The Graduate

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

A few days ago I mentioned that I was invited to dinner to celebrate the high school graduation of a friend's son. I've known the mother and 2 sons since they arrived in Canada from Tanzania in 2012. I met the husband a few years earlier when he was teaching a Swahili course at the University of British Columbia.  He introduced me to his family once they arrived in Canada hoping his wife and I would become fast friends and we did.
 

It's hard to believe that their son has now graduated from high school. He's the one on the right (in the photo), the young man in the maroon suit. By the end of summer he will be relocating to Toronto, Ontario to study architecture.  He is a wonderful young man in every way.  He is kind, thoughtful, generous, compassionate, intelligent, hardworking, academically gifted, disciplined and musical.  He believes in God and he is practical in his approach to life's decisions.  He won a scholarship to help him with his studies too. His parents have raised him right and they can be proud of what he has achieved so far in his young life.

I was honoured to join the dinner in recognition of his graduation milestone. I also got to meet several new people and they are all awesome, loving and kind. We are hoping to get together as a group again for fun and fellowship.

Thank you for visiting my blog today I hope you will visit again soon.

A Saturday in June

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

It was a beautiful, Saturday. It has been cold and wet for about a week but on Friday and Saturday the sun came out and the temperature soared. I decided to go out again on Saturday.  Before I did that I did a load of laundry and put my fern out to get some sunshine. I also finished reading this psychological murder thriller.

The book was easy to read and quite engaging though since you were never really sure what the truth was in the various circumstances. I would recommend the book if you are at all interested in murder mysteries. I would not call this a 'cosy' murder mystery novel.

The sky was a spectacular blue.

 

I'm sure the Boston Fern enjoyed the brief time in the sunshine. I hope to put it out again tomorrow because I cannot put it out during the working week when the work men are supposed to be here.

The workers are very slow to get anything done on the patio but the foreman said the work will be complete by the end of the month.  They hardly ever seem to be here. I think they are juggling multiple projects because the construction industry has had severe shortages now for quite some time.

Today, I wanted to make my way to the Dollar Tree to see if I could find some fabric and plastic storage boxes. I intended to go on Friday but only made it to one DT which didn't have the best selection.  At the 2nd location I tried, I was actually able to find the products I wanted.  I also had a selection of fabric colours and patterns to choose from.  Right now I have a hodge-podge of containers and colours on the bookshelves. I want to minimize the busyness and eye clutter by reducing the variety of containers and colours.

Of course before I got to my destination I had to stop for coffee and read for a bit. I haven't made quick progress with this book but it shouldn't take so long to finish it.  Then I can return several books to the library at once before due date.

I chose 2 different patterns, one for the master bedroom closet and one for the bookshelves. I may even decide to put some on top of the kitchen cabinets but I don't think they'll be large enough to hold the items I'd like to store up there.

Once the repairs are done in the master bedroom, I will reorganize the master bedroom closets.  I've been wanting to get some fabric boxes for awhile but I find them quite flimsy.  On the Do it on a Dime YT channel, the host showed how to insert plastic boxes when the fabric becomes worn. I thought this was a genius idea and think it would work while not breaking the bank.

I didn't have a selection of plastic containers though.  There were only greyish/black ones with plenty of holes.  In case you'd like to try it, the fabric boxes are $1.75 each and the plastic boxes are $1.50 each.

I quickly unwrapped the two different coloured fabric boxes and stuck the plastic boxes inside. I then put them on top of the kitchen cabinets to see what they'll look like. I don't think they'll work for the cabinets but they'll be good for the master bedroom closet and the front room bookshelves.

Grayish one (L) is for the bookshelves. Blueish one (R) is for master b/r closet

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know in the comment section if you use the fabric boxes sold at the Dollar Tree and whether you like them. Please come again soon.

A Neighbourhood Walkabout

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are enjoying your Saturday so far.

Today it got warm enough to wear sleeveless tops, sandals and shorts if you so desired. I don't wear shorts anymore and I usually wear a very light long sleeved top over a sleeveless one.  But I saw plenty of people dressed for very hot weather today.

I've been trying to get out for a walk and errands as often as I can but it was actually very cold and rainy for about a week.  As a result I developed a bit of a head cold but I didn't remain in bed. In fact, I probably needed more sleep and rest than I did get but I'm working on it.

These photos were taken when the weather was still cold and rainy earlier in the week.

Does anyone know what flower this is?

Did you notice the little door and windows at the base of the tree in the above photo? I've seen several of them when I go out for a walk in the neighbourhood.  I think it's so cute and whimsical. Seeing this kind of vignette takes me back to childhood and reading about elves, fairies and little people. Do you remember stories of the Littles, a family of little people with mouse like tails?  I haven't thought about these stories for years but it was a pleasant moment in an otherwise ordinary day.

