Looking Back, Looking Forward

Hello friends, 

I'm popping in briefly to usher in the New Year. I'm easing my way into 2021 as I started the year feeling very tired. I'm still working on an intensive paper project and I find it difficult to find "free" time each day to work on it but I'm doing my best and I hope I will be back to usual activities in a few weeks or possibly sooner.

Let me wish you and all your loved ones a blessed 2021 as we begin this New Year. I'm grateful that my friends and family and I have made it this far and I look forward to a breakthrough in 2021 through this pandemic in a way that will see us being able to meet up once more in person. That is my hope like I know it is the hope of many of you.

 

Though I'm technically still on a social media break I have been reading a number of your blogs here and there but I've restrained myself from commenting so I do not get too distracted.  Some of you have written about choosing a theme word for the year. I too have been doing this now for a number of years but only realized a few days ago that I didn't choose a word for 2020. I guess it's just as well since my year got off to a really bad start personally and then got worse for the entire world as the months went on. I'm so glad to see the end of 2020 and I'm truly hoping that 2021 will be much better for us all though it will take some hard work getting there.

The year wasn't entirely bad. I have to say that I had one huge benefit in 2020 and that was time. I finally had to stay put and couldn't go anywhere.  I was very good about social distancing and keeping to my very, very small bubble.  So it meant that I had a chance to do a lot of small jobs and odd jobs that don't usually get done. 

I was able to work on catching up with taxes that had not been filed.  I also finally started working with a new financial advisor.  I have modest investments but I want to make sure they are handled well. Then Covid -19 hit so it's anyone's guess where things will end up.  I was also able to continue downsizing and got rid of some larger items that took up too  much space in my smallish home (6 huge, antique dining chairs to a cousin of mine) and 1 large, motorized wheelchair.  Friends have been fundraising to do some work on the chair and gift it to a needy person.  The funds are now in hand but now it's a question of when and how best to undertake the repairs and get the wheelchair out of my home. I will be so happy when that day comes but I have to wait for my very busy friend to move things forward.   I've given away a lot in 2020.  The decluttering is something I've been working on for years already but decluttering never really ends.  In 2020 I decluttered lots of books, clothing, knick knacks and the large items I've mentioned. I also decluttered a lot of digital files and photos and made some progress on paper files. I also underwent a successful colonoscopy "do over" and got half way through fitting a partial denture before Covid -19 hit. I'm not happy with the fit so far but don't expect to return very soon for further work. I should at least call the denturist.

In reviewing what I achieved in 2020, I decided that my theme word for the coming year is "completion". I intend to continue with all the time consuming clean up of paper and digital clutter, clothing and odds and ends. I guess I need to add photos to this task because I even have boxes of mom's old photos. Many of them are photos I gave her so they are duplicates and triplicates. Hopefully the task will not be that difficult and if I only make a start on the photos that is okay as the paperwork is what is bothering me most (perhaps I should just save cleaning out the storage room for 2022).  I hope that by December 2021/January 2022,  this huge decluttering task that reflects decades and decades of accumulated 'stuff' will be done.

Completion will allow me to put the past baggage (stuff weighing me down mentally and emotionally) and focus on new activities, new beginnings, new plans and so on.

Another thing I spent a lot of time on in 2020 was cooking. I don't actually enjoy cooking all that much except from time to time I do enjoy baking. However, one needs to eat and especially during this time when one cannot get to restaurants it is important to invest some time and energy into cooking. Particularly, if like me, you get bored with the same old meals you need to put some thought into creating variety.  The word variety is a matter of perspective however since I'm not one to go all out and learn all kinds of new dishes. I prefer to tweak and vary dishes I already know how to make or create my own dishes as I go along.  A little meal planning also helps me minimize food waste though I don't usually plan more than a few days to a week ahead.  I've found planning for 2 -4 weeks at a time doesn't work for me and cooking ahead doesn't work so well either.

