it. I'm always open to following up on books I hear about and it happened to be at my local library. I didn't much enjoy the opening chapters.  I became annoyed with the constant references to water and watery things  but it is a major theme of the story. I'm about a third of the way through the book now and I enjoy it much more.  If the title intrigues you, have a look at this review which is far better done than what I could say in a couple of words.  This book definitely has it's fans. As for me I'll reserve my final verdict until I'm finished reading the entire book.

Last but not least, I've been dealing with many needs in Kenya amongst the people that I  know or the people that they know.  I've been trying to deal with them without any outside help and I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed. When you are dealing with life and death situations and with people who are in desperate situations, it can be very, very difficult to turn away from them.  It is a lot for one person to deal with at any given time. I'm still praying for regular and consistent helpers but that is all in God's hands.  In the meantime, I continue doing what I can.  

Livingstone in Kenya is still in plaster and has returned to the doctor for another x-ray and follow up. I'm not quite sure how long he will remain in a cast but it generally takes 3 months minimum for healing and I'm guessing in his case it will take longer due to lack of nutrition and health as his starting point. I mentioned last time that the mature pregnant woman named Rose had to be rushed back to hospital after being released for Covid treatment. She was in great pain and bleeding. I'm happy to report that she stabilized and went home again. I'm praying she will be okay until she delivers her child. We purchased all the school books for 3 other of her children and they returned to school several weeks ago. It's very challenging for parents to ensure their children can go to school. Even though primary school was made free several years ago, there are a host of other costs involved. Most students are boarded out at school and so the parents must pay for everything involved in that and if students are in day school there are still costs involved like school books, uniforms and so on.  Thank you to those of you who prayed over these needs, especially for Rose and her unborn child. We give thanks that Rose has recovered from Covid. There have been other people who need help with food, air time and other essential needs. It always amazes me how some people are able to get by when really pushed to the wall. This is a huge reason why many of the people in the villages do not plan for tomorrow. One can only deal with each day as it comes when you don't know if you have the funds to deal with all the basic needs. Education is a constant concern for parents as they struggle to keep the children in school but medical needs are always overwhelming. The costs are simply too great.

I'm hoping in the next few weeks to make some progress on various small projects around the house.  The projects are small but they tend to take me a lot of time and there are a lot of projects. Whatever doesn't get done today will get done another day. Even so it would be good to get things done.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday today.

Yah, it's Friday

 Happy Friday and happy weekend ahead.

It's been a busy week of errands and trying to find this and that for upcoming birthdays and projects so I'm a bit late with posting.

I captured these sky shots in early morning hours. I'm actually a night owl as that is when I seem to get more energy to do things but I do love to see the sky and feel the cool air in the very early morning hours before the city gets loud and busy.

 

 

 

 

My herb garden is overgrown. Too hot to cook. I guess I should freeze some.

I've slowed down reading but I have a number of books to keep me busy. I'm reading a little out of each one and hope I can finish them all before they are due at the library or unavailable for further renewals. I also picked up these magazines awhile ago. I seldom buy magazines any more but I'm sure I will enjoy them. I especially love looking at nicely decorated spaces and beautiful gardens. It relaxes me.

 

Last weekend I did a lot of meal preparation and batch cooking for the week. It was lovely since I've been feeling rather tired. It enabled me to focus on my errands and a few other things instead of cooking every day.

In the Kenyan mission field, Pastor Jonah has been kept busy with Livingstone's leg issues. Livingstone has been back to the doctor several times for follow up, had his cast redone numerous times and had multiple x-rays done. His leg is not healing very well but then again it's only been just over a month.  I have tried to insist that they stop redoing the cast and expecting Livingstone for such frequent follow-ups but that is how they do business at Kenyan hospitals. In the west that doesn't typically happen since it takes months for leg fractures to heal properly. We'll see how it goes moving forward.

There has been an outbreak of Covid 19 in various parts of Kenya due to mass political gatherings that were held weeks ago.  Certain communities have been hit hard including the one where we focus the missions work, the town of Kericho and surrounding villages.  It means curfews and restricted travel are again in place in much of the country.

Regular readers of this blog will already know that Livingstone has had Covid but was able to recuperate at home with prescribed medicines. Ernest, the other man that had a broken leg, had been hospitalized for weeks but is now okay. 

There is a woman I am concerned about. Her name is Rose. She is 52 years old and several months pregnant. She landed in hospital with Covid like symptoms and ultimately tested positive for Covid. She has been in a small hospital for almost 2 weeks and in need of a great many medicines (I have no information on how these might affect the unborn child).

Another younger woman named Joyce was admitted to hospital with pneumonia like symptoms and later tested positive for Covid.