I hope you had a pleasant moment or two as well.

Thank you for your visit. Please come again soon.

First Friday in June - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope the week has gone well for you and that you're looking forward to the weekend.

I've been busy with preparing for the move by sorting, cleaning, organizing and decluttering. But I took a few breaks.  On this day I went for a walk to do some errands and to "smell the flowers" along the way.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday today. Thank you for stopping by. Please visit again soon.

What I'm Reading

It's been awhile since I shared my reading stack. Here are a few books I'm reading at the moment.

The book, After is my most recent read.  It's all about Near Death Experiences (NDEs) as studied by psychiatrist, Dr. Bruce Greyson during his over 40 years of psychiatric practice and study of NDEs. It's quite fascinating because the book is based on actual patients studied by Dr. Greyson and the findings are based on scientific studies rather than simple anecdotes of patients. 

The people who have had NDEs overwhelming reported a happy, pleasant transition to the other side with no pain at the point of death. Many of the ones who returned to life on earth come back with a strong sense of destiny and purpose to fulfill and the feeling that they haven't yet completed their 'work' here on earth.  There are a few who have a horrible and terrifying experience but they seem to be in the minority. One's background of faith or lack thereof, doesn't seem to make a significant difference in how they experience a NDE. There are many other findings but these ones jump out at me.

I've always been fascinated by this subject so it was interesting to read about what has been studied and some of the findings to date. The end of the book contains a detailed listing of all references and sources for those who would like further study on their own.

The other two books I'm reading are Digging Stars and The Botanist's Daughter.  

Digging Stars is by a new to me author, NovuyoRosa Tshuma.  

Athandwa Rosa Siziba grows up in Zimbabwe without her father who is well known astronomer and professor living and working in the USA. When Athandwa is 11 she joins her father for a single visit but then sadly he dies soon after.  Years later, she returns to the USA when she is old enough to start graduate university studies in the same graduate program her father had attended. What unfolds are the hard and uncomfortable experiences Athandwa faces in regards to race, political consciousness and scientific ethics. I'm at the part when Athandwa is just beginning to confront the challenges of being black in America.

The Botanist's Daughter tells the tale of two women botanists in a race against time to find a rare and miraculous plant.  It's a tale of dual narratives and I'm in early stages of the story. 

One story deals with Elizabeth, a young woman of the Victorian era whose father is a botanist. He dies but on his death bed he entrusts her to the mission of finding the rare and miraculous plant he was unable to locate. Elizabeth travels by boat from Cornwall, England to Chile with her helper to try to realize her mission. 

The other botanist, Anna, lives in present day Sydney, Australia. After Anna's grandmother passes, Anna discovers a mysterious metal box among her grandmother's possessions. The box contains a number of items including watercolour sketches, an old photograph and a bag of seeds.  These items set her on a mission to unravel the mystery of what they mean.

These are the books I'm reading at the moment and they're in various stages of completion. I hope to finish the latter two soon because I have 2 more on hold and they'll be coming available soon. If you have a stellar book you can recommend, tell me a little bit about it in the comments section. Thanks so much and thank you for stopping by!

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!

Tuesday Plans

The sky is always changing and I thought it looked especially interesting on a recent walk.

In Fly Lady Land it's Plan and Play Day.

I'm planning on moving out one room so the restoration company can better assess water damage. It means, I need to pack up everything I might possible need for awhile for my personal use while work is ongoing. It should be easy but I tend to think of every possible thing I might need and over pack.  I do the same when I go on holiday. 

I'll likely remain at home while work is ongoing at the condo, though that isn't 100% certain. Once they open up the walls we'll have a better idea of the work plan and schedule. I'll have time to work on a number of projects while I'm at home, even if it's only at night after the workers have gone home for the day.  

For the play part of my day I'll likely read a good book, take a walk, go for coffee or watch some television. I may even do all four if I have the energy. We'll see how the day goes.

Have a good one!

It's Monday ~ Have a Good Week

 

A Special Event

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I trust you had a great start to the month of June. Can you believe we're almost halfway through the year already?  Are you making the most of it?

I can't say I'm making the most of it yet because it's been a very busy year so far with lots of unexpected things happening both with regards to health and hearth.  But I am doing well and grateful for being able to handle everything so far.

On Saturday I had a slow start. I couldn't decide whether to relax as I was tired, or whether I should do some work. Thankfully the work part won out because I just know I'll feel mentally better having cleaned and gotten things ready for the week ahead.  At least I won't feel behind as the week gets underway.