Here are the meals I made since the New Year. I don't tend to eat breakfast or lunch that often but I might snack on some leftovers before making dinner which is the primary meal of the day.

January 1, 2021 Store bought frozen lasagna, sour dough toast and green salad with feta cheese

January 2, 2021~ Chicken and rice soup with dumplings

January 3, 2021 ~ Stew:  sausage, navy beans, barley, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, kale onions and carrots in chicken broth

January 4, 2021 ~ Tiger Prawns in soy/chili sauce served with spaghettini and stir fried onions, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, Napa cabbage, garlic

January 5, 2021 ~ Seared, marinated tuna steak (soy sauce and sesame oil), served with steamed rice and salad (honey, orange, ACV, oil dressing)

Wednesday's dinner will be hamburgers on buns with french fries and green salad.

Thursdays' dinner is roast pork and mashed sweet beef and potatoes.Friday's dinner is fish and chips or sausages and roasted potatoes. will be spaghettini, meatballs and salad.

 

I had a goal of reading 45 books in 2020 and read 67 though I didn't spend much time reading until late March when we were restricted from going out to all but essential services.  The library was closed for most of the year due to Covid. Instead the library increased the digital inventory which meant I mostly read ebooks. I discovered it is quicker to read an ebook than it is to read a paper book.

 

I planted 2 gardens as I usually do.  The first photo is my patio garden which did reasonably well. But due to Covid 19 I never spent much time caring for the community plot (second photo) and it didn't do too well.  I've asked my nephew's girlfriend to do the gardening in 2021 and she agreed.  She was experimenting with patio gardening in 2020 and seemed to enjoy it. All she needs to do is buy the seeds, water them and weed. The compost and tools are all provided.

Last, but not least,  the Kenyan missions kept me busy. 

 

We worked unsuccessfully to have a young Engineering graduate join university studies in Canada. He is now looking for opportunities at home and also exploring the possibility of Master's degree studies in Europe. 

 

Ernest was hospitalized twice due to serious leg injuries (first due to being run down by a vehicle and second due to a bad fall on a muddy path). He is now recovered and wishes to try to find work. Due to his diabetes T2 and Covid 19 concerns, his doctor advised him to stay out of town (thus no looking for work).  We've been trying to keep him nourished through food and vitamins as well as cater to his monthly doctor visits and medications.

 

Eunice continues to be in hospital far from home and has her ups and downs. The Lord has kept her this far and she has hung in there for 2 years. We provide special food every month to keep her blood as strong as possible and also intervene with medicines (eg. blood thinner) and other things (eg. oxygen, blood transfusions).  We were hoping to make some progress with moving her back home in 2020 but other things took our time. We still hope in 2021 to be able to move her somewhere close to her home. The issue is she needs an intensive level of care but she comes from a village near a small town. She would not have access to the same level of critical interventions if we move her home. On the other hand, she would be nearer to family members who could potentially visit her once we are past this Covid pandemic. It is very sad that she is far from home and no one has been able to visit her since March.  We also continue to try to get her the small pension to which she is entitled and will need a lot more prayer on this need.

 

Pastor Jonah too has had a few health issues (serious food poisoning and root canal problems) that we've needed to deal with. The root canal work ended up being very stressful and also very expensive. In the end the right services were provided after trying at two different hospitals and the work was either not properly done in one place and no service was provided at the second hospital due to the overly long queues of people every day for a week.

 

Carolly, my young doctor friend found a job in a small, rural clinic which provides primarily maternity services so he has been delivering a lot of babies. Sadly, his grandmother died just before Christmas so some small helps were needed unexpectedly.