All these needs at once are stretching my resources since I also try to help certain households with regular food and  helps, 

If any of you are so inclined to help out please feel free to reach out to me. I can be reached at kerichojoy[at]gmail[dot]com. Pay Pal donations can also be sent there. If you experience any problems kindly let me know. I've heard of two people now over several months who have had problems sending donations. They were ultimately successful after trying several times. I could also send you a payment request through Pay Pal if you send your email and how much you would like to donate. I thank you in advance for considering the needs.

~~~

I tired myself out this past week by going out almost every day for hours at a stretch. I'm not used to that at the best of times.  So this weekend I hope to catch up to some chores, some reading and some rest.

~~~

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week ahead. 

I'm linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Slow Return

Hi friends,

I haven't been posting for awhile.

I have been quite busy with the needs in Kenya. The one friend I posted about last time has now been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

In the meantime, another Kenyan man I'm acquainted with through other contacts fell off a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and fractured his leg. These boda bodas can be quite dangerous.  I've known at least 4 people over the course of time who have had accidents and ended up in hospital.  This latest accident involved a man named Livingstone.  He spent a few days in hospital and has now been discharged with a cast on his leg to recover at home.

In Kenya if you go to hospital they will also check you for Covid.  If you test positive they will keep you in hospital or send you home with a prescription for medicines if you are not showing signs of medical distress.  Unfortunately Livingstone tested positive and so he needs help with the cost of the medications.  Thankfully he is not hospitalized for Covid treatment and we hope it remains that.  Truthfully though I am concerned about the possible exposure of his other family members. These are humble villagers and they live in very small homes.  Given he has a cast on his leg, someone has to take care of him.

We hope he can continue being treated at home and get better. He needs a variety of medications for a total of 10 days. As of the time of this post he will be going into his 3rd day of medications.

 

If you can help at all please donate to the Pay Pal account on the side bar.  If you make a donation and you have any problems sending it through please let me know as it happens from time to time.  I do not really like asking for funds.  On the other hand, as Christians who try and help others, we ought to let people know about the needs so they can help too if they are felt led to do it.  Some kind and generous people will never have an opportunity to help someone if no one ever brings the needs their notice.  This is, after all, a ministry we are doing in Kenya. It is not formalized through a registered organization though some day it may be.  It is ad hoc and really focussed on helping the very destitute who are not able to access help through organizations.  There are so many who fall between the cracks.  

I do as much as I can on my own with helpers in Kenya and I fund most of it myself. When the needs that come to my attention are too much for me on my own I post about the needs.  We could do so much more if we had more helpers but we do what we can. If  you feel led to help these people, you will know who you are.  If God is speaking to you, please be in touch. Thank you.

I've written from time to time about another young man, Alvin whom we assisted through the final years of  engineering degree.  He graduated with wonderful grades but it is next to near impossible to find work in Kenya.  He has been praying for open doors and God's leading his life. He has now moved on to what may be his life's calling and is now on the path to becoming a priest in the Catholic faith. He left a few days ago for the first phase of his multi-year training.  Though it isn't a job in engineering there may be opportunities to serve in his church with his background. Up to now we (mainly he) have been involved in getting him ready and getting all his needs in place (special clothing and other necessary items). He has been in seminary before as a high school student so the early part of studies will not be new to him. I wish him every happiness and success in life and in the ministry to come.

From time to time, I've mentioned a digital project I've been working on. It has eaten up a lot of time and energy but soon the main part will be done. Then I won't look at it again for a very long time. I'm so glad!

I've used the time in between the above activities to read a few books. Here is a collage of 4 books I'm currently reading or have read recently.  

My modest goal for the year was to read  25 book and I've now surpassed that goal.  I have several other books on the go and on hold at my local library but I will slow down a bit. I need to focus now on enjoying the summer ahead and doing some household projects and making more time in prayer and study.  There so many people in great need for a great many things, not just material needs but physical, emotional and spiritual needs as well.

Thursday night I bought a big ball of cotton yarn to make a few dish cloths. I rather like the multi-green colour. It reminds me of the spring season we are in. It feels good to pick up the needles again.

I'm not sure how often I'll be on line over the summer but I expect to pop in to various blogs and visit with you. I have already started doing it.  Hopefully I will have a chance to pop into my own blog too in between activities but I expect to resume normal blogging in the fall.  I don't even want to think about fall right now though it is one of my favourite seasons due to the crisp air and the beautiful, seasonal colours.  I am looking forward to enjoying the spring sunshine and beautiful colours as we move into the summer months.  Along that line, I have finally started working in my patio garden and once it starts blooming that is something I will post on this blog. I can't wait to see what it will look like in a few weeks.  The photo below is a before photo taken on Friday, May 14, 2021.

Stay safe