I try to follow the general outlines of a cleaning system called Fly Lady. On weekends one is supposed to rest, have family time and so on. Mondays are for what is called the Weekly Home Blessing hour (WHB) in which you vacuum, sweep, wash and generally pick things up so that the week starts off on a good footing. It's just a quick hour of working as fast as you can to get things looking in shape as the week begins.  I often, though not always, do a WHB on the weekend.  That way I can enjoy a tidier space during the weekend and have less to do come Monday. I also do the bulk of the laundry and bedding on Saturday so I might as well get other work done at the same time.  Since I do mine on the weekends, I take my time.  One hour is not enough time to do everything when you move more slowly.  Can anyone relate? What about you dear reader? Do you follow a certain schedule for household tasks? Do you do housework on weekends or do you like to keep those days free for fun and outside tasks like shopping and errands?

On Friday, I went for a walk and did some errands though I really wasn't expecting to buy much.  I did a bit of thrift store browsing, shopping at the dollar store, buying groceries and looking for a graduation gift for a friend's son's high school graduation.  I've been invited to the graduation ceremony.  I didn't know what I should get for a gift.  The young man will be moving across the country so I didn't want to get him anything that takes up a lot of space or is heavy to carry.

My friends live at the university campus and the graduation ceremony will be held in the same place as the university graduation ceremonies. After the ceremony we'll all go out for a tasty Kenyan dinner afterward. My friends are from Tanzania but they speak the same Swahili language as in Kenya and they share many of the same foods. 

After browsing, I had the idea to buy a small container of items that can come in handy for a student.  I bought things like sticky post its, a journal, pens, paper clips and magnets, some small organizing trays, and a book of prompts for daily prayer.  I also added a wooden puzzle that will give him something to distract his mind when he needs a break from studies.  I just have to wrap the gifts now and think about what to wear on the day which is forecasted to be mixed clouds/rain and sun.

I also stopped off at the thrift store for a little 'look see'. I bought a small rolling cart organizer for the main bathroom. I've been thinking about getting one of these for the narrow space between the bathroom cabinet and toilet. It fits and I think it will work well. I didn't take a photo but it looks like the one in this photo from Ikea. I believe they are also sold on Amazon.

  

I've been fighting a cold and it doesn't help that it turned quite cool for several days. I though some Vietnamese Pho Soup would hit the spot before I continued with my errands.  The soup was very good but I couldn't finish it.  I should have ordered the small bowl since I'd also ordered spring rolls.

On Saturday I was in the mood for a bit of cooking.

I made beef brisket in the Instant Pot, mixed lentils and rice in the rice cooker and a sauteed mix of okra, eggplant and green beans.  It was good and also filling.  Again, I couldn't finish it but it will make a good Sunday snack.

I made ground beef and vegetable soup for Sunday.   Normally I put rice, potatoes or pasta in the soup but this time I did not. Since I didn't cook and render the fat from the ground beef first, I'll skim it off after it cools in the refrigerator. 

I hope you had a great weekend. Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the week ahead.

A Neighbourhood Stop

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you're well.

Over the past week, I've found it quite cold on several days but we are creeping toward warmer temperatures in general.

That usually means looking for cold treats to have while out and about.

I happen to love ice cream and so the local Dairy Queen (DQ) is one of my favourite places in the neighbourhood on a particularly warm or hot day.

My favourite DQ treat is a Banana Split but I don't have these too often since they've become quite expensive. I usually have a small sundae or a dipped chocolate cone. I know these treats aren't too healthy but when you grow up having these kinds of things with friends or on a family outing, it evokes happy memories and it's often hard to give them up completely.

In fact, the other day when I was there a man sat at the table next to me. While he was eating his sundae, he turned to me and asked  how I was enjoying my ice cream.  Then he began telling me about his memories of visiting this same DQ location all through the years. He told me he is 53 years old and had been coming to the location for as long as he could remember. 

His wife offered that he is a good dad and because he made sure to bring the children for an ice cream treat knowing that their daughter is a huge ice cream fan like myself.  It was nice to chat with them over a simple thing like an ice cream treat. Clearly,  the dad was nostalgic.  When his kids grow up they too will have memories of going out for ice cream together with their dad.  The mother is Japanese.  She told me she couldn't figure out her son can eat so much and why her daughter likes ice cream so much.  I told her her teenage son is a growing boy and needs lots of calories.  As for her daughter, well I understand being a fan of ice cream, lol.  I guess the mom didn't grow up eating ice cream so her outlook and desires are different.

Well friends, that's my little story for the day. I hope you have a great day with some fond memories either recollected or newly made.  I'd love to read in the comments what fond childhood food treat memory you have. Thank you for stopping by!