 

There are many other people too numerous to name who needed food relief during this past year and especially at Christmas. We are grateful for what we were able to provide.

 ~~~

Summary

I didn't have big goals for 2020 due to almost losing my nephew through being struck by a train and having a guest visit just before the Covid 19 pandemic was declared.  Like everyone else, I was focussed on trying to educate myself, about the pandemic, implementing safety protocols and discussing with others in my family and in Kenya how to keep safe as well as providing food and masks when quarantines were put in place. I knew I would be decluttering in 2020 so I focussed on that rather than making new goals.  The grinding household tasks were balanced with cooking and reading.  There was one new thing I wanted to do in 2020 but had to forego, and that was taking a weaving course.  I am pleased overall with what I managed to accomplish in 2020 despite it being a strange and challenging year. 

 As I look forward , I don't think I will have much time for crafting in 2021 though I will probably do some crochet and simple knitting here and there.  I hope to read at least 45 books, complete my paperwork decluttering, some small painting projects and general maintenance work. Every summer I plant my patio garden and this year will be no exception.  Though as I mentioned, I will have someone else take care of the community garden for the summer.

I've been pondering how better to serve the Kenyan missions so there may be changes on the horizon.  The first step  will be seeking direction through prayer. In the meantime we continue to serve a few people and their families in different parts of Kenya.

 

 If anyone can contribute to the important work of feeding, clothing and helping the people with medicines and so on,  donations will be gratefully received. You can send through Pay Pal to kerichojoy[at]gmail[dot]com

Thank you in on behalf of the people.

 

Last but not least, thank you all for being faithful readers and blogging friends. I really appreciate you all and am so glad to know you through blogging. I wish a great year in 2021 for each of you and to all of your loved ones.

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

On My Heart

I've been busy with the Kenyan missions non stop for some time now.  I haven't written about it because there has been so much going on. But God has been faithful. Perhaps I will have an opportunity to share more about it later. Today I want to give a brief update about a number of things.

One thing I would like to ask is prayer for my friend Jonah in Kenya. He is currently in hospital in Nakuru after contracting some kind of bug while in Nairobi. He was admitted to a  Nairobi but checked himself out to get to Nakuru. He was trying to recuperate at a pastor friend's home and was seeking outpatient treatment while there.

After several days with no improvement,  his pastor friend and a doctor who is a neighbour to the pastor, escorted Jonah to hospital and he was admitted. He is now there recuperating having undergone numerous tests and different medicine prescriptions over the past several days. At the  moment he is very tired and sleeping which is crucial for recovery.  He would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers.

...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication....

Ephesians 6:18

~~~~

Remembrance Day is now passed and Christmas is close behind. I know American friends still have Thanksgiving later this month but in Canada we celebrated Thanksgiving just over a month ago.

I haven't had time to make too many granny squares for my latest quilt but I did make a few more.  I will take up making more again later this week and may even start on the new black, white and gray afghan.

Instead I've been finishing up my latest read by Kazuo Isiguro. It is very slow, sad and somewhat dark story.  Basically the book is about young people who are cloned for their body parts. The novel slowly takes you through the education and indoctrination or preparation for of the students for their future lives as donors and carers of donors. The ending wasn't very satisfying but perhaps that is how it should be. Given the subject matter how can there be a satisfying ending? In any case, I am glad I finished it. I wanted to read this book because it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in  2005 and won several awards in addition to being turned into a movie. Have any of you seen the movie or read the book? I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Right now I'm reading the short stories of Sherman Alexie, Native American writer. I am not really a short story fan but I do like Sherman Alexie's work. I was first introduced to him when I watched the major motion picture called "Smoke Signals" in the late 1990s. I found it very funny and of course one of the very few motion pictures based on a work by a Native American. Alexie's work is raw and he uses a lot of cuss words. Again I am not a fan of this kind of stuff but there is still plenty of material in his stories that I find interesting.  Sadly I just found out that allegations of sexual impropriety have been levelled against Alexie. He has admitted to the truthfulness of several of the allegations. Sometimes I wonder just when the cesspool of such behavior will come to an end.

On a brighter note, I'm reading a book by Christian author and medical doctor, Don Colbert called "Let Food Be Your Medicine". It is based on the doctor's own medical health crises which caused his immune system to break down on more than one occasion.  The doctor then spent a decade and several hundreds of thousands of dollars learning learning about how certain foods cause of inflammation in the body and how to address it.  His interest and experience predated the proliferation of authorship on this subject.  Today you can find this information quite readily on line and in bookstores; even on PBS shows.  I used to watch the doctor and his wife, Mary on television years ago. I always found him very informative but I don't think he actually wrote this particular book until a few years ago though he has written at least 40 books.

 ~~~~

I'm getting a few gifts ready early for friends who are leaving in a few weeks for Tanzania. We are trying to work out time to visit once before they depart. Another friend has invited me to a Christmas lunch and dinner, an annual all day event for women. Someone she knows organizes these dinners as a ministry to women. It sounds intriguing. I have to decide whether I'm going. The timing might not be suitable for me. I'm also working on some other plans which I will unveil in future posts. I'm looking forward to sharing with you later.

Christmas cards are very much on my mind too. If I want them to get to far flung places I must send them out now. I don't send out so many any more.  It is primarily a way to touch base in a personal way with some of  my far flung friends.  I looked in stores for a few weeks for a card I liked but ended up ordering them on line instead. They arrived on Friday and I'll prepare them and get them out this week.  The problem is that Canada Post has been in contract talks with it's employees and we are currently experiencing rotating strikes across the country. I'm going to mail them out anyway and hope they will eventually reach the intended recipients.

Now that the children in the family are all grown and many of my loved ones have departed, my focus for Christmas has shifted. Rather than celebrate to excess and extravagance I choose a peaceful, quieter time of inward reflection and calm.  I  want to remain in an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving and spend the time doing things that bring me peace and joy.  Hopefully I also bring joy to others I know and spend time with over the Christmas season.  It's not likely that Jesus' birthday was on December 25th.  This date was chosen by the early Roman Church to correspond to Winter Solstice.  Since the season is now set aside as a Christian celebration I use the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and what he has done for men and women everywhere, including me.

I didn't start this post with the intention of preaching but perhaps this post is meant for someone who has been thinking about this issue. It seems to be the case that when I have a question on my heart, the answer somehow appears.  It may be that you are going through some questioning of your own and looking for how someone else looks at this issue.

Well I must sign out and get on with things. I hope you all have a terrific week ahead

Take care everyone. 

I won't be linking to any meme today. 

So Hot, Trying to Keep Cool and Carry On

Hi friends,

It's been incredibly hot here. Yesterday on the news they said it was the hottest day of the summer so far. But I went out yesterday (Wednesday) and today (Thursday) and I think today may have been even hotter.

When I went out to appointments and errands, I was so concerned about a homeless man in a wheelchair and a little pup on the patio of a restaurant I had to stop and make sure they both had water.

I know the man had been drinking beer as I passed him in the morning. I asked him to please try to refrain from drinking beer otherwise  they won't let him stay at the shelter where I learned he will have a bed for the night for the next two weeks. I gave him a bottle of water and a small bit of money (not enough to buy booze) and kept encouraging him to drink water. I sat and chatted with him a bit and grew even more concerned when I realized that he is a schizophrenic and also suffers from depression but hasn't been on his medications for a few weeks. I know he just got out of hospital and I'm surprised they let him go like that since he is also old. Thankfully he told me that the shelter where he will sleep for two weeks is going to help him get into an apartment.  He also had several bags on his wheelchair which I noticed had some food in it so at least he isn't hungry.  What I was most concerned about was sitting outside all day long in the heat and not having any H20.

Completed book #41 of 42

As for the cute little puppy, her owner's friend told me the little doggie had a big bowl of water just before I dropped by. The little dog was absolutely sweet and so friendly which I find is often not the case with the small lapdogs. I wanted to pick her up and bring her home. I didn't get a photo though as my camera battery was already kaput for the day and I had to get home to charge it up.

Book #42 of 42 in progress

Waiting for book #43

When I got home I put a wet washcloth in the freezer, got on some more comfortable clothing and took a little rest with the fans going before I got up to put together a salad, sweet potato and some of the BBQ chicken I had prepared last weekend. I'm so glad I did the batch cooking because it means I don't have to put on the oven or use my pressure cooker during this heat. The heat makes me lethargic and cooking is the last thing I want to do in the intense heat.  We are supposed to get some rain on the weekend right in time for my niece's visit. I hope it does rain because we really need it.  My niece and I can use those times to get cosy and watch movies. She loves nothing better than a funny or scary movie (think the Hobbit movies) and a big bag of popcorn.


I finished the book about Denys Finch Hatton. I have to say I quite enjoyed it and am amazed at what the author was able to research and put together since there are no remaining relatives of Finch Hatton and very little exists of him in history books.  I picked up another book  I'd placed on hold about Prince by his ex-wife Mayte Garcia.  I am waiting for a book called The Bookshop.  This one came on recommendation from one of the many blogs I read though now I cannot remember which one. If you happen to be reading this post, let me know it was you (please).

 ~~~~

If you read my last post here

you will know I've been doing some batch cooking and want to continue.

Since then I've ordered some proper containers from Amazon and

they arrived today.

 

There were 20 containers in the package. I think that will be enough.

~~~~

The heat of the last few days has taken it's toll on my little garden.

I'm hoping I can keep it going another few weeks. The forecasted rain this weekend would help a lot but last weekend rain was in the forecast and it never arrived.

I was happy to see the Black-eyed Susan flowers bloom. For awhile I wasn't sure they were going to bloom this year but they did come about just over a week or two ago.  They are not quite as healthy looking or as plentiful as in previous years.

The strawberries are nice and juicy but I only have one pot so not much of a harvest but I'm enjoying them.  Seeing strawberries growing "in the yard" brings back happy childhood memories of finding the odd strawberry when playing with siblings.  Those were in the days when we were not able to buy strawberries so readily in the supermarket.

The other morning I went out to take a photo of the sunrise. 

I was a bit late as the sun was already up.

Imagine my surprise when I captured this

 drone hovering a few feet from me. 

I hope I don't appear in the "movie" as I wasn't dressed for my cameo role, lol.

A shot of the garden after watering. I hose down the patio floor to cool it off.

~~~

 Keep well everyone.

Enjoy the weekend ahead where ever you may be.

I'm joining in with

Skywatch Friday

and

Friday Foto Friends

Checking In

Thanks everyone for your kind comments on my last post. I'm still not quite myself but am keeping busy and feeling better each day.

Mostly I'm focussed on trying to get a lot done in the next little while.  My niece will be here this weekend and will visit for a week. It is the one time over the year when I cancel all appointments so I focus on taking things slowly and enjoying my time with her.  She is autistic and needs my full attention and care.  When she leaves I need a time of rest and recovery and to slowly get organized again.

To make this week go smoothly I've done some batch cooking.  I didn't have a plan to do batch cooking but the thought came to me that this would be a good idea so I spent an afternoon preparing the following:

•  4 servings of rotini and meat sauce filled with vegetables which will be eaten with side salads
•  2 servings of vegetable fried rice and fried pork chop
•  4 servings of hamburger hash made with plenty of freshly chopped vegetables, frozen vegetables and rice
•  4 servings of BBQ chicken drumsticks which will be eaten with steamed rice and side salads
•  a large pot of rice pudding for desserts. I wasn't planning on making this but I made some IP rice intended for the stir fry and it was quite mushy so I turned it into rice pudding.

I didn't have enough containers to portion and freeze the foods so I used baggies.

Today I have also prepared a large batch of chicken soup for lunches.  I'm also soaking some pinto beans which I'll cook up tomorrow.  These days I cook my beans in a pressure cooker and there is no need to pre-soak them.  But today  I  watched a YouTube video where a lady said that pre-soaking beans helps with flatulence. I didn't find this to be true when I used to soak my beans overnight before cooking but I'm willing to give it another try.

I haven't ever done batch cooking before but I have done some sporadic meal planning.  Now that I've tried my hand at batch cooking I think it will be something I do more regularly for a number of reasons:

• It will save time in the kitchen during the week, both time for food preparation and time washing dishes each day. I still hand wash my dishes though I do have a dishwasher.
• I found some reusable silicone storage bags on Amazon. If I purchase them or something like them, I can greatly reduce the usage of plastic bags going to the landfill.  I will need something more than the few glass containers I already have and silicone bags stand up or lie down taking up less space. You can also use them to store soups without spillage. I also found some lightweight stackable containers that would work better since they help you with portion control and you don't have to thaw out excess food that you may not want at one meal.
• I've mentioned that I've done meal planning from time to time. Mostly it was done as a way to make sure I use a variety of foods, especially vegetables.  Now I am hoping to meal plan to save money, help prepare the weekly or bi-monthly shopping list, stop myself from buying way too much food (fresh or otherwise) and make sure I use the food I already have on hand.
• It will help free up my refrigerator storage space (and cupboard space) so I can put what is most important in there: fresh fruits, sprouted breads, yogurt and fresh snacks.
• It saves me from having to come up with (interesting)  meal ideas every day.
• It will help reduce buying food on the go. If I haven't got anything prepared or haven't planned ahead I often buy something when I'm out and it isn't always the best choices health-wise.
• It will help improve the consistency of meal times.
• It will help me streamline my daily task so I can focus on other tasks beyond the kitchen. 

Meal planning and batch cooking at not new concepts but they are activities that one has to feel ready to use.  Like any new habit it takes some thought and practice to implement.  To date, I haven't felt the need to consistently practice meal planning or employ batch cooking.  As time goes by I see the usefulness of both of these activities.

Meat and poultry is heavily used in the first batch cooking experiment because it's what was in the freezer.  My goal is to incorporate more plant based meals so as the meat and poultry is used up I will be buying more plant foods. I did eat strictly vegetarian and/or vegan for many months at one time in the not so distant past so the change won't be huge.  However I do need a system to make sure I implement the plan.

It will be nice to be more organized about meals and shopping for food. Earlier this week I bought a new daily and monthly planner and also a menu planning booklet with space for shopping lists.  I know many people make their own charts and list but I like ready made if they are not too expensive. I got mine on sale at Michael's at 40%  off.

Menu planning and batch cooking help to keep a modern household running smoothly and more efficiently.  Especially if you have children, hold a job, or are trying to get healthy or maintain health.

If you already do meal planning and batch cooking I'd love to hear about your experiences.Fee free to leave a comment short or long, in the comment box below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I haven't had much time for photo taking this week but I did capture these beautiful skies.
The first two photos were taken at 5:20 a..m. a few days ago just as the sun was coming up.

The garden at dawn.

~~~

The next sky photo was taken on Sunday night.

As for reading, I'm still working on the book about Denys Finch Hatton entitled Too Close to the Sun. I find I'm having to read this book quite slowly. It isn't a long book so I should have finished last week.  On the other hand I haven't picked it up much due to being busy with other things.

I forgot to mention what has been keeping me busy.  I did get to the dentist. The next step will be to get some fillings next month after my gums have healed and settled a bit.  Initially a crown had been proposed.  However it seems I don't have enough teeth in the back where surgery was done or enough strong roots to support a crown.  This was in the opinion of a new to me, older experienced dentist.  I tend to agree with his assessment after the explanation. It is a pity because I've worked so hard over many years to preserve my teeth but it is what it is.

Also, I bumped into someone I knew some years back with whom I'd lost touch.  He moved many provinces away and was only in the city temporarily when I happened to find him on a bus ride home. We got together a few times for dinner and chit chat to catch up on a few years news. Other than that I was treated to a nice dinner late last week by another friend who I only see once or twice a year. It is always nice catching up with her.  We never seem to have a dearth of things to discuss.

I have no updates from Kenya at this time though I'm touch with various dear ones over there on a daily basis.

~~~

Joining Our World Tuesday 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Have a wonderful week ahead.

My World Has Turned Cold

Hi everyone,

I hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful weekend.

After a few days of warmer weather and sunshine, the rain has returned to the coast.

It is also colder than usual for this time of year. Or at least it seems that way but I'm sure it will warm up again before the month is over.

Although the gardening season is now over, I am still enjoying some colour in the container garden. I haven't looked after the garden since about the middle of August & I am amazed it has done as well. I guess it is all the rain we've had. Once the season is well and truly over, I will be cleaning all the garden debris in preparation for Winter.

This past weekend I enjoyed completing the 3 books I posted about last time.  I can now add those to my annual tally.  I'm still 2 books behind schedule.

Right now I'll focus on reading a very cute children's book about Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting.  It was written in the 1920s.   I never learned about Dr. Doolittle as a child and I never did see any of the Dr,. Doolittle movies. I'm reading it now to assess suitability for sending to the boys I sponsor in Africa through Compassion International Canada.

The earlier book  I previewed was too violent and very sad. I didn't want to send that to young boys in Africa who already lead challenging lives. I'm also limited as to what I can send because the books can't be too costly.  They have to be taken apart and shipped in sections as well as meet criteria of thickness and dimension.

I'm also reading Alexander McCall Smith's, The Saturday Big Tent  Wedding Party and making progress on the book, Sweet Dreams by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.  I started the latter some time back but am only just now making progress.

Have a wonderful week ahead.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday.

Thank you for stopped by!

Mid-Summer Update

Hi friends,

It's been a few weeks since I posted last. How have you all been?

On my end I've had two visitors come and go. I enjoyed the time with them and look forward to their visits again next summer.  But for now I need to catch up on rest and house work.

My recent guest left on Friday. While she was here we had a lot of time for visiting and watching television as well as some walks and movies at the theatre and in house. I wanted to take her to a play under the stars in Stanley Park but she preferred to stay at home and watch movies. That worked for me too.  On Friday I escorted her home and at the same time had a long overdue visit with my mom.

While my guest was here I also had a surprise phone call and visit from my former Sunday School teacher and her grown children.  They have been coming the last few summers so the mother can visit her childhood friend who lives in Vancouver.  Though their trip was very quick we were able to squeeze in a visit before they departed. They kindly stopped along the way to visit my mom. I delayed my trip by one day to give them a chance to visit in private with mom.

When I visit mom I usually take time to clean and organize her closet, dresser drawers and snack food basket.  This time it was obvious that someone had spent time to organize her closet and they did a very nice job of it. It was a pleasant surprise and gave me more time to spend with mom and also attend to her medical care needs. It turns out she is fighting an infection and antibiotics and I wasn't aware of  that.  It probably explains why she has been sounding so tired this past week. She was on her 2nd day of a 7 day course if antibiotics when I visited.

I'm home again and catching up on my own sleep and errands.

I was able to pick up my glasses and order some contact lens.  I developed an eye infection and have had to spend a few days wearing eye glasses.  I'm not used to wearing glasses and my eyes have been sore from the strain. I'll likely be back to wearing contact lenses before I get used to the glasses. I've also had some major dental work done which I've been putting off all year due to illness or busyness.  I'm glad that the dental work is finally getting done and I'll be finished with it all next week.

The weather here has been unsettled for weeks. It means every day we get heavy cloud cover, sunshine and also heavy rain. I don't mind it but my garden hasn't done that well due to the inconsistency and too much water at times. I have enjoyed the blossoms that did come out though something ate all of the kale leaves and the cherry tomatoes just as they were ready to ripen. The snap peas did quite all right. The hot peppers didn't grow. It was probably too wet for them.

I put away the chair cushions due to rain. the pavers need a good cleaning but rain will dirty them again.

In the next few weeks I've got a lot to do. I have household projects to do besides cleaning. I've had these on the back burner because I haven't had time or motivation to get them done but I'm hoping to do them soon. I only have a few weeks before I have another visitor so we will see how far I get.  I also want to catch up on reading since I've gotten far behind. I'm still reading The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. I am now 60% finished. I'm also reading Babbie Mason's Daughter of the Most High and Brian Hardin's Reframe.

I've also taken out several books from the library including:

 

  I've long been interested in raw eating so I've borrowed several books on the subject. 

I doubt that I will be a convert to raw food but it will be good to know more about it. 

Carol Alt, former supermodel looks the picture of health and has written extensively about raw food so I've taken out several of her books. 

I was intrigued by her saying she also eats meat.

 I always thought those who eat raw only eat vegetables and fruits. I clearly have a lot to learn.

~~~

Update from Kenya

My primary focus has been on helping the young girl who ran away from an arranged marriage. She has been in hospital since I posted last time. She has gone through ups and downs and as of yesterday was transferred to a different hospital for more advanced treatment. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Both of the university students I've been helping have done well in their classes receiving high marks except that each of them had one course where they only achieved a low average grade.

One of them participated in his graduation on Friday. 

The other one will graduate sometime in 2017. 

 ~~ 

Thanks for visiting. 

Eye Canada and Food for the Soul

Hello friends,

I hope you have all enjoyed your Valentine's Day and are ready to greet the week with joy.

I wanted to share some beautiful photos.  I call it eye candy because of the beautiful water and beach scenes.

When I see sailboats on the water it gives me a sense of calm.  I think they look so beautiful with their sails unfurled and the boat calmly bobbing along.

When I stroll along the beach I am always happy. I love to see the beautiful scenery and look at all the smiling people.

It was a glorious sunny day. It was a warm 18 degrees Celsius though you'd think it was colder the way some people are dressed. The temperature can drop 10 degrees once the sun goes down.

Food for the Soul

A friend shared the video I've posted.
I enjoyed the music, photos and words so much and thought it might be enjoyable to you too!

I'

I'm still reading the books I shared with you in earlier posts this month.  I'm working on another one for a book club meeting.  I hope to join a group of people over an African dinner in town to discuss it.
 

A book for book club meeting.

 I haven't started the book yet and just picked it up from the library yesterday. I don't have much time to read it as it took a awhile to get it. The library only has 2 copies and they were both out when I put it on hold.

I've got several books "on the go" at present and hope to finish a few of them in the next week or so.

Here is a summary of the book from Goodreads.

"Like very good dark chocolate this is a delicious novel, with a bitter-sweet flavour. Vimbai is a hairdresser, the best in Mrs Khumalo's salon, and she knows she is the queen on whom they all depend. Her situation is reversed when the good-looking, smooth-talking Dumisani joins them. However, his charm and desire to please slowly erode Vimbai's rancour and when he needs somewhere to live, Vimbai becomes his landlady. So, when Dumisani needs someone to accompany him to his brother's wedding to help smooth over a family upset, Vimbai obliges. Startled to find that this smart hairdresser is the scion of one of the wealthiest families in Harare, she is equally surprised by the warmth of their welcome; and it is their subsequent generosity which appears to foster the relationship between the two young people. The ambiguity of this deepening friendship - used or embraced by Dumisani and Vimbai with different futures in mind - collapses in unexpected brutality when secrets and jealousies are exposed. Written with delightful humour and a penetrating eye, The Hairdresser of Harare is a novel that you will find hard to put down."

I'm joining up with Lady Fi at Our World Tuesday this week.